Hartford Magnet Middle School
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Public education
State schools, also known in the United States and Canada as public schools,In much of the Commonwealth, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, the terms 'public education', 'public school' and 'independent school' are used for private schools, that is, schools...
Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy (HMTCA)(Formerly Hartford Magnet Middle School) is a magnet school
Magnet school
In education in the United States, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. "Magnet" refers to how the schools draw students from across the normal boundaries defined by authorities as school zones that feed into certain schools.There are magnet schools at the...
in Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
which recently was named a Blue Ribbon School and operates as part of the Hartford Public Schools
Hartford Public Schools
Hartford Public Schools is the school district of Hartford, Connecticut.-Schools:* Arts & Sciences High School * Bulkeley High School* Culinary Arts Academy...
. Starting July 1, 2011 Hartford Magnet Middle School was renamed Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy and will add a high school grade each year until the school includes grades 6-12. The school will operate in partnership with Trinity College
Trinity College (Connecticut)
Trinity College is a private, liberal arts college in Hartford, Connecticut. Founded in 1823, it is the second-oldest college in the state of Connecticut after Yale University. The college enrolls 2,300 students and has been coeducational since 1969. Trinity offers 38 majors and 26 minors, and has...
.
Awards and recognition
During the 2006-07 school year, Hartford Magnet Middle School was recognized with the Blue Ribbon SchoolBlue Ribbon Schools Program
The Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States government program created in 1981 to honor schools which have achieved high levels of performance or significant improvements with emphasis on schools serving disadvantaged students. The program centers around a self-assessment conducted by the...
Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
, the highest award an American school can receive. "The Blue Ribbon award is given only to schools that reach the top 10 percent of their state's testing scores over several years or show significant gains in student achievement. In 2011, Hartford Magnet Middle School was recognized as a "Magnet School of Excellence" by Magnet Schools of America and was the recipient of the Dr. Ronald P. Simpson Award recognizing the top magnet school in the country.
Administration
HMTCA's administration consists of the Principal, who manages school-wide decisions and how severe disciplinary actions are handled. The Vice and Assistant Principals are in charge of managing day-to-day operations within the school and punishing students who break the HMTCA Code of Conduct. They also manage the clusters they are in charge of. The current Principal is Sally A. Biggs and the Assistant Principals are Mrs. Gwynn Adams and Mr. Sheldon Neil.Flex Days
In addition to the vastly advanced daily curriculum, there are special days where students are able to pursue additional interests in the form of Flex classes. These Flex Classes are employed to exert a greater feeling of academic enrichment in the form of these general enrichment classes. These such classes take place on days that are a bit shorter than others and are aptly named half-days. On half days these various activities occur and cover a range of topics that include: Magic: the Gathering, RTS game playing, Movie Critique, Fantasy Football,Sports Camp,and a plethora of others that are always justly entertaining for all of the students that participate in them.The Marching Phoenix
HMTCA is known for its award winning marching band, the Hartford Magnet Middle School Marching Phoenix. The Marching Phoenix and Wings of Gold have performed at the Hartford Civic CenterHartford Civic Center
The XL Center, formerly known as the Hartford Civic Center, is a multi-purpose arena and convention center located in downtown Hartford, Connecticut, USA. It is owned by the City of Hartford and operated by Anschutz Entertainment Group under contract with the Connecticut Development Authority...
, the Oxon Hill Invitational Band Competition in Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, the Special Olympics
Special Olympics
Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 3.1 million athletes in 175 countries....
, the St. Patricks Day Parade in Philadelphia and Hartford, Music in the Parks in Williamsburg, VA and in the Memorial Day Parade in Hartford. In 2007 - 2009, they won first place in the Philadelphia Saint Patrick's Day Parade. In 2011, the Marching Phoenix and Wings of Gold performed in seven parades including the Connecticut Gubernatorial Inauguration Parade and the UConn 2011 Championship Parade. The band is under the direction of Mrs. Kelly Pike(Band Director), Mr. Tom Franklin (Assistant Band Director), and Ms. Autumn Baltimore (Wings of Gold).