8-K

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934



       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 18, 2000


                             CENTRAL BANCORP, INC.
             ------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


         Massachusetts                    0-25251               04-3447594
- ---------------------------------     ---------------         ---------------
(State or other jurisdiction           (Commission           (I.R.S. employer
      of incorporation)                file number)         identification no.)



              399 Highland Avenue, Somerville, Massachusetts     02144
             ---------------------------------------------------------------
             (Address of principal executive offices)           (Zip code)


        Registrant's telephone number, including area code:(617) 628-4000
                                                           --------------

                                 Not Applicable
          -------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)




ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS
- ---------------------

         On December 18, 2000, the  Registrant  announced that it was commencing
an open-market  stock repurchase  program to purchase up to 84,458 shares of the
Registrant's  common  stock,  which  represents  approximately  5% of the shares
currently  outstanding.  For  further  information,  reference  is  made  to the
Registrant's  press release dated December 18, 2000, which is attached hereto as
Exhibit 99, and incorporated herein by reference.


ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

         The following is a list of exhibits  filed with this Current  Report on
Form 8-K.

  Exhibit No.              Description
  ----------               -----------

     99                   Press Release







                                   SIGNATURES



         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  Registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.

                                      CENTRAL BANCORP, INC.



Date:  December 21, 2000              By: /s/ John D. Doherty
                                          ------------------------------------
                                          John D. Doherty
                                          President

EX-99

EXHIBIT 99
- ----------

PRESS RELEASE

               Gladys N. Partamian                                  Immediately
               Vice President
               (617) 628-4000

                        CENTRAL BANCORP, INC., ANNOUNCES

                         FOURTH STOCK REPURCHASE PROGRAM

     SOMERVILLE,  MASSACHUSETTS,  December  18, 2000 --- Central  Bancorp,  Inc.
(NASDAQ National  Market:  CEBK) announced today that its Board of Directors has
authorized the Company's  fourth stock repurchase  program,  under which it will
acquire  up to 84,458  shares of its common  stock.  This  represents  5% of the
1,689,164 shares of common stock currently issued and outstanding.

     Since the  adoption of the first  buyback  program in April  1999,  Central
Bancorp  has  repurchased  a total of 280,836  shares of its common  stock at an
average cost of $18.29 per share,  representing 14.3% of the common stock issued
and outstanding before the repurchase program was initiated.

     Completion of the fourth stock repurchase  program is dependent upon market
conditions,  and  there is no  guarantee  as to the exact  number of shares  the
Company will  repurchase.  In addition,  the timing of stock  repurchases may be
subject to certain regulatory restrictions.

     John D. Doherty,  President & Chief Executive  Officer of Central  Bancorp,
Inc., noted that the Board of Directors and management  continue to believe that
repurchasing the Company's common stock is an attractive  investment,  primarily
because the stock is trading below its book value, which was $21.76 at September
30,  2000.  Mr.  Doherty  also  indicated  that the  reduction  in the amount of
outstanding stock is anticipated to benefit the Company's  stockholders over the
long term by increasing per-share earnings and book value.

     Central Bancorp, Inc., is the holding company for Central Bank, whose legal
name is Central Co-operative Bank, a  Massachusetts-chartered  co-operative bank
operating eight full-service banking offices in suburban Boston.


                                       ###