The Red Cedar School (Top Ranked Private School for 2026)

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Quick Facts (2026)

Top Ranked VT School
Grades: Kindergarten-8
Enrollment: 46 students
Yearly Tuition: $10,500
Acceptance rate: 80%
Average class size: 10 students
Application Deadline: Mar. 15 / rolling
Source: ✓Verified school update

School Rankings

The Red Cedar School ranks among the top 20% of private schools in Vermont for:

School Facts

Religious Affiliation

Nonsectarian

Grades Offered

Grades Kindergarten-8

Students By Grade

View Data

Distribution of Students By Grade
Grade	The Red Cedar School
Kind	5
1	6
2	8
3	5
4	4
5	5
6	6
7	1
8	6

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Learning Difference Programs

Yes

Year Founded

1989

School Calendar

View School Calendar

Student Body

Total Students

46 students

Student Body Type

Co-ed

% Students of Color

State avg.: 12%

Academics & Faculty

Total Classroom Teachers

5 teachers

Student-Teacher Ratio

9:1

National avg.: 11:1

% Faculty w/Advanced Degree

80%

Average Class Size

10 students

List of Courses Offered

Link to List of Courses

Tuition & Acceptance Rate

Admission Deadline

Mar. 15 / rolling

Yearly Tuition Cost

$10,500

View national tuition avg.

Tuition Notes

K - 6: $10,500 7 & 8: $11,183

% on Financial Aid

30%

Acceptance Rate

80%

National avg.: 82%

Admissions Director

Jacquie Werner-Gavrin

Application URL

Online Application

School Notes

At Red Cedar students develop a love of learning within a community that values mutual respect and honors the voice of each individual.
We support Intellectual curiosity, critical thinking and communication skills through an interactive curriculum that emphasizes authentic and rigorous learning.
We nurture the growth of personal and social responsibility, and students grow to become active citizens of the local and world community.
Our curriculum is meaning based, responsive, interactive and vigorous. Our small classes emphasize inquiry, reflection, discussion, reading, writing and experiential learning.
Explorations in the arts, our outdoor classroom, field and travel study, wilderness trips, guest speakers and workshops augment classroom learning.

Red Cedar's culture of authentic and rigorous learning engages the minds of students. High expectations and structure foster academic habits. Support for personal initiative and investment nurtures the growth of independence. Students are prepared for college and for lives of active learning.
Essential skills of life-long learners, most importantly critical thinking and communication, are emphasized throughout the curriculum. Students are encouraged to care about ideas, ask important questions, gather information, and consider deliberatively. Students regularly engage in scientific investigation, and in problem solving. Writing is an integral focus throughout a student's years in the school. The reading of literature is valued across the curriculum. Lively discussion is a hallmark of many classes. Students share and present their work orally and publish their writing. Experiences in the visual arts, music, drama, design and building are interwoven throughout the curriculum. Students study Spanish at all levels.
Hands-on projects and learning in the field motivate students by providing genuine and meaningful opportunities to integrate and apply skills of research, critical thinking and communication. Examples of such projects include forming a farm-market business that grows and sells garlic; researching the relationship between humans and the landscape in the local community through interviews and site studies, and presenting findings at the Vermont Folklife Center; participating in the Cornell Feeder Watch program through banding and observing birds; developing and performing a play based on a piece of literature; and building a staircase while studying the Pythagorean theory.
Classes are small, with an average size of ten. Teachers work closely with students to understand, engage and challenge each of them. Every student receives a significant amount of personal attention, and each student's individual learning style is honored.
Multi-age groupings with a span of about three years form the make-up of most classes. Students work together within these groups on shared themes and activities, with each individual working at a personally challenging level and pace. Classes such as math and word study are focused directly at a particular level. Each group within the school has a home base with a core teacher.
Red Cedar offers a personal community in which everyone feels a sense of belonging and experiences mutual respect. This community provides a safe base from which an open interest in learning can develop, and in which students can acquire the important social skills that will be needed in all areas of their lives. Each group starts the day with a morning meeting that focuses on community building and social learning. Older students are given leadership training and are supported in their roles as mentors to younger students. The entire K-8 student body gathers together regularly for all-school activities such as older-younger partners, a hike, or work on a community project such as the building of the cob oven. Teachers are closely involved in all aspects of the school and provide modeling and guidance in social interactions throughout the day.
Red Cedar supports the voice of students as they learn who they are, develop confidence and personal initiative, and become active members of the community, in preparation for becoming active citizens of the local and the global community. Students' ideas, questions, choices and feedback are encouraged in our small and interactive classes. Students are counted on to contribute to the life of the community, and to speak up and help solve problems when they arise. Teachers work to ensure that each student's voice is heard.
Red Cedar chooses to encompass grades K through 8 because of the richness a mix of ages can bring to a community. Responsibility to the group and for each other is naturally valued. Cooperation and collaboration are emphasized rather than competition. Individuals, and their unique characteristics, strengths, challenges and aspirations, are valued rather than single age standards. Older students provide inspiration and encouragement to younger ones. Students are empowered as learners because they can see the continuum of where they've come from and where they're going.

Source: Verified school update

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does The Red Cedar School cost?

The Red Cedar School's tuition is approximately $10,500 for private students.

What is the acceptance rate of The Red Cedar School?

The acceptance rate of The Red Cedar School is 80%, which is higher than the national average of 71%.

What is The Red Cedar School's ranking?

The Red Cedar School ranks among the top 20% of private schools in Vermont for: Highest percentage of faculty with advanced degrees.

When is the application deadline for The Red Cedar School?

The application deadline for The Red Cedar School is Mar. 15 / rolling (applications are due on Mar. 15 but additional applications are reviewed year-round as space permits ).

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Did You Know?

The average private school tuition in Vermont is $18,919 for elementary schools and $33,352 for high schools (read more about average private school tuition across the country).

The average acceptance rate in Vermont is 71% (read more about average acceptance rates across the country).