High School News
The Eastford Communicator is seeking news submissions from area high schools that Eastford students attend, such as honor rolls, upcoming events, and other newsworthy information. Please send all information to [email protected], and we will run everything as space allows.
Woodstock Academy
- Senior Event Dates — Below is the updated calendar of events for
seniors during the final few weeks of the school year. Please note that
Commencement has been moved to June 13. Below is a list of events
dedicated to the Class of 2026. Specific times and other important
details will be shared as we get closer to the events. If you have any
questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
- May 23: Senior Prom
- June 1: Senior Athletic Awards
- June 2: Pops Concert
- June 3: Senior Class Trip
- June 5: Last Day of Classes for Seniors
- June 8: Pink House, Spring Athletic Awards (Evening)
- June 9: Give Back Day
- June 10: Pink House Rain Date and Senior Activity TBD
- June 11: Commencement Rehearsal
- June 12: Commencement Rehearsal (Morning), Class Night (Evening)
- June 13: Commencement
- Counseling Letter for Juniors — College Planning Night (Date Change), Monday, March 2, 6:30 to 7:45 p.m., Bates Memorial Auditorium, North Campus. This is a great opportunity for students and families to find out about the college search and application process. All students and at least one parent/guardian are encouraged to attend this program. Andrew Carter, Admissions Officer at The College of the Holy Cross, will present.
- WA College Fair — Wednesday, March 4, 9-10:45 a.m., Alumni Fieldhouse, North Campus. All juniors will attend the college fair during the school day.
- SAT — Thursday, March 26. All juniors will take the SAT during the school day. The test is provided for free by Woodstock Academy and the State of Connecticut.
- New Phone Number for WA Updates — Please note that WA communications via text message will now come from a 10-digit phone number. The general text line, such as weekly updates, will come from the number ending in 3734. Any urgent messages, such as school delays/cancellations or other emergencies, will come from the number ending in 1196.
Informational SMS/text: (860) 743-3734
Emergency SMS/text: (860) 200-1196
Parents may receive messages from different numbers depending on the region they’re in. In this case, look out for a text that begins with the code “WA” to ensure it is from The Woodstock Academy.
While these numbers are not able to receive replies, we encourage you to save them both to your contacts. This change is necessary to enhance the reliability and security of our communications and aligns with the industry standard. Thank you for your understanding and attention to this matter.
Edwin O. Smith High School
E.O. Smith High School offers students a wide breadth of education to prepare them for the future. We host active academic departments, an agricultural training program, and a number of student clubs and extra-curricular activities. Our world-class Library Media Center and computer labs reinforce and enhance our education programs. We have a sports program — our mascot is the Panther — and an active alumni community. We encourage our students to develop the motivation and capacity for lifelong learning.
Core Values: We strive to have all members of the E.O. Smith community support and promote these values. Edwin O. Smith High School’s five core values are: Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Achievement, Community. Regional School District #19 is made up by the towns of Ashford, Mansfield, and Willington and provides education for Grades 9 through 12.
Harvard H. Ellis Technical High School
Harvard H. Ellis Technical High School is located in Danielson. We have more than 600 students from 20 towns and enroll grades 9-12.
We pride ourselves on keeping up with the latest in industry trends and outfitting our classrooms with state-of-the-art technology and equipment to create authentic environments that will prepare students for future careers. Our commitment is unwavering — to equip our students with the skills to succeed, and to provide a talented workforce that is responsive to state and industry needs.
Our twelve trade offerings focus on excellence, craftsmanship, work-readiness and skills for rapid advancement.
Students can choose from: Architecture; Automotive Collision Repair and Refinishing; Automotive Technology; Carpentry; Culinary Arts; Health Tech; Electrical; Hairdressing and Cosmetology; Masonry; Plumbing and Heating; Precision Machining Technology; Robotics and Automation.
Our academic offerings, in partnership with Quinebaug Valley Community College in Danielson and Three Rivers Community College in Norwich, offer high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to receive college credit for select high school courses. And Ellis proudly boasts of a full complement of student activities.
We attract a diverse student population from across Connecticut because of our extensive Career and Technical Education programs, rigorous academics, opportunities for real-world work experience and the chance to earn college credit. Towns our students frequently come from, include Ashford, Brooklyn, Canterbury, Chaplin, Eastford, Griswold, Hampton, Killingly, Plainfield, Pomfret, Preston, Putnam, Scotland, Stafford, Sterling, Thompson, Voluntown, Willimantic, and Woodstock.
Eastconn/Quinebaug Middle College
EASTCONN’s Quinebaug Middle College (QMC), a regional, public magnet high school, is currently recruiting academically motivated students for the 2026-2027 school year. Application deadline is Feb. 28. Students who seek a more independent learning environment tailored to their academic and career goals are encouraged to apply.
Located on the campus of CT State College-Quinebaug Valley (CTSC-QV) in Danielson, QMC offers high school students a middle college experience that enables them to earn a high school diploma while also earning free, transferable college credits from CTSC-QV. The school’s unique partnership with CTSC-QV provides students access to college facilities and opportunities for meaningful collaboration with college faculty and resources.
Students select from one of our six distinguished learning pathways: Liberal Arts and Humanities, Education, Business/Leadership, STEM Engineering, STEM Manufacturing, and STEM Health Sciences. Core academic and elective courses, along with industry mentorship opportunities, are carefully aligned to each pathway.
“QMC provides a small, personalized learning environment where students embrace our core values of Inspiration, Kindness and Respect,” said Principal Edward Keleher. “Through access to college- level coursework, our students can explore their interests while families benefit from significant college cost savings. QMC creates opportunities for every student to thrive. We welcome students seeking an engaging, supportive high school experience that prepares them for future success.”
Housed in a modern, state-of-the-art facility, QMC offers distinct advantages including small class sizes, a personalized competency-based approach, rigorous curriculum, and a collaborative school governance model. QMC students have access to advanced technological laboratories, comprehensive career and vocational resources, public service opportunities, and innovative learning experiences.
The program emphasizes real-world experience in project management, public communications, and community leadership. Service leadership is integrated into the daily schedule, enabling students to actively participate in meaningful community service projects and initiatives.
QMC serves approximately 160 students in grades 9-12 from 18 towns across northeastern Connecticut. The school is administered by EASTCONN through a partnership including CTSC-QV and seven northeastern Connecticut towns. While primarily serving northeastern Connecticut, enrollment is open to students from other regions. Transportation is provided for students within the EASTCONN service area.
For enrollment information and applications, visit www.eastconn.org/qmc. Contact QMC Principal Edward Keleher at [email protected] for additional information.
EASTCONN is a public, non-profit Regional Educational Service Center that has served the educational needs of northeastern Connecticut communities since 1980. Learn more at www.eastconn.org.