French Hall, the site of the Manchester School District’s new Welcome Center, will be filled with the sounds of families, performances and student productions soon enough. On Thursday, however, the halls reverberated with the gentle tappings of a hammer. Ed Doyle, director of fine arts for the district and director of the Central High School Band, was busy hanging works by artists of all ages in corridors and stairways.
Not quite the same as overseeing a performance of ‘Pictures at an Exhibition,’ but Doyle placed every piece with a smile. “It’s an honor to be able to work here, help students in the center of town and have their work displayed,” Doyle said. “I’m also really excited for the performance opportunities in this building.
“I think the possibilities are endless.” The city’s new Welcome Center officially debuted last week, hosting a school board retreat and Superintendent of Schools Jennifer Chmiel’s annual State of the Manchester School District speech. The purpose of the year-round hub for community engagement is to make all aspects of education more effective and accessible for students and to help them thrive academically, physically, socially and emotionally, offering one-stop shopping where “families can go and know we want their children in our district,” Chmiel said.
“Excited isn’t even a word I can use,” said Chmiel. “I just can’t believe we’re here. The team that helped me build this, I will forever be indebted to the.