Applewild School Breaks Ground on State-of-the-Art Athletic and Wellness Center for Preschool, Elementary, and Middle School Students

Fitchburg, MA – August 26,2024 – Applewild School is thrilled to announce the groundbreaking of a new 50,000 square foot Athletic and Wellness Center designed to serve students 18 months through the ninth grade from 25 local towns as well as several states and countries. “We are committed to fostering a love for physical activity and promoting wellness among our young students,” said Will Aubuchon, President of the Board of Trustees. 

The new Applewild Athletic and Wellness Center will include:

• A 6-lane competition-sized swimming pool for swim lessons and training
• Two full-sized basketball courts suitable for practice, games, and tournaments
• Squash courts for individual and team play
• A dedicated yoga and dance studio for mindfulness, flexibility, and creative movement
• A state-of-the-art strength and conditioning area equipped with the latest in fitness technology
• A spacious student center with communal spaces for student socialization

The new center is a key component of Applewild’s mission to promote excellence in academics, arts, and athletics. All students — from 18 months though the ninth grade — participate in daily physical activity and exercise. “Our interscholastic sports program already includes lacrosse, soccer, basketball, XC, field hockey, yoga, and ultimate frisbee, and the new facility means we will also offer fencing, squash, dance, volleyball, water polo, swim team, and futsal. The School’s mission includes a specific focus on excellence in academics, arts, and athletics so these premier facilities will allow students to learn new skills and pursue athletic excellence” said Amy Jolly, Head of School. 

The facility is designed by Dan Quaile of Lincoln Architects who shared “This facility unifies Applewild’s beautiful campus while creating the educational context for world class middle school athletics.” Applewild is a 501c-3 non-profit and receives no government funding so operations are entirely funded by tuition revenue and philanthropy. As such, ambitious and transformative projects like this are necessarily funded through the generosity of our donors. This project has been fully funded by a small group of visionary philanthropists and generations of local children will benefit from their civic-mindedness. Construction of the Applewild Athletic & Wellness Center is expected to be completed in 2025.  

About Applewild School:

Founded in 1957, Applewild School serves toddlers through the ninth grade on our flagship 28-acre campus in Fitchburg. Students in grades four through nine may be day or residential. The school also serves toddlers through pre-kindergarten at a satellite location in Devens. Applewild prepares students to be ready to matriculate to the most selective secondary schools. We believe in the future, and we strongly hold that a child’s ultimate trajectory is set during the ages 18-months to fourteen years old. As such, we offer a robust curriculum that offers excellence in academics, arts, and athletics. 

For more information, please contact:

Lori Saafi
Director of Marketing and Communications
[email protected]

978-342-6053

https://www.applewild.org/

 Photo of groundbreaking:

William E. Aubuchon IV, Applewild Board of Trustees President; Amy Jolly, Applewild Head of School; Sam Squailia, Fitchburg Mayor; members of the Applewild Board of Trustees; and representatives of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce

Image of Applewild Athletic and Wellness Center: