Center Elementary School, 8 Obtuse Hill Rd, Brookfield, CT 06804, US

Whisconier Middle School, where Brookfield students go for grades 5 through 8, was transformed from the former elementary school in the early 1970s. The school's curriculum and atmosphere are based around their mission statement: "We at Whisconier Middle School will respect ourselves and one another, appreciate individual differences and encourage one another to reach our potential," which can be found posted all around the building. "These are the toughest years for a kid," according to Principal Deane Renda, "They develop their personality, their group of friends—they kind of find their niche." While tending to the students' personal development, the school's academic focus is on preparing children for the future. "The most important job is to develop habits for the High School," Renda explained, "Developing responsibility, study habits and time-management skills." This is achieved, according to Renda, by keeping kids interested in what they're learning and streamlining the curriculum through all four schools.