by Gail Callahan

As the academic year comes to a close, the Shelburne School Board voted on proposals that will affect the make-up of faculty at the facility.

During the meeting, which drew no audience, board members voted unanimously to accept administrators’ recommendations to hire Cathy Sheerin to replace Dick Carlson.  Carlson, a South Burlington resident, is retiring next month after spending more than three decades in the classroom. Carlson taught social studies on Winston House, a middle school class.

According to SCS Co-Principal John Bossange, 119 applicants sent in resumes. A committee whittled that number down to eight, and chose to interview six.

Sheerin will teach at SCS full-time and is no stranger to the hallways of the school, as she did her student-teaching internship there.

"She’s wonderful, natural, and knowledgeable, and has a 4.0," said Bossange, adding that Sheerin invited him into the classroom to observe her teaching lessons.

The board also approved the hiring of John Madden to work as the school math coordinator. He replaces Lisa Phelps and Phelps will fill Anne Rainey’s slot after she retires this summer.

"He [Madden] has strong math and leadership skills," said SCS Co-Principal Allegra Miller. "This is good for our school. He has a history with us."

The board also approved the 2010-2011 academic calendar for the Shelburne Community School. Miller noted that the school would still hold parent-teacher conferences during three days in November, and again for the same number of days in March, running March 16-18.

Four half days at the school earmarked for professional development must be inserted into the calendar.