Academic Leadership
Rene M. Menard ‘88
Headmaster
Marsha Snyder
Director of Academics
Tricia Weyand
Director of Guidance Dept.
Opening Doors for
Possibilities
Teachers:
Here to Serve
Guidance:
A Four-Year Plan
Schools shouldn’t be “one size fits
all” places. Students arrive with
varied interests and abilities, with
strengths and needs that span a broad
continuum. Schools should answer
in kind, providing many doors of
possibility for students to open
and enter. We do that at Thornton
Academy. Every year we strive to
greet each one of you with a friendly
hand extended, offering you a fresh
start and new ways for you to learn,
explore, and grow.
I have had the privilege of teaching
at Thornton Academy for many years
and, in that time, we have experienced
many changes in facilities, programs,
and staff. What has remained
constant is our desire to provide the
best education we can to all of our
students. Thornton Academy values
tradition; our commitment to high
quality is first among them.
Guidance counselors at Thornton
Academy follow a curriculum that
helps students to develop a four-year
plan for high school and beyond.
With freshmen, we emphasize
the transition to high school, selfawareness and how best to become
an involved community member. By
visiting students in their classrooms
and meeting with them individually,
counselors guide students to the
best course selection to achieve their
desired post-secondary goals.
There are as many different kinds of
courses, activities, and programs as
there are different kinds of students
at Thornton Academy. Find the ones
that are right for you. Remember
that you are able to start anew every
year. If you did well last year and
want to challenge yourself this year,
add an honors or AP class. If you
thought about joining a club last year
but didn’t, do it this year. Learn to
play a new instrument. Sign up for a
different sport; try a new language;
audition for the school play. This
Program of Studies is the starting
point to personalizing your Thornton
Academy experience. Take advantage
of all that Thornton Academy has
to offer. Best wishes for a successful
year.
As you view the hundreds of courses
offered, remember that you have a
support system of teachers, advisors,
coaches and counselors ready to
assist you in making the best possible
choices for your courses. Trust the
advice you may have received from
your current teachers, especially
any course recommendations. They
understand which classes will be
most appropriate to your individual
abilities.
When you need a broader perspective
on your full schedule, a visit or call
to the Guidance Department will be
invaluable. Our talented and caring
guidance counselors are happy to
help you navigate a process that can
sometimes be overwhelming. In
short, if you have questions, don’t be
afraid to ask.
With sophomores, we focus
on interests, abilities, and the
development of career awareness. Indepth college planning work begins
during the junior year and continues
through to graduation.
Counselors help students to
understand the need to maintain
academic rigor and how colleges will
view their high school transcript.
They develop college lists that are
matched to their students’ academic
profiles and help them to explore
possibilities. Non-college bound
students will also identify their
post-secondary plans and how best
to present themselves to future
employers.
3