Westminster School (Connecticut) Explained

Westminster School
Motto:Virtute et Numine
Motto Translation:Grit and Grace
Address:995 Hopmeadow St
State:Connecticut
Zipcode:06070
Country:United States
Ceeb:070680
Founder:William Lee Cushing
Head Of School:Elaine B. White
Faculty:95
Enrollment:400
Ratio:5:1
Campus Size:210 acres
Colors:Black and gold
Endowment:$100,500,000
Tuition:$62,475 Boarding, $47,225 Day

The Westminster School is a private, coeducational college-preparatory, boarding and day school located in Simsbury, Connecticut, United States, accepting around 20% of applicants. The total student population is approximately 400, and includes pupils from 25 US states and 30 countries.[1] It is also a member of the Founders League, an athletic league comprising ten college preparatory boarding schools in Connecticut and one in New York.[2]

History

Westminster School was founded in 1888 as a boys' school by William Lee Cushing, a graduate of Yale University.[3] Girls were first admitted to the school in 1971. Like many boarding schools, Westminster faced difficult times in the 1970s as it competed for a shrinking pool of boarding students. When Donald Werner retired in 1993, after serving as Headmaster for 21 years, he was succeeded by Graham Cole. During the Cole years, enrollment for the school grew from 340 to 385 students, with 88 faculty.

Significant building projects undertaken include:

With Cole's retirement in 2010, Westminster appointed William V.N. Philip as its eighth Headmaster. Philip ascended to the top job after a 26-year career at Westminster as a teacher, coach, dormitory parent, college counselor, and Associate and Assistant Headmaster.[9] Philip stepped down at the end of the 2020–21 academic year.

Elaine B. White was appointed the ninth Head of School in 2021.[10] Prior to her arrival at Westminster, Elaine was Associate Head of School at The Governor's Academy.

Faculty and staff

Headmasters

Student activities

Athletics

Sport Season Boys/Girls Competitive Practice and Game Facilities
Fall B/G Yes Campus trails
Fall G Yes Hovey Field (lighted turf) and Sawyer Field
Fall B/G Yes Harrison, Michelini, Wilbraham and Tate Fields
Fall B Yes Hibbard Aquatic Center
BasketballWinter B/G Yes Pettee and New Gymnasiums
Winter B/G Yes Jackson Hockey Rink
Winter B/G Yes Kohn Squash Pavilion
Winter B/G Yes Hibbard Aquatic Center
Spring B Yes Osborn Baseball Field
Spring B/G Yes Hopmeadow Country Club and Simsbury Farms Golf Course
Spring B/G Yes Hovey Field (lighted turf), Harrison and Wilbraham Fields
Spring G Yes Softball Field and Observatory Field
Spring B/G Yes Briggs, Gow and Haynes Tennis Courts
Spring B/G Yes Brooks Family Track

A student tradition, dating as far back as the 1920s, is stickball, a game in which teams made up of dormitory floors and day student teams compete in a baseball-like game on the quad and athletic fields in late spring.[15] Each floor makes its own bat, usually a hockey or lacrosse stick that has been cut, or a wooden dowel of a large diameter. Generally the stickball "season" will culminate in a single-elimination tournament to crown the Hill Stickball champion.

Theater

Each year the theater program stages three productions in the Werner Centennial Theater: one dramatic production spanning the varied genre of Western theater, a musical production, and the student-directed performances, which offer advanced students the opportunity to direct. Each of these productions offers many opportunities for student involvement and leadership, both on stage and backstage.[16]

Situated at the northeastern corner of the campus's central quadrangle, Centennial Center was upgraded in 1988 into a 30,000 square-foot building including a two-story lobby, a 400-seat, multi-use Shakespearean-style theater, music and dance studios and rehearsal room, dressing rooms, a scene shop/laboratory and other production support spaces. Particular to the “courtyard” theater form, all 400 seats are within 40 feet of the front of the stage, and there is built-in flexibility for both audience size and style of production.[17]

Notable alumni

External links

41.8869°N -72.7968°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Westminster School Profile (2018-19) Simsbury, CT. Private School Review. en-US. 2018-11-20.
  2. Web site: Founders League. www.thefoundersleague.org. en. 2018-10-16.
  3. Web site: Westminster School - The Association of Boarding Schools - TABS. www.boardingschools.com. 2018-11-20.
  4. News: Simsbury Prep School Gets Gift Of $27 Million . Web article . The Hartford Courant . September 21, 1996 .
  5. Web site: The Athletic and Wellness Complex at Westminster School. www.gundpartnership.com. 2018-11-20.
  6. http://www.gundpartnership.com/The-Athletic-and-Wellness-Complex-at-Westminster-School "Sherwin Health & Academic Center"
  7. http://www.gundpartnership.com/Armour-Academic-Center-Westminster-School "Armour Academic Center"
  8. News: Westminster School Concludes 125th Anniversary Celebration with Dedication of Two New Residence Halls. 2013-09-28. Simsbury, CT Patch. 2018-11-20. en-US.
  9. News: Tales of the Headmasters Philip. 2018-11-20. en.
  10. Web site: 2020-12-08. New Head of School Announced. 2021-07-21. Westminster School. en.
  11. News: Simsbury's Westminster School Celebrates 125 Years. FEDERICO. HILLARY. Courant Community. 2018-11-20. en-US.
  12. Francis Keyes, a Headmaster at Westminster School, Dies. New York Times, Dec 13, 1981; p.54.
  13. Web site: Buck. Rinker. The Westminster School Names New Headmaster. The Hartford Courant. Hartford Courant. 16 March 2015.
  14. Web site: A Biography of Board Member William V.N. Philip. National Network of Schools in Partnership. National Network of Schools in Partnership. 16 March 2015.
  15. Web site: Baron. Peter. A Guided Tour of Westminster School. Admissions Quest. 15 January 2010. Admissions Quest. 16 March 2015.
  16. News: Westminster School Drama Association to Present "Urinetown: The Musical". 2017-01-23. Simsbury, CT Patch. 2018-11-20. en-US.
  17. Web site: Centennial Performing Arts Center, Westminster School. Gund Partnership. 16 March 2015.
  18. Web site: Self-Effacing William Acquavella, Who Struck Art's Biggest Deal. 10 May 1990. The New York Times. 3 October 2017.
  19. Book: Philip, B.. Westminster School Fall Magazine 2018. Westminster School Press. 2018. Class Notes.
  20. News: William "Bill" Sperry Beinecke. Cape Cod Chronicle. 2018-11-17. en-en.
  21. Web site: Directors and Staff . prospect-hill.org. en-US. 2018-11-17.
  22. Web site: WILLIAM BEINECKE- 96. Vidani. Peter. Old New York Stories. en. 2018-11-17.
  23. News: Smith . Harrison . Patrick Ellis, popular D.C. gospel broadcaster, dies at 77 of coronavirus complications . 23 July 2020 . Washington Post . 17 July 2020 . en.
  24. News: 81 GRADUATE FROM WESTMINSTER SCHOOL. Courant. Hartford. courant.com. 2018-11-22. en-US.
  25. Web site: Bryan Nash Gill – The Cornwall Library. cornwalllibrary.org. en-US. 2018-11-22.
  26. News: ANN SWAIN LANDRETH, EXECUTIVE, WED. The New York Times . 5 February 1984 . 2018-11-22. en.
  27. News: SIMSBURY PREP SCHOOL GETS GIFT OF $27 MILLION. Writers. RACHEL GOTTLIEB and VAN ALDEN FERGUSON; Courant Staff. courant.com. 2018-11-22. en-US.
  28. Book: Davis. Henry Blaine Jr.. Generals in Khaki. 1998. Pentland Press, Inc.. Raleigh, NC. 1571970886. 214–215.
  29. Web site: Fitts. John. Avon's Ben Smith Brings Hockey's Famed Stanley Cup to Westminster School. Avon Patch. 16 July 2013. Patch. 16 March 2015.
  30. News: John Tunney, Kennedy's Friend In Muskie's Corner. Leslie. Jacques. The New York Times . 26 December 1971 . 2018-11-22. en.
  31. Web site: Gene Tunney Obituary - CA | Press Democrat. .

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