Volume 16, Issue 41

October 12, 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.

The Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21C) Grant Application-Third Notification

Audience: All
The Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21C) Grant Application with an estimated annual available minimum of $3,000,000 is now open for the purpose of providing comprehensive high-quality afterschool and summer learning opportunities. Investments are for five years. Virtual applicant trainings for teams will be held on Oct. 13, 2022 (Part 1) and Nov. 3, 2022 (Part 2) from 9-11:30 a.m. E-Letters of Intent are due Nov. 22, 2021. Applications are due Feb. 3, 2023, in the Grants Management System. To view a paper copy of the grant application go to the AOE 21C webpage. To get on the applicant mailing list and to register for trainings fill out the 21C Competition Contact Form. You may also view the 21C quick eligibility checker.
Contact: Emanuel Betz at Emanuel.Betz@vermont.gov or (802) 828-6977

Governor’s School Safety Conference 2022

Audience: Principals, Superintendents and School Safety Teams
Vermont’s Agency of Education, Department of Public Safety and the Vermont School Safety Center are pleased to announce that registration is open for the 2022 Governor’s School Safety Conference. This free event will take place on Nov. 2, 2022, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the DoubleTree Hilton in Burlington. Dr. Marisa Randazzo will be the keynote speaker and will be discussing the background and history of active shooter incidents and the tools and strategies that have been developed to mitigate the risks of these events in the future.
Contact: Rob Evans at revans@margolishealy.com or (802) 839-0448

School Districts Urged to Send Representative to Cyber Training

Audience: Superintendents, Principals, Ed Tech Directors, IT Managers
District administrators are encouraged to identify at least one IT or education technology representative to send to the Vermont Fest conference on Nov. 17, 2022, to participate in an all-day cybersecurity training. The Agency of Education is working with K12 SIX and Vita Learn to facilitate sessions. K12 SIX experts will conduct a comprehensive workshop to help districts understand what to do to prepare before, during and after a ransomware attack or breach. Non-IT district-level administrators are also urged to attend the morning planning session with their IT and edtech staff to build a stronger understanding among the entire management team of the need for cybersecurity planning. If your district is an institutional member of Vita Learn, the IT or ed tech director may bring a district administrator to the conference and have the registration fee waived for that individual. This training is part of AOE’s continuing effort to assist districts with cybersecurity planning. To register, go to the Vita Learn conference registration site.
Contact: Lisa Helme at lisa.helme@vermont.gov

Family Engagement Networking Series 

Audience: Family Engagement Personnel, Administrators
Please join the Agency of Education's Vermont Multi-tiered System of Supports (VTmtss) Team for a monthly Family Engagement Networking Series. The next Networking Session will be held on Oct. 20, 2022, from 1-2 p.m. Universal Practices of Family Engagement will be the focus. These are informal monthly, one-hour virtual sessions for family engagement colleagues to connect, hear updates and discuss problems of practice regarding family engagement. Save the dates for future Family Engagement Networking Sessions which will be held every third Thursday from 1-2 p.m.
Contact: Nancy Hellen at nancy.hellen@vermont.gov

Nominations for Presidential Scholars

Audience: Students, Principals, Guidance Counselors, Academic, Arts and CTE Teachers, CTE Center Directors 
The Vermont Presidential Scholars Program recognizes students for academic success, artistic and technical excellence, community service and leadership. Scholars are chosen in three different categories: General (for high school seniors), the Arts (for grades 10 – 12), and Career Technical Education (for high school seniors currently enrolled in a state-approved CTE program). Outstanding students are selected based on nominations from teachers and administrators. Students in some categories may also nominate themselves, and those selected in the General and CTE categories will be invited to apply to the U.S. Presidential Scholars program. The deadline for nominations is Nov. 11, 2022. Only nominations submitted via electronic applications will be accepted. You can find all necessary forms and additional information on the Awards and Recognitions - Presidential Scholars webpage.
Contact: Ryan Parkman at ryan.parkman@vermont.gov

What if Wednesday, Volume 3

Audience: Superintendents, Principals, School Safety Stakeholders
The Vermont School Safety Center is pleased to announce the What if Wednesday, Volume 3, 2022 school safety training initiative. The “What if Wednesday” training program is designed to be shared with all school safety stakeholders and should be used to stimulate a conversation about school emergency preparedness.
Contact: Rob Evans at revans@margolishealy.com or (802) 839-0448

New Online Reporting Form for 4500 Incidents Sent to Agency of Education

Audience: Superintendents, Building Administrators, Heads of Independent Schools, Staff Trained to Administer Restraint
The Agency of Education has transitioned to a digital reporting system for collecting the reports of restraint and seclusion required by Board of Education Rule 4500. We will no longer accept hard copy reports or reports sent as email attachments. Please use the Rule 4500: Mandated Restraint/Seclusion Documentation Report online form to submit any reports that meet the criteria for sending to the Secretary of Education.
Contact: Kate Anderson at kate.anderson@vermont.gov

Act 112 Mental Health and Well-being Service to Youth Grant Application Webinar

Audience: Audience: Schools, SU/SDs, relevant community partners
The Agency of Education and the Department of Mental Health Act 112 grant application will be available early next week. There will be a webinar offered on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022, from 1-1:30 p.m. for applicants to learn about the application process and to familiarize themselves with the Grants Management System. There will also be a weekly one-hour technical assistance office hours during the application period beginning the week of Oct. 24, 2022. You can join the meeting online, or call into the meeting at (802) 828-7667, Conference ID: 743 013 039.
Contact: Tracy Watterson at tracy.watterson@vermont.gov

Agency of Education Open Positions

Audience: All
The Vermont Agency of Education has open positions that are available to both state employees and external applicants. Open positions are: Data Analyst I and Data Analyst II - Contact: David Kelley at david.kelley@vermont.gov; Database Administrator III and Database Administrator IV - Contact: Tracey Delphia at tracey.delphia@vermont.gov; Policy Communications Specialist - Contact: Ted Fisher at ted.fisher@vermont.gov; Programs Coordinator I -Science Specialist - Contact: Pat Fitzsimmons at pat.fitzsimmons@vermont.gov; Education Division Director - Data Management & Analysis Division - Contact: Courtney O'Brien at courtney.obrien@vermont.gov; and Education Assistant Division Director - Contact: Anne Bordonaro at anne.bordonaro@vermont.gov.
Contact: AOE Info at aoe.edinfo@vermont.gov

Vermont Public: October Resources to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

Audience: Curriculum Directors, Principals, PreK-12 Teachers
The Vermont Agency of Education and Vermont Public 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 recommendations for high-quality media and resource collections, including the new PBS Kids C3 connected series, Rosie’s Rules. Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in the classroom with this booklist, or check out the lessons and media gallery for Let’s Go Luna, along with Incorporating Let’s Go Luna into Your Classroom and Let’s Go Luna Resources and Episode Specific Activities. Listen to But Why Podcast talk about Words and Language with linguist guest John McWhorter. Find more Spanish resources for PreK-Grade 3 at PBS Parents. For older students, check out the Timeline Podcast Composer Maria Grever. For a Vermont connection, listen to Brave Little State Podcast’s What Is It Like to Be a Migrant Worker in Vermont? Also, don’t forget to visit the Education Ambassadors page to learn more about how Vermont educators are involved in our partnership.
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.

History and Legacy Branch of The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration Resources

The History and Legacy Branch (H&L) of The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration invites teachers to receive education resources at no cost. The H&L Branch offers posters that are visually engaging and easily digestible primers for students on a variety of topics about the Vietnam War and Vietnam veterans. Additionally, a Teachers’ Toolkit is available that is filled with resources, Vietnam War websites, lesson suggestions, media sources, and more. To request hard copies of these resources, please email whs.pentagon.wso.mbx.vnwar50th-edu@mail.mil. Emails are monitored regularly.
Contact: Dianne Carson at dianne.a.carson.civ@mail.mil

Vermont Family Network Free Workshop: “Protecting and Empowering our Children and Youth with Autism Through Kidpower”

In the workshop, Protecting and Empowering our Children and Youth with Autism Through Kidpower, held on Oct. 20, 2022, from 1-2 p.m., adults who support children and youth will learn how to help young people with autism build stronger relationships and be safer from bullying, abuse and other harm. Participants will practice ways parents and caregivers can teach young people of all abilities how to protect themselves from bullying, set and respect boundaries, move away from trouble before it grows, protect themselves from teasing and harassment, and get help from adults and persist until they get it. Participants will also learn how to adapt skills based on kids' needs and abilities and how to use the skills to protect children and youth. Presenter: Laura Slesar, Center Director for Kidpower Vermont.
Contact: Rachel Boyers at rachel.boyers@vtfn.org

14th Annual Vermont Entrepreneurship Day

All secondary students and educators, in any discipline, are invited to join this engaging, educational program to hear from a panel of amazing young enterprising Vermont entrepreneurs as they share their stories and offer tips on how to be successful in business or in the workplace. You will also hear from a communication’s expert on “how to tell your story”. In advance, students have the option to participate in a visual media competition with cash prizes awarded at the virtual event. This year’s theme: “Vermont Entrepreneurs…Tell Your Story.” Details and competition guidelines can be found on the Vermont Small Business Development Center events webpage. The event takes place on on Feb. 9, 2023.
Contact: Laurel Butler at lbutler@vtsbdc.org or (802) 922-3692

All Learners Network Math Professional Development

Middle School Math Workshop is a twelve-hour workshop offered on Nov. 3 and 4, 2022, from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., at the All Learners Network Learning Center in Burlington. Spend two days immersed in hands-on, problem-based middle school mathematics. This workshop will spend time unpacking the learning progressions of the High Leverage Concepts, diving into hands-on techniques to engage middle school students and practicing techniques to encourage your students to do the heavy lifting of making sense of the math they are learning.
Contact: TJ Jemison at communicationsdirector@alllearnersnetwork.com

Vermont Student Assistance Corporation Aspirations Consulting Model

The Vermont Student Assistance Corporation’s (VSAC) Aspirations team is now offering a consulting model that allows schools to engage in free, data-driven, school-specific consultations. Schools will work with knowledgeable VSAC Aspirations School Specialists, who are trained facilitators and coaches with backgrounds in education. If interested, contact Lauren Hood, Aspirations School Specialist at hood@vsac.org.
Contact: Lauren Hood at hood@vsac.org

November Umatter Suicide Prevention Awareness Training

Join the Center for Health and Learning for a no-cost Suicide Awareness training on Nov. 8, 2022, from 10-11:30 a.m. Enhance knowledge, comfort and skills to identify those at risk for suicide in your organization or community, including resources. Register online on the Umatter Suicide Prevention Awareness and Skills Training registration page.
Contact: Karen Carreira at karen@healthandlearning.org

Dairy Grant Opportunity for School Meals

New England Dairy is pleased to announce a funding opportunity from New England Dairy Farmers to eligible schools in Vermont to support food service needs related to expanding school meal programs or serving new dairy menu items like smoothies or hot chocolate milk. New for 2022: schools can apply for our turn-key smoothie kit. Learn more and apply on New England Dairy’s School Meals webpage. Deadline to apply is Dec. 16, 2022.
Contact: Jill Hussels at jhussels@newenglanddairy.com

Comprehensive Reading Evaluations with Dr. Melissa Farrall

Reading comprehension is hard to quantify, and it is challenging to identify the factors that support readers as they make meaning from text. The Comprehensive Reading Evaluations: Heart of the Matter webinar on Nov. 9, 2022, will provide an overview of comprehensive reading evaluations and explain how well-designed assessments, with their roots in reading theory and research, can provide essential recommendations. Dr. Melissa Farrall will explore how oral language and decoding skills support reading fluency and the comprehension of language in print. Sign up today on the event webpage.
Contact: Peter McDonald at pmcdonald@sterncenter.org

Fall Professional Learning-Castleton University Center for Schools

The Castleton Center for Schools has more graduate courses, designed for practicing educators, starting in the coming days and weeks. The majority are online and address topics such as: equity, literacy, social emotional learning, media making, music, national board certification and more. Visit Castelton's Continuing Education & Graduate Courses webpage for more information.
Contact: Tara Lidstone at cfs@castleton.edu or (802) 345-0092

Fully-Funded Domestic Exchange Program Launches in Vermont High Schools

In an effort to unite our divided country, the American Exchange Project (AEP) is building America’s first national domestic exchange program. Our program sends high school students on free one-week trips during the summer after senior year to American towns and cities that are very different from their own. Next summer, AEPers from Dodge City, KS will take in the view from the top of the Empire State Building, while AEPers from Palo Alto, CA will work with cattle in Kilgore, TX. AEP trips are fully-funded. We are looking for Vermont educators to serve as their school's Exchange Manager. This position is contracted by AEP and receives a $5,000 stipend.
Contact: Olivia Segal at olivia@americanexchangeproject.org

Professional Learning: Aspiring and New Curriculum Leaders

This is the last call to join this year's cohort of curriculum leaders in the Curriculum Leadership Academy: Leading a Learning Organization. This academy, led by Megan Grube, is designed to meet the learning needs of both current and aspiring curriculum directors. We will focus on the development of a continuous improvement plan for an individual, grade band or school/SU as this work is the keystone of learning organizations. The course will be held at Champlain Valley Educator Development Center in South Burlington on Oct. 21 and Nov. 18, 2022, and Jan. 20, March 31 and May 31, 2023, from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. The course includes the book "Deep Learning: Engage the World, Change the World" by Michael Fullan, Joanne Quinn and Joanne McEachen. Optional three graduate credits.
Contact: Lauren Wooden at lauren@cvedcvt.org or (802) 497-1642