Frequently Asked Questions About the Move

 1. Why is North Cambridge Catholic High School moving to a new site?
The school needs more space to accommodate its growing enrollment, and most (65%) of our students live in Boston.  By moving to Dorchester, the school will be closer to the majority of students it currently serves.  The new location can hold a student body of 400 students.  

2. Where will the new school be located?
At the former St. William school, 100 Savin Hill Avenue in Dorchester, across from the Savin Hill T-Stop on the Red Line.

3. What is the name of the new school?
Cristo Rey Boston.    

4. Will the school continue to serve students from communities outside of Boston?
Absolutely!  Currently young people from 26 communities come to North Cambridge Catholic. The school will continue to serve and recruit students from Cambridge, Chelsea, Medford, Somerville, and other communities. The new site is easily accessible to these communities.

5. What improvements are needed at the Dorchester site?
The school will need to create science and computer laboratories suitable for a high school, develop an art room, make improvements in the cafeteria, create offices, and make cosmetic upgrades to several classrooms.  

6. How will the school finance these improvements?
The Archdiocese of Boston will contribute some funds from the sale of the school’s current site, 40 Norris Street, to make improvements to the former St. William school, but most funds to improve the site will be raised by Cristo Rey Boston.

7. Has the school met with neighbors and civic leaders in Dorchester?
School officials have met with Representative Marty Walsh, City Councilor Maureen Feeney, Mayor Menino’s liaison to Dorchester, the Columbia Savin Hill Civic Association, the Tuttle Hartland Crime Watch Committee, and the community of Blessed Mother Teresa Parish.  School leaders have received a positive reception from the community.  

8. Where can alumni of North Cambridge Catholic High School go to get records and find information about classmates?
The new Cristo Rey school will keep all records of graduates of North Cambridge Catholic and St. John High Schools and continue to engage alumni.  North Cambridge Catholic’s mission of serving young people with limited financial resources will continue, and NCC will be recognized in the new facility as the place where Cristo Rey began in Greater Boston.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

9. What should people know about North Cambridge Catholic High School?
North Cambridge Catholic has 260 students (120 Latinos, 110 African Americans, 14 Caucasians, 13 multi-racial students, and 3 Asians). The median family income is $34,869, and the average family size is 3.34. Ninety-eight percent of the graduates of the Class of 2009 were accepted to two- or four-year colleges. Two-thirds of the students come from public district and charter schools and one-third from Catholic elementary and middle schools. The neighborhoods that send the most students to North Cambridge Catholic are Dorchester, Roxbury and East Boston.

10. Please tell us about the Corporate Work-Study Program.
Throughout the academic year, every student at our school works to earn tuition and gain professional experience. Students finance approximately 70% of the cost of their education.  Students are trained and then placed in entry-level positions at more than 90 companies in Greater Boston.  Each month, students attend 15 days of classes, and work five full days at their jobs. Four students share each job, taking one day per week and rotating one Monday per month. Employers receive the services of a student worker every day. The school year and school day are longer to accommodate the work program, which starts in August and ends in late June.  

11. What is the school’s academic program like?
The school offers a rigorous college preparatory program to a broad range of learners.  Ninth grade students take double blocks (two periods per day) of Math and Language Arts and are placed receive after-school remediation until they reach grade level proficiency. In 2008-09, the average freshman entered school a half grade below level in reading and writing and more than a grade below level in mathematics.  At the end of the year, the entire class was at grade level in all three subjects.  By senior year, all students take Advancement Placement classes and complete a college application.  Each student, regardless of faith, takes four years of Theology.  

12. What are the characteristics of the Cristo Rey Network schools?
Cristo Rey Network schools provide a college preparatory education to students with limited financial resources.  All students work to earn tuition and gain professional experience. The first Cristo Rey school opened in Chicago in 1996, and in 2004 North Cambridge Catholic High School became a Cristo Rey school.  Below are data on the 24 Cristo Rey Network schools:

• 5,892 students nation-wide
• 1,434 sponsoring companies around the country
• 35 sponsoring religious communities
• $25.2M earned by students from paid work-study contracts in 2008-09
• 96% graduates accepted to a 2 or 4 year college or university
• 95% students of color
• $35,662 average family income

To learn more about the Cristo Rey schools, please visit www.cristoreynetwork.org.

13. I want to enroll my child in the school. Who should I call?
Please contact the school’s Admissions Director, Marcos Enrique, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  To learn more, please visit http://www.myncchs.org/admissions.html.  Open Houses, information nights and interview dates are scheduled regularly during the winter and spring of 2010.

14. I would like to contribute to the renovations of Cristo Rey Boston. How do I do so?
Please contact Robert McCarthy, Development Director, at 617.867.6068, x 21 or by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  Contributions can be made to:
       North Cambridge Catholic High School
       Development Office
       40 Norris Street
       Cambridge, MA  02140      

15. I want more information about placing student workers at my company. Who should I call?
Please contact the school’s Business Development Director, Terry Gupta, who can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  To learn more, please visit http://myncchs.org/corporate-work-study.html.