Maya McFadden Photo
Sunday's ribbon cutting ceremony.
New Haven celebrated keeping hope alive at The Barack H. Obama Magnet University School (BOMUS) Sunday, officially welcoming a new teacher-oriented public school that opened its doors two years ago at the dawn of the Covid-19 pandemic.
City leaders and the public school community joined for an official ribbon-cutting and celebration of New Haven Public Schools’ (NHPS) partnership with Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) in BOMUS at 69 Farnham Ave., on the SCSU campus.
The partnership aims at leading the nation in “educational innovation” that offers higher-education students a chance to teach in the classroom, and elementary students the chance to see themselves on a college campus where they might one day pursue teaching careers.
Yesenia Rivera, Jahana Hayes, Justin Elicker, and Iline Tracey.
Formerly known as the Strong 21st Century Communications Magnet School, BOMUS became a magnet school six years ago. The school is pre‑K through fourth grade.
The redesigned school reopened in January 2020 but was closed shortly afterwards due to the pandemic. That put any official opening ceremony on hold.
BOMUS was also in part established to offer students a full-circle journey of attending elementary school then later returning to pursue higher education all in the same place.
SCSU President Joe Bertolino described the partnership as the institution’s “responsibility in and of the community.”
Bertolino.
“To the Owlets in the back of the room, I am very much looking forward to you becoming Owls in the next several years, because all you’ll need to do is walk down the street,” he said, referring to the SCSU mascot fowl.
Southern is the leader in training the most teachers in the state, Bertolino reported.
Bertolino and SCSU Dean of Education Stephen Hegedus each gifted a miniature plush Southern owl to BOMUS and its young scholars.
The lineup of speakers included Superintendent Iline Tracey, Bertolino, Hegedus, Mayor Justin Elicker, NHPS Board President Yesenia Rivera, BOMUS Principal Jamie Baker, students Nagedlie David and Yamileth Barranco, and U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes.
Speakers thanked former Mayor Toni Harp, former Superintendent Reginald Mayo, and former Board of Education Presidents Carlos Torre and Darnell Goldson for working on the project as well over the years. Rivera credited Goldson for suggesting the idea to dedicate the school to President Barack Obama.
The BOMUS student choir and SCSU Steppin’ Up Drill Team joined the celebration to give musical performances.
Click the video below to watch the choir performance.
SCSU drill team.
Principal Baker described the NHPS/SCSU partnership as one that “rattles the narrative.”
She said BOMUS allows scholars to dream big with confidence and enhances student access.
Baker recited an Obama quote; “For too many students in America, zip code still determines how far they’ll go. And that’s not acceptable.”
Baker, Tracey, and Hayes.
BOMUS will teach new educators how to teach in an “urban classroom,” Baker said.
“College is no longer unobtainable. It does not have to be the leap of faith that I had to take without a safety net,” she added.
BOMUS fourth-grade students Nagedlie David and Yamileth Barranco said they have enjoyed being on the SCSU campus this school year.
“We have many Southern students coming and helping us learn and grow, as they do the same. Ironically my sister now has to share her college campus with me,” said David.
BOMUS students Nagedlie David and Yamileth Barranco.
Hayes told the Sunday crowd that she skipped church to celebrate her alma mater.
She recalled being a student teacher at Hillhouse High School while at Southern and being shaped by the college’s school of education.
“This campus and this city gave me the audacity to hope and believe that I can change education,” Hayes said.
She thanked NHPS and Southern for “understanding the assignment.”
Hayes (pictured) described the BOMUS scholars as roses growing from concrete.
“An urban public school experience helps you to face any obstacle in the world with the confidence of knowing you were built for this,” Hayes said.
She concluded that the Obama School name is well suited because the school and its partners teach students to “hold onto hope” and know that change is possible.
"Obama School name is well suited." Obama, of course, was nearly exclusively product of religious and independent schools, many elite and exclusive: St Francis of Assisi, Calvert School home schooling, Punahou, Occidental, Columbia, and Harvard.