On May 14th, BLS welcomed the incoming classes of 2026 and 2028 for an Open House hosted by the BLS administration to help introduce the students to BLS. 

At the open house, incoming students and their families were led on tours through the school by student guides. The tour guides showed them the different areas that they will encounter when they report to the building in the fall.

Guidance Department Head Ms. Megan Clougherty says, “I think that there is a lot to be learned from being part of a group [through] meeting older students.” 

In addition to the tours offered to students and their families, seventh grade teachers were on hand to offer their assistance in helping to welcome students in order for them to know their teachers better when the first day rolls around. Behind this decision was the need for students to feel comfortable with the big transition that comes with coming to the BLS.

Ms. Martha Pierce, head coordinator for the open house, believes that “people felt […] overwhelmed, excited, enthusiastic, and very appreciative.”

Another initiative that aims to assist students transitioning BLS is the Summer Foundations Academy. The program, run by Ms. Rose Delorme Metayer, ensures that the incoming students form social bonds and prepare them for the rigor of BLS. 

Additionally, BLS is also adding two new support staff in the guidance department in order to support more students. The department will change how guidance counselors are assigned, with students having the same counselor throughout seventh, eighth, and ninth grade.

  The incoming class of 2026 and 2028 were admitted through a new system based on their GPA and their socioeconomic status. Next year, students applying will need to take the MAP test along with this new system. 

Emmanuelle Bogomolmi (I), who did their Capstone project on Exam School equality, shares, “I definitely think that this [MAP] was the correct decision as the ISEE had information that was not taught in the BPS curriculum, so it was truly unfair for students who hadn’t gotten extra tutoring or been in private schools.” 

Students with a GPA of a B- or greater can apply to an exam school. After that, admissions were based on socioeconomic factors, including neighborhood and family income. It was split specifically into 8 tiers, with seats offered equally to each tier. Additional points are added for students going to certain schools with a high number of low-income students or students experiencing housing insecurity. 

As Boston Public Schools adopts a new exam school admission models, BLS is adapting to facilitate the transition to a new frontier through these school-wide initiatives.