Morning, friends!

Just a couple quick updates today, as it was Baby (Toddler?) Buzz’s birthday yesterday and I was busier than usual. Though a different kind of busy than I was on April 12, 2020, I guess.

Turns out the ballot certification process takes a while, so they’re not done quite yet. Keep checking the town website for results if you need to, but I’ll let you know the final word when I have it.

School Committee Recap

Some cool stuff last night at School Committee. Be advised I might have missed some items.

• 26:00 - The school calendar still needs some work, but it looks like first days will be as follows:

  • Teachers: Thursday, August 25

  • Students 1-12: Monday, August 29

  • Students preK-K: Tuesday, September 6

• 42:00 - Let’s Talk About It will be happening again in May, and the Student Equity advisory group at the high school will present on what they’ve learned this year. There was some discussion about the equity audit, and the standard that these conversations are audio recorded (anonymously) for use of the audit agency, BlackPrint, but will be destroyed when the audit is complete.

• 49:00 - The district put on a health clinic for families who do not otherwise have access to medical care. They helped 22 families, and it was by all accounts a success. The goal is to be holding these clinics monthly, and they’ll be doing it again on May 23rd from 7-9 at MSMS. Also, they’ve ordered a vaccine fridge so they can offer vaccinations at these clinics, since many vaccinations are required to attend school and some families do not have access to these vaccines.

• 58:00 - COVID cases were 14 last week, and hopefully there won’t be a big surge after break. But there was discussion of being nimble in our preparation to address a changing public health landscape.

• 1:02 - There are some requests from the accommodated account (a town-administered account that pays for special education services including out-of-district placements and transportation for special education students) including a school psychologist at the Burlington Early Childhood Center.

• 1:25 - Fox Hill: We are hoping to get on the MSBA Board’s May meeting, but we’re in a kind of holding pattern until we have their approval for the feasibility study.

• 1:27 - High School: Not many updates but I don’t think I’ve mentioned before that the HVAC upgrade will trigger a 30/30 rule that requires the school to be brought up to code in other areas, which is why the high price tag (~80M).

• 1:34 - Transportation: safe routes to school is being revived, and arrival and dismissal observations are being conducted. Expect to see a travel survey in your inboxes. These will all inform their recommendations. They also recommend taking advantage of their pedestrian bike training. Walk/Bike/Roll to school day will be May 4th (Star Wars Day ).

• 1:40 - The BEST summer theatre program was approved as a School-District-Sponsored event.

Today in Burlington

Wednesday, April 13

• 6:30 - Zoning Bylaw Review Committee has 3 items on its agenda: Town Center Multifamily (Roger’s Piano)  (Join via Zoom), Northwest Park Planned Development District amendment, and groundwater separation.
• 7:00 - Ways & Means meets to discuss a number of budget-related items, including criteria for adding FTEs for the coming fiscal year and returning to the Planning Department and recreation budgets. You might remember this conversation was paused pending a discussion of the Town’s stance on adding FTEs to the budget. (Join via Webex)

That’s it for today. BoH happened last night, too, but I’m only one person! Hopefully the chicken permit was granted.

Have a great day, Burlington!

Nicci