Waltham Wins $300K Grant For New High School Program

WALTHAM, MA — The Waltham Public Schools just got little closer to its vision of a new Waltham High School this week after a Boston foundation gave them a $300,000 grant to start designing a new school, Superintendent of Waltham Public Schools announced this week.

The Barr Foundation is one of the largest private foundations in New England, with a goal to elevate the arts, advance solutions for climate change, and connect students to success and recently doled out $23.8 Million in new grants, including eight grants totaling $2.9 million focused on improving education such as Waltham.

"A $300,000 grant to Waltham Public Schools will enable a high school redesign planning process to transform the student experience at Waltham High School," reads the foundation's website.

The Waltham Public School Superintendent said it was a perfect fit to help start a program to transform the culture of the high school.

"With the support of the Barr Foundation, our goal is to build our capacity and immerse ourselves in the work of innovative high school redesign by planning for and piloting a ChangeMaker program with a group of approximately 50-80 incoming 9th graders who mirror the diversity of our district starting Fall 2018 and then refining and expanding this model to transform the entire high school," said Superintendent Drew Echelson in a press release.

The ChangeMaker Academy is scheduled to start in fall 2018 and will feature four main avenues: interdisciplinary project or problem based learning, personalized academic support, college and career exploration and proactive and coordinated health and wellness services. The release also said the pilot program would include mentorship opportunities, small group advisories, a "holistic" approach and a personalized learning plan for each student based on their own interests, needs and goals.

“We know that we have much for which we should be collectively proud in Waltham,” Echelson said. “However, we have far more work to do to deliver on a promise of excellence and equity for all students. The investment from the Barr Foundation will provide us the resources we need to move us closer to the inextricably linked principles of excellence and equity in our system.”

“These funds will allow portions of the education plan to be implemented before the new Waltham High School is built,” said Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy in the release.

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Photo by Jenna Fisher/Patch