Dear neighbors,

As many of you know, the Board appointed a diverse task force last year to search for the best ways we can help students from low-income families succeed.  That turned out to be an enormous conversation about the District as a whole, and resulted in publication of a forty-plus page report titled "Building Burlington's Future." The clearest finding was that uneven distribution of both our challenges (poverty) and our riches (cultural diversity) is a problem we need to address in our elementary schools.  The report recommended that we socio-economically integrate these schools in three possible ways: abandon K-5 elementaries in favor of K-2 and 3-5 schools that draw from larger "neighborhoods," redistrict to mix kids up using more technologically-advanced demographics programs, or create one or more 'magnet' or theme-based schools that draw families based on choice, not address.  

Our next step is public engagement -- what do you think of all this?  I will have a brief overview of the task force at the Ward 5 NPA on Tuesday night, Sept. 19, 7 p.m.  at Champlain School.  We are also rolling out a slate of two-hour "dialogue nights" beginning Wednesday, October 4 at 7 p.m. at Edmunds Middle School.  These will continue through early November, just as we get into budget-crunching decision-making season.   I will post more dates and times as soon as I have them so you can mark your calendars.

Changes in the District have important consequences for everyone in our beautiful and special city, so please help us by adding your voice and ideas to the conversation about how we can best "Build Burlington's Future."

Amy Werbel
Ward 5 School Commissioner
12 Catherine Street
awerbel@bsdvt.org
www.amywerbel.info