Incoming superintendent of the Burlington School District Yaw Obeng will teach two three-credit courses at the University of Vermont this year, one is the fall and one in the spring. 

Obeng, a Canadian citizen who was superintendent of the Halton District School Board outside of Toronto, received a visa to teach at UVM, which cleared the way for him to receive the additional visa he needed to begin work as superintendent. The news about both visas was announced at a press conference on August 26 at the Burlington School District headquarters on Colchester Avenue.  

Obeng will fill an opening for a part-time adjunct professor in UVM’s College of Education and Social Services with credentials in the area of teaching English Language Learners, a field Obeng has significant experience in. The position became available over the summer. Obeng will teach the same course both semesters, titled Language, Policy Issues and Race in Learning.

“UVM is greatly strengthened by having Mr. Obeng’s expertise in school improvement, English Language Learners and diversity issues benefit our students,” said Cynthia Gerstl-Pepin, interim dean of the College of Education and Social Services.

The arrangement is a natural fit, according to both Mark Porter, chair of the Burlington Board of School Commissioners, and Gerstl-Pepin. 

“Burlington School District and the College of Education began developing a partnership several years ago,” said Porter. “We’re part of the same community, and appreciate the university’s continued commitment to our working closely to benefit the people and students of Burlington.”

Gerstl-Pepin added that more than 250 of the college’s majors work in surrounding schools as student teachers, counselors, social workers and community service volunteers.