[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6220374,"mediaKeyId","3617652-c1d8ce2d7ad70c4fbfe33275fb0c965e","parentId",3617652,"title","Wetland determination pauses proposed Brush Field double-field; committee weighing redesign or Army Corps review","audioSeconds",390,"startMs",7200000,"endMs",7590000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3617652-c1d8ce2d7ad70c4fbfe33275fb0c965e&start=7200&end=7590","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3617652-c1d8ce2d7ad70c4fbfe33275fb0c965e/thumbnail_7200000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6220374/Burlington-Public-Schools/School-Boards/Massachusetts/Wetland-determination-pauses-proposed-Brush-Field-double-field-committee-weighing-redesign-or-Army-Corps-review","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6220374-26a4a2cd0809e1cea30f19613fdff13d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771147752&Signature=JgJgp0dr8ll4OJf~erzETW-P~pkdHv2pWvf9~Fx639tfJnqJWzQokcScSu850lxEXvOWkyC37kzOSvUkDRVLDUoCNCrr6JcFOUWtm-IBl3CANcBw6eUoRAZBA9LXoE6-n4vOxEDXtJW49lOlPCu89P~WsLVhLX03FXOvT8ZYAqUaimOoYPsYhqBL4dLZlD0pebuMqsbdVFkwbCNtklwi2ZoEwl4~zXcsRZnIVR5ZKjO9xCILnDH~zMX5bUn-gNHrBiCwVS33eip2WpARKZrWri6KOoqRb44hOnvIDV7QK0eFrjsYcV3a9NnqUJ0wmd6RPz4B9M7A8QeVY1Nmxgh34A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Burlington Public Schools, MA","date","2025-05-28T23:30:54Z","article","The School Committee received an update on the Brush Field project after the Conservation Commission deemed portions of the back property to be wetlands and flagged a riverfront buffer area.

Bob (district staff) and committee member Brooks briefed the committee about the conservation finding and its effect on the double-field plan the field subcommittee had proposed.

\"As it currently stands, with this deemed wetlands and this presentation there is not a path for us to move forward with conservation in Burlington,\" a district staff member said, describing Conservation's response and the potential need to seek a review by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Staff showed alternative, smaller footprints that avoid the newly delineated wet areas by reconfiguring fields and shifting accessible routes and seating. The alternatives reduce the maximum number of full-size fields in order to respect buffer zones and create usable practice space.

Committee members discussed next steps, including whether to pursue an Army Corps review to contest the wetland delineation (staff warned the Corps's opinion might not supersede local conservation authority), and what repair or mitigation would be required if the district attempted pipe repairs that staff said could be contributing to standing-water conditions.

The committee noted that separate Town Meeting funding already approved for the Varsity field and track (front-of-campus resurfacing) remains available; staff said that resurfacing project can proceed independently while the Brush Field options are refined.

Staff recommended bringing engineering cost estimates and a clearer schedule back to the committee before choosing a path that could affect project budget and timing. Members also asked the district to coordinate with Park & Recreation about municipal field priorities (Marvin and Roddie were cited as higher-priority recreation projects) and on whether the town could provide alternate softball/field locations.

No binding vote was taken; the field subcommittee will meet again and return to the full committee with refined designs, cost estimates and a recommendation on whether to seek outside federal review or pursue a narrower configuration that stays outside the conservation buffers.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","School Committee - May 27, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The School Committee received an update on the Brush Field project after the Conservation Commission deemed portions of the back property to be wetlands and flagged a riverfront buffer area, blocking the committee's initial double-field design.","taxTitle","Burlington Public Schools, School Boards, Massachusetts","taxId",56238,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6220376,"Parents and committee clash over YRBS survey; Burlington debate centers on opt-in, committee approval and wellness-committee process",2719,3097000,5816000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3617652-c1d8ce2d7ad70c4fbfe33275fb0c965e&start=3097&end=5816","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3617652-c1d8ce2d7ad70c4fbfe33275fb0c965e/thumbnail_3097000.jpg","/articles/6220376/Burlington-Public-Schools/School-Boards/Massachusetts/Parents-and-committee-clash-over-YRBS-survey-Burlington-debate-centers-on-opt-in-committee-approval-and-wellness-committee-process","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6220376-d78c6b1b80332f89203baa19e2050a15/orig.mp4?Expires=1771147752&Signature=bdBY-PcEAsTWWnhSAgIOLF~RgKQXW1NrrU1c6jhuKymnRz7hFiNkqlARR~lINyIokdaqDOK6Qr4PrPDQlr8hyATwkXtuKr1WN8cAllPZ02E-vqWdH4BKt0toblxZ8Hgzv-HtdtBTLPffkLyKsbi-gitAU50wiH20fHMv-TjaUO8BHoHwsOrAnHeFb9szI4OtmbbsZmBO43coRQKe8c8E9d6J2CW7sEmNY1TwfuAO5WD-wsFnz228zErd2yadTn7kwZgHYPnhxLTPt2agg3BjHzwxWlgHzxA47wOUkDcjlPKzwrWfXxM1gC1QyxNyW5x09CnS-NxVNQDumqNa3eqyfw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At Tuesday's Burlington Public Schools School Committee meeting, public comment focused on the district's use of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) and an independent administrative review by consultant Jeffrey Sankey.

Several parents and town members said the 2025 survey included inappropriate or invasive language and that the review showed insufficient review by the district's wellness committee. Jenna Lloyd, a parent who identified herself during public comment, summarized the report's findings and asked why more wellness-committee members had not reviewed the draft before the survey was approved for administration.

\"After reading the YRBS administrative report and recommendations from Jeffrey Sankey, I have a few questions,\" Lloyd said. She said the report indicated only two wellness-committee members attended a January meeting to review draft questions and that parents had raised complaints after the 2023 administration.

Other public speakers echoed those concerns and urged the committee to require stronger approval mechanisms and accountability. Bob Young, a town meeting member, told the committee that the superintendent bears ultimate responsibility for district operations.

District staff and committee members discussed procedural changes recommended in the independent review. The draft policy language presented to the committee (prepared with the district attorney) would require parental opt-in for nonacademic surveys and would route any future nonacademic survey to the full school committee for review and approval before administration.

Committee members were divided on opt-in versus opt-out. Some members said opt-in would meaningfully reduce participation and render the survey data less useful; others cited parental concerns and the prior administration's problems and said opt-in was the only acceptable approach.

\"If it is a valuable survey, then it should be opt out,\" said one committee member arguing for the opt-out approach; another member said opt-in is preferable because opt-out had not protected students in the prior rollout.

The committee agreed to ask the policy subcommittee to draft a revised second reading. Members named Megan and one other committee member to the ad hoc policy drafting group and asked the district attorney to refine the language, including: a clear opt-in statement, a required number and variety of parent notifications (ParentSquare, email and other channels), availability of a full survey preview for parents before administration, and clearer rules about grade levels affected.

The meeting record shows a standing motion passed on April 8 remains in effect: no further nonacademic surveys will be administered until the committee adopts a new policy. Several public comments also said parents have filed legal complaints (the transcript references a PPRA filing) and requested clearer accountability steps for administrators who failed to catch changes to the survey.

No final policy vote occurred; staff and the policy subcommittee were asked to return with revised language and recommended notification procedures for a second reading and possible vote.","Public commenters denounced the district's administration of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) and an independent review by Jeffrey Sankey. The School Committee discussed switching to an opt-in policy, requiring full-committee approval before any nonacademic survey, and formed a policy subcommittee to draft revisions.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6220378,"Burlington students win drone competitions as district secures state AI and cybersecurity grants",2398,228000,2626000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3617652-c1d8ce2d7ad70c4fbfe33275fb0c965e&start=228&end=2626","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3617652-c1d8ce2d7ad70c4fbfe33275fb0c965e/thumbnail_228000.jpg","/articles/6220378/Burlington-Public-Schools/School-Boards/Massachusetts/Burlington-students-win-drone-competitions-as-district-secures-state-AI-and-cybersecurity-grants","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6220378-54759c73088cc6a73bedc75f7e5ac1be/orig.mp4?Expires=1771147752&Signature=UnOMWe1JFtdd0rWw1uUD997TUBy-3q5JpYaZX1QjjiUs5io5c-ZMvFIdUSxfIDTUoiFHtRV8JDk7Zc6d0EIBTEDKXHXNtblNcwl-DkNxt62qurUVUGc1pgeccoJZzlAhrb7l~ey0S57hsUWtjkWshiGXFpB1HHt1U1dTdgyi1LCvtqA3oNIA83iTjGE3TYtfqAbKg1FagVVLjTHisSmgMIY1opWLIPqdESIyUD8Aw5i5wfhQhEJdgGy6hO-iLbEonLn2lm3OhYRA3ZX6CVPo4BxHAoPjTH2NO~-dqfIjEVwUwvZJtzYqmz-VAUfg7Nw80geeHTxLNZQL7w7~wowbjg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the Burlington Public Schools School Committee meeting, students and teachers showcased drone and esports projects and district staff announced state funding to expand internships and summer programs in data science, AI and cybersecurity.

The presentations highlighted competitive wins — including a first-place prize at an MIT event and a third-place finish at a STEM education competition — plus student-built autonomous-drone demonstrations that use image-recognition software.

Leroy Wong, who identified himself as a teacher in the district's tech-exploration program, described the program's recent competition record and student work. \"We actually won first place and $500 at that event at MIT,\" Wong said. He said students built mechanisms to pick up and place objects in timed tasks and adapted small consumer drones for indoor, manual flights used in competition.

Student interns described hands-on engineering and programming work. One student said the team used Google's MediaPipe pose-recognition model to speed development of autonomous tracking and hand-gesture controls rather than training a custom model during the two-month internship.

Shireen Tyrell, a district staff member, told the committee the district has secured funding from state partners to expand those opportunities. \"We're going to be getting a grant from the AI hub to do a summer program,\" she said, adding the program will include stipends for students and slots reserved for Burlington students.

The district said the grant support comes through an innovation-pathway partnership with the Massachusetts AI Hub and the MassTech Collaborative. Staff described three summer programs already planned for the coming year: an AI and data-science academy, a cybersecurity pilot supported by MassTech funds, and placements with a Northeastern lab for a small number of students.

Committee members and staff framed those programs as workforce-development and career-exposure opportunities. The superintendent, Dr. Conti, and staff repeatedly described the internships and summer programs as pathways to STEM careers and college opportunities; the district also said several students have already earned industry-aligned certifications such as Excel and participated in college-level internships.

No formal committee action was taken on the presentations; staff said they would proceed with grant implementation and return to the committee with program details and registration materials. The committee asked staff to circulate flyers and application details to families via ParentSquare and other district communications.

The presentation also included a short update on esports: Dennis Villano, who supports the district's esports program, said Burlington teams have qualified repeatedly for state-level events and that some students have used esports play to access college scholarships.

District staff and coaches asked the committee for continued operational support (equipment, field-trip approvals and travel funds) as they scale participation to the national level.","Students in Burlington Public Schools described winning regional and national drone competitions and showed AI-driven drone demos. District staff said the school will use new state grants to expand summer AI and cybersecurity programs and pay student stipends.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6220372,"School Committee removes town administrator from two building committees; design work continues on Fox Hill and BHS projects",82,9438000,9520000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3617652-c1d8ce2d7ad70c4fbfe33275fb0c965e&start=9438&end=9520","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3617652-c1d8ce2d7ad70c4fbfe33275fb0c965e/thumbnail_9438000.jpg","/articles/6220372/Burlington-Public-Schools/School-Boards/Massachusetts/School-Committee-removes-town-administrator-from-two-building-committees-design-work-continues-on-Fox-Hill-and-BHS-projects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6220372-38d84d16677a1e81ae4a6c7896b7b970/orig.mp4?Expires=1771147752&Signature=QLEzMJQOwCIalZcNJMbUxBpxLOacxGrLwEuJhrTGUZfeEeZkvQV362A7FFOu1eThfNRXW3YNxEzvxq-Azd-Cq5O-bqcdTK5Lhui7eCqT-JTlHnlrgJxnUeTtbHEJDG4dgqjoyqOFSb0YV~IzyDkwYyGuTrCNYAvdRvicDC1bAj2ig5p6ytGmfYw6FEzZ~NoZ08-uL4Ud~fVzTha3Vdr1-we6FGveoKJ837Fwe1cWxh3D4IIvWm8CZYv6wH5DTBa0JjheDFU-ar49r4CPD0gvTvgRFfNhPIfOEY6tuLr-NwSEFm3854FhjSZoQ7IG46aa8Sxhj59US0KjZvVBUJy13A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Burlington School Committee voted unanimously to remove Town Administrator Paul Sagarino from the Fox Hill School Building Committee and the Burlington High School building committee and confirmed John D'Onizio will serve in the town-administrator role on both committees.

\"Do you have a motion to remove Paul Sagarino from Deep Fox Hills School Building Committee?\" the chair asked; the motion was moved and seconded and the chair recorded the vote as aye, 5-0. The committee repeated the vote to remove Sagarino from the high-school building committee; that motion also passed 5-0.

Committee members then discussed design and procurement steps for the Fox Hill project. Members said interior finish samples (tile and linoleum) have arrived and that the building committee will continue reviewing materials. Construction-qualification work to pre-qualify contractors for winter bidding will begin soon.

For the Burlington High School project, the committee scheduled a public community forum (virtual with an in-person viewing location) and said the district will post additional visuals. The superintendent's office indicated the project team will present design updates and that some members will attend remotely; committee members were invited to the forum.

No contested actions were recorded beyond the administrative membership changes; staff said future updates will include final material selections and the schedule for contractor qualification and bidding.","The School Committee voted to remove outgoing Town Administrator Paul Sagarino from both the Fox Hill and Burlington High School building committees and confirmed John D'Onizio will serve in the town-administrator role on those bodies. Committee members also reviewed Fox Hill finishes and scheduled bids and meetings for the high-school project.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Wetland determination pauses proposed Brush Field double-field; committee weighing redesign or Army Corps review

Parents and committee clash over YRBS survey; Burlington debate centers on opt-in, committee approval and wellness-committee process

Burlington students win drone competitions as district secures state AI and cybersecurity grants

School Committee removes town administrator from two building committees; design work continues on Fox Hill and BHS projects