PORTFOLIO OF SMALL SCHOOLS INTRODUCTION

Portfolio of Small High Schools

Boston’s High School Renewal initiative supports the creation of small, dynamic learning environments that promote student engagement, positive relationships among adults and students, and a love of learning. During the past few years, a network of small high schools has developed, including Pilot Schools, Horace Mann Charter Schools and the newer Small Schools. This Portfolio of Small High Schools presents the high schools in the Boston Small Schools Network.

ACADEMY OF PUBLIC SERVICE * ANOTHER COURSE TO COLLEGE * BOSTON ADULT TECHNICAL ACADEMY * BOSTON ARTS ACADEMY * BOSTON COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP ACADEMY * BOSTON DAY AND EVENING ACADEMY * BOSTON INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL * BROOK FARM BUSINESS AND SERVICE CAREER ACADEMY * COMMUNITY ACADEMY OF SCIENCE AND HEALTH * THE ENGINEERING SCHOOL * EXCEL HIGH SCHOOL * FENWAY HIGH SCHOOL * GREATER EGLESTON COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL * HEALTH CAREERS ACADEMY * MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY HIGH SCHOOL * MONUMENT HIGH SCHOOL * NEW MISSION HIGH SCHOOL * NOONAN BUSINESS ACADEMY * ODYSSEY HIGH SCHOOL * PARKWAY ACADEMY OF TECHNOLOGY AND HEALTH * QUINCY UPPER SCHOOL * SOCIAL JUSTICE ACADEMY * TECHBOSTON ACADEMY * URBAN SCIENCE ACADEMY

The high schools in the Boston Small Schools Network include Pilot Schools, Horace Mann Charter Schools and Small Schools. Pilot Schools began in 1994 through the collaboration of Boston Public Schools and the Boston Teachers Union. Pilot schools, designed to support innovative education, are part of the public school district, but have a high level of independence in curriculum, personnel policies and other decision making. Similarly, Horace Mann Charter Schools are a Massachusetts Department of Education initiative, creating small, independent schools within the public school district. With the advent of the High School Renewal initiative, Boston Public Schools has launched new Small Schools at the high school level. Also as part of high school renewal, other high schools in Boston offer Small Learning Communities, which provide small, supportive learning environments within the larger high school.

While the high schools in the Boston Small Schools Network all have different stories about how and when they were created, each of these schools has arisen from the support and vision of Boston's teachers, students, parents and community.

In 2001, South Boston High School became the first large Boston high school to be restructured into smaller schools, and one of the first in the country. The building was divided into three theme-based schools, each with not more than 380 students and 37 faculty. The autonomous schools in the new South Boston Educational Complex include Monument High School for Public Safety, Excel High School for Technology and Odyssey High School for Environmental Science.

In 2002, TechBoston Academy opened as a BPS pilot school and as one of the first of the Gates Foundation Model Schools. Also in 2002, Boston Community Leadership Academy opened with a full academic college prep curriculum, with emphasis on community and leadership. Formerly the Boston High School, the faculty voted to become a pilot school and selected the leadership and community service themes.

In 2003, Dorchester High School became the Dorchester Educational Complex, with three autonomous small schools: TechBoston Academy, Noonan Business Academy and the Academy of Public Service.

Also in 2003, the Boston International High School was opened in response to the community need for a high school to help Boston's newcomers from all over the world transition into the North American school system.

In 2004, Hyde Park and West Roxbury High Schools began forming design teams to create new small schools. At the same time, other large district high schools worked on creating and refining small learning communities (SLCs), which are another of Boston's options for creating small, supportive learning environments.

In 2005, seven new Small Schools opened in the Hyde Park and West Roxbury Educational Complexes and three district high schools introduced new Small Learning Communities.

Read more in the following questions and answers and profiles. You will find additional information about the high schools in Boston in our online profiles at http://www.highschoolrenewal.org/schools and about the history of high school renewal at http://www.highschoolrenewal.org/timeline.

Each small school is organized around a unifying theme. Many have career themes, such as the arts, business, environmental studies or health. Others focus on providing opportunities for older students or for international students. Others focus on a teaching and learning theme, such as project-based learning, college preparatory curriculum or leadership development.

The Arts ... Boston Arts Academy: Freshman Humanities I classes at Boston Arts Academy (BAA) treated their fellow students and families to a very special exhibition, Africa Lives. The Africa Lives curriculum focuses students to study and learn about this vast continent's culture, current and historical events, and art forms. The Humanities I students prepare an interdisciplinary project that showcases their knowledge and passion for Africa in a variety of mediums. One of the main goals of this exhibition is to encourage the students to be artist-scholars and more aware of the world around them.

Engineering ... The Engineering School: The idea for The Engineering School, a new small school that opened in Fall 2005 at the Hyde Park Education Complex, originated with students, who joined with a team of teachers, fellow students, parents, and community partners to design the school. Why engineering? Engineering is a multidisciplinary field, pulling from mathematics, the sciences, graphic arts, sociology and psychology to develop products intended to suit the population’s needs. Engineering uses skills from a multitude of subject areas, making it a perfect framework for teaching students how to think and learn.

Environment ... Odyssey High School: Odyssey High School is teaming up with the MIT Sea Grant College Program and the Massachusetts office of Coastal Zone Management to develop a stewardship project that focuses on eelgrass. One element of this two-year project is to cultivate eelgrass in the classroom in hopes of developing a local restoration project in which the plants grown in the classroom would be replanted in local waters. This year, students in the Urban Ecology course are growing 200 eelgrass plants from seeds in a 55 gallon aquarium while learning about the importance of the seagrass, its history in Boston Harbor and human and non-human impacts on eelgrass.

Social Justice ... The Social Justice Academy: The Social Justice Academy, which opened as a new small school at the Hyde Park Education Complex in Fall 2005, was created by a Design Team of faculty and staff, students, parents and community agencies who are committed to joining the concepts and themes of social justice to a rigorous academic program. At SJA, social justice themes are woven throughout the college preparatory curriculum. The SJA schedule allows for longer blocks of time for students to work on projects and to participate in advisory meetings, community meetings, and outside-of-school internships.

Technology ... TechBoston Academy: TechBoston Academy is a college preparatory school focused on preparing students for careers in technology and computer science. At TechBoston Academy, technology is a cornerstone to learning. Students are exposed to an array of technology: notebook computers, Smartboards, scanners, digital cameras and video conferencing. These technologies are integrated throughout their subjects, offering students multiple ways to learn. Students use a notebook computer throughout the day and learn to see technology as a tool in their learning process.

Competency-Based Learning ... Boston Day And Evening Academy: As one of the only 12-hour high schools in the nation, Boston Day and Evening Academy (BDEA) enrolls more than 300 students between the ages of 16 and 23 in Day, Evening, and Distance-Learning programs. Rather than using a traditional grading system, BDEA is a competency-based school where students develop abilities within specific competency areas. Students develop these abilities by receiving expert coaching and by being provided with many opportunities to practice what they are learning. Three times a year, during assessment week, students have the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned in each of the content areas through portfolios, exhibitions and projects, in addition to more traditional assessments such as tests, quizzes and reports.

The small schools have developed formal structures – such as advisories, after school programs, student support services and common planning time – that make the schools more personalized and responsive. Each small school provides experiences – such as service projects, presentations and exhibitions – that build a sense of community. Most of all, each school has deliberately worked to create a climate that nurtures students’ talents and responds to their individual needs.

Boston Community Leadership Academy: Through Advisory, each student connects to an advisor for social-emotional growth and development, academic planning and support, wellness, community service projects, leadership and social action. As a small school of 400 with small class sizes, BCLA has established a positive and respectful school climate with strong partnerships in the community service field, higher education and the business community to promote a greater sense of community.

Boston International High School: At Boston International High School (BIHS), newcomers feel welcomed and supported in the process of acquiring English as a second language. As a result of being a smaller school BIHS has developed support systems for students through advisories and first language mentoring.

Media Communications Technology High School: During the design process for Media Communications Technology High School (MCTHS), students expressed interest in being represented on school planning committees such as staff hiring committees and in using student government to interact with teachers and administrators in a more meaningful way. Parents were involved in developing a strong Family and Community Engagement plan for this new school and are creating a parent council that reaches out to the larger parent body, providing opportunities for involvement in both social and academic school-based activities and soliciting opinions and suggestions.

Monument High School: Teachers meet at least twice per week as a team to review curriculum, plan interdisciplinary lessons, and discuss student support issues. Meeting as a team ensures that teachers share information on individual students and identify patterns that may not surface without the input of multiple teachers at the same time.

New Mission High School: At New Mission High School, student achievement is evaluated through portfolios. Promotion is based on ability; the school does not adhere to a traditional 9-12 structure. The school uses project-based and inquiry-based teaching: students learn the humanities, sciences, math and the arts by investigating the world around them.

Quincy Upper School: Quincy Upper School provides a school atmosphere that recognizes and fosters students’ multiple intelligences and allows students to experience personal satisfaction and interpersonal growth. In addition to smaller class sizes, the school has established teacher-led small advisory groups of students that meet four days each week. This structure enables advisors and students to develop a special rapport and to address issues of concern to the advisory as a whole as well those of concern to individual students. An after school program offers students electives and supplemental group help in English Language Arts, math and reading. Student support services are provided by two school social workers who assist students and parents in addressing particular needs.

Student voices, family involvement, and teacher participation are key ingredients of high school renewal in Boston.

Students are supported by faculty and by community partners in their college and career exploration. This support, plus a wide variety of high school experiences, helps students to make successful transitions to postsecondary education and careers.

Community partners are key to college and career planning, internships, community service, mentoring, and curriculum development.