School Profile

The 21.5 credit minimum must include:

• English/Language Arts - 4 credits
• Social Studies - 3 credits, incl 1 year of US History
• Mathematics - 3 credits
• Science - 3 credits Practical Arts - 0.5 credits Fine Arts - 0.5 credits
• Physical Education - 1.5 credits Health - 0.5 credit
• Electives - 3.5 credits
• RISE- 0.5 credit per year, P/F grading
• Senior Exit Experience - 0.5 credit- this includes a presentation. P/F grading

All courses are listed online. Please check for specific details at: https://www.cvsdvt.org/domain/126

Special Programs:

Advanced Placement (AP) Courses:

available to Juniors and Seniors on a space-available basis, are Biology (2 credits - including Lab), Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Chemistry (2 credits - including Lab), English Lit, Environmental Science, Human Geography, Physics C: Mechanics, Statistics, Art & Design, Music Theory and U.S. Government & Politics. While we attempt to honor requests for AP courses, access may be limited due to high demand and scheduling.

Dual Enrollment:

The State of Vermont offers all high school students up to two vouchers for college classes between their Junior and Senior years.
Students engage in this opportunity based on interest, scheduling conflicts, graduation requirements, or to accrue college credit while in High School.

Technical Study:

Students may elect to enroll in a ½ day program at Burlington Technical Center or a full day program at the Center for Technology at Essex. Through technical Dual Enrollment, called Fast Forward, students have the opportunity to take college courses for credit.

Independent Study /Online Coursework:

This option offers student the opportunity to pursue an individualized program of study in an area of interest or for scheduling conflict reasons. Online options include BYU, VTVLC, Keystone and others.

Field and Forest:

An integrated full-day semester long program in which students explore the connectedness of social justice, environment, climate, and literature with a curriculum that emphasizes project-based learning, reading, writing, and discussing. Students earn 1.0 credit in both English and Science.

Nexus:

The Nexus Program is a flexible learning environment designed for students who want to personalize their learning. Students build their own courses and/or participate in Internships and dive deeply into content of their choice. Executive Functioning, Reflection, and Authentic Audience are key components of the learning experience.

RISE:

RISE (Reflective, Interest-based Student Experiences) is a two-week program, graded on a P/F basis, at the end of the school year, where students engage in learning opportunities that align with their interests. As an alternative to RISE, students have the option to utilize one of their Dual Enrollment vouchers.
 

Grading:

Like most public high schools in Vermont, CVU operates in a proficiency-based system. CVU’s system starts with our Graduation Standards, transferable skills that are the ultimate destination for our students. More specific destinations are articulated at the course level through curriculum documents called KUDs, which communicate what students will Know, Understand, and be able to Do by the end of the course. These curriculum documents-- aligned with and informed by national standards documents adopted by the VT State Board of Education--communicate the content, conceptual understanding, and skills that students will learn by the end of the course. The Ds within the KUDs are also called Learning Targets, which are the essential skills for that year or course. Class learning targets are instructed, practiced, assessed, and reported throughout the year using a variety of rigorous, relevant content. Each learning target lives within a four-level Learning Scale, which communicates what increasing complexity of the skill looks like, and student achievement is measured, tracked, and communicated on this 1-4 scale. At the end of each course, an average composite score is calculated based on the level of mastery for each target. This composite score is then converted to an alpha-based grade, using a common conversion, for the transcript.

Class Rank:

CVU does not provide class rank.

CVU Grades:

CVU grades are unweighted.

Latin Honors System:

Honors distinctions are based on the Latin Honors System:
Summa Cum Laude - 4.1 & above, Magna Cum Laude - 3.8 -4.09, and Cum Laude - 3.5 - 3.79

Adjustments During  COVID:

For 20/21, CVU employed a hybrid schedule, in which students attended classes in person two days per week, online one day, and completed work independently the other two days.
Instead of taking eight classes at a time, students completed four classes at a time, focusing on them in a more intense way. Students were given the option to opt for either a P/F or letter grade at any point during the year. For the 2021-2022 School Year, CVU returned to full time in-person schooling.
 

School Counseling  and Administration Team:

School Counselors

• Russel Aceto - Fairbanks House Counselor
• Fern Aguda-Brown - Snelling House Counselor
• Jennifer Bickel-Hayes - Nichols House Counselor
• Sara O'Hare-Hughes - Chittenden House Counselor
• Naomi Willams - Chittenden House Counselor
• Susie Moakley - Flexible Pathways Counselor

School Counseling Dept. Administrative Staff

• Heather Walpole - School Counseling Department Administrative Assistant
• Colleen McSweeney - Registrar

CVU Administration

• Katherine Riley - Principal
• Ry Hoffman - Director of School Counseling
• Jess Hoskins - Director of Special Services Amy Wardwell - Snelling House Administrator
• Monica Carter - Chittenden House Administrator
• Anthony Spagnolo - Nichols House Administrator
• Arthur Chiaravalli - Fairbanks House Administrator