The McKinley South End Academy is an alternative school for 178 middle and high school students with severe behavioral challenges. BTU representative David Russell invited me to visit, gave up his planning period to be my guide through the school, and met with his colleagues to select photos for publication. I felt truly welcomed by everyone and appreciated the opportunity to showcase the learning that goes on in a school that many know only as a “dumping ground” for some of our neediest children.
We watched math teacher John Brenner move around his classroom, checking in with each of his tenth graders as they tackled the day”s assignment. We listened to a young woman talk about what she had learned about Angela Davis in Michael Scott’s English class, where seniors had just completed research projects and were sharing their reports with classmates. In another ELA class, Laura Battaglia was reading 12 Years a Slave aloud while students read along, later discussing this powerful narrative.
In art classes student work was individualized… one person working with clay, another doing a portrait, and still another decorating a sneaker. As we watched a young man wielding a power drill as he worked on constructing a table, teacher Steve Lane told me he has the only woodworking shop left in the Boston Public Schools outside of Madison Park’s vocational program. At a Career Fair set up in the gym, students immediately gravitated to the DJ and his equipment; then slowly fanned out to talk with representatives from a variety of other possible occupations.
Lining a hallway wall were “Favorite Passages” from the inaugural speeches given by people such as Nelson Mandela and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, with students” reasons for their selections. In one class I noticed a list of “Quotes of the Week” posted on the wall, including Lady Gaga’s comment: “Trust is like a mirror that’s broken; you can fix it, but you’ll always see the cracks in the reflection.” I could only imagine the conversation that one inspired!
I especially enjoyed spending a bit of time outside on this beautiful spring day with David”s fifth and sixth graders, who were working in their garden area with science teacher Calin Darabus and Carmine Leighton from the nearby Haley House. Students eagerly clustered around to hold an earthworm or to look more closely at one wiggling on a classmate”s palm; they were planting strawberries when I returned the following week.
A full range of academic courses, small classes, lots of adults, and a highly structured behavior management system enable the McKinley staff to address the severe emotional, behavioral and learning needs of their students. It was a pleasure to visit and I hope you’ll invite me to share what’s happening at YOUR school next year!
Amika Kemmler-Ernst, Ed.D.
amika45@comcast.net