Taste of Eritrea
Essay contest
City’s Rotary Club holds fundraiser
Sen. Sanders recognizes South Burlington student
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South Burlington’s Community Newspaper Since 1977
the APRIL 4, 2024
otherpapersbvt.com
VOLUME 48, NO. 14
Wheeler Park housing challenge headed to trial
Stepping in the future
COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER
A years-long court case opposing a housing development in South Burlington’s Wheeler Nature Park is headed to trial but appears destined to be appealed to the state’s highest court. The project would see 32 mixed-housing units built in the Wheeler Nature Park in South Burlington, part of a larger parcel
that itself was once the subject of a lengthy court case. But the project was appealed by a group of nearby homeowners and has since been moving through the courts. A motion for summary judgement by appellants opposing BlackRock Construction’s development at 550 Park Road, on the corner of Dorset Street and Park See WHEELER PARK on page 10
SB School District picks new director of learning LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
COURTESY PHOTO
Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School students toured the Vermont Statehouse recently on a trip to the Capitol. See more photos on page 2.
Jody Vaillancourt will take over as the South Burlington School District’s new executive director of learning on July 1, following the exit of Alysia Backman, who holds the title now. Vaillancourt is no stranger to the district and has been spearheading new curriculum initiatives since last year when she first joined the team as the curriculum coordinator for literacy, working
alongside Backman to implement a new K-5 structured literacy program, a major priority in this year’s school budget. “It’s an instructional approach that systematically and sequentially teaches oral language, phonics, vocabulary, spelling and fluency, syntax, reading comprehension and writing,” she said. In her time as curriculum coordinator, Vaillancourt has facilitatSee VAILLANCOURT on page 12
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