Compiled by The Bedford Citizen
METCO welcomed new CEO Milly Arbaje-Thomas and announced a new era of innovative partnerships to an audience of nearly 300 guests at a reception in Dorchester on April 12.
Bedford Superintendent of Schools and member of the METCO board of directors, Jon Sills presented Arbaje-Thomas with a welcome gift from superintendents in METCO communities. Sills was introduced to author and activist Jonathan Kozol during the reception. “What a great honor to meet one of the true champions of the poor and disenfranchised in education,” Sills said. “We are excited to host Jonathan Kozol’s visit to our schools later this spring!”
Arbaje-Thomas thanked legislators for the increase to METCO support in the FY19 budget released by the Massachusetts House on April 11; funding increased by $1.5 million, a 7 percent increase from FY2018.
About METCO
METCO, the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity, was established in 1966 to provide the opportunity for children from racially-imbalanced schools in Boston and those from isolated suburban schools to learn together in an integrated public school setting.
Click this link to read Eliza Rosenberry’s 2016 story about Bedford’s history as a METCO community
Throughout its history, METCO has provided students with a strong academic foundation as well as an environment rich in cultural, educational, ethnic and racial diversity. METCO has reached tens of thousands of students, currently supporting 3,300 students annually in 35 participating school districts and 190 public schools.
The METCO board and new leadership see that METCO has enormous potential to unlock – the ability to build partnerships across a wide spectrum of society to support its important work; to help heal the divisions plaguing our cities, state, and nation today; to play an even larger role in racial reconciliation and social justice.
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