The 802 Ed
What's going on in Vermont's education policy and practice
Welcome back!
This issue covers many topics that are immediately useful like the continuing concerns about the nominee for Secretary of Education, advice for rural school leaders, and a call for presenters at a regional education conference. Be sure to check out the latest on possible changes to our state’s education finance system!
New to the lingo? At the suggestion of a reader we include a guide to common abbreviations, just scroll down past the news.
- Steven Berbeco, Editor
School Leadership
“My Background Is in Public Education.” Zoie Saunders, nominee for Secretary of Education, pushes back at recent criticism in a recent sit-down interview with WCAX. Vermont Public has also published an interview and transcript.
Alison Novak from Seven Days VT digs into Saunders’ past professional experience, including a review of school board meetings from the nominee’s time in Florida.
Opinion pieces are showing up in VT Digger from an experienced educator who argues that the governor has “failed Vermont’s students and citizens spectacularly” with this nomination, and a state senator who met with the nominee and feels she is “not qualified to lead the Vermont public education system.”
A senior contributor to Forbes points to Saunders’ background in charter schools and wonders “if some choice-loving matchmaker was involved” in the decision to select her for the position.
The VSBA submitted a letter to the Senate Committee on Education stating that the school boards are “extremely concerned” about the possible appointment of Saunders.
The Vermont Political Observer wryly suggests that the administration has bundled up Saunders in bubble wrap to shield her from criticism, and predicts that the Senate won’t go further than a “cosmetic review” of her nomination.
The Senate Committee on Education will hold a hearing on the confirmation of Saunders on Tuesday, April 23 at 2 pm, accessible online.
Kinder, Gentler Email. Higher Ed Jobs offers advice on small changes in tone and wording that can help to reduce workplace burnout.
“Slow Burn Crisis Mode.” In a recent VT Digger commentary, a former Vermont principal lays out the scope of the school construction problem in the state and the enormous cost of not taking immediate action. This was a popular item in last issue, so here it is again for readers who may have missed it.
“Hearts Are Broken” at College Closing. Goddard College recently announced that it will shut its doors for financial reasons, with students given the option to continue their studies at other colleges without a change in tuition rate.
No Means No. Several school boards are still trying to get a budget to pass, according to VT Digger, with at least a dozen communities now in round three of voting.
Lighten The Load. Education Week offers several suggestions to school leaders on how to take tasks off teachers’ plates and give them more time and brain space for preparation and classroom teaching.
Advice for Rural School Leaders. Edutopia offers suggestions on being “highly visible and widely available” for new and experienced principals in communities that are spread out, and the recommendations may be relevant to other communities, too.
Heads Up, Vermont. States are taking innovative steps to support their students and Vermont school leaders and lawmakers should take note:
Illinois is looking to become the first state to legislate mental health wellness days for college students.
House and Senate bills in Missouri would mandate media literacy for elementary and high school students.
School Shootings in 2024. Education Week’s tracker has logged 11 school shootings in 2024. “On April 12, a student shot and injured another student inside a classroom at Wilmer-Hutchins High School in Dallas, Texas.” Total school shootings in 2023: 38. As a reminder, DPS and AOE operate an anonymous school safety tip line for students, school staff, and their community: calling 1-844-SAFE4VT; texting SAFE4VT to 274637; or online at safe4vt.org. For questions about school safety training in Vermont, contact Rob Evans.
Reader Survey
In each issue we ask a survey question to get a sense of what is on our readers’ minds. Then, the following issue, we report back on what we learned.
Last issue we asked: Whose responsibility is it to find funding for school construction costs across the state? Almost all of the responses were in favor of The state’s legislature should develop a spending plan. A very small number of responses selected AOE’s new Secretary of Education should propose a solution, and no one thought that Local communities need to figure it out on their own is a good idea.
This issue’s survey question: How will the Senate vote on the Secretary of Education’s confirmation? Please indicate your response by clicking a check mark.
✅ Overwhelmingly in favor
✅ Definitely against confirmation
✅ It’s going to be a nail-biter!
Thank you to the reader from the Northeast Kingdom who suggested that survey question. What’s on your mind? Suggest a survey question to find out how your colleagues respond in an upcoming issue of the 802 Ed!
Job Listings
Superintendent/Director. The Southwest Vermont Regional Technical School District is seeking a highly motivated, experienced, and dynamic leader in Career and Technical Education (CTE) to oversee our district and develop, implement, and evaluate all aspects of our CTE initiatives. Strong applicants will have a Master's degree in education, educational leadership, or a related field, and three or more years of experience in PK-12 teaching, educational administration, and workforce development, as well as a successful track record of working collaboratively with business and industry. Sponsored by Southwest Vermont Regional Technical School District
Supercharge The Applicant Pool. The market for school staff in Vermont is fierce and it’s important to stand out when attracting quality candidates. Why get wedged in among thousands of open positions on SchoolSpring? Your opportunity can stand out in an upcoming issue of the 802 Ed, dropping into the Inbox of thousands of readers. Sponsored by 802 Ed
The Big List. Josh Czupryk compiles and publishes a monthly spreadsheet with more than 400 job opportunities for remote work in K-12 education.
Looking for a Change? With so many open positions in education, there are sometimes unusual opportunities. For example, the University of Vermont posted a position for a Standardized Patient Educator, who teaches actors to act like sick or injured patients as part of medical students’ training.
Thank The Team
You read it, you love it, and now is a good time to say thanks. Cover our coffee budget! Writing, editing, researching… all of that is caffeine driven. Choose this option and the extra energy will go to finding a few more updates to share.
Note from The Editor
The week after a major event like an eclipse can feel like a time for New Year’s Eve style resolutions. I’m no exception, and so it isn’t such a surprise that I found myself at a road race this past weekend together with three thousand of my closest friends. We stood shoulder to shoulder waiting for the starting gun.
Now, I’m a tall fellow and stood a head above many of the other runners. From this giraffe’s eye view I could see the first dozen runners start and then slowly more and more going from standing still to slow trot to a decent enough pace.
Many people in this situation might have thought about the excitement of group events, or whether it would start raining before the course was finished, or even if one had remembered to lace the sneakers tightly enough.
But me, I was thinking about the legislature’s yield bill.
This normally mundane piece of legislation sets tax rates for the education system. It starts in a committee whose title sounds like it should be deciding more metaphysics than tax code and ordinarily pops out for a vote without much fanfare.
This year’s yield bill, though, has been acting a little differently. When it was first introduced, the legislation included substantive changes to the education finance system. The reaction from the V’s (the VSBA, VSA, VPA, and VSBO) was swift, and a hearing was set up so that the committee could take testimony on the recommendations, which were incorporated into the bill.
The quick movement back and forth has been enough to leave one out of breath. It’s kind of like if I had started running before everyone around me and then knocked over a bunch of people along the way. The better decision is to move at the same pace as everyone else, as perhaps a committee could have benefitted from checking in with education associations before packing surprises into a tax bill.
The education system in Vermont seems exhausted from this and other recent surprises, reflected perhaps in the total number of job openings across the state as presented in the chart below. Typically the data points bump up and down daily with great swings from week to week. Instead it’s been a relative flatline for the past couple of months.
Sure, education in Vermont will continue whether or not the yield bill says one thing or another. But wouldn’t we rather be in a better place than I ended up, coming in 1,778th and with a painful charley horse?
The chart below tracks the total number of openings in the 60 days prior to publication, presented as data points and a linear trend line. Data from SchoolSpring.
Pass It On
Like what you are reading? Hit the button below to send a copy to a colleague, friend, neighbor, your boss… whoever!
Colleagues on the Move
Congratulations to leaders who are making a change! There is a lot of movement among the 95 school leadership positions that have opened since January. Data from VPA.
Andy Weis, currently instructional coach at South Burlington School District, will be principal at Robinson Elementary School this summer. He is taking over from Edorah Frazer.
Heather Hawkins, currently assistant principal at Enosburg Falls High School, will be assistant principal at Enosburg Falls Middle School this summer. She is taking over from Julie Kittell.
Laura Nugent, currently director of special education for Middlebury Schools, will be director of student support at Addison Northwest School District this summer. She is taking over from Peter Garrecht.
Congratulations also to these colleagues who received administrator licensure from AOE since the last issue of the 802 Ed! Data from AOE.
Bjorn Behrendt • Principal
Kerra Holden • Principal
Jeanne Segretto • Principal
Do you know a colleague who has made a recent move? Let us know!
Grants & Opportunities
UVM’s Summer U for Teachers And Educators. Summer U at the University of Vermont isn't just for current students – it's an ideal time for teachers and educators to grow professionally as well. With flexible education and social services professional development courses specifically tailored for educators, you can delve into new teaching methodologies, stay abreast with the latest educational technologies, or enrich your curriculum development skills. What's more, most courses are priced at 30% less than the standard academic-year tuition, making this an affordable opportunity for professional growth. Take advantage of our three summer sessions to enhance your expertise without compromising your summer rejuvenation time. Discover how you can inspire future generations more effectively through UVM’s Summer U professional development courses for educators. Sponsored by the University of Vermont, Professional and Continuing Education.
Teach Financial Literacy. Champlain College’s Center for Financial Literacy is offering 20 graduate course scholarships for middle and high school educators from New England and New York for a class on how to bring financial literacy topics into the classroom. Deadline to apply is April 25.
Experience College Life at UVM This Summer. UVM Summer Academy is an immersive, 4-week, for-credit academic program designed for high school students who have completed 10th, 11th, or 12th grade. Our program offers high school students the incredible opportunity to experience what it’s like to be in college during the summer, living on campus for two weeks while they learn. Participants will study alongside high school students from across the country, learn from renowned professors, and earn three transferable college credits. Students can choose from Health and Medicine courses taught by Larner College of Medicine faculty, as well as a new Intro to Forensics and Crime Scene Investigation course. A commuter option is also available for students who do not require on-campus housing. Applications are being accepted now. Sponsored by the University of Vermont, Professional and Continuing Education.
Student for State Board of Education. The Governor’s Office is seeking a student representative to the State Board of Education for a two-year term, which is a non-voting seat the first year and a voting seat the second year. Deadline is April 26.
Virtual Teacher Exchange. The Smithsonian is inviting applications for a six week stipended teacher exchange program, with travel expenses covered for a five day training, with a focus question: How has your community played a role in 250 years of the American experiment? Deadline is April 29.
Millions for Mental Health. The U.S. Department of Education recently announced a grant competition for schools to support school-based mental health with awards ranging from $500k to $3 million. Deadline is April 30.
Leadership Conference Presenters. NEASC is seeking school leaders and thought leaders to present at the November conference in Boston. Proposal deadline is May 20.
New Spin on DEI. Vermont Afterschool is hosting an interactive webinar, facilitated by a member of the State of Vermont’s Office of Racial Equity, on how to short-circuit some biases. 10:30am - noon, May 23.
F-35 Photo Op. The Vermont Air National Guard announced its annual Educator Day, including lunch, for school staff to learn more about the facilities and mission. 9am - 1pm, May 31.
If You Missed It
Keeping Kids Safe. Congratulations to Nicole Williams, school counselor at Albert D. Lawton School, for receiving the lifetime achievement award from KidSafe Collaborative!
Cheaper Child Care. Public Service Announcement: the state’s financial assistance program changed recently to allow more families to access funding for child care, including afterschool programs. For instance, a family of four making $124,800 a year can get help paying for child care.
The 802 Ed brings together the latest from Vermont's associations for principals, superintendents, and school board members, as well as state and national education agencies. We hope that you'll find something useful in each issue and welcome comments or suggestions for upcoming issues: editor@802ed.com.
Abbreviation list: AASA School Superintendents Association, ADM Average Daily Membership, AHS Agency of Human Services, AOE Agency of Education, CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDD Child Development Division, CVTSE Coalition for Vermont Student Equity, DAIL Department of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living, DCF Department for Children and Families, DMH Department of Mental Health, DPS Department of Public Safety, ED U.S. Department of Education, FERPA Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act, NAEYC National Association for the Education of Young Children, NEASC New England Association of Schools and Colleges, PBIS Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, RFP Request for Proposals, SBE State Board of Education, SEL Social Emotional Learning, VEHI Vermont Education Health Initiative, VPA Vermont Principals Association, VREC Vermont Rural Education Collaborative, VSA Vermont Superintendents Association, VSBA Vermont School Board Association, VTCLA Vermont Curriculum Leaders Association, VTSU Vermont State University.
Special bonus for making it to the bottom: Fretting about learning the guitar? Keyed up about the piano? Not to worry, now there is a short tutorial on how to play the musical saw. Thanks, Daybreak!