The Independent Day School

The Independent Day School

Address
115 Laurel Brook Road, Middlefield, CT
Middlefield, Connecticut
United States
Coordinates 41°30′29″N 72°41′16″W / 41.5081°N 72.6877°W / 41.5081; -72.6877Coordinates: 41°30′29″N 72°41′16″W / 41.5081°N 72.6877°W / 41.5081; -72.6877
Information
Type Private
Founded 1960
Opened 1961
Head of school Marijke Kehrhahn[1]
Grades Pre-school through Grade 8
Enrollment 152[2]
Website The Independent Day School

The Independent Day School is a private school located in Middlefield, Connecticut offering instruction to students from pre-school through the eighth grade.

Foundation

The school was initially the idea of a group of parents in the Middlefield area, who first discussed the concept in the spring of 1959.[3] A meeting to discuss the plans for the school was also held at Wesleyan University on March 15, 1960, where the intentions were to take on about forty students between kindergarten and grade seven.[4] John Martin was selected to be the architect of the original building in which the school was housed.[5] The Independent Day School officially opened in September 1961 with a student body composed of 93 children ranging from kindergarten to grade eight. The enrollment increased to 123 the following year.[3]

History

In 1963 the school started its first expansion, adding an assembly room, science laboratory, a new kindergarten unit, and a language-teaching room.[3] During the 1960s the kindergarten program wasn't always offered, but eventually became a stable part of the curriculum offered by the school.[6] Founders of the school as well as board members of the school include those with ties to other private schools in the region, such as Choate Rosemary Hall[7][8] and Wesleyan.[9]

By 1969 the school had an enrollment of 194 students. A new science lab and art room were opened at the start of that school year, in the third expansion within the school's history.[10] The teachers during this time were largely hired according to the strictness of their educational standards. During the early 1970s the school then moved to a more open classroom model, providing a greater informality to students and utilizing cross-grade groupings.[11] In 1973 the school increased its focus on the extracurricular studies offered to its students, including drama, a new sports program, music, and art, each of which was not offered before. The new focus also included the institution of a small museum.[12]

Head of school

The first headmaster of The Independent Day School was David Newcomb, hired before the school opened in 1961.[13] Past headmasters of the school have also included Roger W. Nelson (1965-73),[14] Alan Blackmer (1973-79),[15] Norman S. Jason (1979-85),[11] Walter Ebmeyer (1985-95),[16] Robert R. Coombs, Jr. (1995-2001),[17] and Robert Fricker (2001-07).[18] The term headmaster was eventually changed to "head of school", and the current head of school is Dr, Kerhan,[19] who became the second female head of the school in its history after taking over from Jessi Christiansen (2013-2016).[20][21] The head of school has traditionally lived in an 18th century residence called the Talcott House before it was sold by the institution.[16]

References

  1. ↑ "From the Head of School". Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Three Distinctive Features". Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 "Independent Day School To Expand". Meriden Record. May 6, 1963. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Private School Plan Attracts Interest Here". Middletown Press. March 15, 1960. p. 1.
  5. ↑ "Select Haddam Man to Design Private School". Middletown Press. March 17, 1960. p. 1.
  6. ↑ "Entrance Testing Program". Meriden Journal. April 21, 1965. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  7. ↑ David Stout (December 12, 1995). "P.G.B. Stillman, 77, A Teacher of History At the Choate School". New York Times. Retrieved September 17, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Two From Area Elected At Independent Day School". December 10, 1971. Retrieved September 17, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Independent School Elects New Director". Meriden Record. October 12, 1962. p. 11. Retrieved September 17, 2013.
  10. ↑ "Middlefield Day School in 9th Year". Meriden Journal. September 13, 1969. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  11. 1 2 "Independent Day School at 20 years". Record-Journal. August 18, 1981. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Independent Day School starts classes on Tuesday". The Morning Record. September 10, 1973. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  13. ↑ "David Newcomb: West Point Alumnus Leads Day School". Wallingford Post. March 2, 1961.
  14. ↑ "Middlefield School Lists Honor Pupils". The Morning Record. April 26, 1968. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  15. ↑ "Independent Day School". The Morning Record. September 6, 1973. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  16. 1 2 "Ebmeyer to head day school". Record-Journal. July 21, 1985. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  17. ↑ Liz Warner. "Independent Day School: Complete History". Retrieved September 23, 2013.
  18. ↑ "Independent Day School chief hired". The Day. June 9, 2000. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  19. ↑ "From the Head of School". Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  20. ↑ Michael T. Lyle (July 6, 2013). "Independent Day School gets first female leader for 140 student school". The Middletown Press. p. 1.
  21. ↑ Peter Downs (September 6, 2007). "A New Leader, A New School Year". The Hartford Courant. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
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