Press Releases

ACES Opens Leeder Hill Campus Highlighted by New Technology and Innovative Classrooms

September 10th, 2019

(North Haven, CT – September 6, 2019) Proving two can be better than one, Area Cooperative Educational Services (ACES) will officially open its Leeder Hill Campus on September 18^th with a ribbon cutting ceremony featuring local dignitaries and state educational officials beginning at 3 p.m.  The new campus located at 130 Leeder Hill Drive in Hamden, consolidates two special education programs into one location - ACES Whitney Academy EXPLORE & CREATE and ACES Whitney High School North. ACES broke ground on the 130 Leeder Hill location back on December 7, 2017. The new facility has 140,000 square feet under one roof and accommodates 300 students.

“This school was specifically designed for students with special needs. It took an extraordinary effort by so many people from different organizations and the result is simply magnificent. The new facility and modern technology will make this one of the finest learning facilities in the state,” says Thomas Danehy, ACES Executive Director. “When you enter the facility you are immediately struck by the bright natural lighting, wide hallways, large classrooms, and ease of moving throughout the building.  This is just what our students need to thrive and learn.”

The schools’ feature new specialty laboratories, including occupational therapy rooms, sensory and aqua-therapy rooms, assistive technology training spaces, as well as art and pottery studios, media studios, and a state-of-the-art vocational center. ACES  Whitney Academy EXPLORE & CREATE, like ACES Whitney High School North, was located on Skiff Street and offers a therapeutic environment dedicated to serving students ages 14 to 21 who exhibit a range of cognitive, physical, behavioral, language and medical challenges. In addition to its academic mission, the school places a strong emphasis on transition to life and work including self-advocacy and self-determination. These areas establish the foundation for all student programming. In collaboration with outside agencies that may be involved with our students, the staff strives to maximize all efforts to improve the quality of the student’s education, health, safety and quality of life.

ACE Whitney High School North is 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.  ACES Whitney High School North’s vocational initiatives feature a well-established culinary arts program and automotive program. Additionally, students have the opportunity to matriculate at Gateway Community College.  

Silver / Petrucelli + Associates was selected by ACES to lead the design effort for the $75 million project, which began with the selection of one of 12 potential sites. Leeder Hill Road, the location of a former charter school, presented the best option in terms of site access, existing building conditions, and expansion. ACES actually had a very busy summer. Besides moving the two schools to the ACES Leeder Hill campus, the organization moved its ACES Mill Academy School to the previous ACES Whitney High School North building at 205 Skiff Street in Hamden. Then ACES Mill Elementary School took up residence at 295 Mill Road in North Haven, the previous location for ACES Mill Academy. Finally, ACES Wintergreen Interdistrict Magnet School moved into a new facility on the campus of Gateway Community College located at 88 Bassett Road in North Haven.

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.