Ethel Walker School
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The Ethel Walker School  |
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| Location | |
|---|---|
Simsbury, Connecticut,  United States |
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| Information | |
| Type | All girls, independent, college-preparatory, boarding and day |
| Motto | Nullas Horas Nisi Aureas |
| Established | 1911 by Ethel Walker |
| Head of School | Elizabeth Cromwell Speers |
| Grades | 6-12 |
| Number of students | 261 |
| Mascot | Wally the Wildcat |
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The Ethel Walker School is a college preparatory school for girls in grades 6 through 12 in Simsbury, Connecticut.
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[edit] History
Founded in 1911, the school was one of the first college preparatory schools for girls in the United States. As of 2008, 281 students (126 boarders and 154 day students) attend Walker's, grades 6 to 12. The school sits on 300 acres (1.2 km2); an additional 300 acres (1.2 km2) of school land has been preserved as The Ethel Walker Woods. The area is surrounded by forest and residential areas.
The Ethel Walker School was originally located in Lakewood, New Jersey before being moved in 1917 to its present location on the former Dodge Estate in Simsbury, Connecticut. The school's founder, Ethel Walker, was interested in creating the on of the first girls' college preparatory school, instead of a finishing school.
The school claims that the students find a caring environment designed for girls and filled with opportunities for discovering and developing their intellectual, artistic, athletic and leadership talents.
[edit] Curriculum
Academics at Walker's, as the school is commonly known, consist of small class sizes and many Advanced Placement programs. The curriculum is diverse and allows room for innovation by faculty. Many classrooms are set up in a style to encourage conversation and communication. The Ethel Walker School's symbol is the sundial, although for athletics Wally the Wildcat has been adopted as a mascot. The school's motto is Nullas Horas Nisi Aureas which translates to "None But Golden Hours".
[edit] Arts
The arts are an integral part of the curricular and co-curricular content at the school, with choices including oil painting, drawing, pottery, sculpture, digital photography, theatre, music and dance. Performing arts groups perform regularly both on and off campus.
[edit] Athletics
In 2007, former Division I athlete Dee Stephan was named as Athletic Director. The Varsity Soccer and Field Hockey teams were named division champions in Fall 2007, and many of the other teams including volleyball have won multiple championships as well. Athletic offerings include multiple levels of lacrosse, volleyball, field hockey, soccer, basketball, softball, golf, tennis and skiing.
Ethel Walker is also recognized for its world-class equestrian program[citation needed], with students competing at both regional and national levels. The equestrian program has been an integral part of the school since its founding. The school's grounds include miles of horse trails, a full cross-country course, a large outdoor arena, indoor arena, spacious turnout, and large barn. The school has gained a reputation in the equestrian world as having the foremost equestrian program among preparatory schools.[citation needed] Recently, with the addition of Linda Kossick Langmeier as head trainer, the program has produced many hopefuls for year-end Equitation Finals.
[edit] Notable Alumnae
- Juanin Clay, Actress
- Sigourney Weaver, Actress
