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| A teacher and his class discussing a research topic | Bob Roth at the circulation desk |
BAA/Fenway High School Library Web Page
The Boston Arts Academy, Fenway High School and the Boston Symphony Orchestra Education Resource Center all share a common address and a common library at 174 Ipswich Street, directly across from Fenway Park. Both high schools benefit from having a dedicated and highly qualified staff, extended hours, educational materials from the Boston Symphony's education office on site, as well as high school library collections developed especially for them in the last five years. Boston Arts Academy is a pilot school with core courses of study in Dance, Music, Theatre, and the Visual Arts; Fenway High School is a pilot of the "small school" model with non-competitive admission. Both stress reading and writing across the curriculum and rely heavily on the library.
Kathy Lowe is the Library Director, working with Bob Roth, Librarian, and Mary Ann Kearns, Technology Specialist. The staffing crisis experienced by so many Boston Public Schools was averted here, allowing BAA/FHS students to reap the educational benefits of having a library sufficiently staffed by individuals who far exceed the minimum standards set by both the MBLC and MSLMA. This is possible because both headmasters are strong supporters of the library. In addition, the library received grant assistance from the Harcourt General Charitable Foundation and the U.S. Dept. of Education (for the BSO Resource Center) in its initial years.
The library is a thriving hub of activity, full of students and teachers, as the academic program is focused on an integrated learning curriculum, and direct source research is used more than standard textbooks. Teachers plan for class visits in advance with the library staff so that students receive instruction in information skills. Kathy has also prepared several research guides and tutorials to help students get started on their projects.
Special items in the collection include over 5,000 slides donated by the Museum of Fine Arts, which are available to the general public, and a music CD collection on loan throughout the school year from BSO's Tanglewood Music Center.
We think Boston Arts Academy and Fenway High School show what kind of safe, supportive learning communities are possible, even in a cash-strapped urban public school district, when there is sufficient commitment and freedom to create them. And the library is in the center of it all, an intrinsic part of the students' high performance.
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| Mural of Boston city scenes painted by students | Students hard at work on projects |
Hours: Monday-Thursday 8-5:30, Friday 8-4, Saturday 9-12:30, during the school year; Monday-Friday 9-12 during the summer .
For more information about either of these progressive pilot schools, the Boston Public Schools maintain official profiles of each school, with demographic information about the student body, academic acheivement levels, and curricular framework.
Official BPS Profile of the Boston Arts Academy