Willie Ross School, Bay Path Cut Ribbon for New Early-education Space

LONGMEADOW — Willie Ross School for the Deaf (WRSD) and Bay Path University held a joint ribbon cutting on Dec. 17 for newly developed early-education classroom space being created for Willie Ross on the Bay Path campus.

The event celebrated the collaboration between the university and WRSD as it addresses the need for more early-education space. The space is located on the first floor of Theinert Hall, a multi-use residence hall on campus.

Bay Path University President Sandra Doran; WRSD President and CEO Bert Carter; Ruth Lahti, dean of School of Education, Psychology and Humanities at Bay Path; Erika Kaftan, WRSD Education director; George Balsley II, chair of WRSD’s board of trustees; and Wayne Webster, vice chair of the Bay Path board offered remarks during the ribbon-cutting event. Bay Path University and WRSD faculty, staff, and board members were also in attendance, along with families served by WRSD.

The space developed in Bay Path’s Theinert Hall features approximately 7,500 square feet with four classrooms and several support rooms for students and staff. The process of transforming the space involved the demolition of first-floor dormitory rooms and bathrooms and the reconstruction of bathrooms and classrooms, along with the installation of required HVAC equipment, ceiling and lighting fixtures, and safety systems to meet current code requirements.

The new space on the Bay Path campus will enable Willie Ross to serve an additional 20 students as the school has experienced a growing Early Childhood program. The classrooms will also provide opportunities for hands-on experience for Bay Path University students.

“Our school is thrilled to join in this collaboration with Bay Path University,” Carter said. “As our early-education services have grown, and with our Longmeadow campus at maximum capacity for early-education classrooms, we looked for additional off-campus space to serve our students. Bay Path’s location near our own campus and willingness to envision how our program could serve their students creates a great marriage that will serve both of our institutions and our students.”

Added Doran, “at Bay Path, partnerships like this one are at the heart of who we are and what we do. We are proud to offer our resources and expertise to support the vital early-education work of Willie Ross School for the Deaf. Collaborations like these not only benefit our students by providing hands-on learning opportunities, but also strengthen our community. From early education to corporate and nonprofit lifelong learning, Bay Path has so much to offer, and we are always delighted to work with organizations that share our mission of empowering learners at every stage of life.”

Immediately after the ribbon-cutting event, Bay Path University held its annual holiday party for employees, featuring a long-standing tradition of presenting a local nonprofit organization with contributions from the university community. This year, in celebration of its new partnership, Bay Path selected Willie Ross School for the Deaf.