The Wintonbury Early Childhood Magnet School] is part of the Regional School Choice Office’s (RSCO) network of 44 magnet schools.  RSCO is the office established by the Connecticut State Department of Education to serve as a centralized resource for information about the Greater Hartford Region’s unique, high-quality public school choice options for prekindergarten through grade 12. The RSCO School Choice System offers students a wide array of school choice options and brings together families from over 40 towns in diverse and engaging learning environments.

RSCO also manages the application and placement process for these schools. Prospective students must apply through RSCO’s easy-to-use online application platform that allows parents/guardians to manage applications for all their children. Families only need to create one RSCO account and should use the same account each year to submit applications.

The on-time application period for the 2025-2026 school year opens on December 3rd, 2024, and closes on February 7th, 2025. Submitting an application during the on-time period is one of the best ways to increase the chance of a placement offer.

The late application will open in mid-March on a limited basis by school and grade. Please log in to your RSCO account for up-to-date information to see if our school is still accepting applications during this period.

Check out ChooseYourSchool.org, the RSCO School and Program Information Website, to learn more about the School Choice Application process and APPLY to our school!

Placement Announcements

Placement announcements are made in mid-March and continue biweekly, as seats are made available, through September. No magnet school placements are made after October 1.

Once an applicant receives a placement offer, they must complete registration within the timeframe provided. Failure to register will result in the placement offer being administratively declined and the seat will be offered to another applicant on the waitlist.

Placement Priorities for Wintonbury

The following priorities are used in the placement process and can increase the chance of a placement if the school has available seats. To receive priority, you must apply during the on-time application period and make the school your first choice. Applicants receive priority in the order listed below.

• Enrolled Sibling

• Placed Sibling

• Sibling in terminal grade

• Employee/Staff

* Eligibility to Apply: Wintonbury Early Childhood Magnet School has partner towns and limits applications to families residing in the partner towns. Children from the following towns may apply to Wintonbury through the on-line RSCO School Choice Application: Avon, Bloomfield, East Granby, Granby, Hartford, Simsbury, and West Hartford.

Placement Announcements   

Placement announcements are made in early April and continue biweekly, as seats are made available, through September. No magnet school placements are made after October 1.

Once an applicant receives a placement offer, they must complete registration within the timeframe provided. Failure to register will result in the placement offer being administratively declined and the seat will be offered to another applicant on the waitlist.

Residency is verified during the registration process. 

An application must be submitted and you must be offered a placement through the Regional School Choice lottery process to register and enroll your child. 

Student should be eligible for PK3 or PK4 based on their birth date (see below). 

For students applying to grades PK3 and PK4 for the 2025-2026 school year

PK3 (Pre-kindergarten, age 3): Child born on or before September 1, 2022

PK4 (Pre-kindergarten, age 4):
Child born on or before September 1, 2021

*It is important to select the accurate grade when you are completing your application with RSCO. The grade you select will be the students entry grade if offered a placement.* 

*Students attend for two consecutive years when starting as a PK3 and one year when starting as a PK4.*