| Hamden Hall Country Day School
"To challenge students to develop a strong sense of personal integrity and social responsibility while preparing them for demanding programs at the collegiate level" |
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| Established | 1912 | ||
| School type | Independent Day School | ||
| Campus | 12 + 30 acres (120,000 m2) | ||
| Head of School | Robert J. Izzo | ||
| Board President | Joyce Lujic | ||
| Location | Hamden, Connecticut, U.S. | ||
| Address | 1108 Whitney Avenue | ||
| Enrollment | 565 students | ||
| Faculty | 85 full-time | ||
| Mascot | "Hornet" |
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| Rival | Hopkins School | ||
| Tuition | $29,990 (USD) (Upper School) | ||
| Colors | Green and White | ||
| Grades | PreSchool through Grade 12 | ||
| Gender | coed (since 1927) | ||
| Homepage | http://www.hamdenhall.org | ||
Hamden Hall Country Day School is a coeducational private day school in Hamden, Connecticut, offering classes from PreSchool through Grade 12. Hamden Hall was founded in 1912 as an elementary day school for boys by Dr. John P. Cushing, its first Headmaster. The school has been coeducational since 1927 and expanded to include the other classes through Grade 12 in 1934. Now divided into three separate divisions, Hamden Hall enrolls the majority of its nearly 600 students in the Upper and Middle Schools (Grades 7–12) and the remainder in the Lower School (PreSchool through Grade 6).
Tuition ('11–'12 school year) ranges from $14,000 in PreSchool to $29,990 in Grades 9–12. Hamden Hall awards financial aid to approximately 30 percent of its student body, based on need.
Hamden Hall is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges as well as holding membership in the National Association of Independent Schools and the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools.
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The school year, from early September to early June, is divided into two semesters, with Thanksgiving, winter, and spring recesses and observances of several national and religious holidays. Parent-teacher conferences are held in November and April, or more often if needed. Written progress reports are issued four times a year, with interim reports sent home in the middle of each marking period for those students requiring intervention in their academic performance.
Most classes are held five days a week, and extra-help sessions are incorporated into the schedule.
This curriculum emphasizes reading and writing, comprehension, and critical thinking as well as the mastery of problem-solving and computational skills in mathematics. The introduction of laboratory sciences enables children to observe, experiment, research, and discuss scientific theories and concepts. Understanding other cultures from a global perspective is the focus of the social studies program, which utilizes regular field trips, guest lecturers, and group projects to reinforce classroom instruction. Specialists teach music, fine arts, computer activities, and physical education. Latin is taught in Grades 5 and 6. An Extended-Day program provides after-school enrichment for students.
The Middle School program is specially structured for students making the transition from childhood to adolescence. The curriculum builds on the skills acquired in the early grades, combined with new challenges and techniques designed to maximize learning. English classes emphasize classical authors while providing students with opportunities to produce their own creative and expository essays. In mathematics, basic computational skills lead to the mastery of problem solving and a preview of algebraic concepts. Life science and physical science studies offer an overview of scientific vocabulary, concepts, and methods of investigation. French, Spanish, or Latin and participation in studio arts, music, and theater are required. Beginning in Grade 7, students work with a faculty advisor who meets with them regularly. The dean of the Middle school is Brian Christman.
Students in the Upper School carry 4 to 6 courses each semester, with the vast majority of students carrying 5 or 5.5 courses.
The Upper School divides these required credits into four types of classes, based on academic proficiency required to succeed in the class: Skills (the lowest level), General, Honors, and Advanced Placement. Typically, math and science courses are offered in skills, general, honors, and AP levels.
Among the required and elective courses in the Upper School are English 9–12, including American Literature, British Fiction, Modern Poetry, and Shakespeare as well as general English 9 and English 10 courses, and AP English options for seniors; Constitutional Law, History of Art and Architecture, History of Islam, U.S. History, with an AP option, Western Civilization 1 & 2, and Vietnam; Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, all with honors and AP options, Astronomy, Electronics, Geology, Meteorology and Oceanography, and Zoology; French I-V, Latin I-IV, Spanish I-V, all with honors and AP options; Algebra 1 & 2, Geometry, Pre-Calculus, and Trigonometry, all with honors options, as well as Advanced Placement Calculus AB/BC. With the approval of the Academic Dean, students may undertake independent study projects.
Popular college destinations of Hamden Hall graduates (based on the list of matriculation for the classes of 2007-2009) include Bates College, Boston College, Brown University, Emory University, Princeton University, Yale University, and University of Connecticut.
Hamden Hall's main campus is located on 12 acres (49,000 m2) in Hamden, Connecticut, overlooking Lake Whitney.
Only one original building still remains from its 1912 founding; originally classrooms, it is now the teacher lounge and administrative offices. The building was renovated in 1964. The current campus consists of 8 major buildings.
Swain Center contains the Ellen and Charles Swain library, with a collection of more than 25,000 volumes and a new, multiuser computer lab with internet connections and electronic encyclopedias. Swain Center also contains several classrooms, the student lounge, and several faculty offices.
The Schiavone Science Center, physically linked to the Taylor Fine Arts Center, houses 4 regular classrooms and 4 full laboratories, along with a second multiuser computer facility for students and faculty alike. The Lender Refectory, the school's dining hall where many special events take place, is located in the lower floors of Schiavone.
The aforementioned Taylor Fine Arts Center houses a fully equipped theatre suitable for seating up to 300, a video production and editing room, as well as complete backstage facilities and an art gallery. The lower floors contain music practice rooms and equipment, as well as student lockers and 2 classrooms. Regular Upper School assemblies are held in the theatre twice a week.
The Dolven Admissions Center sits across from Schiavone. This is the area where prospective students and their families begin their campus visit. This building is also home to a full art studio complete with digital art equipment, as well as a clay studio. The remainder of the building contains administrative and college counseling offices and an art gallery.
Whitson Hall is the main classroom building of the school with 15 Upper and Middle school classrooms and several faculty offices on its upper floors. The lower floors contain 6 Lower School classrooms and a small audiovisual/computer lab dedicated to the Lower School.
Connected directly to Whitson Hall, Taylor Gymnasium is where students and guests cheer for athletes in the combined basketball/volleyball/wrestling arena. Weight training facilities, the athletic trainer's office, and sports lockers are also located in Taylor. In addition, full-school assemblies and social events are held in the gymnasium on occasion as well.
Situated in the rear of the campus, Ethyle R. Alpert Building provides several more Lower School classrooms, a Lower School playground, and extended-day program facilities.
The Beckerman Athletic Center stands at the foot of Hamden Hall's athletic complex on Skiff Street. Details on this center are detailed below under "Athletics."
Athletics are a major part of Hamden Hall's student culture; all students are required to participate in the athletic program.
Lower School students are involved in intramural teams and/or general physical education activities. Generally, the younger the students, the more "fun" and less competitive the activities are. Moving closer to the final year of the Lower School, some students who excel athletically will not participate on Middle School interscholastic teams.
In the Middle School, all students participate in either interscholastic or non-competitive athletic teams or activities, with the majority choosing the former. Athletics in the Middle School are managed on a trimester system with all students participating in athletics all three terms. Many exceptional Middle School athletes participate on Upper School Varsity and Junior Varsity teams, with some even beginning this participation in the first year of Middle School.
In the Upper School, the trimester system is again used. Upper School students are mandated to participate in only two trimesters per year of school, with mandatory participation in the Fall trimester. All freshmen must participate in at least one team sport, the idea behind this being that team sports in the first year of school will help build class unity for the remaining years. Despite the requirement of only two trimesters, many students participate in athletics all three trimesters. Some opt to compete on teams only two trimesters and do general athletic training for the remaining trimester. Occasionally, a student may have major extracurricular commitments, such as theatre, or the senior editors of the school Yearbook, and may be exempt from the two trimester requirement.
As the years passed, the school developed an athletic rivalry with nearby Hopkins School. Although the student body strongly supports their school for all events, the annual basketball games between the two schools always fill the stands to cheer on their respective school.
In the Middle and Upper Schools, interscholastic varsity teams are formed in football, soccer, wrestling, basketball, baseball, lacrosse, and tennis for boys; and field hockey, soccer, basketball, lacrosse, hockey, tennis, softball, and volleyball for girls. Cross-country, golf, and swimming squads are coeducational. Non-competitive athletics include weightlifting, yoga, pilates, and Outdoors club. Additionally, several students participate in independent athletics for credit. In the past, these have ranged from martial arts to dancing.
Most Hamden Hall athletic teams compete under the umbrella of the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council,[1] with some competing in specific leagues such as the Fairchester League. Hamden Hall may be most remembered for its Boys Basketball team, winning 8 Fairchester League titles and producing such players as former star Yale University guard Casey Hughes. Yale Girls' Basketball starter, Maddy Gobrecht, also hails from Hamden Hall. Many other Hamden Hall teams are extremely competitive as well. The Varsity Baseball team has won several Fairchester League titles, including back to back New England championships, and produced many highly regarded prospects, such as pitcher Josh Zeid who plays in the Philadelphia Phillies minor league system, outfielder Casey Frawley, playing in the Cleveland Indians minor league system, and pitcher Tyler Mizenko, recently drafted by the San Francisco Giants. The Girls' Soccer team has won back to back New England Championships. And Deb Gruen, former (Yale University) swimmer, has won a Bronze medal in swimming at the Paralympic Games.
Hamden Hall maintains two off-campus athletic facilities: a small, soccer sized field directly adjacent to the main campus, and an 30-acre (120,000 m2) athletic complex 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from campus. The latter contains some of the most highly regarded playing surfaces in the state, with fields/facilities for football, baseball, softball, soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, tennis and cross country. Also at this complex exists the Beckerman Athletic Center: a $12.5 million USD, 65,000-square-foot (6,000 m2) state-of-the art athletic building featuring 3 collegiate-length basketball courts (one wood, two composite), an Olympic-sized, 25 yard swimming pool, a large fitness center, conference rooms, and more. Seating exists for up to 800 spectators.[2]
Notable alumni include: