MANCHESTER – Thanks to an agreement with New England College, Manchester School District will open a new Welcome Center in the center of the city this fall, at historic French Hall.
The District unveiled plans for the Welcome Center at Monday night’s Board of School Committee meeting, drawing the board’s full support. When up and running, the Welcome Center will operate year round and serve as a hub for all things related to the school district. Families will be able to visit the Welcome Center for help with registration, technical support, connect to community partners, and more. Superintendent Jennifer Chmiel Gillis said the Welcome Center is the realization of a dream and a lot of hard work.
“This has long been a goal, and thanks to a smaller-scale welcome center created at Central High, we have been able to see how great an impact a space like this can have,” Gillis said. “By positioning key resources and supports in this welcoming space, we will strengthen partnerships with our families and help ensure that our students can thrive. We are incredibly grateful to NEC for this partnership and thankful to our team for the work they have put in. We can’t wait to get this up and running and welcome the community.”
French Hall at 148 Concord St. is now owned by New England College, and previously the home of the New Hampshire Institute of Art. With the merger of those schools, many arts programs have shifted to NEC’s main campus, but the building’s artistic legacy continues with Art at French community programs. This new partnership will allow the building to continue to support arts and education in the city.
“French Hall has been a cultural landmark for over a century. Emma Blood French’s original vision was that the building be used to advance the arts and education in Manchester,” said Dr. Wayne F. Lesperance Jr., President of New England College. “In addition to our Art at French community programs, NEC is thrilled to partner with MSD to provide Manchester students and families with a hub that will better connect them with the community and better facilitate their education.”
In addition to the resources that will be housed at French Hall, the district will also strengthen ties to the local arts community by stationing its new Fine Arts Director, Ed Doyle, at the new Welcome Center. NEC already hosts Art at French, a full program of low- or no-cost art education and cultural activities for the greater Manchester community. Art at French provides artists, art students and art enthusiasts with valuable opportunities to explore different mediums, enhance their skills and enjoy exhibitions by local and regional artists.
“NEC has many talented working artists who are as passionate about educating others about art as they are about making art,” explained Darryl Furtkamp, Dean of the Institute of Art and Design at New England College. “Art at French gives these artists and the Manchester community a place to come together to create a vibrant and inclusive cultural and learning environment. I am thrilled about this partnership with the Manchester School District and am especially excited that their fine arts director will have their office in French Hall.”