West Hartford Public Schools
Location
West Hartford, Connecticut
Connecticut
United States
District information
TypePublic
GradesPre K-12
Schools18[1]
Budget180,491,726[2]
Other information
Teachers' unionsAFT Connecticut
Connecticut Education Association

West Hartford Public Schools provides education for West Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut, United States.

High schools

Middle schools

Students are assigned based on the location of their residence to either King Phillip or Sedgwick Middle School. Matriculation to Bristow is based on a lottery. Bristow is the smallest of the three middle schools.

Elementary schools

  • Aiken
  • Braeburn
  • Bugbee
  • Charter Oak
  • Duffy
  • Morley
  • Norfeldt
  • Smith
  • Webster Hill
  • Whiting Lane
  • Wolcott

Budget

2021

In March 2021, superintendent Tom Moore proposed a $176.3 million budget for the 2021-2022 academic year, an increase of 2.28% or $3.93 million. Increases in the budget are a result of salary increases, student outplacement, and transportation for additional busses for special education needs.[3]

Demographics

As of October 1, 2018, the student population was 0.1% American Indian, 10.9% Asian, 8.1% Black, 19.4% Hispanic (of any race), 0.1% Native Hawaiian, 56.5% White, or 4.9% two or more races.[4]

Controversies

LaToya Fernandez

On September 5, 2023 the West Hartford board of education voted 4-0 for Democrat LaToya Fernandez to fill out the remaining time in Jason O. Chang's term. Fernandez who was hired as the City of Norwalk's first Chief Diversity Equity and Inclusion Officer for the city. Two years ago while she was a community advocate in San Jose, California, Fernandez supported H.R. 2590, a federal bill aimed at restricting Israel from using U.S. aid to “support Israel’s military occupation,” demolish Palestinian homes, or use military law to detail Palestinian children. She has also supported numerous "defund the police" movements.[5]

High School Mascots and Nicknames

In 2015, the Board of Education voted to allow Conard and Hall high schools to keep their nicknames, Chieftain and Warrior, respectively, "provided all Native American imagery, including mascots, were eliminated."[6]

In 2022, the Board voted to end the use of the nicknames. A new state law would have cut some education funding if "an intramural or interscholastic athletic team associated with such school, uses any name, symbol or image that depicts, refers to or is associated with a state or federally recognized Native American tribe or a Native American individual, custom or tradition, as a mascot, nickname, logo or team name.”[6] The schools will choose new nicknames.

Later high school start times

In November 2019 the board of education removed a plan to have to schools start at a later start time. The claim is that later start times for high school students is more beneficial for their mental and physical health. The cost of transportation would exceed $2 million if high school and middle school started at 8:15.[7] The issue was brought up again at a board of education meeting in February 2020. At this meeting the West Hartford board of education supports a statewide move to require that students in grades 6-12 to begin academic classes no earlier than 8:30 a.m. so they can arrive at school “healthy, awake, alert, and ready to learn.”[8]

Superintendents

  • Tom Moore, 2014-2022. Moore was named the 2022 Superintendent of the Year by the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents.[9]
  • Dr. Karen List, 2009-2014
  • Dr. David P. Sklarz, 1995-2009

References

  1. ↑ "WHPS Schools". Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  2. ↑ "2020-2021 Budget". WHPS. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  3. ↑ "West Hartford School District". Connecticut State Department of Education. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  4. ↑ "West Hartford School District". Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  5. ↑ "A CT school board election is heating up as candidate is accused of being anti-Israel, police". Hartford Courant. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  6. 1 2 "West Hartford School Board Reviewing High School 'Chieftain' and 'Warrior' Nicknames". we-ha.com. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  7. ↑ "West Hartford Board of Education Will Not Consider School Start Time Change". we-ha.com. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  8. ↑ "West Hartford Board of Education Considering Resolution on School Start Times". we-ha.com. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Tom Moore Named 2022 Connecticut Superintendent of the Year". we-ha.com. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
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