Boston councilors, BPS and archives outline steps to preserve artifacts as schools close

Councilors, Boston Public Schools officials and city archivists on March 4 outlined steps to document and preserve historical artifacts and school records as programs and buildings face closure or merger.

The hearing, convened by Councilor Henry Santana, chair of the Boston City Council Committee on Education, focused on docket number 0265 — an order sponsored by Councilor Aaron Murphy and Councilor Ed Flynn to discuss preservation of artifacts in Boston Public Schools slated to close or merge. No formal vote or ordinance was taken at the hearing.

Boston Public Schools Chief Operating Officer Brian Ford said BPS has a process for documenting items in school buildings and that objects “would continue to be maintained” in place while the district determines future uses. Ford said the district expects the Excel High School (formerly South Boston High School) to change use in 2026–27 and that BPS’s capital planning and facilities teams will inventory and record items before any physical moves.

Kristen Lafferty, city archivist with the City of Boston Archives and Records Management Division, said the archives has taken custody of school records and memorabilia in the past and can perform site surveys and inventories. “We…