Posted by Tanya Arja on 11/27/2023 1:16:00 PM
For Immediate Release
Contact: Tanya Arja
Hillsborough County Public Schools
Office of Communications
813-272-4060
Tampa, Fl. (November 27, 2023) – Hillsborough County Public Schools is excited to officially open the new Dorothy Thomas Exceptional Center – a beautiful new facility that the builders and designers took meticulous time and detail to ensure student success.
Dorothy Thomas Exceptional Center was first opened in 1974. District leaders made the decision to modernize the school to better serve the student population. The design is the first-of-its-kind in the state and now a model for future Exceptional Student Centers in the district and across Florida.
Students have been learning in the new building since school began in August. On Tuesday, November 28, at 10 a.m., leaders with Hillsborough County Public Schools will host media for a ribbon-cutting and tour of the new facility.
The goal of the new design was to provide a space that meets the needs of students who learn best in a supportive and safe environment, free of auditory and visual distractions. The school’s principal, ESE Specialist, and teachers were instrumental in the design of the school, sharing what would best help students thrive with the architect.
The school is located at 3215 Nundy Rd, in Tampa. Media representatives will be able to tour the facility including the Family Consumer Science classroom where students will be baking and a classroom space that has color-changing lighting.
The design is organized as wings connected through ‘sensorial nodes”, with special lighting and texture that helps sooth and calm students. On the west side, the new building is angled to follow the canopy of the existing trees. On the east side, the design is organized around a U-shaped courtyard with a sensory garden embracing additional existing trees, but also creating a safe zone for students.