A globe attached to a homemade car toy sitting on a table with plants

Boston Public Schools Celebrates Earth Day and Efforts to Build a More Sustainable School District

As we celebrate Earth Day, Boston Public Schools acknowledges the critical role that the district plays in combating the climate crisis, which we know disproportionately impacts underserved communities.

Boston Public Schools Celebrates Earth Day and Efforts to Build a More Sustainable School District

As we celebrate Earth Day, Boston Public Schools (BPS) acknowledges the critical role that the district plays in combating the climate crisis, which we know disproportionately impacts underserved communities. BPS has been working for years to ensure our sustainability efforts help us reduce this impact on the students and families we serve.

Most recently, BPS received the 2024 Best of Green Schools Awards - District Award and 2023 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School District Sustainability Award. However, the work is not done.

“We know that we must support our students and help them become the climate action leaders that our communities need,” said Superintendent Mary Skipper. “I am committed to ensuring that our district is a model for how we teach our students about the importance of sustainability and climate. Our operational decisions and investments make Boston a national leader in many areas including facilities management, transportation, food and nutrition services, and teaching and learning.”

District Investments in Air and Water Quality

The district’s work includes the installation of 4,400 Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Sensors, which allows Facilities Management to monitor air quality and temperature inside and outside school buildings and share results on a public dashboard. The BPS IAQ Management Plan is being used as a model by other K-12 districts across the U.S., and our adopted standards are influencing state and federal policy and funding for IAQ in K-12 schools.

The district has also invested in the installation of filtered bottle refill stations in schools across the city to improve access to safe drinking water and move schools from single use water bottles. To date, nearly 750 filtered bottle refill stations have been installed in 84 schools through the BPS Drinking Water Access Initiative saving the district $485,000 annually in bottled water costs. The district is working to expand access, with more schools expected to have water stations installed in the coming years.

District Food Waste Collection Programs

Last school year, BPS Food and Nutrition Services partnered with the Facilities Department to expand the BPS Food Waste Collection Program and diverted approximately 250,000 pounds of food waste from landfills. This school year, the program will expand to include 10 additional school kitchens, bringing the total to 32 participating schools.

“BPS sustainability and climate action are rooted in our commitment to health and safety, equity, and community collaboration. Our work in academics and operations prioritizes a commitment to creating healthier, greener environments,” said BPS Assistant Director of Planning, Engineering, Sustainability, & Environment Katherine Walsh. “Our work also reflects the student voice - students rightfully demand investments in environmental education, green jobs, and sustainable environments, and are leading climate justice efforts.”

Outdoor Teaching and Learning

Our schoolyards are just as important as our indoor environments. BPS continues to invest in outdoor teaching and learning. Facilities Management partners with the Science, Technology, and Engineering Department to provide a Teaching and Learning Outdoors Champions Program for BPS teachers, with about 40 teachers enrolled, receiving support through Professional Development, materials budgets, and stipends. Many of the champions are also supported by our BPS garden partners.

Since the 2022-2023 school year, Facilities Management has invested $840,000 to install school garden programs at 60 schools. Over the three year period, these schools have received more than $2.6 million in raised bed garden programming and services from the garden partners, accounting for 180 teaching and learning hours weekly. Facilities Management also supports 38 outdoor classrooms and five school hydroponics programs.

“Sustainability and climate are intentionally integrated throughout our core science curriculum, helping all students connect their learning to the world around them,” said BPS K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering Program Director Nicole Guttenberg, PhD. “Our vision is to inspire students to understand, care about, and take action on the ways our lives and choices shape the climate and our shared future.”

School Climate and Sustainability Curriculums

Our sustainability and climate work is also taking shape at the school level, with schools like Boston Green Academy empowering students to be a key part of the transition to a greener, more just world by embedding sustainability into many aspects of the school experience, from the classroom curriculum, as well as beyond the school campus into the community. BGA aspires to make their sustainability and climate curriculum a whole school endeavor, not just something that students learn about in science or math classrooms. A winner of the 2019 U.S Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools Award, BGA continued to be a model green school in Boston and beyond.

"We know our students can be the next generation of green leaders, whether solving local issues or contributing to national solutions," said Boston Green Academy Head of School Matt Holzer. “The climate crisis impacts everyone, especially in urban areas like Boston, and we want our kids to have the skills and knowledge to make a difference.”

Additionally, BGA works to build key student skills through their Career and Technical Education (CTE) Program, which is the district’s only Environmental Science and Technology CTE program. The BGA CTE program annually sees about 25% of Grades 9-12 students participate in the program, which allows students to partner with industry leaders for internships and explore the career possibilities in this growing and important field. Upon completion of the BGA CTE program, students will also receive valuable industry-wide certifications that can open doors to employment and strengthen college applications.

"I never really cared about sustainability, even after all the sustainability this school has tried to push on me, one of my classes about Engineering and Green Physics kind of made me open up my eyes,” said Jaden Dominique, a Boston Green Academy Grade 12 Student. “When we were learning about the Upcycling project and although I didn't do well on it, it still showed me what's happening in the real world, and now, even though I'm hesitant, I'm even doing a sustainability internship that I never thought I would do."

< Back to the Newsroom

Extended School Year for Staff

What is ESY?

4 children playing with toys and a bucket in a playground

Extended School Year (ESY) provides specialized services to students with disabilities as determined by the IEP Team. Eligibility is based on the need to prevent substantial regression and support recoupment, ensuring students continue making effective progress. ESY services are individualized and aligned with targeted IEP goals and objectives.

Join Our ESY Team!

We’re excited to welcome team members for this summer’s ESY program! If you're interested in making a positive impact on students’ progress or know someone who would be a great fit, we encourage you to explore open positions and apply. Your involvement will help ensure our students continue to receive the specialized support they need to thrive. Join us in creating a meaningful summer experience for all! Training will be provided through in-person professional development, as well as time on the school site for setup and scheduling. See below to learn more about our available roles and how you can be part of the ESY team.

One-to-One Paraprofessional – Provides direct instructional support to individual students, assists with note-taking, language systems, behavior management, and collaborates with teachers for small and whole group instruction.
Paraprofessional – Provides support for small and whole group instruction, classroom activities, student arrival and dismissal, meals, and field trips.
STRIVE CFC – Provides support for students in community-based internships by overseeing worksite activities, ensuring safety, and managing setup and cleanup.
Strive Paraprofessional – Provides support for classroom and vocational activities, assists with student arrival and dismissal, meals, and field trips, and collaborates with Strive teams for community-based learning.
Strive Teacher – Provides instruction focused on transition skills, supports IEP goals through individualized or small group lessons, and collaborates with Strive CFCs to improve instruction and behavior management at work sites.
Teacher – Provides instruction in reading, math, and social skills to meet IEP goals, prepares lessons, and creates a respectful, productive learning environment.
Wilson or Rules-Based Reading Instructor – Provides pull-out reading instruction based on IEP goals using the Wilson Reading System, planning and delivering lessons to individual or small groups of students.

Related Services

ESY ABA Specialist – Provides support for student behavior management by implementing high-quality interventions across environments and maintaining accurate data collection.
ESY Adaptive PE Teacher – Provides differentiated therapeutic lessons, tracks student progress, and collaborates with staff and families to support physical development and prevent regression.
Occupational Therapist – Provides individualized or group therapy, develops therapeutic lessons, and supports students' fine motor skills and sensory processing to meet IEP goals.
Physical Therapist – Provides individual, small group, and large group therapy to address IEP goals related to gross motor skills, balance, and coordination.
Speech-Language Pathologist – Provides communication and language therapy, delivering direct instruction to meet IEP goals and fostering a respectful learning environment.
Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing – Provides direct instruction to meet IEP goals for students with hearing impairments, focusing on communication, language, and support.
Teacher of the Visually Impaired / O&M Specialist – Provides specialized instruction to support students with visual impairments, focusing on orientation, mobility, and independent living skills.

To learn about ESY enrollment, school sites, and more, visit: bostonpublicschools.org/ESY.

Quick Links

Join Us
Register for Safety Care

Questions?

esy-hiring@bostonpublicschools.org
(617) 635-8599