Since 1881 Watkinson School, created following a major bequest by businessman and philanthropist David Watkinson, has been committed to educational excellence in Greater Hartford. The school’s mission, to develop in students the power to shape their lives and the world around them, is the rudder for that excellence.
A small, co-ed, private, college prep school for grades 6-12/PG, Watkinson has 230 students from 40 towns across Connecticut and Massachusetts.
Watkinson students succeed in the finest colleges in the country. Colleges want Watkinson students because they are known to think deeper, question harder, and engage more fully as they learn. They know what it means to contribute to a seriously enjoyable learning community.
That’s why, In the last three years, Watkinson graduates have been offered $7 million in merit scholarship college aid.
A Student-Centered Education
With an average class size of 13, students are seen, known, and valued at Watkinson.
Head of School Teri Schrader says, “Anonymity in school is the deterrent to motivation and happiness at school.” Watkinson’s small class size goes hand in hand with the school’s beliefs that each student’s happiness and voice at school matters a great deal.
“In some schools, students' grades are viewed as the only or primary way to see into their progress and learning,” she adds. “Watkinson understands that deep learning is evident when students demonstrate that what they are doing in school makes sense to them, matters, and is relevant..”
At Watkinson, students are encouraged to find and use their voices; when their contributions are genuinely sought and valued, their sense of confidence begins to grow. They become invested in the community that is investing in them. “Real life” stops being what happens after graduation, and becomes what students are living right now.
How often does your child have an opportunity to speak and act in meaningful ways? Do they have access to a school culture of shared conversation, where they can engage with others about issues, problems, and dreams that matter most to them? When you visit a campus, can you perceive an atmosphere of mutual respect between students and faculty? What happens when the community faces a challenge? Do students feel free to speak their minds with adults and administrators? How does the school respond to student activism and concerns? At Watkinson, all of this is part of the way we do schooling.
Distinguishing Characteristics
Watkinson recognizes that every brain is different. A good education has to be based on that truth. At the same time, education is also a collective enterprise. We become our best selves only in conjunction with others.
Watkinson’s faculty design their courses to emphasize depth of knowledge over simple breadth of coverage. Naturally, content matters. But content must arrive in the context of building the skills necessary to investigate, evaluate, and understand. Otherwise, as Watkinson’s Global Studies Director Jen O’Brien puts it, what happens the day after your content knowledge runs out?
The End Results
At Watkinson, artists become athletes, and vice versa. Numbers people try writing poetry. Poets develop spreadsheets for their experimental data. Students learn that they don’t have to define themselves quite so rigidly. There is no typical Watkinson student. The end result is our students graduate knowing how they learn best. They aren’t afraid to ask questions, speak up, and support each other. They understand how to set goals and move toward them. They arrive at college with the confidence to show up at their professors’ office hours. Watkinson produces students who value themselves, and they know how and are ready to serve their community.
Watkinson School
180 Bloomfield Ave., Hartford
Phone: 860-236-5618
Email: Info@watkinson.org
Online: watkinson.org
Watkinson students succeed in the finest colleges in the country.