"Westminster School seeks curious and engaged students who want to grow and learn in a challenging and supportive environment. Students who are motivated to become their best selves both in and out of the classroom, taking advantage of the myriad of opportunities Westminster has to offer."
“At Westminster, we aspire to an extraordinarily ambitious commitment to secondary education, a commitment to nurture the participation of our diverse school community across our entire program — from academics, to studios and labs, gyms, fields and rink, and service to our Hartford community partners. Westminster students are inspired by opportunities to make a difference in all their endeavors.”
"Through gritty trial and error, Westminster students grow into independent learners who are curious, critical thinkers. With the support of faculty, students gain the skills to understand the world around them and enrich their communities at school and beyond."
"The visual and performing arts program at Westminster weaves the community together and nurtures the spirit of the Westminster campus. The arts at Westminster inspire students of all levels of experience from the very beginner to the advanced artist to practice the freedom of creative self-expression. Professional teachers guide students to work through the creative process from inception to the presentation, building a lifelong respect and appreciation for the arts."
Kerry Kendall Head of Visual and Performing Arts Department
"Athletic success at Westminster is measured not only by wins and losses, but through the bonds created between teammates and coaches, individual and team improvement, and personal growth. When students learn how to be competitors and how to cooperate with one another, they are better prepared to be citizens of the global world."
“Driven by a desire to serve young people and conscious of the opportunities for private schools to support a public purpose, Westminster School’s mission statement concludes with the call ‘to commit to a life of service beyond self.’ Westminster’s Hartford Partnership programs aim to deliver on that mission while making a direct impact on people and programs in Hartford.”
Patrick Owens Executive Director, Horizons at Westminster & Hartford Partnerships
“Involvement will be the key to your success at Westminster School. Get involved with the arts, try a sport you've never played, start your own club, run for student council. You will get out of this experience exactly what you put into it. Do these things early in your life — keep seeking more opportunities for growth.”
If you know the department that a person is associated with, use that option for your search. If you know only a last name, use the rightmost option, which is a pop-up alphabetical menu.
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SiobhanDale
English
Year Appointed: 2022
Cross Country Swimming & Diving University of Connecticut - B.A. The New School - M.F.A.
Siobhan Dale grew up in two home cities — Christchurch, New Zealand and Storrs, Conn. She attended high school at Edwin O. Smith where she was an active member of many communities including the girls’ basketball team and the girls’ swimming and diving team. After graduating high school, Siobhan attended Fordham University and swam for one year on the Division I swim team. She transferred to the University of Connecticut where she earned her bachelor’s degree in English literature.
While at the University of Connecticut, Siobhan was a member of the club swim team and the co-editor in chief of UConn’s international literary magazine Long River Review. After graduating from UConn, Siobhan studied poetry at The New School and earned her M.F.A. in creative writing.
Before coming to Westminster, Siobhan served as the East Hartford High School boys’ and girls’ assistant swim coach.
At Westminster, Siobhan is a corridor supervisor in Cushing Hall, and is the head coach for the boys’ and girls’ swimming and diving team and the head coach for the girls’ cross-country team. Siobhan loves watching movies, hiking and traveling — especially to visit her family in New Zealand.
PamelaDaly
Business Office
Director, Human Resources
Year Appointed: 2021
(860) 408-3031
Lehigh University - B.S. Loyola University Chicago - M.S.
Before joining Westminster as part of the art department, Bella worked as a program counselor at Philmont Scout Ranch in the mountains of New Mexico for two summers. The work included teaching a lot of high school age groups about outdoor activities like camping, hiking and nature in general. She was a gallery attendant at the Wadsworth Atheneum, and worked as a yoga teacher. She has shown her artwork in galleries, and has an interest in women in the history of art and book illustration. Other interests include practicing yoga, hiking, cooking and reading.
TanyaDePalma
Student Health Center
Nurse
Year Appointed: 2023
(860) 408-3080
ShawnDesjardins
History, Science
Year Appointed: 2007
(860) 408-3088
Hockey Baseball Central Connecticut State University - B.S. Wesleyan University - M.A.L.S.
Shawn, who teaches Psychology and Human Anatomy & Physiology, and coaches baseball and boys’ hockey, earned a Bachelor of Science in physical education with a concentration in athletic training from Central Connecticut State University. While in college, he was a member of the baseball team and was a recipient of the Student-Athlete Academic Award. Most recently, he completed a graduate degree from Wesleyan University. Before his appointment at Westminster, Shawn worked as a clinical/high school athletic trainer in the greater-Hartford area. He resides in Flinn House.
MarlineDiaz
Languages
Year Appointed: 2022
(860) 408-3761
Basketball University of Arizona Global Campus - B.A.
Marline Diaz comes to Westminster from the Bronx Global Learning Institute for Girls Charter School where she had worked since 2017. Located in the Bronx, N.Y., Marline developed and carried out lesson plans in all subjects and participated in all aspects of classroom management, mentored teacher assistants, participated in staff development activities and assisted with student assessments, among other tasks. She worked with students from kindergarten to eighth grade. She completed all tasks in English and Spanish.
A graduate of the University of Arizona Global Campus with a bachelor’s in education studies, Marline lives in Waterbury. At Westminster, she teaches Spanish, utilizing her experience, educational background and creative skills to foster the academic, emotional and social growth of students.
KellyDonahue
Science
Year Appointed: 2020
(860) 408-3739
Soccer Trinity College - B.A. Boston University - M.S.Ed.
A graduate of Northfield Mount Hermon School, Kelly earned a bachelor’s degree in biology at Trinity College, where she was inducted into the National Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society as well as the Phi Beta Kappa Society, and served as an undergraduate organic chemistry researcher and biology researcher, a science supplemental instructor and a sports communications assistant. Recently, Kelly’s undergraduate work in Trinity College’s organic chemistry laboratory was published in a scientific journal. At Trinity, Kelly was also a varsity athlete on the Women’s Soccer team and was honored as a NESCAC Division III All-Academic. In 2019, she served as a teaching fellow at Taft Summer School, where she co-taught chemistry, taught public speaking, coached soccer and mentored dorm students. Most recently, Kelly received her master’s in education degree from Boston University.
At Westminster, Kelly helps coach the Varsity Girls’ Soccer, teaches multiple levels of biology, and is corridor supervisor in Kelter House. In her free time, Kelly enjoys spending time with family and friends, and heading to the beach. She lives on campus with her husband, Jackson, and their black lab Ellie.
Growing up at St. Paul’s School, Peter has deep roots in the independent boarding school tradition. Following graduation, he attended a gymnasium in Augsburg, Germany, and then enrolled at Williams College, where he continued his study of German and took courses in mathematics and computer science. At Williams, he played four years on the squash team, which was ranked No. 3 in the U.S. during his junior year. After graduation, Peter returned to Germany, where he taught English, played international squash and traveled around Europe. Returning to the U.S., he joined the faculty at the Woodhall School in Connecticut. In 1992, Peter moved to Greens Farms Academy in Westport, Conn., to teach and coach, and then to Westminster in 2000. Peter is a lover of all sports, especially all things Red Sox, and also enjoys singing and hiking. The Doucettes live in a nearby faculty home with their sons, Carl ’16 and Andrew ’18, and their dog, Sirius.
Skye-LynnDougherty
Athletics
Year Appointed: 2024
DavidDriscoll
Safety & Security
Year Appointed: 2024
(860) 408-3819
JohnDurkin
Safety & Security
Year Appointed: 2018
(860) 408-3819
DamariusDy-Dajnowicz
Science
Year Appointed: 2024
(860) 408-3742
Field Hockey Ultimate Frisbee Smith College - B.S.
Damarius teaches biology as well as anatomy and physiology. During the summer, she loves to travel to Maine with her dog, Poké, spending time in Bar Harbor and Acadia. She comes to Westminster after working in a laboratory at SCA Pharma, a pharmaceutical company in Windsor, Conn., that is heavily microbiology related. After graduating from Smith College in Northampton, Mass., with a biology degree, Damarius tutored local students through a STEM program and created lesson plans for marine biology summer camps in Belize. She attended Oliver Wolcott Technical High School, a trade school in Torrington, Conn., where she earned her certified nursing assistant license and had the opportunity to shadow doctors and gain hands-on experience working in a hospital.
Notice of Nondiscriminatory Policy as to Students In keeping with our support for a diverse community, Westminster abides by all applicable federal and state laws and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected characteristic, including race, color, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national and ethnic origin, ancestry and/or disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs. Westminster admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School.