Milestones

Since 1922 Waterford Country School has served special needs children and their families. From its beginnings as the Home School in New York City, the School has provided for its students an enriched, stimulating environment designed to respect their uniqueness, meet their individual needs, and develop their human potential. The motto adopted many years ago, "Where Everybody is Somebody," is as fitting today as it was then, and provides the essential framework around which the School continues to grow.

There have been many milestones for the School over the years - these are only a few highlights:

1922	The Home School is founded in New York City by Ettie Thomas Schacht to serve both "normal" children and those with a wide range of organic and emotional handicaps.
1926	The school is moved to new location in New York City and was renamed Culture and Health School; a summer camp is established on a rented estate.
1929	Camp Waterford (for "normal" children) and Camp Happiness (for exceptional children) established on farmland in Waterford, CT as an adjunct to the New York school.
1947	Waterford Country School is created as a 10-month residential program for disadvantaged children; the Waterford property is still used as a camp during summer months.
1951	Waterford Country School and Camp Waterford develop a coordinated year-round residential treatment program for children who are socially maladjusted or emotionally disturbed.
1968	The New York School is closed and all operations consolidated in Connecticut
1969	The Summer Camp program ends
1970	Waterford Country School is incorporated as a private, non-profit, social services agency and school with a community based Board of Trustees
1983	A Specialized Foster Care program established.
1989	Four new residential cottages are constructed, providing modern living facilities for all residents.
1992	The Thomas P. Bent Emergency Shelter opens, providing short term services for up to 12 children; An expanded CHOICE Foster Care program is established; WCS awarded its first national accreditation by the Council on Accreditation of Services for Families and Children.
1995	The Experiential Education Center officially opens for both school and community programs, providing farm tours, nature programs, "ropes" adventure course, mobile animal displays and educational programs.
1995	Waterford Country School becomes licensed as a Wildlife Rehabilitation Program by both The Federal and State authorities
1997	The Emergency Shelter program expands to accommodate an additional 8 children with the opening of Rita's Shelter.
1998	Pfizer Inc becomes a sponsor of the Experimential Education and Wildlife Rehabilitation Programs. The Rose Lodge, a log cabin designed as a conference/retreat and activity center to support the work of the Experiential Education Program and other agency programs, and to be available to the public, is completed as a 'do it yourself' project with volunteer labor
1999	The Levine Education Center, a 17,000 sq. ft. school building, consolidating all academic classes into a state of the art facility opens for the new school year.
2000	The Safe Home program opens with two new cottages on new mini campus for young children who have been removed from home for the first time due to abuse and neglect, expanding WCS programs to children from birth to 12 years of age.
2001	The Therapeutic Foster Care Program expands to cover all of eastern Connecticut, with a satellite office opened in Dayville. The WCS Endowment Fund is created through a 1.5 million bequest from the estate of former WCS Trustee Ken Grube who challenged others to "Invest in Human Futures" and join in an endowment building campaign to ensure the future services of the school for generations to come
2004	Held the first “Kabaret for Kids” at the Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino. This special fundraising event includes a reception, live and silent auction and cabaret entertainment experience.
2005	Anderson House renovations and addition is complete with a new reception area, handicapped bathrooms, work-room space and conference area. WCS Long time employee, Kelly Walker is named Child Welfare League of America’s Foster Parent of the Year for the New England area.
2006	Purchased and assumed operation of the Willimantic Safe Home. This is the first time WCS has purchased property off campus. Purchased the property, 2 Clinic Drive in Norwich. This facility houses our Foster Care offices, training facility and our Community Services Center. Worked cooperatively with FRESH, a New London based food cooperative, in establishing a gardening program on our campus. Food grown in our FRESH garden directly benefits our food service program. Opened a level 1.5 Transitional Group Home in Norwich on Laurel Hill.
2007	Opened a group home in Montville, CT in spring of 2007. Child Welfare League of America honors Waterford Country School’s youth volunteer Melissa Bengtson for her “Melissa Makes Bears” project. Melissa received the Kids to Kids National Service award in Washington DC at the National CWLA conference. Melissa has designed and personalized stuffed animals for 120 children in Safe Homes.