The unique history of Vail Mountain School parallels that of the ski community in which it is located. In the early 1960s, the last remnants of sheepherding and homesteading were supplanted by the construction of ski lifts and resort hotels, at which point the need for a school became essential. Since those early days of Vail, our school has been an important part of community life.

Today, the ski industry, the village, and the school are intertwined, sharing resources and amenities while contributing to the quality of life along a magnificent valley in the Central Rocky Mountains. Like the homestead of yesteryear and its farmland at the foot of the mountains that frame our campus, Vail Mountain School is very much a part of the landscape.

VMS uses the kindergarten through grade twelve model to foster social and emotional growth in ways similar to a family structure.  We combine teaching academics in state-of-the-art facilities with experiential education in natural surroundings, incorporating the genuine spirit of the outdoors into educational programs to promote self-reliance and prepare students for college and life beyond.

Our Website communicates this blending of ideas and ideals, and we hope that your questions about Vail Mountain School will be answered in an interesting and informative manner.

Thank you for visiting us on the Web. Perhaps some day we will see you on campus.

Peter M. Abuisi, Headmaster