Academy Nature

By Coco Gamsey-Boudier ’27

The Academy at Charlemont resides on a beautiful piece of land. Green fields, where students play soccer and ultimate frisbee, are lined by a forest on one side. In front of the school, the courtyard has picnic tables to sit at for lunch, a berm, and some pretty trees that are stunning in full bloom. Thyme adds a nice aroma as it covers the ground of the courtyard. Along the edges of the school a lovely garden filled with poppies, rose bushes, bleeding hearts, and irises dusted in morning dew will greet you in the spring. These gardens, as well as the rest of the grounds, are maintained by parent volunteers.

Just across the road is the Deerfield River, a gorgeous body of water that flows into the Con- necticut River. It’s not uncommon for people at The Academy to see a majestic bald eagle soaring over it. Science classes will take advantage of the close proximity to learn about the river and the creatures living in and around it. Yet, another way The Academy utilizes the Deerfield River is through its kayaking program, a fall and spring sport, with Zoar Outdoor.

A hidden gem on campus is the upper fields. Property that The Academy shares ownership with the Franklin Land Trust. Some classes will take walks up the small hill and tiny creek to find a graceful field that is filled with wispy grass and home to a bounty of critters. Speaking of critters, from the common cute chipmunk to the rarer bobcat sighting, The Academy gets visits from many kinds of animals. When it’s the right season, members of the Academy community will see and hear bluebirds, warblers, Baltimore orioles, and many more types of brightly feathered birds. Rabbits will be spotted hopping about chewing clover. Deer and fawns will wander onto the freshly mowed grass, or leave hoofed tracks in the snow during winter. Squirrels chase each other up trees, and worms wiggle out of the ground on rainy days hoping not to get spotted by a hungry robin.

This year a new friend appeared on the AAC’s grounds. A cat, who was quickly dubbed Purrington. Purrington was collarless, so a trap was set to