The Penn.

The Penn is an innovative education program that is grounded in place and founded on community.

The Penn celebrates the individual while recognizing their role in a larger community ecosystem with the goal of helping the local community, the global community, and the natural world.

In addition to a core curriculum, The Penn offers project-based learning and student-guided learning. We aim to create a holistic educational environment that focuses on:

Fostering social/emotional growth
Contributing to the community
Gaining local ecological knowledge
Preparing for work and meaning in life/ finding individual purpose
Becoming active thinkers and doers
Striving toward a better understanding of ourselves and the world
Challenging ourselves with the goal of individual and collective growth

Watch the documentary.

"The Penn is a necessary and radiant beacon in the landscape of education: a place alive to the innate life, curiosity, and soul-creating impulses of childhood. A place of exploration, collaboration, serious play, and freedom to learn and grow in nature and community as an individual— outside of the strictures of systems. A place that honors the child. In times like these, nothing could be more important." - Tal Birdsey (Educator, Author, and Founder of The North Branch School, Ripton, VT)

"Most academic programs place heavy emphasis on fostering a wide, generic collection of skills and knowledge. However, the adult world values the person who has specific, defined abilities. The Penn has a more enlightened view. This program encourages students to identify their unique affinities and builds an individualized curriculum around the student’s profile. The program presents a challenging curriculum designed to balance the support and challenge that fosters student growth at this critical period of their development." -Rick Lavoie (Educator, Author, Award Winning Public Speaker)

"Being a Penn student was incredible for so many reasons, but the greatest gift it gave me was critical thinking. From quantifiable skills like learning to identify different forms of media bias to the encouragement to question my own assumptions, I became a much more discerning absorber of information, which I am particularly grateful for. Also, the sword fights were terrific. Don't worry; they were foam swords. " - Ella M (Penn Alumni)

Non-Discrimination Statement:

It shall be the policy of the Board of Trustees and the school not to discriminate in admissions and hiring practices in violation of the law. The Penn shall not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or age in either the hiring and other employment practices of the school or in its admission policies for students. Further, the The Penn shall be open to all students in its authorized geographic area on a space available basis and shall not discriminate in its admission policies or practices. The Penn shall conduct all of its activities in accordance with all applicable local, state, and federal anti-discrimination laws, as well as in accordance with all other laws and regulations applicable to the operation of private schools in the States of Maine and Vermont.