Question: What makes the Josiah Quincy Upper School a showcase for equitable design? This high-rise facility expands opportunities for students. It also serves community members. The Josiah Quincy Upper School is one of the first projects. It opened under the Green New Deal for Boston Public Schools.
The Josiah Quincy Upper School sits at the threshold of Boston’s Chinatown neighborhood. Together with the adjacent Josiah Quincy Elementary School, the new Upper School forms an academic gateway into Boston’s downtown. It establishes a notable academic presence.
Mayor Michelle Wu said a school embodies talent and imagination. She also said it embodies the possibilities of young people. This is that building.
Superintendent Mary Skipper stated that this state-of-the-art facility represents a commitment. The commitment is to providing a world-class education. It must nurture and inspire.
The Josiah Quincy Upper School welcomes the community with a sheltering entrance plaza. This leads into a soaring, light-filled cafeteria. The cafeteria features a custom mural. The mural evokes the rich culture of Chinatown. It depicts an illustrated aerial view of Boston. The relationship between the new upper school and the elementary school is highlighted. Above the schools are their respective mascots. The Dragon represents JQES. The Phoenix represents JQUS. Each mascot clutches a Pearl of Wisdom. The International Baccalaureate program logo shimmers inside.
An inviting vertical circulation core links upper-level academic floors and lower-level community-oriented spaces. These include the cafeteria, media center, gym, auditorium, and black box theater. The school’s high-rise design required vertical stacking of program spaces. Four-story-high trusses enable the academic floors to span like a bridge. They cross the voluminous public-facing spaces without columns.
Classrooms line the southern façade. They have expansive windows for daylighting. Central collaborative project areas link classrooms. They also link science labs and breakout areas. Flexible furniture accommodates various learning modes.
Despite constraints, the design maintains a connection to nature. It prioritizes student well-being via an accessible rooftop. The school sits on a one-acre urban site next to two major highways. The rooftop includes an outdoor STEM classroom. It also has gardens and walking paths. The rooftop provides space for movement and hands-on project work. It also allows mindful contemplation, far removed from noise and air pollution. An innovative HVAC system draws in fresh, highly filtered air. This ensures a healthy interior environment for classrooms.
The Josiah Quincy Upper School serves students from diverse backgrounds. Many live in non-English speaking homes. The school is in a low-socioeconomic area. One hundred percent of students receive free lunch. The school encourages students to become active learners. It also wants them to be well-rounded individuals. The goal is to have engaged world citizens. The Josiah Quincy Upper School is a supportive community. It offers opportunities for students, faculty, families, and community partners. The school emphasizes high standards. It balances core subjects with requirements in world languages, arts, and physical education.
The mission of JQUS is to develop knowledgeable, productive members of a global society. This is done through an education that promotes cultural awareness. It promotes skillful use of information, personal renewal, and path-finding.
The Josiah Quincy Upper School is a pilot school. It seeks to create innovative models for school reform in Boston. The Josiah Quincy Upper School is an authorized International Baccalaureate School. It offers the Diploma Programme for Grades 11 and 12. It also has the Middle Years Programme for Grades 6-10.