Hamden Middle School
| Hamden Middle School | |
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| Location | |
| Hamden, Connecticut |
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| Information | |
| Type | Public |
| Principal | Daniel Levy |
| Grades | 7-8 |
| Color(s) | Green and Gold |
| Mascot | Green Dragon |
| Website | Official school website |
Hamden Middle School is a two-year middle school for grades 7 and 8, located at 2623 Dixwell Ave. in Hamden, Connecticut. It is the only public middle school within the Hamden Public School District. It was the 1998-99 Connecticut School of the Year. The current principal is Daniel Levy. The assistant principals are Jessica Coffey, Grade 8 and Rhonda Jackson, Grade 7 .
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[edit] Soil Contamination at Former Site
In January 2001, the school remained closed for nearly two weeks after the end of the winter vacation when the DEP found high concentrations of lead, carcinogens and other toxins in the soil surrounding the building, as well as at the sports field across the street.[1] It was soon revealed that the building had been constructed on the site of a previous toxic waste disposal ground in the 1950s.[2] This was followed by claims that the school had seen unusually high rate of death among faculty members in their 50s due to cancer.[citation needed]
Crews took action to make the building as safe an environment as possible as classes commenced. However, residents voiced concern led to plans for the construction of a new building on a Dixwell Avenue site. The project began in September 2004 and the new Hamden Middle School was completed in time for the start of the 2006 school-year.
[edit] The New Hamden Middle School
On September 5, 2006 Hamden Middle School opened its doors to at least one thousand students. As of the 2008-2009 school year progressed, the estimated school population was calculated at 870 students. All students are assigned one of five houses for either 7th or 8th grade. 2 houses per grade contain the TAG (Talented and Gifted) students. Houses on both floors consist of the same colors: peach, yellow, blue, green, and purple. The eighth grade is on the first floor and the seventh is on the second. Although the school is for 7th and 8th graders, the school takes in 6th and 5th graders from elementary schools for the Advanced Math Placement (AMP) program in the morning.
[edit] References
- ^ As New Term Nears, Town Is Split on the Safety of a Middle School Built on a Landfill by David M. Herszenhorn, The New York Times, January 14, 2001
- ^ A School on a Dump Site Divides Hamden by Richard Weizel, The New York Times, June 30, 2002
