School History

  • The John D. Runkle School has a long and illustrious history in Brookline, dating back to its founding in 1897.

     

    Runkle School is named for John Daniel Runkle, who was a Chairman of the Brookline School Committee and an early advocate of Mathematics and technical education.  He was also a founder of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and served as its second president.

     
    Runkle is proud of its rigorous academic program, support for the arts, and a belief in teaching the “whole” child. Runkle embraces its diverse community, and we are deeply committed to the Brookline core value of educational equity.  Located in the Fisher Hill neighborhood between Boylston and Beacon Streets, Runkle School has a PK-8 population of 615 students. Runkle is home to the Spanish English Language Learner program for Brookline, and to the district’s K-8 Reaching Independence through Structured Education (RISE) program for children with Autism diagnoses.