Hamden Hall Country Day School
Educating Students in PreSchool through Grade 12
Admissions

Why Hamden Hall

Explore Our Halls!

Welcome to Hamden Hall Country Day School and thank you for your interest in our PreSchool through Grade 12 community. We have been providing students with a wonderful educational experience since our opening days in 1912 as the nation's fourth country day school.

We are excited to showcase our beautiful campuses and help families discover the culture of possibilities that exist in our classrooms and learning spaces. It's time to learn more about what we call, The Hamden Hall Experience.
 

Upcoming Admissions Events

SUMMER
Private Tours
Weekdays
Flexible Times
SEP 25
Morning Tour
Thursday, September 25
@ 9am
OCT 16
Morning Tour
Thursday, Oct 16
@ 9am
 

Quick Facts

  • School Overview: A college preparatory private day school in Hamden, Conn., for PreSchool through Grade 12, enrolling more than 670 students from 50 communities and six foreign countries. Eighty percent of our faculty members hold advanced degrees, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 6:1 and an average class size of 12.
  • Academic Excellence: Students have access to more than 25 AP and post-AP courses. Historically, 15 percent of students are recognized in the National Merit Scholarship Program and over the past five years, more than 250 students earned recognition from the College Board for outstanding achievement on their AP exams.
  • College Preparation: Three-quarters of our graduates historically attend colleges ranked as "most competitive" or "highly competitive." Our College Counselors act as mentors and guides to ensure a meaningful college experience for every student. Click here to view our matriculation list.
  • Expansive Campus: Hamden Hall features three campuses where students have access to dedicated spaces for project-based learning inclusive of a science center, theater, art studios, technology centers, MakerSpace Design Lab, and a music suite. Our Skiff Street Athletic Complex complements our premier athletic program as it is home to a multi-sport artificial turf stadium, multiple fields, tennis courts, and a 65,000-square-foot athletic facility including a natatorium, basketball courts, elevated jogging track, fitness spaces, locker rooms, and study center.   
  • Signature Programs: Unique programming includes Global Online Academy, Early Childhood Program, Mystic Seaport Partnership, Science, Innovation & Design Program, Princeton Peer Leadership Program, MakerSpace Design Lab, and Theatre Program.
  • Special Programs and Resources: Our After School Academy featuring Extended Day, Extended Courses, and Extended Activities during the before- and after-school hours and non-school days is available for all daycare needs of students in PreSchool through Grade 8. Hamden Hall also offers an eight week comprehensive summer camp and sports program.
Rigorous academics underscore all we do as we challenge and support our students to excel in the classroom.
Our small classes, student-teacher relationships, and welcoming community ensure that student voices are heard and well-supported.
Our college counseling process guides students to prestigious colleges, empowering them to succeed as compassionate global citizens.
Students thrive with opportunities in leadership roles, community service, diverse club offerings, and competitive extra-curricular teams across our three divisions.
Our vibrant visual and performing arts program nurtures creativity as guided by dedicated faculty in a supportive community.
Our athletics program builds character, teamwork, and excellence with many graduates competing in collegiate sports.

  • Meet Bethel Desta 2027

     
    Hamden, CT

    Activities:     Performing Arts/Theater, Black Student Union, Green and White, Lower School Mentors, Co-ed Varsity Swim and Dive Team, and Girls' Varsity Girls Lacrosse

    Advice to New Students:
    Don't be scared to try new things and ask questions. Clubs are also a great way to make friends and meet new people. 

    Why Hamden Hall:
    Hamden Hall has allowed me to explore my interests and pursue my passions, and I'm able to develop connections with teachers who can help me achieve my goals and be successful in every aspect of campus life. 
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  • Meet Evelyn Liu 2026

     
    Woodbridge, CT

    Activities:     Choir, Performing Arts/Theater, FACES Magazine, Red Cross Club, and AAPI Club 

    Advice to New Students:
    Get involved with as many things as you can! You never know what might click until you try it. 

    Why Hamden Hall:
    The community is very welcoming and accommodating to everyone's needs. As a new student transferring relatively late in high school, I was able to form relationships with many people just as easily as a younger student would. 
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  • Meet Liam Earle 2026

     
    Guilford, CT

    Activities:     Green and White, SWARM, and Boys' Varsity Golf

    Advice to New Students:
    Go to extra help and take every opportunity you are given to meet with teachers 

    Favorite Part of Hamden Hall:
    I love the sense of community on campus It is the perfect size and all students get their academic needs fulfilled because of the low student to teacher ratio. 
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  • Meet Melanie Carling 2025

     
    Wallingford, CT

    Activities:     Student Government, Green and White, Lower School Mentor, Girls' Varsity Softball

    Advice to New Students:
    Get yourself involved in the community. There are many opportunities to meet new students and be sure to engage yourself. Playing on a sports team and joining clubs are also a great way to meet friends. 

    Favorite Part of Hamden Hall:
    My favorite thing about Hamden Hall is the community. Everyone is nice around campus. Your teachers strive for the best in their students and will help you in any way you may need. 
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  • Meet Sanjiv Persaud 2025

     
    Hamden, CT

    Activities:     Student Body President, Performing Arts/Theater and Peer Leadership

    Advice to New Students:
    Try not to fall behind, go to extra help and stay caught up on your work 

    Favorite Part of Hamden Hall:
    I really like the community and the availability of all the teachers to help with work. You can just approach them and talk to them about anything. There is always someone here to help you. 
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  • Meet Addie Letizia 2025

     
    Guilford, CT

    Activities:     Performing Arts, Green and White, Student Council, and Girls' JV Basketball

    Advice to New Students:
    Get involved and try new things, it is a great way to make new friends and participate in the things that interest you.

    Favorite Part of Hamden Hall:
    My favorite thing is the sense of community. Everyone looks out for each other and helps one another. Also, the small school size allows Hamden Hall to act as a second family for most students.
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  • Meet Chase Benivegna 2025

     
    East Haven, CT

    Activities:     Peer Leadership, SWARM, and President of Italian Culture Club

    Advice to New Students:
    Get involved in clubs and sports because it is a great way to make new relationships. Being involved in a variety of clubs and leadership opportunities has helped me grow as an individual.

    Favorite Part of Hamden Hall:
    The community here is unlike any other and the connections you make with your peers are real. All the teachers and students are so welcoming and encouraging.
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  • Meet Cristiano Fernandes 2025

     
    Oxford, CT

    Activities: Green and White, Boys' Varsity Soccer, and JV Basketball

    Advice to New Students:
    Get involved in club or sports. It’s a good way to meet people and find a friend. Every new student is looking for a friend so don’t be afraid talk to one.

    Why Hamden Hall:
    Everyone is so welcoming and the teachers want you to succeed. Student-faculty respect goes both ways, which allows for a better environment not only in the classroom but in the school as a whole.
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  • Meet Frank Winters 2025

     
    East Haven, CT

    Activities:     Green and White, Black Student Union, and Boys' Varsity Soccer

    Advice to New Students:
    Make the most of your time here. Be sure to participate in the clubs, activities, and sports you are interested in.

    Why Hamden Hall:
    Hamden Hall not only prepares you for higher levels of education, but offers support in all areas. I’ve taken much time with my advisor and prepared myself taking the right courses and extracurricular activities. 
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  • Meet Raquel Figueroa-Crespo 2026

      
    New Haven, CT

    Activities:     Student Government, Hispanic Student Union, Thespians Society, Book Club

    Advice to New Students:
    Don't be afraid to ask for help. It's a small school so everyone is looking forward to meeting you and would be happy to offer support and answer any questions that you may have.

    Why Hamden Hall: 
    The support I have received at Hamden Hall has been unmatched. I am so grateful to have teachers and faculty members that genuinely care about the students both in and outside the classroom. 
    Read More

  • Meet Zamara Mitchell 2025


    Wallingford, CT

    Activities:     Yearbook, Black Student Union, and Girls' Varsity Volleyball

    Advice to New Students:
    Join clubs that interest you and get involved in other activities around campus to meet new people. There are so many opportunities to get involved.

    Favorite Part of Hamden Hall:
    Everyone wants the best for everyone else. All the students support each other, and all of the teachers do their part to ensure every student has the opportunities they need to be the best they can be.
    Read More

Meet Our Families

  • Ms. Jan Possidente-Russo P 2022, PP 2016

    “Agreeing to send my son Richard to Hamden Hall was a decision I made without hesitation. Even knowing as a single parent the cost and time involvement was not going to be easy after having sent his older brother.  In the 10 consecutive years my boys have attended Hamden Hall, I have witnessed the quality of education and the dedication of the staff to be second to none."
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  • Ms. Janis Festini Hayes P 2022, 2024

    "I decided long ago that my focus had to be my children’s education in an environment where they can grow and become leaders of their own destiny.  Hamden Hall has been exactly that, the small classes, the diversity, and the many sports make Hamden Hall a community not just a school.  The student section of the bleachers at any of the games is attended by students, parents...
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  • The Aversa Family: Monica 2002, John 1987, David 1991, Josh 2025, Siena 2022, and Kristen 1990.

    The Aversa Family

    Strong family values, a belief that education is the key to success, and a desire to continue learning are the foundation of the Aversa Family. Woven into the tapestry of the Hamden Hall pines is the combination of over 40 years’ worth of education and a family legacy that continues to live on through the next generation.
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  • The Afolalu Family: Bayo, Abi, Timi and Tami.

    The Afolalu Family

    From the location of the campus to the inviting classrooms and nurturing environment, Dr. Abi Afolalu was hooked on her first visit to Hamden Hall.
    Abi and her husband, Dr. Bayo Afolalu, who reside in Orange, immediately enrolled their oldest child, Timi, Class of 2021, into the PreKindergarten class after that visit...
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  • The Vingiano Family

    Hamden Hall loves its traditions. We’ve been cultivating some of them, such as the Valentine’s Bake Sale, since 1942!
    A more recent tradition that has taken hold in our Lower School was established by the Vingiano family nearly a decade ago. The Rose Ceremony was a way to thank then-kindergartner Ava Vingiano’s teachers for the “wonderful job they do,” according to mom Laurie Vingiano.
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  • The Letizia Family

    With education a “top priority” in the Letizia family, John and Laurie Ann opted for the Hamden Hall Experience for all three of their children.
    Laurie Ann first served as a room parent for her oldest, John Carlo, Class of 2019, as she did for each child thereafter. She also joined the Parents’ Association and has served on a variety of committees...
    Read More

  • The Weiss Family

    Like many of our families, Pnina and Alan Weiss first learned about Hamden Hall through friends whose children had attended the school. Checking it out for themselves, the Weisses soon discovered the many benefits inherent in a Hamden Hall education.
    Read More
  • The Sapiente children: Ashley, Spencer and Joseph 2013.

    The Sapiente Family

    From their first jaunt onto campus nearly a decade ago, Joe and Kathy Sapiente experienced a palpable connection with the Hamden Hall school community and its members.
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  • The Kramer Family

    The Kramer family of Milford has been associated with the Hamden Hall community for more than a decade when the first of the family’s three children enrolled in the Middle School.
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  • Mr. and Mrs. Louis J. Criscuolo III P 2022, 2024

    "The power of education and the development of critical thinking is at the core of what Hamden Hall Country Day School has to offer.  Both of our sons, Louis ’22 and Nicholas ’24, have been well-prepared for every stage of their educational development under the pines.  Hamden Hall’s rigorous curriculum and exceptional teachers offered our sons both the challenge and the support they needed to grow. "
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  • Dr. and Mrs. Gaurav Kapur P 2022, PP 2019

    “Investing in our children’s education has always been a top priority for our family. With that being said, Hamden Hall was one of the best decisions we have made. It was an easy one too—we saw the growth in our daughter, Riya, from the minute she stepped foot on campus till the day she walked the stage at her 2019 graduation. We wanted the same environment for our son and decided to enroll him as well! 
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  • Mr. Mitch Brown & Dr. Yanhua Xie P 2022

    "Kate's Hamden Hall journey started when she entered Kindergarten at age 4, and she has enjoyed every day since. Immersed in Hamden Hall's interknit community, Kate was able to forge close relationships with her teachers (she still visits her Lower School teachers every week) and bloom into a kind, intelligent, and strong young lady."
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  • The Johns Family

    "Many times we have told our children and others, one of the only things that you can attain in life that will never be taken from you is your education. We feel strongly that the best use of our time, effort and finances is to get the best education possible for our children. Hamden Hall proved to be the best place for both of them to achieve that goal. Not only is the education excellent, the nurturing environment is more than we had anticipated."
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  • The Shiller Family

    "We chose Hamden Hall for our two sons’ high school education because we valued the school’s respect for each child’s individual learning style as well as the small teacher-student ratio. As a psychologist, I liked the fact that Hamden Hall offered challenge without creating a pressure-cooker environment.
    Read More
  • Chris Kuselias 1980

    Alumnus and Parent Chris Kuselias 1980

    "Hamden Hall has a long-standing, impressive academic record and with the opening of the Beckerman Athletic Center, a world-class athletic facility. While important, our family feels it is the culture of community that truly distinguishes the school. Every day when we drop our kids off, there is a warm, comfortable feeling that they will be nurtured, empowered, and cared for...that is priceless." - Chris Kuselias 1980
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  • Parent Joe Tessitore

    John and his wife, Rebecca, are the parents of John 2018 and Nicolina 2021.

    "The parental axiom my wife and I often quote is, 'Children will live up to your expectations for them.' At Hamden Hall, we found like-minded parents and teachers. We also found children who do live up to those expectations.
    Read More

Alumni Happenings

More About Hamden Hall

Outstanding Achievement:  2024 AP Scholars
Hamden Hall is proud to announce that more than 60 students
in our junior and senior classes (and three sophomores!)
who took AP exams in 2023 were recognized as either an
AP Scholar, AP Scholar with Honors, or AP Scholar with Distinction. Over the past four years, nearly 300 students have earned recognition from the College Board for outstanding achievement on their AP exams. Each fall, the AP program “recognizes high school students who have demonstrated outstanding college-level achievement through their performance on multiple AP exams.” 
1108 Whitney Avenue
Hamden, Connecticut 06517
Phone: 203-752-2600
Fax: 203-752-2651
admissions@hamdenhall.org
Hamden Hall Country Day School, located less than two miles from Yale University, is one of the best private schools in Connecticut to enroll elementary, middle, and high school students. Our nurturing and inclusive community provides a dynamic learning environment that promotes academic excellence by understanding each child and fostering their individual growth.