Dear CVA Community,

Greetings from Carrabassett Valley! I hope everyone enjoyed a rejuvenating summer break filled with adventure. CVA staff has been working diligently to ready the campus for the start of the fall term on September 1st. The maintenance crews are working to ensure that the grounds are in tip-top shape, teachers are preparing their classrooms and coursework, and coaches are developing dryland training plans and preparing for physical testing. We are all eagerly anticipating the students’ return to Carrabassett Valley.

As we begin this new school year, I am thrilled to step into the role of Head of School and continue the momentum of the previous 42 years. My journey at CVA began as a student, grew as a parent, and deepened as an employee. Each of these roles has only strengthened my dedication to this incredible community and the school’s mission.

Community is the cornerstone of success. Our students thrive when surrounded by a network of support, trust, and respect, both on the hill and in the classroom. That is why at CVA, we are guided by four core values: Kindness, Respect, Commitment, and Gratitude. We teach our students to be kind to themselves and others, to respect each person’s unique journey, to stay committed to their goals, and to express gratitude for every opportunity and challenge they encounter. In today's fast-paced world, these values are more important than ever. They are the guiding principles that shape our students into resilient, compassionate leaders, both on the slopes and in life.

I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to lead such an extraordinary community. Together, we will continue to uphold the values that make CVA a place where every student can flourish. Thank you for your unwavering support and dedication to the CVA mission. Here’s to a fantastic year ahead. Go Dogs Go!

Regards,

Alex Godomsky

CVA Head of School

The CVA community gathered in early June to celebrate the leadership and legacy of Kate Webber Punderson ’89. Kate began work at CVA in 2001 and served as Head of School for 13 years before announcing her retirement earlier this year. Many Big Dogs from far and wide celebrated Kate at the Old Smith Farm in Falmouth, sharing memories and accolades.

CVA Board member, Kevin Burns 'P04, in his remarks to the audience, stated "Thank you, Kate, for being a steward of CVA and its Mission Statement during your 13 year tenure as Head of School. You have been steady, humble, professional, tireless, understated, highly principled, strong, empathetic, and grateful. Like your predecessor, John Ritzo, you leave CVA in a better place than you found it!"

A third-generation Sugarloafer who resides in Carrabassett Valley Academy with her husband, Sam, and son, Calvin Punderson ’24, Kate is a CVA alumna, graduate of Middlebury College and the University of Vermont, and former NCAA Division 1 ski racer. Her background made Kate uniquely qualified to lead a world class ski and snowboard academy that successfully balances rigorous college preparatory academics with athletics in a high-achieving environment.



Kate’s thoughtful and bold leadership will leave a lasting legacy at CVA. These are just a few of her accomplishments during her tenure as Head of School:

• The Webber Academic Center construction was completed in 2014.
• CVA named U.S. Ski and Snowboard’s Club of the Year in 2016.
• The Bill and Joan Alfond Competition Center construction was completed in 2016.
• Navigated the academy through the COVID-19 pandemic, keeping the school open and ensuring that CVA student-athletes remained on track athletically and academically when many other institutions could not.
• Made a decades-long dream reality with the completion of The Podium Project. The installation of a dedicated T-bar on Competition Hill, and snowmaking and terrain improvements of the training venue, is a game-changer for CVA, UMF, and Colby athletes.

Please join us in welcoming these new employees to our growing Big Dog community!

Because CVA is a competitive ski and snowboard academy, our students travel a lot during the winter months. That's why we offer academic programming during the summer months to allow our student-athletes to get ahead in their next year's studies with the benefit of in-class instruction and hands-on learning!

CVA offers a few non-credit-bearing summer school courses for select sophomores, juniors, and seniors looking to lighten their academic load during the months of January, February, and March of the upcoming school year.



Summer school options are designed to cover material taught in CVA courses during the busy winter months, especially during championship season! This allows students to have fewer assignments while traveling and competing, enabling them to achieve the balance between their academics and competitive athletics with more ease.



On-campus courses this year included Physics, Chemistry, and Algebra II. Additional CVA summer school courses offered virtually include Western Civilization, US History, and Government. In these courses, students work independently over the summer to complete assignments provided online.

Freestyle

Big Dogs have been hard at it, making the most of their summer training. In July, the Moguls team headed to AcrobatX in Quebec for water ramp and trampoline training. The Freeski team has been training in Quebec as well, at iMaximise.

"iMaximise is a perfect destination for the team since it offers a medium and large jump for a realistic skiing environment," said CVA Freeski Head Coach, Mark Spinney. "During the fall athletes will be training there as many times as we can find opportunities!”

Alpine

Eighteen CVA FIS Alpine athletes are training in Cerro Castor, Argentina from August 3rd to 20th, kicking off their on-snow time with free skiing before moving on to gates. The team has been making serious gains as they prep for the upcoming season.

Cerro Castor is located close to Ushuaia, at the southern point of Argentina with comparatively colder temperatures at a lower elevation. This provides training conditions more similar to those of the eastern US and Europe.

Cerro Castor is a preferred training center for many national teams, especially in late August through early October. The training is at a relatively low elevation which allows athletes to train at a higher volume with quality.

CVA U14 Alpine athletes traveled to Juvass, Norway in late June for 9 days of summer ski training. This glacier, 6 hours north of Oslo, is a home training site for the Norwegian National Team, and other Scandinavian teams and ski clubs. The camp focused on fundamental skills and Slalom and Giant Slalom technical and tactical elements.

A Big Dog Congratulations to CVA Backcountry student-athlete, Tristan Healey '26, for his stand-out performance at the U.S. Gravity Mountain Bike National Championships earlier this month in Zirconia, NC. Tristan earned the top spot for the Enduro Men 15-16 category and placed 10th overall across all amateur categories.

Enduro mountain bike racing is a long-distance race with multiple stages, over tough terrain, designed to test stamina and endurance. Tristan completed the 5 stage race with an overall time that was 2 seconds faster than the next rider.

Next up, Tristan returns home to Sugarloaf Mountain for the MAXXIS Eastern States Cup on August 18. Good luck, Tristan!

Former Freestyle Weekend Program Manager, long-time CVA employee, and CVA parent, Joan McWilliams Dolan, recently met up with 2008 CVA grad, Dom Cyr, while on a Reed & Reed job-site tour. Joan was there to monitor a registered apprenticeship grant she manages for the US Department of Labor. Dom is a civil engineer and project manager for Reed & Reed.

Don't forget to renew your membership to the Sugarloaf Ski Club! The mission of the Sugarloaf Ski Club is to provide the opportunity for all youth to participate and excel in skiing and snowboarding, promote community building events, support competition, and preserve the history and heritage of the mountain. To become a member, or to renew your membership, click on the link below.

The mission of the Sugarloaf Ski Club is to provide the opportunity for all youth to participate and excel in skiing and snowboarding, promote community-building events, support competition, and preserve the history and heritage of the mountain.