Superintendent's Message

Violet Nichols

May 23, 2024

Dear Parents/Guardians and Staff,

Last week, I attended the Vermont Superintendents Association Joint Conference which saw superintendents, special education directors, and curriculum directors gather from across the state.

We were lucky to have a demonstration from Green Mountain Robotics, a team composed of members from many high schools in the area including SBHS, Essex Westford, and CVSD. This team competes in FIRST Robotics Competitions. They recently qualified for the World Competition after the District Championships and traveled to Houston, TX where they received Top Rookie Seed in their division. One of the members of Green Mountain Robotics from SBHS’s own team Batteries Not Included taught me how to drive their robot, Toast.

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It is so exciting to see these students putting their skills to work. Not only does the team require engineering skills, but it also promotes business skills, collaboration, and teamwork. We are hoping to expand robotics to the elementary level so our younger students can develop similar skills.

With temperatures rising this week, please know we are mindful of the impact this has on students and staff. Included in the recent passage of the budget was the installation of heat pumps that will provide air conditioning to Orchard and RMCS classrooms. These are slated to be installed this summer and ready for use once school returns in August. High school classrooms will receive heat pumps/AC in the summer of 2025. In addition to air quality improvement and heat relief, they will also improve school safety!

Transportation Update

As we continue to explore alternate ways to support transportation, we continue to develop Safe Routes to School plans that focus on increasing walking/biking, and with that the implementation of school zones at four of our schools, and looking into partnerships with GMT, as our neighbors in Burlington School District have done.

There is a special City Council meeting on June 3rd where the Safe Routes to School committee will be asking the Council to approve the Resolution for the Establishment of Safe Routes to School Working Group. The agenda for the meeting has not posted, but it can be found here.

Please take a moment to contribute to the "NEW TOOL" map to identify if a street appears to be a safe route for walking or biking to school but lacks a sidewalk. You can also fill out the South Burlington Active Transportation Plan survey to provide input on the plan.

Green Mountain Transit sent an update this week for students who use GMT to get to school:

Starting May 20, 2024, students who utilize GMT buses for their daily commute will be required to inform the bus driver that they are a school student in order to continue receiving free transit service. This change is being implemented to ensure that only eligible students are availing of this benefit and to streamline the process for both students and bus drivers.

We understand that this adjustment may require some additional communication with your child to ensure they are aware of the new requirement. We encourage you to remind them to inform the bus driver of their status as a school student when boarding the bus.

Please note that this change applies specifically to students who utilize GMT buses as part of their transportation to and from school. If your child does not use GMT buses or if they have alternative transportation arrangements, this update does not affect them.

Parent and Caregiver Information Night

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Tonight, FHTMS will be hosting a special 5th Grade Parent and Caregiver Information Night from 6:00 pm-7:15 pm in the FHTMS cafeteria. The purpose of this presentation is to familiarize parents and caregivers with the programs and opportunities our school offers and to answer questions about our structures, curricula, and the exciting transition to middle school. FHT School Counselors have visited each elementary school to meet with 5th graders, so this is a meeting intended just for parents and caregivers.

Also tonight, the Queer Student Alliance (QSA) will be hosting an information night. See details on the flyer here.

And at the end of May and early June, 5th-grade students will visit the middle school to hear directly from students about their experiences moving from elementary to middle school. Chamberlin will visit on May 29th, Orchard on May 31st, and RMCS on June 4th.

2024 Senior Lunch Account Refund/Donation Request Form and Procedures

To parents and guardians of SBHS seniors, thank you for supporting the Nutritional services program while your child was enrolled in SBHS.

You may request a refund, transfer the balance to a sibling within the district, or donate the funds to a student in need. To request a refund, please fill out the 2024 Senior Refund/Donation Request form.

If you have questions or need clarification please contact Rhonda Ketner, Nutritional Services Director at rketner@sbschools.net.

The 2024-2025 Returning Student Registration is Now Open

To maintain the most up-to-date information about our students, the South Burlington School District asks families to verify the enrollment of all returning students annually. Along with contact details, medical needs, and approval for the use of technology, the Returning Student Registration form also provides our Transportation Department with the data they need to create bus routes and schedules.

Please complete the form by May 31, 2024.

To begin registering your student, please click here: Returning Student Registration.

You will find translatable instructions and access to other helpful resources on the Returning Student Registration website.

To translate the website, click Translate in the upper right corner and choose your preferred language.

For help translating the Returning Student Registration form or for help accessing a device to complete your student’s registration, please contact the school directly: Contact Us.

Need help logging into your Parent Portal Account? Please click this link for help.

Employment Opportunities

The district is hiring! Please follow the links to read the full descriptions for these roles.

Bus Drivers (and Bus Aides)

Training available obtain Commercial Driver's Licenses to eligible candidates, full and part time positions available as well as van drivers and bus monitors

Special Ed teachers:

Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School

Lunchroom:

Full job descriptions are available on School Spring. If you have questions on hiring processes or on employment, please contact Elissa Galvez, Employment Specialist, egalvez@sbschools.net (802) 652-7247.

Notable Dates

May 27: Memorial Day, no school

June 13: MS only early release/8th grade celebration

June 14: Last Day for all K-8 students (half day)

Graduation Day

Have a nice Memorial Day and thank you for reading!

Violet

SBSD App

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Along with the website, the dedicated app will be your best resource for updated menus, schedules and other important information in the event of school closures and delays.

Download the dedicated SBSD app (or scan the QR code )!

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