Classrooms get a Facelift

Cushing students ushered in the new school year with vast improvements to their learning space.

The efforts to update classrooms within the Dr. Leonard Florence Education Building began with the installation of all new windows. Then, the rooms were gutted, old radiators and heating pipes were pulled out, and all new heating systems were installed. The facilities team replastered and repainted the walls, and installed new flooring and lighting. They also removed closets and chalkboards and added efficient built-in storage, new furniture, and updated SMART Boards.

The building supports students ages 6-22, and class size ranges from five to seven students.

“Our newly renovated classrooms now match the innovative instruction happening with our students,” said Cushing President and CEO Michelle Markowitz. “There was a lot of effort into updating the Dr. Leonard Florence Education Building. We wanted bright, clean learning space as well as incorporating sensory-friendly elements, including soft, dimmable lighting, calming color palettes, and new flooring to absorb noise.”

“Now we can actually adjust the settings with the lighting, and it’s not all the harsh, fluorescent lights,” said Meghan Campia, Cushing’s Vice President of Student Services. “There’s more sensory-integration now, just naturally. It’s been a morale booster and something exciting and fresh to come into each day.”

The project was supported by a $50,000 donation from the Yawkey Foundation. In the grant application, Cushing stressed that the classrooms are where important foundational work is happening and that the rooms needed modern upgrades and repairs.

The redesign of the classrooms is better meeting the sensory needs of the students, supporting the teaching staff, and incorporating more advanced technology to assist with learning. Technologies with visual supports allow individuals with intellectual disabilities to better communicate and express their needs. In addition to the new SMART Boards, students also have access to their own personal learning devices, as well as the latest apps and software to make things as accessible as possible for them.

Ten of the 12 classrooms slated to be renovated have been completed so far.