With 340 students converging daily on the third floor of the South Boston Education Complex, the “green" in the Boston Green Academy has meant forging a new academic community and watching it take root, staff and students say.
“Sustainable classroom relationships are very 'green',” said Abdi Ali, a humanities teacher. "Bringing all these kids from different backgrounds together for the first time, it’s really important to foster an open dialogue between them, so we can create a sense of community... That is really where it all begins.”
As a Horace Mann Charter School, the academy has the flexibility to hire staff from inside and outside the Boston Public Schools system, set its own academic program and graduation requirements, and offer extended school days and a longer school year. The school targets students who have struggled academically, but who want a specialized curriculum, academy founder Jeff Liberty said.
Liberty said that the school staff has started the year focusing on individual needs and development, in hopes that each student will see that he or she has skills that can help in making contributions to the larger world.
“A green curriculum is one which helps students create connections, fosters a global conversation, broadens their perspectives and helps them develop a place in the new global economy,” he said.
On a day-to-day level, that means students are encouraged to have open dialogues with teachers and their peers about real-life issues, while also getting a traditional high school education. The school curriculum includes a 20-minute "Drop Everything and Read" (DARE) period daily, as well as weekly advisory sessions and nutrition and wellness programs. Along the way, school staff make an effort to promote environmental awareness and the need for a global perspective on social issues.
