Welcome Letter

Dear Students, Parents, Guardians, Teachers, and Staff,

Welcome back to Hampden Charter School of Science (HCSS). This year more than ever we are grateful for and focused on what makes HCSS unique. We are a family. A diverse and dynamic community where every student is known, cared for, and encouraged to do their best.

As a college preparatory charter school, our mission is to prepare students for success in four-year colleges and universities by cultivating well-rounded students with character and strong values. We support each student’s academic, social, emotional, and physical development on their path to becoming thoughtful, resilient, and compassionate leaders.

We Are Proud…and Hopeful

This year, we enter the 2025–2026 school year not only proud of our accomplishments but also hopeful for our future. The HCSS Class of 2025 continued our school’s legacy of excellence with:

• Over 800 college acceptances
• 2 Ivy League universities
• 17 Top 50 Colleges and Universities
• 103 Top 100 Colleges and Universities
• An astounding $48,341,200 in scholarships earned—$13 million more than last year
• $440,000 average scholarship per student

Prestigious acceptances include Harvard, Yale, Johns Hopkins, Tufts, Boston University, Spelman, Purdue, Rensselaer, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, University of Florida, UMass, UConn, and many more!

We are proud of our students’ success on AP exams this year. 87% of AP students earned scores of 3 or higher. The highest number of exams taken yet, at 371—almost twice as many as in past years.

To our students, we are so proud of what you’ve accomplished! Your success in and out of the classroom is the result of your hard work and determination, as well as your teachers’ excellence and your families’ unwavering support.

HCSS has always been a school that adapts to the times and helps its students meet the demands of a rapidly changing world. This year, we are diving into new technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), to help students learn more deeply, receive more personalized instruction, and build the skills they will need in the future. Through thoughtful and intentional use of these tools, we will continue to do more for our students—without sacrificing the quality relationships and human values that make HCSS a place of meaningful learning.

This year, as every year, we will be guided by our school’s core values: Respect, Responsibility, Resilience, and Excellence. These values are more than words on a wall; they are embodied every day by our students, teachers, and staff, and they have been a key part of our success.

We are building something truly special at HCSS, and we are doing it together. To the families and staff members who return to HCSS each year, we are grateful for your continued trust and partnership. To the many new families and staff members who are joining HCSS this year, welcome to a school community in which your children and students will be supported, challenged, and inspired.

Here’s to a year of growth, innovation, and excellence for all of our students.

With sincere appreciation and great anticipation,

Tarkan Topcuoglu, EdS

Chief Executive Officer

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