Burlington School District invites you to join us for “Legacy and Light: A Celebration of Black Heritage & Excellence.” This free community event will take place on Saturday, February 15th, from 1-3:30 at Hunt Middle School and will feature live music, arts, food, and student presentations. 

The event is another way we are working to ensure students are seen, heard, and treated with the utmost respect and dignity they deserve. It is also a way to continue our work to ensure that our students feel a sense of belonging, well-being, and pride in our schools and the greater community, using the necessary resources to nurture excellence and develop the inter-beauty these students already possess. No registration is required… we hope to see you there!

Join us for performances by: 

• Rajnii Eddins
• BSD Slam Poetry Cipher
• Jeh Kulu
• Congolese Dance (tentative)
• BSD Vocal & Instrumental Performances
• A2VT
• Green Mountain Gospel Choir

Following the live performances, attendees will enjoy a catered reception and have the chance to view student artwork centered around the theme. 

This event is proudly presented by BSD’s Office of Equity, as part of their Sankofa Project. Sankofa is a Twi word from the Akan people of Ghana that is used in Black History to represent the idea of learning from the past to create a better future. The mythical bird has its head turned backward while its feet point forward. The egg in the bird’s mouth represents the knowledge of the past that can be used to create wisdom. The word Sankofa translates to “go back and get it.” It’s based on the proverb, “It is not taboo to go back and fetch what you forgot.” For BSD’s Sankofa Project, we evoke this symbol and message to drive our goal of moving Black History & Excellence forward as a more prominent and consistent part of our school and community. Sometimes, we must return and bring those we left behind. 

In addition to this event, Sankofa Project initiatives include:

Sankofa Black History Calendar – Looking for Black History Month inspiration? Bring Black History to your classroom with this amazing Sankofa Black History Calendar that includes daily songs, quotes and educational materials for easy use. 

Reading to End Racism – A  national program that promotes cultural respect, social awareness, and literacy by hosting guests who read stories that address Black History, racism, and discrimination. Guests read a story to a class and share from their own experiences connected to the themes raised in the book, such as racism, resilience, and community, to name a few. 

Sharing our Story (March 26, 6-8PM, Edmunds Middle School) – Join us for a panel discussion highlighting women of the Global Majority as they share their stories. (More to come on this soon!)  

Join us on September 10th at 4 pm for The Playing Fields Project at Hunt Middle School, a free back-to-school celebration presented by The Flynn and Burlington School District. This year attendees will enjoy Cirque Kikasse’s spectacular circus performance from their extraordinary food truck, and dance to the vibrant sounds of the West Philadelphia Orchestra, blending Balkan and New Orleans brass. Don’t miss out—everyone is invited!

About Playing Fields – The Playing Fields Project is a back-to-school celebration that travels to school districts around Vermont. The project invites communities to gather together for joyful and awe-inspiring performances on school fields. This is the third year BSD and The Flynn have worked together to bring the celebration to BSD schools. Each year the performance is different and delightful.

The event is free and open to all. Join us as we celebrate the beginning of another great school year!

The Burlington School Board has unanimously approved the calendar for the 2024-2025 school year! For the first time, the CVSA has developed a regional calendar instead of doing it by county. This will help us align our calendars, better coordinate across the region, and meet the State laws for our technical centers that require us to have 175 common school days across the region. As a result, this year, there is very little opportunity for local decisions as we have committed as a region to much of the calendar already. You can access the calendar online or below; the biggest changes that are included in this regional calendar are:

• The first in-service day will be August 20th, with new staff orientation on August 19th.
• To recognize the days when many families are off for cultural and religious holidays, Yom Kippur, Diwali, and Eid are common days off next year. 
• Due to the additional holidays, districts in our region committed to August 26th as the first day for students. 
• Many districts have traditionally been in school on Indigenous Peoples Day, at the request of the Missisquoi people, to recognize and celebrate the day;  we will be part of the regional decision to be in session. 
• There is not a common day off in March after Town Meeting Day, so, in alignment with many of our regional districts we will hold spring conferences on March 4.
• The last day of school will be on or about June 12, 2025, depending on school closures.

Report Highlights Strategic Plan, Student Achievement, and Upcoming Budget Vote

In advance of Town Meeting Day, March 5, Burlington School District (BSD) has published a number of resources designed to help voters have all the information they need to vote on the School District’s proposed budget. BSD’s 2023 Annual Report is now available online along with a budget one-pager that explains next year’s proposed budget and a line item budget by function and by object. The documents are available at www.bsdvt.org, and Annual Reports can be found in BSD schools, at both Fletcher Free Library locations, the O.N.E. Community Center, City Hall, and DPW. 

“I’m excited to issue this year’s annual report because it shows really amazing work happening in our District,” said Superintendent Tom Flanagan. “This year’s report focuses on the work happening in our community-created Five Year Strategic Plan, highlights student achievement, breaks down next year’s budget, and shows how we’ve taken steps to change the way we teach literacy in elementary schools. I know there are ways we can continue to improve, and this report shows that we are on our way.”

Complete budget details can be found at www.bsdvt.org/budget. Town Meeting Day is March 5… don’t forget to vote! 

Burlington School District and The Flynn are thrilled to bring Playing Fields to HMS. This year, 12-foot tall, luminous horses light up your fields and joust, dance, and play with the audience to bring a whimsical and surprising back-to-school celebration to the school district and surrounding community. Bring your friends, family, and neighbors to come play with us on Saturday, September 9. Doors open at 6:00 pm, show starts at 6:30 pm.

This event is FREE and open to everyone! Parking is available onsite at HMS and the event takes place on the playing fields.

Principal Alexander to Join HMS Staff July 1

Burlington, VT Melanee Alexander has been named principal of Hunt Middle School (HMS), effective July 1. On June 20th, the Burlington Board of School Commissioners voted unanimously to support Burlington School District (BSD) Superintendent Tom Flanagan’s recommendation that Alexander step into the role. Alexander is currently an Assistant Principal for Burlington High School, where she has worked the past two years. 

“I am thrilled to welcome Principal Alexander as the next leader of HMS,” said Flanagan. “In her time at BHS, she has proven to be a strong leader who puts students at the heart of decision-making and works collaboratively with educators. She believes in building a school culture based on deep learning, high expectations, and close relationships. She has been a committed leader and has made a significant impact in our district in her two years at BHS. I know she will carry this forward and be a great asset to Hunt Middle School.”

“I am very excited to join the HMS team,” said Principal Alexander. “This spring I had an opportunity to connect with HMS students who were giving end-of-year presentations. It was clear to me that HMS students are engaged, excited about learning, and passionate about equity issues and connecting classroom learning to their community. I know that this passion and commitment is fostered by the staff in place at HMS. I cannot wait to join this great staff and these amazing young people.”  

Flanagan noted that Principal Alexander made a great impact as an instructional leader for Math, English, and World Language at BHS, and also practices a “warm-demander” style of leadership where boundaries and expectations are clear and set with love. “Ms. Alexander received support from current HMS staff and families for these commitments and more, and I am confident that she will build on these strengths and do great work as the next leader of Hunt.” 

Melanee Alexander joins new HMS Assistant Principal Megan Munson-Warnken who was approved by the board on June 6 and who will also begin on July 1. Munson-Warken comes to Hunt from Burlington’s Sustainability Academy where she served as Student Success Coordinator and as interim principal.