Burlington School District created a LGBTQ+ Task Force in 2021-22 to evaluate the ways in which our schools are responsive to the needs of LGBTQ+ students, staff and parents.

LGBTQ+ Taskforce formed in January 2022 a group of community members, BSD staff, students and parents met to investigate how BSD is gender and sexuality affirming and made recommendations for improvement. Read more about the recommendations in the final LGBTQ+ Task Force report.

‘Just be yourself:’ Burlington School District names LGBTQ+ Task Force | Local 22/44 News

New task force hopes to make Burlington schools more equitable for LGBTQ+ students

Burlington School District launches community-led LGBTQ+ task force – VTDigger

LGBTQ+ Task Force Recommendations and Progress:

This May 2024 Annual Report outlines the progress of the LGBTQ+ Task force recommendations that were made in SY 21-22 and identifies areas where still more action needs to be taken.

Curriculum

Recommendation 1: Develop an Equity Audit Tool and conduct a thorough curriculum audit (of Health Classes).

Progress:

BSD Equity Instructional Leader joined the District Coordinated Health Team and used the CDC’s Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool to conduct an audit of Health classes.
Equity Instructional Leader collaborated with EMS Health Teacher to review middle school curriculum at district health teacher PLC

Next Steps:

Collaborate with Office of T & L to review health curriculum with a lens on LGBTQ+ inclusion
Offer professional learning to health teachers and nurses in collaboration with Outright VT and school counselors

Recommendation 2: Implement mandatory training on gender and sexuality for all K-8 school counselors, nurses, Multilingual Liaisons, health teachers, and pediatricians working in partnership with the schools.

Progress:

In January 2023, the Office of Equity offered LGBTQIA+ training for BSD’s Multilingual Liaisons.
In May 2023 we hosted an LGBTQIA+ workshop for the Somali and Maay Maay communities to address cultural sensitivity around these topics with over 50 people in attendance.
Office of Equity also met with BSD school counselors in Spring 2023 to conduct a needs assessment
District Antiracism Strand offered in partnership with Outright VT during district inservice SY 23-24
Outright VT worked with K-8 school counselors in April to plan offering of specific training related to mental health needs, proactive lessons and gender affirming support for students

Next Steps:

In partnership with Outright VT, professional training will be provided to school counselors for 3-4 in depth sessions in SY 24-25
Creation of video for multilingual families which shares how LGBTQ+ topics are addressed in BSD schools and is translated into multiple languages
Office of Equity to work in partnership with school nurses to address how LGBTQ+ students are supported in schools

Recommendation 3: Fully incorporate LGBTQ+ advocacy statement into BSD mission statement ,student and family handbooks, calendars, and websites, and distribute laminated signs into school and classroom spaces.

Progress: These recommendations were fully implemented in 2023.

Recommendation 4: Mandate the teaching of proactive lessons focusing on prevention and safety that teach diverse gender and sexual orientation identities and address name-calling, bullying, and harassment.

Progress:

The HHB Investigations Coordinator worked in partnership with schools to introduce preventative assemblies, including in October 2022 middle and high school presentations with the Organization for Social Media Safety and in May 2023 a partnership with the HMS Up for Learning YPAR team on a Building a Culture of Kindness assembly.
A series of HHB student and staff learning pathways (1:1 educational sessions centered on a specific topic) have been created for reflective work after substantiated harassment investigations.
Middle Schools have launched “Stop the Hate” Campaigns in Spring 23 and 24

Non-Discrimination Policies

Recommendation 1: Adopt and implement clear, consistent, and comprehensive non-discrimination policies at the District level that explicitly protect and affirm staff and students’ sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or gender expression, alongside other characteristics (e.g., race, religion, etc.), and prohibit discrimination against students, families, and educators on those bases.

Progress:

LGBTQ+ Taskforce Member and parent Jessica Oski has been supporting this work using the VT AOE Continuing Best Practices for Supporting Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Students. Jessica trained the board in the creation and implementation of a Racial Equity Tool which required extensive focus group meetings with stakeholders who hold marginalized identities.

Worked with the DEI committee of the school board to create a new equity policy.
Transgender Policy Working Group formed in Fall 23 and has drafted a policy to support transgender staff at BSD

Recommendation 2: Ensure that discipline policies rely on positive and restorative approaches, when appropriate*, and do not disproportionately target LGBTQ+ youth, students of color, multilingual learners, or students with disabilities.

Progress:

The Office of Equity on-boarded six RP Specialists and a Youth and Family Restorative Liaison who have been offering restorative interventions at all schools. Focus groups were also conducted to inform the creation of BSD Restorative Code of Conduct.

Recommendation 3: Ensure that district and school policies are designed and implemented with particular attention to supporting transgender and gender nonconforming students, faculty and staff who face especially hostile school climates and a high level of risk.

Progress:

A Transgender Policy Development Team has been established and is working on specific policy to protect Transgender staff and students.

Recommendation 4: Ensure that professional development and educator resources include a focus on creating inclusive learning environments in which all students, faculty and staff, including LGBTQ+ students, faculty and staff, feel safe and welcome. For example: mandatory yearly training and mandatory new hire training.

Progress:

The Office of Equity offered a three-part LGBTQ+ workshop series for staff, students, and parents in Spring 2023.
BSD’s Anti-Racism Professional Learning sessions offers an online learning module created by OutrightVT attended by a cohort of over 20 BSD staff.

Next Steps:

Work in partnership with the Office of Teaching and Learning and Human Resources to offer LGBTQ+ awareness training as part of all new staff onboarding.

Recommendation 5: Initiate a comprehensive review and revision process to update non-discrimination, harassment, and bullying policies and ensure they are coordinated, internally consistent, regularly reviewed, written in language that is easy to understand, and easy to locate on the District website.

Progress:

Hired an attorney (and member of the LGBTQ+ Task Force) to review all BSD policies and create a new Equity Policy.
Revised HHB public-facing BSD website to improve accessibility

Next Steps:

Ensure that all BSD policies and procedures regarding HHB are reviewed, revised, updated and communicated to the public in an accessible manner.

Environment:

Recommendation 1: Construction of the new high school should facilitate easeful incorporation of the below.

Progress: BHS Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA) met with the architects designing BSD’s new high school and technical center. Students recommended the new building include gender-neutral bathrooms and locker rooms. As a result, the new plans include single changing room stalls and bathroom stalls for all genders.

Recommendation 2: Library offerings and aesthetic should complement a diverse curriculum and reflect diverse identities.

Progress: Thanks to an equity mini-grant from the Vermont Principals Association, BSD was able to gift all libraries with funds intended to be used to purchase LGBTQ+-themed books.

Recommendation 3: Ensure accessibility of all-gender facilities at all schools. Affirming signage, visuals, and messaging should be intentionally incorporated into all areas students congregate to provide diverse, positive representation.

Progress: This was completed with school walkthroughs and through sharing LGBTQ+ advocacy statements with all schools to be posted in public areas.

Safety:

Recommendation 1: Improve hiring and retention of LGBTQ+ staff. Establish benchmarks and metrics to quantify and document progress.

Progress: The BSD Office of Equity released draft Recommendations for Inclusive Hiring and Retention Practices and has been meeting regularly with the HR Department

Next Steps: The Office of Equity continues to partner with HR to recommend comprehensive exit interviews for LGBTQ+ staff that have left the District; this work is helping to establish data benchmarks and metrics, and provide us with information to help with our efforts to retain LGBTQIA+ staff.

Recommendation 2: Create and maintain LGBTQ+ Staff Affinity Spaces to allow staff the space to maintain mental wellness and continue advocacy work as indicated in the LGBTQ+ Task Force report.

Progress: Completed. LGBTQ+ Staff Affinity groups have been meeting monthly for gatherings off campus since October 2022. Theo Soucy, Restorative Practice Specialist at SA, has been organizing this work and providing structure for healing and unifying.

Recommendation 3: Integrate school-based extracurricular groups such as GSAs to address inequality within the LGBTQ+ community. These groups can provide support, generate awareness, and help reduce discrimination.

Progress: Sustainability Academy and Flynn Elementary School have offered affirming Rainbow Clubs at Elementary Schools for LGBTQ+ students and allies. HMS and EMS offer in-school opportunities for students to gather.

Next Step: Offer Rainbow Clubs or GSAs at the remaining schools that do not have them

Recommendation 4: Work with BSD GSA faculty advisors to arrange optional listening tour visits from school leaders at least two times per year so that leadership is attuned to the needs of the LGBTQ+ community.

Progress: No progress was made in this area in SY22-23. This needs more attention for SY 23-24.

Recommendation 5: Work with the Office of Equity to provide mandatory HHB presentations that are age-appropriate and focused on prevention.

Progress:

This work did not happen in SY 22-23; however, HHB student-facing presentations occurred in the fall of 2023 at all schools.
Office of Equity provided HHB training and anti-racism trainings to afterschool site directors in Expanded Learning Opportunities, BSD coaches, and to Property Services directors.

Contact Info

Staff Links

Important Contact Info