Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academy

Our CEO Sarah Anderson got to accept a check today on behalf of our performing arts team that will support musical theater at our elementary schools next school year. Bristol County Savings is a valued partner who we are grateful invests not only in BVP but also many other organizations that strengthen our communities. Many thanks as well to BVP music teacher Krystle Poirier for her leadership applying for this support.

🎙️ The State of Education in RI🎙️ That’s our CEO and Executive Director, Sarah Anderson sharing her insights as a parent and educator, on the latest episode of the Bartholomewtown Podcast with Bill Bartholomew! Check out her full interview to learn how our team here at BVP is proactively working to support scholars and their families in the midst of a rapidly changing educational environment, forever impacted by the pandemic.  You can listen to Sarah's interview here: [Insert Podcast Link] or tune in to WPRO this Saturday at 3pm or Sunday at 4pm. Thank you Sarah for your continued leadership and dedication to our entire BVP family!

Starting in the 2025-2026 school year, Blackstone Valley Prep High School (BVPHS) scholars will have the opportunity to attend classes and engage in extracurricular activities in a newly built out education hub at the Pawtucket Family YMCA. This partnership will not only enable BVPHS to successfully serve all of its incoming high school scholars, it will also result in a historic investment in the city of Pawtucket. A special thank you to Mayor Grebien and his staff for their support. Learn more about this historic partnership courtesy of The Valley Breeze! https://lnkd.in/e-vFgfvN

Graduation is almost here and we are so proud of our incredible class of 2024! In only a few short days, our graduates will join the ranks of our amazing alumni, who are making a huge impact in communities around the nation. Ahead of our June 8 ceremony, we’re celebrating the BVP alumni bringing about positive change. Today, we would like to introduce Daniella Magana. Daniella graduated from BVP in 2019 and Boston University in 2023, where she received a Bachelor’s Degree from the Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation. Born and raised in Central Falls, Daniella is the first in her immediate family to graduate from college. She credits her time at BVP for preparing her for the unprecedented challenges of being a student during the pandemic. “Academically, learning through the summit portal during my time in high school pushed me to work on my time management skills from a young age. Learning electronically at the time was something that I didn’t realize was going to be such an important skill later on,” said Daniella. “When COVID interrupted my time in college and I was home having to take full course semesters, I was lucky enough to already have some experience with taking notes from an online source.” Daniella currently works for the Mayor of Pawtucket and hopes to continue a career in public service. She says her ties to BVP remain strong to this day. “I think students like me are very lucky to attend a small school like BVP because of the attention and support. There are so many resources available that mentors help guide you towards. Some of the mentors I met during my high school years at BVP are still mentors that continue to play a crucial role in my life,” she said. #alumniimpacts #bvp #decidebelieveachieve

"With the class of 2024 just days from walking across the stage on June 8, we want to take a moment to highlight and celebrate the the many BVP alumni who are enriching their communities here in RI, and around the nation! To kick things off, we would like to introduce Julio Castillo. Julio graduated from BVP in 2018 and Boston College in 2022, where he studied economics and philosophy. Julio is part of BVP’s first graduating class, and was a proud scholar for 8 years. “I immediately felt the unity of the school culture, having weekly town halls with our entire grade, creating cheers, challenges, and skits, as well as celebrating positive leaders in the community, earning them a coveted positive leader hat,” said Julio. “Experiencing firsthand the rigorous and loving environment, the positive school culture that incentivizes and celebrates achievement, and the unified vision across the network, I chose to stay for high school.” Currently, Julio serves as a Teach for America Corps member in Miami-Dade, and will soon become an Investment Analyst. “I’d like to enhance this learning with exciting and impactful opportunities at mission-driven organizations rooted in educational equity and empowering local economies. Additionally, I am considering pursuing further education, such as an MBA and/or MPP, to gain a better understanding of how sustainable change can be achieved at scale,” said Julio. A native of Central Falls, Julio credits experiences in the community with motivating him to contribute to similarly underserved demographics. “BVP's journey serves as a beacon of hope, demonstrating that educational equity is not just a distant dream but an achievable reality. Through my involvement with organizations like TFA and the Equitable Facilities Fund, I am committed to realizing this vision of uplifting communities and ensuring every student has access to a quality education,” he said. We are so proud of our alumni helping shape our world! #alumniimpacts #bvp #decidebelieveachieve

Yesterday afternoon, Governor McKee and Commissioner Infante-Green publicly designated BVP an Advanced Placement (AP) Champion! BVP is one of six public high schools in Rhode Island to receive this designation, which recognizes public shcools in the state that have meaningfully increased student access to AP courses. BVP HS teacher Andrew Rocca and senior scholar Alex Alvarado-Rivas were featured speakers during the event, in which Mr. Rocca was able to showcase the success of BVP's High School AP Capstone program, one of the most established AP programs in the state! We are so grateful to the Governor and Commissioner for recognizing the hard work of our public school teachers and scholars, and we offer our heartfelt congratulations to all of the AP Champion designees! #DecideBelieveAchieve #BVPHS

70 years ago to this day, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its landmark ruling in Brown v. Board of Education. As a diverse-by-design charter public school, BVP enrolls scholars from four neighboring communities—Central Falls, Cumberland, Lincoln, and Pawtucket. Our intentionally diverse model allows scholars to connect across both racial and socioeconomic lines of difference, and prepares them to mindfully and confidently engage with others in our dynamic world. On today's anniversary, and with a heartfelt gratitude to our families (and to EdPost and the Brightbeam Network for uplifting their voices) we invite you to read about the benefits of attending an intentionally diverse public school, like BVP. Diverse Charter Schools Coalition https://lnkd.in/dX6_m3EB

I am still emotionally recovering from attending today's College Signing Day at Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academy High School. It's a day held annually where the senior class reveals to their family, friends and school community where they are headed after high school. The event is coordinated and hosted by students who all get their own walk up song, introduce themselves, and then do the big reveal of their school. It was amazing seeing the amount of enthusiasm and support in the room for these students. Many of whom have been in the BVP district since Kindergarten. The sight of students on stage proudly shouting that they were the first in their family to be going to college and looking back and seeing their families sporting their chosen college swag with tears in their eyes and snapping so many pictures never got old. The intentionally diverse, public, free to all atmosphere at BVP empowered those moments to happen. How remarkable to witness an entire generation start a new chapter for their families and their communities.

ICYMI: BVP’s CEO Sarah Anderson on our participation in The Bridges Collaborative’s work with housing agencies, school districts, and charter schools to advance integration.

Our CEO, Sarah Anderson, is honored to be part of a national convening of The Bridges Collaborative, a first-of-its-kind school integration initiative that looks to bolster educational diversity. Learn more about BVP's leadership on intentional diversity and our new efforts thanks to a substantial federal grant. Halley Potter Stefan Lallinger Sonia C. Park Emily Stainer Sarah Anderson Steve Osborn Krystafer Redden