mission | location | philosophy

WELCOME

Headwaters Academy is indeed an incredible place. It is community, it is experiential and outdoor education, it is academically challenging, it is community service and service learning, it is caring, it is involved families, it is professional, it is engaging, it is challenging, it is cutting edge based on sound educational principles, it is...

Headwaters is a carefully crafted potpourri of wonderful bits and pieces that, when molded into a whole, provide a safe, caring, academically-challenging educational environment. Our staff is professional, caring and engaging. They are the school’s foundation. Add to that foundation a solid educational approach mixed with a heavy dose of hands-on education, an annual, exciting Field Study Tour, and our small, intimate class size with a physical plant located next door to Montana State University, and we have created a unique and powerful educational experience.

We welcome 6th through 8th graders and their families to explore the wonders of Headwaters. We are not for everyone, but we provide a wonderful ride for those open to sharing our corner of the world.

Sincerely,

Tim McWilliams
Headmaster

A UNIQUE BLEND OF TRADITIONAL COLLEGE PREPARATORY WITH EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
"It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge" …Albert Einstein

Headwaters Academy is a coed, independent school whose mission is to prepare students for college and responsible citizenship in an environment of mutual respect. We serve grade levels 6-8.

MISSION
Founded in 1990, Headwaters has developed a unique program that blends a rigorous curriculum with an exciting range of off-campus opportunities. Our goal is to present each student with challenges that will stimulate both academic and personal growth.

All Students Sit in the Front Row
Integral to the learning process at Headwaters Academy is the strong relationship between teachers and students. We strive to foster this relationship by restricting the size of our classes to no more than 12 students. Our faculty encourages each student to develop critical thinking skills and to be actively engaged in daily class discussions and projects. At Headwaters, all our students sit "in the front row."

A GREAT LOCATION!
Surrounded by National Forests, some of the world's finest trout waters, Yellowstone National Park and world-class ski resorts, Headwaters Academy integrates these outstanding resources into our curriculum through the Outdoor Education (OE) Program. Through the OE program, we teach students life-long outdoor skills, an understanding and appreciation for our natural environment, physical development and leadership skills. These sessions also provide valuable opportunities to connect the lessons of outdoor issues with classroom subjects.

With Montana State University as our neighbor, we have a wonderful learning resource. Our immediate proximity to the MSU campus provides our students the opportunity to conduct research and experience a university environment. What better situation for a college prep student?!

PHILOSOPHY
First and foremost, Headwaters Academy is an institution that strives for academic excellence in every student and prepares each to succeed in high school and college. We achieve this goal through three fundamental strategies:

· Excellent teachers in an effective teaching environment
· A challenging liberal arts curriculum
· An academic ethos

Learning happens at an exciting pace and in a stimulating way when quality teachers are placed in small classrooms of motivated students. Learning is more in-depth when each student has the opportunity to participate in the class discussion and pose questions to other students and the teacher. Our curriculum emphasizes fundamental subject areas and encourages students to develop critical thinking skills and become actively engaged in their learning process. We find this approach provides HWA "graduates" a very solid academic foundation from which they can build. In a small academic community where each student is expected to meet academic and behavioral standards, an ethos is developed that encourages intellectual growth and supports compassion and respect for others.