Update.  August 8, 2008
Co-authored by Fred Lane and Amy Werbel
Ward 5 School Commissioners

Presidential candidates are talking a lot about education these days. So is the Burlington School Board. Throughout the summer, the Board and its various committees have been discussing our plans for educating Burlington's children for the 21st century.

Everyone, including Senators Barack Obama and John McCain, knows that our educational system needs to change. Our children will compete in an increasingly global economy, and need the critical thinking skills to adapt to rapidly-changing technologies. We also finally must end the persistent achievement gaps that lead to unsustainable and immoral social disparities. At the same time, the Board has been coming to grips with the byproducts of several decades of deferred maintenance.

These three concerns -- 21st century skills, equity, and infrastructure -- are the cornerstones of the Board's plans for the future of the Burlington School District. Our August calendar is very full; the bulk of the Board's work through the end of the summer will focus on refining a proposal for comprehensively restructuring and renovating the District schools, as well as for reaching out to Burlington community members to provide information and get feedback.

One of the benefits of having worked on these issues for four years is that all of our thinking to date is infused with the voices of Burlingtonians, from the Barnes hearings, task force meetings, discussion nights, Superintendent's working group, and visioning committees, to the lively public comment sessions at many of our monthly Board meetings.

Two of the things we are most excited about are the creation of Vermont's first magnet schools, and the substantial cost savings the District can expect from updated and more evironmentally-friendly buildings.  District administrators and ONE teachers are already planning for the professional development, curriculum, and facilities changes necessary to successfully implement programs focused on sustainability (at Barnes) and integrated arts (at Wheeler).  Our wonderful partners at Shelburne Farms, the Flynn Center, and St. Michael's College are leading the way, and if all goes well, we plan to open our doors in 2009 or 2010 to a truly diverse mix of students from across the city who have chosen these programs.

With the help of architect Colin Lindberg, the Board also has been looking at a number of exciting renovations to the District's schools that will substantially improve energy efficiency, reduce maintenance costs, and better support both our environment and the 21st-century curriculum that is critical to our children's success.

As the new school year starts, we look forward to talking with the Burlington community about the Board's exciting vision for the city's schools. Welcome back!