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Mattapan could finally get a high school
By adamg on Thu, 05/03/2012 - 9:44am
The Dorchester Reporter reports Boston Public Schools are planning to add grades 9-12 to the Mildred Avenue Middle School and re-name it the Mildred Avenue Leadership Academy.
Officials say the five-year "innovation school" plan could help reform the school, which has low MCAS scores and frequent visits from the police.
City Councilor Charles Yancey (Dorchester) has long pushed for a high school in Mattapan, although he wants a brand-new sparkly building built on the grounds of the old state hospital and snarls whenever he can about the Quincy Upper School in Bay Village, because it's in an old building.
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Comments
Why?
What's the point, we still have bussing!
This makes the transition
This makes the transition away from busing easier. It's hard to move back to a neighborhood schools model without neighborhood school buildings. Of course the city is to blame for selling off or tearing down about 75 BPS buildings since busing starting.
Just trying to figure out why
adding a high school to an underperforming middle school will improve things?
Lots of money and resources will get thrown its way
That's what the "innovation school" designation does. And a new principal is being brought in as a sort of turnaround specialist. Also means a longer school day, at least up until the point BPS and the teachers' union make that part of the contract for all teachers in all schools.
I was at some City Council hearing recently where John Connolly praised the work that's going on in these schools now worried that with the drying up of certain federal funds, all the good work would just disappear.
How about just expecting the name "school" ...
...to convey the concepts of leadership? Why do we need to give catchy, trendy, always changing names? Constant changes eliminate ties of past attendees who someday could be tapped as donors and supporters.
So now you'll have middle
So now you'll have middle school girls surrounded by high school boys? That's a great idea.
Hey, it works at the exam schools
And presumably the Quincy.
There are ways to minimize contact between the different grades.
Does it?
Without being snooty about it, it could be pointed out that student behaviour at the exam schools is certainly a bit more 'sedate' than BPS average. And yet they still segregate the classes pretty severely at all three.
I have a daughter going to BLS next year, and although I am proud of her and excited by the academic opportunities she'll have because of the placement, I've always thought that the six year exam school tradition in Boston was archaic and a poor fit for modern culture in general and the Boston school system in particular.
Do they, though?
Do they really segregate the classes "pretty severely"? Eighth graders can have a class with juniors, you know, and on the sports teams (except the super-popular ones like hockey and basketball) there's no separation by age. Clubs and such have members from all years as well [at least at Boston Latin School.]
This is true. I'm a BLS alum
This is true. I'm a BLS alum Class of '98. The good ol days...
What do you propose
instead of grades 7-12? It's certainly utilized in many settings (private schools and religious schools) as well as some public and charter.
Co-educational exan schools
We should return to Boys' and Girls' Latin Schools, both 7-12 exam schools.
Nevermind
Nevermind, I think I have a better idea what this thread is saying after re-reading from the beginning.
I still want to point out that I think the "archaic" system of BLS works just fine for it. Like or not, the exam school by nature of being the exams as a filter, I think it means they can handle better of having seniors being around with 8th graders without reaching a problem that the system have to be changed or called archaic.