Education in Framingham, Massachusetts

Framingham, Massachusetts
—  Town  —
Seal
Location in Massachusetts
Coordinates:
Country	United States
State	Massachusetts
County	Middlesex County
Settled	1650
Incorporated	1700
Government
• Type	Representative town meeting
Area
• Total	26.4 sq mi (68.5 km2)
• Land	25.1 sq mi (65.1 km2)
• Water	1.3 sq mi (3.4 km2)
Elevation	165 ft (50 m)
Population (2000)
• Total	66,910
• Density	2,663.6/sq mi (1,028.4/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	Eastern (UTC-4)
ZIP code	01701, 01702, 01703, 01704, 01705
Area code(s)	508 / 774
Website	http://www.framinghamma.gov/

Framingham has thirteen public schools that are part of the Framingham Public School District.^[1] It is classified as one of the states 24 urban school districts^[2], while the district generally describes itself as urban/suburban. The school district's main offices are located in the Fuller Administration Building on Flagg Drive^[3] with additional offices at the George P. King Building on Water Street. The town also has a regional vocational high school^[4] and one regional charter school.^[5] Framingham is also home to several private schools, three parochial schools, one Jewish day school, three colleges and several specialty schools.

During the late 1990s and early 2000s Framingham upgraded its schools, replacing the former Cameron school with a completely new school and performed major renovations to the Wilson elementary school, the McCarthy elementary school and the high school. Two public school buildings that were mothballed due to financial issues or population drops were leased to the Metrowest Jewish Day School (at the former Juniper Hill Elementary) and Mass Bay Community College (at the former Farley Middle school). At some point in the 1980s, the district sold off some of its older, smaller schools that were no longer being used, including Lincoln, Roosevelt and Washington. These schools were originally constructed in the 1930s as part of several WPA buildings. Additionally, the former Memorial school on Hollis street was closed when high levels of asbestos was found in the building. The Lincoln school is now a medical office building, Memorial and Roosevelt are now senior citizen housing and Washington demolished and replaced with a park.

The Framingham School Department can trace its roots back to 1706 when the town hired its first school master, Deacon Joshua Hemenway. While Framingham had its first school master, it did not get its own public school building until 1716. The first high school, the Framingham Academy, opened its doors in 1792; however that school was eventually closed due to financing issues and the legality of the town providing funds for a private school. The first town-operated high school opened in 1852 and has been in operation continuously in numerous locations throughout the town.^[6]

The Superintendent of Schools is Dr. Steven Hiersche.

Contents 1 Public schools 1.1 Preschool 1.2 Elementary schools 1.3 Middle schools 1.4 High schools 2 Regional schools 3 Private and specialty schools 4 Higher education 5 MCAS rankings 6 References

Public schools

Preschool

BLOCKS in an acronym for Building Learning Opportunities for Children's Kindergarten Success. The B.L.O.C.K.S. Preschool is a preschool that offers half-day, full-day, and extended-day sessions at the King Building and the Framingham High School.

Elementary schools

All Framingham elementary schools feature kindergarten through grade five.

• Barbieri School

  The Barberi school opened in 1974 as a middle school, one of three new middle schools at the time, and is named for local Framingham educator Peter Barberi. Barberi specializes in bilingual language and communication based teaching.^[7] It has been cited as a Commonwealth Compass School.^[8] It is located on Dudley Road, in a complex of parkland, athletic fields and schools on the west shore of Farm Pond.

Facilities:

• 30 classrooms on three floors
• Cafeteria
• Auditorium
• Gymnasium
• Olympic sized pool (closed)
• In-school library
• 7 baseball fields (in adjacent athletic facility)
• Outdoor basket ball court (in adjacent athletic facility)
• 1 multi-use athletic field (football/soccer/lacrosse)

Barbieri MCAS Rankings (2006)[9]
Grade	Test	% of students at each performance level				Number of students tested	Rank
		Adv.	Prof.	Needs Improv.	Warning/ Failed
3	Reading	11	39	43	7	117	692/1018
	Math	3	53	32	12	117	438/1018
4	English	3	44	47	7	103	546/1006
	Math	20	23	43	14	103	412/1006
5	English	9	40	41	10	113	644/933
	Math	16	31	33	21	116	364/933
	Science	11	28	48	12	113	602/933

• Brophy School

  The Brophy school opened in 1968 and is named for local Framingham educators Rose and Anna Brophy.^[10] Its school slogan is "Sharing One World at Brophy." It is located on Pleasant Street (Route 30), about one mile west of Temple Street. It shares its building design with the Potter Road School.

Facilities:

• 36 classrooms on two floors
• Shared cafeteria/auditorium
• Gymnasium
• In-school library
• Central courtyard
• Community playground
• 2 multi-use athletic fields (football/soccer/lacrosse)

Brophy MCAS Rankings (2006)[9]
Grade	Test	% of students at each performance level				Number of students tested	Rank
		Adv.	Prof.	Needs Improv.	Warn/ Fail
3	Reading	16	24	27	33	62	645/1018
	Math	2	44	23	32	62	652/1018
4	English	10	27	33	30	62	731/1006
	Math	6	24	28	32	62	659/1006
5	English	17	42	22	20	64	528/933
	Math	11	27	33	30	64	533/933
	Science	22	33	19	27	64	401/933

• Charlotte A. Dunning Elementary School

  Built in the early 1960s and originally called The Frost Street Elementary School, it was renamed in 1965 after local politician Charlotte A. Dunning.^[11] It is located on Frost Street, in a complex of nature paths, athletic fields, farmland and schools adjacent to the Hultman Aqueduct. It shares a building design with the Hemenway School.

Facilities:

• 30 classrooms
• Shared cafeteria/auditorium
• Gymnasium
• In-school library
• Central courtyard
• Community playground
• 2 baseball fields (shared with Walsh Middle School)
• 1 multi-use athletic field (football/soccer/lacrosse/track & field, shared with Walsh Middle School)
• 1 outdoor basketball court (shared with Walsh Middle School)
• 4 outdoor asphalt tennis courts (shared with Walsh Middle School)

Dunning MCAS Rankings (2006)[9]
Grade	Test	% of students at each performance level				Number of students tested	Rank
		Adv.	Prof.	Needs Improv.	Warn/ Fail
3	Reading	15	40	33	12	81	633/1018
	Math	3	45	33	20	80	608/1018
4	English	3	49	37	12	68	455/1006
	Math	10	29	51	9	68	492/1006
5	English	10	53	31	6	81	422/933
	Math	17	28	33	21	81	381/933
	Science	21	38	38	2	81	325/933

• The Joshua Hemenway Elementary School

  Hemenway was built in the early 1960s and is named after Framingham's first school headmaster, Deacon Joshua Hemenway.^[6] Hemenway is a multiple intelligences school that teaches using real-life experiences, hands-on science and current world events.^[12] It is located on Water Street, approximately half a mile east of Edgell Road. It shares a building design with the Dunning School.

Facilities:

• 30 classrooms, 2 temporary classroom facilities
• Shared cafeteria/auditorium
• Gymnasium
• In-school library
• Central courtyard
• Community playground
• 1 baseball field

Hemenway MCAS Rankings (2006)[9]
Grade	Test	% of students at each performance level				Number of students tested	Rank
		Adv.	Prof.	Needs Improv.	Warn/ Fail
3	Reading	24	50	21	5	92	255/1018
	Math	9	59	25	8	92	238/1018
4	English	13	56	22	9	78	185/1006
	Math	36	31	24	9	78	89/1006
5	English	21	56	19	5	86	163/933
	Math	34	29	27	10	89	163/933
	Science	22	48	26	5	86	177/933

• Miriam F. McCarthy School

  McCarthy was built in the mid-1950s and expanded in 1995 and is named after local educator Miriam F. McCarthy. McCarthy places a focus on literary arts in an effort to teach its students to become proficient and strategic readers and writers.^[13] It is located on Flagg Drive in a complex of schools and athletic fields.

Facilities:

• 30 classrooms
• Shared cafeteria/auditorium
• Gymnasium
• In-school library and computer lab
• Community playground
• 1 baseball field (shared with Fuller Middle School)
• 2 baseball fields (in adjacent athletic facility)
• 2 multi-use athletic fields (football/soccer/lacrosse, in adjacent athletic facility)

McCarthy MCAS Rankings (2006)[9]
Grade	Test	% of students at each performance level				Number of students tested	Rank
		Adv.	Prof.	Needs Improv.	Warn/ Fail
3	Reading	38	40	22	0	68	158/1018
	Math	4	61	24	10	67	259/1018
4	English	5	47	46	2	85	454/1006
	Math	18	22	52	8	85	495/1006
5	English	12	48	39	1	67	398/933
	Math	12	33	46	9	67	397/933
	Science	10	43	46	0	67	397/933

• Potter Road Elementary School

  Built in 1969, along with the Brophy School, Potter Road is the only school besides FHS that is not named after an individual. Potter Road emphasizes a plan for life-long learning that teaches students that education is not confined to the classroom and that personal growth continues beyond the school doors. Potter Road is located on its name-sake road, halfway between Water Street and Elm Street.

Facilities:

• 36 classrooms on two floors
• Shared cafeteria/auditorium
• Gymnasium
• In-school library and computer lab
• Central courtyard
• Community playground
• 2 baseball fields
• 1 multi-use athletic field (football/soccer/lacrosse)
• 1 outdoor basketball court

Potter Road MCAS Rankings (2006)[9]
Grade	Test	% of students at each performance level				Number of students tested	Rank
		Adv.	Prof.	Needs Improv.	Warn/ Fail
3	Reading	36	27	18	20	56	471/1018
	Math	0	70	19	11	57	193/1018
4	English	18	48	14	20	56	236/1006
	Math	15	38	38	9	55	255/1006
5	English	29	53	18	0	55	137/933
	Math	23	43	25	9	56	137/933
	Science	23	43	32	2	56	222/933

• Mary E. Stapleton Elementary

  Built in the 1920s as the Saxonville School, it was expanded in 1980 and renamed for local educator and principal Mary E. Stapleton. Stapleton implements a school wide theme focusing on environmental education which uses hands-on learning and features the Carol Getchell Nature Trail along the Sudbury River.^[14] In 2006, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts cited Stapleton as "Environmental Eagle" due the success of its recycling program. It is located on Elm Street, just north of the Concord Street/Central Street/Elm Street intersection.

Facilities

• 30 classrooms on two floors
• Shared cafeteria/auditorium
• Gymnasium
• In-school library and computer lab
• Community playground

Stapleton MCAS Rankings (2006)[9]
Grade	Test	% of students at each performance level				Number of students tested	Rank
		Adv.	Prof.	Needs Improv.	Warn/ Fail
3	Reading	11	38	48	3	65	713/1018
	Math	2	66	23	9	65	232/1018
4	English	8	42	43	8	91	495/1006
	Math	19	33	38	10	90	264/1006
5	English	24	43	31	2	89	382/933
	Math	16	33	37	15	89	344/933
	Science	31	35	31	2	89	220/933

• Wilson Elementary School

  Wilson was built in the 1940s and underwent a major renovation/expansion in the early 2000s, and is named for President Woodrow Wilson. The Global Studies program expands on the standard curriculum by adding age-appropriate activities and modules that help children gain a greater personal knowledge of the world.^[15] It is located on Leland Street, just south of the Beaver Street/Kendall Avenue/Leland Street intersection. It is the last of the schools in Framingham named for US Presidents, with the former Washington and Lincoln schools closed and sold off to private groups.

Facilities

• 44 classrooms on two floors
• Shared cafeteria/auditorium
• Gymnasium
• In-school library and computer lab
• Community playground

Wilson MCAS Rankings (2006)[9]
Grade	Test	% of students at each performance level				Number of students tested	Rank
		Adv.	Prof.	Needs Improv.	Warn/ Fail
3	Reading	11	31	45	14	74	805/1018
	Math	3	49	33	15	75	526/1018
4	English	4	38	48	10	71	624/1006
	Math	10	36	46	8	72	379/1006
5	English	7	35	40	18	96	712/933
	Math	8	28	33	30	96	554/933
	Science	6	33	40	21	96	605/933

Middle schools

All Framingham middle schools feature grades six through eight.

• Cameron Middle School

  The original Cameron Middle School opened in 1974 and is named after Framingham educator, Dr. ?? Cameron. Cameron was originally one of three new middle school buildings built by the town using the same architectural design, the others being Farley and Barberi. The school was closed in 1982 and demolished in 2000. The current school opened in 2002. Its school colors are yellow and green and the mascot is the Cameron Cougars. In the 2006–07 school year, The student council at Cameron conducted a survey of the student body of the school about changing the name mascot from the Cameron Comets; from a list of ten possible names, the name Cougars was chosen. The school is located on Elm Street across from Norton's Pond.^[16]

Cameron MCAS Rankings (2006)[9]
Grade	Test	% of students at each performance level				No. of students tested	Rank
		Adv.	Prof.	Needs Improv.	Warn/ Fail
6	Reading	7	55	31	6	157	326/575
	Math	8	23	44	25	156	421/575
7	English	4	61	26	8	135	255/458
	Math	4	28	35	34	136	299/459
8	English	9	66	20	5	169	275/457
	Math	4	25	42	29	169	317/458
	Science	1	19	53	27	167	304/458

• Fuller Middle School

  The Fuller Middle School Opened in 1998 in the former Framingham South High School building. It is named after Dr. Solomon Carter Fuller (1872–1953), a pioneering African-American in the field of psychology^[17] and his wife Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller (1877–1968), a well known sculptor and artist in the 1920s. Its school colors are black (Onyx) and green (Jade) and the mascot is Fuller Falcons. The school is located on Flagg Drive across from the McCarthy Elementary School.^[18] It has been cited as a Commonwealth Compass School.^[8]

Fuller MCAS Rankings (2006)[9]
Grade	Test	% of students at each performance level				No. of students tested	Rank
		Adv.	Prof.	Needs Improv.	Warn/ Fail
6	Reading	9	43	30	18	168	419/575
	Math	8	24	31	38	168	420/575
7	English	7	51	26	16	208	317/459
	Math	4	24	38	33	206	317/459
8	English	12	59	20	8	213	305/457
	Math	11	34	31	24	213	187/458
	Science	1	26	48	24	213	251/458

• Walsh Middle School

  Walsh Middle School opened in 1969 and is named after Framingham educator, ?? Walsh. Its school colors are maroon and gold and the mascot is Walsh Wildcats. The school is located on Brook Street, in a complex of nature paths, athletic fields, farmland and schools adjacent to the Hultman Aqueduct and the Dunning Elementary School.^[19]

Walsh MCAS Rankings (2006)[9]
Grade	Test	% of students at each performance level				No. of students tested	Rank
		Adv.	Prof.	Needs Improv.	Warn/ Fail
6	Reading	8	49	33	9	231	373/575
	Math	15	29	30	26	231	281/575
7	English	9	60	25	6	242	224/458
	Math	7	28	36	29	241	267/458
8	English	13	64	15	8	191	256/457
	Math	15	31	35	19	193	182/458
	Science	5	40	32	22	193	111/458

High schools

• Framingham High School (grades nine through 12)^[20]

From 1963 until 1990, the town operated two independent high schools; Framingham North High School and Framingham South High School. The two separate high schools often competed with each other in sports, causing a friendly rivalry. Due to falling population, the two schools were combined at the campus of Framingham North, which was renamed Framingham High School. (The Framingham South High school building was made into the Fuller Middle School.)

The two high schools were distinguished by their colors and mascots: North had the Spartans in yellow and green while South had the Flyers in blue and white. When the time for the merger of the schools came, the district held an election to determine the fate of the colors and mascots. The winning combination was to be the Spartans in blue and white, however alumni of the original Framingham High raised a protest that the town should revert to the original mascot and colors which happened to be used by Framingham South. The School Committee agreed with the alumni and overrode the students choice.

FHS MCAS Rankings (2006)[9]
Grade	Test	% of students at each performance level				No. of students tested	Rank
		Adv.	Prof.	Needs Improv.	Warn/ Fail
10	Reading	18	63	17	3	434	114/337
	Math	60	22	13	4	433	88/337

• Eugene Thayer Campus (grades nine through 12)^[21]

  The Thayer Campus is for students who do not learn well in a typical school setting.

Regional schools

• The Christa McAuliffe Regional Charter Public School (grades six through eight)

  McAuliffe Regional is a regional charter school founded in 2002 as the Framingham Community Charter School by Michael Delman and Robert Kaufman; it expanded its district in 2005 to accept students from the communities of Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Holliston, Hopkinton, Marlborough, Sudbury, and Southborough.^[22] Enrollment prioritizes those from the eight schools in the region with the exception of siblings, and prospective students enter a lottery to gain admittance. The school is part of the national Expeditionary Learning school model and is located in the former St. Stevens parochial school in downtown Framingham. It is named after the teacher/astronaut and Framingham native Christa McAuliffe (née Corrigan) who was killed in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.^[23]

CMRCPS MCAS Rankings[24]
Grade	Test	% of students at each performance level				No. of students tested	Rank
		Adv.	Prof.	Needs Improv.	Warn/ Fail
6	Reading	20	57	18	5	92	175/575
	Math	12	35	34	18	93	256/575
7	English	8	66	20	6	86	164/458
	Math	24	20	27	29	85	195/459
8	English	9	70	19	2	89	229/457
	Math	10	22	29	38	89	292/458
	Science	3	25	47	24	87	242/458

• Joseph P. Keefe Technical School (Keefe Tech) (grades nine through 12)

  Keefe Tech, officially the South Middlesex Regional Vocational School District, is a regional vocational school opened in 1971 and is named after local educator Joseph P. Keefe. Keefe Tech provides educational programs and courses designed to educate students for both employment and continuing academic and occupational preparation. The school is primarily a high school, but it also provides continuing education, electronic learning, and summer camp programs. It accepts students from the communities of Ashland, Framingham, Holliston, Hopkinton and Natick.^[25] It is located at the junctions of Winter St and Fountain Street.^[26]

Keefe MCAS Rankings[27]
Grade	Test	% of students at each performance level				No. of students tested	Rank
		Adv.	Prof.	Needs Improv.	Warn/ Fail
10	Reading	0	30	53	17	174	319/337
	Math	10	18	41	31	172	318/337

Private and specialty schools

• Bethany Hill School (Private Catholic, childhood to adult social services and special education)

  Bethany Hill School is a living and learning community sponsored by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Boston in collaboration with service programs in the Metro West area. The school operates on the concept of educational housing.

• The Learning Center for the Deaf (Specialty, preschool through grade 12)

  TLC serves deaf and hard-of-hearing students from infancy through high school. It features a residential program, and facilities for people with both hearing and learning disabilities. It is located on Central Street, between the junctions of Kellogg Street and Prospect Street and has a satellite campus in Randolph, MA.^[28]

• Marian High School (Private Catholic, grades nine through 12)

  Marian High School is a Catholic secondary school, founded in 1956 by the Archdiocese of Boston and opened by Archbishop Richard Cardinal Cushing. Marian is now a private, Catholic affiliated school staffed by members of various Catholic orders and lay people.^[29] It is located on Union Avenue, half way between Framingham Center and Downtown.^[30]

• MetroWest Jewish Day School (Private Jewish, kindergarten through grade six)

  The MWJDS is a Jewish elementary and junior high school that opened in 2003 and offers grades K–6 education. The school adds a grade annually and it will eventually offer K–8 classes. Founded in 2001, by a local group of Jewish families, it offers a pluralistic Jewish environment for the various Jewish denominations it serves.^[31] It is housed in the former Juniper Hill elementary school.^[32]

• St. Tarcisus School (Private Catholic, preschool through grade eight)

  St. Tarcisius is a Catholic elementary and junior high school, founded in 1959, by the pastor of St. Tarcisus, Reverend Silvio Sartori, a Scalabrinian Father, and staffed by the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph. Closed from 1970–1980, it expanded in 1987 and 1993. St. Tarcicus is now a private, Catholic affiliated school staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph and lay peoples.^[33] It is located adjacent to the St. Tarcicus Church on Waverly Street in Downtown Framingham. The school closed in 2010 due to budget cuts^[34]

• St. Bridget School (Private Catholic, preschool through grade eight)

  Saint Bridget is a Catholic elementary and junior high school, founded 1956 by the pastor of Saint Bridget Parish, Monsignor John J. Connolly. Originally run by the Sisters of St. Joseph, St. Bridget is now a private, Catholic affiliated school staffed by lay people.^[35] It is located adjacent to the St. Bridgets Church on Worcester Road (Route 9) in Framingham Center.^[36]

• Sudbury Valley School (Private, kindergarten through grade 12)

  Sudbury Valley School is a specialty school that features alternative education methods and was founded in 1968 by a group of parents and educators. Its education philosophy is one in which students set their educational agendas and schedules through a democratic process.^[37] It is located on Winch Street at the junction of Millwood Street.^[38]

• Wayland Academy of Framingham (Private, preschool through grade eight)

  Wayland Academy is an independent, nonprofit elementary school for the gifted and academically talented founded in 1982 by John F. O'Rourke and Raphael J. McGrath. It is a traditionally structured school that stresses the basic skills of reading, writing, spelling, penmanship, mathematics, social studies, science and technology, the arts and physical education.^[39] It is located in the First Methodist Church at the junction of Water Street and Brook Street.^[40]

Higher education

• Framingham State College^[41]
• Massachusetts Bay Community College (at the former Farley Middle School)
• Clark University Continuing Education Center in the Framingham Industrial Park

MCAS rankings

2006 MCAS district scores for Framingham Public Schools^[9]

Test 2006 Spring Exam	% of students at each performance level				Number of students tested
	Advanced	Proficient	Needs Improvement	Warning/ Failed
Grade 3
English (district)	19	38	33	11	641
Math (district)	3	54	28	15	640
Grade 4
English (district)	7	43	38	12	635
Math (district)	17	29	41	13	635
Grade 5
English (district)	15	44	31	11	694
Math (district)	16	30	33	21	694
Science (district)	17	36	35	12	694
Grade 6
English (district)	8	48	32	12	587
Math (district)	10	25	34	31	587
Grade 7
English (district)	7	56	26	12	607
Math (district)	5	26	36	33	608
Grade 8
English (district)	11	62	18	8	597
Math (district)	10	29	35	26	599
Science (district)	3	28	44	25	597
Grade 10
English (district)	16	60	19	4	467
Math (district)	57	22	14	7	466

References

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