About the Edison K-8
The Thomas A. Edison Middle School was opened in 1932, one year after the death of world famous inventor Thomas Edison. The first graduating class was in 1933.
The street in front of the Edison school was originally a continuation of Kenrick Street, but the section in front of the school was renamed after the school was built. Glenmont Estate was the home of Thomas and Mina Edison, which may have been named after the street on which he grew up.
Declining enrollment led the Boston School Committee to decide to merge the middle school with the students and staff of Garfield Elementary School and Hamilton Elementary School. The new Edison K8 School opened in September 2009 in the former middle school facility.
The Edison K8 School serves over seven hundred students from the Boston Public Schools from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.
The street in front of the Edison school was originally a continuation of Kenrick Street, but the section in front of the school was renamed after the school was built. Glenmont Estate was the home of Thomas and Mina Edison, which may have been named after the street on which he grew up.
Declining enrollment led the Boston School Committee to decide to merge the middle school with the students and staff of Garfield Elementary School and Hamilton Elementary School. The new Edison K8 School opened in September 2009 in the former middle school facility.
The Edison K8 School serves over seven hundred students from the Boston Public Schools from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.
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School Highlights:
BPS Information on the Edison K8 School |
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Edison K8 School Merger in 2009
The Edison K-8 School was formed in the fall of 2009 from the merger of the Garfield and Hamilton Elementary Schools with the Edison Middle School.
Faced with fiscal challenges and declining enrollment Boston School Superintendent Carol Johnson recommended several school mergers during the 2008-2009 school year. The Garfield and Hamilton were both small elementary schools (enrollment of less than 200 students) located in Brighton that were under-performing. They closed in June 2009 and their faculties and student bodies were offered the option of joining the Thomas Edison Middle School to form a brand new K-8 community in the existing Edison School building.
Starting in early 2009 teachers, administrators and parents from the three communities began meeting together to make plans for the merger. All parties agreed that there were many advantages that could come with being a K8 community and that the success of the merger depended on all stakeholders working together ensure success for the students at the new K8 school. The group recognized the many logistical, curricular and social-emotional challenges that would need to be addressed by the fledgling school community. A small group of teacher leaders, administrators and parents worked through the Spring and summer to begin to tackle as many of these issues as possible.
The Boston Symphony Orchestra approached the group with an offer to partner with the school to make it the BSO Academy School. A vision of an integrated, music centered curriculum; opportunities for all students to receive vocal and instrumental instruction several times each week; and opportunities for the whole community to come together to enjoy professional performances arranged by the BSO on a regular basis began to emerge. Edison staff saw this partnership as an opportunity to build a distinct identity for their school community. Choosing music as the unifying theme fit well with the community’s diversity -- music is a way to build bridges across the many cultures that make up the school community.
The Edison K8 opened in the fall of 2009 with an enrollment of 750 students including students with special needs (22%) and students who are English Language learners (21%). Students and their families come from over 60 different countries and speak more than 20 different languages. 83% of the student body qualify for free and reduced priced lunch.
News stories:
Faced with fiscal challenges and declining enrollment Boston School Superintendent Carol Johnson recommended several school mergers during the 2008-2009 school year. The Garfield and Hamilton were both small elementary schools (enrollment of less than 200 students) located in Brighton that were under-performing. They closed in June 2009 and their faculties and student bodies were offered the option of joining the Thomas Edison Middle School to form a brand new K-8 community in the existing Edison School building.
Starting in early 2009 teachers, administrators and parents from the three communities began meeting together to make plans for the merger. All parties agreed that there were many advantages that could come with being a K8 community and that the success of the merger depended on all stakeholders working together ensure success for the students at the new K8 school. The group recognized the many logistical, curricular and social-emotional challenges that would need to be addressed by the fledgling school community. A small group of teacher leaders, administrators and parents worked through the Spring and summer to begin to tackle as many of these issues as possible.
The Boston Symphony Orchestra approached the group with an offer to partner with the school to make it the BSO Academy School. A vision of an integrated, music centered curriculum; opportunities for all students to receive vocal and instrumental instruction several times each week; and opportunities for the whole community to come together to enjoy professional performances arranged by the BSO on a regular basis began to emerge. Edison staff saw this partnership as an opportunity to build a distinct identity for their school community. Choosing music as the unifying theme fit well with the community’s diversity -- music is a way to build bridges across the many cultures that make up the school community.
The Edison K8 opened in the fall of 2009 with an enrollment of 750 students including students with special needs (22%) and students who are English Language learners (21%). Students and their families come from over 60 different countries and speak more than 20 different languages. 83% of the student body qualify for free and reduced priced lunch.
News stories:
