District to Host Literacy Night As Part of Curriculum Review

Burlington Public Schools is hosting a Literacy Night on December 11 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Burlington High School auditorium. The event aims to inform families about the work of the district's literacy task force and potential new curriculum options.

During the December 10 School Committee meeting, Dr. Lisa Chen, Assistant Superintendent for Learning, shared details about the upcoming event. She explained that they'll discuss the process they've gone through, where they currently stand with literacy, and their plans for the coming year. The literacy task force, made up of education staff from all facets of Burlington Public Schools, has narrowed down the curriculum choices to two finalists: CKLA and Wit & Wisdom. Representatives from both programs will be at the Literacy Night to present their curricula.

Chen emphasized the importance of implementation and ongoing professional development to ensure that whichever curriculum is chosen, it's used effectively and meets high standards.

The literacy curricula are also being reviewed for alignment with science and social studies standards, said Chen, and the district science instructors are learning ways to adapt the science curriculum for students with moderate to severe disabilities.

Additionally, the district expects to begin offering an Algebra 1 course in 8th grade beginning in the upcoming school year; this will result in adapted class pathways, including adding integrated 7th/8th math classes for advanced 7th graders, integrated 8th/algebra classes for advanced 8th graders, and a high-school-level Algebra 1 class for those 8th graders who are prepared.

Also at School Committee:

• The School Department will accept a donation of workout equipment from Planet Fitness, which will soon be opening a new location on Middlesex Turnpike Extension. The equipment will go mainly into the middle school as a part of the locker room renovation, and some might be directed to the high school.
• The Burlington Education Foundation has awarded the district a $10,000 grant to update elementary robotics program.
• Bob Cunha, Director of Operations, reported that the developer of the district's buss tracking app, is working on improvements, including an upcoming update that will provide full route tracking. He didn't know the full details of what the developer was working on, but users can expect updates in the coming weeks; if you are having trouble with your app, please contact Cunha (rcunha@bpsk12.org) or the app developer.
• The BHS E-Sports team has advanced to the state semifinals, and a 5th grade Pop Warner cheer team has taken third place nationally!
• Translation services are costing much more this year, in part because the district translated entire large documents such as the school handbooks, and in part because of increased use of these services by families. The School Committee approved a transfer of $80,000 to cover the increased costs, and Superintendent Dr. Eric Conti committed to trying to project better for next year's budget.

The next School Committee meeting will be held on January 14, 2025.