A Global Perspective

Black River students are exposed to a broad sense of the world, through a curriculum and school governance structure that celebrate a diversity of ideas and perspectives. The school will incorporate members of the greater community as educators. Curriculum will focus on a wide variety of cultures, religions, languages and the challenges of socioeconomic diversity. Students will see themselves both as rooted inhabitants of Vermont, and as global citizens with a responsibility to be creative problem solvers for current and future generations.

What that means to us:

• Students will appreciate what it means to be rooted in Vermont and, in particular, in a small community that values diversity, inclusion, equity, cooperation, and resourcefulness.

• Students also will benefit from the community’s unique resources (Fletcher Farm, Vail/Okemo, Okemo Valley T.V., Black River Good Neighbors Food Pantry, Black River Academy Museum, Calvin Coolidge historic sites, local artisans, farmers and tradespeople).

• Expeditionary School at Black River will open doors for and connect students to the bigger world through the curriculum, world languages, continuation of the Rotary Student Exchange program, Model UN, and Round Square Conference school partnerships.

What that means for students:

• We want our students to emerge from high school as global citizens of the world, and to feel fully capable and empowered to take their Black River education anywhere.

• Through engagement with other schools nationwide, travel programs, and contemporary and constantly changing curriculum content, our students will gain exposure to and appreciate diverse cultures and perspectives at the national and global levels.

• Meanwhile, through internships, apprenticeships, and community education programs, they will emerge with a realistic grasp of the meaning of socioeconomic diversity in Vermont.

• Expeditionary School graduates will not feel isolated in a small mountain town but connected to the world that they are a part of and ready to take responsibility for it.