Press Releases

ACES Thomas Edison Magnet Middle School Named National Magnet School of Distinction by Magnet Schools of America

January 27th, 2020

ACES Thomas Edison Magnet Middle School (TEMS) has been named a National Magnet School of Distinction by Magnet Schools of America, the national association for magnet and theme-based schools. ACES was one of twelve schools in Connecticut to receive the Distinction designation and one of two hundred and forty-four schools to receive it nationwide.

“ACES TEMS students are provided with strategies and tools to innovatively problem-solve, so they can become productive citizens who enrich their communities, shared Karen Habegger, TEMS Principal. “This award reflects all the wonderful programs and opportunities we offer students at TEMS.   Our challenging curriculum, full engineering program, and robust technological supports have resulted in strong standardized test scores. We are very excited to celebrate our success with our students, families, and staff in the coming weeks. This is an award for our entire school.”

"Receiving the National Magnet School of Distinction by Magnet Schools of America is an incredible honor for the students and staff of Thomas Edison Magnet Middle School as well as for the entire ACES community. As executive director of ACES, I am proud of the dedication and commitment of our staff to ensure that Thomas Edison students receive an innovative, challenging, engaging and rewarding STEM education, and of the diligence, dedication and hard work of our students. As an interdistrict magnet school and as a school of choice, ACES Thomas Edison Magnet Middle School is committed to academic excellence, diversity and educational equity, and innovative curriculum and programming, shared Dr. Thomas Danehy, ACES Executive Director. 

A Day of Distinction will be celebrated at Thomas Edison Middle School during February 28, 2020 which is National Magnet School month.

ACES Thomas Edison Magnet Middle School (TEMS) is a premier inter-district school of choice where 700 6^th – 8^th grade students are prepared for success through innovative science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) instruction. Students attend TEMS from eleven communities:  Cromwell, Meriden, Middlefield, Middletown, New Britain, North Haven, Portland, Wallingford, Waterbury, Watertown, and Wethersfield.

At TEMS, every student, over three years, participates in five Project Lead The Way engineering courses,  three challenging mathematics courses, and three NGSS-based science courses, all are supported through a one-to-one laptop program. All classrooms embed creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and communication in order to assure that the STEM theme is supported in all content areas.  To learn more about TEMS, go to https://www.aces.org/tems.

Presentation of Distinction Award:

Principal Karen Habegger will be recognized and receive a National Magnet School of Distinction Merit Award on behalf of the school during an awards ceremony held at Magnet Schools of America’s 38^th National Conference hosted by Clark County School District in Clark County, Nevada, April 13-17, 2020.

To receive a national merit award, members of Magnet Schools of America must submit a detailed application that is scored by a panel of educators. These schools are judged and scored on their demonstrated ability to raise student academic achievement, promote racial and socioeconomic diversity, provide integrated curricula and instruction, and create strong family and community partnerships that enhance the school’s magnet theme.

To learn more about the national merit awards program, please visit www.magnet.edu

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.