Fitchburg, MA (March 22, 2026)

Dignitaries recently celebrated the launch of the Fitchburg Public Schools Welcome Center, designed to connect Fitchburg families with the information and support they need to be quickly and warmly embraced by the community.

The Welcome Center is a one-stop hub for Fitchburg Public School enrollment, transportation, family engagement and local resources for Fitchburg Public School families. Fitchburg Public Schools, Fitchburg State University, and Workers Credit Union collaborated to bring the project to fruition. The center is on Main Street in downtown Fitchburg across from City Hall.

“Today’s ribbon-cutting marks more than an opening of a building. It represents our collective commitment to ensuring every family feels seen, valued and supported from the moment they walk through our doors,” said Superintendent Jonathan Thompson.

“Fitchburg has been a place that accepts everybody,” said state Rep. Michael Kushmerek, as he presented a signed certificate on behalf of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. “We accept you for who you are. We meet you in your moment, and we tell you that you have a future here in this city.”

The Welcome Center houses Fitchburg Public Schools’ existing Enrollment Team, Transportation Team and Family and Community Engagement staff, and serves as a centralized space for professional collaboration and support for school-based family liaisons.

The Welcome Center aligns with the district’s strategic plan, which prioritizes engaging with and valuing all families and partners to build strong partnerships that foster trust and a shared desire for student success.

The center physically solidified the partnership between Fitchburg Public Schools and Fitchburg State University, which last fall announced a “direct admissions” program, The Fitchburg Promise.

“We want every family who walks through the doors of the Welcome Center to feel that their child’s journey doesn’t end at high school graduation. We want them to see the world of opportunity that awaits right up the street at the university,” said Fitchburg State University President Donna Hodge.

Starting this fall, the program guarantees any Fitchburg high school student who maintains a 2.25 GPA and resides in Fitchburg will be guaranteed admission to Fitchburg State and may attend tuition and fee-free, so long as they remain in good standing.

Workers Credit Union’s repurposing of the Main Street building, previously the WCU headquarters located next to its current Fitchburg branch, honors its commitment to Fitchburg, where it was founded more than 110 years ago.

“We’ve always been here and we will always be here to help people lift themselves up and empower them to a brighter future,” said Jay Champion,CEO and president of Workers Credit Union.

WCU’s strong relationships with its community partners, Fitchburg Public Schools and Fitchburg State University, reflect the credit union’s core purpose of enabling strong finances, with education serving as a powerful pathway to make that possible.

Beth Walsh — the director of Constituent Services for state Sen. John Cronin — presented a State Senate citation on behalf of Senator Cronin, who was unable to attend the ceremony.

“This is an amazing space that not only welcomes people to the Fitchburg public schools, but to the entire community,” Walsh noted.

The event also included a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tours of the newly reimagined facility.

Article published by Nashoba Valley Voice, March 22, 2026.