By Audrey Anderson
Hometown Weekly Reporter
The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Walpole Middle School was held on Wednesday, October 30, at the entrance to the new school. An excited crowd watched as the ceremonies were opened by an eighth-grade student who lead the Pledge of Allegiance. The national anthem was then sung meaningfully by student Emma Fleming.
Dr. Bridget Gough, Walpole’s Superintendent of Schools, welcomed everyone to the ceremony and reflected on the up-to-date features incorporated in the new light-filled, accessible school building. Dr. Grough then introduced Mark Breen, WMS Building Committee Chair, William Buckley, School Committee Chair, Mary Pichette, MSBA Executive Director, James O’Neil, Select Board Chair, and Carrie Ruggiero, WMS Principal. The speakers spoke of the challenges and successes they encountered in working to bring the new school from a concept to the modern, accessible, all-electric building of today. They also thanked everyone who played a role in bringing the school to completion.
The local dignitaries gathered behind the wide red ribbon spanning the entrance to the building. Dr. Gough cut the ribbon, and the crowd smiled and applauded the group.
After the opening ceremony was completed, eighth-grade student leaders, dressed in orange t-shirts, lead groups of the public through the three floors of the school. The tour started in the modern cafeteria with low and high-top tables, circle lighting, and a wall of windows from which natural light poured in. From the cafeteria, the group walked to the brightly decorated auditorium with plenty of seats for the many plays, concerts, ceremonies, recitals, and other events to come. The tour then continued upstairs to the seventh- and eighth-grade floors, stopping at the media center, tech, art, and science classrooms, and the regular and adaptability gyms. The school’s expansive athletic fields were almost completed.
Each grade has its own floor, which is then divided into green, blue, and orange sections. Students mainly stay in their assigned color section for their classes, although they do attend some specialty classes, such as tech and language, in other sections of the floor. Each section is decorated with murals featuring the section’s color. The green sections are associated with the forest, the blue sections feature water themes, and orange sections reflect the warm energy of the sun.
The new Walpole Middle School is a building that is well-planned for preparing its students for the world of tomorrow, while keeping them comfortable, supported, and socially connected as they learn.
