City Year Helps Ready New Mary Lyon Elementary School For Students' Arrival

City Year Boston and Bain Capital took on a beautification project in July at the Mary Lyon Elementary School, with 200-plus volunteers coming together to help prepare the school for its first year in the upper building.

City Year Helps Ready New Mary Lyon Elementary School For Students' Arrival

One of the Boston Public Schools' (BPS) longtime partners has helped shape a beautiful new beginning for the Mary Lyon Elementary School community.

City Year Boston took on a beautification project this summer in Brighton at Lyon Elementary. City Year arranged for 200-plus volunteers from Bain Capital to participate in transformative days of service in July and August.

With Lyon Elementary moving across the street into the former Mary Lyon Pilot High School in school year 2026-27, BPS contacted City Year to City Year last spring to see if they would be interested in helping support the community in this process. City Year enthusiastically agreed and worked closely with the new Lyon Elementary Principal Jackie Carolan on a project that reflected the school’s commitment to creating a positive and welcoming environment for its students and staff.

Murals that align with Lyon Elementary's core values highlight the design of the school's new space. Between the paw prints scattered throughout the building to the ROAR (Respect, Optimism, Achievement, Responsibility) mural along the back wall of the cafeteria, the school’s pride is on display for all to see. Students who visit the library will read, learn, and grow under a mural depicting one of Boston’s most iconic sights: the Charles River Esplanade.

Prior to starting their work, City Year volunteers heard from Carolan why the project is so important to the community. “This is a big year for us, at the Lyon,” she explained, “The Lyon was established in 1992 by Dr. Mary Nash. ... She pioneered inclusion in this school before inclusion was a thing. And now we see the district adopting inclusion across all the schools. With our move to the upper building, it gave us the opportunity to add K0 (three-year-old PreK). The work that you will do today will make this building feel like a fresh start, and a really exciting beginning for our school.”

The volunteers also worked hard to beautify the exterior and interior of the building. In addition to painting murals, they built outdoor furniture and packed supply kits for the students.

We are deeply grateful for the support of Bain Capital and City Year. Their time and effort helps ensure Lyon Elementary students, staff and families will return to a welcoming environment that they will call home for years to come.

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All Requirements for Home Instruction

Families who wish to provide home instruction for a student residing in the City of Boston must submit a complete homeschool request to Boston Public Schools for review and approval.

Submit a Homeschool Request Open Requirements PDF

September 1, 2026

The 2026-2027 homeschool submission process goes live.

October 15, 2026

Recommended date for families to submit their Intent to Homeschool and Educational Plan.

July 15, 2027

End-of-Year Assessment/Progress Report due.

Submit an Intent to Homeschool

Families must submit an Intent to Homeschool for each student. Please submit one request per student. Submission of an Intent to Homeschool does not constitute approval.

Provide an Educational Plan

The educational plan must describe the proposed home instruction program and provide enough information for BPS to understand what and how the student will be taught.

Provide a Learning Schedule

Families must provide a general description of the student's learning schedule including start date, routine, instructional days, and weekly organization.

Verify Boston Residency

Submit two current proofs of Boston residency from different acceptable document categories. BPS may request updated documentation when necessary.

Provide Instructor Information

Identify the student's primary instructor and provide information about the instructor's background, education, experience, and qualifications.

Provide Two Instructor References

Two references must be provided for the primary instructor including name, relationship, email address, and phone number, when available.

BPS Review and Approval

BPS reviews submissions for completeness and compliance. Families will be notified of the status. Once approved, you will receive a BPS Homeschool Approval Letter.

Students Currently Enrolled in BPS

Do not withdraw your student until your request is approved. After approval, provide the approval letter to your student's current school to complete withdrawal.

Family Engagement & Mid-Year Review

BPS may conduct a mid-year check-in with families to review progress, resources, and the learning environment. This is not a home inspection.

Monitor and Document Student Progress

Maintain documentation of your student's progress including work samples, portfolios, assessments, and logs.

Submit an End-of-Year Assessment/Progress Report

Due by July 15, 2027. Submit online through the designated form or by mail. Keep a copy for your records.

Maintain Homeschool Records

Retain your approval letter, educational plan, curriculum information, assessments, and all homeschool records.

Notify BPS of Changes

Notify the BPS Homeschooling Office of any changes to address, program, contact information, or if you plan to return to BPS.

Families are responsible for maintaining homeschool records.

Boston Public Schools does not provide ongoing verification of homeschool enrollment. The family's approval letter serves as documentation that the home instruction program was approved for the applicable school year.

We are here to help

Contact the BPS Homeschooling Office with questions about your submission, requirements, or homeschool records.

BPS Homeschooling OfficeOffice of Expanded Learning Opportunities
2300 Washington Street, Roxbury, MA 02119

Email the Office