FAQs

Yes, we are accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). We are also an approved independent school by the Vermont Agency of Education.

At Saint Michael School, it's never too late to enroll!

We offer open enrollment and work with families year round. There are lots of reasons a student might enroll mid-year such as relocation to the area, or the need to change a student's school environment. Our teachers are accustomed to students enrolling throughout the year and will work with each family to help their student successfully settle in, and get caught up with their peers.

For those considering SMS for high school, we strongly encourage families to enroll their students by 6th or 7th grade. The middle school is intentionally designed to prepare students for the expectations of our high school, and provide students with the appropriate knowledge base to excel in the the classical curriculum model. 

Yes!  Thanks to the generosity of local parishes, private donors, and fundraising efforts from our families each year, Need-Based Financial Aid is available for students in grades K – 12th.  Please visit https://saintmichaelschoolvt.org/financial-aid to learn more.

Absolutely not! We proudly serve families of all faith/belief backgrounds each year.

It is important for families to know that the mission of Saint Michael School has always been to assist parents in the formal education, and faith formation of their children through the teachings and traditions of the Catholic Church. All students receive religious education instruction and participate in Catholic activites such as weekly mass, and the celebration of certain religious holidays. Families who are non-Catholic are always welcome and encouraged to ask questions about anything that is unfamiliar.

Our doors open from 8:15-8:25 am and the school day begins at  8:30 am.
Students should be picked up at 3:15 pm daily.

We also have a wonderful, licensed Extended Care Program available to all enrolled students, up through age 12.
We begin accepting students at 7:30 am until the start of the school day (8:15 am).
Aftercare begins at the end of the school day and runs until 5:30 pm.
The cost of care is $5 per hour per child per hour (billed to the closest half hour) and YES, we do accept VT State Subsidy.

Do you require any fundraising or volunteer hours from families?
Yes. We have two major fundraisers during the school year, and families are expected to participate in both:
The Super Raffle in the fall and the SMS Fun Run in the spring. Both fundraisers require the commitment of families to either contribute themselves, or seek out donors within the community during the fundraising window. 

In addition, we ask our families to volunteer 20 hours per school year. There is no shortage of projects – administrative, organizational, transportation, classroom support or, outside of the classroom such as athletics or drama! We know that many families have difficulty volunteering during the work-day. We offer “off-hours” ways to fulfill your hours. You’ll find the 20 hours are easily obtained and your children
will love your involvement!

We have families and staff who travel from all over the tristate area to attend Saint Michael School. About 1/3 of our school community comes Vermont, 1/3 from New Hampshire, and 1/3 from Massachusetts. 

We have various extracurricular sports offerings for students in middle and high school: 

Fall: We have a competitive Middle School soccer team for grades 6-8 and a competitive High School soccer team for grades 8-12*.
*Depending on the maturity and skill of the player, and the need on the high school team, we may allow an 8th grader to play up on the high school team, or be given a leadership role on the middle school team. This is up to the discretion of the coaches, athletic director and principal.

Winter: We have a competitive Middle School basketball team for grades 7-8 and a competitive High School basketball team for grades 8-12*.
*Depending on the maturity and skill of the player, and the need on the high school team, we may allow an 8th grader to play up on the high school team, or be given a leadership role on the middle school team. This is up to the discretion of the coaches, athletic director and principal.

Spring: We have a golf team that receives instruction and plays at the Brattleboro Country Club. We also offer an intramural volleyball program that is growing each year to include travel and competitive play against some nearby schools.

Children in the elementary grades are encouraged to participate in sports and other extra curricular activities offered in their local community or right here in Brattleboro. The Recreation Departments offer great skills training and youth sports development that will prepare your child to join our teams when they are older.

Yes, your child will have homework here at Saint Michael School. Depending on the school environment your student is coming from, this may be different than what they are accustomed to for their afternoon/evening routine. The expectations will vary by grade so no need to panic! As a general rule, families can expect 10 minutes for each grade level for your student, meaning a 2nd grader will have approximately 20 minutes of homework, and a 6th grader can expect about an hour etc. Homework helps to reinforce learning that is happening in the classroom and is a wonderful way to be engaged in your child's education.