Guilford High School - Guilford, CT

Students at Guilford High School enjoy a wide variety of course offerings and the support of a collaborative community of educators and dedicated community partners. As an International Baccalaureate World School, participating students engage in an academically rigorous and balanced program that prepares them for the demands of university and life in our increasingly global society. Advanced Placement classes for college credit; an alternative education program for at risk students; partnerships with area schools including Yale University and the University of Connecticut; 27 varsity level athletic teams; and acclaimed music, art, and drama programs all challenge and engage students, as evidenced by a 99% annual graduation rate.

Teachers at GHS are members of a Professional Learning Community in which they analyze student work, plan instruction and assessments, and develop their practice collaboratively with colleagues. They are supported by an administration who works with them to expand the use of High Leverage Practices (researched by the Institute for Learning, University of Pittsburgh) in all classrooms.

Engaged community members and student families make it possible for students to build robots and participate in Unified Sports programs. They mentor 40 high school students each week (150 students district-wide), expand opportunities for young women of color through Guilford A Better Chance, and fund education initiatives. In September 2015, the Guilford community celebrated the opening of a new state-of-the-art high school, the result of a collaborative process among all stakeholders. This supportive environment, in turn, fosters student civic and social engagement locally, nationally, and globally.