Williams.It’s a small school that has a

big impact on your life.

It’s a challenge to describe what Williams is like because there is no such thing as a typical school day.

Your schedule is filled with so many different activities and every day is different.

In the morning, you might be

investigating the makeup of mystery

solutions in chemistry and later,

during “the Double,” you’re

developing a roll of film in the

darkroom. After lunch you’re

practicing the “three Ps of puppetry”

in acting class or walking with your

Latin class to the nearby Lyman Allyn

Art Museum to view pottery in an

ancient art exhibit.

It’s never routine.

There are no typical students at Williams either.

You will undoubtedly meet

biology buffs, poets or future

mathematicians—just like you would

at any other outstanding college prep

school. But you’re also likely to bump

into a competitive jump roper or the

host of an internet radio show or a

teacher who has just returned from

a deep-sea research expedition in the

Caribbean aboard the exploration

vessel Nautilus.

What is typical of the Williams

experience is this: it has an

important, positive—sometimes even

life-changing—effect on the students

who come here. One of our middle

schoolers says it best: “It’s a small

school that has a big impact on your life.”

Let us introduce you to Williams. Flip through these pages to see what you might

find going on in our school on any given day.

7:45

Fifteen minutes before class starts, students are streaming into the building. Music plays

over the loudspeaker in the halls before school, courtesy

of Mr. Emanuel, music teacher. He chooses something

different every day, often with a sense of humor (he’s

been known to play “Help” by The Beatles during

assessment week). It’s nice to catch up with friends for a

few minutes each morning.

Good morning!

Everybody is so welcoming. When you walk through the halls, everyone knows who you are. SARAH, FRESHMAN

Period 18:00

8:10 U.S. History (Advanced)

History doesn’t have to be your favorite subject in order to love this

class. One moment, Mr. Knudsen may be lecturing about Andrew

Jackson, and then before you know it, he has segued into a song and

dance routine about the rise of the common man. These are history

lessons you will never forget.

If you don’t take a Mr. Knudsen class, you haven’t experienced Williams! CARLY, SENIOR

8:25 On the stairs to nowhere

One of the senior privileges that students look forward to is being

allowed to hang out with friends and talk during study hall. There

are lots of comfortable spots to settle in for a conversation about

the upcoming drama performance or the status of your college

applications. These students are chatting in the hall on the stairs to

nowhere and others are relaxing in the senior lounge, on a cozy window

seat or in a favorite teacher’s classroom.

8:33 Up on the ceiling

A few steps down the hall, Mr. Bowerman and his Art I students are

installing a giant mobile made of oversized origami cranes that they

created in the studio. Learning about the craft of origami is a great way

to transition from practicing two-dimensional to three-dimensional art.

Period 28:52

9:25 Differential calculus

Most students would agree that calculus is a tough subject to

tackle. But at Williams, calculus doesn’t carry the usual fear factor.

The average class has only 13 students, giving faculty the time and

flexibility to get to know how each student learns best, and vary the

teaching approach accordingly. You’ll often see teachers walking

around the room and working individually with each student.

I couldn’t see myself learning anything in a class with 40 kids. I came to Williams for the smaller class sizes and the attention that you get with that. JACK, SOPHOMORE

9:25 Jazz Band

The jazz band breaks into

sections to rehearse the finer

points of a jazz rendition of

“God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”

for the Winterfest holiday

performance. Students of all

grades can join the band—it’s

one of the many Williams

activities that give upper

schoolers a chance to mentor

the younger kids.

The holiday season starts at Winterfest

with performances by the jazz band

and band, the Candle Dancers, actors

and soloists.

9:48 Assembly, Meetings and Clubs

After second period, there is a break in the schedule for assemblies

or advisor meetings. Twice a week there are school-wide assemblies.

These are great opportunities for students to showcase their talent, for

classes to demonstrate a new project, for an outside speaker to do a

presentation—or just to get together as a school community and share

thoughts and conversation.

On Tuesdays, we meet with our advisory group. These groups

are small—just eight to ten students—so that advisors can develop

close relationships with each one. The goal is to make sure that every

student feels that there is an adult who really knows her or him and is

always there to help with any question or problem.

Fridays are reserved for student government or special interest

club meetings—like the Service Committee or the literary magazine,

Bending Bridges.

10:00 Snack

Whatever day of the week it is, fifteen minutes

are always set aside for a delicious snack and

some relaxed conversation. Wait until you taste

the chocolate chip muffins!

Period 3/4 – Double period10:15

Mix it up, slow it down

“The Double” occurs every day after snack. This extended

period—a full 75 minutes—allows a class to explore a

topic in depth, engage in a hands-on practical lesson or

take a brief field trip out to the 200-acre Athletic Complex

to explore the flora and fauna.

10:20 Chemistry

Mrs. Thomas-Shapiro (a.k.a. Thom-Shap) believes that “real

science is not sitting in a vacuum writing down a whole bunch

of notes.” As often as she can, she designs her classes to be

experiential: open-ended problems that are solved in a lab

practical—the way it’s done in a professional research lab. This

class is learning about ionic bonding through experimenting

with a method called “continuous variation” that allows

students to determine the ratio of two ions in a compound.

Period 511:30

11:49 English II (or Chaucer: The 14th Century’s best known sitcom writer)

What does “The Miller’s Tale” from Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales have

in common with a TV comedy? A lot, it turns out: a beautiful young

woman of loose morals, a clueless husband, a crazy scheme and a

preposterous finale that makes fools of all the characters. Mr. Harris

and his tenth grade students decipher the Middle English dialect to

reveal the plot, and soon they are acting out the roles with gestures and

funny voices. Hilarity all around.

Williams students always end up somewhere where they’re really happy. The college counseling office does a great job of helping us figure out exactly where we want to go. And they’re always so available—you can make an appointment or just drop in whenever you want. SOTIRAQ, SENIOR

This senior dropped by the college counseling office for some last-minute

feedback on one of her essays for a college application. You might be

surprised to see her looking so happy and relaxed, but that’s because

she’s confident and well prepared. After nearly three years of group

seminars, advising meetings, dozens of information sessions offered on

the Williams campus by a variety of colleges, and individual guidance

on how to manage the process, she and her counselor have no doubt

that she’ll find her way to a college or university that fits her perfectly.

American University

Amherst College

Boston College

Boston University

Brown University

Bryant University

Bryn Mawr College

Champlain College

Colby College

Columbia College Chicago

Connecticut College

Elon University

Emory University

Fairfield University

Goucher College

Lafayette College

McGill University

Middlebury College

Mitchell College

Mount Holyoke College

Muhlenberg College

New York University

Northeastern University

Northwestern University

Pomona College

Pratt Institute

Providence College

Rhode Island School of Design

Saint Michael’s College

School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Skidmore College

St. Lawrence University

Stanford University

Trinity College

Tufts University

Tulane University

Union College

University of Connecticut

University of Michigan

University of Pennsylvania

University of Rhode Island

University of St Andrews, Scotland

University of Vermont

Vassar College

Vanderbilt University

Wesleyan University

Wheaton College

Yale University

COLLEGES ATTENDED BY RECENT WILLIAMS GRADS

12:10 College advising

Period 612:20

Decompress and refuel: Lunch

Lunchtime here isn’t just for

eating—although the food is so

good that some students say

lunch is one of their favorite

things about Williams. We

schedule a full 45-minute lunch

period to give kids a chance to

catch their breath and enjoy

their food. Spend the period

hanging out with your friends in

the Student Center, go outside

on a nice day or head to the

gym to burn off some energy.

Teachers are almost always

available for extra help during

lunch if you find yourself with

a question that just can’t wait.

Middle school students have

their lunch during fifth period.

12:52 Spanish I

Mr. Cohen’s Spanish I class covers some vocabulary essentials—words

for celebration, cake, candles, concert—that no one can do without!

Modern and classical languages

We believe that a foundation in Latin gives students an advantage

in speaking, reading and writing many modern languages—

including English—expanding vocabulary and providing a thorough

understanding of English grammar. That’s why we require all

students to take first-year Latin. Students may choose to continue

their study of classical languages with up to six years of Latin and

Greek language and culture study. Or focus instead on a modern

language. Whatever language you choose, the Williams curriculum

offers courses through advanced levels.

1:23 Beginning dance technique

Bo Parish, dance teacher and choreographer, likes her students to call her

Mz. Bo—that’s “Mz.” with a Z. She thinks the usual “Ms.” is too ordinary.

That should give you a good sense of what her class is like—always

fun, never dull. At the same time, Mz. Bo is known for setting extremely

high standards. Students in the beginning class work hard to learn basic

elements of modern dance, jazz and ballet. For serious dancers, there are

three more advanced courses in the dance curriculum.

Period 71:12

Comfortable— outside your comfort zone

Williams offers a broad array of scholarly, artistic, athletic,

leadership and civic opportunities for students to explore.

The reason that so many Williams students dive into untried

and unfamiliar activities is that their peers and teachers

are so accepting and encouraging of their endeavors and

passions. When you know that your friends and teachers

will cheer you on as you delve into new territory—singing a

folk song at Coffee House, going out for soccer for the first

time as a junior or trying your hand at movie-making—it’s so

much easier to take a risk that will help you learn about who

you are and what you love.

Or, as one teacher puts it: “The typical adolescent

environment crushes uniqueness and is all about conformity.

But at Williams, they have the freedom to pursue their own

interests, to be themselves, in a way that’s celebrated.”

1:35 Physical Science— via satellite from under the waves

Not your typical eighth grade science class! Ms. Barth is teaching from

the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Granada, about 1,750 nautical miles

away, where she is exploring and mapping submarine volcanoes. She

is aboard the exploration vessel Nautilus with a team of scientists

and educators led by world-famous oceanographer Dr. Robert Ballard

(probably best known for discovering the wreck of the Titanic). During

her two weeks at sea, Ms. Barth checks in regularly with her students via

satellite to report on her research and answer questions. Every year, one

of our faculty members has the opportunity to be an “Educator at Sea”

aboard the Nautilus.

Period 82:01

2:05 Middle School Enrichment

Our middle schoolers are eager to go beyond their academic pursuits

to discover a new passion or talent. That’s why we provide a broad

array of enrichment courses. Every sixth, seventh and eighth grader

rotates through a cycle of introductory arts and co-curricular offerings

each year including visual art, music, drama, dance, citizenship,

health and physical education and debate. It’s one of the ways we

ensure that our students grow, stretch and try new things. Once they

reach the upper school, they will be equipped to make informed

choices about electives, sports and extracurricular activities.

CITIZENSHIP

Mrs. Hannon wants her Citizenship class to

“quote bomb” the school. Each student must

find a quotation that is personally meaningful—

here they pore over books of quotations for an

idea—and then create a poster to illustrate it.

The serious part is thinking about what inspires

them and why. The fun part is fanning out all

over the school to hang the posters wherever

they choose.

Try not to become

a man of success,

but rather try to

become a man of

value.

- Albert Einstein

2:30 Time for college

It is amazing having the resources of a world-class college just a short

walk away. Williams is located on the Connecticut College campus,

and the college generously allows us to use many of its facilities,

including its pool, squash and tennis courts, library and arboretum.

But even more remarkable, as a Williams student you can seek

opportunities to take courses at the college. In recent years, students

have taken dance, multi-variable calculus, advanced Spanish,

advanced French and statistics at Connecticut College.

Here, two students leave eighth period 15 minutes early to head

up to their advanced dance class on the college campus.

It’s optional, but almost everyone takes advantage of it. You can choose

how you want to use it. It encourages you to be independent. It’s one of

the most loved and distinctive features of the Williams program.

Ninth period.Classes are over each day at the end of period 8, but there is still one

period left. Ninth period is built into the schedule so that you can catch

up, get ahead or just have some quiet time to get organized.

Teachers stay in their classrooms, so if you are having trouble

with a new Latin declension or structuring a term paper, you don’t

have to schedule a special appointment. If you know that your math

homework is going to be really tough, you can get a good start on it in

your teacher’s class during ninth period—and she’ll be there to help.

Ninth period gives you extra time to develop relationships with

teachers and to practice important skills you’ll need in college: self-

advocacy and seeking out faculty to ask for support.

Period 92:50

Ninth period is

fantastic. It’s time

to sit in the library

and do homework,

or go to your

teacher’s classroom

to talk or get extra

help. Or you can go

to the school store

to buy a snack or a

drink and just hang

with friends.

JUSTIN, SOPHOMORE

3:30 After school

The academic portion of the school day is now over! Time for

sports practice, a drama or choral rehearsal or a club meeting.

3:45 Rehearsing A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Every year, we stage at least two dramatic productions—a play in

the fall and a musical in the spring. Students of all ages are invited

to audition to act or join the pit band.

4:08 On the playing fields

Just a mile away from school, the Williams Blues have sports practice

for baseball, soccer, lacrosse and field hockey at our athletics complex,

which also features miles of wooded trails where our award-winning

cross-country athletes train. Every day after school, a bus takes our

athletes to the complex.

Back on campus, basketball players practice and compete in

one of our two gymnasiums. Squash, tennis and swimming events

take place at the facilities of Connecticut College, right up the hill

from school. And our sailing team practices at the Stonington Harbor

Yacht Club.

The advantages of Williams’ small size benefit athletes on the

playing fields just as much as students in the classroom. Coaches

dedicate the time and attention it takes to develop each athlete to

his or her full potential. With varsity, junior varsity and thirds teams,

there’s a place in every sport for anyone who wants to participate—

whether you’re a beginner or a talented competitor. And at Williams,

no one gets stuck on the bench—every athlete competes!

Come visit!

Come visit, chat with teachers and

students and see what a typical

day is like at Williams. We

guarantee it won’t be just like the

day we’ve described in these pages,

because every day here is different.

But we can assure you of this:

you’ll leave here feeling excited

about all the ways that Williams is

a small school that has a big

impact on your life.

Call or visit us online.for more information and to schedule

a visit and tour call:

860.443.5333

www.williamsschool.org

Beyond the everydayWhen you join the Williams community,

you’ll find that school life extends way

beyond the regular school day. Nights,

weekends and other “off hours” are often

filled with great activities too!

COFFEE HOUSE On three

Friday nights each year, the

student Service Committee

hosts a Coffee House to raise

funds for the cause of their

choice. Students of all ages

volunteer to perform—sing,

dance, comedy—anything

they’ve longed to do in front

of an enthusiastic audience

of classmates, faculty and

parents. Proceeds from recent

Coffee Houses have gone to

an effort to build the Ariang

School in South Sudan,

the Martin Luther King, Jr.

Scholarship Fund and victims

of Hurricane Katrina.

COMPCHOREA

This student-driven

performance is one of our

most beloved traditions. It’s

a combination of original

student choreography

and original student

compositions. Dancers and

musicians begin working on

their pieces in September

for the annual late-winter

concert. This is not kid

stuff—students take it very

seriously and the concert

never fails to showcase

an impressive level of

talent, hard work and

professionalism.

182 Mohegan AvenueNew London, CT 06320

860.443.5333www.williamsschool.org

The Williams School admits students of any

race, color, creed, handicap or national origin.