Gardner Extended Services School Renamed the Gardner Pilot Academy

At Wednesday's meeting of the Boston School Committee, they approved a name change for Allston's Thomas Gardner Extended Services School.

The school is now named the Gardner Pilot Academy.

The school completed its transition to a pilot school earlier this year.


Other News in Pilot Schools

The current Boston Teachers Union contract allows for an additional seven Boston Public Schools to become pilot schools. Boston Foundation President Paul Grogan thinks that there has been a four-year delay in pushing for new pilot schools, and threatened to send some money to state-chartered schools -- unless Boston keeps pushing for more pilot schools -- according to the Boston Globe.

The hang-up? Despite the fact that pilot school teachers remain in their collective bargaining unit, keep the same pay and benefits, and continue to accrue seniority just as they would in a standard BPS school, the BTU appears to be fighting against new pilot schools. The Globe writes that "while voicing its support for the schools, the teachers union has continued to push for a variation that would allow educators to retain their union rights." Those rights have to do with hours and workplace conditions, not pay.

New School Superintendent Carol Johnson seems to be renewing the push for more pilot schools by setting up an informational session at the BTU offices on January 4.

Gardner School's Summer Enrichment Program

The Gardner Extended Services School, at 30 Athol Street in North Allston, has concluded its Summer Enrichment Program for 115 K2-G5 students. The program was conducted in collaboration with Harvard Business School, who provided funding for 40 of the students.

The Gardner School has been rolling out their conversion to a Pilot School within the Boston Public School system; they will officially be a pilot when school opens this September. A science teacher at the school, Dean Martin, was recently awarded an Excellence in Environmental Education award from the state.