Putnam Science Academy, a private high school in Connecticut renowned for its basketball program, announced its abrupt closure this week, sending shockwaves through the local community and the broader youth sports circuit.
The Announcement
President Tieqiang Ding, who led the school after acquiring it with his wife Hong Fang in 2015, informed faculty and staff that the institution would shut its doors immediately, citing insurmountable financial strain and the recent loss of accreditation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.
State officials have opened investigations into alleged misconduct, with the Connecticut Department of Labor probing multiple complaints of unpaid wages and the Department of Banking examining claims that investor funds were diverted for personal expenses.
A Basketball Powerhouse in Crisis
The school’s basketball program, which claimed five national championships in the past nine years and launched more than 100 players into Division I, was overseen for many years by Coach Tom Espinosa, whose leadership became a hallmark of the academy’s identity.
Alumni such as George Edwards, Todd Giroux, Matthew Cerrone and Juliet Manalan now face uncertainty as the validity of the diplomas awarded this spring hangs in the balance, while former staff members recount being dismissed on the very day of graduation.
The sudden shutdown also left the school’s website in a maintenance mode, displaying no information, and prompted the Connecticut Department of Labor to pursue wage‑theft allegations, underscoring the depth of the financial and ethical crisis that led to the academy’s demise.