There are many reasons to consider
an education at NYA. The most important ones
come down to your family’s needs.
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Here Are The Basics!
Below you will find a quick rundown of what makes NYA so unique. Many of these are answers to the most frequently asked questions we receive from prospective families. This list is meant to be brief. There is an abundance of information we would love to share with you, and we are always eager to answer any questions you might have. So please contact us.
Fast Facts
- NYA was founded in 1814
- NYA’s 20+ acre campus is in downtown Yarmouth, Maine, ten miles north of Portland
- Head of School is Ben Jackson
- There are approximately 395 students enrolled
- School colors are orange and black, and the mascot is the panther
- NYA is coed, toddler through grade 12 plus a postgraduate program
- There are 58 faculty members and 86% hold advanced degrees
- Student/ Faculty ratio 7:1
- Average Middle and Upper School classroom size is 14
- NYA grades on an 100-point scale and does not use proficiency-based grading in the Middle and Upper School
- NYA is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and holds a Certificate of Approval from the State of Maine. Memberships include the National Association of Independent Schools, the Independent School Association of Northern New England, the Maine Association of Independent Schools, and the Maine Montessori Association
- Approximately 40% of families receive financial assistance
- Enrolled students represent 38 Maine towns, 2 states, and 4 countries
- International students make up between 5% and 15% of Upper School student body
100% of NYA students in grades 6-12 participate in an after school activity three seasons per year, including outside activity waivers and activities such as drama and music ensembles- NYA ice hockey teams compete in the Prep League (NEPSAC), Holt Conference. Other NYA teams compete in the Maine Principals Association (MPA)
- NYA’s Travis Roy Ice Arena and Fitness & Wellness Center is right on campus. Renovations and the addition of a 5,000+ square foot fitness & wellness center were completed in the spring 0f 2023.
- NYA has 22 varsity athletic teams
- Students in kindergarten through grade 5 take ice skating lessons at NYA’s Travis Roy Ice Arena and Fitness & Wellness Center as part of their winter PE classes
- NYA has a climbing wall and a fleet of kayaks as part of the Kauffmann Program for Environmental Writing & Wilderness Exploration
NYA offers 18 Advanced Placement courses- Every student in grades 6-12 and PG has an academic advisor who supports fewer than ten advisees
- NYA’s college counselor begins working with students in the ninth grade
- 100% of the Class of 2023 was admitted to college
- NYA offers 7 Diplomas with Distinction: STEM; Global Citizenship; Music: Performance, Entrepreneurship, & Community; Outdoor and Environmental Leadership; Social Advocacy: Visual Arts; and Creative Writing
- NYA’s Kauffmann Program for Environmental Writing & Wilderness Exploration stresses the importance of wilderness and nature with a focus on environmental thinking, writing, conservation, and travel
- 100% of students study a modern or classical language. Toddlers through students in grade 6 study Spanish. Grades 7 through 12 choose from French, Spanish, or Latin.
- NYA’s Innovation Lab contains resources to promote innovation and integration of technology across the curriculum and is utilized in kindergarten and beyond
- All seniors give a speech to the school community prior to graduation
- The Lower School integrates Montessori methods through kindergarten
- All first and second grade students learn to play the ukulele, all third and fourth grade students have violin instruction, and all fifth grade students play both violin and a wind instrument
- 100% of toddlers through students in grade 8 take art, music, and a language
Updated September 5, 2023
