Welcome to Union Street School

Union Street School is the educational home of third, fourth, and fifth graders in Springfield, Vermont.  We have nearly 300 students, 32 certified staff, and 30 or more support staff which consists of para-educators, instructional assistants, secretaries and/or clerks, kitchen staff, and janitors.  The students and staff at Union Street believe in “Living the DREAM!”

Our professional educators created a behavior and safety program for the entire school community called “DREAM”.  “DREAM” is an acrostic that is used as a reminder of the expectations for all persons.  “DREAM” stands for:

            Do your best!

            Responsible behavior

            Empathy for others

            Active Learning

            Make a difference!

The “Live the DREAM!” program has made a wonderful difference in students’ success rate of behavior and safety.  We welcome folks to stop in, visit, and observe our school community.  The best time to see all students and staff at one time in one location “Living the DREAM!” is during our “Fresh Start” activity.  “Fresh Start” is held each first day of a new week in the gym from 9:00-9:25 AM. 

Other exciting changes are taking place this year at Union Street School in addition to our implementation of the “Live the Dream!” program. This year we have been working hard on revising our School Improvement Plan.  Union Street had been identified by the State of Vermont as a “School of Needs of Improvement”. This year for the first time Union Street has joined other schools in our district and state of Vermont as a school needing to create a restructuring plan.

Before the state ever mandated Union Street to restructure, the staff had been proactive in creating and implementing a school improvement process that encompassed the “Seven Correlates of Highly Effective Schools” from the work of Larry Lezotte.  Lezotte is a well-known national leader in the education world for school change and academic improvement.  The Seven Correlates are: 

• Instructional Leadership
• Clear and Focused Mission
• Safe and Orderly Environment
• Climate of High Expectations
• Frequent Monitoring of Student Progress
• Positive Home-School Relations
• Opportunity to Learn and Student Time on Task

Henceforth, our 2012-2013 school year began with a strong focus on assuring that each of the Seven Correlates were being embedded into our new state requirement of designing a Restructuring Plan that will implemented beginning in the 2013-2014 school year.  The state of Vermont provided us with a survey tool and a school coach to help identify areas where we have the strongest need to focus upon.  

Union Street’s certified staff members have been involved with this process and are working diligently with consistency and fidelity on an updated plan to improve student achievement.  Our support staff folks are encouraged to give input as well to the process as they are critical personnel in our school learning community. 

Union Street is right on the brink of proposing our new Restructuring Plan to the staff.  Soon it will be ready to share with students and parents.  Right now we are in the final stages of developing class structures, schedules, processes, and interventions that will enhance the learning for all students beginning the 2013-2014 school year.  Stay tuned for the upcoming educational meetings that will be held in April and May!