"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.”
“Support for Westminster School provides a way to remember the past, shape the present and steward the future of the school.”
Newell Grant ’99
Director of Advancement
Shannon O’Shaughnessy
Director of Advancement Operations
Details
Building Relationships in the College Process
Gregory Williams, Director of College Counseling
In January, much attention is focused on the stress of preparing for college application deadlines and the anxiety of waiting for decisions. We see things a little differently in the College Counseling Office. For us, January is a wonderful time. We are excited about starting to work with the Fifth Formers. Much of the winter will be devoted to learning more about each individual in the Class of 2020 and having them reflect about themselves throughout the process. We get to have conversations with the students about who they are and what is important in their lives as well as help them think about the possibilities that lie ahead. We are lucky in that a community our size provides so many meaningful opportunities for us to form relationships with students.
For our five-person team, the college process is also about developing relationships with schools rather than just a transactional process of “getting students in” to a certain one. After all, the connection that students have to their colleges will last a lifetime as it is based on ties with friends, faculty and the place itself. I’m pretty certain no one ever found a best friend based on SAT scores. We are fortunate to have time in the winter and spring to work with each student to tailor a college process that is built around individual needs and finding the best fits. By the time students really start to consider colleges, it is our hope that the process of searching for the right ones seems intuitive.
As important as it is for students to connect with colleges, it is an essential role of counselors in our office to develop relationships with admission departments in colleges around the world. This fall, we hosted approximately 100 college representatives at Westminster to meet with the Sixth Form class, and we made sure to speak with each and every guest, getting to learn more about their colleges and the people who represent them. In the spring, Westminster, along with a number of other Hartford-area independent secondary schools, will hold an annual college fair for Fifth Formers where admission officers from 150-180 colleges and universities will be available to meet with us and our students. This is a wonderful opportunity for our counselors to expand the range of schools we can talk to students about.
This summer, we will continue to get out and meet with representatives from various colleges on their turf. Usually members of our staff are able to travel to a dozen or so college campuses once Westminster’s academic year ends. There are many great colleges and universities out there, and we look forward to learning more about them with each trip. Similarly, we encourage our students to take some time to visit college campuses. For our students and families one of the most exciting aspects of the process is discovering many wonderful colleges during these visits and, for our Fifth Formers in particular, by engaging with college admission officers, they have the opportunity to develop relationships upon which they can build during the application process. And we stand ready to help guide these visits based on the relationships we’ve established with our students.
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.