BPS Update on the South Boston High School

Dear South Boston Community,

Last April and again this June, we met with members of the South Boston community to hear your vision for the future of the South Boston High School. One message was clear: families want expanded access to an outstanding Grades 7–12 school that offers strong academics, engaging extracurricular opportunities, and pathways that prepare students for college, careers, and life.

Today, BPS is excited to share an important update on the future of the South Boston High School building. As part of our Long-Term Facilities Plan and in response to community feedback, we are studying the possibility of bringing Boston Green Academy (BGA) back to South Boston. This is an exciting opportunity to welcome back a school with deep roots in the neighborhood while investing in the future of one of Boston’s most historic school buildings.

Over the coming year, we will work closely with students, families, alumni, neighbors, community partners, to shape the educational vision and building design that’s currently in progress. Over the following two years, we will prepare the facility for a tentative opening for the 2028–2029 school year. This fall, we look forward to welcoming you to one of many  community meetings, where you'll have the opportunity to meet BGA Principal Matt Holzer and other members of the BGA community to learn more about the vision for the future of this historic campus.

Sincerely,

Delavern Stanislaus

Chief of Capital Planning

Boston Public Schools

capitalplanning@bostonpublicschools.org

Boston Public Schools Recommends Closure of Excel High School

A message from Lydia Poleski, our South Boston liaison regarding the the Boston Public Schools (BPS) recommendation to close Excel High School. 

Yesterday, BPS shared recommendations for select closures and mergers impacting a total of 6 schools including Excel, identified through a rigorous, transparent, data-driven, process: 

• This includes 2 high school closures, 1 elementary school closure, 1 merger of two elementary schools, and the conversion of 1 high school from a degree-granting school into a program.

• These recommendations will be presented to the Boston School Committee on January 22, 2025. We expect the School Committee to vote on these proposals in March/April 2025.

Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper recently shared that the current Excel High School building is in need of capital investments, which the district plans to make after the 2025-2026 school year with the vision of bringing an anchor high school back to the neighborhood. 

What does this mean for our neighborhood and students? The vision is to have a fully enrolled high school in the next few years that will be sought out by students and families and delivers the High Quality Student Experience, including early college and career pathways, robust academic programming and a range of extracurriculars–all important pieces in building a strong school community. Excel’s current building has excellent potential and a beautiful WWI memorial in the lobby, which will be preserved alongside the modernization work throughout the learning spaces allowing us to develop programming that best serves our students.

How will this closure impact current Excel High School students in South Boston?

• Current 12th graders who are eligible to graduate will graduate in 2025, and current 11th graders will transition to 12th grade and then will be eligible to graduate next year. BPS will cap new enrollment at 9th grade starting in Fall 2025.

• Though the building is in poor condition, it shows great potential to support a high-quality student experience. The building is currently being scoped for a decarbonization project through Renew Boston Trust. We are committed to maintaining an anchor high school in South Boston.

The Long-Term Facilities Plan is available for community members to review. BPS has evaluated all schools in the District based on the public Decision-Making Data Framework. The data framework is described here, and all data is publicly available here. 

If you have any additional questions, please reach out to Boston Public Schools for further information at BPS Helpline at 617-635-8873 or capitalplanning@bostonpublicschools.org.