City to create Boston teaching jobs

Posted on May 7, 2013

With the purchase and expansion of a new school downtown, the city will be creating more Boston teaching jobs.

Mayor Thomas M. Menino today announced the City of Boston’s intentions to acquire 585 Commercial Street as a site to be used for a new downtown school, expected to open in September 2016.

The Commercial Street facility will be used over the next two years as swing space for the Eliot K-8 School, as that school is expanded to the North Bennett Street School at 37-39 North Bennet St. and 48-52 Tileston St. in the North End. Eight classrooms and public space will serve Eliot students in grades 5-8 through June 2015.

The school will accommodate more than 500 students in grades K-8. The location offers direct access to the Harborwalk, a skating rink, tennis courts, bus routes and parking. Children from downtown neighborhoods would have access to the school, as well as families from East Boston and other neighborhoods identified in the BPS facilities long-term strategic plan if needed.

The City closed downtown schools more than 30 years ago, because at the time few expected these neighborhoods would again attract so many young families.

“It’s a great day for our downtown families who have been very patient as we’ve worked to find a solution that would allow their children to attend a Boston Public School close to home,” Mayor Menino said. “Today’s announcement marks another step forward as we work to improve our entire Boston Public Schools system, where more parents are choosing to send their children every year.”

“We are thrilled that Mayor Menino has found a solution to the need for a Boston Public School that will serve a growing population of downtown families,” said Superintendent Carol R. Johnson. “This decision will allow us to open the doors for hundreds more students whose parents will now be able to make BPS their first choice.”

“Thanks to the hard work of our community and the Mayor, this is a major victory for downtown parents, who believe in the Boston Public Schools and want to continue to raise their families in the City,” Councilor Mike Ross said.