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Date: 3/8/2022
HOLYOKE – The Curtis Blake Day School officially reopened in their new location of 1913 Northampton St. on Feb. 28. Previously located in Springfield, the school was able to avoid permanent closure by partnering with the Positive Regard Network.
Curtis Blake is a private special education school serving the needs of language-learning disabled students. The school currently serves grades 1-9, but has plans to expand to grade 12.
The school originally opened in 1981 at American International College, but closed in 2018. It then moved to Children’s Study Home where it stayed until its recent closure.
According to Chris Duff, director of program operations of Center School, when Positive Regard Network found out about this closure they knew they needed to take action.
“We saw the news article that they were going to close and I called my boss and said, ‘This is crazy. They can’t close a school in the middle of the year. What are the kids going to do? What are parents going to do? What happens to a group of kids like this if they just close?’ So we asked to become involved and be able to meet with parents and school districts and let them know what we had to offer,” said Duff.
The network then met with Curtis Blake employees who felt like the Positive Regard Network would be a good fit for the school. Many existing staff moved to the new space and a majority of the students returned as well, according to Duff.
The new location offers Curtis Blake students small group, specialized instruction with staff who are experts in the field.
Duff said that this reopening was critical to students and their needs.
“It was so important for us. Kids that land in programs like Curtis Blake or like Center School, they land with us for a reason. Public school districts are really, really good at their job, at what they do, which is 97 or 98 percent of the kids that might attend the public school. But when kids have severe needs, they require a specialized program,” he said. “School should feel like a second home and when kids get there they should feel comfortable and safe and their needs are being met.”
The school is accepting new students on a rolling basis. Duff said that he is especially excited about the location.
“I’m excited for Curtis Blake in this location. This building at 1913 Northampton St. is a great school. You’ve got an outdoor playground, you’ve got a pool, so along with the very specialized academic instruction comes really a model that really serves the whole student,” he said.
He looks forward to the opportunity for growth and the future of the school and its students.
“In partnership with us, kids are getting clinical services that they need, speech services that they need, social integration through creative things like our agriculture program, our biking program, sewing club, all of the things that really supplement the day in a way for these kids to increase their social integration, communication and confidence,” said Duff.