Series Three: Dever’s Heartbeat — Community & Family

 

Series Three: Dever’s Heartbeat — Community & Family

To some, the Paul A. Dever Elementary School may seem like just another city school.

But to those who know it—
To the students who grew up in its classrooms,
To the educators who dedicated their lives to its halls,
To the parents who entrusted it with their children,
And to the community partners who stood by its side—
Dever has always been so much more.

At its core, Dever was built on two powerful values:
Community and Family.

These weren’t just mission statements.
They were lived—every single day:
• In morning greetings
• On family nights
• Through after-school programs
• In classrooms where every child felt seen, heard, and valued

Dever didn’t just serve a community. It was one.

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🌍 A Model of Diversity and Inclusion

Dever is one of the most diverse schools in Boston Public Schools—and proudly so.

Here’s who makes up the Dever family:
• 14 languages spoken
• 65.6% Hispanic/Latino
• 21.6% Black/African-American
• 3.1% Asian
• 7.9% White
• 1.6% Multi-Racial

And that’s just the surface.

Dever serves:
• 96.4% High-Needs students
• 55.7% English Language Learners
• 67.4% with a First Language Not English
• 89.2% Low-Income
• 15% with Disabilities
• 21% Experiencing Homelessness

This is not a school that turns away from challenges.
It meets them head-on—with equity, compassion, and innovation.

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💡 Breaking Barriers—Together

In 2021, Dever became the first BPS school to implement a full-inclusion co-teaching model across grades K–6—ensuring that students with and without disabilities learn side by side.

Then in 2024, Dever took another bold step:
It dismantled its Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) program, fully integrating multilingual learners into general education classrooms.

The message was clear:
No more separation. No more silos. All children deserve to learn together.

And it’s working. In 2024, 52% of students showed ambitious growth on their DIBELS literacy assessments—proof that belief, equity, and innovation drive real results.

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🤝 Partnerships That Uplift

Dever’s strength has always come from collaboration—with families, neighbors, and community partners who believe that when students succeed, communities thrive.

Among our most vital partners:

• The Denny Boys & Girls Club – Offering after-school care, academic support, and a safe space to grow and thrive
• Local Housing Agencies – Supporting families experiencing housing instability
• Grassroots Organizations – Advocating for bilingual education, mental health resources, and family engagement

These aren’t just support services.
They are the foundation of a school that uplifts students by uplifting families.

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🫀 What We Stand to Lose

With Dever’s closure on the horizon, we are not just losing a building.
We are losing a model.
A vision.
A heartbeat.

Dever was never just a school—it was a sanctuary.
A place where language, disability, income, or immigration status never limited potential.
Where inclusion wasn’t a buzzword—it was the foundation.

At Dever, students came first. Families were partners.
Equity wasn’t the goal—it was the standard.

To lose Dever is to lose a promise:
That every child deserves a chance.

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➡️ Sneak Peek: Series Four — The Devastating Announcement

On January 6, 2025, the Dever community was blindsided by a proposed closure—leaked to the media before families were informed.

Despite harsh winter weather and fierce advocacy, the Boston School Committee voted to close the school on March 20, 2025.

But the story doesn’t end there.

Series Four will take you through the heartbreak, the resistance, and the strength of a community that refuses to be erased.

✨ Stay with us. The story continues.