EdVestors presents "School on the Move" Prize to Samuel W. Mason Elementary School

BOSTON – EdVestors, a nonprofit organization that seeks to drive change in urban schools through strategic private investment, announced the Samuel W. Mason Elementary School as the recipient of the Thomas W. Payzant School on the Move Prize at the organization’s 3rd annual School on the Move Gala. The annual $100,000 citywide competition highlights the challenging and less publicized achievements of schools that have made significant strides toward improving student achievement over a five-year period.

The Samuel W. Mason Elementary School was one of three school finalists recognized at the School on the Move Gala for their improvements and successes in student achievement, along with the Winship Elementary School in Brighton and the Hernandez K-8 School in Roxbury.

In addition to awarding the Mason School with $100,000, EdVestors will collaborate with the Rennie Center for Education Research and the Boston Public Schools to produce a best practices case study to document the school’s improvement strategies and share with other Boston Public Schools and schools throughout the state.

“The Mason’s story is one of tremendous teacher leadership and ownership. This is a school with a philosophy and set of instructional strategies that truly leave no child behind. With inspired and creative leadership and faculty, the Mason Elementary School has achieved an impressive level of success through its unique approach to partnerships with area businesses and universities that have further empowered the school to improve teaching and learning,” said Laura Perille, Executive Director, EdVestors. “This school’s success demonstrates the need for the innovative public and private partnership model within national education reform that EdVestors is committed to.”

The Samuel W. Mason Elementary School is a small elementary school in Roxbury that practices full inclusion for its population of students with special needs. All of its classroom teachers are dual-certified in special education and regular education. Converted to Pilot School status within the Boston Public Schools in 2003, the Mason invests its own budget as well as resources associated with partnerships with businesses and universities to ensure more adults in each classroom, allowing for lower student-teacher ratios and enabling teachers to more effectively differentiate learning for all levels of students. A strong school-wide focus on the analysis of student assessment data has driven changes in teacher practices and resulted in an accelerated improvement rate in both MCAS English Language Arts and Math that far exceeded the district average.

“We have achieved this success because of the consistent dedication of our teachers, staff, families, students and partners throughout the city,” said Harolyn Bowden, Principal of the Samuel W. Mason Elementary School. “We work as partners to ensure that all of our students succeed and reach their full potential as learners and members of our community.”

EdVestors invited twelve schools to apply for the School on the Move Prize based on their demonstrated improvement in MCAS scores over a five-year period. A prize selection panel comprised of business and community leaders selected this year’s recipient based on a rigorous quantitative and qualitative review. Past recipients include Excel High School in South Boston and the Sarah Greenwood K-8 School in Dorchester.

EdVestors drives change in urban schools through smart, strategic private investment. In partnership with donors and education leaders, EdVestors dramatically accelerates improved results for urban schoolchildren. Since its launch in 2002 by a group of philanthropists and business leaders, EdVestors has directed more than $5 million in private funds to strategic school improvement efforts in Boston and Lowell, MA.