SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY PROFILE
Weston is a residential community of 10,200 located in Fairfield County, Connecticut,
approximately 50 miles northeast of New York City. This 20 square mile suburb is home
to professionals, entrepreneurs, and writers, as well as creative and performing artists.
The town has no significant commercial or industrial base. A small commercial area with
shops, a bank and restaurants serves as the town center. With two-acre zoning limiting
residential development, the town of Weston has focused on preserving open space for
recreation and conservation. The town government and public school system are the
largest employers in town.
A majority of the population commutes to nearby towns and cities such as New York,
Stamford and Norwalk. At $180,321 the median household income is significantly higher
than the state average of $65,686. During the 2009-2010 school year, the percentage of
families living below the poverty level was 1.5 percent, and 34 (1.3%) of those enrolled
in the school district were eligible for free or reduced price meals.
The population of Weston is 92% white, with approximately 3% identifying as
Asian Pacific, 3% as Hispanic, 2% multi-racial and 2% black. At the high school the
percentage of students who fall within a minority group is .07 %, comprised mainly
of Asian American and Hispanic students, with a small share of students identifying
as black and Native American.
Weston Public Schools consist of three schools in addition to the high school. Currently
496 students attend Hurlbutt Elementary for kindergarten through second grade and 571
are enrolled in the Weston Intermediate School, which serves grades three through five.
Students in grades six through eight attend Weston Middle School with a population of
628. Eighteen resident youths attend schools outside of the local district.
Weston Public Schools spent $18,494 per pupil during the 2010-2011 school year, the
highest expenditure of the 10 schools included in its District Reference Group (DRG),
and well above the state average of $14,010. Public school funding, 76.4% of which
came from local taxes, represented 70% of the town’s resource allocation. The district
also benefits from the contributions of community philanthropic organizations such as
WestonArts and the Weston Educational Foundation.
Weston High School has a current student population of 798, an increase of 11.9% since
2004. The school has averaged a dropout rate of under 0.01% over the past eight years,
with a 100 % graduation rate in the 2009-2010 school year. The overall student
attendance rate was 93.9% and the average attendance rate for teachers was 96% during
the same time period.
With 56.2 certified staff approved for 2011-2012, the school maintains a 14:1 student to
teacher ratio. The average class size in core academic subjects is 21, compared to a state
average of 19.6. Students receive 1000 hours of instruction over 180 days per year.
Weston High School students are required to complete a minimum of 24 credits to
graduate, higher than Connecticut’s requirement of 20. In compliance with state
guidelines, students must complete 4 credits of English, and 3 credits each in math and
social studies. However, Weston requires 3 credits of science and 2 credits of physical
education and health, each 1 credit beyond state requirements. In addition, the physical
education and health curriculum requires that all students become certified in CPR.
Weston students are also required to complete 1 credit in technology and 1 credit in fine
arts with the remainder of the credits coming from elective courses including world
languages. The academic program offers eighteen Advanced Placement courses. In May
of 2011, 95% of students enrolled in AP courses sat for the tests, and, of those, 91%
received a score of “3” or better. A number of academic courses have been incorporating
the instructional principles of the district-wide program, Academic Innovation and
Measurement (AIM). AIM is an assessment framework designed to measure student
achievement of specified, high priority 21st century skills, competencies and
understandings and inform and drive instructional decisions and innovations.
Students at Weston High School are active members of the school community,
participating in a variety of extracurricular clubs and athletics. The Weston High School
athletic program has been named Best Athletic Program for a medium-sized school for
six consecutive years, with nearly 70% of school students participating in at least one
sport. The school also has a vibrant arts community. The largest club, Company, a
student run theater organization, stages four productions per year.
Over 200 college admissions representatives visit the school annually to meet with
students and counselors. The Weston High School graduating class of 2011 was
composed of 191 students, 189 of whom were accepted at institutions of higher learning.
Of those students, 126 are attending institutions regarded as “most” or “highly”
competitive. Ninety-six percent of the students attending higher education institutions are
enrolled in four-year degree programs, with the remaining 4% of students in two-year
colleges, the military, post-graduate programs, or the workforce.
Weston High School also provides opportunities for students to enrich their education
through outside resources, both local and national. The Regional Center for the Arts, a
part-time public interdistrict magnet high school for Fairfield County students interested
in the performing arts, promotes voluntary integration by encouraging collaboration and
cooperation among socioeconomic and ethnically diverse school districts. Other local
resources, such as the Silvermine Art Guild, welcome students who wish to pursue
disciplines beyond those offered at the high school. In addition, Project Lead the Way, a
distinguished provider of rigorous and innovative science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics (STEM) education curricular programs, is offered through the business and
technology department and provides students with the opportunity to develop 21st century
skills and earn college credit.
The school has established strong connections with the community through
partnerships with local organizations and businesses and student-driven community
service initiatives. Nearby organizations such as animal shelters, senior centers, homeless
shelters and local hospitals and hospices provide opportunities for students to contribute
to their community. Students also lead charitable events, such as the annual “Relay for
Life,” as well as numerous other fundraisers and activities throughout the school year. In
addition, Weston High School offers an internship program that allows qualified
seniors to explore an area of interest and gain work experience outside of the school
setting. For the last 4-5 weeks of their senior year, students leave the school campus
to work at nearby businesses and build upon skills necessary for their preferred
field of work. The school also hosts programs throughout the year designed to
encourage family and community participation, including such events as a “Family
University” which focuses on social and emotional topics involving students.