Editing New Canaan, Connecticut (section)

==Education==

[[File:NewCanaanCTHighSchEntrance07252007.JPG|thumb|right|250px|[[New Canaan High School]]]]
[[File:SaxeMiddleSchNewCanaanCT07252007.JPG|thumb|right|250px|Saxe Middle School]]
The New Canaan Public Schools system has gained national recognition for its high performance; for example, a 2010 edition of ''Forbes'' rated New Canaan as the third-ranked school district in the United States for communities with a median home price of $800,000 or greater.<ref>''See'' Settimi, Christina, "Best Schools for Your Home Value," ''Forbes'' magazine, April 26, 2010.</ref> In 2019, [[New Canaan High School]] US News & World Report ranked New Canaan High School the sixth-best public high school in Connecticut behind [[Darien High School|Darien]] and [[Weston High School (Connecticut)|Weston]], and one of the top in the nation.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.darientimes.com/2019/05/01/darien-named-top-high-school-in-connecticut-by-u-s-news-world-report|title = Darien named top high school in Connecticut by U.S. News & World Report| newspaper=Darien Times |date = May 2019 | last1=Shultz | first1=Susan }}</ref>

In 2009, the district was the highest-performing school district in the state based on the frequency of top-tier performances on the Connecticut Mastery Tests (CMTs), which are administered to all third- through eighth-graders, and the Connecticut Academic Performance Tests (CAPTs), which are given to 10th-graders.<ref>http://www2.newcanaan.k12.ct.us/education/sctemp/ed7ac7f33e5e0aedf777a27d6df1df6f/1269627036/08_09.pdf {{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In 2008, the median SAT score (verbal, math and writing) for district students was 1804, the highest in Connecticut.<ref>Connecticut Department of Education; ''see also '' Brady, Andrew and Grandjean, Patricia, "Rating the Towns," ''Connecticut'' magazine, November 2009 edition (Vol. 72, No. 11), at pp. 47–55.</ref>

In its November 2009 edition, ''Connecticut'' magazine rated New Canaan's school system first among 29 towns with a population of 15,000–25,000.<ref>http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20391944&BRD=2329&PAG=461&dept_id=487245&rfi=6 {{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> That category included Darien, Wilton, Ridgefield, Avon, Simsbury, Farmington, Southbury, Guilford, and other high-performing districts. The ranking was based on 2007–2009 CMTs, results from the 2007–2009 CAPTs, local SAT scores for 2006–2008, and the percentage of 2007 high school graduates who enrolled in college.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.zwire.com/site/news.asp?brd=2329&nav_sec=61835 |title=Connecticut Magazine - Home - Rating the Towns |access-date=March 25, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091110182205/http://www.zwire.com/site/news.asp?brd=2329&nav_sec=61835 |archive-date=November 10, 2009 }}</ref>

Twenty-two students in the New Canaan High School class of 2009 were National Merit Commended Scholars. In addition, four students were National Merit Scholars, four were National Merit Semifinalists, and one was a Hispanic National Recognition Scholar.<ref>New Canaan Public Schools' Superintendent's Annual Report, 2008–2009, at p. 31.</ref>

Of the New Canaan High School graduates who enrolled in college in the fall of 2009, 30% did so at a college designated "Most Competitive" by ''Barron's'' magazine, 24% enrolled at an institution considered "Highly Competitive", and 26% entered a college deemed to be "Very Competitive".<ref>New Canaan Public Schools Superintendent's Annual Report, 2008–2009, at p. 48.</ref>

The New Canaan High School Library was the recipient of the 2010 National School Library Program of the Year Award, given by the American Library Association. In addition to the award, the high school also received a $10,000 prize donated by Follet Library Resources.<ref name="Schmelkin, Carrie 2010, p. 1">Schmelkin, Carrie, "Public Schools Remain Tops," New Canaan Advertiser, June 24, 2010, p. 1.</ref>

The New Canaan school system is also notable for its achievements in extracurricular activities. In 2010, the New Canaan High School won the [[Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference|FCIAC]] Cup, given to the most successful athletic program among the 19 high schools competing in the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference. The New Canaan High School drama program won seven awards at the 2010 Connecticut High School Musical Theatre Awards.<ref name="Schmelkin, Carrie 2010, p. 1"/>

New Canaan is one of the few school systems in Connecticut to offer foreign-language instruction to students  before middle school, as a Spanish program exists for all grades to expose students to a foreign language earlier in their lives.<ref>[http://www.acorn-online.com/joomla15/ncadvertiser/budget/49255-proposed-school-budget-financiers-express-confidence.html Article title] {{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Grades 6–12 have language offerings that include French, Latin, Mandarin Chinese, and Spanish.

In June 2012, 24/7 Wall St. ranked New Canaan as the eighth-wealthiest school district in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|last=Liebeskind|first=Ken|title=Weston Is Second Wealthiest U.S. School District|date=June 6, 2012|url=http://weston.dailyvoice.com/schools/weston-second-wealthiest-us-school-district|publisher=The Weston Daily Voice|access-date=July 26, 2012}}</ref>

New Canaan has five public schools:
*Elementary Schools: West School, South School, and East School
*Middle School: Saxe Middle School
*High School: [[New Canaan High School]]

New Canaan also has three private schools:
*St. Aloysius School K–8 (Permanently Closed 1956-2023: Closed due to low enrollment to be replaced by new religious education center)
*[[St. Luke's School (Connecticut)|St. Luke's School]]: 5–12
*[[New Canaan Country School]]: Pre-K–9<!-- This section on Education in New Canaan needs to be updated by an editor with the requisite knowledge of New Canaan's schools. -->