"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
School Blog
Course Selection Process
Willard Sistare, Director of Studies
Perhaps the most significant early memory in the "career" of a Westminster student is the day when the wonderful news of admission arrives. It is from that point that all of the wondering and speculation about becoming a member of the school community turn toward a bold reality. Included among those first concrete steps that are eagerly taken toward the anticipated first day is the selection of courses for study. While the level of choice and opportunity for each student at Westminster varies by grade level, there are always conversations to be had and decisions to be made.
For the incoming Third Form student, many aspects of a program of study are predetermined by our overall curriculum. All students take Literature of Becoming as their English course and almost all enroll in Global History as well. However, options do sit on the table with respect to math, science, language and the arts. Here students make selections based upon previous coursework and individual facility within these disciplines (honors versus regular courses). Westminster offers a deep analysis of a student's strengths during this time. For instance, members of the Math Department spend many hours together reviewing the materials within a new student’s file (recommendations, transcripts and test scores) to make the best possible placement for the child. Language teachers pour over the results of a language aptitude/knowledge assessment to locate students in the correct level for proper progression in French, Latin, Spanish or Chinese. Yes, changes may occur in the first days and weeks of the school year, as it is the overarching goal of our academic program to provide each child with the best balance of rigor and challenge with comfort and growth.
Returning students (and older incoming scholars) experience a more protracted and comprehensive process of course selection. At the end of the winter term, with the release of grades and comments, comes a notice that the new course catalog has been posted to the school's website. Families can use the time together during the spring vacation to begin discussing options. Long-range planning into subsequent years might be a part of these conversations as well. Meanwhile, current teachers are making recommendations for each student in each discipline. Upon return from vacation, advisors spend the month of April working with each advisee to arrive at a program of study that incorporates the aforementioned strength and balance, while considering other commitments outside of the academic realm.
In July, the process goes from the organic human element into the realm of our very powerful scheduling software. With rare exceptions, students are enrolled in all of the courses they have carefully selected. In fact, only about five to 10 students each year are asked to make an alternative choice due to complexities of their program having prevented a clean intersection with the overall school schedule. This high degree of compliance achieved by the scheduling software is brought about by a flexible framework made possible by the accommodations faculty members are willing to make to ensure the best program for each child.
By the time students prepare to leave Westminster to further their academic experience in college, we hope to have instilled a nascent passion for one or a few disciplines. At the same time, Westminster alumni are often attracted to liberal arts institutions; the love for the learning process in multiple domains has been kindled.
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.