NEXT STOP: MIDDLE SCHOOL - Boston Public Schools

Boston Teachers Union School
25 Walk Hill Street, Jamaica Plain, MA. 02130
Phone: 617-635-7717
Fax: 617-635-6982
Co-Lead Teachers
Berta Rosa Berriz Betsy Drinan
Lower School Upper School
bberriz@boston.k12.ma.us edrinan@boston.k12.ma.us
bberriz@comcast.net bdrinan@gmail.com
Average class size: 22-26
Any special application processes: No
Current Grades
K1 – Grade 8
Schedule
8:15 Breakfast
8:30 School Day Begins
3:00 Dismissal
What makes your school unique?
The Boston Teachers Union School seeks to educate students to high standards and help them reach their educational potential
and become capable, caring, engaged citizens. We aim to provide all students with a rigorous and wide-ranging liberal arts
education in an inclusive, democratic, nurturing and safe environment that welcomes families and capitalizes on the expertise of
excellent teachers.
The BTU School is a teacher-run school with two teacher-leaders and faculty working together to make important decisions
regarding the school. We believe that unleashing the potential of teachers is the best way to provide a wide-ranging, high-quality
education to all of our scholars. Collaboratively, the faculty develops an innovative and rigorous curriculum for our scholars as well
as a professional growth program for teachers and associate teachers that include a peer observation component.
The BTU School emphasizes involving the whole family, providing educational opportunities and other social and related services
for students and their family members. The school has a longer school day, and involves outside agencies with a long-term goal of
providing more services, including health and social services.
In addition to a rigorous academic program, the Union School currently offers Music, Art and Spanish as a World Language to
scholars. Ongoing student assessment, intervention and academic support ensure achievement for each and every scholar.
Simmons College Partnership
The professional development partnership with Simmons provides opportunities for teachers from both the school and the college
to engage in self-reflective practice. Social work, graduate health studies and library science students are involved with the BTU
students and the school community. The partnership serves as an opportunity to provide a school environment that enhances
student learning, teacher learning, research and practice.
Special opportunities for students:
Daily organized recess with Playworks Coach and weekly sessions that emphasize cooperation and fun.
Weekly Family Newsletter sent home in the Family Communication Folder.
Partnerships with the Arboretum, Literacy Collaborative, Open Circle, Boston Harbor Connects, e Inc, MOVE, SCORE, Tribal
Rhythms, Circles, Hyde Park YMCA Teen Center and New England Home for Little Wanderers.
Two Family Conference Days per year
After-school/extra-curricular and sports opportunities:
YMCA of Boston, Hyde Park Branch, provides after school programming for all students including K1 until 5:45 on a sliding fee
basis. Contact: Victoria George, 617-361-3200 or VGeorge@ymcaboston.org
After School Enrichment activities offered including yoga, art, sports, magazine club, instrumental music, tutoring and more.
Student Body
There are 320 students enrolled in SY 2012-2013. We are a single strand school from K1- Grade 5. The upper school has two classes
at each grade level (6-8). The student population is 38% Latino, 36% Black, 21% White, 2% Asian and 3% other. 19% of our student
body receives special education services including 12 students served in our Primary Transition Program.
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