- New Grant: Using Flexible Pathways for Personalized Learning
- Annual Snapshot Performance Levels Survey
- What If Wednesday School Safety Training
- Mercury Spill Prevention in Schools
- 2018 Youth Justice Summit
- April Professional Learning Network Newsletter
- Courtesy Postings
New Grant Opportunity: Using Flexible Pathways for Personalized Learning
Audience: Superintendents, Education Administrators
The Vermont Agency of Education invites Supervisory Unions and School Districts to apply for a Flexible Pathways Grant to support high-quality, well-rounded, out-of-school time learning opportunities for Vermont learners. Competitive awards will be granted to school and community partnerships that show the greatest promise of providing high-quality out-of-school time learning opportunities that support Act 77 and EQS. SUs/SDs will lead these projects. Applicants may apply for grants in the following ranges: $7,500 - $10,000, $20,000 - $30,000 or $50,000 - $75,000. Grant applications will be reviewed by the Agency of Education after the May 11, 2018 closing date.
Contact: Jess DeCarolis at jess.decarolis@vermont.gov; Veronica Newton at veronica.newton@vermont.gov
Survey on Descriptors for Performance Levels in Annual Snapshot
Audience: Everyone
Time is running out to offer your input in helping the Agency of Education determine the descriptors for the four performance levels for Annual Snapshot indicators. Please take the Survey on Descriptors for Performance Levels to evaluate the options under consideration. The survey will be open through Friday, April 13, 2018.
Contact: Patrick Halladay at (802) 479-1712 or patrick.halladay@vermont.gov
April What If Wednesday: School Safety Training Opportunity
Audience: Superintendents, Principals, School Crisis Planning Team Members
This week's What if Wednesday for April 11, 2018 will test and evaluate the policies and procedures your school has in place to respond to a report of a missing student. Please share this easy to use school safety training opportunity with all appropriate faculty, staff and school crisis planning team members.
Contact: Rob Evans, School Safety Liaison Officer, at revans@margolishealy.com
Mercury Spill Prevention in Schools
Audience: Administrators and School Nurses
Following an incident earlier this school year, in which a mercury-containing blood pressure cuff (sphygmomanometer) fell off its wall mount and broke, the Vermont Department of Health is distributing a survey to all school nurses to assess the presence of mercury-containing devices (e.g. blood pressure cuffs, thermometers) at Vermont schools. Schools that complete the survey will be eligible to participate in an exchange program, in which a mercury-free sphygmomanometer will be provided at no cost in exchange for mercury-containing units on a first come, first served basis, with public schools receiving priority. A survey response is requested by May 4, 2018.
Contact: Lauren Prinzing at lauren.prinzing@vermont.gov
Youth Justice Summit 2018: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Human and Sex Trafficking
Audience: Guidance Counselors, All
The 6th Annual Youth Justice Summit will be held on April 18, 2018. The Summit brings together social workers, restorative justice partners, attorneys, GALs, educators and judges from across the state to train together and work collaboratively around current issues affecting youth. This year we will have experts to discuss the topic of “A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Human and Sex Trafficking”. The participants will have the opportunity to learn about the Multi-Disciplinary Team model (MDT) and engage with professionals in the justice, advocacy, mental health, and family services systems to identify victims and eradicate the occurrence human and sex trafficking in Vermont.
Contact: Lindy Boudreau at lindy.boudreau@vermont.gov or (802) 241-0875
VT PLN April Newsletter
Audience: All
This issue of the VT Professional Learning Network newsletter spotlights educators in work-based learning practices across Vermont. You will also find information on the Digging Deep Expert Series (which kicks off this month), Self-Paced Courses, and Vermont Stories.
Contact: Michael Brownstein at vtclg@ccebos.org
Courtesy Postings
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.
Nomination Period Open for Vermont Humanities Council Educator Award
Nominations for the Vermont Humanities Council’s Victor R. Swenson Humanities Educator Award are due April 30, 2018. The award recognizes a Vermont educator in grades 6 through 12 who exemplifies excellence in the teaching of the humanities. It includes a $1,000 award, and is named for the Council’s founding Executive Director, Victor R. Swenson.
Contact: Linda Wrazen at lwrazen@vermonthumanities.org or (802) 262-1357
Professional Learning Opportunity at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum
Learning from the Lake: Using Primary Sources at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum to Teach Key Proficiencies will be held June 25 to 29, 2018. This course, taught by Dr. Harry Chaucer, demonstrates how teachers can use Expanded Learning Providers (ELPs) such as the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum to make learning more empirical, inductive and personal for their students. Participants will take a live-stream tour of a shipwreck through the camera lens of an underwater robot and a visit to the shores of an archaeological site that was frequented by indigenous people for thousands of years. Graduate credit is available through Castleton University.
Contact: Matthew Witten at mattheww@lcmm.org or (802) 475-2022, ext. 106.
Vermont Higher Education Collaborative - Summer Registration Now Open
Vermont Higher Education Collaborative summer offerings are open for registration - including the first coursework for two licensure programs: Special Education and Early Childhood Education/Special Education. Back by popular demand, we will also be offering another 40 hour RBT training, as well as a three-day Structured Teaching workshop. Other offerings in Health Ed, Gender Diversity and more.
Contact: Julie Medose at julie.medose@vthec.org or (802) 498-3350
Virtual Forum on Working as a Professional Theater Artist
On Wednesday, April 25, 2018, from 9 to 10 a.m., get a sneak peek behind the scenes at Northern Stage, Vermont’s only LORT-D regional theater. This interactive virtual tour will feature actor Susan Haefner, state manager Brian Sekinger, Scenic Charge Artist Melissa Robinson, and moderator, Associate Director Amanda Rafuse. Register online or view segments of past virtual forums.
Contact: Thomas D. Loudon at customerservice@snowyowltutoring.com or (802) 299-9642
M3 Initiative: Building Youth-Adult Partnership Through Advisory
Are you building a school culture where all students believe in their capacity as learners and are empowered with effective metacognitive strategies? The M3: Mindset, Metacognition , and Motivation initiative mobilizes high school students as advisory leaders, facilitating up to ten sessions to help their peers more effectively partner with teachers and feel ownership of their learning. Adult M3 team members support students in this powerful new role and advocate for a shared language of learning throughout their schools. Applications are open for the upcoming school year.
Contact: helen@upforlearning.org or (802) 917-4490
Natural Resources Management Academy
Registration is now open for the 11th annual Natural Resources Management Academy, a program offered by UVM Extension and Vermont's Department of Fish & Wildlife. Open to any student entering grades 7 to 12 in the fall who is interested in the environment and ready to explore, in depth, your passion for Vermont's natural resources.
Contact: Lauren Traister at lauren.traister@uvm.edu or (802) 888-4972, ext. 402
Quantum Leap for High School
Quantum Leap for High School will be held on Saturday, April 21, 2018 at KW Vermont, South Burlington, VT. Join Adam Hergenrother for Quantum Leap, a transformational experience designed to help students decide what they want their life to look like and then support them in creating goals around that vision. Key concepts include Shifting Your Mindset, Developing Powerful Habits, Achieving Your Goals and Understanding Wealth. This is a free event for students grades 8 to 12.
Contact: Erin McCormick at erin@herggroup.com
Supporting Children through Trauma, Poverty, and Adversity
Registration is open for this 45-hour course, where participants will gain an understanding of poverty-related stress and its impact on brain function. Participants will establish a framework for developing social and emotional learning competencies in their students.
Contact: Caitlin Niland at cniland@sterncenter.org or (802) 878-2332, ext. 320
Early Childhood Educator’s Summer University
The Early Childhood Educator’s Summer University will take place on the campus of Castleton University from July 23 to 26, 2018. Castleton will offer 16 hybrid courses designed to deepen practice, meet childcare professional development requirements, and contribute to early childhood or elementary educator licensing competencies and/or renewal of educator licenses and endorsements. Courses may be taken for graduate or undergraduate credit or count toward required professional development hours.
Contact: Cheryl Mitchell at cheryl.w.mitchell@gmail.com or (802) 989-8141
Mix Mastering with DJ mITCHELL
Learn the art of club, rave, hip-hop, and drum&bass/breakbeat DJ'ing with internationally renowned performer DJ Craig mITCHELL. The class meets Tuesdays and Thursdays, April 24 to May 10, 2018 from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. and culminates in a dance party May 15, 2018. Pre-registration is recommended. This course is for teens, and 50 percent off for college students.
Contact: Sarah Caliendo at scaliendo@flynncenter.org