Jeanné Collins
Superintendent of Schools, Burlington
November 5, 2007

Superintendent's Message

As the Superintendent of Burlington Schools, I am always seeking ways to improve how we educate our students and how to make Burlington Schools even more effective and excellent as a school system. In my role, I work in partnership with school board commissioners, parents, teachers, principals, staff, and a broad group of community organizations to provide opportunities for every student to learn both basic skills and critical thinking skills.

In the past two years, the Task Force and the community have had discussions about magnet schools as a way to effect equitable demographics in all of the Burlington schools. I would like to describe what this might mean in Burlington and invite all community members to give input into the magnet school idea in Burlington.

On October 9th, the school board supported resolutions to maintain six elementary schools and to conduct an independent research survey on magnet schools. Using funds from a federal grant, the district will now survey parents of current and future elementary school students about magnets. At this point, magnet schools are a concept that the board is evaluating. No decisions have been made to move forward, and the research phase will help to determine if this idea merits further consideration.

As we begin this research, I would like to share some information on magnet schools and why the community and Board are talking about the possibility of developing magnet schools in the Old North End.

Elementary magnet schools offer the same core instruction (literacy and math) as neighborhood schools. However, a chosen magnet theme is layered on as an over-aching framework. The concept of locating magnet schools in the Old North End drew significant interest in the community conversations of last year. This strategy is backed up by research that demonstrates magnet school success to increase student achievement, enrollments, and economic diversity. Throughout the country in the past 40 years, successful themes for elementary programs have included the following:
  • Arts integration: Using the arts (music, drama, dance, photography, drawing) to enhance student experience and connection to subject matter and to reach different types of learners
  • Environment: Using the natural and social environment as a framework to provide context for learning, civic responsibility, and a real world lab for hands-on student experiences
  • International: Using the world (different languages, history and cultures) to further explore and deepen connection to the subject matter.
In Burlington, the theme-based approach of one or more magnet schools could provide parents with more choice by offering schools that help to meet the unique needs and learning styles of children. According to research reported by the U.S. Department of Education, magnet schools promote the factors that make all schools effective. These include fostering teamwork among teachers, increasing parent and community involvement, and greater student engagement. Typically, magnet schools are developed to attract new students and families to particular schools.

Research also shows magnet schools to be cost effective and financially sustainable. Magnet schools offer increased revenue opportunities through local and national partnerships and grant programs. An additional benefit of the magnet schools may include increased student enrollment that would bring in additional funds from the state per-student allocations.

The parent survey will help the school Board determine the level of interest in magnet schools in our community. Development of magnet schools, in combination with maintaining our six elementary schools, could provide our district with a powerful tool to attract more students, increase equitable demographics in all of our schools, support the stated community value of neighborhood schools, and pave the way for Burlington Schools to become a district of choice for new families. My goal is for every school in Burlington to be highly regarded for its excellence and to be a school of choice for Burlington families. I am very interested in the possibilities that magnet schools in our community could offer.

If you wish to share comments on magnet schools, or have question on district happenings, contact me at 865.5332 or superintendent@bsdvt.org