June 2, 2023
Dear BSD Community,
Happy Pride Month! This afternoon students at Champlain Elementary unveiled a new Pride Rock on the front lawn of the school, which will serve as a symbol of equal rights and welcome for all people. Please join me in thanking our awesome students for leading the way to support equity and make BSD a place where “All are Welcome!”
I hope you will also join me in congratulating the State Champion BHS Unified Basketball Team! I am so proud of our students for traveling to Norwich and battling through to get the overtime victory. Thank you, Coach Leonard, the entire unified staff, and our athletics department for showing up for our students and helping them achieve, and thanks to all of the fans who showed up Wednesday and throughout the season to celebrate our team. This team is such a beautiful example of inclusion and empowerment that we can learn from in other parts of our district… Go Seahorses!
Speaking of student achievement, I’d also like to give a big shout-out to Ann Gatch and her students at Horizons who unveiled a brand-new mural on Riverside Avenue last month. Math Through Art serves as a legacy project for the students that integrates math and art and shows our students’ commitment to civic engagement through graffiti abatement. This is another example of Priority Area 2: Deep Learning for Every Student, connecting the classroom to real-world applications and offering students the ability to leave a positive impact on the community.
As you likely read this week, we are also celebrating the fact that demolition on the old BHS and BTC campus is underway, and we are getting ready for construction season. This is exciting work! As we begin to move on from the past and prepare for the future, it’s also important to recognize the present success. Graduation will take place in just under two weeks, and we know our students will leave BSD schools prepared to be global citizens. BSD graduates will be moving onto great schools, working in our local fire departments, taking time off to focus on athletics, entering the workforce, and more. Many of these have been highlighted through the IG account, Burlington Decisions 2023… please take a look and show our students some love!
And finally, I hope you all had a relaxing and enjoyable Memorial Day. I found myself remembering those who have lost their lives to serve our country, and I am grateful to live in a country with so much freedom, including the freedom to push us all to be better, to be an inclusive community, and to dismantle systems that support White Supremacy Culture and perpetuate inequities. It’s not lost on me that there are countries where the very act of suggesting change would be criminal. This week I was reminded of World War II plaques that had been on display outside the old BHS auditorium. These plaques recognized and memorialized those who attended Burlington schools and died in WWII. I want you to know that we were able to preserve those plaques as part of our salvage efforts, and we are planning to have them incorporated into the new building.
In partnership,
Tom
More State Champs – Not to be outdone, Khiem Nguyen & Nevin Morton brought home the Vermont Boys Tennis Double Championship home over the weekend. Here they are with Coach Bhave in the middle… Congratulations!!!
Remembering Ned – I need to share the unfortunate news that Ned Strianese passed away recently in Costa Rica. Ned retired before I had the chance to meet him, but his impact is clear. One staff member let me know “He was a loved teacher here at Smith and touched the lives of many.” Another shared, “Ned Strianese was my son’s second special educator at CP Smith. Ned went above and beyond helping our family. He was an amazing human and really cared for his students.” Services for Ned will be Monday, June 26, from 4-9 p.m., at the St. John’s Club. We love and miss you Ned!
Principal Kelley’s Note on Antisemitism – Earlier this year, our HMS community experienced a troubling time, with several students making antisemitic statements. These actions led to an investigation for harassment on the basis of religion, which was substantiated. Principal Kelley shared more on this incident, how the building is working to repair harm, and why we must absolutely condemn this and all forms of hate speech. Thank you, Principal Kelley, for sending this note.
Youth and Family Engagement Team Presents to District Leadership – On Monday, May 15th administrators, school board members, and other District leaders listened to the culmination of the Youth and Family Engagement team’s work on reducing ethnic and racial disparities in suspensions. The team has been working hard with support from Up for Learning and a grant from DCF to present recommendations to reduce suspensions in BSD. The recommendations included 1) Better communication with families 2) Creation of Suspension Review Teams and 3) Addressing the high numbers of suspensions at HMS. We are incredibly proud of the youth who presented. They represented all ages from elementary to middle to high school and met monthly to organize and support this work. The presentation culminated in a youth-led RP circle to consider their recommendations. YOU can view their slideshow presentation here.
K-5 Devices – During the pandemic, we used federal funds to bolster our ratio of personal devices in elementary school to 1:1 to support the need for regular virtual learning. While there were some advantages to having 1:1 devices available at the elementary level, this was never intended to be a long-term approach. Next year, BSD will begin phasing out the 1:1 student ratio by no longer purchasing new devices to maintain this ratio. Over time, this phase-out will help facilitate a return to pre-pandemic availability. Returning to this model will ensure that devices are available for elementary classrooms when needed, without devoting excessive resources to devices that are not required for most routine instruction.
BCL Teacher Signe Daly – Take a look at Signe’s suggestions for running a place-based education program in Burlington School District in Edutopia!
OnTop and Horizons at Rock Point – Rock Point Commons recently invited organizations to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) for prospective residential partnership. Our two alternative high schools, OnTop and Horizons, have submitted a proposal and conceptual architectural plans, to consolidate programs at Rockpoint Commons and create a single campus based on student-directed learning, voice, and agency. We hope to create innovative and individualized student learning experiences in a beautiful natural environment. Student-centered learning is about creating belonging and wellbeing through deep understanding and relationships with our students. It is also a means of redesigning teaching and learning by providing relevant and individualized deeper learning experiences, all in alignment with the District’s Strategic Plan. If Rock Point accepts our proposal, we will keep you updated on next steps, which will include board approval processes. But we wanted you to know about this exciting opportunity to get both programs in one therapeutic location. If we achieve this, we plan to continue to lease St. Marks but use it as swing space for students to allow us to complete substantial renovations at IAA in the next few years.
BTC Programming – The BTC medically-focused programs, Introduction to Health Care and Health Sciences Academy, have been busy. Introduction to Health Care students earned their Personal Care Assistant certificates, and nine students are new Vermont licensed nursing assistants with more testing in the next two weeks. IHC hosted several medical care facilities for student employment and authentic practice interviews including the UVM Health Network, Community Health Center, Cathedral Square and the Converse Home. The Health Sciences Academy has been doing clinical rotations in several locations including the UVM Medical Center’s emergency department, children’s hospital, birthing center, genomics lab, and several other departments. Students also engaged with industry partners St. Michael’s Fire and Rescue, as well as the Community Health Center. Second-year HSA students will be taking their written and practical EMT tests on June 2 and June 7th. Students in HSA helped to staff the medical tents for last weekend’s Vermont City Marathon.
Commissioner’s Corner – On Monday, May 8th the Office of Equity were special guests on CCTVs public program Commissioner’s Corner with Lucia Campriello. Thanks to Lucia for leading this! Check it out on YouTube!
Education Justice Coalition of VT Camps – Social Justice Camp and BIPOC Overnight summer camp are being hosted by the Education Justice Coalition. The Social Justice Camp is free of charge and the overnight camp will not turn anyone away for lack of funds. They do not conflict with the Summer Racial Justice Academy dates so help spread the word!
Sidiki Sylla Wins Roots of Prevention Award – Sidiki Sylla has been volunteering as a mentor at Flynn Elementary School all year. He comes 3-4 times a week to spend time in affinity with 5th-grade students of the Global Majority. Flynn Elementary Principal Nikki Ellis nominated Sidiki for the Roots of Prevention Award to Sidki for his work, and last month he was recognized by The Burlington Partnership for a Healthy Community with Principal Ellis by his side!
Showing Our Values – Flynn 5th Grader Goodluck “GK” Kubwayo authored a comic book based on the 5 Flynn Values to help other students to learn how to live out their values when in community.
