EHPS Celebrates Opening of New Conference Center and District’s 10th School-Based Health Center
East Hartford Public Schools (EHPS) proudly celebrated the official ribbon-cutting ceremony and grand opening of a newly renovated and repurposed facility that will serve as a hub for both educator development and student wellness. The building, located on the campus of Norris Elementary School, houses the district’s Professional Conference Center and its 10th school-based health center in partnership with InterCommunity Health Care.
District and InterCommunity Health Care leaders, educators, local and state officials, and community members gathered for the ribbon-cutting celebration on August 11, which included remarks from EHPS Superintendent Thomas Anderson, East Hartford Mayor Connor Martin, State Sen. Saud Anwar, State Rep. Patrick Biggins and InterCommunity Health Care President & CEO Kimberly L. Beauregard.
The new centers are located at the site of the former North End Senior Center, which was built in 1949. The building operated as a senior center until the early 2000s and was then used as a meeting space and storage facility. The Town and EHPS made an agreement last year to repurpose the space.
“East Hartford Public Schools is excited and proud to expand district professional learning and student services without the costs of building a new facility or renting space. Our strong partnership with the town allowed for this tremendous opportunity. The two new centers bring new life to this building, deeply impacting our educators, student and community as a whole,” said EHPS Superintendent Thomas Anderson.
East Hartford Mayor Connor Martin said, “The Town of East Hartford is proud of this exciting partnership with the Board of Education and InterCommunity Health Care that brought new life and purpose to the former North End Senior Center. This achievement is another testament to the hard work and dedication of our community partnerships to serve our families in a meaningful way by increasing access to our valuable resources and services.”
The EHPS Professional Conference Center will serve as a central hub for professional development, educator training, instructional innovation and collaboration across the district. It’s a dedicated space for educators to grow and refine their professional practice, without utilizing school spaces and causing potential disruptions to school environments.
The Norris School-Based Health Center is East Hartford’s 10th school-based health center in partnership with InterCommunity Health Care. These centers provide primary care and behavioral health services beyond the scope of the school nurse. With a signed parental permission form, students can receive complete health care services during school hours, including diagnoses and treatment of minor injuries and illnesses, physical examinations, immunizations, individual and family counseling and crisis intervention.
“Expanding our School-Based Health Center program to Norris Elementary is a meaningful step toward ensuring every child has access to compassionate, high-quality health care—right where they learn,” said Kimberly L. Beauregard, President & CEO of InterCommunity Health Care. “Currently, more than 2,100 students are enrolled in our School-Based Health Centers, and in 2024–2025, we delivered over 23,000 behavioral health and physical health services. This program is about more than treatment—it’s about connection, prevention, and supporting the whole child. By reducing time away from class and removing barriers for families, we’re promoting lifelong wellness from an early age. At InterCommunity, our mission is to inspire hope and promote whole-person health—and we’re proud to continue that mission by meeting children and families where they are, with care they can trust.”
District leaders and educators began utilizing the professional learning space last winter as renovations continued in the other half of the building. The Norris Elementary School-Based Health Center will begin offering its services with the start of the 2025-2026 school year.