The Taft School

Yale University graduate and Latin tutor Horace Dutton Taft dreamed of starting his own school, and did just that in Pelham Manor, New York, in 1890. The move to Watertown, Connecticut, three years later afforded Mr. Taft the space and resources to more fully engage students academically, culturally, athletically, and spiritually in pursuit of his mission to educate the whole student. Now, 130 years later, that mission remains at the core of a Taft education.

Read a detailed history of the Taft School here.

Taft is a school steeped in tradition. Many are sweeping, and touch nearly every aspect of school life: rigorous academics, highly-regarded arts and athletics programs, a deeply connected community whose bonds last long after graduation. But there are also events, moments, and activities that connect Tafties from generation to generation. Here are just a few.

 

The Pledge

All Tafties add the Taft pledge to every piece of academic work. It is a symbol of pride and honesty, and a declaration of integrity that reads, “I pledge my honor that I have neither given nor received aid on this evaluation.” Our Honor Code, itself, is perhaps Taft’s most important tradition.

 

 A Tradition of Service

130 years ago, Taft’s founder wrote of the need for students to “to get out of themselves; to work for others.” That concept, coupled with his belief that character, above all else, determines success in life, forms the foundation of our enduring school motto: Non ut sibi ministretur sed ut minister, not to be served, but to serve. 

 

Sit-Down Dinner

Twice each week students don class dress for dinner and join fellow students and faculty members at assigned tables for engaging dinner conversation. Table assignments change for each meal, allowing students to connect with different members of our community each week.

 

Lincoln’s Nose

The school’s main vestibule, Lincoln Lobby, is presided over by a statue of Abraham Lincoln; tradition tells students to rub his nose and knock his podium for luck each time they pass.

 

Super Sunday

The second Sunday of the school year marks a favorite Taft tradition: Super Sunday. Students start on teams designated by color, but blend to become one giant, colorfully painted community after a day of fun and games, from sack races and egg tosses to Crisco slides and a hotly contested tug of war.

 

Red Rally

Prep school rivalries are a tradition as old as prep schools themselves; the Taft-Hotchkiss rivalry is the stuff of legend. One Saturday in November nearly every fall, Taft’s athletics teams face off against the athletes from Hotchkiss. But not before a full week of fun activities known as “Spirit Week,” and a giant red pep rally and bonfire the night before. “Red Rally” is a highlight of the school year and a great lead-in to a fun-filled Hotchkiss Day.

 

Senior Week

A last hurrah for Taft seniors, filled with fun events and activities, including a final day of service as a Taft student on Senior Community Service Day.

A Taft education is built on academic rigor, driven by intellectual curiosity, and supported by an ever-evolving and innovative curriculum. Taft students carve out individualized academic paths, choosing from 200 academic courses. They may also work with faculty to design independent tutorials, explore a broad range of innovative academic programs, and even take classes with students from more than 60 independent schools around the world through the Global Online Academy.

Taft’s mission to educate the whole student places an emphasis on high scholarship and intellectual endeavor, along with the belief that character, above all else, determines success in life. Our Portrait of a Graduate translates that mission into a roadmap for learning that is bolstered by our unique curriculum, advanced by our Honor Code, built on a strong intellectual and academic foundation, and brought to life by dedicated and caring faculty, made up of highly educated experts in their respective fields.

Taft students choose from more than 200 one-unit courses offered in each of our two academic-year semesters. To fulfill our 36-unit graduation requirement, students in grades 9 and 10 carry a minimum of five academic courses each term, while students in grades 11 and 12 carry a minimum of four academic courses. Minimum course requirements by discipline are as follows:

·      1 unit of English every semester

·      4 units of History (2 US)

·      4 units of Laboratory Science

·      Level III of a World Language or Latin  Algebra II and Trigonometry

·      One semester of Arts each year

Taft offers more than 50 academic courses in the arts, from Dance for Everyone, Drawing and Design, and Electronic Music to Canto, Acting, Chamber Ensemble, and Theater Technology. Students are required to take some introductory classes, but most students engage with the arts long after those requirements are met, through courses at the advanced level, independent tutorials, formal afternoon programs, and arts-centric clubs. Concerts, plays, recitals, exhibits, and popular “open-mic” coffeehouse evenings fill the school calendar. They not only broaden and enhance learning, but also bring energy, culture, creativity, and balance to our community.

Athletics at Taft are about more than competition; they are about health and wellness, and understanding the importance of a lifelong commitment to fitness. They are also about finding enjoyment through athletic pursuits, and catching the Big Red spirit that unites our community.

Athletics are woven into everyday life at Taft. Most students play on a team at some point in their Taft careers, and most will attend a sporting event to cheer on their friends and their school. Athletes can compete in most sports at the Thirds, JV, or Varsity level. Some compete for fun and camaraderie, while others are elite athletes preparing for competitive careers in some of the nation’s top college-level programs. As one of the most successful athletic programs in New England, our coaches encourage fair play, respect for opponents, a love of the game, competitive spirit, and team loyalty. Our students leave us with an understanding of hard work and good sportsmanship, a sense of responsibility to one’s team and teammates, the ability to set goals, and an overall commitment to healthy living through physical activity.

Living where we learn. Learning where we live.

We often say that learning—and living—takes place on every corner of our campus: in classrooms, on playing fields, while performing together or watching a performance on stage, during club meetings or activities, through conversations in dormitories at night, over lunch with friends or advisors, at sit-down dinner on Tuesday and Thursday nights with faculty members, through Morning Meeting talks. Every action and every interaction is an opportunity for learning—the more we engage, the more we expand our knowledge and deepen our understanding of the world around us. Our community is filled with opportunities to engage, to explore, to create, and to grow. Our students learn through academics, arts, activities, and athletics. They grow intellectually, spiritually, and morally. They select classes that support their interests, and those that take them into uncharted waters. They join teams and clubs, or create their own. They fill leadership positions in the community, and help shape our culture. Taft is a place to find yourself, and to be yourself. It is a place with room for every student from every walk of life to fit in, and for every student to stand out.

Taft is an intentionally diverse institution whose members work to acknowledge, respect, and empathize with people of all different identifiers, such as race, socioeconomic status, gender identity and expression, education, age, ability, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, language, nationality, and religion. We foster these habits and dispositions in accordance with Taft’s mission to educate the whole student, thus preparing individuals morally and pragmatically for global citizenship. As such, community members commit to participate in and support ongoing equity and inclusion programming through curricular and co-curricular offerings, professional development, residential life, and local and global partnerships. Moreover, members of the Taft community strive to understand and combat the symptoms and causes of systematic oppression — ranging from implicit biases to microaggressions to discriminatory policies, practices and traditions — that benefit privileged groups and disadvantage marginalized groups. While at Taft and beyond, community members commit to affirm and honor the lived experiences of others, to willingly challenge inherited beliefs and ideologies, and consequently learn, grow, and serve.

Explore everyday life at Taft here.