Gould Academy

We are a small, private, co-ed, independent boarding school, located at the eastern edge of the White Mountains in Bethel, Maine. At Gould Academy, learning begins in the classroom but it doesn’t end there. Our students continue learning out on the mountain at Sunday River, at dinner with a teacher’s family, and in a global community fueled by curiosity and commitment. The combination of experiences that an individual student chooses creates an education that’s unique – just like our graduates.

Gould is more than a college prep school (although we do that well, too). Our students become actively involved in shaping their own education by taking advantage of opportunities that extend learning beyond the classroom. We like to think of choice as something additive. Our students don’t choose this OR that. They choose this AND that. What Sets Gould Apart?

• Students thrive in Gould’s college prep setting thanks to close, collegial relationships with their instructors and counselors, and a vast network of alumni and visiting professionals who come to campus and work with students each and every year.
• Music performance students who seek one-on-one instruction with conservatory faculty are supported through our distance partnership with the Manhattan School of Music.
• Students interested in both competitive and noncompetitive on-snow instruction and coaching benefit from our unique partnership with Sunday River Resort located just minutes from campus.
• Creative thinkers who are interested in shaping their own education can do so through blended learning, which provides students with more time for independent studies and research.
• Innovators and doers who want to give meaningful time and service to the greater community have numerous academic, programmatic, and social outlets to take advantage of, including The Marlon Family IDEAS Center, Four Point and Experiential Learning, REACHOUT, Farm and Forest, and Gould Goes Green.

Gould Academy does not discriminate on the basis of national origin, race, creed, color, gender, or sexual orientation in the administration of its educational policies, admission, financial aid, loans, and other school programs.

The Gould Academy mission is to prepare academically motivated students for college and helps them to become independent-minded, ethical citizens who will lead lives of purpose, action, excellence, and compassion in a dynamic world.

Our talented administrators, faculty, and staff are deeply committed to making sure that our students don’t have to choose between this OR that, but rather have the opportunity to do this AND that. In addition to engaging in challenging academic programs that prepare our graduates for placement in competitive colleges and universities, our students capitalize on all that we have to offer. Whether they are traveling internationally to explore the cultures of such countries as Spain, Tanzania, Ecuador, or China as part of our Four Point Program or effectively using state-of-the-art interactive video conference technology to participate in our partnership with the Manhattan School of Music, our students do it all!

We are a school that passionately embraces the outdoors and we take full advantage of what each season has to offer. While many communities hesitate to go outside during the winter, our school actively embraces the colder months. Our students participate in the many outdoor activities that Gould has to offer. These include but are not limited to the eight-day winter camping trip in the White Mountains that students take during their junior year and our exceptional and vast number of On-Snow Programs that take place just six miles from campus at the Sunday River Ski Resort.

Gould’s Academic Skills Program supports students with various learning styles. Each student works with their assigned Learning Professional during a formal class period to improve upon self-identified skills. This helps to ensure that the student is effectively managing their workload while also developing the skills needed to become an independent learner.

Enrollment in the Academic Skills Program is based on, but not limited to, academic performance, advisor input, educational consultant or advisory council recommendation, and educational testing. In certain circumstances, participation in the Academic Skills Program may be a condition of acceptance or continued enrollment at Gould.

Upon enrollment into the Academic Skills Program a student learning plan is written for each student and shared with the student’s classroom teachers. This plan outlines the student’s learning style and accommodations and/or modifications that will be executed in the classroom setting.