CVA marked the start of its 43^rd school year with Fall Registration Day on September 1st. This year the Academy welcomed 72 new and returning student-athletes and their families. The Big Dogs met with teachers, staff, coaches, and the healthcare team to make sure they were ready for the start of the school year.

Head of School, Alex Godomsky '91, kicked off the year with remarks at the annual Gratitude Ceremony.

"At CVA, we are guided by four core values: Kindness, Respect, Commitment, and Gratitude," Alex said. "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."

The Gratitude Ceremony is one of the most important traditions of Registration Day. CVA coaches lead students through a gratitude exercise – to write down what they are thankful for, so they may remember the CVA experience and this first day of a new school year with gratitude. A few selected students then read their notes of gratitude aloud, while others present their notes of gratitude to their families.

Following the Gratitude Ceremony, the CVA Community gathered for the Welcome Luncheon at the Anti-Gravity Center. Alex spoke once more to the students, reminding them of the CVA core values.

"Bring your kindness, respect, commitment, and gratitude, and we will give you our full commitment, love, and support each day of your journey," he said.

For the first full weekend back on campus, all students attended a class orientation trip - it’s a highlight of the year for many. These trips are “device free,” allowing our students to unplug, get to know each other, bond as a class, and make memories to last a lifetime.

CVA Seniors enjoyed a great bonding experience with two days of canoeing and camping in the Moosehead Lake region with Allagash Canoe Trips out of Greenville, Maine. The group was able to observe wildlife in their natural habitat and enjoyed the breathtaking beauty of the region.

11th-grade students enjoyed an incredible orientation weekend at Adventure Bound in The Forks! They participated in team bonding games, worked together to conquer the ropes course, and showcased strong communication skills while tackling whitewater rafting.

The 10th grade orientation trip to Acadia National Park was a perfect mix of adventure and connection. Students tackled incredible climbing spots with Acadia Mountain Guides and enjoyed breathtaking ocean views. Nights around the campfire were filled with laughter and stories, showing how orientation trips like this are not only fun but also strengthen team bonding between peers and staff.

CVA students in the 9th grade had an amazing orientation trip with Ocean Explorers Maine and Maine Boat Charter. They enjoyed safety lessons, navigation, an island clean-up, and hands-on activities like fire-starting and ocean science exploration. 

A highlight was lobstering with Jett and Lake Lindelof '22 where the kids got hands-on experience with traps, measuring, and banding lobsters. Huge thanks to Jett and Lake! 

The 7th and 8th grade orientation trip to Stratton Brook Hut was filled with action and laughter. From stacking wood and playing hide-and-seek all day to a never-ending game of Uno, s’mores by the fire, and heartfelt stories of how everyone got started in skiing/snowboarding, it was a weekend to remember. 

CVA welcomed nutritionist, Lauren Hebert, MS, RDN, LD from CV Wellbeing, for the all-school presentation during the first week of school. Lauren taught the student-athletes about the principles of intuitive eating and how to apply tactics such as the timing of eating and the pairing of food for optimal wellness and athletic performance. Lauren then spent time with the staff discussing signs of possible eating disorders/disordered eating and how to create a culture that helps foster a positive relationship with food.

CV Wellbeing provides nutrition counseling for a life spent living, not restricting. Specialties include eating disorders, disordered eating, weight concerns, healing the relationship with food and body, health and chronic disease management, digestive health, sports nutrition, kids nutrition, maternal health, and general nutrition/wellness.

Lauren centers her counseling around disease management while building healthy relationships with food and body. With an educational background in Exercise Science, she has a keen interest in sports nutrition and how our body utilizes food, as well as the best ways to fuel our bodies for active lifestyles. Lauren was born and raised in Maine, where she completed her undergraduate, graduate, and dietetic internship at the University of Maine.

(shown above, l-r) Acy Craig '21, Boden Gerry '24, Theo Mclemore, and Nate Pare.

CVA is thrilled to announce that four CVA Big Dogs have been named to the 2024-25 Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Cross Team! CVA alumni Boden Gerry ’24 returns for his second year on the Development Team, and Acy Craig ’21, Theo Mclemore, and Nate Pare, round out the Pro Team roster this year.

Congratulations, Big Dogs! We can't wait to see what you achieve this season!

Congratulations to Big Dog, Sam Morse '13, who was named to the 2024-25 Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team! The CVA community couldn't be more proud of you, Moose, and can't wait to cheer you on this season.

CVA Big Dogs kicked off the year with pre-season dryland training this month. Full-year student-athletes have the advantage, getting a head start on team building, athletic training, and bonding with their coaches. Dryland training is crucial for enhancing strength and power, preventing injuries, improving core stability, and boosting both aerobic and anaerobic capacity.

After training all summer, CVA Alpine athletes from U14 to FIS age groups showcased their hard work to determine their athletic program placement for the year. Full-year students are already demonstrating the benefits of their year-round commitment, setting the stage for a strong season ahead!

Students at CVA can get a jump start on their post-secondary academic career by taking classes for college credit while still within the support network of CVA. Early College classes offer dual enrollment, where students earn one CVA credit and college credits from the University of Maine at Farmington (UMF) or the University of Maine Fort Kent (UMFK) per course. To enroll in Early College, students must have a 3.0 high school GPA or higher.

These courses are taught by CVA faculty in collaboration with university faculty members. For a course to qualify as Early College, the course curriculum and teacher credentials go through a rigorous application process to be considered a 100-level course at UMF or UMFK. The credits earned by taking these courses will transfer to any University of Maine campus and will transfer to most other universities and colleges.

"Taking an Early College class can be used to show a more robust academic transcription in the college application process," said CVA Director of Academics Karen Lanoue-Egan.

Additionally, students taking an Early College class while in high school, may be offered direct admission to UMaine colleges. A new program by the UMaine system offers direct admission to early college students, even if they don’t apply to a UMaine school.

“These students have proven themselves and their likelihood of success because of their involvement in early college,” UMaine System Chancellor Dannel Malloy said in an interview with the Portland Press Herald earlier this year.

Early College courses offered at CVA include Honors Biology II, Honors Physics, and Honors Chemistry. These science classes are lab-based and earn the student 4 college credits; other courses, including English and non-lab science classes, earn 3 college credits per class. Honors English IV, offered at CVA for the past two years but on hiatus this year, will likely be added back into the curriculum as an Early College class for the 2025-2026 school year. CVA teachers currently approved as Early College teachers are Karen Lanoue-Egan, BS Zoology, MS Biology; and, Shelley Koenig, MS Geochemistry-Petrology.

Alpine Pre-Holiday Camp

The Pre-Holiday camp consists of four days of high-volume training focused on both technical and tactical aspects utilizing the CVA/Colby T-bar and other training venues to maximize our training opportunities. Work on developing technical skills through directed free skiing, GS and SL drill work, and tactical skills in both GS and SL gate training blocks. Space is limited, please register as soon as possible.

Birth Years: 2009-2014

Location: Sugarloaf Mountain

Dates: December 20-23

Cost: $900 (does not include lift tickets)

Registration Deadline: 10/01/2024

Contact: Evan Keefer, Alpine Weekend Program & Camps Manager

Alpine Immersion Program

The CVA Alpine Immersion Program for racers in grades 5-8 supports utilizes a fundamentals-based ski curriculum to develop skills and habits for future success in ski racing. Each session is 3-days of ski training and academic time for student-athletes to work on assignments from their home school. The CVA Alpine Immersion program is a great opportunity for racers to determine if they are ready to join the Academy.

Birth Years: 2011-2014

Location: CVA & Sugarloaf Mountain

Dates: 1/8-1/10, 2/12-2/14, 3/19-3/21

Cost: $700/session; $2,100 for all 3

Deadline: 10/01/2024

Contact: Evan Keefer, Alpine Weekend Program & Camps Manager.

If you are in the market for a new book to read, check out James Comey's latest crime novel, Westport. There's a fun shoutout to CVA and our small community on pages 274-276. Here's a little excerpt:

The manager recognized Holtzer right away. "Good fella. Teaches up the road at the ski and snowboard school. Social studies and government, I think."

"The what?" Laslo asked.

"The Academy. Private school for young folks trying to make it big on the slopes at the Winter Olympics and all. They take classes there when they aren't skiing. Lotta champions came outta that place over the years."

Time to gear up, the season will be here before you know it. Buy team uniform jackets, ski and snowboard clothing, activewear, and other CVA swag right from our website.

Carrabassett Valley Academy is seeking a full-time Academy Alpine coach and part-time Alpine, Freestyle, Ski Cross, and Snowboard Weekend Program coaches to join our team. The ideal candidates' qualities include enthusiasm, a love of working with young athletes, a desire for personal growth as a coach, and the ability to connect with athletes.

For more information, please visit our jobs page by clicking the button below.

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.