Renbrook School

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Renbrook School is a private day school in West Hartford, Connecticut.

1 History
2 Today
3 Basic Facts
4 Secondary School & College Placement
- 4.1 Secondary School Placement
- 4.2 College Placement
5 Notable Alumni
6 External links

[edit] History

In 1935, Renbrook began with a conversation in the living room of Mr. and Mrs. John Lee of Farmington. There, the Lees and seven like-minded families decided to establish a progressive, learn-by-doing school, as exemplified by the educator John Dewey. The first name they selected was the Tunxis School, in recognition of the Native American tribe that was local to the Connecticut River Valley.

Founded in 1935, the Tunxis School was housed in an aged Victorian home at 1234 Albany Avenue in West Hartford. With three teachers and 17 students (nursery school age through grade four), the school grew under the guidance of Florence Greene, who would serve as the school headmistress for the next 32 years.

Within months, an increase in enrollment and a furnace beyond repair forced the little school to change location, moving into a rambling old house at the corner of Farmington and Outlook Avenues. Now enrolling a record 39 students, it was renamed Junior School.

1937: Two years later, when enrollment reached 69, Junior School purchased a building lot at 950 Trout Brook Road and built the first home of its own, now comprised of six classrooms. The move was made during spring vacation in 1938, after teachers had painted all their mis-matched furniture the same shade of blue-turquoise as seen on campus today.

1940's & '50s: During these decades, the school grew steadily stronger, despite the hardships of World War II and the post-war years. By 1956, Junior School was bursting at its seams with 240 students enrolled, and a waiting list of over 100! In response, Mrs. Greene and her trustees decided they needed to expand, and not just the campus, the curriculum as well.

When the estate of Frederick Brant Rentschler, founder of Pratt & Whitney Aircraft, announced it would lease its family home to a worthy not-for-profit institution, Junior School applied for the opportunity. The result? Success, thanks to Faye Belden Rentschler, Mr. Rentschler's wife and an ardent supporter of children's early education. Selected first among 18 applicants, the school was awarded the rental of the Albany Avenue home at $1.00 annually. In appreciation, the Junior School renamed itself 'Renbrook' the original name of the Rentschler estate.

1960s forward: In January of 1958, the school moved to its new location at 2865 Albany Avenue. Within 10 years, the enrollment grew to 470 and the program expanded to carry students through ninth grade. In 1996, when the Faye Belden Rentschler Foundation merged with Renbrook School, Inc., it inaugurated a new era for the school. In 2010, the school will celebrate 75 years of educating children.

[edit] Today

Today, Renbrook enrolls more than 540 students in the Beginning (3's, JK, K), Lower (Grades 1-5) and Upper (Grades 6-9) Divisions. Families come to Renbrook daily from 40 cities and towns in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

[edit] Basic Facts

Founded: 1935

Headmistress: Jane C. Shipp

Students: 540

Faculty: 89

Student/Teacher Ratio: 6 to 1

Grades: Beginning School: 3's, JK, K; Lower School: Grades 1-5; Upper School: Grades 6-9

Campus: Seventy-five acres of woodlands, wetlands, fields and gardens; four athletic fields, a high-and low-ropes course; three playgrounds, plus a natural pond for science study and winter sports. Teaching space includes 10 buildings, nine science and technology labs, six music and art studios, two theaters, a dining commons, and the Alan N. Houghton Library.

Mascot: Hawks

Sports: Football, Soccer, Field Hockey, Hockey, Basketball, Gymnastics, Lacrosse, Baseball, Softball, Tennis, Recreational Squash, Outdoor Adventure

Rival: Kingswood-Oxford School

Member: CAIS, NAIS