Visit the Academy

The Academy is located in the Deerfield River valley along the historic Mohawk Trail. Our forty acre campus includes two classroom buildings, playing fields, and wide open spaces with great views of the river and surrounding hills.

A school is more than its facilities, and that’s especially true at The Academy.  The Campus Visit is the best way for a student to experience Academy life.  The quality of relationships here, and the energy and spirit of our school community will become immediately clear when you visit.  From morning meeting through academic and studio classes, lunch and afternoon chores, you’ll be immersed in the spirit of the Academy community. Open Houses and short campus tours with a member of the Admissions Office are also good ways to learn about the school.

Your campus visit is an important part of the admissions process. You’ll attend Morning Meeting, tour the campus, visit a variety of classes, and have opportunities to connect with current students as they accompany you on your tour.  You may choose to visit for a half-day or for the full day. We are happy to accommodate your scheduling needs. The day before your visit, you’ll receive an email with details about the day including the name of your student host, the classes you’ll attend, and the faculty member with whom you’ll have a conversational interview.

You or your parents can schedule your visit by emailing or calling our Admissions Office at 413-339-4912 x119.

Your Visit

Plan to arrive about 8:30 AM so that you can meet your host, get your bearings, and find a seat for Morning Meeting. Our school day starts with the whole school community congregating in the Recital Hall. Our daily Morning Meeting, when students make announcements and game reports, and bring attention to matters of community interest, is the very best way to find out what The Academy at Charlemont is all about.

You’ll be welcomed to and will probably enjoy participating in the discussions and activities in all the classes you visit with your host.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays we have Studio Blocks which are two periods in the morning devoted to music, art, film, creative writing, and other artistic endeavors. If you come on one of those days, you will accompany your host to their studio blocks as well as meet with Katherine Anderson, Director of Admissions, for a conversational interview.

Your Host

Your host (a student either in your current grade or the grade above you) will contact you the night before your visit to say hello and see if you have any questions before your visit.

You’ll find Academy students are friendly and proud of their school. Many volunteer to host prospective students because their own visits were so much fun.

The Interview

During the day you will meet Katherine Anderson, Director of Admissions, for an interview.  Be sure to bring any questions you have about life at The Academy and while it’s not a requirement, we’d love to see an art or writing project of which you’re particularly proud.

Snow Days

In the winter months we sometimes have a school cancellation or delay due to the weather. Please make sure we have the best phone number for you, so that we can notify you should school be canceled the day of your visit.

Transportation

It may be possible to arrange a ride to or from The Academy on one of our buses. Arrangements should be made for this when your visit is scheduled. We’ll make sure a student is assigned to be your host on the bus.