Newcomers Academy

Students

Newcomers Academy will serve up to 250 Boston residents who:
* Are between the ages of 14-18;
* Arrived in the U.S. during the school year;
* Have limited English proficiency;
* Have limited academic skills in their primary language (3 or more years behind); and/or
* Have experienced interruption in formal education in their countries of origin.

Goals

* Deliver high-quality education
* Accelerate English language acquisition
* Develop academic content vocabulary and higher level thinking skills
* Promote the development of social and academic skills students will need when entering district high schools
* Build a foundation for long-term academic and socio-cultural success
* Serve as a learning site for best practices in educating secondary school English language learners with interrupted schooling or gaps in their formal education.

Enrollment

All students new to the Boston Public Schools must visit a Family Resource Center with the appropriate paperwork to begin the registration process. English Language Learners are identified through a home language survey and testing provided at the Newcomer Assessment and Counseling Center. Students who meet the criteria for Newcomers Academy will be informed about the program. All students will complete a choice form to select a diploma-granting high school as well.

Students may attend Newcomers Academy for one semester or up to two calendar years, depending on the academic need, before enrolling in a diploma-granting high school. Newcomers Academy staff will continue to monitor students’ progress after they have left the program.

Staff

Students and families 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. The classroom student-to-teacher ratio will not exceed 15-to-1.

Partners

* University of Massachusetts Boston
* Boston University
* Mayor’s Office of New Bostonians
* Local social service agencies

Academics & Assessment

All students engage in rigorous coursework, including:
* Intensive English as a Second Language (ESL) and Literacy development; and
* 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 (8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.), with additional support available on Saturdays and during the summer.

Student progress is assessed through a variety of measures, including:
* MCAS exams, such as MELA-O and MEPA to assess reading, writing, speaking and listening skills;
* Math notebooks;
* Reading and writing assignments;
* Community service participation; and
* Exit portfolio.

Location

Newcomers Academy is located at the former Thompson Middle School, 100 Maxwell Street, Dorchester.  The program is co-located there with Boston International High School, a diploma-granting school for students new to the country. The programs will collaborate to provide services to students and families, as well as extra-curricular activities, such as athletics, clubs and social activities.

Read about the launch of Newcomers Academy.

Newcomers Academy brochure

Visit the "Welcome" pages of this site for translations of the Newcomers Academy brochure in the following languages: Cape Verdean creole, Chinese, Haitian creole, Portuguese, Somali, Spanish and Vietnamese.