Burlington School District and Winooski School District have teamed up to bring Erin Walsh, of Spark and Stitch Institute, to your computer screens. Join us on May 21st and May 28th for a short series of webinars regarding social media safety for students.

BSD’s most recent Climate Survey data showed that parents, teachers, and students were concerned about social media safety. These events are designed for parents and teachers to be able to better understand the world of social media and what adults need to know to help prevent, address, and respond to cyberbullying. Parents, if you think your student will also benefit from attending with you, please have them join you!

These presentations are free for all to attend via Zoom webinar (information coming soon) and are split into two presentations to address different grade levels. Can’t attend in person? We will live stream the Zoom webinar to our YouTube page where you will be able to access the presentation to watch when you are able. More information below!

Digital Safety and Wellbeing: Tackling Difficult Conversations in the Digital Age
May 21st, 6:30-8:00 PM: Presentation and Q&A focused on grades K-5. (Attend Via Zoom or visit our YouTube page during the presentation.)
May 28th, 6:30-8:00 PM: Presentation and Q&A focused on grades 6-12. (Attend Via Zoom or visit our YouTube page during the presentation.)

Children and youth today spend an average of 53 hours a week with entertainment media, more than any other activity but sleeping – and that was before the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s no surprise then that young people today are navigating the ups and downs of learning, relationships, kindness, and cruelty in both offline and online spaces. In this interactive and energizing webinar, Erin Walsh will explain how technology is changing the ways that children and youth grow up, socialize, and make decisions. She will cut through conflicting messages and walk through the latest evidence on topics like cyberbullying, online cruelty and how to cultivate focus amidst a sea of online distractions. Participants will leave with practical tools and strategies for tackling difficult conversations, building trust, and being the media mentor that kids desperately need to make better decisions online.

Participants will explore questions like: 

• How can parents help prevent, address, and respond to cyberbullying?
• What do parents need to know about the latest apps?
• Should I be monitoring my child online?
• What can I do at home to nurture my child’s digital wellbeing?
• Can kids really multitask? How do I help them focus?

Please RSPV or invite your friends today!

Continuity of Learning – Overview of Plan

All IAA school work related to Continuity of Learning can be found on this IAA Learning from Home document.  This is grouped by grade level and includes information on curriculum, online class meetings (via Google Hangout), school counseling, e-books, and more.

If you need help with this document or any of the information listed, please contact your teacher directly.

IAA Learning from Home Document

The following is from the Superintendent’s message on 4/13/2020.

One thing I want to make sure to remind parents, and I hope this was clear on Thursday, even as we move to Continuity of Learning, this will not be “school as usual.” I want all of us to be careful to manage our expectations. While we want your students to learn, I hope you do not plan or expect them to be in front of a computer with their teachers from 7:30-3 PM or later every day. The workload will increase and our teachers will work hard to deliver your child’s education, but virtual learning will require effort and patience from all of us.

Parent Expectations

• Parents are not expected to instruct or teach their students beyond their normal practice.

• WE are asking parents to partner with their school to monitor students.

• The primary support parents can offer is to encourage and help students to engage.

• We also need you to regulate the balance between work time and rest time.

• Create a mentally healthy environment.

• The expectation is that parents are following up with teachers and principals as needed.

Attendance: As we move into Continuity of Learning, the State is requiring that we take attendance. Each school has a system set up for taking attendance and if you haven’t already, you will be learning more from your Principal this week. Please note that attendance will be considered and tracked through a combination of student and parent interactions, so parents, if your teachers or principals are trying to contact you, please do your best to be in touch.

Schedules: Beginning this week, you will be receiving increased communication and more educational requirements from your teachers. These will come in the form of emails, weekly newsletters, and phone calls. Teachers will also be using virtual platforms to connect with students such as Google Hangouts, and classroom work/interaction through Seesaw (K-5) and Unified Classroom (6-12). Teachers will communicate with every student at least twice a week and will communicate weekly learning expectations, including learning targets and assignment details at the beginning of every week. During the week, grades 6-8 will also have virtual Team Check-Ins and grades 9-12 will have virtual Study Groups.

Curriculum: For all students, we are working to provide a combination of technology and non-technology dependent options. This is especially important for our K-2 families, not all of whom have the technology to access online learning at this time.

Teacher Office Hours: This week, your teachers will also be communicating pre-set “Office Hours” during which you can be sure to reach them with questions and concerns. These office hours are in addition to the work teachers are doing to prepare lessons and conduct instruction. They are designed so that you can know when your instructor can be reachable on short notice to help with assignments and learning needs. For Pre-K through 5, these will happen twice a week, and 6-12, three times a week.

Technology: Many of our educators may choose to use a video conferencing tool from Google called Hangouts/Meet to connect online with students in the absence of face-to-face classes. Students and families should know that we are making every effort to protect privacy rights and adhering to state and federal guidelines, including giving parents of students under the age of 13 the ability to opt-out of virtual conferencing. Our Technology Interventionists have created a document (“BSD Guidelines and Information for Families: Online Meetings with Students”) designed to help you navigate video conferencing with your students. Please read it today. 

Grading and Assessing Learning: Based on guidance from the AOE, teachers are identifying the high leverage concepts and priority standards/proficiencies as a framework for providing instruction during remote learning. Students will be assessed on these concepts and standards using a combination of formative and summative tools. Classroom teachers will share their assessment plans with families as part of their weekly communication. Your school’s administrator will cover more specifics about grading/reporting as it relates to 4th quarter and end of year in their future updates.

Appreciation: Finally, I hope you will please take a minute to join me in thanking BSD’s Multilingual Liaisons. As I shared on Thursday, 16% of our students identify as new English Learners, Our liaisons have been working tirelessly to help us translate updates, messages, and information over the past two weeks, and each of our more than 550 EL families in the District has received at least two one-on-one conversations during this time. The number of requests for their services, while always high, has grown incredibly during this time, and liaisons are doing an amazing job keeping up. Thank you, Team!

Thanks for reading another long update. Please remember that you can still submit questions about Continuity of Learning via our google form, and you can find a lot of information on our Coronavirus webpage.

Stay safe, stay healthy, and remember physical distancing is working.
Superintendent Obeng

If you or someone in your family is losing pay due to the coronavirus epidemic, you should fill out a Free and Reduced-Price Meals Application today, and apply for 3Squares Benefits, even if you have already filled out these applications this year or have never been eligible in the past.

The thresholds have been lowered and more benefits have been added.

More information on both below, please do this TODAY!

On Monday, March 16, Superintendent Obeng sent the following note to BSD staff, families, and stakeholders regarding current preparations as BSD plans to follow Governor Scott’s directive to close all schools starting Wednesday, March 18. Please see all Superintendent updates and the most current information on our Coronavirus webpage. 

March 2, 2020

Dear Students, Parents, Faculty, and Staff, 

We look forward to welcoming everyone back from break. School will be open on Wednesday as planned. 

In the Burlington School District, the health, safety, and well-being of our students and staff are our top priorities. I want to share that we are proceeding with an abundance of caution regarding the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). 

As this is a rapidly changing situation, I have established a District Health Team tasked with looking at on-going actions and communication regarding coronavirus. We will continue to work closely with public health officials at the local and state levels to monitor the spread of the virus. 

BSD has been in contact with the Vermont Agency of Education (AOE) who has been monitoring the situation closely with the Department of Health. In an update memo on Friday, February 28th, the AOE provided the following suggestions and guidance:

 “Many of the precautions that help prevent other respiratory diseases, like colds and the flu, can also help keep an illness like COVID-19 from spreading:

 ✔ Frequent handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. (Don’t forget thumbs and in between your fingers.)

✔ Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

✔ Avoid close contact with people who are sick. 

✔ Cover your cough or sneeze with your sleeve or a tissue. Throw the tissue in the trash. 

✔ Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces. 

✔ Stay home when you are sick.”

Going forward, we will assemble a Q & A for questions that come in and provide regular updates including one later this week. In the meantime, please visit the Vermont Department of Health’s COVID-19 website or dial 2-1-1 for more information. 

Thank you for reading. 

Superintendent Obeng

The first day of the 2020/2021 school year for students in Burlington School District is August 26, 2020.

The full calendar will be presented in April at a Board meeting, but for now please pencil it in!