Hamden, CT — November 25, 2025 — Arts for Learning Connecticut (AFLCT) is proud to announce it has received a $2,000 grant from Ion Bank in support of its Higher Order Thinking (HOT) Schools programming at F.J. Kingsbury Elementary School in Waterbury, Connecticut.
This investment helps expand access to high-quality, arts-integrated learning for students at Kingsbury Elementary. The HOT Schools model is nationally recognized for deepening academic engagement, fostering social-emotional learning, and promoting creative and critical thinking across the curriculum.
Through this partnership, AFLCT continues its mission to inspire young people and broaden their learning through the arts, ensuring that students at Kingsbury Elementary have the tools, encouragement, and opportunities they need to succeed both academically and personally.
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.