ACADEMIC PROGRAM OVERVIEW

“Laete cognoscam et laete docebo”

Since its founding in 1916, Foote has been guided by the ideals reflected in its motto: “Gladly will I learn and gladly teach.”  We nurture a lifelong love of learning and teaching in our students and faculty.  Committed to excellence, teachers lead children to question, to discover connections, to think independently, and to learn by doing.

Head of Lower School
Patty Chamberlain was named Head of the Lower School in the spring of 2007, and assumed her duties in July.  She has been a member of the Foote School faculty since 1987, teaching in both the Kindergarten and the Mixed Age Group.  She received her bachelor's degree from Goucher College and her master's degree in counseling from Southern Connecticut State University. Her educational, classroom and leadership experiences give her a broad perspective and keen insight into the needs of the faculty, the students, the families and the institution. In addition to her teaching responsibilities Patty has served as Chair of the Faculty Council, the Chair of the Multicultural Affairs Committee, the Co-Chair of the Math Department, the Co-Chair of the Program Committee for Strategic Planning and the Director of the Associate Mentoring Program.

Head of Middle School
John Cunningham serves as interim head of Middle School. John has taught science at Foote since 1985, and exemplifies Foote’s learn-by-doing approach to teaching. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology from the University of Michigan and completed the science teacher certification program at the University of Texas. He has been an inspirational science teacher to hundreds of students over the years. Experiences such as studying ecology with regular trips to the West River for samples to analyze have been the basis of a love of science for many former students.  John has also guided students as advisor to the Environmental Action Coalition. He brings broad knowledge of the school and understanding of school values, as well as the respect of his peers, to his position.

Curriculum
Foote School offers a rich and imaginative learning environment with a carefully balanced curriculum that encompasses literature, history, mathematics, science, technology, writing, foreign languages, the arts and athletics. The Lower School, and Middle School curricula (see links below) describe the scope and sequence of Foote programs by grade. Because of the school's commitment to excellence, the curriculum is ever-evolving, thus specific content may be modified prior to updating the published curriculum.

Explore our detailed curriculum grade by grade:
Lower School K-5
Middle School 6-9

Faculty Webpages
Faculty websites are a source of information often including class projects, field trip photos, daily home assignments, and links to library and outside resources relevant to the curriculum.
K-5 Faculty Pages – include descriptions of current activities, photos and examples of class projects
6-9 Faculty Pages – include homework assignments as well as photos and summaries of class activities and field trips.

Library
The overall goal of the library curriculum for every grade level is to make our students feel that libraries are wonderful places where they can find literature to feed their imaginations and locate whatever information they seek. The library subscribes to a number of online resources,  and provides links on its website for each grade level to help guide students toward effective Internet searching.

Technology
The Technology Department fills a dual role as both a technical services group and an educational department. Responsibilities range from the maintenance and repair of more than 230 computers and seven servers, to helping faculty members integrate technology into their curricula, to supporting students as they use technology in their class work and extracurricular activities.

Secondary School Planning
Foote School has a successful track record in enrolling students at a variety of schools and feedback consistently tells us our students are well prepared for their secondary school experience. Included here is a variety of information and links that Foote School families have found helpful in the secondary school admissions process.