Magnet School Themes
These are the incredible themes incorporated into the core curriculum at magnet schools in the Greater Hartford Region that might be the perfect fit for your child:
- Advanced Manufacturing
- Arts - Visual and Performing
- Character Education
- Computer Science and Engineering
- Dual Language
- Early College/College Prep
- Early Childhood
- Global Studies & World Travel
- International Baccalaureate (IB)
- MicroSociety
- Montessori
- Multiple Intelligences
- Museum Studies
- Reggio Emilia
- Social Justice
- Sports and Medical Sciences
- STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)
- STREAM (Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts, Math)
Advanced Manufacturing
The Advanced Manufacturing theme provides students with the skills and training required for a career in the high-demand advanced manufacturing field. Through hands-on experience on state-of-the art technology equipment, students develop the skills to prepare them for future careers and/or advanced education in manufacturing, engineering, logistics, and more.
Arts - Visual and Performing
There are several magnet schools that are specifically geared toward students interested in art, music, dance, digital arts, creative writing, theater design, and other art forms. This theme integrates a rigorous core curriculum with instruction by professional artists focused on fine and performing arts.
Character Education
The Character Education theme focuses on educating the whole child and prepares students for success in middle school, high school, and beyond as citizens and contributing members of society.
Computer Science and Engineering
This theme offers opportunities in computer science and engineering for students to learn coding and design for websites, applications (apps), and game development – all important 21st century skills!
Dual Language
A dual language education creates a language immersion experience in English and Spanish in all academic class times. This approach develops language skills in English and Spanish, with the goal of bilingual fluency for our young learners.
Early College/College Prep
Early College and College Preparatory themed schools focus on college and career readiness at graduation, using a college model environment and providing an early start on earning college credit.
Early Childhood
These magnet schools are for our youngest students and focus on developing a love of learning and creating a sense of wonder about the environment, culture, and our world.
Global Studies & World Travel
Geared toward the 21st century global environment, this theme challenges students with rigorous academics and prepares them to become responsible, civic-minded citizens with intercultural understanding and respect.
International Baccalaureate (IB)
The IB theme is geared toward the 21st century global environment by preparing students for college and beyond through rigorous academics, critical-thinking, and independence. IB uses the international baccalaureate learner profile to challenge students through global-minded academics to get them ready to participate in the world with intercultural understanding and respect.
MicroSociety
Students in a MicroSociety experience a wide variety of learning environments by creating miniature societies within the school to prepare students to be engaged and active citizens. The six major components of the MicroSociety are: Technology, Economy, Academy, Citizenship and Government, Humanities and the Arts. Through active student government and academic engagement, students participate in decision-making for their school society and connect learning to the real world.
Montessori
The Montessori theme offers students a nurturing and supportive learning environment that provides rigorous academic challenges while focusing on developing students’ social, emotional, academic, and physical needs. The curriculum is delivered through a hands-on approach to learning and puts students at the center of their skill development. The Montessori principles encourage respect, independence, curiosity, and diversity.
Multiple Intelligences
The Multiple Intelligences theme focuses on developing intelligence by allowing students to experience different ways of learning, including through linguistics, logical-mathematical, visual-spatial, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist. These eight areas are integrated in the classroom activities and learning modules to accommodate all learning styles and build on students’ individual strengths. This mixture of intelligences provides students with the opportunity for learning based on their needs, interests, and skills.
Museum Studies
This theme transcends the traditional classroom and creates a unique learning environment for students focused on examining artifacts in historical and modern contexts and connecting those artifacts to understanding the world. The theme includes partnerships with museums as an educational resource and site for exiting and stimulating excursions but the curriculum teaches students to identify exhibits in everyday environments. Students learn to think for themselves and ask questions through a strong inquiry-based and exploratory learning environment.
Reggio Emilia
The Reggio theme supports an individualized learning environment inspired by the Italian Reggio Emilia approach. The curriculum is designed to respect a child’s point of view, and students are empowered to direct their learning. With the teacher acting as a guide, project-based learning opportunities inspire high levels of creativity, critical thinking, and collaborative problem solving.
Social Justice
With a focus on social justice, character education, and civic leadership, these schools promote social and individual responsibility, global understanding, community engagement, and student empowerment. Academics, field experiences, and leadership skills help students develop tenacity, accomplishment, courage, community wellness, and a commitment to justice.
Sports and Medical Sciences
The Sport and Medial Science theme integrates academics and advanced technology into the learning experience with a focus on medical science in the sports context. The theme is integrated throughout the core curriculum to prepare students for advanced studies in sports medicine, exercise science, and health management.
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)
Students interested in science, math and technology will thrive in this setting! STEM prepares students for college and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and fosters inquiring minds, logical reasoning, and great collaboration.
STREAM (Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts, Math)
This theme is closely related to STEM but adds Art and Reading to the mix. STREAM focuses on inquiry-based learning and inspires students to become lifelong learners from an early age. STREAM teaches students to interact with the world through both artistic and scientific processes.