The Sound School is a regional vocational aquaculture center situated in the City Point neighborhood of New Haven, Connecticut.The Sound School Regional Vocational Aquaculture Center is an accredited inter-district college preparatory high school, one of the 19 vocational agriculture centers in Connecticut, and a part of the New Haven Public Schools system. It is the first full-time center to concentrate in the study of aquaculture and marine trades. The school was founded by George E. Foote; one of the school's five buildings is named for him.Current enrollment is around 400 students, representing New Haven and 21 surrounding towns.Sound School students take courses in maritime history, literature of the sea, boat building, oceanography, marine biology, aquaculture chemistry and marine technology. Students enrolled in its Agriculture program (available only to New Haven students) take courses in natural resources, greenhouse technology, agricultural chemistry, veterinary science, and hydroponics.Boatbuilding is a significant focus of the school; many of the school's more than 30 vessels are student-built. The school had a marine railway capable of raising and lowering boats into the New Haven Harbor until it was broken by natural causes. Sound School students also assisted with the recreation of the historic ship Amistad.The Sound School's open-water endurance rowing team has won or placed in the top three in international competitions for the past five years.The school maintains part of the last population of bay scallops (Aquipectin irradiens) in the world.
