紐英崙僑界歡送經文處副處長陳銘俊

紐英崙全僑歡送經文處副處長陳銘俊(右七)返台述職。(周菊子攝)

                        (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導)紐英崙僑胞6月24日在帝苑大酒樓，設宴歡送駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處副處長陳銘俊返台述職，各僑團紛紛送字，贈畫，獻詩，還有特地訂製發光獎座，刻字名片盒，紅襪隊外套，球帽，甚至奉上一座玉馬的，盡現依依不捨之情。

駐波士頓經文處同仁歡送陳銘俊(第二排佐賜)。(周菊子攝)

                       歡送宴由中華公所中英文書記，雷國輝、朱蘇珊主持，中華公所主席陳家驊，經文處處長徐佑典一一致詞，華人佈道會牧師陳德修祝禱。

陳家驊從陳銘俊2012年8月來到波士頓，接鍾麗文遺缺說起，打趣申論做事，做官，也感慨人生來去，盡皆緣分，6年匆匆，他和陳毓禮的另一半才相繼辭世，現在又要送別友好。

                      徐佑典二個半月前才到波士頓上任，但十年前因公訪問東京時就已認識陳銘俊。他盛讚陳銘俊熱心，那時就已當他是好朋友，這次波士頓重逢，更覺得陳銘俊有如兄弟。他謙說要學習陳銘俊待人的誠懇，祝福他返台後更上層樓。

紐英崙中華公所送給陳銘俊，鄭靜敏夫婦(中)棒球夾克和球帽。右起，
陳文浩，公所主席陳家驊，周樹昂，朱蘇珊，雷國輝。(周菊子攝)

                       歡送會上還有不少陳銘俊在任上結識的政要，麻州企業發展署副署長范文南(Nam Pham)，難民移民辦公室主任張瑪麗(Mary Truong)，刻正競選麻州財政長的麻州眾議員Keiko Orrall，波士頓市議員愛德華費林(Ed Flynn)，芬蘭領事Leonard Kopelman等人都特地出席，歡送道別。

                      范文南，Keiko Orrall還分別代表麻州州長查理貝克和多名麻州眾議員，送上表揚狀，表達祝福之意。范文南特地指出，他要說So long，而不是farewell，因為期待著將來再見。

                      陳銘俊坦言，他其實不想離開，心裡也沒有準備好要面對歡送會，但他要說，這些年來很感謝社區內叔伯嬸母們的照顧，兄弟姊妹們的支持。他還邀請座中眾人和他一起齊聲禱告。

陳毓禮(左)強調和陳銘俊的宗親情。
(周菊子攝)

                         僑團輪流上台，送禮，話別時，台下不時讚嘆。中華公所送給他一件球隊夾克及球帽，波士頓安良工商會送一座會發光，刻有”盡忠職守”四字的獎座，紐英崙至孝篤親公所讚他”仁義雙全”，紐英崙至德三德公所以字畫稱許他”學識淵博，和藹可親，不嬌不藻，平易近人”。中華書法會形容他”源潔則流清，形端則影直”。劉李碧雲和張婉玲送上一尊玉馬，林卓培和伍振中送上一幅有字有畫的長條橫幅，紐英崙婦女新運會送上一幅長軸”心繫中華，情牽僑社”，紐英崙伍胥山公所別出心裁，訂製了一個精緻的名片盒，刻上陳銘俊的名字和伍氏公所名稱，要讓他記住情誼。

                   陳建立為送別陳銘俊，寫了首詩，"陳腔濫調我不為，銘季高風與嚴威，俊美灑脫人風趣，心有玲心列點提，至孝篤親袁胡陳，明心見性智勇仁，相遇波城同邁進，一一協別把師銀

                   陳銘俊將於6月28日搭機返台，妻子鄭靜敏將留在波士頓伴讀。

波士頓安良工商會會長兼全美總禮陳仕維(左二)和陳文浩(右一)，
伍輝民(左二)代表安良，送一份特別紀念品給陳銘俊夫婦。(周菊子攝)

華埠退伍軍人會和陳銘俊夫婦合影。(周菊子攝)

紐英崙至孝篤親公所。

波士頓國民黨。

紐英崙至德三德公所。

中華書法會。

左起，張婉玲和劉李碧雲送玉馬給陳銘俊夫婦。

林卓培(左一)製作的字畫橫幅，由伍振中(右)幫忙拉開，政要們列席合影。(周菊子攝)

紐英崙婦女新運會。

新英格蘭台灣商會。

波士頓榮光會。

紐英崙伍胥山公所訂製的刻字名片盒。

紐英崙伍胥山公所

紐英崙黃氏公所。

陳銘俊，鄭靜敏夫婦(中)敬酒感謝僑界歡送。(周菊子攝)

李氏，余氏，伍氏宗親。

紐英崙客家鄉親會。

外國領事團團長，芬蘭領氏Leonard Kopelman(右一)和陳銘俊(左一)、
鄭靜敏(右二)夫婦。(周菊子攝)

右起，王志傑，僑教中心主任歐宏偉，經文處長徐佑典，談家權，經文處
副處長陳銘俊，謝如鍵，謝中之合影。

左起，經文處副處長陳銘俊，處長徐佑典，曾任波士頓僑領的馬滌凡，
紐英崙中華公所主席陳家驊。(周橘子攝)

曾任華埠退伍軍人會會長的司徒文信也和陳銘俊副處長依依不捨。
(周菊子攝)

伍胥山公所合影。(伍氏提供)

駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處同仁攜家帶眷與陳銘俊(第二排左四)合影
留念。(周菊子攝)

張婉玲(左起)，劉李碧雲送給陳銘俊夫婦一座玉雕，藉表惜別心意。(周菊子攝)

黃氏公所。

美交通部長趙小蘭帶來2.25億元 綠線擴建今日破土動工

政要們為綠線輕軌項目舉行破土動工儀式。左二起，尚莫維爾市長Joseph Curtatone，麻州聯邦眾議員卡普阿諾(Mike Capuano)，MBTA總經理Luis Manuel Ramírez，麻州交通廳廳長Stephanie Pollack，美國交通部部長趙小蘭(Elaine Chao)，麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)，麻州副州長白莉朵(Karyn Polito)(右一)等人。(周菊子攝)

       (Boston Orange 周菊子尚莫維爾市報導)美國交通部部長趙小蘭(Elaine L. Chao)今(25)日近午在麻州尚莫維爾市(Somverville)宣佈，聯邦政府將撥款2億2500萬美元，資助麻州灣區運輸局(MBTA)的綠線擴建輕軌計畫。

美國交通部部長趙小蘭(Elaine Chao)(右)在麻州州長查理貝克
(Charlie Baker)(左)陪同下步入會場。(周菊子攝)

            麻州交通廳特地為此，在位於尚莫維爾市內將來的聯合廣場站(Union Square Station)舉行了破土動工儀式。預訂2022年一月啟用綠線輕軌。

美國交通部部長趙小蘭(Elaine Chao)宣佈聯邦政府撥給麻州
2億2500萬美元。(周菊子攝)

麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)，副州長白莉朵(Karyn Polito)，麻州聯邦眾議員卡普阿諾(Mike Capuano)，凱瑟琳克拉克(Katherine Clark)，尚莫維爾市長柯塔彤(Joseph Curtatone)，聯邦運輸管理局(FTA)代理行政長K. Jane Williams，麻州交通廳廳長Stephanie Pollack等人都今日都出席致詞，動鏟。

聯邦眾議員卡普阿諾直言他參加過不下三次綠線擴建動工典禮。
(周菊子攝)

美國交通部表示，FTA和MBTA在2015年時，根據修訂的23億元預算，簽署了9億9600萬元全額撥款協議(FFGA)。這筆2億2500萬美元經費是撥給從劍橋市到麥德福市(Medford)這長4.7英哩綠線輕軌項目的第二筆經費。

趙小蘭表示，綠線擴建將改善大波士頓地區數以千計人們的生活品質，讓他們上班，上學都更容易。

尚莫維爾市長柯塔彤(Joseph Curtatone)為促成綠線擴建動工，
不惜允諾5年撥款5000萬元。(周菊子攝)

聯邦眾議員卡普阿諾十分激動，直言他在尚莫維爾市出生，長大，能為自己家鄉帶回來10億元經費的機會並不多。綠線擴建工程的破土儀式他已參加過不下三次，這一次終於來真的了。他點名感謝共和黨籍的麻州州長查理貝克和交通部長趙小蘭，指出他們兩人都沒被黨派之私所蒙蔽，只因為這件事對民眾有利，是對的，該做的事，就有擔當的執行了。

綠線擴建破土儀式會場外，兩名青少年舉告示牌，質疑麻州州長會不會
搭乘地鐵，知不知道地鐵的實際營運狀況。(周菊子攝)

他也強調綠線擴工程建終於可以真的啟動，尚莫維爾市市長契而不捨的努力，居功厥偉。

尚莫維爾市市長柯塔彤也很激動，強調綠線擴建工程將可大規模造福居民，帶動地方經濟發展，這也是為什麼該市願意提撥經費，促成項目落實。

            綠線擴建部分的沿線居民，大約有75000人。整個綠線擴建項目包括7個新的輕軌車站，重建或維修八座橋梁，以及一條新的行人/自行車道。綠線輕軌一旦建成，預計每天會增加40,000人次搭乘，波士頓市，尚莫維爾市，塔芙茨大學(Tufts)校本部所在的麥德福市等地的交通都將改善。

            綠線輕軌項目將從劍橋市東部遷建的Lechmere站，延長4.7英哩，大約有一英哩會和費奇堡(Fitchburg)通勤火車線到尚莫維爾市聯合廣場站的路線重疊，另外大約3.7英哩會和羅爾(Lowell)通勤火車線到麥德福市內大學道(College Avenue)的路線重疊。

            這項目還會建造七個新車站，包括把Lechmere車站搬到新地點去，還會在尚莫維爾市建一個新的車輛儲存及維修場地。一旦通車後，尖峰時間內，地鐵將可每五道六分鐘開行一班，位民眾提供更快捷的來往波士頓市中心交通工具。

麻州交通廳廳長Stephanie Pollack表示，大約二年前，因為超支問題，麻州州長查理貝克喊停綠線輕軌項目，之後他們找到方法，從原有的設計開銷中縮減10億元，並重新設計這項目，重新和聯邦，州，市政府的相關人員洽商。

麻州MBTA總經理Luis Manuel Ramírez表示，只不過兩年前，很多人都認為這一天永遠不會來，但在各方努力下，這項目終於成真。

尚莫維爾市和劍橋市為促使這綠線擴建項目落實，都分別同意分期五年撥款。尚莫維爾市每年撥1000萬元，劍橋市每年撥500萬元。兩市將共撥款7500萬元。

2017年11月時，MBTA的財政及管理控制委員會無異議通過，綠線輕軌的設計及建築工程交給由麵粉企業(Flour Enterprises)、米斗塞企業(Middlesex Corp)，Herzog承包公司，以及Balfour Beatty 結構公司等四家公司組成的GLX工程公司來承做。

項目總價估計為23億元，包括諸如房地產，專業服務，預防措施，採購24輛新電車等其他細項費用。採購的新車預計2018年秋天投入服務，2019年初可全部加入營運服務行列。

相關的設計，前期施工等工作都已在進行中，預計今秋會開始較大規模的施工，預訂2020年莫進入測試接電，2021年末開始營運。

BPS和ICE分享資訊，導致學生被捕? 張欽棠稱指控不實

(Boston Orange)波士頓公校總監張欽棠上週五發信宣佈辭職，今(25)日再發公開信，聲言早前新聞報導中指波士頓公校和聯邦移民及海關執行局(ICE)分享資訊，導致一名學生被捕是不實指控。 張欽棠在信中表示，在他做為波士頓公校總監的最後幾天裏，他要大家知道他所知道的，公校系統是如何和移民學生及家長合作。 張欽棠坦言，這是不尋常的舉動，儘管還沒正式收到文件，他卻要來談可能涉及法律訴訟的這件事，因為他要大家知道，做為一個組織的他們，以及做為一名教育者和移民的他個人，對保護移民兒童的感受。 新聞報導中做出的指控是，波士頓公校和聯邦移民及海關執行局(ICE)分享資訊，導致一名學生被捕。那是不正確的。 除非法令要求，波士頓公校絕對不會把學生資訊交給ICE。那基本上也和我們作為一個組織所代表和所相信的，以及我們數以千計員工每天抱持信念做的互相矛盾。那也和他為波士頓公校訂定的目標互相矛盾。 這議題對他本人來說更是非常切身，他自己就是在還是個小孩子時移民來美，上了公立學校，一句英文也不會說。公立學校給了他機會，也打造了今日的他。那是數以百萬計美國人曾經走過的路。移民讓這國家強壯，而舊許多其他人一樣，他對聯邦政府的某些行動感到恐怖極了，特別是對移民家庭那些行動，和這個國家所代表的，和他所相信的基本上有矛盾。他一向說要保護移民學生，他也會繼續這麼做。 張欽棠在信中指出，根據報導，該法律訴訟的重點是，波士頓警察局和麻州警察局等執法機構，有一個小組在調查二年前東波士頓發生的與幫派有關謀殺案，波士頓公校照該小組要求，提供了並不包含學生移民資訊的相關學校警察報告。提供出去的資訊，並不包括任何個人的移民狀態。 Boston Public Schools Superintendent Chang Issues Letter on Important Immigration Issues

BOSTON — Monday, June 25, 2018 — Boston Public Schools (BPS) Superintendent Tommy Chang, who announced his impending departure from his position on Friday, today issued a letter to Boston Public Schools families to clarify the district's stance on important immigration issues. In the letter, Dr. Change wrote: "I’m taking the unusual step of speaking on a lawsuit we have not officially received yet because I want you to know how strongly we, as an organization, and I personally, as an educator and an immigrant, feel about protecting immigrant children. The allegation that has been made in news reports is that the Boston Public Schools (BPS) shared information with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that led to the arrest of a student. That claim is false." The entire letter is available on bostonpublicschools.org. SUPERINTENDENT CHANG AFFIRMS PROTECTION OF IMMIGRANT STUDENTS On Monday, June 25, 2018, Superintendent Tommy Chang issued the following letter to the Boston Public Schools community to affirm the district's policies protecting immigrant students: June 25, 2018 Dear Boston Public Schools Community: On this, my last days as Superintendent of Schools, I want you to know what I know regarding a lawsuit that touches on how we work with immigrant students and their families. I’m taking the unusual step of speaking on a lawsuit we have not officially received yet because I want you to know how strongly we, as an organization, and I personally, as an educator and an immigrant, feel about protecting immigrant children. The allegation that has been made in news reports is that the Boston Public Schools (BPS) shared information with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that led to the arrest of a student. That claim is false. BPS would never give student information to ICE, unless required under law. It also fundamentally contradicts what we stand for and believe as an organization, and what thousands of our employees work in good faith to do every day. And it contradicts what I have set forth as our direction. The City of Boston and the Boston Public Schools (BPS) want all of our immigrant families to know that, no matter their immigration status, they are valued members of our community. The U.S. Constitution protects the right of every child in this country to an education -- regardless of their immigration status. We take that protection enormously seriously. BPS will continue to welcome and support immigrant students in our schools, and honor their constitutional right to a free and uninterrupted public school education. We always follow state and federal student records laws in sharing any student information. It would be against BPS policy to provide any student records to ICE, and BPS does not have a practice of doing so. This issue is enormously personal to me. I came to this country as an immigrant child, and entered public school without knowing a word of English. Public schools gave me the opportunities that made me what I am today — a journey millions of Americans have taken. Immigrants make this nation strong, and like so many people, I’m horrified by some of the actions our federal government is taking, particularly against immigrant families, actions that I believe are fundamentally contradictory to what this country stands for. I have long spoken out on the need to protect immigrant students, and will continue to do so. That’s even more important today. The atmosphere has changed dramatically in our country and in immigrant neighborhoods. Fear of deportation has grown sharply. Families worry that enforcement is no longer focused just on serious criminals. There is now constant anxiety for immigrant parents and children, and stress for teachers, principals, and other school staff who care so deeply about our immigrant families. That is why the Boston Public Schools, as a matter of policy, does not request immigration status from families nor does the district keep any records detailing the immigration status of our students. Furthermore, unless ordered to do so by statute or a court of law, BPS does not provide law enforcement authorities with copies of any students records, which are protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Even if a law enforcement agency was to show up at a school with a warrant, only the BPS Office of Legal Advisor will determine whether BPS is required to respond or comply. You can read our policies in our Educational Access For All circular. In addition, BPS in March instituted a new district policy that provides strict guidelines on how Boston School Police officers provide school police reports to law enforcement authorities, including the Boston Regional Intelligence Center. BPS will continue to work with advocacy organizations around this issue. The lawsuit, according to reports, focuses on a specific case where BPS complied with requests from a team of investigators from the Boston Police Department (BPD) and Massachusetts State Police, among other law enforcement agencies, that were investigating gang-related murders in East Boston over two years ago, and provided relevant school police reports, which did not contain any student immigration information. The information provided did not contain any reference to an individual's immigration status. The Boston Public Schools has been very proactive over the past year and a half to affirm the rights of our immigrant students and provide them and their families important educational resources. We care deeply for our immigrant families and we want them to know that BPS welcomes them and will keep them safe.   Sincerely, Tommy Chang, Ed.D.Superintendent

王野野談五色療法 援引五行八卦物理能量說 (圖片)

Charmit世界基金會的陳奮(左起)和五色療法創辦人王野野，中醫師田文。(周菊子攝)

陳奮(左二)邀中醫師們和王野野(左三)交流。(周菊子攝)

藍捷女乘客指控麻州長兒子不當撫摸

(Boston Orange整理報導) 一名搭乘6月20日晚從華府回波士頓藍捷(Jet Blue)飛機的女乘客，指控麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)的兒子，安德魯(Andrew)，性騷擾。

事件發生在週三，6月20日，晚上10點從雷根國家機場起飛，大約11點半抵達波士頓的藍捷班機1354號上。

機上一名女乘客表示，安德魯不洽當的觸摸她。

此事尚未申訴任何罪狀，聯邦調查局在周五表示，為因應司法部規定，該局不能承認或否認，是否正在調查此案。

藍捷公司的企業傳播部的Morgan Johnson表示，在6月20號那天，1354號班機組員在降落波士頓之前不久收到通知，乘客之間發生事故。

知情人士透露，藍捷機組人員獲悉狀況後，讓那名女乘客換了座位。飛機降落後，

飛機在當地時間大約晚上11點抵達後，有地方當局出面處理。

麻州州長查理貝克辦公室發言人Lizzy Guyton表示，那是貝克家的私人事務，安德魯會配合來自當局的任何要求。安德魯的律師Roberto Braceras也說安德魯會配合調查。

麻州州警表示，此是現由美國檢察官辦公室處理，他們沒有參與調查，因為這事不事發生在該部門轄區內。

WBZ起初報導，一名成年女乘客告訴當局，又稱A.J.的安德魯貝克，在周三晚從華府飛波士頓的藍捷班機上，坐在她旁邊。另一消息來源說，該女乘客稱安德魯一再摸她胸部。飛機抵達波士頓後，麻州州警上了飛機，護送安德魯下機。

有關當局周五晚對事件細節不予置評，但藍捷發出了一份聲明，不過表示不能證實任何細節。

安德魯是查理貝克的3個小孩之一，2016年才從大學畢業。

波士頓市公校總監張欽棠辭職

檔案照片，2015年時，張欽棠(中)剛是任波士頓公校總監，和
波士頓市長馬丁華殊(Martin Walsh)(右)，當時的波市學校委員會
主席(左)。(周菊子攝)

(Boston Orange 周菊子整理報導)世事難料，6月21日一早，社區團體要告波士頓公校系統，公校總監，波士頓市長的消息，才刊在報上，傍晚時分，就傳出波市公校總監張欽棠(Tommy Chang)同意辭職的消息。

下午四點半，波士頓公校系統才宣佈，張欽棠指派新墨西哥州公共教育廳教育及學習副廳長Matt Montaño，出任波士頓公校系統的學業及平等支持學生團隊(ASSET)副公校總監，五點零八分，波士頓環球報就發表了張欽棠將辭職的消息。

晚上八點半，張欽棠經由波士頓公校系統，發表了告別信。波士頓英文報章指稱，張欽棠還在和波士頓學校委員會協商離職細節。他拒絕說明辭職的理由，但強調並沒有另一份工作在等著他。

美國第一個公校系統的第一位華裔公校總監，可能也是歷來最年輕波士頓公校總監的張欽棠，一連經歷學校開學時間變動，考試學校入學辦法修改，學校經費使用手續有訾議，向聯邦情治機構提交學生事件報告等多個風波後，到任三年多，在五年合約還未期滿前，就辭職了。

張欽棠告訴英文報章，”不幸的，事情發生得非常快，他期待不久的將來，在他和波士頓公校委員會協商完畢後，可以分享更多資訊”。

波士頓環球報聲稱，波士頓市長馬丁華殊(Martin Walsh)在一份聲明中很清楚表達了他不滿意張欽棠，他已決定，”我們需要一個在管理上有可靠成績，能在學區的策略遠景上得到社區信心的，長期的教育領袖”。

他說，”我花了很多時間來想我們在波士頓教育上已做的改善，以及要確保成功達到已為學生及學校所設定的野心勃勃目標，還等在前面的重要工作”。

由於這些想法，他和張欽棠晤談後，他們倆人都同意，波士頓公校的領導層必須有改變。

波士頓學校委員會主席Michael Loconto以還在協商為由，拒絕對張欽棠的離職發表看法。

張欽棠的離職，意味著波市公校的建新學校，檢修高中課程讓更多學生拿到畢業證書等大計畫，都將嘎然而止。張欽棠的僅在位三年，也使他成為波市公校系統40多年歷史中，任職時間最短的公校總監。

張欽棠是在波士頓市做全國搜尋後，才於2015年簽下一紙長達五年合約，接管有著56000名學生的公校系統。他的合約年期之長，是全美任何大型城市學區中最長的一個。

不過他上任以來，不斷涉入爭議事件，例如去年他提出的變動學校開學時間計畫，稅務局稽核發現學生活動戶口管理不當，波士頓市長公開拒絕了張欽棠想要改變考試學校入學許可要求的計畫等等。

這星期又發生了民權團體及支持學生組織，因為波士頓公校系統不肯揭露學校系統有沒把學生資訊交給聯邦移民當局，向法院控告了學校部門。

目前還不清楚，張欽棠會否拿到剩餘合約的薪資。如果他的離職，算做學校委員會和他協議的無錯離職，他可能有資格領取多達12個月的薪資。他現在的年薪是267,000元。他還有資格拿到未使用病假及年假的付款。

過去兩年的工作評鑑，張欽棠都得到”熟練(proficient)”的評等，儘管他也被評為在家庭及社區參與上需要改善。

            波士頓市長計畫下週指派臨時公校總監。搜尋一名長期領導，要花相當長的時間。2013年8月，前任公校總監卡羅強森(Carol Johnson)，波士頓公校總監職位就一直由人代理，直到兩年後，才有張欽棠接任。

            兩名相關人員說，波士頓市長馬丁華殊並未就最近發生的爭議，直接責怪張欽棠，但那卻是張欽棠沒有能力管理波士頓公校系統裏面，家長，校長，社區團體，政府官員利益交錯，糾纏的例子。

有一人表示，”事實是沒人有信心張欽棠能夠達成市長想成就的事”。他稱許張欽棠的做事能力很優秀，但做人技能在這個時刻，並不適合這個工作，這個學校部門。

波士頓市議員，曾經是老師，現為市議會教育委員會主席的Annissa Essaibi-George表示，張欽棠沒做到改善，更重要的是不能和學校系統內的家長有共鳴。家長們不覺得需要被照顧到了，大家談得很多，卻沒到為確保學生成功所需的那些改善。

她說，波士頓學校有著任何公校總監都會覺得棘手的特定挑戰，包括學校的交通體系蔓延無際，100多所學校有22種不同的年級結構組合。要找一個合適的人來推動波士頓學區向前，很不容易。張欽棠是個很聰明，意圖很好的人，”我們只是錯過太多可以給學生，家庭更大影響的機會”。

            波士頓環球報聲稱，波士頓市長馬丁華殊在搜尋下一任公校總監時，將面對是否有能力吸引來頂尖領袖的挑戰。在公眾騷動之下，他和張欽棠關係緊張，也將使某些潛在候選人不願意考慮這位置。

波士頓公校總監張欽棠辭職

Superintendent Tommy Chang Issues Farewell Letter to Boston Public Schools Community

BOSTON — Friday, June 22, 2018 — Boston Public Schools (BPS) Superintendent Tommy Chang issued a farewell letter to the school community on Friday evening, shortly after announcing his departure from his position. The letter is contained below and is also posted on bostonpublicschools.org. June 22, 2018 Dear Boston Public Schools Community: It has been my great honor to serve the youth of Boston and I am proud of the work we’ve done together over the last three years. On the Nation’s Report Card, in numerous areas, Boston has been one of only a handful of districts that have made progress. Gaps of achievement and opportunity have begun to close. That’s a credit to our teachers, principals, staff, and families — and I’m proud of it. But no one can or should be satisfied with where we stand, and with some crucial building blocks in place, the time will never be better for the next leader to take the helm. I’m grateful to the people of Boston for the opportunity to serve here — and for what that opportunity means about what’s possible in America. Thirty-seven years ago, as an immigrant from Taiwan, I showed up in public schools without knowing a word of English. Public school teachers guided me in a journey that gave me one of the greatest responsibilities a human being can have —the education of a city’s children. In this moment more than ever, I want every immigrant child to know that’s the country America strives to be, must be, and will be. The youth of Boston inspire me each and every day. They are truly the future leaders, scholars, entrepreneurs, and innovators of tomorrow. I am proud of the accomplishments of my leadership team who have worked closely with school leaders and teachers over the last three years to serve the students of this great city. Together, we have worked tirelessly each and every day to ensure better life outcomes for young people.  Since my first day as superintendent, I have worked to improve the system of education in the City of Boston. A stronger school system means a stronger Boston. In partnership with you, and guided by the values of equity, coherence, and innovation, we are getting better outcomes for youth. Over the last three years: Graduation rates have increased from 70.7% in 2015 to 72.7% in 2017 while dropout rates have decreased from 4.4% in 2015 to 3.6% in 2017. We have more high-performing schools than ever before in district history, with a combined 46 schools ranked among the highest-performing in the state (Level 1 and Level 2). Suspensions have significantly decreased as we have codified restorative justice practices and ensured that all schools are safe, welcoming and sustaining learning environments. We have fought courageously for our immigrant students, LGBTQ youth, and homeless youth while leading on important issues around school safety and access to safe drinking water. We created the Office of Social Emotional Learning and Wellness and won a four-year Wallace Foundation grant to promote social-emotional development of students. We have laid a strong foundation for academic growth and closing opportunity and achievement gaps by instituting the Essentials for Instructional Equity, a coherent, research-based vision of instruction and related competencies. Through Excellence for All, more students in grades 4-5 now have access to more rigorous curriculum and enriched learning opportunities in an inclusive setting. We have fully implemented Extended Learning Time to 57 schools serving 23,000 students in grades K-8. We have supported our English Learners (EL) by ensuring delivery of services and investing in quality EL programs. We also launched the first-in-the-nation Haitian Creole pre-K dual-language program at the Mattahunt Elementary School. Lastly, we have instituted Exam School Initiative reforms that have dramatically increased participation and acceptance rates for Black and Latino children. We have expanded access to healthy and appetizing food by bringing in Revolution Foods, launching the Hub and Spoke school kitchen program and investing in year-round learning opportunities through the "5th Quarter of Learning" to engage over 12,000 students in the summer months. I want to thank Mayor Martin J. Walsh and the Boston School Committee for having faith in me to lead this incredible school district and serve the families and students of this city, the birthplace of public education.  Lastly, I want to personally thank the entire Boston Public Schools community. To the BPS staff, thank you for your dedication and commitment to our students. We give our entire self emotionally, intellectually, professionally and personally to serving youth. Continue to do so.  I thank all of you for the opportunity to be of service to you. Respectfully, Tommy Chang, Ed.D. Superintendent