The North Bennet Street School (NBSS) has announced the school will not reopen for in-person work or teaching this semester due to COVID-19.
NBSS closed its building on North Street on March 11, just before Mayor Walsh closed all Boston Public Schools, as the spread of coronavirus began to escalate. Since then, NBSS has moved to online instruction, no small feat for a school where hands-on learning and building is at the forefront. Faculty and students are working on assignments that can be completed remotely, such as readings, drawings, and models. NBSS is considering options for completion of hands-on work, which could include summer instruction or students finishing projects in the field.
Read more about NBSS’s transition from hands-on training to remote learning on their blog.
During this closure, there are no continuing education or full-time classes, no events, and no access to the building. The NBSS Annual Celebration of Craft, which features student and alumni exhibits, and this year’s graduation exercises have been moved to the fall.
NBSS President Sarah Turner shared words of hope for the future stating, “This challenge calls on the full extent of our talents and the commitment of the community. Even as our character and resolve is tested in the time ahead, we will continue good work, encouraging others when we can, and providing help where it’s needed—together as NBSS.”
Located on North Street in Boston’s North End, the North Bennet Street School was founded in 1881 as America’s first trade school. The school trains students for careers in traditional trades that use hand skills in concert with evolving technology, to preserve and advance craft traditions, and to promote greater appreciation of craftsmanship.
