You might have seen the recent series of Boston Herald articles focusing on what the paper called BPS School Success stories.  These pieces were also highlighted on the Boston Public Schools website.

So how to describe the mixed feelings reading them?  Because for sure, no one wants to hear that a school is doing poorly and it’s certainly important to rally around success stories of school leaders, teachers, parents and students doing well in a school community.  But when simplistic articles like these reinforce the divisive dichotomy between ‘good’ schools and ‘bad’ schools, and ‘good’ kids and ‘bad’ kids, particularly by often roundly associating charter schools and ‘mid-20 something teachers’ with the good, and the unnamed and undifferentiated mass of district, unionized schools and their teachers with the bad, it just rings terribly, terribly wrong.

Other thoughts and reactions to the article series, including the one on UP Academy below?

Rejuvenated school helps kids reach new heights

By Jessica Heslam  |   Tuesday, November 29, 2011  |

The Herald is showcasing four standout Boston public schools that are operating largely under the radar with a five-part series on innovative efforts to boost urban education. Yesterday, the Herald profiled TechBoston Academy, which President Obama visited in March. In the second part today, the Herald visits South Boston’s UP Academy.

School cop Victor Ortiz was the only familiar face from the former Gavin Middle School who was still in the building when it reopened as UP Academy this school year. Ortiz, who has been at the South Boston school for seven years, says he already sees a difference.

“The kids have more structure in place,” Ortiz said. “Overall, there’s a very positive vibe. It’s a good change.”

The academically floundering Gavin was shuttered last June. Unlocking Potential — a nonprofit, Boston-based organization that whips failing schools into shape — was tapped to reopen the building as a semi-autonomous in-district charter school that serves grades 6 to 8.

Teachers from the Gavin were invited to reapply. Five did, but none were re-hired. More than 4,000 people from around the globe applied for 57 teaching and administrator jobs.

Over the summer, the building underwent a massive clean-up, with more than $150,000 in renovations, including money spent on new furniture and technology.

The new teachers — mostly mid 20-somethings — showed up Aug. 1. Students returned on Aug. 29. The school year is longer and so is the day, which starts at 7:30 a.m., with dismissals at 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Students wear name tags because all their teachers are new.

At age 33, principal Amanda Gardner had already spent seven years as founding principal of Boston Preparatory Charter Public School before coming to UP Academy.

Students just took their first round of math and English interim assessments, given by the nonprofit Achievement Network. Gardner said they were at the network’s average or right above it.

“Given the schools that are in this network, that’s a really powerful sign,” Gardner said. “That was a pretty substantial improvement from where Gavin had been performing on those assessments in years past.”

This is Unlocking Potential’s first school. Gardner said UP Academy’s ability to hire its own staff and choose curriculum — as well as the longer school day and year — are major factors for success.

“We sweat the small stuff all the time,” CEO Scott Given said. “We consistently hold our students to very high expectations, both behaviorally and academically.”

Every classroom in the pristine school is named after a college attended by teachers and staff members. And when the bell rings, students don’t pour into the hallways in a massive mob — the teachers change rooms. When youngsters do switch rooms or head to lunch, they walk in single file, eyes focused straight ahead.

So far, overall, Gardner said her sense is that students are “really happy,” getting to class on time and respecting their teachers.

“We all know that people are watching us to see how it goes,” said Gardner, “and we’re excited about that.”

Tomorrow the series continue with a focus on Orchard Gardens in Roxbury, a turnaround school that is already making strides.

Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1384488

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