Across the country, many schools are asking the question of how to re-engage students in the classroom. The COVID-19 pandemic has had countless ripple effects, one of which is that many youth no longer feel engaged in their learning. Whether it is family or work responsibilities, or feelings of alienation or isolation, students are choosing not to attend their classes, leading to growing concerns about learning loss and fractured school communities. 

Burlington High School (BHS) is no different, in that many students are coming to the physical building (temporarily situated in the former Macy’s building downtown, as the new high school is under construction), but are not attending classes, whether an academic course, advisory, or study hall. To address this concern, BHS has partnered with UP for Learning, the Burlington Community Justice Center (BCJC), and the Howard Center, a Burlington-based organization that provides developmental, mental health, and substance use services and support.

Working together, we have facilitated several “Engage BHS” retreats, co-facilitated by youth, where we try to get to the root of why students are disengaged with their courses, and how we can reverse that trend.