"We used the opportunity to improve the quality of the schools, as well as to achieve racial balance," McGrath says.

Each of the Cambridge's 14 elementary schools have worked, and are still working to create a distinct educational atmosphere and focus. Programs like Harrington's kindergarten through third grade community computer lab that features 25 Macintosh computers and Graham and Parks' development of innovative year-long themes to package standard curriculum in a bold, new way, distinguish the schools from one another and contribute toward the goals of Cambridge's school choice program.

Graham and Parks

The Sandra Graham and Rosa Parks Alternative Public School on 15 Upton Street, just west of Central Square, offers one choice. The school emerged in its present form as a result of the 1981 merger of the nationally touted magnet school, the Cambridge Alternative Public School, and the neighborhood district school, the Webster School. The school, now housed in Webster School's building, is the teaching center for 370 Cambridge children from kindergarten through eighth grade.

"This school has been a school of choice since its inception in 1972," Graham and Parks Principal Leonard Solo says.

Graham and Parks has carved a niche for itself within the Cambridge School system from the very beginning, notably for its emphasis on "cooperative learning." The school's staff work to facilitate learning as a social activity.

While several students may be reading silently in one part of the classroom, others may be working together on a social studies project, and still others are being helped one-on-one by the classroom teacher. Graham and Parks' alternative approach is also evident in the multi-graded organization of the classes.

"This school was started by parents who really enjoyed their preschools," parent coordinator Ann Bolger says. "They wanted to see their child's experience continued in the public schools...They were interested in the whole child."

Graham and Parks houses the city's Haitian bilingual program, as well. "It's the only place where they can talk to [people] and teach them in their native language," Hudicourt-Barnes says. Hudicourt-Barnes, who teaches first through fourth graders in the bilingual program, said that Graham and Parks offers the only choice in terms of the language and that this is the motivation for many Creole-speaking parents.

Harrington School

The Harrington School, just past Inman Square on Cambridge Street, offers a different environment for Cambridge children. At almost 700 students, Harrington houses a Portuguese bilingual program. Follow Through Program for students in grades K-3, along with the mainstream "traditional" approach to education.

"We find our population here at Harrington tend to be those who haven't had preschool experience," Sousa says. Characterizing the students as coming from largely "working middle class" families, Sousa says that the extended network of relatives and friends care for young children, instead of preschool teachers, in many cases.

Harrington features the "Say Yes to Education" idea that started two years ago with second graders. Each of the 67 students was awarded a four-year scholarship to the school of his or her choice by the Weiss Foundation, which is based in Philadelphia, Penn. Each child has a mentor and recently took a standardized test as part of the program.

Harrington also features a "Parents as Partners" Computer Program and an English as a Second Language Center, both of which utilize the 25 Macintosh computers Harrington acquired through a partnership with Jonsten and Lotus corporations.

Peabody School