Superintendent's Message
Violet Nichols
January 12, 2023
Dear Parents/Guardians and Staff,
Happy New Year! We are already two weeks into 2023 and this year promises to be an exciting time for our school district.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
All our schools kicked off the year with engaging lessons connected to the life and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Schools will be closed on Monday to commemorate him. We strive to meet the goal of true education every day in creating inquisitive, thoughtful lifelong learners.
The Wheels on The Bus are…being Energy Efficient
After a well deserved break, our bus drivers and monitors are working hard to get students safely to and from school and to their extracurricular activities. Three of our four news electric buses are humming along on their daily routes all while not emitting harmful emissions. Look out for those blue bumpers!
But like most of the country, the District is still impacted by a shortage of transportation staff. However, with some creative route sharing and the use of third-party transportation companies we are doing everything we can to fill the gaps.
On January 23rd, we will be participating in a statewide webinar called “Innovating School Transportation,” hosted by Energy Action Network and other local energy and transportation agencies. We will discuss opportunities for increasing equity, sharing the benefits of adding public transit options for students and staff, and where to find resources and support. In an effort to continue our innovative leadership in this energy space, we are looking forward to collaborating with school districts across the state to brainstorm on strategies for addressing these issues. We continue to appreciate your patience and understanding as we address these challenges.
Budget Information
The South Burlington School District budget and bond issue (see more on that below) is set for a vote on Town Meeting Day, March 7th. Yesterday our school board approved the budget so we are full steam ahead! Detailed information for FY 2024 can be found here.
Don’t forget these important dates!
Steering Committee budget presentations: Monday, January 23 at 6:30 p.m. at 180 Market Street or virtual at GoToMeeting
School board meetings in person/virtual (January 18, February 1, and February 15.) These meetings are recorded and available at The Media Factory
Pre-Town Meeting March 6 at 180 Market St. Auditorium and virtual on GoToMeeting (Links will be available on southburlington.gov closer to meeting dates)
Vote on Town Meeting Day: March 7
A few key points on the budget:
We have created a fiscally responsible budget that prioritizes the needs of our students.
Post pandemic academic, social, and emotional needs remain a priority
FY 2024 will see a 7.71% increase in the local expenditure budget
South Burlington’s proposed education property tax rate would increase by 3.96% versus last year, but is still below the average rate over the past five, ten and fifteen years in the city
To that end, we have:
Looked at student to staff ratios and prioritized student-facing positions
Evaluated cost-saving options
Closed some unfilled requisitions
Explored new staffing models to find efficiencies
Developed a plan to address population growth in the area and overcrowding in the class through….
ZEMs!
How could you not be excited about something called ZEMs? Since our district is known for being an innovation leader, we are once again finding creative solutions to assure our students are thriving, thanks to the recommendation of our Enrollment Committee.
A major factor in the bond issue that is on the table is the construction of 8 ZEM (Zero Energy Modular) units, 4 at Rick Marcotte Central School and 4 at Orchard Elementary. The ZEMs are meant to address over enrollment and crowding in these schools. Here is a brief timeline of what led to this decision:
Last spring, the Enrollment Committee- which was composed of parents, educators, administrators, Board members, and community members- evaluated several options to address over enrollment. Those included:
Renovations/new construction
Redistricting
Moving 5th grade to the middle school
Zero Energy Modular units
Other portable units
They finalized their report in June and made the recommendation for the board to move forward with ZEMs because:
Orchard is currently over enrolled by 32 students, with another 12 expected
Rick Marcotte is over enrolled by 31 with another 24 expected
Further projections predict additional annual enrollment increases
That is multiple classrooms of students that we simply don’t have room for. Limited space is impacting the instructional strategies that teachers can employ and the bottom line is, our facilities should not be impacting instruction, the needs of our students should.
Initial estimates were under $1.5 million but that was before full renderings were done and factoring in inflation, work shortages, supply chain, and engineering costs, the estimate is now $6 million. While that may sound exorbitant, with the deployment of impact fees, 91% of the project costs will be potentially recognized as revenue beginning July 1st.
Maybe you’re asking, “hey Violet, what are impact fees?” Well, glad you asked.
They are required contributions from the private sector to offset the cost of public infrastructure. Infrastructure like schools, one reason many people are coming to our wonderful community! So while there are initial Bond costs to you, as a taxpayer, they will be lessened (by an estimated 91%) as these fees come in.
Broadband map
Community Discussions Regarding School Board Membership Expansion
Please join South Burlington School Board Chair, Dr. Travia Childs, and Student Representative, Carter Higgins, at one or both of the upcoming meetings regarding the topic of possible South Burlington School Board Member expansion.
The South Burlington Charter Committee is considering expanding the number of school board members from five (5) to seven (7). Please join us for a community discussion.
Passcode: 594064
Passcode: 790618
Dates to Note
January 16: MLK Day, No School
January 27: MS/HS Late Start at 10:35am
Elementary Early Release at 12:30pm
February 10: MS/HS Late Start at 10:35am
Elementary Early Release at 12:30pm
February 27-March 7: Winter Break, No School
March 13: Online registration for pre K and kindergarten beginsThank you for reading and I look forward to seeing what 2023 brings!
Violet