Forman School

The Forman School is a boarding and day school in Litchfield, Connecticut, USA for 184 college-bound students in grades 9 to 12.

History

The school was founded in 1930 by John and Julie Ripley Forman. The Formans began with three students who hadn't had a history of academic success. Mr. Forman later said, "Of one thing, I am certain -- that the first year, with three boys and two teachers beside ourselves -- was our busiest." The school grew over the years into a gateway to college for learning disabled students. Most of the students were bright with language-based disabilities, most notably dyslexia, leading to the school's nick-name, "Namrof". In the 1980s, Forman was written up in Time magazine and counted two children of comedian Bill Cosby among its students.

But in the 1990s, as mainstream boarding schools established programs addressing the needs of the learning disabled, the quality of the Forman student body suffered. Students with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder became the order of the day. Some had a history of fighting; others were straight out of drug rehab. The school is returning to its [http://www.formanschool.org/learning_mission core mission] . Mark B. Perkins, a former dean of students at Holderness School, has been head of Forman since 1995. Perkins announced in March 2007 that he will retire at the end of the 2007-08 school year. In November 2007, Adam K. Man, academic dean at St. Timothy’s School in Stevenson, Md., [http://www.formanschool.org/node/2555 was appointed] the next head of school effective July 1, 2008.

Professional development

Forman serves students with learning differences who wish to attend college. The school's professional development program includes work with the Center for Research on Learning at the University of Kansas and All Kinds of Minds' Schools Attuned program. Recent campus speakers include Dr. Robert Brooks and Rick Lavoie. The school focuses strongly on translating research into practice and is now building a community life program to complement its academic offerings.

Notable Alumni

* [http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:oYk-PO0mdFQJ:thecia.com.au/reviews/c/images/crank-production-notes.rtf+Zoo+York+Eli+Gestner&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us Eli Gestner] , founder Zoo York
* [http://www.haskins.yale.edu/staff/jenner.html Annette Jenner] , Ph.D. Harvard University, neuroscientist and researcher, professor at Syracuse University
* [http://longislandlizards.com/team/players/index.html?player_id=27 Blake Miller] , professional lacrosse player
*John Seward Johnson II, bronze sculptor

Notable former faculty

* [http://www.blueoystercult.com/History/Joe.html Joe Bouchard] , founding member of the Blue Öyster Cult rock band.
*Ron MacFarlane, father of Seth MacFarlane, creator of the animated television series Family Guy.
* [http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/catalog/authordetail.cfm?authorID=1816 Deborah Savage] , novelist.

External links

* [http://www.formanschool.org/ Forman School official website]
* [http://www.munic.state.ct.us/LITCHFIELD/litchfield.htm Town of Litchfield official website]