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Burlington site council presses to restore middle‑school reading specialist and backs grading‑scale shift
Summary
Site council members at Burlington Middle School said the prior Reading Specialist produced gains and urged reinstating the role; members also expressed support for a proposed move to 10% grading increments to simplify grading and clarify expectations.
At a March 9 linkage meeting of the Burlington U.S.D. No. 244 Board of Education with principals and site council representatives, members of the Burlington Middle School site council raised concern about the absence of a dedicated reading interventionist and expressed support for moving to a 10‑percent grading scale.
A new site council member and parent of a fifth‑grade student asked about the interventions available through the district's multi‑tiered system of supports (MTSS). Council members said the previous year’s Reading Specialist worked directly with qualifying students and produced noticeable gains in reading outcomes; they said that position is not currently filled and that there are no plans to rehire at this time. The council expressed interest in seeing the role reinstated so that students who need one‑on‑one intervention can continue to receive it.
Members also discussed a proposed change to the grading scale, moving to 10‑percent increments. Council feedback on the proposal was generally positive, with several members saying the adjustment could provide a clearer and more consistent grading structure for students and families.
BMS reported other ongoing supports and initiatives, including a Homework Club for students who need supervised time to complete coursework, mentoring and club exploration with community partners and the Burlington Academic Support Foundation, and extracurricular and inclusive programs such as the Special Olympics Unified Sports Team and the Student Athlete Leadership Team.
The site council did not make a formal motion to reinstate the reading specialist during the March 9 meeting; staffing decisions and any hiring plans remain with district leadership and were not specified in the minutes. Burlington Middle School Principal Matt Spring was listed among attendees and available for follow‑up, but specific next steps and funding sources for a rehire were not recorded in the document.
