Funding will support HOT Schools programming at Regional Multicultural Magnet School in New London
NEW LONDON, CT — August 19, 2026 — Arts for Learning Connecticut has received a $4,000 grant from the Dime Bank Foundation to support Higher Order Thinking Schools at Regional Multicultural Magnet School during the 2026-27 school year.
The Dime Bank Foundation grant will help AFLCT restore the full scope of HOT Schools programming at RMMS following modest reductions during the 2025–26 school year. Planned programming includes a schoolwide cultural performance, two arts workshop days, two 10-day arts-integrated residencies, and professional development for educators.
The partnership will benefit RMMS’s entire school community, including 469 students in kindergarten through fifth grade and approximately 90 educators and instructional support staff. More than 70% of the school’s students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals, and more than 22% are English Learners or Multilingual Learners.
“Dime Bank Foundation’s continued partnership is helping us restore the full HOT Schools experience at RMMS,” said Jed Kornbluh, Director of Business Development at Arts for Learning Connecticut. “This funding creates opportunities for every student to experience the arts while also giving educators practical, creative strategies they can use throughout the school year. That combination allows the program to influence not only individual lessons, but the culture of the entire school.”
An independent evaluation of HOT Schools conducted by PERG Learning found that, across participating schools during the 2024-25 academic year, 98% of teachers reported that students were actively engaged in learning, 94% reported that students’ creative expression was supported, and 93% reported that students strengthened their Social and Emotional Learning skills.
The 2026-27 program will provide more than 100 hours of arts learning for RMMS students and educators, creating sustained opportunities for creative expression, collaboration, cultural connection, and belonging.
AFLCT is grateful for the Dime Bank Foundation’s longstanding investment in arts learning opportunities for young people in southeastern Connecticut.
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.
About Dime Bank Foundation
Established by Dime Bank in 1998, the Dime Bank Foundation supports charitable, cultural, literary, scientific, and educational nonprofit organizations serving the communities in which the bank operates. Learn more at https://www.dime-bank.com/about-us/in-the-community/dime-foundation.