Stillwater Academy has a new location that aligns with its mission – to enable student success.
Stillwater Academy is a private, special-purpose school providing educational and day treatment services to students ages 5 to 20. Academy provides programming and support services for students whose success in public schools has been impacted by developmental, behavioral, social, and emotional challenges, including children on the autism spectrum. The school is licensed by the Maine Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services and is operated by Community Health and Counseling Services.
Formerly located in nearby Brewer, the school had outgrown its leased facility and needed more customized space. Their client’s wish list included dedicated space for physical therapy, rooms for single-student and small-group instruction, onsite kitchen/laundry, conference room, and classrooms large enough to accommodate one-on-one staff and mobility assistance devices. The new location also needed to be centrally located and accessible, as Stillwater Academy students are referred by public schools in three counties.
WBRC worked with the client to assess possible locations. The solution came at a property that had served area children for a generation, the former Great Skates facility. Located off I-95 in Bangor, the vacant building was customized for Stillwater Academy by developer/builder Ellis Commercial.
The original building was 22,550 SF and was expanded 6,000 SF as part of the renovation, with 12,000 SF reserved for Stillwater Academy. The school fitout leverages the former rink’s shape, incorporating an oval central corridor. This created a logical traffic flow from the entrance to administration, support areas, classrooms, and back to administration. The corridor includes a carpet pattern that curves around four corners, serving as a subtle homage to the former Great Skates. The corridor also includes a large world map and aquarium graphic, donated by the developer.
Careful space planning combined with pleasing finishes to create a learning environment that is both energizing and therapeutic. The new space opened to rave reviews by Stillwater Academy’s administrators, teachers, ed techs, case managers, therapists, and most importantly, students and their parents.