History

With no school in Vail, pioneering parents Jack Tweedy, Betty Seibert, and Barbara Parker founded Vail Country Day School (VCDS). Allen Brown became the first teacher. On October 15, 1962, the first classes were held around Betty and Peter Seibert’s dining table. By mid-year, VCDS moved to The Lodge at Vail.

Enrollment doubled, confirming the community’s need for an independent school in the valley.

Allen Brown was named Head Teacher and was joined by Judy Marshall Nelson, who started the first Kindergarten class. Vail pioneers Dick Hauserman and Ted Kindel secured the top floor of the Vail Fire House, transformed by parent volunteers into two classrooms, a library, teacher’s office and a bathroom.

VCDS grows to 26 students and 3 teachers, with Ginny Crowley as Head Teacher

The Town of Vail was incorporated, with VCDS parent Ted Kindel serving as its first mayor. 

The school moved to the Vail Clinic building on West Meadow Drive, embracing an “open space” concept for learning. March 8, 1968 VCDS plans Vail’s first fancy dress ball. 

Eagle County School District formed Vail's first public school, absorbing VCDS students in grades K–6. VCDS grades seven and eight relocate to Vail Associates offices on Wall Street and then to the Bank of Vail building in Crossroads.

VCDS moves to the Tivoli Lodge and then Lionshead Center. All six students take home medals from the Vail Standard Ski Race. Over the years, several VCDS students will compete as members of the U.S. Ski Team. Mid-day skiing became a cherished tradition, and continues today through numerous afternoon ski days.

Vail Associates provided the conference room in the Lionshead Gondola building as classroom space.

The first annual Kitchen Tour fundraiser launched a scholarship fund under the leadership of J. Neil Smith. For the first time, the school admits out-of-area students, most of whom are Ski Club Vail racers living with local host families.

VCDS was renamed Vail Mountain School (VMS). Grades expanded to include 10th grade during the fall and 5th and 6th grades in January, with enrollment reaching 45 students.

VMS is issued a five-year lease by Vail Associates on the property at Meadow Mountain, now occupied by the Forest Service. Parent volunteers, students, and faculty work together to improve the property. Two modular buildings are added to the campus.

Caryle Clark is appointed Headmaster. Vali Pulis, Peggy Augustine, Erik Brofos, and Lael Fray are the first seniors to graduate from VMS.

Peter Abuisi is hired to direct the Lower and Middle Schools as well as teach Language Arts and Social Studies. Enrollment grows to 112 with the addition of grades 1-4. Planning for a permanent facility at the school's present-day Booth Creek location is underway.

Peter Abuisi becomes Headmaster. The school graduates eight seniors, all of whom will enter college in the fall. This milestone represents a continued commitment to a college preparatory curriculum. Construction of the Booth Creek facility begins in May on a multi-acre parcel donated to the school by Vail Associates. The project is designed by architect Gordon Pierce and built by Bob Lazier, both of whom were VMS parents and board members at the time.

Despite opening a week late, the new VMS building is constructed in record time during a single summer recess. Undeterred by the delay, classes start on schedule using locations in Vail Village as a temporary campus. One hundred seven students attend grades 1-12 at the new campus, with 11 seniors graduating in May.

VMS is granted membership in the Association of Colorado Independent Schools (ACIS). Exterior restoration of the Homesteader Cabin, which was built in 1906, is completed with the guidance of Edna Baldauf Norgaard, who spent her childhood there. Norgaard is awarded an honorary diploma at graduation.

VMS becomes a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). The curriculum continues to evolve and is reviewed annually to keep pace with the needs of our students in an ever-changing world. 

Celebrating its 20th academic year, the school has grown from seven students and one teacher to 137 students with 14 teachers. The curriculum has evolved from tutor-based instruction to a college preparatory course of study—thirteen seniors graduate, bound for colleges and universities nationwide.

Kindergarten returns to VMS with a class of 12. A campus expansion houses a Kindergarten classroom, math center, computer lab, conference room, and kitchen.

VMS celebrates its 25th anniversary by winning first place in the Town’s Fourth of July parade.

VMS Campus Center is built, expanding the Booth Creek facility. The center includes a gymnasium, locker rooms, and a stage for the performing arts. Enrollment reaches 180 students, taught by 21 teachers.

The building is expanded with the addition of a third level, adding classrooms, offices, and study space. In 1996, the library grew to over 10,000 volumes by spring.

VMS launches SummerQuest, an outreach program for Middle School students in Eagle County Public Schools who have been identified as talented and in need of additional academic support. SummerQuest continues to this day.

The 35th anniversary saw record fundraising (over $200,000) for tuition assistance and the purchase of land in Sweetwater for student retreats. A second Strategic Plan was adopted to guide expansion.

The $26 million !magine Capital Campaign is launched to fund a new campus at the existing location. Vail Resorts donates the land east of Katsos Ranch Road for faculty housing. Ground is broken on the new facility in April 2003.

The new VMS campus is dedicated on September 23, 2005, marking the completion of Phase Three of construction, which includes a new Kindergarten room, dining room, gymnasium, and playground. Ethically Engaged Youth (now Students Shoulder to Shoulder) is established to connect Upper School students to global cultures through service and learning programs.

VMS adopts its third Strategic Plan, which focuses on academics, aesthetics, athletics, character, and settings.

VMS adopts a new mission statement to reflect a globally-minded, liberal arts, college-preparatory curriculum enhanced by athletics, outdoor education, community service, and cross-age interaction. The school is re-accredited by ACIS.

VMS awards more than $1,000,000 in need-based tuition assistance to a total of 26% of students.

Upper School launches a one-week Intraterm for 10th grade students to expand the traditional curriculum. Further enrichment opportunities are provided by staff focused on community service, outdoor education, technology, and college counseling. The school installs solar panels on the roof.

The Town of Vail, Vail Mountain, and Vail Mountain School celebrate their 50th anniversaries. The school adopts its fourth strategic plan, designed to assure that, over the next fifty years, it will not only continue to build upon the core values of its unique community but also enhance the quality of programs and the institution's financial sustainability. This reflects a commitment to preparing its students for leadership in meeting the multiple and complex challenges they face in the 21st Century.

Mike Imperi becomes Head of School and is charged with spearheading strategic initiatives. Capital improvements during this time include building a greenhouse, remodeling the library, resurfacing the Bandoni Alumni Field, implementing a Makerspace, and adding a Mandarin program.

The COVID-19 pandemic challenged schools worldwide. VMS pivoted to remote learning in March 2020 but reopened for in-person learning by August 24, 2021, staying open for nearly the entire school year.

Steve Bileca was appointed Head of School, bringing experience from Hackley School in New York.

The 5th Strategic Plan, Learning Elevated launched, outlining a new vision, mission, values, and brand identity for VMS.  This plan highlights 10 bold initiatives for a decade. Starting out strong, VMS secured a donor to add solar panels to faculty housing and the rest of the main building.