The 2024-25 school year started strong at Scituate High School with many new changes introduced in the building. This includes the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO) program, which has been running actively for 56 years ever since its partnership with Scituate, which started in 1968. The METCO program offers schooling and transportation to Scituate for participating families in Boston. Around 70 Boston families are involved in the program across Scituate Public Schools, including elementary, middle, and high school levels.
In 2024, MarKaveus Barnes was promoted from the METCO Coordinator to the METCO Director and Visionary for Scituate Public Schools. A member of the Scituate community since 2022, Barnes has been dedicated to the program’s growth and development. This year, Barnes is looking to further educate students about the history of METCO, and encourage more Boston students to get involved in their school community to grow and enhance the impact of the METCO program for all students.
Joining the METCO team this year as a program manager, Sherilla Lestrade is focused on helping students with their academic and social development. Barnes indicated there are plans to increase the METCO staff to include a student success liaison, who would provide an additional layer of support and engagement for students across the district.
At SHS, the METCO program will offer a variety of enrichment activities to METCO students on late-start Wednesdays, as Boston students arrive at the regular 8:15 AM start time every Wednesday due to their bus schedule. This will allow students to explore their interests and passions while giving them a more exciting and rewarding experience. Opportunities include experimenting with different art styles and fashion designs with SHS art teachers. Barnes said this program will expand to all students, as he is “hoping it will also encourage Scituate students to come in early as well.”
Barnes is also looking to create a stronger connection between Scituate and Boston families by reintroducing a “host” family partnership. The “Scituate Anchors” program is a reorganization of the previous “host” family experience. Barnes said the program will become “a more genuine and natural way” of joining Scituate and Boston families together. This will allow Boston and Scituate families and students to connect and create valuable relationships that will flourish into “host” family partnerships.
On October 17th, 17 SHS students had the opportunity to attend a college fair featuring Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). This follows the same goals for the program as other new additions this year: METCO students will be able to explore their interests, the Scituate community will be educated about the METCO program, and students will be connected with different resources. According to SHS senior Dah’kye Garner, many students talk to Barnes about their plans for the future, and the program aims to aid students with the best resources possible.
In another effort to support METCO students, Barnes will also introduce METCO award ceremonies in December and at the end of the school year. This will be an official opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of Boston students who may have been previously unrecognized.