Hamden Hall Country Day School is a nurturing and inclusive community with a dynamic learning environment that promotes academic excellence by understanding each child and fostering their individual growth. From the school’s notable beginnings in 1912 as the nation’s fourth country day school to its current standing as a hallmark of excellence, Hamden Hall continues to embrace the spirit of family and community that has defined the campus since its opening days. So while rigorous academics underscore all we do, we also care about the kinds of people our graduates become and pride ourselves on our socially considerate atmosphere. Our Lower School offers a vibrant learning environment for PreSchool through Grade 6 students. Students enjoy a balanced, thoughtful curriculum that includes a World Language program, a comprehensive early reading program honed at Yale University’s Haskins Laboratories, and a science program enhanced by the state-of-the-art resources in our Bayer Family Science Center. A fine arts program, technology, and physical education classes round out the day amid the backdrop of small class sizes. Hamden Hall prides itself on forming partnerships with the best resources in the area to bring learning to life for our students. Our collaboration with Mystic Seaport combines cross-curricular, in-class lessons and activities for our fourth- and fifth-graders with on-site travels to the popular maritime attraction. Our Middle School brings learning to life through real-world projects that spark interest and fully engage students. Experiential learning opportunities supplement our rigorous academic program and individual advisors ensure meaningful connections to properly tailor instruction for every Middle School student. Leadership and humanitarian skills are developed through various mentoring opportunities and community service projects such as our annual Middle School “Life is Delicious” food preparation program for New Haven’s Columbus House Overflow Shelter. Upper School students are afforded individualized pathways to better learn what fields and subjects interest them. Students are exposed to a wide range of knowledge through traditional academic disciplines (Hamden Hall offers Advanced Placement courses in a myriad of disciplines as well as several academic courses that go beyond the AP curriculum) and innovative, creative programming all designed to promote meaningful interaction, critical thinking, and self-awareness. Most importantly, rigorous academic courses prepare and empower our students for the challenges of higher education. Over the last three years, Hamden Hall graduates matriculated at the highest rate to the following colleges: Babson College, Boston College, Boston University, Bowdoin College, Brown University, Connecticut College, University of Connecticut, Emory University, Franklin & Marshall College, George Washington University, College of the Holy Cross, Lafayette College, Mount Holyoke College, Muhlenberg College, Providence College, Quinnipiac University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Sacred Heart University, Skidmore College, Syracuse University, Trinity College, Vassar College, Wesleyan University, Wheaton College, Williams College, and Yale University. Further enhancing the educational experience is our state-of-the-art, 65,000-square-foot Beckerman Athletic Center. This $13 million facility set amid 30 acres of athletic fields – including our multi-sport synthetic turf field – is truly a hub for student activity and community collaboration. Our core values – excellence, support, participation, accountability, and respect – are interwoven in the overarching Hamden Hall experience and are integral to the academic growth and success of every student.
