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VERDE VALLEY SCHOOL
SEDONA, AZ · EIN 860080353 · Form 990 · FY2021 · Medium ($1M-$10M) · vvsaz.org
revenue
$3.8M
expenses
$5.0M
net assets
$1.4M
employees
82
volunteers
9
program ratio
80%
mission · from form 990

TO PREPARE YOUNG PEOPLE FOR SUCCESS IN COLLEGE AND IN LIFE BY ENGAGEMENT IN A RIGOROUS ACADEMIC PROGRAM WHILE INSTILLING THEM WITH A SENSE OF PERSONAL AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. THE SCHOOL BASES ITS PHILOSOPHY UPON EXPERIMENTAL EDUCATION AND INTERCULTURAL UNDERSTANDING.

profile · synthesized from sources

Verde Valley School is a private boarding and day high school in Sedona, Arizona, serving grades 9–12 with a focus on experiential education and intercultural understanding. The school combines the rigorous International Baccalaureate curriculum with hands-on learning in nature, service, and sustainability. Founded in 1948, it emphasizes personal growth, community responsibility, and environmental stewardship.

named programs · 5 · from sources

what they call their work

Field Expeditions
10-day immersive experiences combining adventure, cultural learning, environmental awareness, and service to others, conducted off-campus
IB + Dirt
Integration of the International Baccalaureate curriculum with hands-on, place-based learning in nature and community, emphasizing real-world application of academic knowledge
Project Period
Experiential learning term replacing final exams, focused on creative, active, and service-based projects beyond traditional classroom settings
Service to Others
Core program teaching empathy and civic responsibility through community service, one of five pillars of the VVS education
Sustainability
Program fostering environmental stewardship by integrating sustainable practices and mindset across student actions and decisions
activities · 5 groups

what they do

  • Needs-Based Educational Financial Aid 2 activities
    • Administer student admissions and financial aid processes
      Accept student applications on a rolling basis using the Standard Application Online (SAO), conduct campus visits for prospective students, make non-discriminatory admissions decisions, and provide need-based financial aid determined separately from admissions, including participation in the School Tuition Organizations (STO) tax credit scholarship program.
    • Provide Need-Based Financial Aid
      Offers need-based financial aid to qualifying families based on demonstrated financial need and student merit, with decisions processed separately from admissions and limited availability after priority deadlines. The school also participates in the School Tuition Organizations (STO) program.
  • Nature-Based Environmental Education Programs 1 activity
    • Facilitate outdoor experiential learning in natural environment
      Offer outdoor education activities such as horseback riding, hiking, mountain biking, and rock climbing in the Sedona desert landscape, integrating the natural environment into student learning.
  • Student Enrollment & Admissions Management 1 activity
    • Manage Student Admissions
      Accepts student applications on a rolling basis throughout the year using the Standard Application Online (SAO) and offers campus visits to prospective students.
  • Youth Civic Leadership Development 1 activity
    • Offer Community Service Opportunities
      Engages students in intentional and meaningful service within the local community, state, and global contexts.
  • Uncategorized 6 activities
    • Conduct Outdoor Experiential Learning Activities
      Provides outdoor experiential learning activities such as horseback riding, hiking, mountain biking, and rock climbing in the Sedona desert landscape.
    • Deliver experiential education programs
      Provide hands-on, active learning through structured programs including Field Expeditions—a 10-day immersive experience focused on adventure, cultural learning, environmental awareness, and service—and Project Period, which supplements academic studies with creative and service-based projects.
    • Operate International Baccalaureate boarding and day high school
      Run a private International Baccalaureate (IB) high school for grades 9–12, serving 114 students, including 66 boarders and 48 day students, with a 100% IB diploma pass rate achieved for three consecutive years.
    • Operate an International Baccalaureate High School
      Operates an International Baccalaureate (IB) boarding and day high school for 114 students in grades 9-12, with 66 boarding students, and has achieved a 100% IB diploma pass rate for three consecutive years.
    • Provide Experiential Education Programs
      Offers experiential education programs including field trips, work jobs, and project periods, which are creative, active, and service-based, supplementing students' regular intellectual lives.
    • Run Field Expeditions
      Operates "Field Expeditions," a 10-day immersive experience focusing on adventure, cultural learning, environmental awareness, and service.
financials · form 990 · fy2021
revenue
Total revenue$3.83M
Contributions & grants$869K23%
Program service revenue$2.93M77%
Investment income$1000%
Other revenue$29K
expenses
Total expenses$5.02M
Program expenses80%
Admin / overhead9%
Fundraising11%
Salaries & benefits$3.13M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$3.53M
Cash$220K
Investments$0
Liabilities$2.12M
Net assets$1.40M
Liquid reserves0.5 mo
3 years on record · 2019–2021 · YoY revenue -10.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2021

who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
PAUL AMADIO HEAD OF SCHOOL 60 $184K
board members · 15
  • AKSHAY AGRAWAL — Trustee
  • CHRIS MEANS — Trustee
  • CORINNA DA FONSECA-WOLLHEIM — Trustee
  • FRANCES HAWLEY — Secretary
  • GREGG RAMER — Trustee
  • JENEDA BENALLY — Trustee
  • JOANNA HORTON MCPHERSON — Trustee
  • MELISSA SHANAHAN — Trustee
  • PAT GOUDVIS — Trustee
  • PETER NELSON — Trustee
  • RICHARD GREENBERG — President
  • ROBIN COLEY — Trustee
  • SHAWN KRAUSE — Trustee
  • TOM STANDRING — Treasurer
  • WILL BUCKLIN — Trustee
relationships · 1

who they work with

  • Clarity Application Partner — Uses the Clarity Application to assess financial need for aid applicants.