Volume 16, Issue 45

November 9, 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.

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 Family Engagement Networking Session will be held on Nov. 17, 2022, from 1-2 p.m. Leveraging Family Strengths in 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 

ARP/ESSER Act 112 Mental Health and Well-being Service to Youth Grant Application

Audience: Schools, SU/SDs and relevant community partners
The Agency of Education and the Department of Mental Health would like to announce that the Act 112 grant application is available in the Grants Management System. The application deadline is Nov. 15, 2022. The final weekly one-hour technical assistance office hour is Nov. 14, 2022.
Contact: Tracy Watterson at tracy.watterson@vermont.gov

Holocaust Education Week

Audience: Superintendents, Curriculum Directors, 7-12 Educators
The Vermont Agency of Education is collaborating with Vermont Holocaust Memorial, Echoes and Reflections, and other Holocaust education institutions to inaugurate the first Vermont Holocaust Education Week. From Jan. 23-27, 2023, teachers in grades 7 to 12 will be offered a menu of programs, lesson plans and presentations to share the fundamental history and lessons of the Holocaust with their students. A schedule of sessions and speakers will be forthcoming in a future Weekly Field Memo, as well as at the Vermont Alliance for the Social Studies Conference on Dec. 7, 2022, in Montpelier.
Contact: Martha Deiss at martha.deiss@vermont.gov

Book Study: Designing Authentic Performance Tasks and Projects

Audience: Curriculum Directors, K-12 Educators, Instructional Coaches
Join members of the AOE’s Proficiency-Based Learning Team as we engage in a book study of "Designing Authentic Performance Tasks and Projects", by McTighe, et. al. Participants of this peer learning community will gain a deeper understanding of the power of performance assessments as they relate to equity, student engagement and authentic assessment and come away with practical tools and strategies for implementing them in their practice. There is no charge for this professional learning opportunity, however, participants will need to purchase the book. Sessions will take place on the following Thursdays from 3:30-5 p.m. and it is strongly recommended that participants attend all six sessions: Nov. 17, and Dec. 15, 2022, and Jan.26, Feb.16, March 23, and May 11, 2023. Fill out the book study registration form to attend. There is also an option to earn one graduate credit through Castleton University.
Contact: Emily Leute at emily.leute@vermont.gov

Vermont Public: November Resources to Celebrate Native American 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. Celebrate Native American Heritage Month with Molly of Denali by Incorporating Molly of Denali into Your Classroom – access resources and episode-specific activities along with indigenous cultural and informational text resources. For PreK/K students, use these conversation starters during family celebrations or watch as Mister Chris and Friends celebrate friends and tradition. For grades K-5, enjoy playful learning with Gratitude BINGO or listen to But Why Podcast and learn about dictionaries. For older students, check out Vermont Public and MusicComp’s Student Composer Showcase or learn about sports and protest and why it matters. For a local connection, check out resources from the Vermont Abenaki Artists Association and the Abenaki Arts & Education Center. 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

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: Education Programs Coordinator I - Science Specialist - Contact: Pat Fitzsimmons at pat.fitzsimmons@vermont.gov and Education Quality Assurance Coordinator - Contact: Josh Souliere at josh.souliere@vermont.gov.
Contact: AOE Info at aoe.edinfo@vermont.gov

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.

Grant Funding Available: Vita-Learn Digital Educator Grants

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Certification focuses on pedagogy, not on tools or devices, and is designed to change your educational practice, whether you’re an instructional designer, library media specialist, technology coach or in another role. The Vita-Learn Digital Educator grant provides funding of up to $1,750 toward ISTE Certification course tuition and related expenses. Application deadline is Nov. 30, 2023. The next ISTE Certification course cohort begins in Dec. 2023.
Contact: Jeff Mao at jeff@vita-learn.org or (207) 798-2460

All Learners Network Math Professional Development

Getting Started with Math Menu is a three-hour workshop offered in person on Nov. 28, 2022, from noon-3 p.m. EST, virtually on Zoom. This workshop focuses on building teacher pedagogical knowledge about effective practices for mathematics teaching and learning using the Math Menu framework as an effective practice for differentiating and enhancing mathematics instruction to meet the needs of all learners. During the Math Menu components, students work in small groups or independently on tasks targeted to their specific needs. This workshop supports teachers in getting started with this framework.
Contact: TJ Jemison at communicationsdirector@alllearnersnetwork.com

Registration Open: Norwich University GenCyber Teacher Training Camp

Norwich University’s Center for Cybersecurity and Forensics Education and Research (CyFER) will host its first-ever GenCyber Teacher Training Camp from June 26 to Friday, June 30, 2023. Our aim is to support the teaching and learning of cybersecurity principles and best practices by enabling teachers to engage in hands-on activities focused on the practical application of a diverse range of cyber specializations including digital forensics, cryptography, information assurance, networking, programming and penetration testing. This activity is free to all participants – additional details and registration can be found on the CyFER website.
Contact: Megan Liptak at gencyber@norwich.edu

Vermont Destination Imagination News

If you are interested in having a Destination Imagination team this season, please get in touch before Dec. 2, 2022. We will be glad to answer questions and help you get started. Our workshop at Studio Place Arts in Barre on Nov. 12, 2022, had to be canceled, unfortunately, but will hopefully be rescheduled in the future. Would you like us to visit your community?
Contact: Jane Youngbaer at vtdicreativity@gmail.com or (802) 272-2766

December Umatter Suicide Prevention Awareness Training

Join the Center for Health and Learning for a no-cost Suicide Awareness training on Dec.7, 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: Contact: Karen Carreira at karen@healthandlearning.org

Project RESILIENCY

The U.S. Department of Education awarded $1.25 million in funding through its Office of Special Education Programs to fully fund five doctoral students in the University of Vermont's PhD in SHIE (Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Health and Inclusive Education) program. Led by faculty in the College of Education and Social Services, Project RESILIENCY will train future leaders in higher education through a rigorous pedagogical, theoretical and methodological program anchored in equity-oriented, community-engaged, and evidence-based practices. Recruited as a cohort beginning Fall 2023, doctoral scholars will receive full tuition support along with a stipend, insurance, travel and other expenses. Learn more on the Project RESILIENCY webpage.
Contact: Doug Gilman at Douglas.Gilman@uvm.edu

Castleton University Center for Schools Spring 2023 Course Registration is Now Open

Registration for Spring 2023 continuing education courses is now open! Course content, schedules and formats are specifically designed to support practicing PreK to 12 educators. There are many new courses on the spring schedule, as well as a number of repeat courses that are back by request. The majority are fully online in synchronous and asynchronous environments and have start dates in Jan., Feb., March and April 2023. The spring list and course descriptions can be viewed on Castleton's Continuing Education and Graduate Courses webpage. More offerings will be added in the coming weeks and months.
Contact: Tara Lidstone at cfs@castleton.edu or (802) 345-0092

Workshop: Inner Workings of the Mind: Reading Comprehension and Executive Function

Join us for an upcoming workshop on Dec. 13, 2022, with Dr. Melissa Farrall, one of the nation’s leading literacy experts. In the webinar, Dr. Farrall will focus on reading comprehension and executive function. Teaching reading comprehension requires not only a broad knowledge of decoding, phonological processing, and language but also an understanding of the underlying skills that make learning and problem-solving possible. Come and learn how to use your knowledge of executive function to improve your students’ progress in reading. Sign up today on the Stern Center for Language and Learning Professional Learning webpage.
Contact: Peter McDonald at pmcdonald@sterncenter.org