The 802 Ed
What's going on in Vermont's education policy and practice
Welcome back! Congratulations to our graduates, and also to our school staff who are celebrating the end of the school year. The 802 Ed will join you in taking a break for the summer. We will be back again in August. In the meantime, please consider sending a coffee to say thank-you; it’s much appreciated!
This issue covers many topics that are immediately useful like the local response when police staged a surprise mock robbery in a classroom, a data review on the minimal savings of district consolidation, and a special education message from the Terminator. Be sure to check out the worst case scenario explanation in case communities don’t pass a budget by the end of the month!
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
Carrot And Stick. Seven Days VT reports on the mixed reaction that Vermont’s new interim Secretary of Education is getting when warning a district of “non-voluntary intervention” by the AOE if current problem areas don’t improve. This was a popular item in last issue, so here it is again for readers who may have missed it.
Making It Through Hard Times. Higher Ed Jobs offers practical advice on how to keep focused on work when dealing with difficult things at home.
“Doing Nothing … Is Worse.” VT Digger carries us through back and forth barbs between legislators and the governor’s office in finding compromise on a property tax bill that will fund public education next year.
Missing Pride. The Waterbury Roundabout reports on the midnight theft of a school’s Pride flag, including details of the individuals in hoodies who made off with it.
Worst Case Scenario. VT Digger’s Ethan Weinstein takes us through the state laws that are rarely triggered if a school community doesn’t pass a budget by July 1.
Fixing The Leaky Pipeline. Education Week dives into the challenges of recruiting and retaining special education teachers, and offers several tips based on schools’ success stories.
Rettung des deutschen Programms. A local effort to save South Burlington’s German program has generated more than 500 signatures on an online petition.
Suing for The Green and Gold. WCAX reports on a Vermont student who filed a federal lawsuit against her school for allegedly recommending a different student for a coveted full scholarship to the University of Vermont.
“A Very Real Threat.” Seven Days VT lays out the upset response from students and their families after local police staged a mock shooting in a high school classroom.
Shifting Mindsets on Phones. School Administrator takes a broad national perspective on cell phones in schools and zooms into several schools that have reduced phones’ influence on the school day.
Words from The Wise. Vermont Public recently aired an interview with the outgoing executive director of the Vermont Superintendents Association, who reflects on the current moment in public education policy from his decades of experience.
Benefits of Being A “Relationship Guy.” Valley News offers a profile of a new middle school dean of students amidst students’ frustrations with each other playing out in an in-school protest against “extremely disruptive” peers.
Heads Up, Vermont. States are taking innovative steps to support their students and Vermont school leaders and lawmakers should take note:
School boards in Florida are now offering principals multi-year contracts in an effort to improve morale and reduce leadership turnover.
Indiana joins other states in exploring three-year college degrees to save students time and money.
High school athletes in Florida, and in more than 30 other states, can profit off their names and images.
School Shootings in 2024. Education Week’s tracker has logged 20 school shootings in 2024. “On June 6, a 17-year-old student was fatally shot in the Garfield High School parking lot in Seattle.” 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: What would you do if you left your current role? More than twice as many readers selected A career outside of education as compared to A different role within a school. Very few readers selected Ice cream truck driver sounds good right about now - you can breathe a sigh of relief, Mr. Ding A Ling.
No survey question this issue! We will be back again to pick things up where we left off in August.
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.
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 school year is coming to a close, for some of us an inspiring victory lap of successes and for others of us a lump or two on the head from hard lessons learned.
Here is a word of appreciation to all who engage in that wonderfully challenging endeavor called education: Thank you! Whether you are working with students day-to-day or supporting the effort in some way, thousands of young minds are more curious, more resilient, and gosh darn it just plain smarter because of your efforts.
Readers of the 802 Ed come from many parts of the education ecosystem, whether that’s schools and their boards, early childhood and higher education, the nonprofits and state government bodies, and more. This year has seen opportunities to see what divides us, but I believe that we are stronger when we see what connects us instead. Next year, let’s work together to be the rising tide that lifts all boats.
Wishing you a happy and healthy summer!
Eye on Data
The chart below tracks the percent of classroom aide and paraprofessional positions in Vermont since the start of the school year, presented as data points and no trend line this time. 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 100+ school leadership positions that have opened since January. Data from VPA.
Sean Robinson, currently multi-tiered support services coordinator at Orange Southwest School District, will be principal at Mill River Union High School this summer. He is taking over from Kaelyne Thompson.
Jenn Galusha, currently a teacher Tinmouth Elementary School, will be principal this summer. She is taking over from Maureen Fitzgerald-Riker.
Randy Lichtenwalner, currently principal at Stamford Elementary, will be principal at Townshend Elementary School this summer. He is taking over from Renee Merluzzi.
Sally Hayes, currently principal at Brewster-Pierce School, will be principal at Flynn Elementary this summer. She is taking over from Nikki Ellis.
Chris Hennessey, currently superintendent at Barre Unified Union School District, will be principal at Lamoille Union Middle School this summer. He is taking over from Denise Maurice.
Congratulations also to these colleagues who received administrator licensure from AOE since the last issue of the 802 Ed! Data from AOE.
Daniel Morrison • Superintendent, Principal
Jennifer Galusha-Brothers • Principal
Jada Payea • Principal
Erin Paquette • Principal
Jason Reed • Principal
Do you know a colleague who has made a recent move? Let us know!
Grants & Opportunities
Great Cleanout. Integrated Arts Academy in Burlington is holding a yard sale in the gym, where everything is offered for free. 7:30 am - 2:30 pm, June 18.
AI in Education Summit. AOE and partners is holding a conference for secondary educators to explore concerns and benefits of using artificial intelligence tools from both student and teacher perspectives. June 27 at Hula in Burlington.
Staying in The Green Zone. A psychotherapist and former Vermont educator is offering free interactive, psycho-educational professional development to a limited number of Vermont schools, training that includes strategies to recognize and understand dysregulation in themselves and their students, concrete practices and skills to “stay in the green zone” and effectively self-regulate under less than ideal circumstances as well as co-regulate with students in beneficial ways. First come, first served.
Amplify Student Voice. The State Youth Council is accepting applications for current vacancies, to craft statewide policy recommendations for presentation to legislative and executive leaders. Deadline is July 12.
More Kid Care in Rutland County. Pittsford Village Farm is seeking bids from child care programs looking to lease space in a redeveloped facility. Deadline is July 12.
If You Missed It
So, Remind Me Why We Consolidated? A Vermont student at an Ivy school ran the numbers and “didn’t find any significant savings in spending per pupil between the merged and the non-merged districts.”
Expanding Afterschool. AOE recently awarded $3.5 million in grants to 17 supervisory unions and nonprofits to coordinate on afterschool and summer programs with more than 70 community partners.
Go, Graduates! The U.S. Secretary of Education offers a pre-recorded graduation message to high school students.
“Terminating” Chronic Absenteeism. Arnold Schwarzenegger sent a video message on the importance of afterschool programs.
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: Tired of telling people you were born in the year of the monkey? Find your nosh sign instead on this list of the major food product that came out in your birth year.