Willie Ross School to Hold Grand Reopening, Ribbon Cutting for Longmeadow Campus Renovation September 17
Longmeadow—Willie Ross School for the Deaf will hold a Grand Reopening and Ribbon Cutting for its newly completed renovation and expansion to its Sidney Cooley Administration Building on Friday, September 17, 2021 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., 32 Norway Street, Longmeadow.
WRSD President and CEO Bert Carter, Dr. J. Robert Kirkwood, Chair of the WRSD Board of Trustees, and George Balsley, Vice Chair of the Board, will offer remarks at the event.
The new space on the school’s Longmeadow campus accommodates its growing needs and programming. The renovation and expansion took two years to complete and added a second story to its administration building that features new space for interpreters, an updated audiology center, a redesigned main entrance, improved wheelchair access, new space for the school’s Work Study Program and upgraded administrative technology. The project cost $2.5 million.
The comprehensive renovation also included new landscaping of the property, replacement of windows and insulation to increase energy efficiency. WRSD will also begin construction of a new school playground in the fall, expected to be completed in Spring 2022. An online crowdfunding campaign for the new playground, https://www.givecampus.com/v5xjfu, is underway and has reached 77% of its goal.
In recent years WRSD has expanded its audiology services to the public–accepting pediatric and adult patients for hearing evaluations and hearing aid fittings—which requires more space than the school had previously.
According to Carter, “The completion of this campus renovation project will allow us to better meet the needs of our deaf community and make our facilities more accessible to our students and the public. We look forward to unveiling our new and improved campus on September 17.”
The Grand Reopening event will feature a dedication ceremony and ribbon cutting, along with light refreshments and tours of the new space. For more information about the event, contact Joel Skelton, WRSD Coordinator of Community Engagement, at (413) 304-2556 or jskelton@wrsdeaf.org.
Willie Ross School for the Deaf provides a comprehensive educational program stressing academic excellence that focuses on the development of students’ intellectual, social, and emotional growth from the early childhood level through high school. Willie Ross serves students at its main campus in Longmeadow and at its partnership campus located in the East Longmeadow Schools. Mainstreaming opportunities are provided at the partnership campus.