Located along the waterfront in East Boston, just a few blocks from the entrance to the Sumner tunnel, the Mario Umana Academy has been a K-8 school for about five years and is going through a couple of major transitions. With 77% of its 800+ students categorized by BPS as Hispanic, the school began phasing in a Spanish/English Dual Language Program last year. This year it has also started building a STEM-focused curriculum, with partnerships such as GEAR UP and EcoRise to enhance science and technology instruction.
My former NTD colleague and Umana’s Director of Academic Advancement, Patreka Wood, escorted me around the large sprawling building. Word walls were everywhere, even in middle school classes. In one room “Specific Scientific Language: Metabolize, Biology, Nucleus, Ribosome, Vacuole…” was written on large, overlapping sheets of chart paper. I liked the big sign on the door of Anne Niemi’s ESL classroom: “IT NEVER GETS EASIER, YOU JUST GET BETTER.”
I saw lots of science: Anthony Forbes’ chemistry class, where eighth graders were testing a variety of substances to see if they would dissolve; a general science class where students were learning vocabulary to support their study of micro-organisms; Himilcon Inciarte‘s fourth graders building robot cars with science specialist Melanie Barone.
The school’s Tenacity team was teaching a literacy class through a variety of games and activities. Art teacher Basil El Halwagy had students reflecting on and self-assessing their work. In Michael Crowley‘s 7th grade geography class, students were writing down a homework assignment related to their study of South America – to write up an interview with a cattle rancher, a native of the rainforest, an environmental protester, or a rubber tapper.
Music teacher Cheryl McNeil was helping her students learn how to synchronize their movements as they sang. In Stephanie Musto‘s class, a third grader was independently reading a book called Cinderella is SO Annoying! – written from the perspective of the wicked stepmother!
Students, teachers, and administrators at the Mario Umana Academy are working hard to reach challenging goals. It’s not too late to invite me to visit YOUR school this year. In the meantime, enjoy the photos and students’ explanations of what they’re learning at the Umana.
Amika Kemmler-Ernst, Ed.D.
amika45@comcast.net