Hamden, CT — July 1, 2026 — Arts for Learning Connecticut (AFLCT) has been awarded a $2,500 grant from the Union Savings Bank Foundation to support its Higher Order Thinking (HOT) Schools partnership with Wolfpit Integrated Arts School in Norwalk. The grant will help sustain arts-integrated teaching and learning experiences during the 2026-27 school year, continuing a longstanding collaboration that empowers students and educators through the arts.
Wolfpit Integrated Arts School has been a HOT Schools partner for many years, embracing arts integration as a core instructional strategy. Through the program, AFLCT’s professional Teaching Artists work side by side with classroom educators to design and deliver lessons that connect the arts with academic content, helping students build critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills while deepening engagement across the curriculum.
“We are grateful to the Union Savings Bank Foundation for its continued investment in arts-integrated education,” said John-Michael Parker, Executive Director of Arts for Learning Connecticut. “Wolfpit has long demonstrated what’s possible when creativity is woven into everyday teaching and learning. This support helps us continue partnering with dedicated educators to create engaging classrooms where students are encouraged to think critically, express themselves confidently, and succeed.”
The Union Savings Bank Foundation grant will help sustain classroom residencies, collaborative lesson planning, professional learning for educators, and other arts-integrated experiences that have become a hallmark of the HOT Schools partnership at Wolfpit.
About Higher Order Thinking Schools
The Higher Order Thinking Schools program is a comprehensive initiative integrating arts learning into the core curriculum to improve school and student outcomes. Its goals are to improve student engagement, enrich school culture, and expand teacher practice. It is built on the belief that arts learning promotes higher-order thinking and develops skills such as problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration. HOT Schools partner schools are characterized by their focus on Social and Emotional Learning, Culturally Responsive Teaching practice, and school culture, fostering an environment where every student is encouraged to engage actively in their learning. The program has been recognized nationally for its innovative approach to education and its success in enhancing student achievement.