新學年開課首日 波市長、校監迎接師生返校 期許攜手改善教育

開學了。波士頓市長馬丁華殊（Martin Walsh），波市首名華裔公校總監張欽棠（Thomas Chang）等人，昨（8）日一大清早，趕到學校，歡迎學生，老師，藉以強調市政府和學校，老師，學生，家長，站在同一陣線，將攜手改善波士頓市的教育品質與成果。

張欽棠表示，巡迴各學校，歡迎師生回來上課，是波市府和學校部門推動“我們的文化（Culture of We）“的行動之一，希望藉此讓各個學校，以及老師，家長，學生們感到受關心，開始更融洽的攜手改善教育。

麥迪遜公園科技職業高中（Madison Park Technical Vocational High School）校長去年9月辭職，今年4月才有新校長Kevin McCaskill獲指派上任，因此被選做“歡迎之旅”第一站。

張欽棠昨日還陸續拜訪了Hernandez雙語學校，BTU試驗學校，Mattahunt小學，Channing小學，Ｍanning 小學等學校。

馬丁華殊表示，他和張欽棠，以及波市警察局，消防局等部會首長，都將在新學年開始之際，拜訪學校，讓學校師生感覺到大家的關心，以及波市府要改善所有學校的心意。

當被問及昆士高中新校舍何時有眉目時，馬丁華殊很快地回答道，以後會談及所有的學校問題。

陳翟蘇妮表示，她知道昆士高中校舍問題延宕多年，也聽過馬丁華殊曾說第一個要處理的校舍，會是昆士高中，不過她的轄區如今已不包括波士頓華埠，華埠民眾若關心此事，可以促請轄區包括波士頓華埠的安東尼比楚塞里（Anthony W. Petruccelli)。

            根據官網，波市公校正在為校舍樓宇的十年總體計畫招標，挑選委員會今年二月已和進入最後挑選過程的商戶面談。

馬丁華殊昨日和張欽棠，以及波市學校委員會主席麥可歐尼爾（Michael O’Neill），波士頓教師工會會長史督文（Richard Stutman），以及波市教育長達西（Rahn Dorsey）等人，一早抵達麥迪遜公園科技職業高中，親切的歡迎學生，還送上一支鉛筆。

麻州參議員陳翟蘇妮（Sonia Chang Diaz），波士頓市議員吳弭（Michelle Wu），普莉斯萊（Ayanna Pressley），昨日也趕到現場，加入歡迎學生行列。

波市公校系統通訊主任李察衛爾（Richard Weir）表示，截至上週為止，大約有59,400名學生登記入讀波市公校，其中52,214人為1到12年級學生，7,183人為週四註冊入讀的幼稚園學生。

由於不是每個登記了的人都來上學，波市公校估計，這星期大約只會有55,000人上學，實際數目將在本週結束時大抵確定。

圖片說明：

            波士頓市長馬丁華殊（Martin Walsh）和波市公校總監張欽棠（Thomas Chang），波市學校委員會主席市學校委員會主席麥可歐尼爾（Michael O’Neill）等人，一大早聯袂抵達麥迪遜公園科技高中，在新學年第一天歡迎學生到校上課。（菊子攝）

            波士頓市議員吳弭（Michelle Wu）（前）也到學校門前，聊盡心意。（菊子攝）

            波士頓市長馬丁華殊（中左）和學生們攀談，送上鉛筆。（菊子攝）

            右起，陳翟蘇妮，馬丁華殊，達西（Rahn Dorsey），以及麥可歐尼爾（Michael O’Neill）等人，在麥迪遜高中前歡迎學生。（菊子攝）

            今年都要競選蓮人的波士頓市不分區市議員吳弭（左），普莉斯萊（Ayanna Pressley）在麥迪遜高中前相見歡。（菊子攝）

Mayor Martin J. Walsh and Superintendent Tommy Chang Welcome BPS Students, Families Back to School

BOSTON, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2015 — Mayor Martin J. Walsh and Superintendent Tommy Chang launched a new era in Boston Public Schools today marking the “Culture of We” during a tour of four BPS schools as principals and headmasters opened their doors to new and returning students.

The new district initiative, introduced as part of Dr. Chang’s 100-Day Plan, aims to create enhanced communication and collaboration between educators, administrators, families and all other partners within the BPS community and city.

“This is a great time for Boston — the birthplace of public education — where there is a great deal of momentum pushing us forward, reshaping Boston Public Schools into a world class system," Mayor Walsh said. "As we kick off the start of a new school year, Superintendent Chang has committed himself to improving the educational experience of Boston's youngest residents. I extend my gratitude to our dedicated and passionate parents and guardians, mentors and educators, as well as administrative personnel — they are the cornerstone of our community. I look forward to a smooth, productive and enriching school year, as we continue our work in building up our City one student at a time.” 

“I want to welcome all of our students back to school. We value each and every one of you. I also want to thank our teachers, school leaders and Central Office staff for their dedication in getting all of our schools ready to open," said Dr. Chang, who took over as superintendent on July 1 following a three-month Listen and Learn Tour. "Although we are experiencing unseasonably hot weather, today was a very successful start of the new school year. We must now roll up our sleeves and begin the hard work of transforming Boston Public Schools into a district where all students can and must achieve. No one person can do this work alone. That is why we are building a ‘Culture of We’ within BPS. We will partner together to ensure that all of our students are prepared for college and career."

Boston School Committee Chairman Michael O’Neill, Boston Teachers Union Richard Stutman and City of Boston Chief of Education Rahn Dorsey joined Mayor Walsh and Superintendent Chang this morning as they visited Madison Park Vocational and Technical High School, as well as the Hernandez Dual Language K-8 School, BTU Pilot K1-8 School and Mattahunt Elementary School. They welcomed students, greeted parents, visited classrooms and spoke to teachers about their concerns and visions. 

More than 400 City of Boston and BPS employees were also on hand at each of the 126 BPS schools to welcome families and students, hand out new pencils and help make the opening day run a little smoother. 

The superintendent wrapped up the day by visiting an additional two schools: the Channing Elementary K1-5 School in Hyde Park and the Manning Elementary K1-5 School in Jamaica Plain. The visits are part of Dr. Chang's tour of dozens of schools throughout Boston this month. 

Dr. Chang and his transition team, as part of his Listen and Learn Tour last spring, visited more than 30 schools across the city and met with over 1,500 community members. That collaborative process led to the development of the BPS 100-Day Plan that was released in July.

The plan charts a course to, among other things, ensure all students have access to a high-quality school of their choice close to home; lay the groundwork to develop a “Culture of We” within BPS where all students, staff, families and the community are united in a single mission to close the achievement gap; and to expand the rigorous academics of the Advanced Work Class program to all 4^th-6^th grade students.