Dear neighbors,

Thank you to Lillian Dean for posting the dates of the school board's dialogue events on the topic of socioeconomic integration (SEI) and possible changes to our elementary schools in Burlington. Rather than posting those again, I would like to invite all of you (obviously cyber-savvy) South Enders to visit our task force website at www.bsdvt.org. The website has a lot of information about SEI, proposed ideas for change, our upcoming events, and it also has interactive features including a threaded discussion and survey -- the school board wants as many people as possible to share their thoughts and reactions before we make any decisions. Budget time approaches starting in November, so please don't wait to be heard.

SEI means that every school in the district has an equal share of the city's cultural and economic diversity. Five out of nine of our schools do this already. If the idea were successfully implemented throughout Burlington, every elementary school would be like Champlain, whose student populations mirrors the city as a whole. I firmly believe that this city has the sense of social justice necessary to embrace this ideal -- how we get there is the big question mark. I look forward to listening to your thoughts and to sharing my own as the process goes forward.

Enjoy the leaves,

Amy Werbel
Ward 5 School Comissioner
www.amywerbel.info