Boston College High School Announces Plans to Add Sixth Grade in 2027
Boston, MA -- Boston College High School recently announced it will expand its middle school to include sixth grade beginning in fall 2027, extending its academic program to grades 6 through 12. The Jesuit, Catholic school in Boston said the move is designed to strengthen its approach to student formation by reaching boys earlier in their middle school years while aligning with how most districts across Greater Boston structure education.
The expansion builds on the success of the Arrupe Division, which was established 20 years ago and has become a significant addition to the 160-year-old institution. Since its founding, the Arrupe Division has deepened BC High’s commitment to formation and education at a critical stage of development, helping students grow academically, spiritually, and socially within the Jesuit tradition.
School leaders say the expansion is rooted in mission. By beginning in sixth grade, BC High aims to introduce habits of reflection, service, and academic curiosity at a formative stage, giving students more time to internalize the school’s Jesuit values.
“At BC High, our commitment to cura personalis, the care for the whole person, calls us to meet students earlier in their development,” President Grace Cotter Regan said. “Beginning in sixth grade allows us to more fully accompany our students and support their formation during one of the most important stages of their growth.”
The addition also reflects a practical shift. In most local communities, middle school begins in sixth grade, and BC High officials said families often face multiple school transitions. The new structure allows students to enter once and remain through high school. With the change, the Arrupe Division will move from a two-year model to a three-year middle school experience. Administrators say that a longer runway will help students build stronger academic foundations while reducing the social and academic anxiety that can come with frequent transitions.
Students will benefit from a more gradual progression into the expectations of high school, along with increased opportunities to form friendships, explore activities and develop confidence in an all-boys environment.
After over 18 months of research and thoughtful reflection, the Board of Trustees voted in January 2026 to move forward with creating a 6th grade to open in Fall 2027. “This decision reflects thoughtful planning and a clear understanding of where education is headed,” said Board Chair Paul Donato. “By expanding to sixth grade, BC High is strengthening its ability to serve young men and ensuring the long-term vitality of our mission.”
School leaders emphasized that the sixth grade will not simply replicate the current seventh and eighth grade experience. Instead, BC High will spend the next year developing the curriculum and structure for the new grade, including appointing an assistant head of the Arrupe Division to oversee implementation.
Robert Hamblet, head of the Arrupe Division and one of the founding educators of BC High’s middle school, said those distinctions are at the heart of the program’s design. His deep understanding of this age group is evident in the way Arrupe Division teachers and students engage with one another—thoughtfully and with genuine care.
“Sixth graders are at a pivotal stage of growth, and it’s our responsibility to meet them there with intention and purpose,” Hamblet said. “We are building an environment where boys are supported, known, and encouraged to be themselves—where they can still play, still find joy, and develop a real eagerness to learn. At the same time, we challenge them in ways that are positive and meaningful, because that’s how they grow. This is a critical moment in their development, and it’s a privilege to shape a program that responds to who they are and who they are becoming.”
School leaders say the goal is simple: meet students where they are and guide them, earlier and more intentionally, through the years that shape who they become.
About Boston College High School: Boston College High School is a Jesuit, Catholic, college-preparatory school for young men in grades 7 to 12. Founded in 1863, the school enrolls approximately 1,300 students from more than 140 communities in eastern Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.bchigh.edu
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Colleen Carter, Vice President of External Relations