Boston Public Schools and Mayor Walsh's City Hall to Go Launches BuildBPS Kitchen Table Talks

Boston Public Schools and Mayor Walsh's City Hall to Go Launches BuildBPS Kitchen Table Talks

Boston, MA - Friday, July 22, 2016 - The Boston Public Schools (BPS) in partnership with Mayor Martin J. Walsh's City Hall to Go, today announced "BuildBPS Kitchen Table Talks," which are "pop-up" spaces for Boston residents to engage with one another, as well as BPS staff, about the district's 10-year educational and facilities master plan. Based on the premise that the best conversations happen around the kitchen table, BPS and City Hall to Go will be bringing the kitchen table to Boston's neighborhoods. "The most important investment we can make is in our young people, and we do that by supporting their education and making sure they have the best opportunities and learning facilities available to them," said Mayor Walsh. "These Kitchen Table Talks are a fun, innovative way to foster healthy dialogue around how we can better equip our students with the education, skills and facilities needed to meet the standards of 21st century learning."   BuildBPS will provide a strategic framework for facilities investments, as well as curriculum and instruction reforms that are aligned with the district's educational vision. BPS and the Mayor's Education Cabinet are working with Symmes, Maini & McKee Associates (SMMA) to develop a comprehensive set of recommendations submitted to Mayor Walsh, Superintendent Tommy Chang, and Boston School Committee by the fall of 2016.  The project is guided by five advisory committees that include educators and representatives of parent and community partner organizations. "It is great that BPS is partnering with the Mayor's City Hall to Go effort to boost community engagement," said Boston School Committee Chairperson Michael O'Neill. "The Committee looks forward to seeing the many more ways that BPS will engage the public in BuildBPS." For more information, visit: bostonpublicschools.org/buildbps. "Kitchen Table Talks enable families and friends to come together to have great conversations and learn of BuildBPS updates," said Superintendent Tommy Chang. "That's what we want for this experience. We want students, parents, teachers, and staff to stop by a pop-up location and hear how the process of the master plan connects with our future plans for facilities and public education in the city of Boston." The BuildBPS Kitchen Table Talks schedule is as follows: Thursday, July 28 4-6 pm Roxbury Dudley Town Common Tuesday, August 2 12-3 pm Jamaica Plain 677 Centre St. Thursday, August 4 5-7 pm South End BCYF Block Party, Blackstone Wednesday, August 10 5-7 pm Charlestown Charlestown Farmers Market, Thompson Square Saturday, August 13 9 am - 12 pm Roslindale Adams Park Thursday, August 18 5-7 pm Dorchester Leahy/Holloran BCYF Block Party Thursday, August 25 5-7 pm East Boston BCYF Block Party, Paris Street Pool About BuildBPS Launched on September 29, 2015 by Mayor Martin J. Walsh and Superintendent Tommy Chang, BuildBPS is a 10-Year Educational and Facilities Master Plan for Boston Public Schools (BPS). The work is conducted in partnership with BPS, SMMA, the Mayor's Education Cabinet, and several City agencies, including Property and Construction Management, Environment, Energy and Open Space, Neighborhood Services, and the Boston Redevelopment Authority, in consultation with designer and project manager Margaret Wood of Pinck & Co. For additional information, please visit BPS' website: http://bostonpublicschools.org/buildbps.