Massachusetts NAEP Results Lead Nation for 12th Year

Massachusetts NAEP Results Lead Nation for 12th Year

Only state with top results in math and ELA in grades 4 and 8

MALDEN – Massachusetts fourth and eighth graders scored on top once again in reading and mathematics on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, marking the seventh consecutive time the Commonwealth’s students scored first or statistically tied for first on the NAEP tests, the Baker-Polito Administration announced today.

Massachusetts students have scored first or statistically tied for first place on NAEP tests in fourth and eighth grade reading and math since 2005. According to the 2017 results, Massachusetts tied for first among other states in fourth and eighth grade reading and mathematics while scoring well above the national average on all four tests. Hispanic students and black students in Massachusetts fourth grade classrooms had their highest average scale reading scores ever in 2017.

The NAEP test – commonly referred to as “The Nation’s Report Card” – is administered every two years to a sample of fourth and eighth graders.

“Massachusetts is proud to be a national leader in education. I am pleased to see our students, teachers and schools scoring high marks once again, including record scores for Hispanic and black students,” Governor Charlie Baker said. “Our administration is committed to delivering a quality education to every student in every ZIP code, and we will continue to strive for excellence to make our state the best place to learn and grow.”

“We are so pleased to see that Massachusetts fourth and eighth graders continue to score so well in reading and mathematics,” Lt. Governor Karyn Polito said. “These scores are a testament to the hard work our teachers and students put in every day.”

In eighth grade reading, Massachusetts was the state with the top scale score (278), statistically tying with New Jersey and New Hampshire, while all other states scored lower. Compared to 2015, Massachusetts’ eighth grade reading scale score increased by a statistically significant 4 points.

Scores in fourth grade math and reading and eighth grade math all held steady. The results reflected a trend in the nation as a whole, which saw eighth grade reading results increase by a statistically significant one point while eighth grade math, fourth grade math, and fourth grade reading held steady.

Massachusetts fourth graders had an average scale score of 236 in reading, statistically unchanged from 2015 (235) and above the national average of 221.

In math, fourth graders scored 249, statistically unchanged from 2015 (251) and higher than the national average of 239.

Massachusetts’ test results were a mixed bag for students with disabilities and English learners. While both saw gains in eighth grade reading and held steady in fourth grade reading, both fell at least slightly on the math tests in both grades.

“I’m pleased to see our national standing, but we need to consider areas where we appear to have plateaued,” Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley said. “Standing still will not help all of our students be prepared for opportunities after high school.”

“We are very happy that we continue to be first in the nation in every category, and the narrowing of the achievement gap among black and Hispanic students in eighth grade reading since 2015 is particularly pleasing to see,” Education Secretary James Peyser said. “That is a dramatic improvement since the test was last administered. Now the challenge is to maintain that trajectory.”  

The National Assessment of Educational Progress is the only nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America’s students know and can do in core subjects. The assessment tests representative samples of students in all 50 states and reports state-level results for grades 4 and 8. In Massachusetts, 3,400 grade 4 students were randomly selected to take a NAEP reading assessment, and 3,500 were selected to take a math test. In eighth grade, 3,100 students were selected to take reading, and 3,100 were selected to take mathematics.

This is the first time that NAEP scores are from a computer-based test. The scale for NAEP reading and mathematics scores ranges from 0 to 500.

According to the 2017 NAEP results, Massachusetts fourth graders had an average scale score of 236 in reading, statistically unchanged from 2015 (235) and above the national average of 221. In math, fourth graders scored 249, statistically unchanged from 2015 (251) and higher than the national average of 239. In grade 8 reading, students scored 278, statistically higher than in 2015 (274) and higher than the national average of 265. In eighth grade math, students scored 297, which was the same as in 2015 and higher than the national average of 282.

Other 2017 NAEP results for Massachusetts students included:

Grade 4 Reading:

·       Massachusetts had the top scale score (236). New Jersey scored statistically the same as Massachusetts, and all other states scored statistically lower than Massachusetts.

·       Massachusetts was one of only 20 states to see their fourth grade reading score increase, but the increase in Massachusetts was not statistically significant.

·       51 percent of all Massachusetts fourth graders scored Proficient or above, significantly higher than the national average of 35 percent and not statistically different from 2015 (50 percent).

·       In 2017, Asian/Pacific Islander students had the highest average scale score (247), followed by white students (243), black students (219) and Hispanic students (217).

·       64 percent of Asian students scored Proficient or above, as did 60 percent of whites, 29 percent of blacks, and 29 percent of Hispanics.

Grade 8 Reading:

·       Massachusetts was the state with the top scale score (278). New Jersey and New Hampshire scored statistically the same, and all other states scored lower.

·       Massachusetts was among the majority of states that saw an increase in eighth grade reading scores. In Massachusetts’ case, it was a statistically significant 4 points.

·       49 percent of all Massachusetts students scored Proficient or above, significantly higher than national public of 35 percent and 3 percentage points above 2015 (46 percent).

·       In 2017, Asian students had an average scale score of 292, whites 283, Hispanics 259 and blacks 258.

·       Black students, Hispanic students and Asian students had their highest scale scores and percent score Proficient or above ever in eighth grade reading in 2017.

Grade 4 Mathematics:

·       Students in Massachusetts and Minnesota had the top scale score (249). Virginia, New Jersey, Indiana, and Wyoming scored statistically the same, and all other states scored lower.

·       Although Massachusetts’ score went down 2 points in fourth grade math, most other states also saw a decrease in that grade and subject.

·       53 percent of all Massachusetts students scored Proficient or above, significantly higher than the national average of 40 percent and 1 percentage point lower than in 2015 (54 percent).

·       In 2017, Asian students had an average scale score of 262, whites 255, Hispanic 234 and blacks 229.

Grade 8 Mathematics:

·       Students in Massachusetts had the top scale score (297). Minnesota scored statistically the same, and all other states scored lower.

·       Massachusetts’ score did not change in eighth grade math, while most states saw an increase in that grade and subject.

·       50 percent of all Massachusetts students scored Proficient or above significantly higher than the national average of 33 percent and 1 percentage point lower than in 2015 (51 percent).

·       In 2017, Asian students had an average scale score of 323, whites 303, Hispanics 274 and blacks 271.

第12屆麻州亞美局聯合餐會訂5/3舉行

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Asian American Commission Announces Awardees & Speakers for the 12th Annual Unity Dinner Fundraiser
#RepresentASIAN
Boston University at 7PM with a Networking Reception at 6PM

BOSTON – The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Asian American Commission (AAC) 12th Annual Unity Dinner will be held on Thursday, May 3 at Boston University at 7PM preceded by a networking reception with appetizers and a cash bar starting at 6PM. Proceeds will be used to support, expand and strengthen AAC's advocacy work on behalf of the Asian American community in the Commonwealth.

"We are excited to have Commissioners from the Asian American Commission emcee our event themed, #RepresentASIAN as we honor the work of Dr. Richard Chu (recipient of the Community Hero Award); Wheelock Family Theatre (recipient of the Leadership for Diversity and Inclusion Award); and Ms. Ranjani Saigal (recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award)," remarked Executive Director Jenny Chiang.

Along with our accomplished awardees, we are deeply honored to have keynote speaker, Dr. Pam Eddinger, President of Bunker Hill Community College, the largest of 15 community colleges in Massachusetts.

Attendees will be treated to an ancient classical Indian dance form called Bharatanatyam, performed by Thillai Fine Arts Academy. During the reception, Que Shing Chinese Music & Opera Group will be performing Cantonese Opera music.

Event Details: 
Friday, May 3, 2018
6:00 – 9:30 PM
Boston University, Metcalf Hall at GSU
775 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA.
 

Tickets to the Unity Dinner can be purchased through Eventbrite: https://2018unity.eventbrite.com. For more information, speaker or presenter bios, a list of early sponsors, dinner options, please visit http://www.aacommission.org/unity-dinner/ or contact AAC Executive Director Jenny Chiang at email: jenny.chiang@aacommission.org.

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES WAYS TO GET INVOLVED FOR THE FOURTH ANNUAL ONE BOSTON DAY

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES WAYS TO GET INVOLVED FOR THE   FOURTH ANNUAL ONE BOSTON DAY

Encourages the public, organizations to get involved with acts of goodwill and kindness

BOSTON - Tuesday, April 10, 2018 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced ways to get involved on April 15, to honor Boston's resilience, generosity, and strength, for the fourth annual "One Boston Day." The day serves as an opportunity to recognize the good in our community, celebrate one another, and reflect on the spirit and resilience of the people of Boston that was exemplified in response to the loss and tragedies of April 15, 2013. Individuals and organizations are encouraged to share their plans for One Boston Day on the official website and on social media using the hashtag #OneBostonDay. "One Boston Day has turned the Marathon into a movement our entire city has rallied around, spreading the message of kindness and goodwill across the world," said Mayor Walsh. "April 15 will forever be a day that represents the resilience of the human spirit, and I hope everyone can mark this day in a way that showcases the very best of our city and its people." "One Boston Day" encourages random acts of kindness and spreading goodwill, and activities across the City will encourage individuals to give back to their community. The tradition came together in 2015 based on the desire expressed by many survivors to pass on the kindness, generosity and support they received following the 2013 Boston Marathon. In every year since its official establishment in 2015, on April 15, #OneBostonDay has been a leading trend nationally on social media. Last year alone there were over 43,000 posts across social channels. As in the past, Hill Holiday is serving as the creative and digital marketing partner to help spread awareness and raise the visibility of One Boston Day. The City of Boston has organized several different efforts to honor One Boston Day, including: Blood Drive on City Hall Plaza In partnership with the Boston Public Health Commission and Brigham and Women's Hospital, the Mayor's Office is hosting a blood drive on City Hall Plaza on Friday, April 13th. The Brigham & Women's bloodmobile will be on the plaza from 10AM - 4PM. Sign up to donate blood here. John Hancock and St. Francis House Sneaker Drive Support the men and women of St. Francis House by donating new or gently used adult-sized sneakers in the boxes displayed throughout City Hall. The boxes can be found in the 3rd floor lobby and on the 5th floor outside the Mayor's Office. Locks and Socks Drive Support the men and women of Pine Street Inn by donating two of the items most in-need - locks for their lockers, and new socks. Donation boxes can be found in the lobby of 26 Court St., Boston. Operation Thank A Vet Boston's Veterans Service Office is calling for volunteers to sign-up for the One Boston Day "Operation Thank A Vet," a citywide effort to honor Boston's veterans. Our goal is to thank each veteran in the city and provide them with information on resources available to them and their families. To sign up for Operation Thank A Vet on April 15, please visit here. School Cleanup at The William E. Carter School, Roxbury (*Media opportunity only - no volunteers needed) The  William E. Carter School, is a Boston Public School that educates students who exhibit severe/profound cognitive delay, physical handicaps, and complex medical conditions. Part of the school includes an Outdoor Classroom Sensory Healing Garden which provides access to green activities and outdoor physical movement. On  Sunday April 15th, PFD will be returning to the Carter School for a day of service. This year our project will include landscaping the School's sensory garden so the kids and staff can enjoy their wonderful outdoor space, and painting to make some of the school spaces more welcoming. Other volunteer opportunities: MR8 Day of Service The MR8 Foundation is coordinating a variety of service opportunities on Sunday, 4/15. Morning Shift: 10:30 AM-12:30 PM - Volunteers will assist in the cleanup and beautification of surrounding spaces. These projects may also include some planting and painting. Afternoon Shift: 12:30 PM-3:30 PM - Town Field "Service Village" Volunteer opportunities at the Service Village may include cleaning up the park, painting, sewing reusable bags for a local food bank, making cards for hygiene kits, or assembling literacy kits for a local school. To register for these MR8 opportunities, please visit here. The Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation Service Project In a partnership with Building Impact, the City of Boston is looking for teams of volunteers (children and families welcomed too!) on April 15, 2018 from 12-2pm at Townfield, Dorchester, to help provide support to The Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation. In the spirit of One Boston Day, volunteers will help build sling backpacks filled with personalized items for patients who have suffered from the devastation of traumatic injuries and events being treated at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH). Volunteers will also have the opportunity to hear from the parents of Gillian Reny, then a high school senior, who was one of the 39 critically injured patients at the Boston Marathon rushed to Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), where doctors and nurses saved her life and both of her legs. In gratitude to BWH, the Reny family established The Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation with a mission of transforming outcomes for civilian and military heroes worldwide who have suffered devastating traumatic injuries. While this list does not include every opportunity to get involved on One Boston Day, the City  encourages residents and organizations to submit their acts of kindness and volunteer opportunities on the website, onebostonday.org, and sharing on social media using the hashtag #OneBostonDay. In addition, Mayor Walsh recently announced that together with remote assistive technology company Aira, individuals who are blind or have low vision (BLC) will be able to receive free access to Aira's smartphone app during One Boston Day and the Boston Marathon. Using the camera on Aira's smartglasses or any smartphone, a person who is blind or low vision can download the Aira app and use it to connect to a remote set of human eyes. Known as Aira agents, trained professionals with deep experience communicating with the BLV community use Airasmartglasses or a personal smartphone to serve as visual interpreters for the blind as the agents describe, in real-time, their users' environments.

哈佛中國論談2018 全方位探討凝聚中國力量

哈佛中國論談2018的主題是凝聚時代力量。(周菊子攝)

橋水基金創辦人雷達利歐(Ray Dalio)看好中國未來。
(周菊子攝)

            (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導) 第21屆哈佛中國論壇以”凝聚時代力量”為主題，在為期兩日的會議中，藉由七，八十名中美企業，學術菁英在歡迎式，開幕式，閉幕式，八場分論壇，兩場爐邊談話，多個企業專場中的論述，展現中國概況與及對中國未來的期望。

哈佛大學費正清中心主任宋明怡（Michael A． Szonyi）。(周菊子攝)

           4月6日晚的歡迎式，有橋水基金創辦人雷達利歐(Ray Dalio)，哈佛大學費正清中心主任宋明怡（Michael A． Szonyi），中國企業家論壇暨元明資本創始人田源，卡內基梅隆大學計算機科學教授邢波，長江商學院院長項兵等人發言。

雷達利歐在現場接受朱梓潼一對一訪談。他稱中國大陸領導層有智慧，技能，未來發展可期，並藉他的書”原則”，闡述中國發展需把握的底線。

宋明怡（Michael A． Szonyi）說明費正清中心研究中國60年，為世界提供了認識中國的重要洞見，他有幸從學者角度研究，學習，深感過去40年來，中國的改革開放變化驚人。

中國企業家論壇暨元明資本創始人田源。(周菊子攝)

田源從亞布力論壇與中國企業家精神說起，藉馬雲，陳東升，郭廣昌，雷軍，沈南鵬等企業家協會70多名理事，都有遠大目標，創新精神，集智商，情商，愛商於一體，百折不撓，善於從實踐中學習，自律且謹慎，有群體學習的習慣，關心自己也關心社會，闡述亞布力論壇的影響力與社會效應，稱第一代企業家們正開始交班，90後陸續進入管理層，希望寄託在年輕人身上。

邢波從”建造者的角度談人工智慧”，指目前人工智慧解決方案的痛點在既需工匠，又要藝術，既要標準化，又得能重複使用，最好是能有業界通用的系統。他認為人工智慧現在仍處於中古時代，主要還是用於輔佐人類進步上。

長江商學院院長項兵。(周菊子攝)

項兵以”改革性變化重塑了世界景觀”為主題，闡述新自由主義和發展模式的未來，科技進步和藩籬瓦解，全球貿易和投資系統的架構重組，以及人類的集體性短視，稱人類必須重新定義天人關係，從包括氣候的各種持續改變，尋求可持續發展。

卡內基梅隆大學計算機科學教授邢波。(周菊子攝)

4月7，8兩日的開幕式與閉幕式，應邀主講或參與座談的名人，也不勝其數，有哈佛中國基金主席柯偉林，美中關係全國委員會會長Stephen Orlins，真格基金創始人徐小平，德國前副總理既海南省慈航公益基金會執行長菲利普羅斯勒，海航北美總裁暨海航資本投資總裁楊光，哈佛中心上海董事總經理黃晶生，搜狗執行長王小川，哈佛國際經濟教授查理庫柏，春華資本創始人胡祖六，德龍集團董事長暨亞布力中國企業家論壇輪值主席丁立國，NEO創始人達鴻飛，美國前助理國務卿Amb Stapleton Roy，費正清中心前主任，著有”鄧小平時代”一書的傅高義，華泰保險董事長王梓木，百人會聯合創始人鄧兆祥，NBC主播呂勇詩，新希望六和集團董事長劉唱，導演暨流行音樂作詞人方文山等。

真格基金創始人徐小平。(周菊子攝)

分論壇部分，有金融，文化，國際關係，科技，娛樂，基礎建設，環境，創投資本(VC)等8個主題。爐邊對談邀有Charlotte Russe首席執行官鄭嘉儀談”零售業的女性引導力”，場景實驗室創始人吳聲談”充滿生機的中國商業新物種”。

會議中還有諾亞財富，真格夢想中心，亞布力中國企業家風采，聯想全球化戰略，中國股市變遷，華為創新戰略等的企業專場。

搜狗執行長王小川。(周菊子攝)

大會還另外辦有創業比賽，人才招聘大會。整個會議有讓人目不暇給之感。出席者進會場前，經過波士頓世貿中心入口長廊，看到掛在兩側的一整列”哈佛中國論壇”旗幟，也無不感到主辦者想要呈現的陣仗與氣勢。

哈佛教授查理庫柏(右)和胡祖六(中)談經濟。(周菊子攝)

方文山(左三)等人在娛樂分論壇中討論。(周菊子攝)

左起，Sinica博客主持人郭怡廣(左起)和最強大老主持人
蔣昌健，美國商務部前助理副部長葛艾繻，哈佛甘迺迪
政府學院教授東尼賽奇(Tony Saich)座談。(周菊子攝)

科技分論壇的講者有腦控創辦人韓璧丞(左二)，紀源資本
管理合夥人童士豪(左三)等人。(周菊子攝)

張曉青(左)主持基礎建設分論壇。(周菊子攝)

郭怡廣(右起)邀MIT史隆管理學院副院長黃亞生，紀元
資本管理合夥人童士豪座談。(周菊子攝)

波士頓世貿中心入口長廊掛滿哈佛中國論談旗幟。
(周菊子攝)

Defending Champions Return for B.A.A. 5K and B.A.A. Invitational Mile

Defending Champions Return for B.A.A. 5K and B.A.A. Invitational Mile

American record holder Ben True and Ethiopia’s Buze Diriba aim to retain B.A.A. 5K titles, while global medalist Nicole Sifuentes leads B.A.A. Invitational Mile field.

BOSTON – The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) today announced an elite field of world class competitors for the 2018 B.A.A. 5K and B.A.A. Invitational Mile, to be held on Saturday, April 14, two days prior to the 2018 Boston Marathon®. New Hampshire’s Ben True will return to Boston looking to earn his fifth B.A.A. 5K title, while Ethiopia’s Buze Diriba will defend her 2017 crown. 

Following the B.A.A. 5K, Canada’s Nicole Sifuentes and American Drew Hunter will lead world-class fields at the tenth annual B.A.A. Invitational Mile. The B.A.A. Invitational Mile will also include Middle School 1K races and Scholastic Mile races featuring youth athletes from the eight cities and towns of the Boston Marathon course.   

A $39,900 (USD) prize purse will be distributed to the top finishers of the B.A.A. 5K, while a $14,500 (USD) prize purse will be available in the B.A.A. Invitational Mile.

True is a veteran and New England favorite on the roads of Boston, having broken the American record twice at the B.A.A. 5K in both 2015 and 2017. A year ago, True timed 13:20 en route to his fifth win in seven years. Coming off a win at the NYC Half in March, True will drop down in distance and face a tough field that includes fellow Americans Eric Jenkins, Tommy Curtin, and Scott Fauble. Jenkins, a native of New Hampshire, is a two-time NCAA champion and was runner-up at last year’s USA Championships 5000m on the track.

Leading the international challengers are 2016 Olympic 5000m bronze medalist Hagos Gebrhiwet, three-time B.A.A. Half Marathon champion Daniel Salel, and last year’s B.A.A. 5K fourth place finisher Philip Langat. Charles Philibert-Thiboutot of Canada is also in the field.

Ethiopia’s Buze Diriba earned a nailbiting victory a year ago, denying Molly Huddle her fourth straight victory by two seconds. Crossing the line in 14:54, Diriba set a new personal best; since then she’s been a consistent winner on the U.S. road racing scene. Diriba placed third at the B.A.A. 10K in June of 2017, and won the NYC Half last month.

Americans Emily Sisson, Molly Seidel, Diane Nukuri, Sarah Pagano, and Elaina Tabb will all toe the line alongside Diriba. Sisson represented Team USA at the 2017 IAAF World Championships 10,000m, while Seidel finished second at the USA 5K Championships last November. Pagano and Tabb each are part of Team B.A.A. – training in Boston under B.A.A. High Performance coach Ricardo Santos – and have represented the USA in cross country and on the roads. 

Kenya’s Monicah Ngige and Ethiopians Fotyen Tesfay and Gotytom Gebreslase join Diriba as the top women’s international entrants. A field of 10,000 participants will take part in the B.A.A. 5K, the first event of the 2018 B.A.A. Distance Medley. The race starts and finishes on Charles Street adjacent to Boston Common and the Boston Public Garden, and passes the Boston Marathon finish line on Boylston Street approximately 2.4 miles into the race.

Returning to the B.A.A. Invitational Mile a year after setting a course record is Nicole Sifuentes of Canada. In 2017, Sifuentes clocked an event record 4:33.7 to take the title, finishing a step ahead of Cory McGee. The two-time Olympian returns looking to become the first woman to earn back-to-back B.A.A. Invitational Mile crowns. 

Sifutentes will again face McGee, as well as fellow University of Michigan alums Shannon Osika and Becca Addison. Lauren Johnson, Katrina Coogan, and Amanda Rego round out the field. Johnson is a member of Team B.A.A., and finished fourth at last year’s USA Outdoor Championships 1500m.

The B.A.A. Invitational Mile men’s field features Drew Hunter, a 3:56.79 miler and one of the top young talents in track and field. Hunter will be joined on the line by Patrick Casey, Daniel Winn, Daniel Herrera, Sam Parsons, John Simons, and Julian Oakley. Oakley placed ninth at the IAAF World Indoor Championships last month representing New Zealand.

A detailed start list and schedule of events for both the B.A.A. 5K and B.A.A. Invitational Mile can be found below. The men’s event record for the B.A.A. 5K stands at 13:20, set by Ben True in 2017, while the women’s event record is 14:50 run by Molly Huddle in 2015. The men’s and women’s event records for the B.A.A. Invitational Mile are 4:03.3 (Nick Willis, 2013) and 4:33.7 (Nicole Sifuentes, 2017).

  

The B.A.A. Invitational Mile includes six races, held shortly after the 2018 B.A.A. 5K. The first two races feature middle school age students from the eight cities and towns of the Boston Marathon course – Hopkinton, Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Brookline, and Boston. The girls’ and boys’ Middle School 1K races include runners between sixth and eighth grade and finish at the Boston Marathon finish line on Boylston Street.   

  

Following the Middle School 1K races is the Scholastic Mile, which features girls’ and boys’ races for high school students from the eight cities and towns of the Boston Marathon course. The Scholastic Mile follows the same three-lap, USATF-certified course the professional mile athletes run, finishing at the Boston Marathon finish line.

First performance of The Rosenbergs (An Opera) April 12 Cast, post-show conversation announced

First performance of The Rosenbergs (An Opera) April 12

Cast, post-show conversation announced

BOSTON – Performances of the North American premiere of The Rosenbergs (An Opera) begin this week. The special event is produced by Boston University and Brandeis University, and presented by Boston Playwrights’ Theatre (BPT).

This tragic love story—set during the United States’ Communist witch-hunt of the 1950s—is based on the lives of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, who were executed for atomic espionage. The Rosenbergs was recognized as Denmark’s Best Opera of 2015 by online journal Copenhagen Culture.

Christie Lee Gibson and Brian Church portray Ethel and Julius Rosenberg. Gibson is a performer, director, and the General Director of OperaHub. Locally, she’s been seen in The Edge of Peace at Central Square Theater and in OperaHub’s The Four-Note Opera and L’Incoronazione di Poppea, among others. Church is a longtime member of the Choir at King’s Chapel and the Cantata Singers, who has appeared in numerous productions with Guerilla Opera and other area groups. Church teaches piano, guitar, bass, and voice at Music 101 Studios in Melrose.

Running from April 12-22, the opera features a score by Joachim Holbek and a libretto by Rhea Leman. Dmitry Troyanovsky directs, with musical direction by Cristi Catt.

Librettist Leman grew up in post-McCarthy era New York City, the child of Jewish left wing activists. Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were often mentioned at the dinner table, and years later Leman would find herself searching for a meaning and reason behind the Rosenbergs’ decisions and actions as she worked to bring their story to the stage.

“I knew about their political motives but what I discovered was their tremendous love and commitment to each other,” Leman says. “Their love became my key to the writing.”

BPT Artistic Director Kate Snodgrass describes The Rosenbergs as “moving and alive without being overtly political, and it speaks to Ethel and Julius’s relationship—which is something that gets short-shrift when we think of this period in our nation’s history. . .We forget that there are real people behind these big stories—people with dreams and loves and deep fears just like us. Whether we think of the Rosenbergs as heroes or traitors, in the end they were people living out a tragic love story.”

A post-show conversation with Snodgrass, Holbek, Leman, Troyanovsky, Catt and the cast will follow the April 14 performance. After the conclusion of The Rosenbergs’s run at BPT, the production will move to Brandeis University for three performances there.

Baker-Polito Administration Announces $15 Million in Additional School Funding to Support Hurricane Evacuees from Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands

Baker-Polito Administration Announces $15 Million in Additional School Funding to Support Hurricane Evacuees from Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands

More than 3,000 students enrolled in Massachusetts K-12 schools after Hurricanes

BOSTON – Today the Baker-Polito Administration announced additional state educational funds will soon be available to school districts that have enrolled evacuee students from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In accordance with Chapter 24 of the Acts of 2018, the administration reported on April 4, 2018 to the Joint Committee on Education and the House and Senate Committees on Ways and Means on the calculation and planned distribution of funds to school districts during the week of April 16^th.

In January, Governor Charlie Baker filed a supplemental budget bill which included $15 million in additional local aid to help support the costs of educating students who enrolled in Massachusetts schools following Hurricanes Maria and Irma.  Between October and March, approximately 3,000 students from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands enrolled in K-12 schools and currently about 2,400 students remain in the Commonwealth.

“Our administration has been pleased to work with the Legislature to provide this critical support to a number of Massachusetts schools that opened up their classrooms to welcome thousands of students and families impacted by last fall’s devastating hurricanes,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “We are grateful for the Commonwealth’s school administrators, teachers and staff who have done a tremendous job adjusting to the unexpected and providing the necessary support so our fellow Americans from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands can continue their education.”

“Teachers and administrators have stepped up to support these students and their families during immensely difficult times,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “The additional school funding announced today will provide vital resources for them in many school districts and local communities throughout the rest of the school year.”

School districts impacted by increased student enrollments will be given aid consistent with the state’s school funding formula, known as Chapter 70. The $15 million in funding will be distributed in two installments, with the first totaling more than $6.7 million sent to 107 districts this week. A second installment is planned for distribution in June.

“Our schools have done a tremendous job educating children who were suddenly uprooted from their homes and found themselves in new schools and in a new place. These additional funds will help teachers and administrators provide the best possible education for all the students in their schools,” Education Secretary James Peyser said. 

The funding fulfills a commitment made by the Baker-Polito Administration to seek additional aid for school districts that enrolled evacuee students and is in addition to the $15 million included in the Administration’s Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19) budget proposal to support school districts continuing to serve students in the next school year.

“This additional funding for these districts will go a long way in supporting the educational needs of our students from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands,” said Administration and Finance Secretary Michael J. Heffernan.“We are grateful for the collaboration with the Legislature to provide this important funding for this year, and look forward to working with them throughout the current budget cycle to provide additional support in Fiscal Year 2019.”

“This is essential funding for Massachusetts students and teachers,” saidSenate President Harriette L. Chandler (D-Worcester). “Students coming from Puerto Rico are some of Massachusetts’ newest residents, and it should be our goal to deliver them quality education. I am very proud that the Senate could play a role to secure these funds and make that goal a reality.”

“The Department’s recent release of guidance on how displaced students can attain Puerto Rican high school diplomas as well as all of the incredible work that our schools have been doing on the ground is a testament of the care and effort that all involved are putting in to ensure that these students are receiving a strong education in Massachusetts,” Rep. Alice Peisch (D-Wellesley), co-chair of the Joint Committee on Education, said. “However, this work is not yet done. This funding will enable our dedicated schools and communities to continue providing these students with the supports they need to succeed in our classrooms and beyond.”

The Baker-Polito Administration continues to coordinate hurricane evacuee assistance efforts across state agencies and works daily with the Commonwealth’s 22 Family Resource Centers and other Community Based Organizations/Centers to help evacuees register with FEMA for disaster benefits and provide critical case management support to individuals and families impacted by Hurricane Maria.