April 7, 2009
Dear neighbors,
I am writing to you from San Diego, where Fred and I and Superintendent Collins have been attending the National School Board Association conference for the past few days.
Here is a picture of us just before the presentation we gave about community engagement efforts surrounding the move to socio-economic integration in Burlington elementary schools.
I wanted to update you on school board activities since town meeting day, and also discuss the year ahead.
First, I hope you will join me in congratulating Fred (your other ward 5 commissioner) on his unanimous election to Chair of the Burlington School Board (no kidding-unanimous on the first round of voting!). With his eight-plus years of experience, I know Fred will do a great job representing our kids and community as our Board leader. I have been named chair of the curriculum committee for another year, and also have been appointed to a seat on the finance committee. That’s going to be a great combo for me because at the end of the day almost every ideal we formulate has to get funding to happen.
When I last wrote, I described our efforts to renovate the Edmunds complex so that it is accessible to all. The Board voted another ten thousand dollars in funds for architect’s drawings at our April meeting, in the hope that “shovel-readiness” may help us obtain more stimulus and other money. Various board members and administrators have been meeting with legislators and their staff to lobby for funds to accomplish this important goal. I heard Arne Duncan, Secretary of Education, promise at our conference two days ago to “come down like a ton of bricks” on Governors who try to “play a shell game” to use education funds for other purposes. It looks from the inside view as though this is exactly what Governor Douglas is planning right now, but many things still seem uncertain. One thing is pretty clear to me. Our schools' facility needs overall are so great that meeting them will require support from a lot of sources – local, state, federal, and private. We also will need to work with the city on our shared goals more than we have before.
Finally, I wanted to let you know one of my priorities for the coming year as curriculum chair. In San Diego this week, I had the opportunity to attend several sessions on high school transformation for the 21st century. There are some amazing innovative models out there, with elements like pervasive and thoroughly-integrated technology, inter-disciplinary curriculum, real-world problem solving, etc. So I will propose to my committee that we launch an initiative I would like to call BHS 2020: A Vision for Transformation. Ten years is probably about right if we work backwards and think about three years of construction (2017-20), three years of financing and fund raising (2014-2017) and a few years to build a great vision from the ground up (teachers, parents, etc). I have been noticing all the babies and pre-schoolers in our neighborhood lately – this initiative is for you!
Enjoy the crocuses,
Amy Werbel
Ward 5 School Commissioner
12 Catherine Street
awerbel@bsdvt.org
www.amywerbel.info