Founded in 1996, this charter school is located on four campuses in Somerville and Cambridge and serves over 1,100 students in grades K-12. Admission is by lottery, and though open to all Massachusetts residents, students from Somerville and Cambridge are given preference.
They state that at the school "the prevailing belief is that with hard work, effective effort, perseverance through adversity, committed teachers, and invested parents, all students are capable of academic, intellectual, social, and moral excellence."
The school takes pride in its very diverse student body. Through their PTA-like group Parent-Teacher Connect, parents are active and involved. Curricula are adapted to meet the needs of each student, and they strive for "a balanced approach" that allows students to demonstrate their knowledge not just via testing but also through "projects, exhibitions, portfolios, presentations, debates, reports, and a range of writing assignments in all subjects."
The curriculum focuses on English, math, science, social studies, computer science and the arts. Students in every grade learn Spanish, with the goal of achieving fluency. Via the Massachusetts Charter School Athletic Organization, students compete in league and tournament sports including soccer, basketball, baseball and softball. Upper school students may also pursue cross-country, volleyball, cheerleading and track.
Their K-3 campus is located on Webster St. just outside Union Square. Their grade 4-6 campus is on Franklin St. in East Somerville. The upper school, grades 7-12, is on two campuses in Cambridge.