Waterbury Public Schools

Waterbury Public Schools
Waterbury Public Schools
Address
	236 Grand St Waterbury, Connecticut 06702; United States
District information
Type	Public
Grades	Pre-K – 12
Superintendent	Vacant
Schools	30
Students and staff
Students	18,807 (October 2019)
Teachers	1,505
Other information
Website	waterbury.k12.ct.us

Waterbury Public Schools is a school district based in Waterbury, Connecticut.

The district serves over 18,000 students. Waterbury is notable as the first school district in Connecticut to establish a dress code for all students. Waterbury Public Schools operates under the leadership of a superintendent and a Board of Education that consists of 10 elected members and the City Mayor. The superintendent's position is currently vacant.^[2]

Waterbury's 1,500 teachers work in 30 schools and educational programs. They belong to the Waterbury Teachers' Association.

History

Waterbury's first public high school opened in 1851... [2]

On July 1, 2018, Dr. Verna D. Ruffin began her first term as superintendent, chosen by the Board of Education and mayor Neil O'Leary due to her experience with urban school districts and confident demeanor.^[3]

In June and July 2022, the United States Department of Justice began an investigation in the district due to possible mistreatment of special education students, "including seclusion rooms and restraints," according to News 8 WTNH.^[4]

On July 8, 2024, mayor Paul K. Pernerewski Jr. terminated Ruffin's contract against the wishes of the Board of Education citing a lack of confidence from staff and parents within the district, poor behavior from students, low test scores, and that Ruffin had never notified him nor the previous mayor of the Department of Justice investigations.^[4]^[2]

District Reference Group I

Waterbury is one of the seven public school systems in District Reference Group I, a classification made by the state Department of Education for the purpose of comparison with the achievement levels of similar schools. District reference groups are defined as "districts whose students' families are similar in education, income, occupation and need, and that have roughly similar enrollment".^[5] The other six school districts in the group are Bridgeport, Hartford, New Britain, New Haven, New London, and Windham.^[6]

Schools

High schools

Intermediate/Middle schools

North End Middle School
Wallace Middle School
Waterbury Arts Magnet School
West Side Middle School
WAMS

Elementary schools

Bucks Hill Elementary School
Bunker Hill Elementary School
B.W. Tinker Elementary School
Carrington Elementary School
Chase Elementary School
Wendell Cross Elementary School
Driggs Elementary School
Duggan Elementary School
F.J. Kingsbury Elementary School
Generali Elementary School
Hopeville Elementary School
John G. Gilmartin Elementary School
Maloney Magnet Elementary School
Reed Elementary School
Regan Elementary School
Rotella Interdistrict Magnet School
Sprague Elementary School
Walsh Elementary School
Washington Elementary School
Woodrow Wilson Elementary School
Rotella Magnet School

External links

References

^ ^a ^b "2019-2020 Annual Report" (PDF). Waterbury Public Schools. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
^ ^a ^b Fearon, Dylan; Molina, Hector (July 8, 2024). "Waterbury mayor vetoes superintendent's contract". www.wfsb.com. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
^ Johnson, Alec (June 29, 2018). "Verna Ruffin chosen as Waterbury's school superintendent". Republican American Archives. Archived from the original on October 20, 2020. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
^ ^a ^b Harfmann, Tim (July 12, 2024). "'This became personal': Former Waterbury superintendent talks about dismissal". News 8 WTNH. Archived from the original on July 15, 2024. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
^ [1] state "Strategic School Profile 2005-2006" for Wilton High School, accessed March 25, 2007
^ "WCGMF-Discovery | Communities: By DRG". Archived from the original on February 24, 2007. Retrieved March 6, 2007. Web page titled "Find a Community: By Educational Reference Group (DRG)" at the "Discovery 2007 / An initiative of the William Caspar Graustein Fund" Web site, accessed March 25, 2007

The History of Public Education in Connecticut
"Metro Briefing - Connecticut: Waterbury: Dress Code Affirmed", The New York Times, November 20, 2001, retrieved May 2, 2006
"Waterbury board of ed warns students: Keep toes covered", Connecticut Conference of Municipalities Municipal Innovations News, November 30, 2004, retrieved May 2, 2006

[annual_report-1] "2019-2020 Annual Report" (PDF). Waterbury Public Schools. Retrieved October 12, 2021.

[:0-2] Fearon, Dylan; Molina, Hector (July 8, 2024). "Waterbury mayor vetoes superintendent's contract". www.wfsb.com. Retrieved July 15, 2024.

[3] Johnson, Alec (June 29, 2018). "Verna Ruffin chosen as Waterbury's school superintendent". Republican American Archives. Archived from the original on October 20, 2020. Retrieved July 15, 2024.

[:1-4] Harfmann, Tim (July 12, 2024). "'This became personal': Former Waterbury superintendent talks about dismissal". News 8 WTNH. Archived from the original on July 15, 2024. Retrieved July 15, 2024.

[sp06-5] [1] state "Strategic School Profile 2005-2006" for Wilton High School, accessed March 25, 2007

[6] "WCGMF-Discovery | Communities: By DRG". Archived from the original on February 24, 2007. Retrieved March 6, 2007. Web page titled "Find a Community: By Educational Reference Group (DRG)" at the "Discovery 2007 / An initiative of the William Caspar Graustein Fund" Web site, accessed March 25, 2007

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