Series One: Introduction to the Legacy

September 22, 2025

Series One: Introduction to the Legacy

In just a few months, Paul A. Dever Elementary School will close its doors for the final time—marking the end of an important chapter in Boston’s educational and cultural history.
But this isn’t just about a school shutting down.
It’s about a community losing its anchor.

🔍 Why This Series Matters

Over the coming weeks, I’ll be diving deep into the legacy of the Dever—what it meant to:
Students who found a second home in its classrooms

Teachers who dedicated decades of their lives

Families who walked its halls for generations

We’ll revisit the highs, the struggles, and the fierce determination that kept the Dever standing through turbulent times.
Most importantly, we’ll hear directly from the people who lived it.
Because behind every school are stories—
Stories of resilience, hope, heartbreak, and triumph.
And the Dever’s story is no different.

🏫 Paul A. Dever Elementary: A School with History and Heart

Opened in 1957, Paul A. Dever Elementary is more than just a building—it’s a cornerstone of the Columbia Point neighborhood in Dorchester.
Before it opened, local children attended the nearby Russell School. But as Columbia Point grew, the city promised families something closer—something new.
And the Dever delivered.
In 1964, that promise expanded with the opening of John W. McCormack Middle School, now the Ruth Batson Academy. Together, these schools weren’t just for learning—they became community hubs, connecting generations through education, opportunity, and shared purpose.
Over time, the Dever evolved:
Originally serving grades K–5

Restructured during the COVID-19 pandemic

Since 2020, it has served Pre-K through 6th grade as part of BPS’s shift away from standalone middle schools

But now, in 2025, this long-standing pillar of the neighborhood faces closure—raising difficult questions:
Why now?
What happens next?

🧭 More Than a Building

This series isn’t just about dates and decisions.
It’s about voices.
From lifelong educators and community leaders to former students who say Dever changed their lives, this story goes far beyond policy and politics.
It’s about what we lose when we lose a school like Dever:
The heart.
The hope.
The humanity.

📝 Stay With Me

The story of Dever deserves to be told—and heard.
This is the first in a multi-part series honoring not just a school, but a community legacy. Each post will bring you closer to the truth of what Dever meant—and what its loss means for the future of education in Boston.

⏭️ Up Next: Series Two — A School Under Receivership

What happens when a school in crisis is placed under state control—only to face years of instability, lost trust, and constant change?
In the next installment, we’ll explore one of the most defining and controversial chapters in Dever’s history: state receivership.
From five principals in one year to the heartbreaking loss of beloved Latino educators, we’ll trace a rollercoaster of policies, leadership changes, and the community’s fight to hold on.
Even in the chaos, leaders emerged.
Light broke through.
And a school refused to give up.
Was receivership meant to save the Dever… or set it up to fail?
📍 Coming Soon: A School Under Receivership — Part Two of The Dever Legacy Series

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