May 2024 Superintendent’s Newsletter

With the end of the school year quickly approaching, our Burlington-Edison School community has been buzzing with excitement! Here is a recap of some of the exciting events and highlights from around the District throughout the month of May.

We began the month by wrapping up our monthly school board tours at Edison and West View Schools. I am so grateful to all of our school sites for welcoming the Board members each month and providing the opportunity to showcase the great work happening across our schools.

Our 6th graders recently enjoyed a memorable trip to Camp Orkila this month. Our transportation staff and teachers demonstrated outstanding creativity and care, ensuring all students were safe and well-cared-for until they could return home. A big thank you to our 6th grade families, as well, for their flexibility and patience with the unexpected ferry delay. Everyone involved helped to make this experience a success for our students!

We celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week at the beginning of May. I want to again acknowledge the incredible dedication and passion our teachers bring to their classrooms every day. Their unwavering commitment to nurturing young minds and fostering a love for learning is truly commendable. They are indeed the heart and soul of our district, and I am endlessly grateful for their contributions.

Congratulations to Lucille Umbarger Principal Kevin (KJ) Johnson for being named “Educator of the Year” by Jostens Renaissance. This well-deserved honor reflects his exceptional dedication to our students and school community. Also, congratulations to B-EHS Social Studies teacher Ryan Kuttel for being named the Burlington Morning Rotary Teacher of the Year this month. Mr. Kuttel’s dedication to our students is greatly appreciated. We are fortunate to have such strong educators throughout B-ESD.

This month, B-EHS hosted a successful College and Career Fair with over 50 local businesses and colleges. Events such as these are crucial in preparing our students for their future endeavors. Additionally, May also held the second annual mural event celebrating the Hispanic community in Burlington. Performances by our B-EHS Mariachi and Baile Folklórico groups, along with food, music, and dancing, made this event a memorable success.

Our student athletes were busy this month. B-EHS Boys Soccer, Unified Soccer, Esports, Boys and Girls Golf, as well as Softball and Track and Field all wrapped up their seasons with incredible poise and character. Win or lose, our student athletes continue to represent the values and sportsmanship that is a hallmark of B-ESD. We want to share a special congratulations to our Boys Golf Team for winning their third consecutive State Title!

As a reminder, B-ESD is hosting a FREE vaccine clinic on June 5th at Lucille Umbarger School, providing all childhood vaccines for children aged 4 to 18, including the flu vaccine. Ensuring the health and well-being of our students is always a top priority, and I encourage all eligible families to take advantage of this opportunity.

Thank you all for your hard work and dedication as we make the final push to the end of the school year. I hope to see many of you at the B-EHS Commencement Ceremony on Kirkby Field on June 7, 2024 at 7pm to celebrate the graduating Class of 2024!

Best regards,

Dr. Chris Pearson
Superintendent, B-ESD

Parent Advisory Committee

The Committee’s objective is to provide the Superintendent and School Board with feedback on the District’s Strategic Planning Landmark Areas: Cultural Responsiveness, Quality Instruction, Social Emotional Growth, Partnerships, and Stewardship.

The committee aims to evaluate the District’s progress on Strategic Plan Goals, Inform future decision-making and planning, and Identify future committee work.

Meeting Presentation January 16, 2024

Meeting Presentation November 21, 2023