The Best Private Schools in East Saint Johnsbury, Vermont
Discover 3 exceptional private schools in East Saint Johnsbury. Find the perfect educational environment for your child with our comprehensive reviews and ratings.
School Overview
Top-Rated Private Schools
St. Johnsbury Academy
Independent School
St. Johnsbury Academy is one of Vermont's premier independent day and boarding schools, serving students from East Saint Johnsbury and surrounding communities. Founded in 1842, the academy offers a comprehensive college preparatory curriculum with over 220 courses, including Advanced Placement and honors classes. The 50-acre campus features state-of-the-art science laboratories, performing arts centers, athletic facilities, and technology resources. The school maintains a 9:1 student-teacher ratio and offers extensive extracurricular programs including championship athletics, visual and performing arts, and community service opportunities. The academy is known for its strong college placement record and personalized academic advising.
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Good Shepherd Catholic School
Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington
Good Shepherd Catholic School provides faith-based private education for students in pre-K through 8th grade, serving families throughout the Northeast Kingdom including East Saint Johnsbury. The school emphasizes academic excellence within a Catholic Christian environment, featuring small class sizes and individualized attention. Curriculum includes strong foundations in literacy, mathematics, science, and social studies complemented by religious education, Spanish, art, music, and technology programs. The school community is known for its family atmosphere and strong parent involvement, with students consistently performing above national averages on standardized testing.
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Lyndon Institute
Independent School
Lyndon Institute is an independent high school located just 10 miles from East Saint Johnsbury, serving students throughout the Northeast Kingdom region. The school offers a comprehensive educational program featuring college preparatory academics alongside extensive career and technical education pathways. Notable programs include advanced STEM courses, performing arts, agricultural sciences, and business education. The 150-acre campus includes modern academic buildings, technical education centers, athletic facilities, and arts spaces. Lyndon Institute emphasizes personalized learning with advisory programs and maintains strong college acceptance rates while providing diverse extracurricular opportunities including competitive athletics and community engagement programs.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about private schools in East Saint Johnsbury, Vermont
What are the private school options specifically available to families residing in East Saint Johnsbury, Vermont?
While East Saint Johnsbury itself is a small village, families have access to several notable private institutions in the immediate Northeast Kingdom region. The most prominent is St. Johnsbury Academy, a renowned independent day and boarding school located just minutes away in the town of St. Johnsbury. For younger students, Good Shepherd Catholic School in St. Johnsbury offers a faith-based K-8 education. Additionally, Lyndon Institute in nearby Lyndon Center provides another independent day and boarding school option. These schools actively draw students from East Saint Johnsbury and surrounding communities, making them the primary private choices for local families.
How does Vermont's Town Tuitioning Program affect private school options for East Saint Johnsbury residents?
Vermont's unique Town Tuitioning Program is a critical financial consideration. East Saint Johnsbury is within the St. Johnsbury School District, which is a "tuitioning town." This means the district may pay tuition for students to attend approved private schools, including St. Johnsbury Academy and Lyndon Institute, if the district does not operate a public school for that grade level. However, specific eligibility and grade coverage depend on annual district votes and agreements. For grades where the district operates a public school (like the K-8 St. Johnsbury School), tuitioning is generally not available. Parents must contact the St. Johnsbury School District office for the current year's tuitioning status, approved school list, and application procedures.
What unique academic programs or specializations are offered by private schools serving East Saint Johnsbury, VT?
The private schools in this area leverage their independence and Vermont's ethos to offer distinctive programs. St. Johnsbury Academy is known for its extensive Advanced Placement (AP) course offerings, a renowned fine arts department, and robust STEM pathways, including engineering and robotics. Lyndon Institute emphasizes hands-on, experiential learning with strong agricultural science, automotive technology, and outdoor leadership programs that connect directly to the region's landscape and industries. Good Shepherd Catholic School provides a structured, values-based core curriculum with an emphasis on community service. All three schools utilize the natural environment of the Northeast Kingdom for educational enrichment, from ecology studies to winter sports.
What is the typical enrollment timeline and process for St. Johnsbury Academy for an East Saint Johnsbury family?
For day students from East Saint Johnsbury, St. Johnsbury Academy has a rolling admissions process, but applying by the priority deadline of February 1st is strongly recommended for the following fall semester. The process involves submitting an application, academic records, teacher recommendations, and a student essay. An interview (in-person or virtual) is also a standard part of the review. For families seeking tuition assistance through the Academy's financial aid program, completing the Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS) by February 1st is crucial. It's important to note that if you are applying under the town tuitioning program, you must also adhere to the separate, often earlier, deadlines set by the St. Johnsbury School District.
How do the private school environments in the East Saint Johnsbury area compare to the local public school options?
The comparison centers on choice and specialization. The local public option for K-8 is the St. Johnsbury School, which provides a tuition-free education with a standard public curriculum. For high school, the district typically tuition students to public high schools, though St. Johnsbury Academy is an approved tuitioning option. The private schools offer distinct environments: St. Johnsbury Academy and Lyndon Institute provide larger, comprehensive 9-12 (and 7-12) campuses with extensive extracurriculars, AP courses, and boarding school resources that attract a geographically diverse student body. Good Shepherd offers a small, faith-based community. The private schools often have more flexibility in curriculum design and smaller average class sizes, but come with significant tuition costs unless town tuitioning applies. The choice often depends on a family's desire for a specific educational philosophy, programmatic focus, or community setting.
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