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Achieving Excellence

Five elementary schools, one junior high school and one senior high school serve the children of Lebanon, West Lebanon, Grantham (7-12 only) and Plainfield (9-12 only) under the leadership of School Administrative Union (SAU) 88. With a current enrollment of 1,949 children, student performance is measured in a variety of ways: the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) at grades 3 through 8 and grade 11; the TerraNova Achievement Test at grades 2, 5 and 8; SAT’s (Scholastic Aptitude Test) and AP (Advanced Placement) tests for college-bound high school students; and ongoing district-wide assessment measuring a variety of outcomes at various grade levels. While Lebanon students generally score at or above state and national averages on standardized assessments, increasing achievement is a constant goal of SAU 88.

The total budget for the public schools of Lebanon is approximately $27.8 million, 29 percent provided by the state and federal governments, leaving 71 percent provided by local resources. Per pupil expenditure is $12,960, and the average teacher’s salary is just under $58,000. With 123 classroom teachers employed, the student to classroom teacher ratio is one teacher for every 15.7 students. Of the high school graduating class of 2006, 70 percent continued on to college. Home schooling is common in the Upper Valley, and schools work in concert with families of home-schooled children to include them in sports and other extra-curricular activities.

Private schooling is also an option, with Cardigan Mountain School (Canaan), Crossroads Academy (Lyme) and Kimball Union Academy (Meriden) among the choices.

Crossroads Academy is an elementary and middle school that combines a rich academic curriculum with a broad concern for character formation. Crossroads graduates have been accepted in the honors programs at the local public schools and at the finest boarding schools in New England. Cardigan Mountain is junior High school age and Kimball Union Academy (KUA) is a private high school. Other even smaller, private schools may be found throughout Lebanon and the surrounding communities, gearing their curriculum around religious beliefs or featuring new teaching techniques, such as the Montessori Method.