The Calais School is excited to unveil a new, modernized logo. Behind this redesign is the idea that Calais is more than just a school — it is an empowering community where students and young adults with multiple learning disabilities can exceed their possibilities.

Our administration worked closely with a professional design team to create a design that truly captures the connectivity, social engagement, community, and friendship fostered at Calais. The uppercase “C” from the old logo was kept as a reminder of Calais’ beginnings and of the foundation of compassion and commitment on which The Calais School was established over 50 years ago.

In the upper-right, several layers of meaning are encompassed in one simple yet powerful symbol: the globe. One of these meanings is that of Calais’ mission to nurture and empower at-risk students and young adults with multiple learning disabilities to become gainfully employed and socially engaged. By providing real-world, community-based experiences and career exploration opportunities, we equip our students to step into a world of possibilities upon leaving Calais. 

The laptop in the bottom-left reflects Calais’ “commitment to giving our students the tools and technology they need to succeed… [as well as] Calais’ innovation and cutting edge methodologies on both the academic and therapeutic fronts.” shares Principal John Cohrs. In terms of technology, this commitment has recently sparked a major upgrade; all of our classrooms are now equipped with interactive whiteboards, tablets, and a Chromebook for every student. 

The fourth and final icon of two children giving each other a high five was selected for a few reasons. From an emotional standpoint the image evokes feelings of happiness, joy, social interaction and friendship – all of which are a key part of Calais’ culture. Many of our students struggle with confidence and self esteem as a result of some of the challenges and struggles they experience due to their disabilities. There are also students that come to Calais with  trauma from bullying. With that in mind a design element was selected to represent the emphasis placed on helping our students to self-regulate their emotions, build self-esteem and make thoughtful decisions about their behavior as well as academic, social and emotional choices. Calais students are encouraged to be kind to one another and thoughtful in how they interact with one another.  

To learn more about The Calais School’s culture and supports, check out our counseling and related services.