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Weston Connecticut
Where Country Charm Begins.
Situated in historic Fairfield County,
centrally located, Weston appeals to those who seek the ultimate
hometown. The town of Weston is comprised of 12,327 acres, with
a current population of approximately 10,037. Weston is
commuter-friendly, just 60 minutes away from New York City. On
the academic forefront, the Weston school system has proudly
attained National Awards for excellence. Weston has many
recreational clubs and activities, featuring the Aspetuck Valley
Country Club, the Weston Field Club, the Weston Gun Club, and
the Weston Racquet Club as well as several natural preserves
including Bisceglie/Scribner Park & Pond.
Forever Green. Weston is known for its
purchase of conservation restrictions. Almost one quarter of the
Town is permanently devoted to open space use. Whether the
northern Nature Conservancy Lucius Pond Ordway - Devil's Den
1765 acres or Katherine Ordway Preserve 60 acres on the east
side of Weston, or 645 acres of Aspetuck Land Trust all around
the Town, every neighborhood can claim some piece of
recreational land nearby as its own. Country Fairs are Weston,
too. Church fairs in Spring and Fall, and the Grange Fair at
harvest time are typical Weston events. On each Saturday morning
from April to October, the Weston Young Women's Club sponsors a
Farmer's Market. The Hurlbutt Elementary School PTO Memorial Day
Fair provides weekend fun and games, topped by the Weston
Volunteer Fire Department's incomparable Memorial Day Parade.
Everyone marches; more march than sit on the sidelines.
Weston's school system and facilities are
among the finest in the nation. Our Board of Education, school
administrations and staff have achieved a level of educational
excellence which is unparalleled. Our PTO's are very active and
involved with our schools and have a strong record of working
hard for educational funding.
Weston is fortunate to be a town in which
volunteerism is alive and well. Our citizens devote countless
hours to serving on town boards and commissions and in the
Volunteer Fire Department and EMS squad. The Kiwanis Club, the
Young Women's Club, the Weston Garden Club and the Saugatuck
Garden Club regularly dedicate themselves to improving or
beautifying the town. The Women's Club volunteers their help
with town wide mailings. The League of Women Voters is very
active offering public information meetings.
Schools
School Reports
HURLBUTT ELEMENTARY
WESTON INTERMEDIATE
WESTON MIDDLE SCHOOL
WESTON HIGH SCHOOL
The Weston public school system has
consistently been recognized as one of the finest in the nation.
All four schools are located on a single 120-acre campus. A new
3-4-5 school opened in the fall of 2005 to handle the
ever-growing student population which currently stands at 2,566
for grades K-12.
Gifted students are identified at the end of
second grade and offered enriched classes. Children with special
needs, including physical, emotional and learning disabilities
are provided for with an extensive special education program
that runs from preschool through high school.
Hurlbutt Elementary School currently
accommodates kindergarten through second grade, with the new
Weston Intermediate School having grades 3 – 5. School policy
keeps classes at approximately 20 students per teacher. A core
curriculum of reading, writing and mathematics is augmented by
“specials”, which include art, music, computer, health, and
physical education. Spanish is introduced in second grade.
Weston Middle School, handling grades 6-8,
offers an ambitious academic program that includes basic skills,
as well as the study of foreign languages, laboratory sciences,
technology, computers, art and music. Middle schoolers may also
study at the Norwalk Maritime Center.
Weston High School has been accorded Blue
Ribbon status, placing it at the top 1% of all high schools in
the country. In addition to the full range of academic courses,
Weston High offers extensive specialized programs allowing for
independent study. Students may also take college level courses
through the University of Connecticut Co-op Program. Over 75% of
students participate in the 25 varsity, 9 junior varsity and 4
freshman sports teams. Over 60% are involved in the performing
arts.
Recreation
With its thousands of acres of conservation
land, Weston has unparalleled opportunities for outdoor
enthusiasts. Residents can enjoy trout fishing, hiking,
horseback riding, mountain biking and cross-country skiing
within minutes of their homes. There are private clubs for golf,
swimming, skeet shooting and tennis.
Weston’s Department of Parks and Recreation
manages the 53-acre Bisceglie-Scribner Park with its outdoor
fitness trail, picnic facilities and outdoor spring-fed swimming
pond. They also sponsor an array of programs for the community.
These include learn-to-swim classes for toddlers, swimming
lessons and synchronized swimming for youths, tennis
instruction, soccer, football, basketball, wrestling,
gymnastics, Little League, ski trips for grades 4-8 and
horseback riding. They also administer several day camps for
children from age three through ten.
Additionally, Weston residents may purchase
parking stickers for Westport’s Compo Beach. Set on Long Island
Sound, Compo is a true family favorite. It offers calm waters,
an expansive playground, and picnic and barbeque facilities. Ice
skating and boating are available in Westport as well. The
Westport/Weston YMCA, located in downtown Westport, is also a
local favorite. It has two swimming pools, two gymnasiums, a
fitness center and the complete roster of health, sports and
exercise programs.
In keeping with its small town atmosphere,
Weston hosts numerous country fairs. There is a Grange fair at
harvest time, plus church fairs in Spring and Fall. The
Halloween ragamuffin parade, with its haunted house and cider
and donuts at the firehouse, is a perennial favorite. During the
warm weather, there is a Farmer’s Market. On the Fourth of July,
everyone heads to the middle school playing fields for an
evening of live music, barbequed food and dazzling fireworks.
But it’s our old-fashioned Memorial Day Fair
that draws the largest crowds. After a 5K race followed by a
parade, everyone convenes at the firehouse for hot dogs,
courtesy of Weston‘s volunteer fire department. Families then
head for the PTO-sponsored carnival, complete with rides and
games.
From the parades to the fairs, each of these
events enables people to meet and enjoy each other’s company. In
fact, it’s hard to go anywhere in Weston without bumping into
people you know.
Culture
Since the 1940s, celebrities such as Bette
Davis, Marilyn Monroe and Robert Redford have called Weston
home, as have renowned authors Erica Jong and John Hersey.
Nearby Westport offers a multitude of cultural opportunities,
including the Westport Playhouse, where famed local actors
regularly perform, the Weston Commission for the Arts plans
exciting monthly events. These include shows featuring the work
of prominent local artists, poetry readings, dance performances
and more.
The Weston Historical Society was founded in
1961 “to preserve the past for the benefit of the future”.
Housed in the restored 1841 Coley House furnished with period
pieces, it is set on 3.7 acres. There is a barn museum and smoke
house as well as carriage and livestock barns. In addition to
its educational programs, Coley House sponsors eagerly awaited
Easter Egg rolls and Halloween haunted houses. |