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The school consists of grades nine through twelve. The school’s academic program is structured around five small learning communities/pathways. These communities and pathways, created in 1998 and 1999, are within an upper school and a lower school. The five small learning communities have a college-based curriculum with a signature theme. These signature themes range from web design and law & justice to pre-engineering, business/technology and MCAS[2] preparation/academics. There are ten teachers and one leader in each small learning community, with each teacher having one specific theme to teach.
The Charlestown High School curriculum is designed with a focus on equipping students with the necessary skills and knowledge for college. In addition to the basic curriculum, extensive attention is given to college and exploration, with most of the students participating in the Boston University's COACH (College Orientation and Career Help) program. Each Friday, two groups of Boston University students visit the school, where they are divided into teams and attend pathways classes for both juniors and seniors. They work with students on the entire college application process and help them understand what college life is like. Since the Boston University (and Harvard at one point) COACH program has been at the Charlestown High School, college applications and admissions have increased by 28%, and due to the increase in college applicants at Charlestown High, over 70% of the recent graduates have attended college.
Charlestown High School is also known for its vibrant visual arts program. Recognized in a 2005 Fund for Teachers award, student artwork adorns many school and municipal facilities. Other electives include a popular forensics class and Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps.
In addition, the school provides extensive support services through college and business partnerships, including Harvard, Bunker Hill, Liberty Mutual, and others. Student volunteers from the Harvard College chapter of Peer Health Exchange also visit the high school to teach classes on sexual and health education.
Busing and desegregation
Charlestown High School received considerable national attention in the 1975–1976 school year when court-mandated forced busing brought African-American children to what was at that time a predominantly white high school in an Irish neighborhood of Boston. Forced busing initially brought great discord and resulted in fights and arrests, however there were also enduring images, such as the famous photograph of a black and a white student holding hands out the window of their school bus (see the NPR article in the external links below).
Contributing to the discord was the September 28, 1979 school shooting of Darryl K. Williams, an African-American football player for Jamaica Plain High School, who was at Charlestown playing football. Three Irish Americans, at least one of whom had dropped out of Charlestown High School, shot Williams whilst he was on the field during halftime, whilst his team was huddled for a pep talk.[4] Williams was permanently paralyzed from below the neck. The shooting was initially considered racially motivated, and a race riot was barely averted. Despite this, a large rally was held at Boston's City Hall Plaza in support of Williams. As a result of this incident, Charlestown did not play home football games for nine years after this incident for security reasons.[5]
Sports success
The Charlestown High School boys basketball team takes part in the Boston City League, and they once won the state championship for four straight years, from 1999 to 2003,[6] and in 2005, the team won the Division 2 State Championship.[6] During these years, the head coach was Jack O'Brien and his assistant coaches were Zach Zegarowski, Steve Cassidy and Hugh Coleman.
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