Volume 16, Issue 29

July 20, 2022

Agency of Education, State of Vermont and Federal Updates
Courtesy Posts

Agency of Education, State of Vermont and Federal Updates

This section of the Weekly Field Memo contains posts from the Agency of Education, other State of Vermont agencies, federal agencies or Vermont's congressional delegation.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Supplemental Guidance Documents

Audience: Section 504 Coordinators, Superintendents, Principals
To provide general information to schools in Vermont to aid in understanding their obligations under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Vermont Public Accommodations Act (VPAA) three supplemental guidance documents are now available: Universal Prekindergarten, Career and Technical Education Centers and Non-Public Schools.
Contact: Tracy Watterson at tracy.watterson@vermont.gov

Parent, Family and Community Engagement Webpage

Audience: Administrators, Home School Liaisons, Family Engagement Coordinators 
The Winooski School District website is the new Family and Community Engagement Highlight. Here you will find a variety of district opportunities for engagement, the Winooski Newsletter, a town and school district collaboration, links to community resources and translated orientation videos. All these features demonstrate a focus on family/community partnership and engagement. Also on the Parent, Family and Community webpage, many new resources have been posted under the section 'Resources from Other Agencies and Providers,' both in Vermont and outside Vermont. For questions, ideas and feedback contact Nancy Hellen at Nancy.Hellen@vermont.gov. 
Contact: Nancy Hellen at Nancy.Hellen@vermont.gov 

ARP ESSER GMS Application Now Open for Cybersecurity Planning

Audience: Education Technology Directors, IT Managers, Superintendents
The ARP-ESSER Cybersecurity Planning Grant application is now live in the GMS system. This $250,000 grant program supports the development of comprehensive data breach response plans and provides assistance in purchasing needed equipment and software. All LEAs are eligible to apply for grants of up to $30,000. The applications for this competitive grant opportunity are due August 19, 2022. Created by ARP ESSER Section 2001(f)(1), this funding is set aside for specific activities that help address learning loss by supporting actions that respond to students’ academic, social and emotional needs. Establishing a cybersecurity framework and data breach response plan for a district will help schools better manage and reduce their cybersecurity risk and ensure continuous student access to the technology needed to maintain fidelity in instruction.
Contact: Lisa Helme at lisa.helme@vermont.gov or (802) 828-6956

Annual Education Technology Survey

Audience: Education Technology Directors, Superintendents
The Annual Technology Survey is required of all Vermont schools in order to collect important data about many aspects of the education technology landscape in our schools. The survey is now open and the deadline to respond is Sep. 1, 2022. The AOE requests that the survey be answered to the best of the ability of each school. The survey is structured to enable a supervisory union or school district representative to complete data for multiple schools in one form. This information is used by legislators, as well as state and local policymakers and may be referenced in both state and national press with regards to Vermont’s status around education technology. Please complete the Annual Technology Survey, by Sep. 1, 2022.
Contact: Lisa Helme at lisa.helme@vermont.gov or (802) 828-6956

ARP ESSER GMS Application Available for Afterschool Grants-Due August 15, 2022

Audience: Education Technology Directors, IT Managers, Principals, Superintendents
The ARP-ESSER Afterschool Grant Application is now live in the GMS system. This $2.8 million grant program will be part of the AOE's larger education recovery and revitalization work. There are two funding pathways, one for program development, expansion and/or capacity building and one to develop a new comprehensive afterschool center. All LEAs will be eligible to apply. More information is available in the ARP ESSER Set-Aside Fund for Application Planning Guide. Applications will be due August 15, 2022, and awards will be announced Sep. 1, 2022. There will be rolling application periods beyond the summer application period if needed. Interested staff can sign up for the summer application email list to receive ongoing, detailed information about this initiative over the next two months.
Contact: Johannes Haensch at Johannes.Haensch@vermont.gov or (802) 881-4426

Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Training

Audience: Superintendents, Principals, School Crisis Planning Team Members
The Vermont School Safety Center is pleased to announce the registration link is open for the August 18, 2022, free, eight-hour, virtual, Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management training. All school/school district teams are encouraged to attend. This training is designed to educate and inform participants on how to evaluate concerning behaviors or actions that may have a negative impact on schools in Vermont. Register on the Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management training webpage.
Contact: Robert L. Evans, Vermont School Safety Liaison Officer, revans@margolishealy.com or (802) 839-0448

Draft for Public Comment: Policy on Nondiscriminatory School Branding

Audience: All
The Vermont Agency of Education seeks public comment on the draft Policy on Nondiscriminatory School Branding as explained in Act 152 of 2022. The Act requires the Agency of Education, in consultation with stakeholder groups including the Vermont School Boards Association, to develop and, from time to time, update a model nondiscriminatory school branding policy, consistent with the Act’s provisions. This draft model policy is open for public comment until July 29, 2022. Email comments to emily.simmons@vermont.gov.
Contact: Emily Simmons at emily.simmons@vermont.gov

Professional Learning & Coaching Opportunity: Early Learning Networked Improvement Community to Accelerate Learning and Recovery

Audience: Superintendents, Curriculum Directors, Teachers
To support your system in connecting and acting on current legislative and policy initiatives and to support accelerated learning and recovery, we invite SU/SD teams to join an Early-Learning Networked Improvement Community (ELNIC) to improve instruction in foundational skills and formative assessment practices in PreK-3rd grade math and literacy. The ELNIC is a unique, job-embedded professional learning opportunity where participants engage in collective problem-solving—using formative data and evidence-based practices—to support equitable, high-quality instruction. During this past school year, Vermont educators have collaborated with researcher(s)/subject matter experts across the country, including, Nell Duke (literacy) and Doug Clements and Julie Sarama (math). If you are interested in assembling an SU/SD team to take advantage of this rigorous, job-embedded professional learning opportunity, further details and a link to join an informational webinar can be found on the Networked Improvement Community to Accelerate Learning and Recovery document.
Contact: Lori Dolezal at aoe.elnichubgroup@vermont.gov

Vermont Public: Summer of Possibilities

Audience: Curriculum Directors, Principals, PreK-12 Teachers
The Vermont Agency of Education and Vermont Public (formerly Vermont PBS and VPR) continue our partnership to meet the anywhere, anytime, educational, social and emotional needs of Vermont students. Visit the Vermont Public Kids and Education page to find online and printable resources connected to the ECHO Leahy Center’s Science and Stories, Montshire Museum’s Leonardo da Vinci Machines in Motion Exhibit, Seven Days’ Good Citizen Challenge and more.
Contacts: Emily Leute at emily.leute@vermont.gov or Heather Duhamel at hduhamel@vermontpbs.org

Courtesy Posts

The views, opinions and resources shared in this section of the WFM are solely those of the original contributors. The Agency of Education does not endorse the views expressed by these contributors and reserves the right to refuse submissions. Questions related to any of these resources should be directed to the organizations, people and opportunities as shared. Please refer to the Weekly Field Memo submission guidelines for additional information.

Early Education Practice-Based Coach Training

Practice-Based Coaching is an evidence-based system designed to change teacher practices, improving children's outcomes. Programs with trained coaches succeed in two ways - there is a direct impact on learning outcomes by improving teaching practices and coaching costs are significantly reduced, making coaching sustainable. Pyramid 802 Plus is offering two virtual Practice Based Coach trainings this summer. Section one will be August 1-3, 2022, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., and section two will be August 10-12, 2022, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Interested participants can find more information, as well as a link to the registration form, on the Pyramid 802 Plus Practice-Based Coach Training page.
Contact: Beth Peloquin at beth@pyramid802plus.live or (802) 233-6667

Crisis Prevention Institute Training

The Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) Training provides training in a safe, non-harmful behavior management system designed to help human service workers provide the best possible care, welfare and safety for children who become out-of-control or physically aggressive. Completion of the full CPI training leads to CPI certification and is divided into two sessions (Part I and Part II). If you have already completed CPI training within the last twelve months, there is a three-hour CPI refresher to review CPI principles and strategies as well as opportunities for practice and problem-solving. Completion of this training will result in re-certification. To learn more, visit the CPI webpage. This training, offered by the BEST Project/VTPBIS, will be held at the Capitol Plaza in Montpelier. The full training will be held on August 25, 2022, from 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. (morning refreshments and lunch included), and the refresher training will be held from 1-4 p.m. (afternoon snack included). The per person cost will be $95 for the refresher course and $190 for the full course. Visit the registration page to register for either the refresher training or the full training.
Contact: Anne Dubie at anne.dubie@uvm.edu

Professional Learning: Increase Your Expertise Related to Reading and Writing Assessment

Registration is now open for the Assessment Institute that begins Sep. 6, 2022. This course is taught by Dr. Melissa Farrall, a leading expert on reading, language and assessment. Develop the knowledge and skills to meet each child’s unique needs as a learner and learn how to identify the strengths and weaknesses of at-risk students. The Assessment Institute is designed to bridge the gap between the science of reading, reading instruction and reading assessment. This program is for educators who hold a master’s degree in a related field as well as certification/coursework in structured literacy. Receive a 20% discount through our Cynthia K. Hoehl Institute Grants.
Contact: Peter McDonald at pmcdonald@sterncenter.org

Vermont Destination Imagination

Thanks to National Life’s Do Good Fest for including us in the Non-Profit Village! Next, please come visit our info and activity booth on July 30, 2022, at the Cabot Arts and Music Festival. We can bring Destination Imagination to any community in Vermont, to engage more kids and teens in creative problem-solving and teamwork. Destination Imagination is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
Contact: Jane Youngbaer at vtdicreativity@gmail.com or (802) 272-2766

Vermont Family Network Free Workshop: “Navigating Demand Avoidance: Threat, Safety & Foot on the Gas”

Brains need to feel safe to engage, pay attention and learn. On July 26, 2022, from 1-2 p.m., participants will learn about the brain science of neuroception and hear examples of the challenges that many children’s limbic systems experience as threats. Presenters will share strategies to optimize children’s autonomy and minimize conflicts at home and school. Presenters will discuss the fluctuating external and internal demands impacting many kids and list concrete strategies for creating supportive environments for kids with hypersensitive neuroception. Presenters: Dr. Mel Houser, board-certified family physician and Dr. Casey Ehrlich, coach to parents raising pathological demand avoidance autistic children. Please register on the Navigating Demand Avoidance: Threat, Safety & Foot on the Gas webpage.
Contact: Rachel Boyers at rachel.boyers@vtfn.org

Enhancing the Superpowers of School Administrative Assistants

School administrative assistants are likely the first person that students, staff, families and other community members see when they enter the building. On top of all the responsibilities with phones, computers and organizational matters, school administrative assistants must effectively communicate with anyone at their window. This workshop will provide an opportunity to enhance communication skills with the people they connect with all day, every day. Relationship building, de-escalation and conflict resolution strategies will be explored and practiced. This training, offered by the BEST Project/VTPBIS, will be held on August 9, 2022, at the Lake Morey Resort in Fairlee from 9 a.m.-noon. The cost will be $95 per person and you may register on the Enhancing the Superpowers of School Administrative Assistants webpage.
Contact: Anne Dubie at anne.dubie@uvm.edu