| Avon Old Farms School | |
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"Aspirando et Perseverando"
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| Location | |
| 500 Old Farms Road Avon, Connecticut, United States |
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| Information | |
| Type | Private, single-sex (all-boys) boarding & day |
| Religious affiliation(s) | None |
| Established | 1927 |
| Headmaster | Kenneth H. LaRocque |
| Faculty | 60 teachers |
| Enrollment | 403 students (9–12, PG) 76% Boarding |
| Average class size | 12 students |
| Student to teacher ratio | 6:1 |
| Campus | 1000 acres (4 km²) |
| Color(s) | Maroon and Navy Blue |
| Athletics | 15 varsity interscholastic sports teams (36 interscholastic teams total) |
| Mascot | Winged Beaver |
| Average SAT scores | 1724 (2011) |
| Acceptance Rate | approx. 48% (2010) |
| Website | www.avonoldfarms.com |
Avon Old Farms is a single-sex boarding school for boys located in Avon, Connecticut. It was founded by Theodate Pope Riddle, an RMS Lusitania survivor and a master architect. It opened in 1927 and closed for a period during World War II to serve as a convalescent hospital for blind veterans. The current headmaster is Mr. Kenneth H. LaRocque, a Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard University graduate.
Avon draws its boys from all over the world; 76% of them are boarders.
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Twelve Advanced Placement courses are offered in history, English, chemistry, physics, biology, art, French, Spanish, environmental science, government, calculus, economics, and other subjects. In order to receive a diploma, students are required to complete four years of English, three years of history, three years of science including laboratory work, three years of math, two years of the same foreign language, two years of electives, and one course in the fine arts. The average class size is 12 students, and the student-teacher ratio is 6:1. 100% of the students matriculate to college.
Avon offers a wide variety of sports in the fall, winter, and spring seasons. Students can participate in various skill levels of soccer, football, cross country, basketball, hockey, wrestling, squash, skiing, swimming, riflery, track, baseball, golf, tennis, and lacrosse. The official school mascot is the Winged Beaver with "winged" being specifically pronounced "wing-ed".
Avon is also best known for its ice hockey program, which has won a record eight Division 1 New England Championships (four between 2004 and 2008) and produced NHL players such as Hockey Hall of Fame member Brian Leetch, as well as Jonathan Quick, Chris Higgins, and others. Coach John Gardner is in his 32nd season as the team's coach and been with the team for all eight championships. He currently has a record of 603–178–29.[1] On December 21, 2009, Avon played Taft School in the first ever hockey game played at Fenway Park.[2] Avon won its eighth Division 1 Hockey New England Championship on March 7, 2010, beating Northfield Mount Hermon 4–1.
Over the last seven years, soccer at Avon has become a highly successful program with three New England Division 1 Championship appearances resulting in two championships. The Avon Old Farms Soccer team has made the playoffs six times consecutively between 2003-2008 setting the school's record for consecutive soccer playoff appearances. In addition, the team has won the New England Division 1 championship twice (2005 & 2007). In 2008 the winged beavers lost 2–0 to a very strong Hotchkiss team in the New England Division 1 championship.
Avon has also had a very successful lacrosse program over the years. The program was built by nationally recognized coach Skip Flanagan (coach at the 2008 high school all star game).[3] Since Coach Flanagan left the school Ted Garber was the coach and again brought great success to the program. Coach Flangan returned as the Winged Beaver's lacrosse coach in the spring of 2010 and the Winged Beavers were nationally ranked as high as 8th during the season and finished 12th in the nation.
A new student center and athletic complex was recently completed in October 2006. A 500-seat performing arts center was completed in March 2007. Together, the two facilities cost more than $30 million and are part of an alumnus initiative to improve the campus.
Theodate Pope Riddle, the founder and architect, designed all of the original buildings at the school. Most of them still remain in use as dormitories and classrooms made out of a unique reddish sandstone from a local quarry.
The school's student newspaper, The Avon Record has a staff of six editors, two advisers, and over twenty-five staff writers. The Record publishes 8-16 page issues almost every month.
The school's annual literary magazine The Hippocrene highlights artistic and literary works by students.
The Avonian is a publications designed specifically for Alumni. Avon also has an alumnus e-newsletter. Both publications are created by faculty.
The Winged Beaver is the school's yearbook. It has won awards several times from the ASPA (American Scholastic Press Association).[4]