- School Safety: What if Wednesday
- The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching
- Understanding the NGSS and Building K-12 Science Systems
- Professional Learning: Bullying Prevention within PBIS Webinar
- Celebrate Hour of Code Week
- Courtesy Posts
School Safety: What if Wednesday
Audience: Superintendents, Principals, School Crisis Planning Team Members
This week's What if Wednesday for November 28, 2018, is designed to initiate a conversation about school safety. 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 or (802) 839-0448
The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching
Audience: Principals, Curriculum Coordinators, Teacher Leaders, Coaches
Each year, the National Science Foundation (NSF) recognizes outstanding individuals who teach mathematics and science at both the elementary or secondary grade level on behalf of the White House. This 2018-2019 school year, the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) program will accept applications from grades seven through 12 science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and computer science educators. The award recognizes excellence in teachers who develop and implement a high-quality instructional program that is informed by content knowledge and enhances student learning. Consider nominating an outstanding Vermont educator today. Learn more on the PAEMST website.
Contact: Margaret Carrera-Bly, at (802)479-1097 or margaret.carrera-bly@vermont.gov
Understanding the NGSS and Building K-12 Science Systems
Audience: Principals, Curriculum Coordinators, Teacher Leaders
On December 6, 2018, at North Country Career Center in Newport, VT, The Vermont Agency of Education will offer Understanding the NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards), covering how to read the NGSS, what resources are available to help unpack the standards and offer models of scopes and sequences, K-12, K-5, Middle School, and High School. Register for Understanding the NGSS and Building K-12 Science Systems.
Contact: Margaret Carrera-Bly, at (802) 479-1097 or margaret.carrera-bly@vermont.gov
Professional Learning: Bullying Prevention within PBIS Webinar
Audience: School personnel including school social workers, school counselors and teachers
Registration is open for the Bullying Prevention within PBIS Webinar. This free webinar on December 14, 2018, at 9 a.m. will provide an outline of the Vermont Agency of Education policies and regulations related to bullying and an overview of bullying prevention strategies within a multi-tiered framework. Participants will learn about a user-friendly bullying prevention curriculum from the National PBIS TA Center. Examples of elementary and middle school strategies will be provided.
Contact: Amy Wheeler-Sutton at amy.wheeler-sutton@uvm.edu or (518) 421-3965
Celebrate Hour of Code Week
Audience: Educators, Technology Coordinators, and Principals
The Vermont Agency of Education encourages schools to take part in Computer Science Education Week December 3 to 7, 2018, with the Hour of Code Celebration that encourages students to jump in and explore concepts around coding and programming. Encouraging students to explore these concepts as they develop personalized learning plans is key to students being career and college ready. Code.org has set up a collection of web apps, tools, and challenges for students to interact with throughout the week. This years’ theme is Creativity and schools are encouraged to create their own apps, and build their skills in coding and programming while learning about how computer science is woven throughout work and careers. To that end, the Agency works with other entities in the state including Vita Learn and the VT Computer Science Alliance to develop events and collaborations between schools, outside experts, and state leaders. Check out the ThinkAboutCode website, created by Vita Learn to see what events and activities are on the docket this year, and to learn how your school can be a part of these activities and make a virtual connection to others doing similar activities.
Contact: Peter Drescher at (802) 479-1169 or peter.drescher@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.
VPA Equity Summit II
Registration is open for the VPA Equity Summit II: Building a Culture of Equity on November 30, 2018, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Champlain College. Every six months, a Courageous Conversation about removing barriers to equity in Vermont’s public school system pops-up around the state. May was in Montpelier; this month’s summit is in Burlington; May 2019 will be near Brattleboro. These are gatherings of students, school leaders, policy-makers and partner organizations. The exercises vary somewhat each time; the audience is always different, and the information gathered informs the VPA and their partners as they seek education excellence through equity. The VPA Equity Initiative seeks to build the collective will to be a threat to inequity in our school system. The $50 registration fee covers lunch, students attend free, sponsored by the Vermont Community Foundation.
Contact: Linda Wheatley at lwheatley@vpaonline.org or (802) 535-8383
Professional Develpement K-12: 25th Annual VASS Conference
Registration is open for the 25th Annual VASS Conference held at the Equinox Hotel in Manchester on December 7, 2018. Social Studies and Humanities educators are encouraged to attend in order to be exposed to the C3 standards, the student voice, and a variety of other relevant and important sessions. This year's Conference is based on "Democracy and the Informed Citizen" and the keynote speaker is the distinguished magazine journalist and historian Garrett Graff. Also, there will be a special roundtable discussion on Civic Education with Senator Campion, UVMs Dean of Education, Scott Thomas of UVMs College of Education and Social Services as well as Susan Sgorbati from Bennington College.
Contact Christine Smith at csmitshs@u61.net or (802) 371- 9439.
Professional Learning: Standards-Based Learning
Registration is open for Standards-Based Learning: Structures, Systems, and Strategies for Transformation. This two-day workshop facilitated by Emily Rinkema and Stan Williams (both from CVUHS) will explore the practices related to curriculum, instruction and assessment that are essential to make learning the goal for every student in a standards-based classroom. Hosted at the Hampton Event Center in Colchester on April 2 & 3, 2019, including meals and the presenters' new book published by Corwin: The Standards-Based Classroom: Make Learning the Goal.
Contact: Lauren Wooden at lauren@cvedcvt.org or (802) 497-1642
Professional Learning: Annual Flynn Teacher Conference
Registration is open for Annual Flynn Center Teacher Conference: "Engaging Active Learners". With a performance and workshop by Parsons Dance as the centerpiece of the day, this year's teacher conference on Thursday, December 13, 2018, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (followed by cash bar reception from 4-5 pm), brings together Flynn partners from Vermont schools as well as institutions including VSA Vermont, Champlain Valley Head Start, and the Howard Center to explore themes of equity and access through experiential workshops and conversations. The event continues its focus on making connections between arts integration and transferable skills. The conference fee is $70/participant; financial aid and professional development credit is available.
Contact: Lauren Genta at lgenta@flynncenter.org or (802) 652-4508
Professional Development: Complex Trauma in Schools
The Center for Health and Learning is offering Complex Trauma in Our Schools: Using Non-verbal Communication and Intervention for Improved Classroom Outcomes, a three-credit graduate course beginning January 13, 2019. Participants apply the course teachings in a practical, personal, school community environment.
Contact: Catherine Diduk at info@healthandlearning.org or (802) 254-6590.