Local venture capital and private equity firm donates $25,000 to North End School
Saturn Partners, a Boston based venture capital and private equity firm, donated $25,000 to the Eliot School Family Council in recognition of the dedication of the faculty and administration of the North End school. The donation will be used to provide faculty with necessary resources to continue the school’s progress in cultivating a safe and productive learning environment with the ability to inspire inquisitive minds. The Eliot School is a Boston Public School, serving students from Kindergarten to 8th grade.
“We believe Eliot graduates are the future of our business as well as the future of our country,” said Susan Antonio, a partner of Saturn Partners. “Though 300 years old next year, the Eliot School is still in the early-stages of a tremendous opportunity.”
Over the last four years, the Eliot School has evolved from an underperforming school to one recognized for the second year in a row as a Commendation School by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, one of only six Boston Public Schools (BPS) demonstrating success in narrowing proficiency gaps. This year, the student growth percentages in English Language Arts and Math MCAS scores for the 7th and 8th grades were the third and fourth highest in the state of Massachusetts, respectively. Additionally, based on 2011 preliminary Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) data, the Eliot is among the ten schools in BPS that met all the requirements for all student groups in both ELA and Math as required by the No Child Left Behind Act. As a result of these marked improvements the Eliot school community has grown in size and diversity from 175 students in 2007 to 350 this year.
Saturn’s gift is an investment in the continued development and growth of the faculty and administration responsible for driving positive change at the Eliot. In addition, Saturn’s support and commitment to building upon the school’s initial success provides the teachers and students the incentive to further their progress in enriching the lives of many in the greater community.
“In 2013, the Eliot School will celebrate its 300th anniversary,” said Principal Traci Walker Griffith. “While there is much to celebrate in terms of successes already won, the school and its families continue to focus on ‘Inspiring the Best’ as they move forward.” The school’s marked improvements have resulted in increased demand for resources in order to support the growing community. “We encourage other members of the Boston business community to invest in the Eliot School and the foundation for its continued growth and success,” said Jeff McCormick, managing partner of Saturn Partners.
