Support for Students - Presentation by Dr. Mary Walsh
| To: | Members of the Board of Education |
| From: | Jeffrey Nellhaus, Acting Commissioner of Education |
| Date: | January 15, 2008 |
In September 2007 the Board heard a presentation by Dr. Rick Weissbourd of the Harvard Graduate School of Education on ways to assist schools and districts in providing the various kinds of emotional, social, physical and mental health support that students need in order to be successful in school. This month we have invited Dr. Mary Walsh, the Daniel E. Kearns Professor of Education and Innovative Leadership at Boston College, to talk with the Board about "Boston Connects." This school-community-university partnership links 10 of Boston's public elementary schools, the YMCA of Greater Boston, Boston College and other community partners to provide children and their families with the after-school and social assistance they need. To date more than 3,300 children and their families have been served through this collaborative effort.
The mission of Boston Connects is well aligned with the goals of the Board. The initiative aims to:
- Significantly increase student academic achievement
- Reduce barriers to learning through provision of student support and family support services, including mental health and social services.
- Expand academic and cultural enrichment opportunities through positive youth development activities
Dr. Walsh will present an overview of the work of Boston Connects, discuss her view of the state's current efforts to provide support for students, and suggest some possible areas for improvement. We look forward to an interesting discussion.
last updated: January 18, 2008
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