Ethel Walker School
For generations, young women have come to The Ethel Walker School to discover their capabilities in a community that cherishes learning and curiosity. At Walker’s, girls in grades 6–12 grow in their confidence and sense of higher purpose. They flourish, with each girl knowing that she will become the person she is meant to be.
Intellectual life at Walker’s is structured to leave room for exploration — and joy. Our master faculty expertly design the curriculum to be meaningful, challenging and inspiring. A robust offering of courses stretch students to become reflective, analytical thinkers who are motivated to direct their own learning.
In their quest to master content, Walker’s students pose challenging questions to test norms and disrupt the gendered mindset that informs traditional methods of teaching. Walker’s girls are the intellectual leaders and stewards of their own education.
My favorite class is English because it challenges me the most. Each novel is a lesson for me to know more about the world.
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Hands-on activities enable us to see in action what we’re learning. Open discussions allow everyone’s voices to be heard.
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By taking arts classes at Walker’s, I have grown to realize how to express myself through art and create a work of beauty.
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All of my teachers are so excited about what they’re doing and show us how much they like to teach us.
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No matter what topic we cover in History, I’m always able to make parallels with the changes I can make in the world.
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One of my favorite classes is math. Math is a great resource for my future — I aspire to become a neonatologist.
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Walker’s has immersive language classes that have allowed me to become more fluent and a more outspoken student.
Learn more about World LanguagesAlumna Caroline Smith reflects on her participation in Walker’s athletics and how it has shaped her college experience at Haverford College, PA. Caroline has recently completed her freshman year playing…
Eighth grade student Valarie Lawson ’25 shares her experience of flying a plane for the first time, inspired by her aunt, pilot Patricia White: “I have several cousins who are…
Added to: Middle School
On July 15, the heads of school and athletic directors of the Founders League met to make a decision and craft a statement regarding fall interscholastic competition.
Added to: Athletics, Cross Country, Field Hockey, Riding, Soccer, Volleyball
Alumna Mariah Dunn ’19 reflects on her participation in Walker’s athletics and how it has shaped her college experience at Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic, CT. While at Walker’s,…
Added to: Alumnae, Athletics, Basketball
Walker’s twelve varsity Upper School swimmers have been honored as a National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association (NISCA) Bronze Level Scholar team. The NISCA/SwimOutlet.com Scholar Team Award recognizes teams achieving high…
Letian (“Jane”) Li ‘20 and Emily (“Emmy”) Vitali ‘20 have been named Academic All-Americans by the National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association (NISCA). In order to be a recipient of this…
Jenessa Lu ’21 and Madi Knapp ’21 have won the 2020 Harvard Alumni for Global Women’s Empowerment Writing Contest. Their winning essays will will be published in a hard-cover volume of…
Added to: Academics, English, Upper School
Happy Juneteenth! Though the Emancipation Proclamation was proclaimed by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1st, 1863, for various reasons that declaration did not reach all parts of the country at…
Added to: All School, Diversity and Social Justice
For Noël Grisanti, the sudden pivot to online teaching was one marked by lots of flexibility. She was in the middle of teaching Latin grammar and Roman love poetry when…
On a regular school day in a normal year, Dr. Chris Semk has his French and Latin classes set up in a circle. The format enhances conversation, and, as a…
On Tuesday, June 9, the Walker’s community gathered virtually to honor members of the community who have reached milestones of service at Walker’s. Remarks were given by Head of School…
Added to: All School
Each spring, members of the faculty and staff select two individuals to receive The Frenchie Award named in honor of a former member of Walker’s staff, Frenchie Kahawaiolaa. This award…
Added to: All School
The Darrell Carrington Award is presented annually to a member of the Walker's community in recognition of that individual's contributions to the athletic program.
Added to: Academics, All School, Athletics
“Today we have not a commencement, but a tribute to all of you. A tribute traditionally was an act of homage from one tribe to another, a showing of respect,…
Added to: All School
On Saturday, June 6, the Walker’s community gathered virtually to celebrate the awarding of prizes to students in the Upper School. In her opening remarks, Head of School Dr. Meera…
Added to: Academics, All School, Arts, Athletics, English, History, Language, Math, Science, Upper School
On Friday, June 5, the community gathered virtually to celebrate the promotion of the eighth grade class of The Ethel Walker Middle School. In her opening remarks, Head of School…
Added to: Middle School
Dear Walker’s Community, We have been dealing with a crisis for the last few months in the form of a pandemic beyond our control that has threatened the stability of…
Added to: All School
Alumna Maisie Smith '19 reflects on her participation in Walker's athletics and how it has shaped her college experience at Haverford College, PA. Maisie recently completed her freshman year there…
Added to: All School, Athletics, Lacrosse, Soccer, Squash
Walker's Swim Team completed over 41 miles in one hour during one of their afternoon practices in February and raised more than $4,000 for The Edward J. Madden Open Hearts…
Added to: All School, Athletics, Swimming
The New York Times has a weekly installment called "By the Book" which is a series of questions and answers about the reading habits of notable writers. Walker's tenth chapter…
Nine new members of the Walker's student-body have been selected to The Ethel Walker Athletic Council (EWAC).
Added to: All School, Athletics
Alumna Mary McNally ’17 reflects on her participation in Walker’s athletics and how it has shaped her college experience at Siena College (NY). Mary is a captain and three-sport athlete,…
Added to: Alumnae, Athletics, Cross Country
Kate Weiss '21, a member of Walker's CyberStrong club, has qualified Walker's for nationals in the Girls Go Cyberstart competition.
Added to: Academics, Math, Science, Student Life, Upper School
Read more for the winter squash, basketball, skiing and swimming awards given to noted players during the winter sports award ceremonies this year.
Added to: Athletics, Basketball, Skiing, Squash, Swimming
Alumna Liza Philips '17 reflects on her participation in Walker's athletics and how it has shaped her college experience at Nichols College in Dudley, MA.
Added to: Alumnae, Athletics, Field Hockey
Science teacher Dr. Julia Sheldon had the opportunity to take a memorable trip to the famed Galápagos Islands as part of an expedition with the National Geographic Society and Lindblad…
Added to: Academics, All School, Science
The New York Times has a weekly installment called "By the Book" which is a series of questions and answers about the reading habits of notable writers. Walker's ninth chapter…
Added to: Academics, All School, English
Lauren Cleaver '20 had the privilege of interviewing Frances Beinecke '67, former president of the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Added to: Alumnae
Fiona Mucaj '21 has just won second place in the Connecticut Poetry Society annual LynnDeCaro High School poetry competition.
Added to: Academics, All School, English
The New York Times has a weekly installment called "By the Book" which is a series of questions and answers about the reading habits of notable writers. Walker's eighth chapter…
Added to: Academics, All School, English
It was a successful winter for our athletes as several players were recognized as All-League competitors within the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) and Founders League.
Added to: Athletics, Basketball, Skiing, Swimming
When asked about why she chose the project, Kate Weiss ’21 said "to the nurses, doctors and other staff that took care of me during my two and a half…
Added to: All School
Jenny Belknap ’90 recalls her time as a Walker's Equestrian and how the lessons she learned impact her life today.
April 3, 2020 Mackenzie Zeytoonjian’s ’21 Gold Award project, “Give And Receive,” is a way to empower children with different abilities by showing them that anyone can make a greater…
Added to: All School
Several Walker's equestrians traveled to Florida earlier this year to compete in the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), Gulf Coast Winter Classic Series and HITS Ocala, some of the most prestigious…
Added to: , Riding
The New York Times has a weekly installment called "By the Book" which is a series of questions and answers about the reading habits of notable writers. Walker's seventh chapter…
Walker's swim team was named finalists at the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Division III Championship in early March.
For the second year in a row and the fifth time in ten years, Walker's varsity basketball team will compete for the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Class…
Added to: Athletics, Basketball
High School Squash Nationals took place last weekend at Westminster School and the Walker's team was in Division VI.
Olivia Johnson '22 and Claudia Luciani '21 have been selected to participate in the New England Young Writers' Conference at Middlebury College's Breadloaf School of English.
Added to: Academics, All School, English
Four Walker's students' art has been published in the winter issue of the National Art Honor Society Newsletter.
The Ethel Walker School hosted its first National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) on Saturday February 15.
Added to: Athletics
Ava's packed daily schedule begins "at the crack of dawn" when she heads to the barn to ride. That's just the beginning.
Added to: , Riding
Four Walker's students will receive awards at the 29th Annual National Arts Awards Reception and Ceremony.
The Walker's annual Winter Dance Concert showcased many forms of globally inspired and student-choreographed dances.
Lacuna 2020 wrapped up this week, with Middle and Upper School students delving into a variety of classes outside the typical curriculum.
Added to: Academics, All School, Arts, History, Math, Middle School
Valarie Lawson '25 was selected as a finalist in the 16th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Added to: All School, Middle School
In a game against long-time rival Miss Porter's on Wednesday, February 5, Hannah Iwaszkiewicz '20 became the first player in Walker's basketball history to score 1,000 career points.
Added to: Athletics, Basketball
Becky Williams '20 and Lizzy Strapp '20 are published in The New York Times.
Added to: Academics, All School, English
Results and Awards from recent IEA Regionals and Gulf Coast Winter Classic.
Added to: , Riding
February 7, 2020 Nine Walker’s students have received accolades in the regional Scholastic Writing Awards, the nation’s longest-running and most prestigious recognition program for creative teens in grades 7-12 (artandwriting.org).…
Added to: Academics, All School, English
Mikayla Morales '23 will represent Walker's at the Connecticut Poetry Out Loud State Finals on March 14.
Added to: Academics, All School, English
Kristen St. Louis ’21 was one of 15 winners in Senator Chris Murphy’s 4th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Essay Contest. This year, Murphy received close to 1,500 entries from elementary,…
Added to: Diversity and Social Justice, Upper School
January 24, 2020 Kristen St. Louis ’21 was one of 15 winners in Senator Chris Murphy’s 4th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Essay Contest. This year, Murphy received close…
Added to: Academics, All School, English
Walker's varsity field hockey coach is honored by the NFHCA for her 300th win record.
Added to: Athletics, Field Hockey
January 17, 2020 On Wednesday, three students shared their junior projects with the Walker’s community. McKenzie Connors ’21, Kristen St. Louis ’21 and Tianyi Huang ’21 earned special recognition because…
Added to: All School
Science teachers Dr. Piela and Dr. Mitchell accompanied Science Club students to Providence VA Medical Center and Brown University.
January 10, 2020 Nine students have received awards for their artwork in the Scholastic Art Awards, the nation’s longest-running and most prestigious recognition program for creative teens in grades 7-12…
Added to: Academics, Arts, Upper School
Kristen St. Louis '21 earned an Honorable Mention Award in the 2019 Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest Poetry Category.
Added to: English
Congratulations to Jane Li '20, whose personal essay, "Under the Starry Sky," won a runner-up prize in the New York Times Learning Network 2019 Personal Narrative Essay Contest.
On Friday, December 13, the Walker's community enjoyed time-honored holiday traditions including the Holiday Concert and Vespers, Banquet and the 91st Annual Holiday Ride.
Added to: All School
While the eighth graders took midterm exams this week, sixth and seventh grade students enjoyed field trips to the Pequot Museum, Old State House, Wadsworth Atheneum and Peabody Museum.
Added to: Academics, Arts, History, Middle School
Our Middle School debate team had a great first debate of the year on December 14 at Smith Middle School in Glastonbury.
Added to: History, Middle School
On December 12, members of the Drama Club presented a student-directed performance of the one-act play, Check Please, by Jonathan Rand.
Added to: Academics, All School, Arts
Continue reading to learn more about Mollie Morrison '20 and her junior project working at her family business, the New England Pasta Company.
Added to: All School
Jordana Doshna ’21 has a unique view on the world, literally. She recently received her pilot’s license to fly solo and spends any chance she can soaring thousands of feet…
Added to:
Jordana Doshna recently received her pilot's license to fly solo and spends any chance she can soaring thousands of feet above us all.
Added to: All School
Congratulations to Ally Pelayo '20 who earned her Girl Scout Gold Award this summer!
Added to: All School
These placements are earned through a rigorous adjudication process, and each of these students are eligible for the All-State Festivals auditions.
The Ethel Walker School varsity field hockey team qualified for post-season play in the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Class C tournament.
Added to: Athletics, Field Hockey
Walker's varsity soccer team earned the #6 seed in the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Class C Tournament.
Madi Knapp '21 had a top 15 finish in the varsity race which earned her All-League Honors for the second season in a row.
Added to: Athletics, Cross Country
The New York Times has a weekly installment called "By the Book," which is a series of questions and answers about the reading habits of notable writers. Walker's first chapter…
The Connecticut Field Hockey Hall of Famer now boasts a record of 300-154-40.
Added to: Athletics, Field Hockey
On Friday, November 1, a group of Walker’s students from across the Arts and English departments had the opportunity to travel to New Haven to visit the Yale University Art…
On Wednesday, November 6, Walker's Dance Workshop and Dance Ensemble were joined by dancers from The Loomis Chaffee School, Taft School, Miss Porter's School and Marianapolis Preparatory School for a…
Read more for individual equestrian results from recent shows including the National Horse Show, New England Equitation Finals and IEA.
Added to: , Riding
On October 25, award-winning poet, essayist and educator Paisley Rekdal visited campus as part of The Ethel Walker School Visiting Writer Seminar, a unique course that focuses on living writers…
On Saturday, October 26, Madi Knapp '21 set a Pomfret School cross country course record and helped Walker's cross country team win first place against Marianapolis, Rectory and host school,…
Added to: Athletics, Cross Country
Amanda Naimie, head JV field hockey coach and assistant varsity lacrosse coach, was inducted into the New England College Athletic Hall of Fame last month.
Added to: Athletics, Field Hockey, Lacrosse
With the end of summer and start of the crisp fall air, most recent Walkers' grads have already made the big move to their colleges of choice.
Added to: All School
On Saturday, October 12, five field hockey teams from Canton, Simsbury, West Hartford, Goshen and Wethersfield joined Walker's field hockey teams in a play day to raise $2,253 in the…
Added to: Athletics, Field Hockey
In October, we welcomed Walker’s alumna Dr. Veda Pendleton ’75 to campus for the launch of her new memoir, Prepped: Coming of Age in Black and White America. Throughout her…
Added to: Diversity and Social Justice
On Tuesday, October 1, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes, the U.S. Representative for the Fifth Congressional District of Connecticut, visited campus where she met with student leaders, faculty and administrators, and addressed…
Added to: All School
Walker's Director of Social Justice and Inclusion Elisa Del Valle Cardona presented at the 5th Annual Women's Leadership Conference at the University of New Haven on October 4
Added to: Diversity and Social Justice, History
Two Walker's students have been named Commended Students in the 2020 National Merit Scholarship Program.
Added to: All School
In October, Walker's science teacher Dr. Julia Sheldon P'20, '23 will be traveling to the Galápagos Islands on an expedition with the National Geographic Society.
Added to: Academics, All School, Science
LASO hosts assembly to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month.
Added to: Diversity and Social Justice, History
In addition to implementing this routine, Coach Smith also was pleased to bring Melanie Michaud, who works with college, professional and Olympic athletes as a strength and conditioning coach for…
On Tuesday, September 17, students in Mrs. Greshin's sixth grade Ecology class extracted honey from Walker's apiary with the help of Walker's parent and professional beekeeper Gilman Mucaj P'21.
Added to: Academics, All School, Middle School, Science
On Monday, September 26, licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist Lynn Lyons visited campus as our 2019 Margaret Huling Bonz Women of Distinction Speaker.
Added to: All School
Sydney Satchell '10, Paralympic athlete for the USA Women's Sitting Volleyball team, traveled back to Walker's from Lima, Peru with her gold medal in hand and passed it around to…
Added to: Alumnae, Athletics, Lacrosse, Volleyball
Walker's entered its 109th academic year last week with Opening Days filled with preseason practices, field trips, special assemblies and several opportunities for students to bond with their classes and…
Added to: All School
August Equestrian updates from Fairfield County Hunt Club, Vermont Summer Festival, Folly Farm and Zephyr Farm.
Added to: , Riding
Walker's equestrians continue to compete throughout the summer, taking home several ribbons in top regional horse shows.
Added to: , Riding
New graduates Maisie and Caroline Smith have always been inseparable. They are twins, after all, so that bond started at birth.
Added to: , Upper School
Chloe Miller '19 of Avon has been selected as the 2019 US Lacrosse Jackie Pitts award winner for the State of Connecticut for her lacrosse involvement and contributions to the…
While at Walker's, Celeste Davis ‘19 used her educational prowess both in the classroom and to make change happen outside of it, too.
Added to: , Upper School
Kristen St. Louis '21 recently completed the spring Girls With Impact program.
Added to: All School
When Xinyu "Hazel" Wang announced to her middle-school class of 80 that she was leaving for the United States, they were shocked. Kids from her small town of Zhengzhou, China…
Added to: All School, Upper School
Isabelle Chen ’19 had no idea that her and Ann Bresnahan ’69 shared a special connection with The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) in addition to their shared love for science.
Added to: Academics, All School, Alumnae, Science
For the second year in a row, Walker's was selected to participate in the Harvard University Alumni for Global Women's Empowerment annual essay competition.
Added to: Academics, All School, English
Walker's is pleased to announce that Kati Eggert has been named our new athletic director, effective July 1, 2019.
Added to: Athletics
"First, we wanted to do some groundwork in planning a Spring Break trip for my tropical ecology class next year," says Bernardo, "and second, we wanted to reconnect with our…
Added to: All School, Science
On Friday, May 31, Honors Biochemistry students were visited by Dr. Stephanie M. Coomes, a health scientist administrator at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).
Added to: Academics, All School, Science
On a sunny Tuesday, the Walker's community enjoyed a great Dogswood Day, a treasured School tradition.
Added to: All School
Walker's faculty member and Simsbury resident Carol Clark-Flanagan P'93, '97 was asked to be a facilitator in a town-wide discussion about the work that needs to be done to build…
Added to: All School
The Ethel Walker School has been awarded a prestigious Educational Leadership grant from The Edward E. Ford Foundation.
Added to: All School
Walker's student government, the Big 7, were inducted for the 2019-2020 school year on Wednesday, May 22.
Added to: All School, Upper School
For the thirteenth consecutive year, Walker's lacrosse players will help represent Connecticut in the US Lacrosse National tournament.
To enter the Fabrication Lab at The Ethel Walker School is akin to entering a foreign country. It is here that Hannah Schweitzer, a senior day student from Canton who…
Added to: Academics, Science, Upper School
Two years ago, Walker's began to offer the Visiting Writer Seminar, an English elective for juniors and seniors through which students make an in-depth study of the works of a…
Added to: Academics, English, Upper School
The Ethel Walker School is pleased to announce Yolanda Eleta de Varela as its 2019 Commencement keynote speaker.
Added to: All School, Alumnae
Hooray Sunray to Jenessa Lu '21, who won two awards in the recent grand finale of the Teen Photo Challenge co-sponsored by the Simsbury Public Library and the Simsbury Camera…
Added to: Arts
Watching this year's Boston Marathon, Dorothy "Dotty" Ferguson Corbiere '64 reminisced about her completion of the race in 2018.
On Monday, May 6, 17 Walker's students were inducted into The Ethel Walker School chapter of the Cum Laude Society, an organization that recognizes academic achievement in secondary schools for…
Added to: Academics, All School
On April 13, Walker's students Chufan Cui '20, Joyce Qiu '20, Kitty Huang '20, Amy Xia '21, Grace Mugo '21 and Elizabeth Cao '22 represented Walker's Mathletes at the Math…
Added to: Academics, Math, Upper School
Continue reading for more on junior shortstop Reagan Kerecz.
Walker's trustee, and President and CEO of the Ms. Foundation for Women, Teresa C. Younger has been named one of Philanthropy Forward Fellows for 2019-2020 by the Neighborhood Funders Group…
Added to: All School
Nine Walker's students received commendations in the 2019 National Latin Exam, an annual test given to Latin students from around the world.
Walker's a cappella group, the Grapes, participated in the largest scholastic a cappella competition in New England, the Wyvern Invitational a Cappella Festival (WIAF), at Kingswood-Oxford School on Saturday, April…
