Good Morning, Neighbor!

The Burlington Public Schools Equity Audit Report has been complete and available online now for nearly two months, and the School Committee and district leadership & school staff have not forgotten about it. According to Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Lisa Chen, the Equity Audit Report has helped guide many of the curriculum alignment conversations that have been ongoing within the district. The essential question, according to School Committee Chair, Martha Simon: What are the ways that we can make sure we impact our students so that they all feel like they belong? District and school administration hope to put the answers to this question into practice as they continue work on aligning curriculum and ensuring accessibility.

School Committee Discusses Bus Contract

Last night’s School Committee meeting saw a very long conversation about the invitation for bids (IFB) for a new bus contract. At issue was the age and mileage requirements for buses. Language from the current IFB differs from the previous contract, and the Committee spoke at length about the balance between safety and financial concerns, as well as reliability of older buses. Member Monaco requested that the district configure two separate IFBs for bus companies so they can compare bids that conform to different requirements.

Also at School Committee:

• Cambridge Street Closet is open and collecting donations in the BHS Lobby. This is an ongoing community service initiative by BHS’s National Honor Society, where people who need them can come and shop for free clothing and hygiene products. They are especially seeking Black haircare products at the moment.

• Congratulations to the five artists from BHS who have been on display at a juried art competition at UMass Lowell.

• BHS has received a grant for a part-time position to further develop our computer science and business pathways.

• Some highlights from Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Chen’s, regular update:

  • Curriculum review and alignment continues to occur over many domains including literacy (particularly in our special education departments) and math, and these conversations have centered around equity of access, as mentioned above.

  • A Director of Child Care Services has been hired.

  • “Power standards,” or the key concepts students need to know at each grade level, are being identified for K-8 digital literacy, computer science, and digital citizenship.

  • The BECC students (that’s Burlington’s public integrated preschool!) will be putting on a production of The Gingerbread Man this Friday at 11:40 (and I could not imagine anything cuter).

  • The district is continuing to use the data visualization program, Open Architect, to better utilize assessment data.

  • Staff at high school and middle school are studying how to embed writing in content classes.

  • Elementary math nights will be held in January.

  • School Climate Survey is ongoing; parents, check ParentSquare for the link to participate.

  • The new Francis Wyman playground is open.

• A Policy Subcommittee was established. The School Committee just spent the better part of a year updating the BPS policy manual, spending hours per meeting reviewing the entire book. The idea is that this Subcommittee will help keep the manual up to date on an ongoing basis to avoid that kind of time commitment in the future. They’ll be starting with a look at the social media policy.

Today in Burlington

Municipal Meetings and Community Events

• 9:00-10:00 AM - Stress & Coping Strategies Parents Breakfast - All Burlington High parents are welcome to attend. Grab some food and learn about stress, anxiety and ways to cope. (BHS Counseling Conference Room)
• 10:30-11:00 AM - Toddler Storytime Kids ages 18-36 months bring their grown-ups to the library for good books, music and socializing. (Library; No Registration Required)
• 4:30 PM - Shawsheen Policy Subcommittee will work to update their policy manual. (Shawsheen Tech)
• 6:00 PM - Recreation Commission will discuss the FY25 capital budget, and Kevin Sullivan will be recognized. (BHS)
• 7:00 PM - Land Use Committee Joint Zoning Bylaw Review Committee Meeting will discuss the zoning-related articles for January Town Meeting. (Town Hall Main Hearing Room and Virtual)
• 7:00-8:00 PM - Teen Event: Pour Paint Ornaments - Kids in grades 6-12 will get creative and make an ornament using pour paint techniques. (Library; Registration Required)

Sports and Activities

Disappointing first game for our basketball teams yesterday, with girls losing 46-21 and boys suffering a close 59-56 loss. Yesterday’s swim meet was a scrimmage, and practices continue today.

This afternoon, we have girls’ and boys’ hockey at the Ice Palace against Reading. Girls play at 5:00, and boys play at 7:00. There’s also a wrestling meet at Malden Catholic at 6:00.

That’s it for today. I’ll see you tomorrow!

Nicci

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