Superintendent's Message
Jeanné Collins
July 1, 2009

The school year has ended, but student and teacher learning, along with budgeting, planning and building repairs, continue throughout the summer. As we head into the warmer months, I'd like to update you on our budget, buildings, and staff changes.

Citizen's Budget Task Force

The task force has met 3 times, and will meet again on July 2nd. This group has about 20 members from across Burlington, including those on the Mayor's Budget Task Force. The task force is digging into the details of our current budget, as well as our grant funding and education laws and mandates. Much of the time in our next meetings will focus on reviewing individual programs and brainstorming possible recommendations for changes in the school budget.

Building Repairs

Thanks to Burlington voters support in March, we have begun the work on some critical maintenance issues. At Hunt Middle School, we are addressing structural issues that require the replacement of walls and windows, which will be insulated in the process. At Taft, we are repairing the pillars. At Flynn Elementary, we are replacing a boiler after limping through the school year with 2 out of 3 boilers failing. At Barnes Elementary, we are removing asbestos. Many of our school buildings are closed much of July and early August, for school-wide cleaning. The central office, at 150 Colchester Avenue, remains open throughout the summer. Student registrations can be completed at the central office.

Teacher And Principal Updates

Our teachers and administrators continue with ongoing professional development. Last week, many teachers attended a class called, "Research for Better Teaching." In August, several administrators will attend an "Observing and Analyzing Teaching" course. Throughout the summer, teachers will attend classes in Responsive Classroom, Integrating Technology, and Differentiated Instruction, among others. Responsive Classroom is a national teacher-created program that we use in all of our elementary schools. It focuses on the key social skills all children need to be successful students: cooperation, assertion, responsibility, empathy, and self-control. Differentiated Instruction is the practice of teaching in ways that meet the unique learning needs of students. Teachers work to provide multiple options for students to understand what they are learning, make sense of the ideas, and express what they know.

On July 1st, we have three new elementary school principals starting. We welcome Abi Sessions to the Sustainability Academy at Barnes, Paul Schreiber to Edmunds Elementary, and Graham Clarke at Flynn Elementary. We thank our former principals Paula Bowen, Guy Egri and Bonnie Ayer for their combined 47 years of service and dedication.

We will continue to post updates on our website at www.bsdvt.org throughout the summer. If you have any questions or comments, you can contact me at superintendent@bsdvt.org or call 864-8474.