By Burlington Daily News staff

Burlington Superintendent Tom Flanagan Monday, August 5 presented to the school board these 2025–26 school year goals:

1. Get ready to open the 2026-2027 school year in the new Burlington High School.
2. Enhance teaching methods
3. Fostering better feedback practices across the district – including feedback from parents to educators. 

The goals, outlined in a memorandum to the Burlington Board of School Commissioners, build upon his previous evaluation and the district’s strategic plan. Minutes and agendas for all school board meetings can be accessed here. The Burlington Daily News used Notebook LM to organize some of the content for this news story, which is based on Flanagan’s memorandum. 

One of Flanagan’s primary objectives is to successfully transition Burlington High School into its new building. The superintendent aims to ensure all high school students and staff are relocated to the new facility by the start of the 2026–27 school year, remaining within the voter-authorized $165 million budget. This move is the culmination of a six-year project that will impact nearly all students and the broader Burlington community. Its timely and budget-conscious completion is intended to demonstrate strong leadership and financial responsibility.

Another key goal focuses on strengthening teaching consistency and collaboration throughout the district. Flanagan intends to use a new “Learning Framework” – a set of guidelines for instruction – to align professional development, classroom activities, and goal-setting in all schools. By June 2026, 90% of all educators, including directors, principals, and teachers, are expected to set a professional goal related to a specific part of this framework and record their progress. 

Additionally, 90% of all district-level professional learning groups (teams of educators collaborating) will develop data-driven goals aligned with the framework by October 15, monitor progress monthly, and document their work. The district also plans staff surveys by March 30, 2026, to gather recommendations for advancing the framework. This framework is designed to provide a clear, district-wide approach to effective teaching, guiding how teachers are supported and evaluated, and creating improved learning opportunities for students.

Finally, the superintendent seeks to cultivate a culture of constructive feedback for continuous improvement. This involves refining evaluation systems and standardizing how professional goals are set. By November 14, 2025, 85% of teachers, principals, and directors are expected to have their professional goals entered into a new evaluation system. The plan also includes implementing an improved multi-source feedback process for school and district leaders. 

By April 2026, at least 90% of principals are targeted to receive structured feedback from students, families, and staff as part of their evaluations, with a similar percentage of directors receiving feedback from their teams and peers. This initiative aims to build on past progress, reinforce a feedback-rich environment, and create greater transparency and consistency through a unified system for tracking goals and feedback.

Cover photo: Supt. Tom Flanagan (right) with school board members. Source: Burlington School District website.