February 7, 2025
Dear Burlington Community,
Happy Black History Month! We are excited for the many events and activities the Office of Equity has developed with our educators, families, and community partners to celebrate Black Heritage and Excellence.
I believe this month of recognition and celebration is more important now than ever. I want you to know that I am paying close attention to the actions of the federal government and our district leaders are working hard to respond appropriately to any changes. Please know we will continue to lead with our values of equity and inclusion in everything we do.
This week, my student advisory group shared that they’re hearing a lot of rumors in their communities and are unsure what’s true. They’ve asked me to ensure I’m providing clear messaging on how people can protect themselves from ICE. I’m also hearing from families who want reassurance that we’ll continue to protect LGBTQ+ identifying students from discrimination. Additionally, educators, families and students are seeking confirmation that we will continue prioritizing equity, and inclusion.
Please know we have long-standing policies and procedures in place in BSD and in the State of Vermont to protect our community – these ensure we address disparities head-on, that we maintain students’ privacy, and that we ensure our schools are safe and inclusive. We will not shy away from protecting our students, celebrating diversity, equity, and inclusion, and teaching in a way that supports all learners and incorporates the history and experiences of people who have been historically marginalized.
In this vein, I hope you will join us next weekend for “Legacy and Light: A Celebration of Black Heritage & Excellence.” This free community event will take place on Saturday, February 15th, from 1-3:30 at Hunt Middle School and will feature live music, arts, food, and student presentations. The event is another way we are working to ensure students (especially those of the Global Majority) are seen, heard, and treated with the utmost respect and dignity they deserve. It is also a way to continue our work to ensure that our students feel a sense of belonging, well-being, and pride in our schools and the greater community, using the necessary resources to nurture excellence and develop the inter-beauty our students already possess. Our goal is to celebrate and lift up this month, and our students, while also continuing to incorporate Black History throughout the year.
For more info, click the link or check out the amazing poster below… it was designed by BHS/BTC student, and Vermont Presidential Scholar, Sage Wyndorf!
In solidarity,
Tom
Black History Month Resources – In addition to the celebration above, Our Office of Equity sent around this calendar to staff last month, with short teaching points for each day of the month. Check it out!
Protecting LGBTQIA+ Students – We are fully committed to continuing to provide a safe and inclusive environment for our LGBTQIA+ students and staff in BSD. Since I commissioned an LGBTQIA+ Task Force in 2022 and we received their Report, we have been working hard to implement their recommendations. We have developed local policies and procedures that protect LGBTQIA+ staff and students, and we continue to adhere to state protections for LGBTQIA+ students that are enshrined in Vermont law and have not been diminished in any way by federal action (Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Student Best Practices and laws for the Prevention of Hazing, Harassment, and Bullying).
Please see the statement below that also affirms our commitment in BSD:
Vermont Presidential Scholars – Please join us in congratulating this year’s Vermont Presidential Scholars from BSD! Sage Wyndorf (BHS/BTC), Richie Amerson (BHS/BTC), Isabella Benson (CHS/BTC), and Brianne Gallas (MHS/BTC) (all shown below, L to R) were honored in the Statehouse this month. All for students attend BTC as part of their schooling! Congratulations to this amazing students who have worked so hard to get to this point. I know you will continue to make us proud! Speaking of BTC… The Tech Center will have Information Sessions for all 11th and 12th grade programs on Saturday, February 15th from 10am-11am and 11am-12pm. Please visit our website for more information, and for specific program locations. If you have questions, please contact James Yepez at jyepez@bsdvt.org.
ANNUAL REPORT! Our 2024 Annual Report is here! The report covers important information about our Strategic Plan, and student demographics, graduation rates, and successes. It also takes a deep dive into this year’s budget, which is projected to lower tax rates by 4%! (Don’t forget to vote!) You can view the report online or pick up a copy at the library, City Hall, DPW, and the ONE Community Center next Friday.
Kindergarten Registration – Kindergarten Registration closes on February 28! Kindergarten placement decisions go home no later than April, 18. Please spread the word and register today!
Enrollment and Facilities Study – We are working with the New England School Development Council to conduct a study of our projected enrollment and facilities space utilization. They will analyze current enrollment and existing and planned population and housing data in Burlington, to produce a 10-year enrollment projection. The facilities portion of the work will involve virtual and in-person site visits to all BSD schools (except BHS), and is intended to supply BSD with options to consider regarding how we use facilities. These options will include advantages and disadvantages for each scenario and will be informed by the enrollment projections. We look forward to sharing the results later this year!
Strategic Plan Update – A few weeks ago we had our 3rd Strategic Plan Guiding Coalition meeting. The focus was learning about the appreciative inquiry process; each Priority Area team left having created a question for our community related to their priority area. The meeting was facilitated by BSD parents Charlotte Safran and Liz Clements who will be working to support and revitalize the BSD Guiding Coalition. They will start this work by engaging in empathy interviews with 7-10 groups of stakeholders not currently involved in the coalition. (And they will use the questions generated by the Priority Areas in the meeting to drive these interviews.) Charlotte and Liz will generate themes from these conversations and bring the feedback to the coalition later this spring. We are looking to have a few more staff, students, and family members join. Information about how to join can be found here. Questions? Reach out to Victor Prussack at vprussac@bsdvt.org or 802-316-6653.
New Health and Physical Education Standards – The Vermont State Board of Education adopted the 2024 SHAPE America National Physical Education Standards and the 2024 National Health Education Standards on December 18, 2024. These standards will fully replace the previously adopted 2007 National Health Standards and 2013 SHAPE America National Standards for K-12 Physical Education starting in the 2025-26 school year.
IAA Project – We are excited to let you know that the IAA project remains on track to have students back in the building by the start of next school year! Don’t forget to visit our website for weekly updates!
BTC Hanger Update – The BTC Aviation project is underway but it is a little behind schedule. We have requested pricing from the subcontractors to get back on track to be ready for the school year. This will mean weekends and overtime. Like IAA, PCI will soon begin providing a weekly report with photos we’ll soon have a website to track progress on this important project!
Ramadan Meal Waiver – BSD has been awarded a special meal waiver for students observing Ramadan this year! To support students who are fasting, we will be providing one week’s worth of breakfast and lunch at a time, available for take-home. We are committed to making sure our students have the resources they need to observe their faith while still receiving nutritious meals. Stay tuned for more information and the link to sign up. Important details:
- Dates: The program will run from March 5th to March 28th.
- How to sign up: Families and students can sign up through our Google Form, which will be available soon.
- Meals: One week’s worth of meals (breakfast and lunch) will be provided to students at no cost. Students are entitled to one free breakfast and one free lunch each school day. Students who receive a meal box will not be eligible for a free meal at school.
Reminder… Stay Home When Sick – There’s a lot of sickness going around our community (Influenza A, Pneumonia, RSV, Strep Throat, COVID, etc.). Here’s a reminder of how we can prevent the spread of sickness when we are sick. Please remember the best way we can all keep our whole community healthy is for those who are sick to stay home until they are well enough to come back to school.
Extended School Year (ESY) Dates – ESY services will be held on Monday-Thursdays June 30-July 31 for incoming K-12th graders. Hours, locations, and job postings coming soon!
SCHOOL NEWS
BTC Awards: Design & Illustration and Digital Media Lab are proud to announce the winners of this year’s Scholastic Art and Writing Awards for Vermont! Only 19 Gold Keys were awarded throughout the state, with three being awarded to Trudy Farrell (BHS), Samuel LaMonde (BHS), and Maya Riley (BHS). Savannah Cohen (MMU), Payton Hruby (CHS), Nico Jastatt (BHS), Cora Lea (BHS), Nico Listi (BHS), Max Olinksky-Paul (CVU), and Sage Wyndorf (BHS) all received Silver Keys. Students who received Gold and Silver Keys and Honorable Mentions will have their works on display at the Brattleboro Museum and Arts Center from February 14 – March 8, 2025. The awards ceremony will be on Saturday, March 8 at 12 pm with keynote speaker, Will Kasso Condry.
BSD Awarded Community Schools Foundations Grant – BSD has been awarded a $108,818 grant from the AOE to support implementing the community schools framework across our 9-12 schools. This grant will fund the hiring of a Community Schools Coordinator through June 2025 and will help innovative work taking place this winter/spring at BHS, BTC, and Eagle Bay focused on project-based learning, personalized learning plans, digital music and video production, diverse family partnerships, HHB education, and support of SRJA.
Flynn and SA Students Learn about Meteorology – Last month, more than 50 third graders from Flynn Elementary School got a front-row seat to the Noon WCAX news broadcast after learning about meteorology from Jess and Peter! And then they were on the news themselves! On Januray 27th, My NBC5 brought “Weather at Your School” to the Sustainability Academy! After providing live weather updates alongside students, the crew came indoors to learn about our trout program and to take questions from students who have been studying the weather. Thank you WCAX and WPTZ!
BHS Among 300 State Finalists in the National Samsung Solve for Tomorrow STEM Competition – The 15th Annual Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is a national competition designed to empower students in grades 6-12 to unleash the power of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) to create innovative solutions addressing critical issues in their local communities. Students in Colby Skoglund’s Advanced Principles of Engineering II class have been named State Finalists in the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition!
HMS Math/Science – We welcomed back Andres Torizzo, co-founder of Watershed Consulting, the firm behind Hunt’s stormwater collection system that was installed this fall. Andres had talked to our team earlier in the year about the system, and, on Friday, he returned to answer questions about green stormwater infrastructures and to chat with students about their urban landscape models. He also spoke a bit about his career path in becoming a hydrologist. Needless to say, he was very impressed with the models and all our students had learned!
Mr. Holland’s Opus Grant – Integrated Arts Academy has been awarded the prestigious Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation Adopt-A-School Grant! This incredible opportunity is part of the Adopt-A-School campaign, which connects schools across the nation in need of musical instruments with generous donors who are passionate about supporting music education. This grant will enhance our music program, providing students with access to high-quality instruments and enriching their learning experiences.
Hero Among Us – Have you heard? There’s a Hero Among Us! Troy Austin, BHS campus safety liaison and organizer/founder of Troy’s Toy Drive was recognized by the Boston Celtics! In 2015 he began collecting toys from the community to give to youth in need. Since then, Troy Austin has helped the community to donate more than 10,000 toys! The Celtics provided Troy with dinner, tickets, parking, and a tour of the front office. In true Troy fashion, he said “the most important thing was getting the toy drive out to people in the community.” Congrats Troy!
Crossing Guard Appreciation Day! – We love our Crossing Guards! Crossing guards have a tremendous impact on community safety. Sadly, several crossing guards have recently experienced hostile and unsafe behaviors. Please do your best to be kind and show appreciation to these individuals who show up daily, in every weather, to help make our children’s comings and goings to school safer. Crossing Guard Appreciation Day is February 12… a lovely way to honor our crossing guards is to shower them with both kind words and consider treating them to a cup of coffee and/or a treat or school swag. Crossing guards are City of Burlington employees and there are a number of vacancies across the City. Guards can work mornings, afternoons, or both and earn $20/hour. Apply today!
The BSD “Sankofa” Project Sankofa is a Twi word from the Akan people of Ghana that is used in Black History to represent the idea of learning from the past to create a better future. The mythical bird has its head turned backward while its feet point forward. The egg in the bird’s mouth represents the knowledge of the past that can be used to create wisdom. The word Sankofa translates to “go back and get it.” It’s based on the proverb, “It is not taboo to go back and fetch what you forgot.” This year, BSD is proud to announce a Sankofa Project, evoking this symbol and message to drive our goal of moving Black History & Excellence forward as a more prominent and consistent part of our school and community. Sometimes, we must return and bring those we left behind. Our goal is to move beyond Black History Month and do events and initiatives throughout the year. Check out our current offerings below and mark your calendars and help to spread the word!
- Legacy & Light: A Celebration of Black Heritage & Excellence Our first Sankofa Event is a free community event and will take place on Saturday, February 15th, from 1-3:30 at Hunt Middle School and will feature live music, arts, food, and student presentations.
- Sankofa Black History Calendar – Looking for Black History Month inspiration? Bring Black History to your classroom with this Sankofa Black History Calendar that includes daily songs, quotes, and educational materials for easy use.
- Reading to End Racism – We are reviving Reading to End Racism in our elementary schools! Reading to End Racism is a national program that promotes cultural respect, social awareness, and literacy by hosting guests who read stories that address Black History, racism, and discrimination. Guests read a story to a class and share from their own experiences connected to the themes raised in the book, such as racism, resilience, and community, to name a few. Each reading and discussion takes approximately 45 minutes.
- Sharing our Story – Wednesday, March 26th, at 6 pm at Edmunds Middle School will feature the second Sankofa event highlighting Black Women and “herstory” with storytelling and keynote speakers. This event will also feature a Book Giveaway offering families the chance to take home books that celebrate Black Excellence.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider!
