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The Telescope Network creates opportunities for BPS educators to improve our collective practice through collaboration and connection in educator-led professional learning across the district.
The Telescope Network creates opportunities for BPS educators to improve our collective practice through collaboration and connection in educator-led professional learning across the district.
To do this work,
We ASK educators what they want and need to learn next in order to best serve their students
We MAGNIFY effective and equity-centered practices by elevating peer expertise across schools
We CONNECT educators to professional learning, resources, and each other based on their needs and interests
What's happening now?
What's happening now?
1/7 MTSS (Multi-Tiered Systems of Support) Learning Cohort
1/7 MTSS (Multi-Tiered Systems of Support) Learning Cohort
Session 2: MTSS in Secondary Settings. The Multi-Tiered System of Support Learning Cohort is designed to create a space for educators from across BPS to come together to strengthen our understanding of how to support inclusive, inspiring, and engaging classrooms and instruction for all students in BPS classrooms. Each session will include presentations from school-based educators and will also include some “open space” for participant-led small group discussions. No need to RSVP if you already completed this form for prior sessions. New attendees are welcome.
Audience: Open to all BPS educators, including BPS teachers, paraprofessionals, specialists, coaches, and related service providers.
1/7 Presenters:
-Emily Kmetz (Math, TechBoston Academy)
Ariana Sicairos-McCarthy (ESL/SLIFE, BINcA)
Colleen Mitchell (Literacy Specialist, Another Course to College)
1/15 Middle School Meaningful Math @ English High Learning Site
1/15 Middle School Meaningful Math @ English High Learning Site
Are you a middle school math educator struggling to fully engage students with HQIM so students feel connected and motivated to learn? The Telescope Network in partnership with the BPS Math Department is offering a Learning Site, on 1/15/26, that explores the question of, “How do we cultivate meaningful, student-centered engagement opportunities within math HQIM for our middle school students?”
Come see a 7th grade math class led by Josh Gresham and Randy Seymour (English High School), where students have voice and choice, engage in regular collaboration with peers, and build collective math knowledge. After the classroom visit, educators will reflect on their observations, synthesize the learning impact, and pose questions for a debrief with the host teachers. Participants will then use the hows and whys of the host teachers’ practice to implement a change idea in their own practice. Follow-up coaching sessions are designed for collaborative feedback from the group of participants. ALC/PDPs are available.
1/16 Wicked Math (Secondary) @ Charlestown High Learning Site
1/16 Wicked Math (Secondary) @ Charlestown High Learning Site
Come see Jen Garay’s senior math classroom where students engage in meaningful math discourse, productive struggle, and collaborative problem solving at vertical whiteboards. Immediately following the observation, you'll debrief with Jen to unpack her strategies. Then, through three virtual follow-up sessions, you'll receive coaching and peer feedback to help you implement actionable change ideas in your own instruction. ALC/PDPs are available.
1/16 SLIFE Day of Learning
1/16 SLIFE Day of Learning
Are you looking to strengthen your practice in supporting SLIFE students? The Office of Multilingual & Multicultural Learning and The Telescope Network are hosting a Day of Learning for BPS educators and coaches serving SLIFE learners. We’ll explore instructional moves, resources, and routines that help teachers build academic language, provide access to grade-level content, and support students’ foundational skills. The session will feature BPS educators sharing high-impact planning and teaching strategies that teachers can use to improve learning outcomes for SLIFE students.
1/22 SEI History Day of Learning
1/22 SEI History Day of Learning
Are you a history or social studies teacher navigating how to teach inquiry-rich, grade-level content while supporting multilingual learners? The BPS History Department and the Office of Multilingual & Multicultural Learning are partnering with The Telescope Network to offer a day of learning designed for history teachers and coaches of MLLs.
We’ll dig into strategies, resources, and routines that help multilingual learners access complex historical content and engage deeply in disciplinary thinking. The session will also feature BPS educators sharing high-impact practices that strengthen language development through meaningful historical inquiry.
1/23 Elementary IM Learning Site
1/23 Elementary IM Learning Site
ENCORE SESSION. Launch: Elementary Illustrative Math (IM) Learning Site: If you or an educator you know is looking to see the IM curriculum at the elementary grades in action, this is an opportunity to join other educators for a day in a live classroom around a common area of practice. This learning site on 10/30/25 places the question of “How do we implement IM in an elementary classroom to create inclusive, student centered math learning experiences?” within the context of a diverse classroom. Come see a 3rd grade math class at the Perkins, led by Kayla Cantu (3rd grade teacher) and Liz Bishop (ESL Teacher), where students are engaging in grade level, complex IM tasks. After the observation, educators have a chance to think through and debrief with the host teachers around the hows and whys of their teaching practice. This PD includes 3 follow up virtual sessions where educators try out a small change in their own practice and reflect on the process with colleagues. ALC/PDPs.
In a Learning Site, educators come together for an extended observation in a live classroom around a common area of practice. Participants debrief with the host teacher and set goals for their own classrooms. Participants continue the learning through virtual follow-up sessions.
1/26 Vocabulary in Centers in K1 Learning Site
1/26 Vocabulary in Centers in K1 Learning Site
Launch: Come see two K1 inclusion classrooms led by Farah Annylusse and Trinh Tu (Ellison/Parks EES), where students are engaging in meaningful conversations and play about big ideas, texts, vocabulary, and their growing knowledge of the unit. After the classroom visit, educators will reflect, synthesize the learning impact, and pose questions for a debrief with the host teachers. Participants will then use the hows and whys of the host teachers’ practice to implement a change idea in their own practice. Follow-up coaching sessions are designed for collaborative feedback from the group of participants. ALC/PDPs are available.
1/26 Inclusive Secondary STEM Learning Site
1/26 Inclusive Secondary STEM Learning Site
Launch: Our topic is “How can educators support access to grade level content for learners with IEP’s to achieve academic success in STEM classrooms?" The host teacher is Molly Mus (East Boston High School: AP Environmental Science). This session is for secondary teachers exploring strategies and routines for a positive classroom environment.
In a Learning Site, educators come together for an extended observation in a live classroom around a common area of practice. Participants debrief with the host teacher and set goals for their own classrooms. Participants continue the learning through virtual follow-up sessions.
1/28 Productive Learning Environment Learning Sites
1/28 Productive Learning Environment Learning Sites
Option 1 Secondary Educators: Our topic is “How do we cultivate a safe, productive, and culturally sustaining learning environment that demonstrates agency and independence?” Led by Meadbh Koenigsberg (Brighton High School, Grade 7- Math) and co-hosted w/ NTD & BTR. This session is for secondary teachers exploring strategies and routines for a positive classroom environment.
In a Learning Site, educators come together for an extended observation in a live classroom around a common area of practice. Participants debrief with the host teacher and set goals for their own classrooms. Participants continue the learning through virtual follow-up sessions.
1/28 Productive Learning Environment Learning Sites
1/28 Productive Learning Environment Learning Sites
Option 2 Early Childhood Educators: Our topic is “How do we cultivate a safe, productive, and culturally sustaining learning environment that demonstrates agency and independence?” Led by Lane Ward (Grew Elementary, Grade 1) and co-hosted w/ NTD & BTR. This session is for early childhood teachers exploring strategies and routines for a positive classroom environment.
In a Learning Site, educators come together for an extended observation in a live classroom around a common area of practice. Participants debrief with the host teacher and set goals for their own classrooms. Participants continue the learning through virtual follow-up sessions.
1/30 Productive Learning Environment Learning Sites
1/30 Productive Learning Environment Learning Sites
Option 3 Upper Elementary Educators: Our topic is “How do we cultivate a safe, productive, and culturally sustaining learning environment that demonstrates agency and independence?” Led by Daisy Johnson (Grew Elementary, Grade 4) and co-hosted w/ NTD & BTR. This session is for early childhood teachers exploring strategies and routines for a positive classroom environment.
In a Learning Site, educators come together for an extended observation in a live classroom around a common area of practice. Participants debrief with the host teacher and set goals for their own classrooms. Participants continue the learning through virtual follow-up sessions.
Recent Reports & Publications
Recent Reports & Publications
11/25 Telescope Network 2024-25 Annual Report
11/25 Telescope Network 2024-25 Annual Report
Since 2018, the BPS/BTU Telescope Network has incorporated educator voice and district priorities to create hyper-relevant professional learning experiences where educators learn from and with their peers. In this report, you can read more about the impact of our work. According to an independent assessment by the Wheelock Education Policy Center (WEPC):
Since 2018, more 32% of BPS teachers have voluntarily joined at least one Telescope Network PD session. From 2022-24, more than 40% of district teachers engaged with Telescope.
In 2023-24, nearly 60% of BPS students had at least one Telescope-participating teacher.
Last year, 881 educators earned 4210 PD hours by attending Telescope Network sessions.
This work is both engaging (98% recommend) and impactful (fostering improvements in educator practices and mindsets).
Telescope Network’s work has been evaluated by WEPC/RPPL, shared at national conferences, and published in the Teachers College Record and other publications.
11/25 Literacy Development For All
11/25 Literacy Development For All
(11/2025 Boston Union Teacher) Over the past few years, there’s been a quiet revolution rumbling across BPS. It started in 2022 with a handful of teachers getting together to form a book study group. Currently, it includes more than 300 BPS educators from across the district who have been coming together to improve learning and living conditions for their students with severe disabilities. These revolutionary approaches have spread across schools and across our central office as well. What’s this revolution about? Emergent literacy ...
6/25 Spring 2025 Needs Assessment Report
6/25 Spring 2025 Needs Assessment Report
From February to April 2025, the Telescope Network shared this survey with educators across Boston Public Schools. We received 705 survey responses from 114 different BPS schools and Central Office Departments.
2/25 Teachers and coaches learn together at Boston’s learning sites
2/25 Teachers and coaches learn together at Boston’s learning sites
(2/2025 The Learning Professional) Biology teacher Sarah Benat stood at the front of her classroom at Brighton High School in Boston, moving her arm up and down to mimic the slope of an increasing, decreasing, or constant line on a graph. Her twelve students, all in the early stages of learning English, responded to each arm movement with a. . .
Ongoing
Ongoing
Ongoing
Peer Observation Checklist
Peer Observation Checklist
One of the best ways to improve your practice is to observe someone else doing similar work. During a peer observation, you can observe a BPS colleague. After the observation, you’ll have time to debrief and set goals to bring back to your own classroom. Use our updated peer observation checklist to prep your observation & debrief. Contact us if you want help finding a connection or facilitating your visit.
Educator & Staff Spotlight
Educator & Staff Spotlight
At the BPS/BTU Telescope Network, we magnify effective practices from across the district. We continually ask, “Who’s doing this work well?” and create opportunities for peer leaders to share their expertise with others across the district. Please use this quick survey to spotlight an effective educator or staff member.
How will this info be used? Bright spot educators highlighted below may be asked to help give feedback on our strategic plan. Additionally, the Telescope Network maintains a database of recommended educators who may be asked to host peer observers, facilitate PD sessions,, or lead in other ways.
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