星期六, 9月 27, 2025

為重度殘障學童蓋出新天地 WILLIAM E.特許學校剪綵啟用

正要出席同賀。(周菊子攝)
Boston Orange 綜合報導)專為重度身心障礙及有複雜醫療需求學生設計的高品質特許學校,William E.926日在州市政要等逾百人出席的隆重中,剪綵啟用。

            William E.特許學校被形容為可作為全國模範的高品質教育設施,耗資1.114億美元建造,其中麻州校舍管理局(MSBA)經由其核心計劃,提供了3,050萬美元。在這新校舍落成後,該校學生人數可從原有的25人,增加至60人,同時增加幼兒教育計劃。

校長致詞。(周菊子攝)
            波士頓市長吳弭(Michelle Wu),波士頓公校總監Mary Skipper,麻州財政廳廳長Deb Goldberg,麻州學校樓宇局執行長Jim MacDonald,波士頓市公共設施局人員,以及麻州參議員Nick Collins,波士頓市議會議長Ruthzee Louijeune,波士頓市議員Erin Murphy,愛德華費連(Ed Flynn)等人都出席了剪綵儀式。

波士頓市長吳弭為william E.特許學校落成鼓掌。(周菊子攝)

            波士頓市長吳弭稱許這所校舍的設計細節,以每個學生的獨特需求為出發點,體現了「以人為本」的教育與建築理念,也樹立了全球包容性學校設計的新標竿。她說,當學習空間能夠直接回應學生的需求時,學生們的學習效率就直線上升,學生們也就能更好的成長茁壯。她感謝所有的合作夥伴,為這些有特殊需求的學生創造了更好的發展空間。她很欣慰,看到她當上市長以後第一件想做的事之一,得以實現。

波士頓市長吳弭。(周菊子攝)

            麻州財政廳廳長兼麻州校舍管理局主席Deborah B. Goldberg也掩不住興奮,直說這座新校舍得以落成,裡面的設備,簡直讓人驚艷,她為麻州政府有機會和波士頓市政府合作,為這樣一所特別學校的師生改善環境,感到溢於言表的開心,相信這新校舍將為學生及家長們,創造一個更有包容性的學習與成長環境。

 麻州財政廳廳長兼麻州校舍管理局主席Deborah B. Goldberg。(周菊子攝)
            嶄新的William E.特許學校,座落在Northampton396號,鄰近東北大學,佔地85,600平方英尺,以「感官中心」為設計核心,講究自然採光,具有隔絕鄰近的地下鐵,火車噪音的聲學緩衝,建材色彩與材質都經過精心挑選,不僅建築本身成為了教學工具,也符合LEED黃金及永續認證標準。校舍還配備許多特別設施,包括經特殊設計,旨在幫助學生掌握社區工作技能的無障礙泳池,半場體育館,音樂治療室、藝術與識字發展區、戶外感官花園,以及職業技能訓練中心。

MAYOR WU, SUPERINTENDENT SKIPPER, AND TREASURER GOLDBERG CUT RIBBON ON WILLIAM E. CARTER SCHOOL 


New school building now open for 2025-2026 school year, following $111.4 million investment

Photo courtesy of Boston City TV 
BOSTON - Friday, September 26, 2025 - Today, Mayor Michelle Wu joined Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper, State Treasurer and Receiver General Deb Goldberg, Massachusetts School Building Authority Chief Executive Officer Jim MacDonald, the City's Public Facilities Department, and community members at the official ribbon cutting of the newly constructed William E. Carter School. 


The Carter School is a national model for high-quality education designed for students with significant disabilities and complex medical needs. With the new facility, the Carter School was able to expand its enrollment from 25 to 60 students, including the addition of an early childhood program. The $111.4 million construction project was funded through a partnership with the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), which provided $30.5 million to the project through its Core Program. 


The new facility, which opened for the start of the 2025-2026 school year, includes a zero-entry pool and half-court gymnasium for adapted physical education and therapy; dedicated spaces for music therapy, expressive arts, and literacy development; outdoor sensory areas and gardens that extend classrooms into nature; and a vocational facility that prepares transition-aged students with community-based job skills. With equity at its core, the Carter School serves as a national and global model for inclusive school design, demonstrating the impact of thoughtful, research-driven choices. The 85,600-square-foot school features sensory-centered design, including natural lighting strategies, acoustic buffering from nearby train noise, and carefully selected colors and textures to support recognition, communication, and growth. These features, paired with state-of-the-art therapy and learning spaces, ensure that the building itself becomes a tool for student engagement.


“We are beyond excited to welcome Carter students to this new, upgraded school building,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “Students thrive when they are supported with learning spaces that respond directly to their needs. I am thankful to Superintendent Skipper, our partners at the MSBA, City departments, and Carter community members for their collaboration as we work to create a space where every student can thrive.”


“The Carter School is a one-of-a-kind educational facility that will set a new standard for inclusive, high-quality learning, with every aspect crafted to support the unique needs of our students with multiple disabilities,” said Superintendent Mary Skipper. "In collaboration with the City of Boston, Boston Public Schools has combined innovative programming with thoughtful, research-driven design to ensure we are delivering accessible and transformative learning experiences that remove barriers and empower our students to achieve their goals beyond the classroom."


"The Carter School’s dedicated and skilled staff has always made an extraordinary difference in the lives of their students,” said State Treasurer and Chair of the Massachusetts School Building Authority, Deborah B. Goldberg. "We are thrilled to have partnered with the City of Boston, ensuring that this amazing new building matches the talented staff in creating an environment of inclusive learning and growth for the kids and their families."


“The Carter School demonstrates how innovative construction can transform education,” said Executive Director of the Public Facilities Department, Carleton Jones. “Every element was designed to meet the unique needs of Carter students, setting a global example of what’s possible when we build schools around every learner.”


“With the opening of the new Carter School, Mayor Wu and BPS have affirmed their commitment to Boston’s students with disabilities,” said Boston Disability Commissioner Kristen McCosh. “This one-of-a-kind, purpose-built school provides state of the art infrastructure, programming, and learning opportunities for disabled students with the most complex needs. The Carter School integrates specialized expertise and individualized instruction to ensure that every BPS student with a disability can thrive.”


“Our new building is already showing what’s possible when we center decisions and planning around our students with the highest needs and focus on their access to learning,” said Mark O’Connor, Principal of the Carter School. “Every detail of its research-based design is helping our students engage more fully, opening the door to richer programming, and giving them more meaningful learning time each day. Because the design team ensured our team and community were part of the journey at every step, we now have a school that truly reflects our students’ strengths, learning supports our team's expectations, and our community’s limitless potential.”


The Carter School project builds on Mayor Wu’s work to ensure that Boston is a home for everyone. Additionally, the school project is on its way toward achieving LEED Gold certification, a sustainability certification that recognizes buildings designed and built to high standards of energy efficiency, environmental responsibility, and healthy indoor spaces. The new building was designed by Perkins&Will. LiRo-Hill served as the owner’s project manager and Bond Building Construction served as the construction manager. Boston Public Schools Capital Planning Department and City of Boston Public Facilities Department also helped lead the project to completion.

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