About Oak Hill School

Hope, safety, success, belonging, and relief.

A young man in a green beanie holds a basketball, smiling at an older man in sunglasses. Another smiling young man stands nearby, creating a joyful atmosphere.

History and School Legacy

In 1888, Emily Wells Foster, through her affiliation with the ecumenical Morgan St Mission, discovers a blind toddler in need. He becomes the impetus for her to open a nursery to assist blind children which she calls “The Heart Sunshine Society.”

Foster works with attorney Frank Cleaveland and local philanthropic groups to raise money for the establishment of the Connecticut Institution and Industrial Home for the Blind (CIB) in 1893. Two buildings are purchased and furnished; one houses a nursery and kindergarten, the other is a school to train people with visual impairments in useful trades.

A woman with short gray hair wears a tall, dark hat and a fur-collared coat, with a pink flower pinned to her chest. She gazes confidently forward. — Emily Wells Foster

In 1907, CIB moves to its present home at 120 Holcomb Street in Hartford. Revolutionary in its philosophy, CIB focuses on providing a fair and rigorous educational system for children and young people with visual impairments.

Hundreds of graduates go on to lead successful lives, able to support themselves and their families thanks to their experience at CIB. Over time, CIB’s services grow to include individuals with a wider range of disabilities and becomes a statewide provider of community-based programs. In 1978 the organization changes its name to Oak Hill.

Photo of the First graduating class of Connecticut Institute of the Blind in 1911 — First graduating class of Connecticut Institute of the Blind in 1911

Today, Oak Hill is a recognized leader and the largest private nonprofit provider of services for people with disabilities in Connecticut.

Expanding beyond just the school, we serve thousands of people annually. Oak Hill proudly offers community-based programs including housing, employment, education, assistive technology, healthy relationship support, sports and fitness, art therapy, and recreation for children and adults with multiple disabilities.

A proud graduate wearing a blue cap and gown holds a diploma while standing between two people holding bouquets of flowers. They are outside with trees behind them. — Proud graduate of the class of 2025!

1800s

1900s

Today

More than just a job— a chance to change lives.

Help shape a brighter future for those who need it most. Come and be a part of our mission to empower and uplift every student, every day.

Join us

Two people smiling and playfully posing against a textured brown background. One has tattoos and a smartwatch; the other wears a denim jacket and beanie.

Our Leadership

We are led and inspired by a tight-knit group of educators with a deep commitment to supporting our students and their families on their journeys to growth.

Learn more

Three men in formal attire smile in front of a colorful mural featuring a night sky, moon, and stars. The atmosphere is professional and upbeat.

"Oak Hill School was a savior for my family."

Hear a mother’s heartfelt journey of finding the right school for her son, whose struggles and learning challenges made traditional classrooms difficult—until Oak Hill changed everything.

A person in a blue shirt and bandana sits indoors, gesturing expressively, with a faint smile, suggesting a lively conversation. Soft light filters through a window.

A smiling woman with curly hair and a black top sits on gym bleachers, beside her a boy in a black hoodie and blue shorts, both appear relaxed and happy.

FAMILY STORY

We all have a story. Something that changed us in the most fundamental way. For me and my son Christian, that story began at Oak Hill.

- Cimmy Valier, Oak Hill School Parent

For much of Christian’s life, we have bounced between residential and school placements.
Christian struggled to connect with his teachers and peers. At each school, Christian would tell me that he didn’t have friends. He felt alone.

There is no worse feeling as a parent than to see your child struggle and not be able to help. I did everything I possibly could for my son, even moving school districts to give him a better shot at the education and community he needed and deserved. After what seemed like an endless cycle of new schools and years of instability, Christian and I felt ready to give up. Enter Oak Hill.