Article for the North Avenue News. September 27, 2008
With so much talk about our bond initiative, there hasn’t been much mention lately of Burlington’s exciting new magnet schools, which will open for their first pilot year in the Fall of 2009. Teachers, administrators, and community partners all are busy getting ready for that not-so-far-away date. First, let me answer some basic questions I’ve heard all over town.
What is a magnet school? A magnet school attracts children and families because it offers something different than their neighborhood school. At its August meeting, the Board created two K-5 magnet schools in Burlington – the Academy for Integrated Arts at H.O. Wheeler, and the Academy for Sustainability at Lawrence Barnes. The integrated arts curriculum will incorporate visual arts, theater, dance, and music into every subject taught. Our community partners at this school include Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, St. Michael’s College Graduate Arts in Education Program, and Vermont Youth Orchestra. At Lawrence Barnes, the thematic focus of the new curriculum is community and environment, which means lots more hands-on science as well as community service. Our partner at Barnes is Shelburne Farms.
Why magnet schools? The Board created magnet schools both to end the economic isolation at our Old North End schools, and to give the District a chance to implement innovative curricular programs. The magnet schools are an alternative to redistricting as a way to balance the school population, and the experience and good ideas of the magnet schools can be used to invigorate learning for all our kids.
Who will go to the magnet schools? The administration is working now to draft student assignment procedures for the magnet schools. These procedures most likely will include a “walk zone” around each building so that if you are close by, you can go, in addition to an application process for everyone else that gives preference to students who will bring balance to the school demographics. Is this a bit tricky? No doubt, but the problem is serious and thorny, and there is no uncomplicated way to solve it.
When and where did the magnet school idea get started? Magnet schools became popular across the country in the 1980s, as a response to court decisions that struck down the ability of districts to desegregate schools by assigning students based on their race. Magnets attempt to achieve integration through choice. At the same time, they also reflect education research that shows that thematic focus in a school can build student and teacher engagement, motivation, and learning. Good student assignment procedures ensure that the schools create more, rather than less, balance across the district.
We think we have laid a great foundation for the success of Vermont’s first magnet schools because they have grown out of local community conversations, national research, as well as an exhaustive market study of preschool and elementary parents that asked what features would encourage them to choose a magnet school in the Old North End. And, of course, we have fabulous partners on board with us. In the next few months, the Board, and our Wheeler and Barnes staff, will launch a series of informational events. In the meantime, please visit the “Vision: Excellence and Equity” page on our district website, www.bsdvt.org , and have a great day!