Congratulations, Boston Educators of the Year!

Fifteen remarkable educators were honored this week as the 2008 Boston Educators of the Year. Mayor Thomas M. Menino, School Committee Chair Elizabeth Reilinger, Superintendent Carol R. Johnson and Boston Teachers Union President paid tribute to these outstanding educators in a ceremony at the Taj Hotel, along with the honorees' families, friends, colleagues and students. Four other BPS employees also were honored at the ceremony with Service Excellence Awards.

Keyla Veloz wins Payzant Scholarship

Keyla Veloz, a recent graduate of Boston Community Leadership Academy, has been awarded the Dr. Thomas W. Payzant Public Service in Education Scholarship. The $2,000 prize, named in honor of the former Superintendent, is awarded annually to a student graduating from a Boston public high school with a record of academic progress who has made significant contributions to improving education. Keyla, who will attend Emmanuel College next year, has been teaching in the after-school program at the Gardner Pilot Academy. Pictured here, School Committee Chair Elizabeth Reilinger (left) and Superintendent Carol R. Johnson (right) present Keyla with a citation.

Harvard-Kent welcomes Dr. Johnson to a "Tea Party"

The Harvard-Kent Elementary School recently hosted a "Boston Art Tea Party" to acknowledge Superintendent Carol Johnson’s continued recognition of the importance of the arts in the Boston Public Schools. Over tea and scones, Dr. Johnson discussed the importance of art with students and teachers, and accepted a framed drawing, "Two Pears Stil Life," from Sophia Liu, a Grade 5 student. Student artwork from teacher Patricia Wilson's Grade 5 class is now on display in the Superintendent's Gallery. Pictured here (left to right) are Ms. Wilson; Sophia's mother, Ms. Liu; Sophia; Dr. Johnson; and Richard Martin, principal of the Harvard-Kent.

Mayor's School Awards honor top students

Nearly 300 Boston Public Schools students were honored with Mayor's School Awards in six ceremonies held recently at Faneuil Hall. Every school in the district was invited to select an academic award winner and a school spirit winner. This is the 24th consecutive year that Mayor Thomas M. Menino has hosted a school awards program, a tradition he began in 1985 when he was a district City Councilor. Pictured here from the Tobin K-8 school are, left to right, Evelyn Perez Landron (school spirit award), principal Cheryl Watson-Harris, and Pedro Pitre (academic award). The complete list of winners is posted on the BPS website.

Blackstone students get lessons in dentistry

Third grade students at the Blackstone Elementary School, including Valeria Alvarez (left) and Angie Carmen, became "Dentists for a Day" through a partnership with the Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine. Learn more at Science Metropolis.

All-City Baseball Classic tomorrow

If the rain holds off, the all-stars from Boston public high school baseball teams will take to the field tomorrow at historic Fenway Park for the 6th Annual All-City Baseball Classic. The game begins at 3:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Enter at Gate D and take your pick of great seats behind home plate and the dugouts. Students will be honored with scholar/athlete and sportsmanship awards. Check this blog in the morning for news about the weather.

UPDATE: As of 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, the game is still on!

Edutopia profiles visually-impaired BLS musician

Edutopia features a video about Boston Latin School student Albano Berberi, who is visually impaired but excels in academics, violin, and video gaming with help from assistive technology.

Harvard welcomes Conant Fellows

The Harvard Graduate School of Education has selected four Boston Public Schools educators as James Bryant Conant Fellows for the upcoming school year. The fellowship is named in honored of a former President of Harvard University. Every year, educators from the Boston and Cambridge Public Schools are awarded fellowships to earn full tuition scholarships during their one-year leave of absence from the district while pursuing advanced degrees.

Pictured here in a ceremony on campus yesterday, left to right, are Patricia Lampron, Murphy K-8 School; Eugene Roundtree, Madison Park Technical-Vocational High School; and Jalene Tamerat, Quincy Upper School. Not pictured is Kathryn Meyer, Hernandez K-8 School.

BDEA alum meets filmmaker Ken Burns

Kafre Nurse (right), a 2007 graduate of Boston Day and Evening Academy (BDEA), recently met Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker Ken Burns. A professor at Bunker Hill Community College, where Kafre was enrolled this year, introduced the two as Kafre prepares to transfer to Mr. Burns' alma mater, Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts. Kafre, who will enter the James Baldwin Scholars Program at Hampshire College in the fall, returned to BDEA to address members of the Class of 2008 at the school's graduation ceremony last night.

Schools raise money and have fun at the Nike 5K

Hundreds of Boston students, families and teachers participated in the second annual Nike 5K for Kids run/walk last Saturday at Franklin Park. Runners and walkers of all ages completed the 5K course and the 1-mile “Let Me Play” walk/run.

For the second year in a row, the Dearborn Middle School in Roxbury earned recognition for fielding more participants and raising more money than any other school. With 57 runners, the Dearborn raised $1,140 to support physical education programming at the school. Six other Boston Public Schools were among the top ten: Haley Elementary School; Fenway High School; Otis Elementary School; Irving Middle School; Roosevelt Elementary School; and Lee Elementary School.

Student volunteers from Boston International High School (BIHS) provided support at the event handing out water along the route and giving out medals and prize packs at the finish line. Pictured here, BIHS students take a break from their volunteer duties to pose with their teachers who completed the 5K.

Meet the Boston University Scholars, Class of 2012

Forty graduates from 13 Boston public high schools have been awarded four-year, full-tuition college scholarships through the Boston University Boston High School Scholarship Program.

BTR a national finalist for innovation award

The Ash Institute at the Kennedy School of Government has selected the Boston Teacher Residency (BTR) program as one of 15 national finalists for the Innovations in American Government Award. The district's teacher preparation program, a partnership between the Boston Public Schools and the Boston Plan for Excellence, had been named one of 50 finalists for the prize in April. A national selection committee will review the finalists and award $100,000 to each of six winners in September. BTR's innovative approach also has been recognized by Edutopia magazine and the Massachusetts Board of Education.

Elementary students enjoy Special Olympics at White Stadium

Nearly 500 students from 20 Boston public elementary schools participated today in the Special Olympics at White Stadium. The athletes included students with disabilities from special education programs as well as children from inclusion classrooms in early education centers. Pictured here, left to right, are Christopher Brum, special education teacher at the Richard J. Murphy K-8 school; Jeron Perez of Dorchester, third grade student at the Murphy; and Carolyn Riley, Senior Director of Unified Student Services, Boston Public Schools. See coverage on New England Cable News.

SBEC students honor veterans on Memorial Day

More than 40 Army JROTC cadets from the South Boston Education Complex spent Memorial Day helping members of the Saunders American Legion Post and the Fitzgerald VFW Post place over 1,100 flags on the graves of South Boston veterans at area cemeteries. This was their 11th consecutive year helping with this task. Cadets from the battalion also participated in other Memorial Day activities, including the Town of Rockland parade, the annual Dorchester Heights ceremony and several rededication ceremonies at squares in South Boston. Pictured here, left to right, Houng Nguyen, Yen Nguyen and John Gregorio place a flag at the headstone of a South Boston veteran.