Watkinson School – a unique, rigorous, independent school in Hartford, CT

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Re-Opening for 2020–21

Staying safe, healthy, and engaged in learning

Watkinson School is monitoring the COVID-19 situation carefully, taking proactive and prudent measures to ensure the health and safety of every member of the community in accordance with the guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO).

Re-Opening Plan for 2020–21

If you have questions about any aspect of the program during quarantine, here is a list of which members of school leadership to contact.

Prospective families, during COVID our admissions office is fully operational and eager to connect with you.

Read more about the work our students and teachers are doing on our virtual learning blog.

Different.

In all the best ways.

We invest in students — in their ideas, their ambitions, their wholeness, their possibilities.

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Matteo C. ’19, Freshman at Yale University

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Suzanne Pinkes, Alumni Parent, West Hartford

“I have two Watkinson graduates in one of my college courses right now. The way they speak up, the way they question, the way they can analyze and synthesize complex information… this is what we want for our seniors. And the Watkinson students are coming in as freshmen already demonstrating this.”

Stefanie Chambers, Professor of Political Science at Trinity College

Watkinson at a glance

Authentic, student-centered learning

A small school isn’t limiting.
It’s liberating.

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Kate C., Eighth Grade

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Ryheem M. ’19, Freshman at NYU

“When you are in engineering classes, your creativity has to flow more than your test-taking abilities… you need to be able to think with other people, be productive when missing a group member, deliver quality work under a close deadline. Watkinson prepares you well for that. Most other students are used to, ‘I have a test’ and that’s it. At Watkinson you learn how to think in all aspects of academia.”

Aneesh K. ’18, Aerospace Engineering major at Purdue University

The Academy (PG)

Like many unique experiences, Watkinson’s differences are hard to describe but easy to feel.

Latest News

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Virtual Museum Tour for Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month

October 13, 2020

To continue our commemoration of Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month, special guest, art historian and educator, Valentín Concha-Núñez, will give our school an interactive, virtual museum tour on Wednesday, October 14. We will explore “Representation of Latino Art” as Concha-Núñez presents several beautiful masterpieces created by Latinx artists across different cultures, art forms, and eras. With a dual background in

Watkinson News June 2020

June 10, 2020

The latest issue of our digital Watkinson News is live. Covered in this issue: A letter from Head of School Teri Schrader about how we educate effectively from a distance Class Notes New partnerships for athletics A story on nursing alumni who are making a difference This year’s CT Scholastic Art Award Winners Read and

Junior Donates 1000 Masks

June 1, 2020

Anne Goshdigian, coordinator of Faces of Homelessness at Hands On Hartford, a nonprofit that works with homeless Hartford residents and presented to Watkinson students on Equity and Social Justice Day, said, “Hands On Hartford received an amazing donation of 1,000 face masks from Cindy Z. [class of 2021] last week. What a blessing! They will

The Watkinson Story Vault

All the videos on this site have a home on the Watkinson Story Vault, an ever-growing collection of mostly student voices, talking about what the Watkinson difference means to them.

Latest Featured Video

On school transitions: “Watkinson HAD our kids”

Erica Rapaport-Smith, parent of a Watkinson graduate and a current Watkinson student, talks about transitions from one school to another, and how Watkinson took care of parents as well as students in the process.

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Watkinson’s mission is to develop in our students the power to shape their lives and the world around them.

Founded in 1881, Watkinson School is an independent, coeducational day school for students from grades 6–PG with a legacy of leadership in progressive education.

We admit students regardless of race, color, religion, origin, or orientation.