Dear Neighbors,

Once again, the School Board is on the hot seat, this time because of proposals for achieving socio-economic integration primarily through redistricting. I was answering all the e-mails and phone calls sent my way for a while, but am hopelessly behind now, and hope that a posting on the forum may answer at least a few common questions and concerns.

First, the timing for decision-making: contrary to some rumors, the school board is not voting in June on whether to accept one of the four proposals we have seen thus far. We are holding a board retreat at the end of June, and thus are trying to gather feedback from the public before then so that our discussion can be as informed as possible. Our timeline for decision-making is Fall, 2007 for any changes that would occur in fiscal 2008-9. This is because our budget cycle begins in earnest in September. The administration needs direction on where the money will go to prepare the budget that we present to the public in December and then typically adopt at our January meeting. The final dollar amount of the budget we adopt is placed on the ballot at town meeting day for voter approval.

Second: Are these proposals the only ones we will discuss? The proposals put forth thus far are already evolving due to input from school commissioners and the public. School commissioners and administrators have been meeting a lot in the past week, talking even more with each other and with neighbors, by phone and at the park, etc. There are several hearings and other meetings scheduled in the next month – the dates, times, and locations are posted on the district website at www.bsdvt.org. Personally, I think there is plenty of room for common sense, practical changes and additions to the plans, but less likelihood for proposals that would involve massive spending, or ten-year plans. We have been studying and preparing for change for several years now. Although certainly many in the community are just starting to pay attention to our discussions, it is in my opinion inarguable that we have done our best both to inform the public about our deliberations, and to incorporate input. That process will continue until Board members feel satisfied and confident enough to adopt some sort of plan. After that, of course, we will always continue to need the support and input of the families and community members the school district serves, and who approve our budget every year.

Third: Who gets to decide? For better or worse, this is a representative democracy, and your elected school commissioners have fiduciary and legal responsibility for most aspects of the Burlington School District. We write policies, hire and fire, decide whether to expel students who have misbehaved -- or put them on probation -- negotiate and approve contracts, and determine student assignment and variance policies (i.e. where your child can go to school) in concert with the administration. We can vote to close a school, mandate more locally-grown food in the cafeteria, get rid of logos and other forms of advertising on our premises, etc.

Fourth: Why socio-economic integration (SEI), and what guarantee do we have that it will work? This ground was covered really thoroughly by the Task Force that met for six months last year and voted for SEI unanimously, and on which I served in an ex-officio capacity. The answer to the first part of that question is in the research and report online at www.bsdvt.org . As for the second part: the answer is that the most compelling evidence we have that it will work is the success of our own two integrated elementary schools – Champlain and Flynn. Yes, the percentage of FRL matters, and we are talking about that and working on it.

Fifth: Does the school district care about property values and proximity to schools?: The school district should provide schools for the community that ALL raise property values through their demonstrable excellence. When that is true, we will have both excellence and equity. As for proximity, it is a huge benefit that needs to be balanced with other concerns. We have elementary school bus routes now, and will continue to do so in the future. When the task force looked at this question last year, we found that most of our elementary school students now take the bus or are driven to school (especially outside the Old North End), both in bad and good weather. This definitely is an issue we have researched and thought about a great deal, and will continue to do so in the future.

Please check out the growing "excellence and equity" website the District administration has set up at www.bsdvt.org. I especially encourage you to look at the proposals now posted for magnet schools (sustainable, arts, and international baccalaureate) that may help achieve integration through the force of attraction rather than compulsion. Let us know which model appeals to you – would any of you Ward 5 parents consider sending your child or children to one of these schools assuming it was located in the Old North End? Please let me know, or write directly to superintendent@bsdvt.org

Please stay in touch, and I will try to respond to everyone as best I can.

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