Core Values in Advisory

I am grateful to be a member of the faculty at South Burlington High School, where I have had the opportunity to help design and implement advisory programs for first- and second-year students. During the first year of advisory, our students explore ideas such as community, leadership, and diversity through experiential learning activities. The second year of advisory is based on reflection and self-assessment. All students build a portfolio by which they assess themselves as learners and citizens. These portfolios are presented to a panel of guests who are invited to provide feedback for the student. While our current advisory programs are very deliberate steps in the right direction, those steps stop at the end of each student’s sophomore year.

My work as a 2014 Rowland fellow has two parts.

1. I will design an advisory program for juniors and seniors at South Burlington High School. To do so, I will spend time exploring successful advisory programs around the country. I will collaborate with faculty, staff, students, and parents at South Burlington High School to ensure that the program grows out of a shared vision from all stakeholders.

2. I will share a component of our reflective portfolio with high schools around Vermont. Together with the Flyin’ Ryan Foundation, I will bring our core principles activity to other high schools. This activity, which was designed by a South Burlington High School colleague, asks students to write their own core principles. While this is a high-quality exercise that stands on its own, this activity is a perfect match for one of the Critical Elements of a Vermont Personalized Learning Plan.