Enrico Fermi High School

Overview

Enrico Fermi High School was established in 1971. It previously served the Enfield community along with Enfield High School as one of the town's two high schools.

Consolidation with Enfield High School

In May 2010, it was voted that Enfield High School and Enrico Fermi High School would be undergoing a consolidation process as part of the restructuring and improvement plan of Enfield Public Schools. In November 2012, a town-wide referendum to appropriate $103 million for additions and renovations to Enfield High School overwhelmingly passed by a 2:1 margin. As a result of the consolidation Enrico Fermi High School is planned to close, resulting in yearly savings of $2 million, which would pay for bonding for the renovations and additions to Enfield High School. The State of Connecticut also will provide more than 70% reimbursement for construction to Enfield High School, as well. Students from Enrico Fermi will move into the expanded high school after construction is finished in 2016-2017, with an expected town-wide high school enrollment of 1,500 students. Proposed use of the vacated building include moving the middle school to the Enrico Fermi location or renovating the building as a town library/community center. The Enrico Fermi name was used as the name of the new STEAM wing of the expanded and renovated Enfield High School. In 2016, Enrico Fermi High School closed, and its students attend Enfield High School.

History

The school is named after Italian physicist Enrico Fermi. A 41-acre (170,000 m²) site for the school was purchased in February 1968 and a ground-breaking ceremony took place on September 14, 1968. The school opened for the 1971-72 school year with Mr. Anthony Torre as principal.

Campus

The building was designed by Charles "Ted" Bellingrath of Hartford firm Gibson von Dohlen and built by Fontaine Brothers of Springfield, MA.

For several years the fields were off limits and sports teams were required to drive to different locations in order to practice as harmful chemicals were found in the soil. The fields were redone and improved. "The Work" consists of remediation of approximately 41 acres of landscape area throughout the entire Fermi High School site. It is the intent of this project to cover the contaminated soil with new topsoil brought onto the site

Curriculum

The school offers a comprehensive college preparatory curriculum. Students may participate in Advanced Placement courses, University of Connecticut Early College Experience courses, and vocational education offered both at the school and Asnuntuck Community College.

The school also offers an exceptional music program. The "Marching Falcons" have won numerous awards and competitions. They have worked closely with Bill Holden, a well-known musical composer in New England, now based in Houston, TX.

Extracurricular activities

Student groups and activities at Enrico Fermi High School include art club, badminton club, bowling club, chess club, dance team, Lamplighters drama, DECA, FBLA, Future Teachers Club, LEO Club, Mathletes, Model United Nations, National Honor Society, peer mediation, Buzz Robotics, science club, video game club, ski club, a string ensemble, student council, Jazz Ensemble, and yearbook.

The school's athletic teams, known as the Fermi Falcons, compete in the Central Connecticut Conference. Teams are fielded in baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, field hockey, football, golf, ice hockey, indoor track, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball, and wrestling. The school has a cross-town rivalry with Enfield High School, playing a football game on Thanksgiving Day. In all other sports they compete as well, with each school having their favored teams. For example, Fermi’s wrestling team has historically beaten Enfield’s and Enfield High’s football team has not lost a football game to Fermi in many years.