305 Greenfield Street
Hartford, CT 06112
Phone: 860-695-5280
Fax: 860-242-6457

Opened: August 2008
Grades: K to four
Number of Students in 2011-12: 427
Student Demographics in 2011-12:
55% Boys, 45% Girls
100% African American or Hispanic
66% Qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch

Overview

Achievement First Hartford Academy Elementary opened as part of Superintendent Steven Adamowski’s ambitious reform plan for Hartford Public Schools. At Achievement First Hartford Academy Elementary, a tremendous focus is placed on reading, which occupies three hours of instruction per day broken into alternating blocks of small group instruction. Teachers and students start the day with Morning Motivation, which includes recognition of exemplary REACH (Respect, Enthusiasm, Achievement, Citizenship and Hard Work) and a school-wide song to put all students on track to have a successful day of learning. At Achievement First Hartford Academy Elementary, teachers do not just preach constant learning—they practice it. Every teacher has a coach who they meet with on a weekly basis to identify strengths and develop strategies for improvement.

School Leader

Claire Shin is the founding principal of Achievement First Hartford Academy Elementary School. No stranger to being a founding member of an Achievement First school, Ms. Shin was also a founding teacher of Achievement First Bushwick Elementary School in Brooklyn, NY. At Achievement First Bushwick Elementary School, she taught first and second grade and led the second-grade team’s instructional decision-making and collaboration. Before joining Achievement First, Ms. Shin was the deputy chief program officer of Teach For America’s New York City regional team. She also taught fourth grade in New York City’s Washington Heights neighborhood and was a management consultant with the Monitor Group. Ms. Shin holds a B.A. in economics and history from Williams College and a M.A. in teaching from Pace University.