Richard J. Murphy Elementary School

The Richard J. Murphy School is a large, Boston Public school located in the inner-city neighborhood of Dorchester, Massachusetts. Eight hundred and fifty students, in grades kindergarten to grade 8, attend the school. Of the total student population, 50 percent are African-American; 11 percent are Latino; 19 percent are white; 18 percent are Asian-American; and 2 percent are Native American. Ninety-one (91) percent participate in the federally-funded free and reduced breakfast and lunch programs and 56 percent receive Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC).

The mission of the Richard J. Murphy School is to provide excellent instruction to all learners in reading, writing, math, science, and technology, to increase student achievement at all grade levels through measurably high expectations for learning and behavior, to extend the school day, week, and year so students have more time to learn, and to involve parents in supporting their children’s learning.