Waterbury Public Schools

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Waterbury Public Schools is a school district based in Waterbury, Connecticut.

The district served 18,218 students in the 2006-2007 school year. It is made up of 65% low-income families and is also a minority-majority district. Waterbury is notable as the first school district in Connecticut to establish a dress code for all students.

Waterbury Public Schools operates under the leadership of superintendent Dr. David L. Snead and a board of education that consists of 10 elected members and the city mayor, who acts as the chairman ex-officio. Board members serve four-year terms.

Waterbury's 1,500 teachers work in 30 schools and educational programs. They belong to the Waterbury Teachers' Association.

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[edit] Demographics

  • Hispanic 40.3%
  • White 30.6%
  • Black 26.8%
  • Asian-American 2.0%
  • American Indian 0.3%

[edit] History

Waterbury's first public high school opened in 1851. [1]

[edit] Dress code

In 1998, Waterbury Public Schools became the first school district in Connecticut to establish a dress code for all students.

In March 1999, North End Middle School student Teshana Byars was charged with criminal trespass after attending school while serving a suspension for a dress code violation. The charge was later dismissed, but the American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut took on her case, along with three other Waterbury middle school students that been suspended or expelled for violations of the dress code policy.

The trial of Teshana Byars, et al. v. City of Waterbury was held in the Waterbury Superior Court in spring 2001. The court found a reasonable basis for the schools' policy, that baggy clothing could be used to conceal weapons brought to school, and ruled in favor of the school district on November 19, 2001. [2]

In November 2004, the dress code was amended to include the prohibition of open-toed shoes and patterned clothing. [3]

[edit] Schools

[edit] High schools

[edit] Middle schools

[edit] Elementary schools

[edit] Special schools and programs

  • Enlightenment Program
  • State Street School
  • Waterbury Adult Continuing Education (web site)
  • Waterbury Early Childhood Education Program (web site)

[edit] District Reference Group I

Waterbury is one of the seven public school systems in District Reference Group I, a classification made by the state Department of Education for the purpose of comparison with the achievement levels of similar schools. District reference groups are defined as "districts whose students' families are similar in eduation, income, occupation and need, and that have roughly similar enrollment".[1] The other six school districts in the group are Bridgeport, Hartford, New Britain, New Haven, New London, and Windham.[2]

[edit] External links

[edit] References

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