Sunapee

The Sunapee School District (SAU 85) serves students across two schools: Sunapee Central Elementary School (Pre-K-5) and Sunapee Middle High School (6-12). With a total enrollment of approximately 434 students in 2024, the district focuses on fostering strong relationships between home, school, and community to enhance educational quality. Its mission is to prepare students to be life-long learners and contributing members of society by maintaining a challenging educational program in a safe environment. The district emphasizes effective communication, partnership with parents, and adherence to non-discrimination policies, ensuring an inclusive and supportive atmosphere for all students.

The district provides a rich curriculum delivered by highly qualified and experienced educators, with students consistently achieving scores above state and national averages on standardized tests. At Sunapee Middle High School, academic excellence is evident in the 2024 SAT mean scores of 557 in Reading/Writing and 543 in Math, surpassing both state and national benchmarks. The school offers Advanced Placement (AP) courses, where 79% of participants scored 3 or higher in 2024, and maintains a 100% graduation rate with a 0% dropout rate for the 2023-2024 school year. The curriculum accommodates individual learning styles, including special education services, and prepares students for post-secondary success, with 88% of the Class of 2024 planning to attend four-year colleges.

Sunapee Middle High School features a comprehensive athletics program that promotes physical fitness, teamwork, and school spirit, with over 75% of middle and high school students participating in at least one extracurricular activity, including sports. The program includes various teams and is supported by a dedicated athletics website, sunapeeathletics.org, which provides schedules, updates, and resources for participants and families. Athletics are integrated into the district’s broader extracurricular offerings, contributing to a well-rounded student experience and community involvement.

The arts program at Sunapee Middle High School nurtures creativity and self-expression through offerings in visual arts, music, and drama. Students engage in activities such as art shows, drama productions, and music performances, utilizing dedicated facilities like the music room. These programs are part of the unified arts curriculum, which emphasizes hands-on learning and allows students to explore their artistic talents alongside academic studies.