Dorchester school moves to online classes after nearby shooting incident

A Dorchester school is temporarily switching to online classes as the result of a shooting incident at a nearby T station. 

Neighborhood House Charter School suspended in-person classes for students in grades 8-11 through June 14, according to multiple reports. Executive Director Kate Scott reportedly made the decision after shots were fired at Shawmut station, which is around the corner from the school’s Centre Street campus. 

“While there have been no incidents on our campus, many of our students commute to and from school on the MBTA,” Scott said in a statement to The Boston Herald. “Last Friday, several shots were fired at the Shawmut T station. Police believe one of our students, who is not currently attending school in person, was the intended target.

School leaders learned that people associated with the alleged shooters from the Shawmut incident were “communicating with members of our community that they intended to return,” according to the statement. Those alleged assailants are not students at the NHCS. 

Seniors have already departed for the summer. NHCS also serves younger students at another location on Queen Street. The last day of school is scheduled for June 21, according to a calendar posted to the NHCS website. 

School officials did not return requests for comment Friday. 

In order to make the change, NHCS had to request approval from the state’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Officials approved the request, according to the Herald. 

Last year, the same campus was locked down multiple times after a group of adults allegedly threatened students nearby, according to The Dorchester Reporter.

MBTA Transit police, Boston police, and a team from Concrete Protective Services also work with the school to provide extra security when students and staff are there. 

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