The 802 Ed
What's going on in Vermont's education policy and practice
Welcome back, and Happy Holi and Holy Week to those who celebrate!
This issue covers many topics that are immediately useful like the latest on Vermont’s new Secretary of Education, a multi-million dollar grant program to support student mental health, and updates on education related bills in the legislature. Be sure to check out our colleagues’ recent career transitions!
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
New Captain on Deck. Seven Days VT covers the announcement of Zoie Saunders as the state’s Secretary of Education, with a tepid welcome from the teachers’ union and the state’s Democratic Party chair.
Building A Better Staff Meeting. Education Week offers several tips on making your meetings more focused and meaningful. This was a popular item in last issue, so here it is again for readers who may have missed it.
“Alarm Bells Are Ringing.” Former Lieutenant Governor Doug Racine weighs in on the education funding debate by pointing out that the solution may come from focusing on the extraordinary costs of meeting students’ mental health needs.
Two Sides of The PD Coin. Education Week reports on a national survey of teachers and principals, highlighting that school leaders typically have a rosier picture of the professional development that is required of their teachers.
So They Didn’t Hire You. Higher Ed Jobs offers practical advice on how to bounce back in the face of a job rejection: “We don't fail, we either win or learn.”
Uncertain Future of Community Schools. VT Digger covers the pressure on a successful program that reduced student absenteeism by half, as the federal funding winds down and the House Committee on Education looks for more dollars.
Neither Nor. Vermont’s Senate has passed S.55, a bill about holding open meetings. This fast-moving train was amended to apply only to public bodies of the state, and wouldn’t apply to school boards if signed into law. Thanks for the tip, VSBA!
Speaking Truth to Power. Nearly a dozen school leaders recently gave testimony to a joint House Committees on Education and Ways and Means about the extraordinary pressures on school budgets.
Fail, fail, fail, fail, fail, fail, fail, fail, fail, fail, fail, fail, fail, fail, fail, fail, fail, fail, fail, fail, fail, fail, fail, fail, fail, fail, fail, fail, fail, and FAIL. The big news in education policy is the shocking number of school budgets that failed to pass on Town Meeting day, as of publication 29 defeated to 64 approved with more than two dozen more budgets waiting for results or scheduled for a vote at a later date. Update: Now 30 budgets have been defeated and 68 approved.
“State Censorship” of Schools. The Chester Telegraph published a heated letter to the editor about House bill H.848, which would permit AOE to withhold funding to schools in response to a mascot, nickname, logo, letterhead, team name, slogan, motto, or other identifier.
Beating The Absenteeism Bug. Education Week offers several practical tips on how students can lead the way in developing effective methods to bring their peers back to school more regularly.
Follow The Money. VT Digger’s Ethan Weinstein and Erin Petenko dig into the data and find that, since 2020, the number of religious schools that receive public funding for student tuition has more than doubled and the amount of funding has increased more than six times, up to more than $1 million annually.
Cuts Cuts Cuts. Valley News gives the update on nearly two dozen school staff positions that were cut in Hartford’s revised budget, after the board’s previous budget was voted down among many others on Town Meeting Day, and in an environment where school staff are “told to ‘F’ off on a regular basis.”
“Facebook Is Not Your Friend.” School Administrator gives the pen to a superintendent who points out man of the problems that social media can create among his leadership team.
Responding to Student Burnout. HigherEdJobs has a few suggestions from human-centered design to combat learners’ mental exhaustion, applicable to high school and college students alike.
Reading Gets A Boost. Seven Days VT covers the path of Senate bill S.204, which would require universal literacy screening for students. Meanwhile, still no movement on H.816, which would support universal mental health screening for this vulnerable population.
Smoke And Mirrors. VT Digger recently published Ken Fredette’s opinion piece about school spending in the context of “public schools taking it squarely on the jaw.”
Heads Up, Vermont. States are taking innovative steps to support their students and Vermont school leaders and lawmakers should take note:
New Mexico established a nearly $1 billion trust fund that supports free college tuition, joining seven other states.
Several states, including Vermont, are looking to join Florida in banning students’ use of cell phones in schools.
School Shootings in 2024. Education Week’s tracker has logged 10 school shootings in 2024. “On March 2, a student and an adult were shot and injured outside a high school basketball game in North Kansas City, Mo.” 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: How long will it take for all the school budgets to pass? The responses were pessimistic with most readers selecting A handful starting the new school year without an approved budget, fewer than half as many selecting A few stragglers coming in over the summer, and the smallest number of responses for Definitely all of them by end of the school year.
This issue’s survey question: What changes do you anticipate at AOE with the arrival of the new Secretary? Please indicate your response by clicking a check mark.
✅ Improved technical assistance and reporting for schools
✅ More talk about introducing charter schools in Vermont
✅ No significant changes at the agency
Thank you to the reader from Franklin County 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
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 this summer, there are sometimes unusual opportunities. For example, a beach park supervisor position was posted recently for those with aspirations to Baywatch… Burlington edition.
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
Springtime in Vermont brings mud season, the surprise snow storm, and the promise of warmer days ahead.
We are also in the early days of March Madness, where anyone and everyone can prove their mettle at predicting how college basketball teams will do when playing against each other. Humble brag, my bracket is rocking it with 370 points.
Choosing a bracket, or series of games, is partly about considering who has the stronger team. But it’s also an exercise in thinking about how the bracket continues to shrink with every iteration of a game.
The education job market in Vermont isn’t so different. The bracket here is the number of applicants who send in a resume for an open position.
March Madness is exciting because there are more than five dozen teams playing, and the education job market is interesting to watch, for some of us, because there are thousands of open positions at any time.
What if March Madness scaled back and set up a bracket among fewer teams? I would still participate, especially if UConn and Gonzaga were in it, but there would be less competition and so it wouldn’t be as clear that the final winners were the best in the nation.
Similarly, a constriction in the education job market, like the overall drop of more than a third in the past 60 days, suggests that there are fewer schools competing for the talent in the market. It’s potentially lousy news for the applicants out there who now have fewer potential matches that are driving distance from home.
March Madness culminates with a Final Four competition to determine the best of the best. Hopefully the education job market won’t continue to shrink to the point of only a handful of schools, though the effects of the failed budget votes may force many to significantly reduce the number of positions they are looking to fill.
The chart below tracks the number of openings for all school staff positions 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 these leaders who are making a change! There is a lot of movement among the 69 school leadership positions that have opened since January. Data from VPA.
Chelsea Myers, currently associate executive director of the Vermont Superintendents Association, will be executive director this summer. She is taking over from Jeff Francis.
Anne Bordonaro, currently director of federal programs at the Agency of Education, is also interim deputy secretary.
Brooke King, assistant principal at Malletts Bay School, will be principal at Lincoln Community School this summer. She is taking over from Victoria Riley.
Hannah Parker, currently interim principal at Brattleboro Union High School, will be principal this summer.
Jenna Whitehorne, currently special educator for Rutland City Public Schools, will be assistant principal at Rutland Intermediate School this summer. She is taking over from Megean Martin.
Congratulations also to these colleagues who received administrator licensure from AOE since the last issue of the 802 Ed! Data from AOE.
Garon Turcotte-Smail • Superintendent
Marc Dudsak • Principal
Paul Hammond • Principal
Robert Huff • Principal
Matthew Jensen • Principal
Rhonda Reece • 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.
Civics for All. Georgetown University is offering stipended summer professional development on supporting students’ civics and social emotional learning skills for grades 4 to 8. Applications accepted until program is filled.
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.
Building The Better Bridge. VTSU is hosting an engineering competition for middle school students who use popsicle sticks, glue, tooth picks, and dental floss to construct - and destroy! - a bridge. 8:30 am - 1 pm, March 28.
Keeping Kids Engaged. The Engage Every Student recognition program is accepting nominations for schools, non-profit organizations, and local governments that offer high quality afterschool and summer learning opportunities. Deadline is April 10.
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.
If You Missed It
Eclipsing It. Vermont Public offers several learning resources at different grade levels in preparation for the April 8 total eclipse in Vermont.
PEAPing for More Than Easter. The U.S. Department of Education recently announced this year’s President’s Education Awards Program (PEAP) Excellence and Achievement certificates, downloadable by school principals to recognize students who meet criteria set by the schools themselves.
Principals And Directors of The Year. Congratulations to our colleagues who have been recognized for their achievements:
Mary Anderson, Cambridge Elementary School
Mary Jane Stinson, Milton High School
Jean Berthiaume, Winooski Middle High School
Brian Emerson, River Bend Career & Technical Center
Michaela Wisell, Middlebury Union Middle School
Bianca McKeen, Rutland High School
Scott Blood, Blue Mountain Union School
Keeping Kids Safe. The U.S. Department of Education Secretary sent a letter to principals and superintendents about the importance of safe firearms storage, including a sample letter that can be sent to the school community.
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, 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: Pharma or Middle Earth? That’s what players have to decide in the online game Antidepressants or Tolkien, where a name pops up that may be a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor or a warden of Lothlórien. Thanks, Daybreak!
Extra Dad joke: A neutron walks into a coffee shop. He asks: How much for a cappuccino? The barista smiles and says: For you, no charge.