Mission & History

Mission

Neighborhood House Charter School combines rich and structured learning with extensive social/emotional programming to help all our students succeed in school and in life. We strive to develop scholars who seek knowledge, embrace effort, act thoughtfully, and commit to the common good.

Many children come to us with significant needs. We don’t give up on them. Our goal is that all of our students thrive at Neighborhood House, graduate from high school, and pursue post-secondary education on the path to achieve life success.

History

One of the very first charter schools in Massachusetts, NHCS opened its doors in 1995 with 51 students and a bold vision to become a beacon of educational excellence in a city of too many failing schools.

August 2016 marked the start of NHCS’ five-year expansion from a K1-8th grade school to a comprehensive K1-12th grade institution. In 2021, against the backdrop of a global pandemic, NHCS celebrated two significant milestones: our 25th Anniversary and the graduation of our inaugural senior class!

Today, NHCS serves approximately 800 scholars across two campuses in Dorchester, and has become an educational and community pillar in the lives of our scholars and families.

Learn more about NHCS’s approaches and outcomes here.