Middle School in Enfield Kicks Off 50th Year

ENFIELD, CT — Administrators, faculty and staff members of John F. Kennedy Middle School gathered on the front lawn at the school sign just after student dismissal Friday afternoon, ending the first week of the school's 50th year.

Teachers and staff all wore matching red JFK Patriots T-shirts to close the opening week of classes.

Robert Fenton has come out of retirement to act as interim principal at the school, while Marilynn Cressotti, David Iacobucci and Sarah Brown have returned as house masters.

"This staff is dedicated to teaching and making a difference in the lives of all the students at JFK. Great things happen at JFK each and every day," according to a statement from the administration.

Kennedy opened in 1969 as Enfield's second junior high school, reflecting the population boom of the 1960s that saw the town change from a 15,000 resident farming community to a thriving mini-city of more than 45,000 citizens.

Kosciuszko Junior High School, located across town on Elm Street, closed in June 1982, shifting all seventh and eighth-grade students to Kennedy that fall. Sixth-graders began attending the school in 2011.

Photo credit: Tim Jensen

To sign up for free Enfield news alerts and more, click here.