All second, third, fourth, and fifth grade students study Spanish, and in grade six, they can add the study of French. In grade seven, students may add the study of Russian and in grade nine, the study of Latin. Recently instituted is the opportunity to begin Japanese in kindergarten at a magnet school operated with East Hartford, Connecticut. Over the last 40 years, the students who graduated from Glastonbury High School have gone on to prominent positions in society. Many report that the special opportunity they had in the Glastonbury public school system afforded them entree to a knowledge about other people, as well as interesting vocations and avocations that they otherwise would not have had the opportunity to select.
Former graduates work in every sector of business and industry.
Some have been drawn to the diplomatic and intelligence communities, and still others have served in the Armed Services. In the last 10 years, students of Russian have had a unique opportunity to use their skills in many joint ventures in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. In many ways, Glastonbury is an average community. Conversations with townspeople and qualitative research with students and graduates indicate that the single greatest ingredient for maintaining the supportive attitude about the language program is that students who graduate from the program are able to use their language knowledge in later life. Success breeds success.