Newcomers Academy aims to improve graduation rates for immigrant students

BOSTON – Mayor Thomas M. Menino today joined members of the Boston School Committee and Superintendent Carol R. Johnson to visit Newcomers Academy, a new preparatory program in the Boston Public Schools. Newcomers Academy is designed to welcome and support high school students who arrive in the United States during the school year with limited English, and in many cases, interrupted schooling in their home country.

“We are proud that Boston is home to so many families arriving in the United States for the first time,” said Mayor Menino. “This program will help ensure that high school students new to our city and our country will get the support they need to make a successful start in our schools.”

In 2007, the Boston Public Schools commissioned the Parthenon Group to conduct an extensive analysis of the dropout challenge, with a particular focus on identifying the greatest risk factors for students unlikely to graduate. The report indicated that 13% of those who dropped out from the Class of 2004 (137 out of 1,053 dropouts) were late-entrant English Language Learners (ELL), students with limited English proficiency who entered BPS for the first time in high school. The four-year graduation rate for this group was only 36%, and the six-year graduation rate 47%.

Dr. Johnson created Newcomers Academy to provide targeted support to this population to ensure a successful transition and improve their graduation rates.

“The transition to life in the United States can be incredibly challenging, particularly for students with limited English skills and those who may have fallen behind in their formal education,” said Dr. Johnson. “Newcomers Academy provides these young men and women with the academic and social supports needed to graduate from high school prepared for college and career success.”

Today, Mayor Menino and Superintendent Johnson toured classrooms and met the first 24 students enrolled in the program, newly arrived from 10 different countries and speaking five different languages.  They were accompanied by Helen Dájer, a member of the Boston School Committee, and Rev. Cheng Imm Tan, Director of the Mayor's Office of New Bostonians.

Newcomers Academy is a transition program to help prepare students ages 14-18 for successful entry into a diploma-granting high school. Depending on their level of education and English proficiency, students may remain at Newcomers Academy for as little as several weeks, or as long as two academic years. Located at the former Thompson Middle School building at 100 Maxwell Street in Dorchester, the program shares space this year with the King Middle School, and next year will co-locate there with Boston International High School. At full capacity, the program will enroll up to 250 students.

Students and families at Newcomers Academy are supported by an experienced multilingual and multicultural staff of teachers, administrators, and counselors, as well as mentors and interns from area colleges and universities. All students engage in rigorous coursework, including intensive English as a Second Language (ESL) and Literacy development, as well as sheltered instruction in English, Math, Science, Technology, Social Studies, Arts and Physical Education. Students participate in field trips and community service to support their transition to life in Boston. Instruction takes place during the school day, with additional support available on Saturdays and during the summer.

For more information, visit www.bostonpublicschools.org/newcomers.

PHOTO CAPTION: (from left to right) Mayor Thomas M. Menino, Superintendent Carol R. Johnson, and Director Nydia Mendez speak with students at Newcomers Academy.