Traci Walker Griffith - Principal of Eliot School - to retire at end of school year

In an announcement sent to parents of students, the Executive Director of the Eliot School, Traci Walker Griffith, has announced her plan to retire at the end of the current school year in June 2026. Griffith, best known as Principal Traci to thousands of neighborhood friends, students, parents, and alumni has served as Principal of the local K-8 school since 2007 and worked in BPS since 1982.

When Griffith became Principal of the Eliot in 2007, the school was identified as "underperforming". Principal Traci spearheaded the movement to identify The Eliot as an "Innovation School".

To meet the needs of our diverse student population, educators require improved supports that enable them to employ autonomy, creativity and flexibility in instruction. The innovations proposed in this document are student-centric and will enable the Eliot K-8 Innovation School to reach new levels of achievement as a wide community.

Under innovation status with Principal Traci's oversight, The Eliot School introduced curricula changes, enrichment opportunities, and schedule adjustments. The results speak for themselves.

In 2007, when Griffith took the reigns, only about 20% of Eliot students were proficient in English and Math and the school was considered a “Commonwealth Priority School” and was on a list being considered for closure. By 2011, there were about three times as many students passing MCAS compared to when Griffith started.

Read: Eliot school far outperforms city, state on MCAS - mostly makes up pandemic losses

Eliot achieved “Commendation School” status in years 2010, 2011, and 2012, showing state recognition of consistent improvement and the school moved from being in “restructuring” to “good standing” under state accountability by 2009.

Under Principal Traci, The Eliot School grew from one original site (Charter Street) to three geographically separate campus-buildings: Lower, Intermediate, Upper. It’s now considered by many to be the best public school in Boston and has a current waiting list larger than its enrollment.

From Principal Traci's announcement:

This decision comes not from weariness, but from witnessing how truly amazing the Eliot has become. We have never been in a stronger position for continued success and growth.

Read the full announcement from Principal Traci: