Ethel Walker School
Mid-Year Student Information
Welcome to Walker's!
Mid-Year Student Information
Welcome to Walker’s! Here you will find information, forms, and documents to help you prepare for January 2024. Please feel free to reach out to the Office of Admission if you have any questions. We are here to guide you through this transition to Walker’s!
items For completion
*Asterisk indicates required. Please submit no later than December 20, 2023.
| Group | Form or Document |
| All New Students | Upload ID Photo* |
| All New Students | Math and World Languages Placement Test* |
| All New Students | Mid-Year Co-Curricular Registration* |
| All New Parents/Guardians | Magnus Health Forms* |
| New Parents/Guardians of Students Without U.S. Health Insurance | Supplemental Health Insurance |
| All New Parents/Guardians | Student Activities Waiver* |
| New Boarding Parents/Guardians | Boarding Student Local Guardian Designation Form* |
| New Boarding Parents/Guardians | Upper School and Middle School Boarder Permissions Form* |
| New Boarding Students | New Student Roommate Questionnaire* |
items For Review
| Group | Document or Webpage |
| All New Families | 2023-2024 Academic Calendar Also found on our Important Dates webpage |
| All New Families | The Walker Book |
Dress Code
Walker’s dress code has evolved over many decades to represent the styles of the times, while maintaining school traditions. A defined dress code allows us to guide girls to make clothing choices while ensuring their confidence and creating an environment that looks professional and is conducive to learning.
Technology Requirements and Systems
All students at The Ethel Walker School are required to have a device for their academic work. As an Apple school, we strongly recommend Apple laptops (MacBooks) for their versatility and functionality. Families are responsible for purchasing the student’s device, and students are expected to bring their device, fully charged, and in good repair, to school each day.
Acceptable laptops include: an Apple laptop (MacBook) with either of the latest operating systems (OS X 10.14 or newer). You may compare new Mac models here: http://www.apple.com/mac/compare/
With the School’s use of such academic resources as Google Apps for Education, Apple iBooks and Amazon Kindle ebooks, digital notetaking and annotation apps, presentation and multimedia editing software, and our online student information and learning management systems, students with a MacBook will be poised to take full advantage of these tools for learning.
The student’s mobile device will put her in control of her learning and allow for seamless inquiry, collaboration, presentation, and reflection in the classroom. Her device will enable access to the wealth of digital educational resources and, with the help of her teachers and peers, empower her to strengthen her literacies, global perspective, creativity, and abilities to think critically and communicate effectively.
In addition to supporting students’ use of their mobile devices, the School remains committed to maintaining its computer labs on campus to ensure every student will have access to the processing power, cloud connections, and larger screens of desktop computers as needed.
FAQs
Can I bring a device other than a Macbook laptop (e.g. PC, Chromebook)?
As an Apple school, we rely on very specific ecosystems of applications and technologies that are not available in other platforms. If you have any questions or if you already own another device, please contact Director of Technology Mark Fuller at mfuller@ethelwalker.org or +1-860-408-4230 if there is another device you prefer to use.
What is AppleCare+?
AppleCare+ is an extension of the coverage that comes with the device. In addition to extending the normal warranty from 1 to 2 years, it also adds coverage for accidental or physical damage. The cost to repair an iPad is often more than half the cost of a new device. With AppleCare+ the deductible for repair is significantly less.
Here to Help
Mark Fuller
Director of Technology
After graduating from the University of Rhode Island, Mark has worked as a teacher, network administrator, and director of technology. Mark also spent two years teaching adults technical skills ranging from Word and Excel to web development and programming. He has worked with special needs children in first and second grade, taught sixth, seventh and eighth grade digital literacy, and taught video editing to high school students.
Boarding Student Packing List
what to bring
- Twin XL size bed sheets
- Pillow and pillowcases
- Mattress pad/cover
- Blankets/comforter
- Bath towels
- Shower caddy
- Toiletries
- Hangers
- Desk lamp
- Alarm clock
- Fan
- Laundry bag/basket and laundry cleaning supplies
- Flashlight and batteries
- Locking suitcase/chest/box to store valuables
- Personal items, decorations (curtains, area rugs)
- Plate/bowl/mug and spoon/fork
- Digital personal thermometer, if possible
Included in each dorm room
- Bed
- Dresser
- Desk
- Chair
- Closet space
Not Allowed in dorm rooms
- Refrigerators
- Note: If your student has a medical need for a mini fridge in their room, please submit this form, along with a letter from your child’s doctor, detailing the reason for the need.
- Cooking equipment and appliances such as toasters, popcorn makers, rice cookers, electric tea pots, hot pots, microwaves, etc.
- Glass mercury thermometers
- Heaters, electric holiday string lights, halogen lamps, candles, etc.
- LED strip lights with adhesive
- Tacks, nails, or adhesives OTHER THAN Command Strips or blue painter’s tape
Walker's Words
Abra’s
Our dining hall where all meals are served. Some special events are held here as well.
Area Drive
A weekend activity that provides transportation to local shopping centers, restaurants, and movie theaters.
Beaver Brook
“BB” for short, Beaver Brook is the main building on campus and houses most academic classes.
Big Ferg
This is the main theatre on campus. Musicals, plays, concerts, and dance performances take place here.
Blackbaud
A website that all students, faculty, and parents use that provides important information such as classes, assignments, and useful links.
Capabilities Approach Program
The way we talk about how each girl can reach her full potential, all she can be and do, when cultural, economic, and gender barriers and mindsets are removed.
Chapel
Our Chapel is non-denominational and is where the entire school gathers for Morning Meeting, Wednesday assemblies, and other special events.
Cluett
A dorm that houses 11th and 12th graders, as well as some 10th graders.
Cluett Pit
Located in the Cluett Dorm, it is a place to hang out and relax.
Diddle’s
The school store where you can buy snacks, clothes, and school supplies.
Dogswood Day
Dogswood Day is a culmination of a year of Suns and Dials activity. The Head of School announces Dogswood Day the evening before; students are given the day off from classes and participate in competitive games, ending with the Suns and Dials tug of war.
D.O.S.
This stands for “Dean of Students.”
Ferg
Short for Ferguson Theatre, this is the main theatre on campus. The winter play, guest speakers, and some classes use this space.
Little Ferg
This is our smaller theatre on campus. Guest speakers and some classes use this space.
Morning Meeting
Morning Meeting typically takes places on Monday and Friday mornings. It is a time for all members of the community to share announcements. We sit by advisor group.
Mountain Day
Each fall, the Head of School surprises students with the announcement that Mountain Day will occur the following day. Students and faculty climb a challenging trail up Talcott Mountain to the top for a view that stretches hundreds of miles.
New Dorm
The newest dorm on campus that houses Middle School boarders and 10th graders. Some special events are held here as well.
Orah
Our boarding school management system that tracks students’ sign-in/outs, manages leave and attendances, and more. The system provides instant access to student locations.
Smith
A dorm that houses graders.
Soc
Pronounced “soh-sh” and short for “social center,” it is an area in the Centennial Center to hang out with friends and have fun.
Suns and Dials
These are our spirit groups. There are small contests throughout the year, ending with the biggest competition, Dogswood Day.
Toasters
Small buses that transport students to sports games, weekend activities, and area drive.
Ms. Vis and Mr. Vis
The nicknames used for our Head of School, Dr. Meera Viswanathan and her husband, Dr. Eric Widmer. Read more about Ms. Vis here.
Here To Help
Brett Benzio
Director of Athletics and Associate Manager of Equestrian Operations
Brett Benzio hails from sunny South Florida where she was a multi-sport athlete in high school. In her four years at Jensen Beach High School, Brett was a state champion in basketball and volleyball – winning the State Tournament MVP in volleyball and Player of the Year in both basketball and volleyball as a senior. JBHS inducted Brett into their hall of fame in 2013. Brett chose to pursue basketball in college and was a four-year starter at Tulane University. During her time in New Orleans, Brett solidified her impact on the program in the record books and most impressively as the second woman in school history to score at least 1,000 points and pull down at least 1,000 rebounds. After completing her collegiate career, Brett continued playing professionally for MB Slovenka in the Czech Republic and DJK Brose in Germany.
As an athletic professional, Brett has both collegiate and prep school experience. As the director of operations for the Harvard women’s basketball team, Brett was instrumental in managing the program’s travel, events, and day-to-day operations. Brett gained more collegiate experience as an assistant coach for the women’s basketball program at the University of Vermont, where she was the compliance liaison, marketing director, and academic advisor for athletes in the program. With a combined seven years of experience at the New Hampton School and Lawrence Academy, Brett has had the opportunity to familiarize herself with operations within NEPSAC.
Brett holds a BS degree from Tulane University in Management and a MBA from Lynn University in Athletic Administration and Media & Marketing Management.
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Paul D. Breault
Controller
Paul joined Walker’s in November 2022 as the School’s Controller. Previously, he served as the Director of Finance and Operations at The Greenwood School (Putney, VT) and the Chief Financial Officer at The Academy at Charlemont (Charlemont, MA). He holds an M.B.A. from Bay Path University and a B.S. in Business Management from Westfield State University.
Isabel Ceballos P'29
Head of the Middle School, Interim Dean of Faculty
Isabel Ceballos was born in Medellin, Colombia, and raised in Connecticut. She earned her B.A. and M.A. in Modern Languages with a concentration in Spanish Language, Literature & Culture from Central Connecticut State University. She is currently working on her Ed.D. in Leadership and Learning in Organizations from Peabody College Vanderbilt University. Isabel Ceballos has been a member of Walker’s Language Department since 2013, and is the founding executive director of Horizons at The Ethel Walker School, the first all-girls Horizons program in the country.
Named one of Hartford Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2016, and a recipient of The Thelma Ellis Dickerson Community Bridge Builder Award, Isabel is an active member in the community. She serves on the Board of The Aurora Women & Girls Foundation, and is a member of the United Way Community Engagement Committee.
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Elisa Del Valle
Assistant Head for Student Life, Director of Social Justice and Inclusion
Elisa Del Valle is a transformational educator and deep believer of young people. She was raised in East New York, Brooklyn and molded by resilient ancestors: strong women who, despite hardship, yielded joy, and her own children who remind her each day that she is here to be taught by them. It is from these wisdom guides that she has learned the most about unconditional love and the power of sisterhood.
Elisa’s relationship to justice work is an embodied practice rooted in her own liberation and the liberation of others. She defines her work not by what she is against, but by what she is for and the world she wants to be part of. She moves in the world as a complex human with the understanding that she became this way because she was simultaneously harmed and loved by family and strangers alike. She models vulnerability, radical love, transparency, curiosity, and accountability for the young people she works with. They are her greatest motivator for this work and they are who keep her spirit light.
At Walker’s Elisa serves as the Assistant Head for Student Life and Director of Social Justice and Inclusion. Prior to her arrival at Walker’s in 2016, she spent 12 years working in higher education in residential life, student activities, leadership development, and new student orientation at Mount Holyoke College and Wesleyan University. While at Mount Holyoke, Elisa utilized her passion and graduate degree in Social Justice Education to design a more inclusive curriculum for the residential student experience. At Wesleyan, she pursued her passion for justice work on the Presidential Task Force for Equity and Inclusion and was an active voice on issues of Equity and Inclusion amongst her student affairs professionals.
Elisa attended an all-girls high school in New York City before attending Smith College in Northampton, MA. As a first-generation college student, she majored in Government and minored in Spanish. While working full-time at Mount Holyoke College, Elisa also attended graduate school full-time at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst where she graduated with a Master’s in Social Justice Education.
Elisa is currently the Chair of the Commission on Diversity in Independent Schools (CODIS) through Connecticut’s Association of Independent Schools (CAIS).
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Sarah Edwards
Financial Aid Specialist
Sarah Edwards joined Walker’s in the fall of 2022 in the role of Financial Aid Specialist. Sarah has held leadership roles in secondary school admission and financial aid for the past 23 years. In 2009, Sarah founded a consulting firm to support independent schools implement mission-aligned financial aid policies. She served as Director of Admission and Financial Aid at The Derryfield School in Manchester, New Hampshire and previously led the Admission and Financial Aid Department for Boston University Academy in Boston, Massachusetts. After graduating from Phillips Exeter Academy, Sarah earned a B.A. from Syracuse University, magna cum laude. She has taught English in Fukuyama, Japan before beginning her career in independent schools. Sarah just completed her term on the SAU 16 public school board in Exeter, New Hampshire. Sarah lives with her husband, Adam, and two teenage sons in Exeter, New Hampshire, where she enjoys mountain biking and other outdoor adventures.
Nishette Isaac
Dean of Students, Dean of Middle School Digital Library Services
Nishette joined Walker’s in 2016 from the Collegiate School in New York where she served as the school’s librarian for three years. She earned her B.A. in anthropology from Hofstra University, her M.S. in teaching from Fordham University, and her M.L.S. from Pratt Institute. Nishette began her career as a librarian for the New York City Department of Education where she served for four years at PS 305 and PS 256. There, she ran the library while being frequently called upon to perform classroom teaching duties. In 2011, she joined Dalton School as a volunteer librarian and spent the 2012-2013 year as a maternity leave replacement librarian at both Chapin School and Brearley School. Nishette was born in Saint Lucia and moved to the United States when she was 10. She is an active member of the Shelflives Book Club and has served as vice president of the Hudson Valley Librarian Association for the past three years.
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Mallory Pasquariello
Director of Residential Life and Student Activities
Mallory is a graduate of Roger Williams University with a bachelor’s degree in art history and a triple minor in architecture, business management and English literature. She also has an M.A. in Museum Studies through the distance learning program at the University of Leicester. Previously, Mallory served as teller supervisor and customer service representative for Northwest Community Bank in New Hartford where she has gained a wealth of experience in customer service and organization. Here at Walker’s, Mallory serves as the Director of Residential Life and Student Activities. She is also a housefaculty member in New Dorm.
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Hannah Reid
Registrar
Hannah joined the Walker’s community in 2023 as the school registrar. She is familiar with the boarding school world, having worked at both Northfield Mount Hermon and the Fay School, and also as a graduate of nearby Suffield Academy. Hannah began her career working in the admissions office at NMH before returning to school at Harvard where she earned an Ed.M in Mind, Brain, and Education. After graduate school, Hannah worked as a learning specialist at Fay and returned to NMH several years later as an academic coach. Since relocating back to Connecticut in 2019, Hannah has tutored students at Westminster in addition to teaching a group of remote 5th graders at Renbrook during the pandemic. Hannah lives in Simsbury with her husband, three sons, and a plethora of pets.
Pamela Safford '81
Assistant Head for Admission and Enrollment
Pamela holds a B.A. in Sociology and Anthropology from Carleton College and an M.S. from the University of Pennsylvania. Previously, she was the Director of Enrollment Management and Financial Aid at The Country School in New Canaan. Pamela has also been employed as Dean of Admission and Financial Aid at Deerfield Academy; Associate Head for Communications, Enrollment and Planning at Concord Academy; and Director of Admission at Northfield Mount Hermon School. Pamela is a founding trustee and former chair of the board for the Association of Independent School Admission Professionals (AISAP) and she currently serves on the board of the Enrollment Management Association (EMA). Committed to supporting professional development among her peers, Pamela regularly presents at various national conferences including IECA, NAIS, SSATB, and TABS.