Lyndon School Families Concerned About Losing Programming; BPS Officials Say School Won't See Reduction in Programming

Concerned about the impact that will have on their school, the Patrick Lyndon Pilot School PTA sent out a memo to all parents this week illuminating their concerns.

The memo states how closing the in Jamaica Plain will impact classroom size and programs at the highly-desired .

Below is a segment of the memo:

"As you have probably heard the Agassiz School in Jamaica Plain is slated for closure due to underperformance. We recently learned that the Lyndon is to absorb 60 additional ELL students from the Agassiz. By adding these additional students we believe class size will eventually increase. Classes such as art and music may be adversely affected or eliminated.  We are concerned about the current strategy of closing an underperforming school and uprooting the students.  It should be the school department's responsibility to repair the problem, not shift it to a successful school."

Boston Public School officials, school staff and parents are all invited to a Monday night (Dec. 13) meeting at the Lyndon at 6 p.m. to discuss the changes.

Matt Wilder, director of media relations for BPS, said that the proposal first needs to be approved by the School Committee, and a vote is expected on the proposal on Wednesday at the School Committee's weekly meeting.

One of the main goals of BPS' proposal is to reduce the approximate 5,600 empty seats throughout the district, said Wilder.

Ann Waterman Roy, director of strategic planning for BPS, explained more about the impacts to the Lyndon. She said there could be up to 60 ELL (English language learner students) coming from the Agassiz to the Lyndon.

"Right now (at the Lyndon) there are three classrooms of about 20 students each of ELL students. Right now we are having combined grades (of ELL students) and have kindergarten and first grade together. We're proposing next year to expand. Normally there are not multi-grade classrooms, so we would expand double per grade," said Roy.

Roy said that because the proposal is still so new the details are still being worked out, and that the Lyndon School management team would determine which classrooms would be used for ELL students next year.

Being a pilot school, the Lyndon would also receive more funding because pilot schools receive funding based upon per pupil.

And Roy stressed that programming would not be decreased, one of the greatest fears of the Lyndon School community. Added Roy, "In doing this you are not going to reduce art, music, science. You're just scheduling students differently. At the end of the day the student is going to get their art, music, or speciality class."

Roy equated the juggling of classrooms similar to how high schools and colleges use different rooms for different purposes, compared to how elementary schools have traditionally used their facilities. 

"It doesn't reduce access for students in regular education," said Roy. "There are no plans to reduce the number of seats available in regular education."

But Roy could not estimate about whether the chances to get into regular education seats at the Lyndon would get tougher.

West Roxbury District City Councilor Matt O'Malley and At-Large City Councilor John Connolly met with BPS officials on Thursday to talk about the proposal and how it will affect West Roxbury schools, specifically the Lyndon.

"I have a lot of concerns especially with the speed of how things are happening. I was sworn in on Tuesday; Thursday was the first school committee meeting at English High; Friday we got a briefing from a school delegation; Tuesday night we met with parents from the Agassiz School, (Wednesday night) was another school committee meeting at English High," said O'Malley, who added that the Agassiz has "done well" and made "great strides" in recent times.

And O'Malley is very concerned about possible programming reductions at the Lyndon, despite BPS' officials saying that programming will not be affected.

"I have a lot of concerns about that. The Lyndon is one of the crown jewels in the system. I would hate to see any dip in quality or offerings. It would be a terrible thing to the school and the community."

Added O'Malley, "Rumors are that the Lyndon could lose art or music programming – and I won't stand for that."