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ACES Announces Two New Assistant Principals for the 2019-20 School Year

August 5th, 2019


(North Haven, CT – August 5, 2019) As the new school year is about to get underway, Area Cooperative Educational Services (ACES) has announced the addition and promotion of two new assistant principals to its school system. Kristin Harvey and Heather Gish will start their new roles at ACES Mill Elementary, ACES Whitney High School North and ACES Thomas Edison Middle School (TEMS), according to ACES Executive Director Thomas Danehy.

“We are extremely excited and fortunate to have these two professionals join our staff as assistant principals. Both of them have a unique blend of education, training and practical experience,” said Danehy. “Our schools are critical to achieving the overall ACES mission and Kristin and Heather will augment and strengthen the administrations of all three schools.”

Harvey is no stranger to ACES.  She joined the organization in 2007 as a special education teacher for ACES Whitney High School North.  In her new role as Assistant Principal, she will split her duties between North and ACES Mill Elementary School. Before joining ACES, Harvey was a special education para-professional and sign language interpreter at West Haven’s Bailey M. Middle School and Rock Elementary School. Kristen attended Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven where she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education along with a Master’s of Science Degree in Severely Emotionally Disturbed Learning. In 2015, Harvey received a Sixth Year Certification from SCSU in 2013.

Gish will be the new Assistant Principal at ACES TEMS in Meriden, Connecticut. As a dedicated professional with eight years administrative experience, Gish comes to ACES from Catherine M. McGee Middle School in Berlin, Connecticut where she was an assistant principal. Before that, she was Dean of Students at Metropolitan Learning Center Interdistrict Magnet School for Global and International Studies in Bloomfield, Connecticut. In 2000, she earned her Bachelors of Science Degree in Elementary Education and Psychology from Wagner University located in Staten Island, New York.  She then attended Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, Connecticut to obtain a Master’s of Science Degree in Educational Leadership and received a Sixth Year Certification from the University of Bridgeport in Waterbury, Connecticut in 2013.

ACES TEMS is an interdistrict magnet school where grades 6 – 8 students focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). The mission is to empower teachers and students to use technology effectively in order to become knowledgeable, capable, and ethical digital citizens. By developing strong digital and 21st century skills within our school environment, our teachers and students will be ready to work with the global environment in a safe and comfortable way.

ACES Whitney High School North provides a positive, therapeutic, individualized and multifaceted program for high school students with significant behavioral, mental health and learning issues. Students participate in a full academic and vocational program, which includes a motivational behavioral management system based on a token economy. The goal is to prepare students to participate in a democratic society; compete successfully in the job market; be informed decision makers; and become life-long learners. Course credits are equivalent and are easily transferable to students’ local high schools. It will be opening the school year in ACES newest educational campus called ACES at Leeder Hill.

ACES Mill Elementary School is an innovative program that serves students in grades kindergarten through third grade who have needs beyond the current in district educational programming. It combines the best of what ACES experts knows is successful in managing and modifying challenging behavior that enables students to function effectively in a classroom environment and innovative trauma informed therapeutic programming. ACES Mill Elementary School will also be in a new location as it begins the school year located at 295 Mill Road in North Haven, Connecticut.

About ACES:

Area Cooperative Educational Service’s (ACES) is to transform lives through education, innovation, and leadership. One of six Connecticut regional educational service centers, ACES is the regional educational services center for the twenty-five communities in New Haven and is both a school district and a non-profit services agency. ACES serves 2,300 students from fifty-seven communities throughout Connecticut at its three magnet schools and nine special education schools. ACES service divisions include international educational programs and services, technology, transportation, translation, behavior services and autism programs, extension therapy services (occupational and physical therapy), assistive technology, collaborative programs, professional development, human resources and financial services, and ACCESS, a vocational and life skills program for developmentally and physically challenged adults. ACES also runs the Open Choice program for New Haven County as well as a magnet school parent choice program for its Wintergreen Interdistrict Magnet School and Thomas Edison Middle School. Additionally, ACES runs the Middlesex County Early Head Start Partnership program. For additional information, go to www.aces.org.

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