Feudal Workplace - Teacher Vermont Academy Employee Review

Dedicated faculty, students who want community, beautiful setting,

Like all boarding schools, the work-life balance for a dedicated educator can be challenging to navigate.

Good teachers who are passionate, but would do better at schools with resources. The mountains are beautiful.

The school is in a state of crisis, with a lack of essential resources and widespread faculty and staff layoffs that have left many of us reeling. In April, we learned—far too late—that many would not be receiving contracts for the upcoming year. This was the first time many of us were made aware of the school’s dire financial situation. The administration has failed to communicate honestly or in a timely manner, and it seems they lack the experience and skills to navigate this mess. The financial mismanagement is staggering. The endowment, which should have been a safeguard, was mishandled. We now know the school has a poor credit rating and is in debt to vendors and contractors. This was all kept hidden until it was impossible for many of us to find other employment for the next academic year. Meanwhile, the school’s facilities are in rough shape, with some classrooms updated nicely but many others showing years of neglect. The board and administration have lost the trust of the community. They have spent their careers here, insulated from the broader educational world, and they do not seem to understand what it takes to lead a school through a financial crisis. While some students are genuinely motivated, many view this as a second-chance school and don’t seem fully invested in the academic mission. It feels like we’re just a basketball and soccer school now, and I’m not confident it can last. We need leadership, transparency, and a real plan, but right now, we have none of that.