U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will visit the Boston area Thursday and Friday for events aimed at showcasing promising educational approaches and promoting excellence for all students.
At 2:15 p.m. Thursday, the secretary will meet with students and teachers at Parthum Middle School in Lawrence, Massachusetts, to learn about the school’s progress in student achievement and its model for developing teacher leadership and strengthening the teaching profession. In Lawrence, the district, city, and union leadership have taken a collaborative approach to improving student outcomes through a unique model which places more decisions in the hands of school-level educators. A media availability will follow.
That evening at 6 p.m., he will visit the Boston Public School’s Mildred Avenue K-8 School to join the Boston Celtics and young men from across the area for a town hall celebrating the Boston Celtics’ longstanding partnership with the Boston Public Schools, and the NBA’s and Boston’s commitments to President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper initiative. Launched in February, My Brother’s Keeper is aimed at addressing persistent opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color and ensuring that all young people can reach their full potential. In Boston, Mayor Martin J. Walsh has formed a committee to further the goals of the My Brother’s Keeper effort. The event at the Mildred Avenue K-8 School is part of a five-year commitment made by the NBA, the National Basketball Players Association and the National Basketball Retired Players Association in support of the My Brother’s Keeper initiative. A media availability will precede the discussion.
At 9 a.m. Friday, Secretary Duncan will give remarks and participate in a Q&A session on improving education and increasing equity at Harvard Graduate School of Education’s (HGSE) “Critical Conversations and Bold Ideas” celebration. Moderated by Monica Higgins, HGSE professor, Duncan will take questions from principals, teachers, K-12 students, faculty and staff.
Then at 11 a.m., the secretary will meet at Boston University with a small group of college and university leaders convened by former Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and Boston University President Robert Brown. A photo op will be held before the meeting begins.
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