Social Emotional Learning & Instruction

Boston Public Schools is proud to share that six schools have been named Schools of Recognition by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), part of a statewide group of 63 schools being honored for their academic progress.

State Names Six Boston Public Schools as Schools of Recognition

As part of its annual accountability reporting process, DESE identifies a small number of Schools of Recognition across the Commonwealth. These schools demonstrate measurable progress toward annual accountability targets, with particular emphasis on improved student achievement in English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics. The recognition reflects sustained efforts by school leaders, educators, staff, students, and families to strengthen instruction, support student learning, and drive academic growth.

Boston Public Schools congratulates the six Schools of Recognition and thanks the educators, students, families, and partners whose commitment made this achievement possible.

The six Boston Public Schools receiving this distinction are:

Grew Elementary School
Philbrick Elementary School (Now Sarah Roberts Elementary School)
Patrick J. Kennedy Elementary School
New Mission High School
Boston Latin Academy
Boston Latin School

The Schools of Recognition announcement follows last year's release of the 2024–2025 Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) and accountability results, which show encouraging trends across Boston Public Schools.

Patrick J. Kennedy Elementary School

“This recognition highlights the hard work of our students and staff as we continue strengthening teaching and learning at PJK," said Patrick J. Kennedy Elementary School Principal Kristen Goncalves Redden. "Our progress reflects a clear focus on meeting students where they are, supporting their growth, and ensuring they have the tools they need to succeed. We’re encouraged by this progress and remain committed to continued improvement.”

Philbrick Elementary School

“Transforming a school means building a culture where every student is seen, challenged, and supported to grow,” said Sarah Roberts Elementary School Co-Principal Danladi Bobbitt. “When vision, relationships, and purpose align, schools become places where possibility turns into achievement. It was an honor to work with staff, families, students, and partners in the Philbrick's journey to academic success.”

New Mission High School

“New Mission’s recognition reflects the strength of our school community and the intentional work happening across classrooms to support student achievement," said New Mission High School Co-Principals Kareem Cutler and Karen Loughran. "Our progress is driven by high expectations, meaningful relationships, and a commitment to preparing students for success beyond high school. We’re proud of our students and staff for the growth they’ve achieved together.”

Boston Latin Academy

"We have worked hard as a school to emphasize a continued focus on high academic achievement, recognizing that student growth is an integral part of this,” Boston Latin Academy Head of School Gavin Smith. “I want to commend our educators, students, families and partners for their continued effort and belief in the vision of our school. We’re proud of this achievement and remain committed to ensuring every BLA student thrives and is prepared to leave their mark on Boston and beyond."

Boston Latin School

“Meeting and exceeding our accountability targets reflects the sustained commitment of our students, educators, and families to academic rigor and continuous improvement," said Boston Latin School Head of School Jason Gallagher. "This recognition affirms the work happening across our school to support student learning while maintaining high expectations. We’re proud of this achievement and the community that made it possible.”

Grew Elementary School

“This recognition reflects the collective commitment of our students, families, and staff to continuous growth," said Grew Elementary School Principal Christina Michel. "The progress we’ve made over the past two years is the result of intentional instruction, strong collaboration, and a shared belief in what our students can achieve. We’re proud of how far we’ve come and remain focused on building on this momentum.”

Representatives from the recognized schools will receive certificates at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, during a ceremony held at The Grand Staircase inside the Massachusetts State House (24 Beacon Street, Boston).

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Special Olympics Awards Four Boston Public Schools with National Banner

Special Olympics Massachusetts recently honored four Boston Public Schools with National Banner recognition for their efforts to provide inclusive sports and activities for students with and without disabilities.

Special Olympics Honors Four Boston Public Schools with National Banner Recognition

BPS has four of only 17 schools in Massachusetts and 217 schools nationwide to achieve the status of National Banner School for the 2024-2025 school year.

BOSTON - DECEMBER 19, 2025- Special Olympics Massachusetts recently named Brighton High School, Mario Umana Academy, Trotter Elementary, and the Warren Prescott K-8 School as National Banner schools for their efforts to provide inclusive sports and activities for students with and without disabilities. The four schools earned this distinguished status as a result of meeting 10 national standards of excellence in the areas of inclusion, advocacy, and respect. These standards were developed by a national panel of leaders from the Special Olympics and the education community.

"We are incredibly proud that four Boston Public Schools have been recognized as National Banner Unified Champion Schools," said Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper. "This honor reflects our district's and schools’ commitment to creating inclusive environments where every student of all abilities can participate, lead, and thrive. Through programs like Unified Sports, inclusive youth leadership, and whole-school engagement, we move closer to building a more inclusive future across all of our schools."

The Unified Champion Schools® model is a strategy for schools Pre-K through university that intentionally promotes meaningful social inclusion by bringing together students with and without disabilities to create accepting school environments, utilizing three interconnected components: Unified Sports; inclusive youth leadership; and whole-school engagement. As many as 16 million young people are taking part in inclusive experiences through Special Olympics. National Banner Unified Champion Schools also demonstrate they are self-sustainable or have a plan in place to sustain these activities into the future.

"At Warren Prescott, our students are at the center of everything we do and our school community works diligently every day to ensure that all our students have the opportunity to connect, lead, and learn alongside their peers of all abilities," said Principal Michele Davis, Warren-Prescott K-8 School. "Our collaborative efforts are grounded in this vision, allowing students to engage meaningfully with each other and helping build a school culture rooted in equity, respect, and inclusion."

Since October 2023, Boston Public Schools (BPS) has been implementing its landmark Inclusive Education Plan for the Boston Public Schools. The plan outlines systemic changes across all BPS divisions to close opportunity gaps and give every student access to rigorous and culturally affirming instruction. This Inclusive Education Plan will transform learning outcomes for all students, upholding the right of every student to be educated in the least-restrictive environment.

"Trotter Elementary celebrates the power of inclusion every day. Our students participate in Unified Sports and school-wide activities that foster understanding, leadership, and friendship across all abilities," said Principal Sarita Thomas, Trotter Elementary School. "Being named a National Banner School emphasizes our commitment to creating a learning environment where all students can thrive socially and academically."

Brighton High School has made history by becoming the first secondary school in Boston Public Schools to earn Special Olympics National Banner recognition. This achievement showcases the school’s commitment to creating an inclusive community where students of all abilities can fully participate in sports, leadership activities, and school life. With its unified sports programs and strong culture of belonging, Brighton sets a great example of what it means to achieve inclusive excellence at the high school level.

"At Brighton High School, our students are at the forefront of creating a community where everyone feels seen, supported, and included," said Principal Andrew Bott, Brighton High School. "This recognition highlights their dedication to uplifting one another, fostering strong friendships, and making our school a welcoming environment for all. We are incredibly proud of the leadership and compassion our students demonstrate every day, which has earned us the Special Olympics National Banner."

Photo: Piano Lab Ribbon Cutting at Umana Academy, 2025.

“This achievement reflects the power of inclusion, teamwork, and community. At the Umana, every student deserves to feel seen, valued, and celebrated, and earning the National Banner recognition affirms that belief,” said Principal Akua-Nia Francillon, Mario Umana Academy. “I am proud of our school, grateful for our dedicated educators, and inspired by our amazing young people who make the Umana a place where belonging and brilliance are lived every day.”

The Unified Champion Schools® model is supported by the Office of Special Education Programs in the U.S. Department of Education. This model has been proven, through research, to be an effective and replicable means to providing students with and without disabilities the opportunity to form positive social relationships and promote a socially inclusive school climate.

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Social Emotional Learning & Instruction

Transformative SEL

Transformative Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is a process whereby young people and adults build strong, respectful, and lasting, relationships that facilitate co-learning to critically examine root causes of inequity and to develop collaborative solutions that lead to personal, communal, and societal well-being.

At BPS, we promote SEL as a lever for equity ensuring that social emotional learning is implemented using a transformative SEL approach.

What We Do

The SEL & Instruction Team provides an essential role in implementing Transformative SEL strategies across district initiatives. We provide coaching and professional learning opportunities focused on social, emotional, and academic development to create safe, healthy, joyful, anti-racist, culturally and linguistically affirming environments.

Empowering Students, Transforming Schools in Boston, MA - SEAD Coaching Report: Rennie Center for Education Research & Policy (June 2025).

Our Services

COACHING & PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

Our Social, Emotional, and Academic Development (SEAD) Coaches provide professional learning opportunities to support school leaders, teams, and educators in integrating social-emotional learning into instruction throughout the day and across all content areas. Additionally, the SEL & Instruction team offers district-wide professional development, tools, and resources to all Boston Public Schools (BPS) staff, families, and caregivers.

CONTACT US

Colleen Galvin Labbe

Director of Social Emotional Learning & Instruction

clabbe@bostonpublicschools.org

617-388-6810