Grow: the BBCS Annual Report is Here!

Designed by Sarah Rasmussen, written by Abbie Nolan, Photographed by Nancy Schieffelin, and printed by PrintSynergy Solutions.

Since its inception, Bridge Boston Charter School has been in a continual state of growth and evolution. Like a seed undergoing germination, the idea to create an inclusive and joyful school community that meets the needs of the whole child was planted by founding principal, Jennifer Daly, and her colleagues, Ellen Williams and Cheryl Alexander. Rooted in resilience, Bridge grew in many settings and directions until we found our forever home at 435 Warren Street. Since then, the Bridge, once planted as a seed, has blossomed into the dynamic academic and social-emotional learning program with an innovative, full service model it is today.   

This year, our community marveled as a simple outdoor play space and home to our two beehives was transformed into a biodiverse food production landscape that will provide our entire community with immediate access to local fruits, vegetables, and more. It will become a place where children learn firsthand the connection between nature, their own food supply, and the pollinators and other creatures their school garden ecosystem attracts and supports. We planted Jen’s Garden to pay homage to the deep roots that Bridge has grown from since the beginning, while looking forward to the growth that is still to come. That growth is sure to be catalyzed by a number of investments made during the 2022-23 School Year, including: early childhood education programs such as K1 Screening Days, which help us form relationships with students and families before the school year begins, dedicated coaching for staff that delivers small group intervention, dedicated social-emotional learning time, and play-based instruction.

Our Lead Teacher Plus program offers additional compensation and support to our highest-performing teachers as they model instructional practices that result in exceptional student achievement and teaching across our school building. We were delighted to receive a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education this year that will support the establishment of a Teacher Pathway Program to provide more effective training, coaching, and support to our developing educators & classroom support staff. We spent time reflecting on what it means to have a Full Service Model, and created a new definition that better communicates the essence of our work to students, staff, families, and community members. 

As we tend the garden of growth chronicled in this report, we remain grateful to the educators, leaders, staff, families, community partners, board members, donors, and friends without whom our work would not be possible. Thank you to those who have been with us since our seeds were planted; to those who tended us to become who we are today; and to those who have just joined our community as we look forward to a new era. We are incredibly grateful for your support as we invest in the growth that will help Bridge Boston Charter School continue to blossom. 

With heartfelt thanks,

Athelstan Bellerand, Jr. President,

Board of Trustees

Paul Karger

President,

Bridge Boston Foundation

Our Student Leaders

This fall, Ms. Ashli and Mr. Hoover took BBCS students to Multiplying Good Conference: the Power of Service to Others. Here, they networked with 12 other Boston-area schools. The conference helped youth identify what they are passionate about and build leadership skills.

"It was amazing to see our students come out of their shell and network with older students they have never met before. I was overjoyed to see and hear their ideas surrounding school culture and what can be done to make school a more equitable place for all of our students." - Ms. Ashli