Mayor Menino invites families affected by Catholic school closings to register for Boston Public Schools

Mayor Thomas M. Menino today encouraged families who will be affected by the scheduled closing of St. Peter and St. Kevin schools in Dorchester to register for the Boston Public Schools (BPS). The Archdiocese of Boston announced that the two Dorchester K-8 schools will close at the end of this school year.

"The closing of any school is always difficult for families and the community," said Mayor Menino. "We want parents to know that the Boston Public Schools are prepared to welcome them with excellent educational options for their children."

The families of the 300 students currently enrolled in these schools will receive a letter from Mayor Menino, School Committee Chair Elizabeth Reilinger and Superintendent Carol R. Johnson, inviting them to consider the Boston Public Schools for their children's education. Nearly 400 students who were in a Catholic school last year now attend the Boston Public Schools, not including students in the three exam schools.

Officials also invited affected families to attend upcoming information sessions in Dorchester, hosted by Y/BPS, to hear about families' experiences in the Boston Public Schools and to learn more about the registration and assignment process:

• Wednesday, December 5
  6:00 - 7;30 p.m.
  Codman Square Health Center, 637 Washington St., Dorchester
• Thursday, December 6
  6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
  Lower Mills Branch Library, 27 Richmond St., Dorchester

To RSVP for these sessions, please contact Renée Suchy at Y/BPS, 617-669-6103, or Rsuchy@ymcaboston.org.

Mayor Menino noted that over the past decade, the school district has earned national acclaim for improvements in teaching and learning, including winning the 2006 Broad Prize as the best city school district in the country.

Among the options available to Boston families:

• Next year, 21 schools will span kindergarten through grade 8, up from only three K-8 programs in 1995. Four of the programs are located in Dorchester.
• With the addition of seven new Kindergarten 1 classrooms next year, 61 schools will offer programs for four-year-olds, including 15 schools in Dorchester.
• Boston is now home to 20 pilot schools, including four in Dorchester. These "in-district" charter schools are free from many district and union regulations.

The city is organized into three assignment zones, and families may apply for any elementary or middle school within their zone. All Boston public high schools are citywide. For any school with more applicants than available seats, the student assignment policy gives priority to families who live closest to the school and those who already have a sibling enrolled.

In Dorchester alone, the district offers families choice among an early learning center, 15 elementary schools, four K-8 programs, three middle schools, and five high schools. For additional information, families in Dorchester may visit or call the East Zone Family Resource Center at 1216 Dorchester Ave., 617-635-8015.

Superintendent Johnson encouraged families to visit schools in order to make informed choices.

"There's no better way to find out if a school may be a good fit for your child than to walk through its halls and classrooms and talk to the people who know the school best," she said.

During School Preview Time - between now and January 18 - every school in the district will host open houses, tours and other events to welcome prospective families. School Preview Time schedules are available at all public libraries and community centers, and on-line at www.bostonpublicschools.org/register.

Registration for the 2008-2009 school year begins in January. Any family who lives in Boston may apply for a seat in the Boston Public Schools, with no obligation to enroll.

For more information about school choice, visit www.bostonpublicschools.org/register/. For more information about Y/BPS, visit www.ybps.org.