- Virtual Coffee and Conversation: Continuous Improvement and Comprehensive Needs Assessment
- Endorsement Revision Group Members Wanted for Teacher of the Visually Impaired
- Registration Now Open: Mathematics EdCamp Series March Training
- Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
- Courtesy Posts
Virtual Coffee and Conversation: Continuous Improvement and Comprehensive Needs Assessment
Audience: Superintendents, Curriculum Directors, Principals, CFP/Grants Managers
The Education Quality Assurance team will be hosting our second of three virtual conversations exploring the continuous improvement process in advance of the submission of Continuous Improvement Plans, including support in conducting a comprehensive needs assessment. Session Two will explore problems of practice and be held from 1-2 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4, 2020. Session Three will aid in planning and testing change ideas and be held from 2-3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. Follow the links to register. Each session will begin with a brief overview of the content, but will be largely dedicated to answering questions from the field. Each session will be recorded and made available on our website after airing. Session One will be posted for viewing late this week.
Contact: Patrick Halladay at patrick.halladay@vermont.gov
Endorsement Revision Group Members Wanted for Teacher of the Visually Impaired
Audience: Licensed Teachers of the Visually Impaired, Higher Education Teaching Faculty, Other Field Stakeholders
The Vermont Standards Board for Professional Educators (VSBPE) has scheduled to revise the Teacher of the Visually Impaired endorsement. The process entails meeting for one full day. The meeting will be sometime in April of 2020. During the meeting, through AOE facilitation, stakeholders from the field will draft a new Teacher of the Visually Impaired endorsement for VSBPE approval. If you are interested in participating in the revision group, please contact Terry Reilly.
Contact: Terry Reilly at (802) 828-1306 or terry.reilly@vermont.gov
Registration Now Open: Mathematics EdCamp Series March Training
Audience: Principals, Teachers, Special Educators, Special Education Administrators, Curriculum Directors
The EdCamp focus is on the integration of social, emotional, and academic development and inclusive pedagogy and practices for all mathematics. How do schools create the highest quality mathematics instruction that is differentiated and responsive to the needs of diverse learners? This session will be held March 23, 2020, at Eastside Restaurant, 47 Landing Street, Newport, VT 05855 and March 25, 2020, at NewsBank Conference Center, 352 Main Street, Chester, VT 05143. Register for Mathematics EdCamp Series March Training online. The registration deadline is March 13, 2020.
Contact: Betty Roy at betty.roy@vermont.gov
Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Audience: Superintendents, Principals, School Nurses
The Vermont Department of Health is working closely with the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention in planning for and responding to the novel coronavirus, now called COVID-19. Although the public health threat from COVID-19 is potentially high for countries around the world, there has been no spread in U.S. communities, and there are no cases of people with COVID-19 in Vermont. The risk to Vermonters is low – and there are no special precautions for schools to take at this time. Should the situation in Vermont change, the Health Department will alert schools about specific preparedness and response guidelines to follow. Updated information and resources are available on the Vermont Department of Health's website and the department’s Facebook and Twitter sites. Vermonters can also dial 2-1-1 for information. Respiratory viruses are common right now, and flu is currently widespread in Vermont. To help prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses, get your flu shot and take everyday actions to prevent illness from spreading. For more information on the role of school nurses and the Health Department reference the Role of VT’s School Nurses online.
Contact: Sharlonlee Trefry at sharonlee.trefry@vermont.gov or Patsy Kelso at patsy.kelso@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.
PLL presents: Start with Joy: Designing Literacy Learning for Student Success and Happiness
Due to the Feb. 7th storm, Katie Cunningham's Joy event had to be rescheduled. If you had hoped to attend but the previous date didn't work for you - you can now register for the new date of March 20, 2020. This day will support teachers K-8 across the domains of reading, writing and speaking/listening with emphasis on how to infuse joy into read-alouds, small group instruction, conferring and mini-lessons. For more information and to register visit Partnerships for Literacy and Learning - Joy.
Contact: Mary Grace at (802) 828-0521 or mkgrace@pllvt.org
Vermont Technical College - Residential STEM Leadership Camps
Registrations are opening for a STEM Leadership Camp for Girls and a STEM Leadership Camp for Boys for rising 9th – 10th graders at Vermont Technical College’s Randolph Center Campus. Both residential camps will be held June 28 – July 2, 2020. Explore STEM (science, technology, engineering, math - some arts and more), have fun enjoying hands on activities, and learn about potential career pathways. Affordable, with many partial scholarships available.
Contact: Bridgett Taylor at bridgett.taylor@vtc.edu
Register for Middle Grades Institute 2020 - Equity and Learning for Young Adolescents
Registration is open for the 27th Annual Summer Institute. MGI 2020 will be held in Burlington, Vermont on the Champlain College campus from Monday, June 22 though Friday, June 26, 2020 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.). This year's theme is "Equity and Learning for Young Adolescents," and the week will focus on leveraging education reforms such as personalized learning, flexible pathways and proficiency-based assessment for equitable learning. During the week, participants will select sessions offered specifically for their pathway and attend sessions held for all institute participants. Small group discussions, one-on-one consultations, special events, and visiting teams and students round out the opportunities. Every effort is made to model effective middle level practice throughout the week. Accommodations are included in tuition for those who wish to stay overnight at Champlain College. Learn more on the Middle Grades Collaborative website.
Contact: James Nagle at jnagle2@smcvt.edu or (802) 654-2636
Job Skill and Employment Readiness Programs via the ReSOURCE
ReSOURCE’s academic year programs offer an opportunity for youth to hone job skills and prepare for a successful work life as productive members of their communities. We work closely with our students and trainees to ensure that individual needs are accommodated and high standards are maintained, while serving a diverse range of individuals who need new skills and an opportunity to succeed. Programs include: Career Path - offering training in office, retail, or maintenance work experience & professional development; Career Start - helping in-school youth to develop the personal and professional skills necessary to succeed in office, retail, food service or repair fields through a customized training based on each individual’s needs; and YouthBuild - a national program for youth who are no longer enrolled in high school to earn their high school diplomas and trade certifications while learning construction skills. ELL support can be added to any program. Stipends included. Short-term individualized programming also available.
Contact: Nicole Clements at nclements@resourcevt.org
VEEP Energy and Climate Projects Academy
Vermont Energy Education Program (VEEP) invites registration for their Energy and Climate Projects Academy, a 3-credit Summer Institute Aug. 10-14, 2020, at Lake Morey Resort. The institute and one follow-up meeting will support you to create a personalized teaching unit on energy and/or climate, using ambitious instructional practice. A participant last year commented that she "appreciated VEEP's hands-on approach, presenting the material in a discussion-based, project-centered way that allowed us to experience both the subject matter and the teaching philosophy in an authentic manner." VEEP is also offering one day NGSS Toolkit trainings on March 13, 2020, in Springfield, VT and March 27, 2020, in Bennington, VT, with free-vouchers available for teachers from area schools.
Contact: Cara Robechek at info@veep.org
Teaching and Learning with Robots in Elementary School
VT-HEC is excited for their upcoming one-day workshop on March 13, 2020, Coding from the Littles to the Middles. The workshop is designed for K-6 classroom teachers, librarians and technology integration specialists. Coding supports learners in developing foundational literacy and math skills, including sequencing and spatial awareness. The physical nature of robotics increases understanding and engagement for concrete and abstract learning. As a result, coding with students is increasingly a part of elementary school instruction. Participants in this workshop will explore several different robots designed for use with students, with a focus on the cost effective and versatile Edison robot. Multiple free coding programs can be used with Edison. Edison is also Lego brick compatible, providing opportunities for integrating design engineering tasks. Participants will go home with their very own Edison (included in the price of the workshop).
Contact: Julie Medose at julie.medose@vthec.org or (802) 498-3350
Professional Development: Fundations® Levels K, 1, and 2 workshops
Registration is open for Fundations Levels K, 1, and 2, a Wilson Language Training® workshop series offered by the Stern Center for Language and Learning on April 6-8, 2020. These workshops provide a practical application of reading research and will prepare teachers to teach the Fundations program in Tiers 1 and 2 of Kindergarten through 2nd grade. Registration at $325 per person is due by March 27, 2020.
Contact: SJ Larkspur at slarkspur@sterncenter.org
Register Now: Leading Successful IEP Meetings
Vermont Council of Special Education Administrators (VCSEA) is offering a workday, led by Dina Atwood, Esq., to examine the foundations of a well-run IEP meeting, how to best avoid a Due Process (if possible) and how to be prepared for it if it occurs. Attorney Dina Atwood is a partner with the firm of Stitzel, Page & Fletcher, P.C. She works closely with education clients throughout the state. Friday, April 3, 2020, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Barre. Register online.
Contact Traci Sawyers at tsawyers@vcsea.net