About The Lee Academy

Commitment to the Community
Set in the Franklin Field/Codman Square area, the Academy is committed to serving children and parents from this community. A core value of the Academy is to foster long-term relationships with families. The move from a child care program into a primary school setting can often present challenges for families and children. The Academy is specifi cally designed to create a seamless educational experience. Over a seven year phase-in period, the school will grow to serve children from preschool to fi fth grade.

Principal profile
A former college teacher and administrator, Kyle Dodson became committed to providing quality early childhood education in part because of his work with high school students who struggled as a result of a poor academic foundation. Mr. Dodson wants all children to have access to the highest quality resources in and outside of the classroom. He was a member of the inaugural cohort of the Boston Principal Fellows Program, a one-year intensive program to train new leaders for the Boston Public Schools. Mr. Dodson earned an undergraduate degree in History from Harvard University and an M.B.A. in fi nance from Columbia University. He is currently working toward an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Vermont. “Relationships are of primary importance at the Lee Academy. No matter who you talk to: our parents, teachers, offi ce staff, or 3 year olds, you should get a sense that this is a place that cares about people. This deep commitment to caring helps to build trust and confi dence. When you combine trusting and confi dent learners with skilled teachers, really good things can happen. “

Supporting Children, Supporting the Field
In conjunction with several university partners and ReadBoston, the Academy serves as an open, laboratory school where innovative curricula and classroom methods, family engagement, and organizational structures are practiced, continuously evaluated and improved upon. Early childcare providers and teachers from across the city will be invited to visit, observe and practice new strategies onsite. Effective practices will be shared with the fi eld. The Academy is also a training site for new preschool and primary grade teachers.

Lee Academy Governing Board Members
Kyle Dodson, Principal, Lee Academy
Jennifer Friedman, Teacher, Lee Academy
Betsy Groves, Director, Childhood Witness to Violence Program, Boston Medical Center
Maritza Lang, parent
Travis McCready, Chief Finance Offi cer, Massachusetts Convention Authority
Jake Murray, Consultant, Harvard University
Megan Nason, Teacher, Lee Academy
Diep Nguyen, Teacher, Lee Academy
Heather Nord, Teacher, Lee Academy
Kathryn Peterson, Teacher, Lee Academy
Cynthia Pierre, Head Start, Dorchester
Denise Sanchez, student, Entrepreneur
Peg Sprague, VP of Community Impact, United Way of Massachusetts Bay
Angela Veale, Administrative Team, Brookview House
Joseph Weeks, Accountant, Papa Gino’s
Rick Weissbourd, Lecturer, Kennedy School, Graduate School of Education, Harvard University

Click here for a PDF brochure of The Lee Academy