Welcome to Pierce School!

Any child eligible to enter grades K-8 residing in the Pierce School district in the Town of Brookline, may register to attend. Since Pierce is a public school supported by taxpayers, there are no application fees or entrance exams. As long as you can show proof of residency, a space will be made available to your child.

Basic information about Pierce School registration:

• Brookline public schools are open to all school-age children who live in the Town of Brookline.
• Most children go to their neighborhood schools.
• Some addresses are in the buffer zone. Use this guide to find your neighborhood school.
• All regular classes are conducted in English.
• Every Brookline K-8 public school provides a specific English Language Learner (ELL) program for non-English speakers.
• Pierce School is the site of the ELL program in Chinese.
• If you arrive during the summer months when the schools are closed, you should register with the Registration Office as soon as you establish residency.

Step One: Establish residency in Brookline

Before you can register, the Town requires that you live in Brookline. To prove you are a resident, you must have one of the following in your name:

• if you rent – the lease
• if you are in the process of buying propery – the purchase and sales agreement
• if you own property – the deed or a tax bill
• a utility bill

If you move to Brookline during the summer, we urge you to contact the office right away rather than wait until September to register. Registering during the summer allows administrators to anticipate class size and plan accordingly.

Step Two: Call the school office and make an appointment to register

Although you can download and fill out the necessary forms at home, you cannot return them by mail. You need to make an appointment and register your child in person. At the same time you make the appointment, the office will ask you for your street address in order to verify that you are in the Pierce School district and not in a buffer zone.

When you go to register, please bring the following items:

1. Proof of residency see step one for details
2. Passports (if applicable)
3. Birth certificates
4. Immunization records
5. Any school records that you may have

Step Three: Fill out the necessary registration forms

Although you can fill out the forms at your scheduled visit, you can also download them (or ask to pick them up at the school office), and bring them completed to your appointment.

After you register:

The secretary at Pierce will help you schedule a meeting with the guidance counselor.

Additional instructions for Foreign Students

English Language Learner (ELL) Program – Chinese

Children who qualify for ELL/Chinese services usually meet with the ELL/Chinese teacher from 30 to 45 minutes per day. The teacher may offer some support in Chinese, but the main goal is to help the children learn to speak, read, and write in English.

Once you have proof of residency, call the Brookline Schools ELL Coordinator (617.264.6413) to schedule an appointment. The coordinator will determine if your child qualifies for the ELL program. Families that do qualify for these services will be asked to register at Pierce. If you live outside the Pierce district and need transportation to and from school, you will be referred to the transportation coordinator.

If you move to Brookline during the summer months when the Pierce school is closed, please contact the Superintendent's office at 617-730-2401.

If your child no longer requires the ELL/Chinese services and you live outside the Pierce district, the expectation is that the child will attend the school in his or her neighborhood. In special circumstances, parents may appeal to the Superintendent of Schools for their child to continue at Pierce. However, transportation will no longer be provided by the school.