Burlington School District

Test to Stay Information

Posted by

BSD is implementing the voluntary Vermont Agency of Education antigen Test to Stay (TTS) program.

TTS is used when unvaccinated students are identified as a close contact of a confirmed case of COVID-19 while they were in school. The intention of TTS is to allow students who would otherwise be required to quarantine to remain in school; keeping in mind that vaccinated individuals who are close contacts are not required to quarantine. 

TTS is only for students who are not fully vaccinated and who are: (1) asymptomatic, and; (2) identified as close contacts of a positive case that they encountered at school. It replaces the need for unvaccinated and partially vaccinated individuals to quarantine and miss school days, however, students who are not fully vaccinated are still expected to quarantine at home, including in the evening and on the weekends.

How can my student participate in the Test to Stay program?

In order for your student to participate in the Test to Stay program, please complete these two forms:

  1. Test to Stay Consent Form – parent/guardian consent for student participation
  2. SimpleReport – reports the results of testing to parents/guardians

How does the Test to Stay program work?

If you have consented for your student to participate in the Test to Stay program, you will receive a notification from your student’s school if they have been identified as a close contact of a positive case.

In most cases, TTS will start that same day or the next morning, with your student receiving a rapid antigen test at their school. Students will be given a rapid antigen test in the school building. It takes 15 minutes for us to get the results 

  • If your student tests negative, they may remain at school and participate in school-sponsored activities that only involve students from your school. 
  • If your student tests positive, they will be considered positive for COVID-19 and will need to enter a period of isolation for 10 days. 

Daily antigen testing will continue on school days for seven days after the last exposure; if “Day 7” falls on a day when school is closed, we will test students the first day back as their last test. (This does not apply to long “breaks” of school when a PCR test would come back first.) If your student develops symptoms at any point, inform the school, seek a PCR test right away, and keep your student at home and away from others. 

Your student will not be tested on the weekends, but needs to remain in quarantine, meaning they should not participate in other activities, go to the grocery store, or spend time with friends and others outside of their household. It is important to note that this Test to Stay program is only for attendance at school or on-campus school-sponsored activities. Any unvaccinated student identified as a close contact is expected to quarantine for all other activities, aside from medical appointments, for a total of 14 days with the option to test out of quarantine with a negative PCR test result on or after day 7 from last exposure. While participating in Test to Stay, close contacts take rapid antigen tests for a total of 7 school days, and if negative all 7 days may leave quarantine.  Test to Stay participants may not attend school activities that involve students from other schools, such as sports or scholastic competitions.

If at any point your student develops symptoms:  

  1. Do not send your student to school and keep your child home.  
  2. Call your student’s health care provider or make an appointment through the Vermont Department of Health to schedule a PCR test.   
  3. If your student is having a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 or go to the hospital.  
  4. If your student doesn’t have a provider, call 2-1-1 to be connected to a clinic in your area.  
  5. People with mild illness can treat their symptoms at home: help your student get plenty of rest, drink plenty of fluids, and take fever-reducing medication if needed.  

Still have questions?

BSD to Host Pediatric Vaccine Clinics

Posted by

On November 2nd, the State of Vermont approved a COVID19 Vaccine for children ages 5-11. In preparation for this announcement, Burlington School District worked with representatives from the Vermont Department of Health to allow our six elementary schools to host school-based vaccination clinics. 

On November 3rd, the healthvermont.gov website opened to parents and began accepting appointments for children to get their first dose of the vaccine. 

Our clinics will be hosted at: 

  • Flynn Elementary, November 9th from 11 am to 5 pm
  • Sustainability Academy, November 10th from 2-4 pm
  • Integrated Arts Academy, November 10th from 9-12 am
  • CP Smith, November 12th from 11 am to 5 pm
  • Edmunds Elementary, November 17th from 11 am to 5 pm
  • Champlain Elementary, November 19th from 11 am to 5 pm

To attend one of these clinics, families should schedule an appointment online. If you have trouble signing up online, you can also try to make an appointment by calling 855-722-7878. 

Finally, we want to let you know that within 24 hours of our school clinics being available, we learned that many spots were already full. If this is the case, you still have options! Please remember, 

  • Your child can get a vaccine at ANY available school site that has open spots (you do not have to go to the clinic at your school, or even in your District or county) 
  • You may also arrange for your children to be vaccinated at a local pharmacy 
  • You can check with your child’s pediatrician’s office. 

Questions about Vaccines for children? The Vermont Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics is hosting a number of webinars between now and December 15:

All events will be from 7pm to 8pm via Zoom on the following dates:

BSD’s Equitable Budgeting Kickoff Oct. 4!

Posted by

School districts across Vermont are entering into “Budget Season” and Burlington School District (BSD) is pleased to announce a new budgeting model that will place more control of school budgets in the hands of principals and school communities. The District’s new “Equitable Budgeting and Staffing Model” strives to allocate resources based on student enrollment and need, seeks to build school-based engagement, and creates a new equity allocation for schools to use in efforts to close the opportunity gap. Leaders will share how budgeting will look different this year at a virtual “Equitable Budgeting Kickoff” event on October 4th at 6 PM over Zoom. Changes have also been laid out in a new BSD Budget Development Guide.

“I’m really pleased to be embarking on this new way of thinking about funding schools,” said BSD Superintendent Tom Flanagan. “We’ve spent the last year working with district leaders, teachers, students, and stakeholders on a model that is fair, predictable, equity-focused, and empowering for principals who know their buildings and student needs better than anyone.”

New to the budget process will be the Recognizing Injustice and Seeking Equity (or RISE) Allocation that each school will receive. After determining baseline staff models and resource needs, each school will receive an additional sum of money designed to help schools implement ideas and strategies designed to close the opportunity gap that exists in BSD. RISE Allocations will be based on a weighted pupil formula based, in part, on the Pupil Weighting Factors Report prepared by the Vermont Agency of Education in partnership with the University of Vermont, Rutgers University, and American Institutes for Research. Once funds for schools are determined, school leaders will work with School Advisory Groups to identify focus areas of needs and create proposals to address those needs. 

“This is a great step towards our school district and our community living our values around equity,” said Kevin Robinson, Principal of Integrated Art Academy and a member of the Equitable Budget and Staffing Work Group. “I am excited about the possibilities this will offer principals and community members to have more say in how schools are funded, and how those funds may create more equitable outcomes for students.” 

The public is invited to learn more about this new Equitable Budgeting and Staffing Model at a kickoff event on October 4th at 6 PM virtually over Zoom; the meeting will also be streamed and recorded on the District YouTube channel. 

Visit our Facebook page to RSVP and invite your friends and colleagues. See you there!

Kindergarten Registration and Virtual Town Halls

Posted by

If you have a child turning five on or before September 1, 2021, it is time to register them now for Kindergarten!

Registration can only be done online through the district website.  When registering, be careful to choose the correct school year you are registering for.  For example, if you’re registering your kindergartener for 2021, you’ll want to choose 2021/2022. If you have any trouble, please call Kelly McDonald, our central office Administrative Assistant, at (802) 865-5332 between the hours of 8 am and 2 pm M-TH, and until 12pm on Fridays.

To complete registration, you will need:
1) a copy of the child’s birth certificate or other proof of age
2) a copy of their immunization records
3) proof of residency.

QUESTIONS ABOUT KINDERGARTEN AND THE REGISTRATION PROCESS?

Learn about the day in the life of a kindergartener.

In a normal year, we would extend the offer to join us at Kindergarten Information Sessions in your community and at each school, where you could hear from kindergarten teachers, talk to our Afterschool team, connect with our Preschool director, and ask questions of the registration team. Due to Covid-19 Restrictions, we are offering alternatives to learn more about our schools. Starting on February 9, we will be offering pre-recorded and live introductions to the kindergarten experience and to each individual school. The dates for these are shown below. Links will be available on all school websites by Monday. 

Here’s a video with more information about going to Kindergarten.

Virtual Town Halls

Where possible, we’ve added recordings of past town halls below. Unfortunately, due to technical difficulties, we were not able to capture town halls from all schools. They can also be seen on the BSD Youtube channel.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

Champlain Elementary: Champlain’s mission is to provide opportunities for students to achieve their personal best, become responsible and productive citizens, and embrace lifelong learning. Striving for academic excellence in our caring, diverse learning community represents our highest ideal. Champlain’s faculty, families, and community partners plant and harvest together in our school gardens and cook healthy treats in our classrooms with a mobile kitchen. Our students learn in our forest and outdoor classroom, and especially enjoy our annual fall Harvest Fest and community focused events. Located in the South End of Burlington at 800 Pine Street, Champlain serves approximately 260 students K-5. To learn more about upcoming activities and events, visit champlain.bsdvt.org, where you can read the principal’s blog and Champlain’s Family Handbook. Feel free to contact Principal Joe Resteghini at 864-8477 or jrestegh@bsdvt.org, see also the Champlain Community Facebook page to get a sense of community and read the Blue Notes.

C.P. Smith Elementary: C.P. Smith Elementary School is a Grades K-5 school of approximately 260 students located on Ethan Allen Parkway in Burlington’s New North End. Since 1959, we have worked hard to build a learning community that is respectful, responsible, and safe for all who come through our doors. We offer equal amounts of academic rigor and joy in a wide variety of hands-on learning activities. A focus on science, the environment and place-based education engages students in learning using the Ethan Allen Woods, the Community Sailing Center, Star Base, Shelburne Museum, and Shelburne Farms and other exciting venues in our area as extended classrooms. C.P. Smith serves a diverse population of students and strives to make sure each one of our students becomes an inquisitive learner and contributing citizen. We engage parents and guardians as vital partners in the education of their children. To learn more about upcoming activities and events, visit smith.bsdvt.org or contact Principal Len Phelan at 864-8479 or lphelan@bsdvt.org.

Welcome to Kindergarten At C.P. Smith

Edmunds Elementary: Recognized as an Exemplar School by the State of Vermont for the fifth consecutive year for our achievements in our climate and academics, we work continuously to provide an exciting and engaging school experience that balances developmental needs with academics. When touring EES, you will encounter happy learners as we work to meet students where they are. We are excited about our research based literacy program that is used around the world, that successfully addresses and meets the needs of all young children through sound, sight, motion and stories.  Walking field trips provide our students with ready access to the Flynn, the Fletcher Free Library, the Echo Science Center, UVM, as well as North Beach, Centennial Park, geological formations along the lake and the city center. To learn more about upcoming activities and events, visit the ees.bsdvt.org or contact Principal Bonnie Johnson-Aten at 864-­8473 or bjaten@bsdvt.org

John J. Flynn Elementary: Flynn School is a strong, community-based school where adults, parents and staff consistently focus on meeting the various needs of all students, helping them learn, play and laugh. It is a professional community that partners with a wide range of community organizations to support and enrich student learning. Some examples of our community partnerships include: ECHO Center, VT National Guard Starbase Program, Very Merry Theater, Burlington Community Sailing Center and the Flynn Theater. Located at 1645 North Avenue in the New North End of Burlington, Flynn serves approximately 340 Pre-K through 5th grade students. To learn more about upcomingactivities andevents, visit flynn.bsdvt.org or contact Principal Lashawn Whitmore-Sells at 864-8478 or lsells@bsdvt.org

Integrated Arts Academy (IAA): The mission of the IAA is to explore academic knowledge through intentional art experiences. Our diverse community collaborates and celebrates the world through meaningful learning and creative self-expression as we prepare students for success in the 21st Century. At this magnet school, students are learning through the lens of the four art forms: movement, drama, music and visual arts. IAA core partners include the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, Burlington City Arts and St. Michael’s College. Located at 6 Archibald Street in the Old North End of Burlington, IAA serves approximately 260 students in grades Pre-K-5. To learn more about upcoming activities and events, visit iaa.bsdvt.org or contact Principal Kevin Robinson at 864-8475 or krobinso@bsdvt.org.

Sustainability Academy (SA): The mission of SA is to educate and empower all students to improve the quality of life for all – economically, socially, and environmentally – now and for future generations. At SA, one of BSD’s two magnet schools, students are learning through the lens of sustainability by exploring our diverse society, our local economy, and the environment. We do this through hands-on, place-based and project-based learning. Education for Sustainability comes to life through SA’s learning environment. We use geothermal energy to heat and cool our building and solar panels to power our school! Additionally, at SA we have a thriving school garden that each of our classes use to cultivate fruits, flowers, and vegetables as a part of our curriculum. SA’s core partner is Shelburne Farms, which hosts all SA students for learning trips each school year. Located at 123 North Street in the Old North End of Burlington, SA serves approximately 180 students in grades Pre-K-5. To learn more about upcoming activities and events, visit sa.bsdvt.org or contact Principal Nina Oropeza at 864-8480 or noropeza@bsdvt.org

Food for Children During Break and Remote Days

Posted by

FREE FAMILY MEAL KITS

Burlington School Food Project is providing free boxes of food for families available at 10 sites throughout the city. Each meal kit is intended to cover breakfast, lunch, supper, and snacks for one child for one week (7 days)! You can pick up food boxes Friday, December 18, Wednesday, December 23rd, and Wednesday, December 30th. You can get one box per child in your household under 19 years of age, and you do not have to have your child with you to pick up food. Please see more information below or contact Doug Davis with any questions. 

Friday, December 18

3:00-4:30 PM BHS Parking, Sustainability Academy, Champlain Elementary 

5:00-6 PM Boys & Girls Club of Burlington

Riverside Apartments 12:30-1 PM (Time is approximate. Contact Boys & Girls Club if you need assistance.)

Salmon Run 12:45- 1:15 PM (Time is approximate. Contact Boys & Girls Club if you need assistance.)

Wednesdays, December 23rd and 30th 

3:00-4:30 PM BHS, Sustainability Academy, Champlain Elementary, Boys & Girls Club (this is a new time for the Club, for break weeks only) 

Bobbin Mill 11:00-11:30 AM

Franklin Square 11:00-11:30  AM

South Meadow 11:45 AM -12:15 PM

Northgate 11:45 AM -12:15 PM

Riverside Apartments 5:30 PM

Salmon Run 6:00 PM

Burlington School District to Raise Black Lives Matter Flag at all Schools

Posted by

Students to Lead Ceremonies Throughout November and December –
By Autumn Bangor and Russ Elek

 In July, the Burlington School District (BSD) joined the City of Burlington and other community partners in declaring Racism a Public Health Emergency. As part of the announcement, BSD committed to flying the Black Lives Matter flag at all school properties. On Tuesday, September 15, 2020, the Burlington Board of School Commissioners passed a resolution to support this effort and this November and December, all students at all BSD schools, as well as several community partners, will begin the process of raising the flags in small, private ceremonies. The work began on Friday, November 13 when students raised the flag at BHS, CP Smith, and Ira Allen PreSchool.

Students at CP Smith with BLM Flag

“The raising of the Black Lives Matter flag symbolically represents the commitments of allyship, anti-racist practices, diversity and inclusion, justice, and equity set forth by Burlington School District,” said Superintendent Tom Flanagan. “This is a great symbol of equity, but it is only a starting point. I’m proud of our principals and teachers who have taken the opportunity to connect these flag-raisings directly to classroom curriculum and learning. By having students involved in the ceremonies and age-appropriate conversations around race and equity, we can ensure that the flags are truly an outward representation of what is happening inside our schools.”

BSD’s Office of Equity has spent the last several months working directly with students, teachers, and administrators to embed anti-racist curriculum and assist schools in raising the flag. They also developed Black Lives Matter FAQ to share with staff and community.

BHS students with Principal by BLM Flag on flagpoleBecause each school’s ceremony will be student-led, no two will look alike. Some will feature speeches, readings, or artwork, others will feature students singing or participating in drum circles, and one school will even feature a live performance from A2VT. Though every ceremony will look different, all will be rooted in themes of social justice, anti-racism, and equality. Schools are supplementing the events through classroom activities such as creating Black Lives Matter-themed artwork, crafting anti-racist statements, holding class-wide discussions, and utilizing Restorative Practices techniques such as community circles and one-on-one check-ins.

“We are living in a historic moment of racial reckoning as we watch our country come to terms with its history and present while living within the dual pandemics of racism and Covid-19 and the disproportionate impact on BIPOC communities,” said BSD Director of Equity, Sparks. “Systemic racism and racial injustice have a presence in our everyday lives, continuing to foster fear, trauma, and inequity, while undoubtedly denying our neighbors and fellow community members who are people of color their most fundamental rights. We at BSD strongly denounce racism in all its forms and we are dedicated to examining our practices, policies, and procedures in order to eradicate systemic racism in our school community. We believe Black Lives Matter and stand in solidarity with Black students, faculty, and staff, and we are grateful for the efforts of Burlington High School and Edmunds Middle School students who helped open our eyes and pave the way by working to raise the BLM flag at their schools.”

Sparks noted that student activists have long been asking for racial injustice to be recognized at the BSD. In February 2018, BHS Social Justice Union activists petitioned the BSD School Board to raise the Black Lives Matter flag at BHS, becoming the second school in Vermont and the second school in the nation to do so. The following year, EMS students, with the help of the University of Vermont-supported Youth-led Participatory Action Research group successfully petitioned to raise a BLM flag on the Edmunds campus.

“As our nation grapples with anti-Black violence, we recognize that systemic racism has persisted in our nation for centuries and we acknowledge the part that schools play in ending this plague,” Superintendent Flanagan added. “There is much work to be done and while the flag’s symbolism is important, our solidarity must be backed by actions such as the ones happening in our classrooms today.”

Due to COVID protocols, this year’s ceremonies will be smaller and will not be open to the public. However, many of the ceremonies will be captured through videos and photos and shared through school and District social media and newsletters in the coming weeks. RETN at the Media Factory will also work with the District to create a video showcasing efforts across the District. The public is encouraged to tune into the District’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube accounts to see footage from the events.

Free Family Meal Kits Wednesdays and Fridays

Posted by

Please spread the word. Beginning Wednesday, September 16, BSD’s Burlington School Food Project will provide FREE “Family Meal Kits” for all children under 19 years old! Kits are available Wednesdays and Fridays and contain kitchen staples, produce, drinks, heat and eat meals, and snacks.
 
***NEW*** We are also offering Vegetarian Meal Kits. See the images below for examples of the types of foods available in each kit.
 
ALL FAMILIES ARE WELCOME with no eligibility requirements. 

***Schedule and Locations (Every Wednesday and Friday)***

Wednesdays and Fridays from 3:00-4:30 PM:
BHS Parking Lot
Sustainability Academy
Champlain Elementary Parking Lot
 
Wednesdays from 4:00-5:00 PM and Fridays from 5:00-6 PM:
Boys & Girls Club of Burlington
 

How to Use the BSD Online Health Screening Tool in Powerschool

Posted by

In response to the August 11th update to the Agency of Education’s “A Strong and Healthy Start Guidance,” we have created a tool in PowerSchool that will allow families to complete student health screenings at home each morning before leaving for school. Please check out the video for a look at how to complete the daily form, then login to your BSD PowerSchool account to complete the screening.

Remember, it will be important to complete the screening before 7:30 AM each morning, if possible, because at 7:30 each morning, staff will download a report to see who has completed the screening. Those who did not complete the screening prior to 7:30 AM will have to complete the screening on-site prior to building entry. Once students arrive, staff will verify which students still need to be screened and confirm students are fever-free.

English

Arabic

Burmese

French

Karen

Kirundi

Maay Maay

Somali

Swahili

Spanish

BSD School Safety Task Force Application

Posted by

BSD invites members of the community to participate in a School Safety Task Force as requested in the Board of School Commissioners’ resolution passed on June 25, 2020. The resolution charges the School Safety Task Force with reviewing the role of School Resource Officers (SROs) and presenting recommendations to further the district’s policy goals of implementing all elements of Restorative Practices (RP) as part of the district priorities of equitable and safe inclusive schools.

Those interested in joining the School Safety Task Force should complete the application today.

The School Safety Task Force’s charge is to present a plan that accomplishes the following objectives:

– Identify and document the original intention of the SRO presence in the schools and the functions SROs perform in the school.

– Determine whether any of these functions must be performed by uniformed law enforcement officials. Which functions are done jointly with BSD staff?

– Develop options for alternative approaches that reinforce a restorative model for all of Burlington’s students/youth during and outside school hours.

– Ensure the safety of all of Burlington’s students/youth during and outside of school hours using a Restorative Practices model that eliminates the traumatizing effects associated with weapons, uniforms, and a police presence communicated by some of the district’s students and community members.

Per the resolution, the School Safety Task Force must be comprised not more than nine people, including school district leaders, school commissioners or their designee, a city councilor or their designee, a student, a parent, and a community member with lived experience with SRO’s, restorative practices, law enforcement, criminal justice reform, and youth development.

The School Safety Task Force will meet for at least two hours a week for two months and produce a report of recommendations by December 2020. This is a voluntary role; there is no compensation for participating in this Task Force. Applicants will need to be available to attend all meetings, both in-person and remotely.

Interested? Complete the School Safety Task Force application today.

Contact Info

Champlain Elementary School
800 Pine Street
Burlington, VT 05401

View map »

Tel: (802) 864-8477

Important Links

Important Contact Info

  • Main Office
    (802) 864-8477
  • School Nurse
    (802) 865-5300
  • Guidance Office
    (802) 864-8477 x 31105
  • Afterschool Program
    (802) 540-0285 x 71231
BurlingtonSchoolDistrict-white-small

Cultivating caring, creative, and courageous people. Join the journey!

Skip to content