FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Champlain Valley Superintendents Discuss Calendar 2.0

Champlain Valley, Vermont - October 11, 2013 - Champlain Valley Superintendents have completed four public forums with over 1,000 people in attendance to discuss the proposed Calendar 2.0 calendar that uses existing calendar days in a different format intended to maximize student learning.

"It has been an exciting two weeks. The energy and interest exhibited at the community forums is testament to the importance our communities have in providing the very best educational opportunities for all of our students. We are grateful for the level of participation at the forums, on blog posts, and the many smaller groups that met over the course of the last nine months - all of which will be given serious consideration," commented Chittenden South Supervisory Union Superintendent, Elaine Pinckney. 

Superintendents in the Champlain Valley agreed during a meeting this week that the forums indicated there is not broad-based community readiness at this time to implement the proposal for 2014-15.  There remains a responsibility to engage communities in a conversation that looks at time as a variable in student learning.  Regional Superintendents also want to encourage and continue the energy around community engagement in education from the discussions at the forums. 

The Champlain Valley Regional Superintendents value input from their respective communities, recognize the need for community support and know that everyone wants what is best for all children. The feedback from the forums will be reviewed by the Superintendents in November to harness the creative thinking of the community in shaping 21st Century learning environments.  Additional answers to the questions that are being asked will be provided back to the communities and ideas presented by stakeholders will be further explored.

Jay Nichols, Superintendent of Schools for the Franklin Northeast Supervisory Union, noted "We want the community to stay involved as we move through this discovery process and we plan to communicate our discussions and opportunities for engagement along the way."

Based on the Vermont Superintendents' Association (VSA) Education Quality Framework and the VT World-Class Education Agenda, the School Calendar 2.0 is a new way of looking at what a school calendar could look like. This calendar preserves the current 175 student days while building in blocks of times, or intersessions, that could be used for multiple purposes for multiple stakeholders.

For more information on the proposed regional calendar, visit: schoolcalendar2.blogspot.com. Highlights include customized learning, partnership with community organizations, timely and responsive professional learning, and preservation of quality instructional time.