Transforming Lives and Communities

Codman Academy was founded in 2001 with a simple but bold belief: that a young person’s zip code or family income should never determine the quality of their education. When educator Meg Campbell, health center founder Bill Walczak, and Harvard’s George Brackett joined forces, they created something Dorchester had never seen — the first charter high school in the neighborhood. Co-located with the Codman Square Health Center, learning and health are inseparable by intentional design.

Twenty-five years later, Codman serves 345 students from Pre-K through 12th grade — 90% from low-income households — selected by lottery from Dorchester, Roxbury, and Mattapan. With a 7:1 student-to-teacher ratio and the city itself as a classroom, Codman has maintained a record that speaks for itself: 100% of graduates are accepted to college, with 68% of alumni enrolled in or graduated from higher education.

When Dr. Derrick Ciesla, Head of School, came to Codman in 2025, he brought that same bold thinking that defines this school. Dr. Ciesla introduced Encore — high-quality, hands-on enrichment for every student from K1 through grade 12, aligned to Codman’s Expeditionary Learning (EL) Education model.

Encore is designed to change trajectories. Students develop a stronger sense of who they are and where they are going: more curious about careers, more confident in the classroom, more connected to their community. Encore builds the habits, skills, and relationships that support students well beyond graduation.

Each year, 200 community members gather to raise funds that directly impact a student’s educational experience while celebrating our school’s and students’; achievements. Sponsorship levels are named for the pillars that make a Codman education unlike any other — the real programs, partnerships, and experiences your dollars bring to life for our students every day.