Wintergreen Interdistrict Magnet School Named School Of Distinction

NORTH HAVEN, CT — Wintergreen Interdistrict Magnet School has been named a National Magnet School of Distinction by Magnet Schools of America, the national association for magnet and theme-based schools, officials announced.

Wintergreen is an Area Cooperative Educational Services (ACES) K-8 school that serves more than 600 students primarily from the following districts: Hamden, Meriden, New Haven, Wallingford, and Waterbury, as well as, from other districts within New Haven County.

“We are grateful to be recognized by Magnet Schools of America,” Wintergreen Interdistrict Magnet School Principal Todd A. Solli said in a news release. “This is a great accomplishment for our school, as it now places us on the national stage as a School of Distinction. The staff of ACES WIMS work hard to provide our students with opportunities that inspire learning through the arts, and promote student development and positive outcomes.”

Read more from the news release below:

In October 2022, ACES WIMS earned a five-year Magnet School Assistance Program (MSAP) grant that will allow for significant investments in the school’s Arts Integration theme. Students will work alongside resident artists in developing the creative part of their brains. By utilizing a creative, experimental method of teaching, ACES WIMS will develop thinkers who can use their strengths to explore their varied interests.

Classroom teachers and arts specialists collaborate to connect the academic concepts studied in the classroom to the arts, through performances, Arts Showcase Expos, and an Arts Capstone Project. Students can enroll in ACES WIMS through the ACES Magnet School Parent Choice program.

Solli, along with several school staff, will be recognized and receive a National Magnet School of Distinction Award on behalf of the school during an awards ceremony held at the Magnet Schools of America’s 40th National Conference, hosted by the Dallas Independent School District on April 18-22, 2023.

To receive a national merit award, Magnet Schools of America members must submit a detailed application that is scored by a panel of educators. The schools are judged on their demonstrated ability to raise student academic achievement, promote racial and socioeconomic diversity, provide integrated curricula and instruction, and create strong family and community partnerships that enhance the school’s magnet theme.