BPS Celebrates Superintendent Mary Skipper as 2026 Pinnacle Award Honoree

The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Women's Network selected Superintendent Mary Skipper as one of the 2026 Pinnacle Awards honorees.

Boston Public Schools Celebrates Superintendent Mary Skipper as 2026 Pinnacle Award Honoree

BOSTON, MA - DECEMBER 5, 2025 -The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Women's Network selected Superintendent Mary Skipper as one of the 2026 Pinnacle Awards honorees for Achievement in Management – Government. The annual Pinnacle Awards are one of the region's highest professional distinctions for women leaders, recognizing their achievements in business, government, and management. This prestigious award recognizes Superintendent Skipper's leadership and her commitment to building a stronger, more equitable school district for Boston's students, families, and educators.

"It is an honor to be recognized alongside so many remarkable women leaders who are shaping the future of our region," said Superintendent Mary Skipper. "It takes a village to support our school communities and this award reflects the dedication of our educators, staff, families, and partners who work every day to uplift our students. Boston's youth deserve the very best and I am proud to lead a district of talented leaders and educators who are deeply committed to their success."

Since her selection by the Boston School Committee in 2022, Superintendent Skipper has championed transformative initiatives to modernize school facilities, expand multilingual education, strengthen pathways from school to career, and ensure that every student receives a high-quality education in a safe, inclusive, and welcoming learning environment.

Superintendent Sipper will be recognized at the 2026 Pinnacle Awards Ceremony on January 30, 2026, where more than 1,200 business, civic, and community leaders will gather to celebrate this year's honorees.

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About Boston Public Schools

The Boston Public Schools (BPS), the birthplace of public education in the United States, serves more than 48,000 pre-kindergarten through grade 12 students in 121 schools. BPS is committed to transforming the lives of all children through exemplary

teaching in a world-class system of innovative, welcoming schools. We partner with the community, families, and students to develop in every learner the knowledge, skill, and character to excel in college, career, and life.

About the Chamber’s Women’s Network

In the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce’s Women’s Network, there is a diverse group of more than 3,000 women and male allies at all levels of their careers, from all backgrounds, sectors, and industries, and professions, with the collective mission to make Greater Boston the best place for professional women to thrive. For 30 years, the Women’s Network has connected female professionals of all backgrounds and career levels. The Women’s Network is the largest in New England, strengthening the professional networks of women.

About the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce

The Chamber is the convener, voice, and advocate of the region’s business community, committed to making Greater Boston the best place for all businesses and all people to thrive. We help our members and Greater Boston succeed by convening and connecting the business community; researching, developing and advocating for public policies that contribute to our region’s economic success; and providing comprehensive learning and development programs designed to grow strong business and civic leaders. Learn more at BostonChamber.com.

Community Academy

On January 22, 2025, we presented a proposal to the Boston School Committee (BSC) to close Community Academy School as a diploma-granting school at the end of the 2025-2026 school year, in June 2026. The BSC voted to approve the closure on March 20, 2025.

Office of Specialized Services Contact:
Region 9: Christina Balboni Hannan, channan@bostonpublicschools.org, (978) 489-2101

General Information

The district approved the closure of Community Academy as a pathway to a diploma for students at the end of the 2025-2026 school year. Community Academy will instead be reimagined as a program to support students who are in need of a temporary placement due to a code-of-conduct violation or need a soft re-entry into school from the Department of Youth Services.

The school was assigned a Senior Project Manager from the Capital Planning Team to help respond to the day-to-day needs of the school community in anticipation of this change. Stipended school-based Transition Support Coordinator were hired to assist with the transition process.

Current eligible Community Academy 12th graders will graduate in June 2026.

The district is working hand in hand with Community Academy leadership to provide support for seamless transition for the Community Academy school community. Every impacted Community Academy student will receive individual counseling to develop a transition plan to set students up for success.

Data

Appendix D: Additional Information on Closure Proposals

Enrollment (SY 2024-2025)

Total: 62

Grade 9	Grade 10	Grade 11	Grade 12
4	21	12	25

Asian	Black	Hispanic	Other	White
0%	48.4%	41.9%	8.1%	1.6%

Students with disabilities: 58.1%
Multilingual learners: 9.7%

Administratively Assigned

0%
*Note: Students from Community Academy are specially assigned through a process with the Re-Engagement Center.*

Concentration of specialized programs for students with high needs

21% of students

21% substantially separate
0% SLIFE

Students living near the school

62.9% of students live within 2 miles of the school

Special Ed and ML Programs

Emotional Impairment Externalizing

Building Capacity

154

Facilities Condition Score

8 out of 100

Materials

City of Boston

CONTACT

Capital Planning Department

capitalplanning@bostonpublicschools.org