At Mountain Academy, students drive their learning.
We focus on the growth of each student as an individual, recognizing strengths and areas of need, which can then be addressed specifically in one-on-one or small group settings. Lower school students go on trips into their local and regional communities to learn about these places through economic, ecological and social lenses. We integrate social-emotional learning and character development with academics, encouraging students to practice conflict management skills and take responsibility for their behavior through self-governance.
Everything we do builds upon inspiring curiosity, engagement and leadership in your child. By empowering students to direct their own projects, we tie place-based education to the interests of our students and bring learning to life in meaningful, relevant ways.
Academic Enagement
We make learning sticky with authentic curriculum, integration of ideas and skills, and a learner-centered approach. Projects are interdisciplinary, connecting all subjects in a realistic way. Students receive individualized instruction in core subjects through hands-on, teacher guided activities to ensure students are appropriately challenged and supported.
Character Development
We equally value students’ academic and personal growth. We integrate restorative practices into classrooms, encouraging students to develop conflict management skills and to be accountable for their behavior. We build skills through our Character and Leadership class, practice mindfulness each day, and end each day with a gratitude circle.
Community Focus
Community begins in the classroom, where we foster an inclusive, supportive classroom environment, so students naturally develop a love of learning and new challenges. We take both single day and extended journeys into the nearby community. Many projects throughout the year involve connection to our local community as we prepare students to become global leaders.
Specialized Classes
A robust Lower School education is one that teaches to different strengths, learning styles, and builds a comprehensive foundation for schooling. We provide specialized classes in Spanish, Fine Arts, Outdoor Education, Science, and Farm and Garden to provide students the opportunities to explore different interests through varied content areas. Each of these classes is incorporated into a regular weekly schedule and aligns with our place-based educational model.
"Our daughter just started at Mountain Academy a few months ago and we have already noticed how much more she is enjoying - and growing from - her new school. The individualized approach is just what she needed. As parents, we are so grateful to see her thriving in both her social and academic development. As a student, she is excited to be able to pursue customized creative writing projects and stretch her comfort zone in an extra-challenging math group. Thank you for seeing her whole self and meeting her needs in such supportive and thoughtful ways."
Hometown: Southern New Hampshire Favorite animal: Bison
Samantha grew up in southern New Hampshire, skiing and hiking in the White Mountains. After graduating from Hamilton College with a degree in Philosophy, she returned to New Hampshire to work for the Appalachian Mountain Club in their backcountry hut system. Samantha then turned her enthusiasm for outdoor education into a position at a local Waldorf school in the White Mountains. She moved to Jackson in July and can be found exploring on her bike, hiking in the mountains, or getting mildly lost in the side streets of town square.
Callie Lajza
Hometown: Gainesville, FL Favorite animal in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem: Beaver
Callie graduated from William & Mary in 2018 and from the University of Central Florida in 2016. She originally moved to Jackson to work for the Bridger-Teton National forest and continued her time in the area with Teton Science Schools Field Education. Currently, Callie spends a lot of time on the water as well as pursuing hiking and climbing in the Tetons!
Frederick (Federico) Grant
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA / San Jose, Costa Rica Favorite animal in Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem: Cougar
Federico grew up both in Los Angeles , CA and in San Jose, Costa Rica. He studied Spanish Lit and Linguistics at UCLA. He developed his love and curiosity for nature thanks to his participation in the UCLA Sierra Club. After college he completed the CR Ministry of Tourism guide certification course with license#17. Additionally, he took another naturalist/Ecotourism guide certification course at the University of Costa Rica School of Biology. Plus he completed a 2 week field identification course in Tropical Natural History, Ornithology, Botany, Herpetology, climate, and Zoology through the CR National Museum. He is also a certified NAUI Scuba Divemaster and Instructor. He has been an avid bird watcher for many years, claiming over 600 species of birds seen in Costa Rica alone (out of 910 sp). He has worked as an adventure guide, trek leader, tour director & naturalist in Costa Rica, Mexico, CA, AZ, Guatemala, Belize, Panama and Galapagos Islands NP, Ecuador. He is keen on learning and sharing everything he can about the GYE.
In 2001 he crossed North America from Washington DC to British Columbia , Canada , and south to Los Angeles in a VW Westfalia, indirectly following the Lewis & Clark trail (“Undaunted Courage” book as his inspiration). His trip took him to Yellowstone NP where he sited his very first Bald Eagle, Grizzly bear, and herd of Bison. And he witnessed the geothermal magnificence of Old Faithful! Since then he has always wanted to go back to this volcanic/nature wonderland. He took a course in Volcanology with Dr. Van der Laat from the UCR. He has climbed several active and dormant volcanos throughout the world such as Mt Chimborazo NP, Ecuador, Mt Cotopaxi NP, Mt Ittzacihuatl NP, Mexico, Mt Pacayas, Guatemala, Mt St Helens NP, WA, Mt Lassen NP, CA, Mt Batur NP, Bali, Mt Turrialba NP, Costa Rica, Mt Rincon de la Vieja NP, the “Yellowstone” of Costa Rica, amongst others. He is a great fan of volcanism! He is an avid mountain hiker and MTBiker.
Finally, he took a naturalist guide certification course through the University of Wyoming to enable him to better understand the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. His strong points are his passion and enthusiasm for sharing his knowledge and love of nature, wherever that may be.
Helen Lewis
Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Favorite animal in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem: Osprey
Helen grew up exploring northern Wisconsin’s forests, lakes, rivers and bogs. She attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she earned dual degrees in Conservation Biology and Environmental Studies. There she had the opportunity to study marine and terrestrial tropical ecology in Ecuador, and she focused her studies on alpine plants in high Andean grasslands called páramos. Throughout her time in school and after graduating, Helen led 9 to 45-day canoeing, sea kayaking, and backpacking expeditions focused on leadership development amongst groups of young women. These trips led her from the Great Lakes Region to the tundras of the Canadian subarctic in Nunavut and Northwest Territories, where she developed a love of hardy plants and animals thriving in cold, dry places. In 2019, Helen moved to Jackson and began working for Teton Science Schools as a Field Instructor, marrying her passions for science and the natural world with her experiences leading in outdoor education. With this unique landscape and its wild inhabitants in the foreground, she has since had the opportunity to connect with hundreds of visitors in this spectacular ecosystem. When not out inspecting nooks and crannies of high alpine environments for hidden wildflowers, Helen enjoys trail running, cooking colorful meals, backcountry skiing, and learning about the ever-evolving intersections between people and the environment in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
Logan Edgeman
Hometown: La Fayette, Georgia Favorite animal in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem: Great Grey Owl
Logan (he/him/his) grew up in southern Appalachia which connected him to the outdoors and natural world from an early age. While obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in Outdoor Leadership from Young Harris College in Northeast Georgia, Logan immersed himself in as many outdoor experiences as possible to better connect himself with outdoor places and communities. After working many seasons as a guide and field instructor, Logan began working with private and public colleges in the State of Georgia coordinating outdoor programming with an emphasis on introducing inner-city and underprivileged students to outdoor initiatives and sustainable practices while recreating outdoors. Logan‘s model for facilitating outdoor programs is to introduce, educate, inspire, and create an everlasting and expanding relationship with the natural world and diverse communities around us.
