Friday, August 29, 2008

Come to the Back-to-School Jamboree!

More than 2,000 Boston Public Schools students, families and staff will gather on City Hall Plaza tomorrow for the first Back-to-School Jamboree! The free event takes place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and features fun and informative activities for the whole family. The first 1,500 BPS students to arrive will receive a free backpack filled with school supplies. Enjoy face painting, health screening, family fitness, and much more.

Boston Magazine commends BPS high schools

Congratulations to 14 Boston Public Schools included in Boston Magazine's list of the 141 best public high schools in the area, ranked both for academic performance and cost efficiency:
  • Boston International High School
  • Boston Latin Academy
  • Boston Latin School
  • Brighton High School
  • Jeremiah E. Burke High School
  • Charlestown High School
  • Community Academy
  • East Boston High School
  • Excel High School
  • Fenway High School
  • Monument High School
  • New Mission High School
  • Odyssey High School
  • Snowden International School

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Boston Schoolyard Intiative earns national attention


Officials from cities across the country visited Boston recently to tour our unique outdoor classrooms: the schoolyards refurbished through the Boston Schoolyard Initiative. Since 1995, the program has helped reconstruct 71 schoolyards, with plans to invest in at least 16 more over the next two years. The Christian Science Monitor highlighted the initiative in a recent feature story, touting Boston as a national model for schoolyard design and construction. Pictured here, Isiah Davis (left) and Giovany Perez enjoy the refurbished schoolyard at John P. Holland Elementary School and Community Center (Photo by Ann Hermes for the Christian Science Monitor).

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Shop at Whole Foods on August 20 to support kindergarten!


On Wednesday, August 20, the three Whole Foods Markets located in Boston will donate 5% of all net sales to Countdown to Kindergarten. Shop at the Whole Foods at 15 Westland Avenue (near Symphony Hall), 181 Cambridge Street (near Mass. General Hospital), or 15 Washington Street (Brighton), and a portion of your spending will support Countdown to Kindergarten's work to help families and students make a successful transition to kindergarten!

Boston principals gather for August Institute

The 143 principals and headmasters of the Boston Public Schools are gathered this week for professional development at the annual August Institute, held this year at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. Superintendent Johnson addressed the group this morning, reflecting on her first year in Boston and outlining goals for the year ahead. For the first time this year, school leaders were joined by other members of their administrative team and some teacher leaders. During the spring and summer, Dr. Johnson announced the appointment of new principals and headmasters in 27 Boston Public Schools.

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Financial aid workshops for BPS graduates

The City of Boston and Boston Public Schools, in partnership with the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA), are hosting two workshops for BPS families and students about financial aid for college. Details about the forums (to be held on August 11 and 18) are posted on the district's new web page, "Paying for College," which includes a variety of resources about financing higher education. The workshops will include opportunities for participants to have personalized assistance from counselors about financial aid options.