Architect Ernest G. Southey created a Georgian style plan set back 100 feet from Fairfield Avenue leaving "ample room to the south of the school for a large athletic field."

[3] In the federal 2006 fiscal year, The U.S. Department of Education awarded the school $476,753 for a five-year "Smaller Learning Communities" grant.

The Bassick Lions compete in football, soccer, cross country, track, basketball, volleyball, baseball, and softball, and there is also an active cheer squad.

Bassick's basketball team boasts several great successes, including the 1940 and 1989 Connecticut state championships,[5] and three more finals appearances, in 1939, 2000 and 2004.

[6] More recently, the team qualified for the semifinals of the 2015 Connecticut state championship, before losing to Bunnell High School of Stratford.