Burlington School District, VT Reopening Town Hall Meetings, 31 Aug 2020

Previous Meeting Next Meeting

⏯

youtube image

►

From YouTube: BSD Reopening Town Hall for Nepali-Speaking Families

Description

Superintendent Tom Flanagan joins our Nepali-speaking families for Town Hall focused on reopening Burlington schools this fall. Thank you Lal Pradhan and Ganga Sharma for providing translations and liaison services. Join the Journey!
Want to learn more about our EL Program? Visit: https://www.bsdvt.org/multicultural-support/

A

Hello, everybody, my name is tom bling, I'm the new superintendent of burlington public.

B

A

You can't tell, but I have a big smile under my mask because I'm so happy to see you all here tonight. So thank you for being.

B

A

I I am brand new to burlington. I just moved here from providence, rhode, island and before that I was in washington dc. I'm so happy to be here in the.

B

A

So tonight we are going to give you some information on the reopening of schools and we're going to explain what it will look like and then we're going to have time.

A

And what we'll do is we'll talk through what the school day will look like what we will do to make sure that there are health precautions in place and to make sure that that you know how we'll be reaching out to you and providing services for you, your family and your.

B

B

Mary, do you want to say hi, okay,.

A

Hello, I'm miriam edison, I'm the director of programs for english learners, so everyone in burlington, who is learning english as a second or third or fourth language, is my.

B

A

Who coordinates all the multilingual liaisons.

A

All of the teachers, all of the liaisons and all of the staff in our department work hard every day to make sure that your students learn english. So.

A

They learn everything that school has to offer. I have lots of opportunities in school and outside of.

B

A

You might not have heard this before, but I want to make sure that you know that I want all of your students to know at least nepali and english and to be able to use them all the.

B

A

This is going to be a very different school year, but I want to promise you we will work together to take care of your students.

A

It really helps when schools and families can work together to help students learn. So if you want to learn more about how to work with us, please join our parent university to find out some.

B

A

We also have computer classes for parents and english classes for parents. If you are interested, please talk to law or talk to ganga and sydney, and I will see you online.

B

A

Thank you again so much for coming to be with us.

B

A

You miriam okay, so, uh like I said I started here this summer in july, but back in march there were a group of people who were planning to reopen schools.

B

A

So we have a team of 16 people and about 16 work groups who have been planning each part of coming back to school.

B

A

And we are using the vermont department of health guidance and the agency of education guidance to guide us on how to return.

B

A

And the department of health guidance says in vermont it is safe to come back to.

B

A

But they tell us, we can't come back to school, the same way that we've always come back to school.

A

We have to do some things differently. We have to make sure that there aren't, in the beginning as many students in school at the same time as usual,.

B

B

um And this allows us to stay.

A

Distant so they say we can be here so we're not too close to each other.

B

A

But sometimes you can get a little a little closer if you wear your mask, if you wash your hands and if you take a health check before you go to.

B

A

And we did have summer school in four different places here or maybe five in burlington and everybody was safe through summer school. By doing this,.

B

A

So we know it can work um and I will be in the schools. I have three children who are also going to be two here and one at hunt.

A

So I believe that truly believe that we are ready to come back to school.

A

One of the things that we're going to ask for everyone to do before they come to school.

B

Is- and that includes a temperature, so touchless thermometer, temperature.

A

The other thing we're doing is we have students in smaller groups who are going to stay together for the whole. For, for the majority of the day,.

B

A

Together, you can be, you can be safer.

B

A

Also, if someone did get sick, it lets us check on the people who get who were near the person who got sick, and so we can make sure that we that it doesn't go to lots.

B

Of different people, but this is.

B

A

Someone does get sick, the vermont department of health will take over.

A

To make sure that they they follow the right.

B

A

But obviously our goal is that nobody gets sick and all these things that we're gonna do have prevented people from getting sick in.

B

B

B

B

B

B

So uh his question is: when the kids are in school, are they going to be in a chair as on a particular place, or are they going to be on monday and at the end of the day,.

A

B

A

That all the chairs will be facing one way: six feet about six feet apart, so they're they're far enough apart and we're cleaning at night. So it's important also to know that we'll be we'll be cleaning the desks and the.

B

A

And- and we also have a tent out like you may have seen out here- there's a tent at every one of our schools. So we are also encouraging teachers to take their classes outside as much as.

B

A

And one thing that we really that we've learned is that the disease is mostly spread through your mouth, not not through surfaces as much. So it's really the mask is very.

B

B

B

So how do we make sure that the student is not sick, so.

A

Right if someone gets sick right away, we work with the vermont department of health and they they tell us when a student is ready to come back. So we are not helping professionals. So we have to rely on the doctors to tell us when they, when the student is ready to come back.

B

So the question is: um how do we make sure that the student is not sick or how it is so bad when they come in yeah and a very similar to the question? Is this student, the symptom in the student or in the person, and yes, uh after a week or so often so ahead of time? How do we make sure that the student is not sick? Oh.

A

Right, okay, so that's why the health screening is very important. It includes a set of questions about whether or not you have a runny nose or a headache or a sore throat, and then the temperature. So all of those together are what we will do before students come into school to make sure that they are not having symptoms.

A

Yes and adults. Also.

B

C

A

C

The person with adhd is always impulsive. How do the school take care.

A

Of such students yeah, so it's a good question: how we don't expect students to sit in their chair all day long so for a student with with um who needs to get up and move around.

A

We need to give them some space and time to get up and move around like going outdoors um and and being able to get some of their energy out. I think that's an important.

C

A

Okay, that's a big one.

A

One section inside.

C

The other question was: how long will be the time like the top of time and the pickup.

A

Got it so that's part of, I think what we'll talk about here so I'll start with that classes are going to be a normal school life, because students are only going to school in person for two or four days.

A

We want to make sure that the whole that you have a whole day so this same class times we're gonna, have the same close to the same class.

C

A

This year, both middle school and high school sports and sports are in high school are going to start when school starts and some of those sports a lot in almost all of the sports, the people, our students, are going to be wearing their masks.

A

Buses and transportation are probably one of our biggest.

C

C

A

Much as possible, we've been asking families to use a different form of transportation like a carpool, a car, a bike walking some other form of transportation, impossible.

C

A

And we don't have school buses.

A

And right now they are only allowing 18.

A

But we are working with them to try to have more to take more people at a time. We think that they can do that safely, so we're asking for them to have more people on the bus.

C

C

A

So we are, we are issuing uh chromebooks grades, four through twelve and uh ipads for pre-k through grade three, so that everyone will have access to.

C

The technology.

C

C

A

And a lot of the learning that students are going to do on the days they're not in school, is gonna, it's gonna be on the chromebook or on the computer.

C

A

So it'll be important to have that, but we also are asking for a lot of activities that are not on the computer, so that the whole day is not in front.

C

Of the computer.

C

And just last thursday.

A

Our teachers and our educators came back to school and they're planning right now, so they have a lot more time than they did last year to plan for this to be a good.

C

A

And if you need internet, you can work with your directly with your liaison help figure out.

C

A

A

These are just a few things you might want to know about picking up your children from school.

A

If you need to come to school to pick up your child, we welcome you to do.

C

A

But please for everyone's safety do not come inside.

A

In the morning after everyone's health screening is finished, we have to lock the doors, not because we don't want to be friendly, but because we want to keep everyone.

C

C

A

I'm sure you have already been practicing this with your children, but while they are in school we will ask them to wash their hands many many many times.

C

A

We will also be asking everyone- everyone, adults and children- to wear a mask unless they are outside and can.

A

We know it's very difficult for some children, but we will work with them and try to help them to get used to.

C

A

My son sitting over there in the corner with a mask, I never thought he would get used to it, but he's.

C

A

I see everyone here has a mask. Thank you, you may bring your own mask. Students may bring their own.

C

A

But you know the kind of mask that covers from here. It looks like a scarf: it's called a bandana, it looks kind of like this. Those are not okay. We need cloth masks like.

C

A

During the school day, students will get breakfast and lunch, but they will eat it in their classroom. We are sitting in the flynn cafeteria.

A

The cafeteria will not be used for.

C

A

They can take.

C

A

When students are going to after school programs, we will also give them a separate dinner.

C

After programming, big.

A

And on days, when students don't come to school, we will still try to give breakfast and lunch to every.

C

A

Also in the city of burlington, we are there. Some food programs are continuing. If you have a question about food for your student or your family, please call banga or law.

C

A

We are lucky that we're still able to do after school programs for students.

C

A

Have programs at elementary schools at middle school and also at high school.

A

Many many students are already registered for those.

C

A

Again, if you have a question about that or need an after school program for your student, please talk to law or to ganga and we will find out if there is still space in an after-school program. For you.

C

A

Does anyone have questions about what will happen during the school.

C

A

We have just a few more things to tell you about, and then we will stop for any questions that you.

C

A

Okay, sorry, this is one I really wanted to talk to you about. I'm so happy. Someone asked about a student with.

C

A

Know that every student is different and that some students have challenges that we need to understand in order to be able to help.

C

C

A

Will be trying to keep everyone safe by ensuring that they wear.

A

If that is difficult for some students, we will keep trying to help them.

C

A

But if they have a special health problem and their doctor thinks it's not a good idea to wear a mask, then we will get communication from the doctor, so they don't necessarily have to wear a mask. That would be an exception, not very many students at all. We need.

C

A

I'm sure you know that some students have what's called an iep individual educational plan. That's for students who need extra help to get access to learning.

C

Individual education plans.

C

A

We are doing two things to help.

C

A

The first is we're inviting those students to come four days. They can come on monday and tuesday and thursday and friday if their family.

C

A

Are also reviewing all of those ieps by the end of september to make sure we are providing every student with what she or he needs to.

C

A

And then for students who are learning english, we are also inviting those students to come on monday on tuesday, on thursday and on friday. So.

C

They can come for four.

C

A

Would you like your student to come for four days.

A

If you said yes and your student is coming to school for days, we will make sure to use the extra time, so they can learn more english and so that they can be even more.

C

A

Will work hard to make their extra days different, so they can learn.

C

A

We're almost finished, but I'd like to stop again and ask what questions do you have.

A

Here's a question right here.

C

So this is a different question. She says that um there is still admission for pre-k, because when I had my child in the kindergarten they might ask about the history whether the child has gone for pre-k, school or pre-class pre-k classes.

C

So is there still the environment going on? That? Is our question or eligible to.

A

Enroll, so if I understand the you don't need to have gone to pre-k to go to k, so you can still involve 4k 3k.

A

I don't know, but we can find.

C

C

A

Want it's really important that we make sure that all students are continuing to learn last year when we left in march, it was hard on everybody to figure out what to do now. We have five bucks to get ready for school to start again, and it's really important that we focus a lot of energy on making sure that our students are really.

C

A

So you I don't know the best way that they can reach out to me there. The first line of contact is here, but I wanted to hear from you too.

C

A

A

I'm so sorry this is important and I forgot when we left that, just as superintendent flanagan said when we left in march, we ran. We just took everything and ran because we were all.

C

A

We weren't sure how to give computers to our.

C

C

A

And we wanted parents to be able to help their children, but we didn't know how to help the.

C

A

C

A

Are learning to use the.

C

A

And we can also help you, so if you are interested in learning more about how to use a computer to help your child, please ask we want everyone to be more connected this time and we are.

C

A

A

Thank um the question was about internet if you have no internet or bad internet, what do you do? Internet.

C

A

But please contact them, let them know your name. Your address the best way to reach you and we will work to fix the problem. Sometimes we have uh houses that have internet, but it's very slow, very bad internet, and that makes it hard for children. I know that so we will try to.

C

A

Again, thank you so so much for coming. If you have.

A

But we will encourage you to contact our friends and send the questions to us. We'll do our.

C

A

That krishna left but we'll getting another one soon.

C

A

Yes, thank you don't be surprised if you get a call and you hear krishna's voice, he is still helping us, even though, when you.

C

A

Thank you very.

B

B