MISSION
The Mission of the Burlington Public Schools is to help all students acquire organized knowledge, master creative and intellectual skills, and understand ideas in ways that foster a positive self-image and sense of belonging needed for lifelong learning, self-sufficiency, and responsible, equitable citizenship.
VISION
The Vision of the Burlington Public Schools is “striving for excellence,” and will be accomplished by
- Helping students achieve their highest potential by providing a rigorous, balanced curriculum
- Employing highly qualified, diverse teachers, administrators, and support staff who are committed to the BPS mission and vision
- Encouraging parents to take an active role in their children’s education through involvement with the schools to enhance student academic success
- Providing opportunities for community members to participate in school activities and highlighting the benefits of offering quality educational programs to every student
DISTRICT GOALS
Learning: Empower all students through a rigorous, dynamic, and relevant curriculum designed to include academic, social, emotional, and psychological supports that ensure student growth and achievement.
Equity: Ensure all learners can meet high academic standards by creating challenging, inclusive learning environments where they feel a true sense of belonging. Support students in being their authentic selves by providing diverse representation in the curriculum, staff, and learning experiences.
Thriving: Strengthen BPS culture through relationships between and amongst students, staff, families, and the Burlington community to ensure the health, safety, security, and happiness of all learners and adults.
The Portrait of a Graduate
Burlington Public Schools Vision for Student Success
The Portrait of a Graduate (P.O.G.) represents Burlington Public Schools’ commitment to preparing students for success and well-being beyond graduation. It defines the essential skills, mindsets, and competencies that empower students to thrive in life, learning, and career. It is the vision of what we want students to know and be able to do when they graduate.
Serving as a guiding framework for curriculum and instruction, the P.O.G. emphasizes critical thinking, effective communication, resourceful problem-solving, and successful collaboration. Throughout each student’s journey in Burlington Public Schools, they will cultivate these skills while also developing personal and interpersonal capacities, including social and self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making, and relationship-building.
Designed as a continuum for lifelong learning, the P.O.G. ensures that students graduate as engaged members of their communities, ready to navigate the joys and challenges of an ever-evolving world.
BURLINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS GOALS 2025-2030
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STUDENT LEARNING AND SUCCESS
Goal 1: BPS will ensure that each student is actively engaged with and in their learning through equitable access to high-quality curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
- Strategic Goal 1.1 Strengthen Tier 1 instruction through a rigorous curriculum and balanced assessment program that drives meaningful learning, student growth, and equitable achievement for all students.
- Strategic Goal 1.2: Support all schools in maintaining a strong tiered intervention system that emphasizes clear and consistent processes to meet diverse student needs.
- Strategic Goal 1.3: Assist all schools in providing professional learning opportunities, resources, and instructional support to develop students’ conceptual understanding of literacy and numeracy.
- Strategic Goal 1.4: Provide explicit ESL instruction as part of a comprehensive Tier 1 instructional plan for English Learner students, using a content-based curriculum aligned to grade-level standards.
- Strategic Goal 1.5: Strengthen our co-teaching model to maximize student engagement and achievement by providing ongoing professional development on evidence-based co-teaching practices, structures for data-driven reflection, and time to support sustainable co-teaching partnerships.
- Strategic Goal 1.6: Support the development of a history and social science curriculum for grades K-12 that meets the standards-based grade level content.
- Strategic Goal 1.7: Support K-12 science, technology, and engineering curriculum to reinforce grade-level-based content in practice-based, interactive environments.
- Strategic Goal 1.8: Empower staff and students with the Digital Literacy skills needed to engage with and effectively implement technology confidently, appropriately, and ethically.
- Strategic Goal 1.9: Provide all students with opportunities to learn about and explore Computer Science (CSforALL), which includes computing and society, digital tools and collaboration, computing systems, and computational thinking.
- Strategic Goal 1.10: Develop a phased plan to align PreK-12 learning experiences with Burlington Public Schools’ Portrait of a Graduate, fostering collaboration among educators, families, and community partners to equip students for success in college, career, and civic life.
- Strategic Goal 1.11: Enhance meaningful career-based learning by engaging all 6-12 students in the MyCAP process and expanding high school pathway programs that support students’ post-secondary goals.
- Strategic Goal 1.12: Broaden access to Advanced Placement, dual enrollment, and early college opportunities for all students.
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STUDENTS AND STAFF WELL-BEING
Goal 2: BPS will promote the social and emotional well-being of each student and staff member to foster positive citizenship, resiliency, and sound character.
Goal 2 has the following strategic goals:
Strategic Goal 2.1: Assist schools with the promotion and implementation of bullying prevention measures.
Strategic Goal 2.2: Implement social-emotional learning in all schools, utilizing the Wayfinder curriculum and its implementation.
Strategic Goal 2.3: Implement a proactive approach to school discipline and safety that promotes a positive school climate.
Strategic Goal 2.4: Nurture and foster positive citizenship, resiliency, and sound character.
Strategic Goal 2.5: Cultivate an environment that respects the diversity of students, as well as staff, that provides targeted, inclusive opportunities for success.
Strategic Goal 2.6: Nurture all students’ intellectual, physical, mental, and social-emotional growth in a healthy, safe, and supportive learning environment.
Strategic Goal 2.7: Provide faculty, staff, and administrators with targeted training in restorative justice practices to cultivate a positive school culture and empower personal and social responsibility among students and educators.
Strategic Goal 2.8: Provide students with proactive evidence-based group and individual counseling to promote skills teaching and acquisition to allow all students to thrive and have a sense of belonging.
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ENGAGED WORKFORCE
Goal 3: BPS will cultivate a climate of professionalism, kindness, and sustainable growth by maximizing resources to enhance student achievement and strengthen faculty capacity while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
Goal 3 has the following strategic goals:
Strategic Goal 3.1: Engage all employees in ongoing, high-quality, and differentiated professional learning to build capacity and provide optimal service to students.
Strategic Goal 3.2: Recruit, hire, and invest in a high-quality workforce.
Strategic Goal 3.3: Recruit and support a diverse workforce.
Strategic Goal 3.4: Maintain consistently high standards for professionalism to support faculty and staff growth.
Strategic Goal 3.5: Develop clear pathways for educators to take on leadership roles by providing structured opportunities for mentorship, shared decision-making, and increased responsibility for district and school-based initiatives.
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OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE
Goal 4: BPS will optimize and enhance system-wide operations to meet the needs of the students, staff, schools, and community.
Goal 4 has the following strategic goals:
Strategic Goal 4.1: Maximize resources in a fiscally responsible manner and build partnerships with all stakeholders to support safety, growth, and success.
Strategic Goal 4.2: Maintain a safe and secure educational environment for all stakeholders.
Strategic Goal 4.3: Maintain fiscal stability, build strong advocacy, and maximize the efficiency of the district’s operations that align resources with future education needs.
Strategic Goal 4.4: Strengthen and improve system-wide operations to meet the needs of the community.
Strategic Goal 4.5: Enhance maintenance of the district’s investments in buildings and grounds to support division and community needs.
Strategic Goal 4.6: Review and revise the school calendar and building-based schedules to effectively align with the evolving academic and operational needs of students and staff.
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COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PARTNERSHIPS/PATHWAYS
Goal 5: BPS will foster strong communication and collaborative partnerships/pathways with all stakeholders to support safety, growth, and success.
Goal 5 has the following strategic goals:
Strategic Goal 5.1: Establish, monitor, and regularly update communication channels to foster inclusive, accessible, and culturally and linguistically sustaining engagement with all stakeholders.
Strategic Goal 5.2: Foster inclusive collaboration with school stakeholders to assess needs and deliver timely, effective solutions that enhance student success and drive school improvement.
Strategic Goal 5.3: Expand strategic partnerships with community organizations, businesses, and service providers to deliver resources and programs that directly support student learning, staff development, and school improvement.
Strategic Goal 5.4: Strengthen partnerships among schools, families, and the community to expand collaborative decision-making that enhances student learning and growth.
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