This factsheet was taken from the following website: www.coeureaction.qc.ca.

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Boston Connects

1) Category:
General program
Specific program (for some sections of the program)

2) Issues Behind the Program:
One of the major components of the program is the belief that problems outside the
classroom (e.g. health problems, mental health problems, unhealthy home
environment, etc.) have a definite impact on productivity in the classroom, emotional
health and interpersonal relationships.
Schools do not have the resources to ensure that every student has access to the
services and opportunities needed for him/her to reach his/her full potential.

3) Objectives:
Reduce barriers to learning
Promote the academic, social and emotional development of each child as well as
his/her physical health
Increase health awareness and promote attributes that lead to growth in the urban
primary school environment
Grow and develop academic and cultural enrichment opportunities through youth
development activities
Improve the strengths of the students rather than working on their weaknesses
Provide an example of a strength-based approach aimed at supporting students

4) Environment:
Primary schools in underprivileged environments

5) Target Group:
Students from 6 to 12 years old
Parents

6) Key Words:
Boston Connects, coeuraction, family-school-community partnership, general program,
specific program, success, health, prevention, culture, social services, community
services







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7) Program Description:
Boston Connects (BC), developed with the help of Boston College, is a comprehensive
and coordinated service to young people based on a data-driven approach.
This school-community-university partnership brings together Bostons public primary
schools, the YWMCA of Greater Boston, Boston College and other community partners in
order to coordinate (school advisers) support both within the school and within the
community.
The purpose of the program is to change the structure of the school so that effective
services become an integral and essential part of its educational mission.
BC facilitates a school's access to services and resources (technological infrastructure
and human resources) which range all the way from preventive measures to intensive
interventions.
This approach is three-tiered (prevention, primary intervention and intensive
intervention).
There are two major components of the program (implemented in each school) designed
to ensure that services are provided to students:
o Social skills development program: Weekly meetings dealing with social skills
development are organized with children (e.g. how to make good decisions).
o Health promotion development program (New Balance Foundation Program for
Healthy Development): Weekly meetings dealing with various health issues are also
organized (e.g. learning to read nutrition labels).
The classes are given by certified teachers who are in contact with BC advisers.
Boston College offers instructional seminars several times a year to school guidance
counselors and health teachers in order to support them in their work with young
people.
Boston Connects supports two Student and Family Instructional Support Centers,
thereby bridging the gap between the school, the family and the community so that all
stakeholders become partners in educating children. This pilot project in health
education involves health education coordinators and public health specialists who
moderate health promotion activities in select primary schools (classroom, community,
with parents, etc.) that are part of Boston Connects.

8) Steps:
Steps vary according to the type of intervention, family needs, and the local resources
available.

9) Activities/Actions:
Types of actions:







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o For all students in school: In addition to promoting health, the program also covers
an array of social skills. The program acknowledges students strengths and
evaluates each students assets and risk factors.
o For students with developmental problems: The program proposes primary
intervention that promotes a student's strengths and examines risks.
o For students who show signs of severe developmental problems: BC proposes
intensive interventions.
Examples of activities carried out under Boston Connects:
o Guidance counselors and health teachers organized a health week open to the
public (families, parents and community partners). The week featured nutrition classes
for parents and healthy breakfasts served to members of the school, families and
members of the community. Furthermore, in order to promote a healthy lifestyle,
students produced posters on health topics. The most attractive posters were chosen to
be displayed in community centers throughout the region.
o A cultural community specialist accompanies teachers and counsellors so they can
better understand students.
o One primary school invited a certified dietician to talk about body image to school
guidance counselors and health teachers. They were taught strategies to use in
order to teach young people to develop a healthy body image.

10) Resources Required:
Human resources:
o School guidance counselors
o Community partners
Technological infrastructure
Financial resources:
o Operating budget

11) Roles of the Participants:
School guidance counselors:
o assist teachers and school members in identifying each students strengths and
needs;
o work with teachers and other staff to develop intervention plans tailored to the
student;
o work with parents and families;
o establish partnerships with community organizations;
o refer the student and his/her family to the appropriate school or community
organization in order to receive help;
o collaborate with health teachers in promoting the health program within the school
and within the community;
o attend seminars offered by Boston College.
Health specialists:







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o collaborate with school guidance counselors in promoting the health program within
the school and within the community;
o attend seminars offered by Boston College.
The student support team (principal, teacher, specialist, community representative):
o compiles and analyzes information sent by the teachers and in turn makes
recommendations and referrals for primary interventions.


The University Project Evaluation Team:
o works with health teachers and school guidance counselors to develop and
implement an evaluation program that helps to establish guidelines for the schools
health program.

12) Scientific Basis or Validity:
This program was adapted from the model developed by the Childrens Aid Society.
The program is closely linked to the ACSA (American School Counselor Association)
model and incorporates certain principles from Strengths-Based School Counseling
(SBSC).
In order for the program to be increasingly effective, Boston Connects is constantly
evaluated and revised based on research data
(http://www.bc.edu/content/bc/schools/lsoe/cityconnects/results.html).
Report card grades in reading, writing and math revealed significantly greater
improvement for BC students than for comparison groups (students who were never
enrolled in Boston Connects).
The program is effective in terms of primary intervention:
o From 2003 to 2006, the percentage of students who were referred to community
services for assistance jumped from 26% to 43%.
o In 2006, 100% of the students in BC schools participated in the New Balance
Foundation Program.
o When the primary interventions recommended by BC are implemented, the need for
intensive intervention tends to decrease.
Although quite recent, the New Balance Foundation Program has shown that
participants: 1) are better informed about health, 2) have more self-confidence as
regards a healthy lifestyle, 3) have better eating habits, and 3) are less sedentary.
In general, results show that the BC approach acknowledges a student's strengths and is
effective at identifying their weaknesses.


13) Program Material:
Website presenting the program









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14) Additional Information:
The Child's Aid Society in New York has helped children for over 150 years.
The information contained in this factsheet was taken from:
o http://www.bc.edu/content/bc/schools/lsoe/cityconnects/results/publications.ht
ml;
o The Boston Connects Program: Promoting Learning and Healthy Development. By:
Walsh, Mary E., Kenny, Maureen E., Wieneke, Kristin M., Harrington, Kara R.,
Professional School Counselling, 10962409, Dec. 2008, Vol. 12, Issue 2.;
o http://www.thefreelibrary.com/The+Boston+connects+program:+promoting+learnin
g+and+healthy...-a0191213602.

15) Contacts:
Boston Connects
Lynch School of Education
Campion Hall 305D
140 Commonwealth Avenue
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467

Jennifer Coyle, Administrative Officer
Tel.: (617) 552-4231
Email: coylejc@bc.edu


Mary Walsh, Executive Director
Tel.: (617) 552-4231
Email: walshhur@bc.edu