- COVID-19 Guidance on School Closure and Dismissal
- AOE Seeks Peer Review Panelists
- Vermont Regional School Calendars for 2020-2021
- Vermont Governor Safety Initiative: Free Trainings Available
- Special Education Technical Assistance Contact Information
- Registration Ends March 13, 2020: Mathematics EdCamp Series March Training
- DMV Safe Selfie Zone Contest for High-School Students
- Regional Licensing Training
- Courtesy Posts
COVID-19 Guidance on School Closure and Dismissal
Audience: Vermont School Officials
On Tuesday, The Vermont Department of Health and Vermont Agency of Education released School Closure and Dismissal During a Novel Coronavirus Outbreak: Technical Guidance for Local School Officials. That guidance will be updated as the situation evolves. For the most up-to-date, authoritative information on COVID-19 response in Vermont, visit the Vermont Department of Health’s 2019 Novel Coronavirus website.
Contact: AOE COVID-19 Response Team at AOE.COVID19@vermont.gov
AOE Seeks Peer Review Panelists
Audience: Licensed, Level 2 Educators
The AOE’s Peer Review Program needs licensed, level 2 educators to serve as panelists in your endorsement area this spring. Areas of greatest need: ELL, Secondary Math, Ed Tech Specialist and Director of Curriculum. Panelists receive $125 per interview plus (58 cents per mile) roundtrip mileage. The work of a panelist involves evaluating a candidate’s portfolio (2-4 hours) and participating in the interview process (2 hours). Interviews are from 4p.m.-6 p.m. weekdays and are held at the Vermont Agency of Education in Montpelier. Interested educators please complete the online Small Scale Education Contract Survey.
Contact: Andrew Prowten at Andrew.Prowten@vermont.gov
Vermont Regional School Calendars for 2020-2021
Audience: Superintendents, Principals, Headmasters, Regional Technical Center Directors, Curriculum Coordinators
Vermont statute, 16 V.S.A. §1071 (e), requires that superintendents of schools, regional public-school principals, and headmasters meet before April 1, 2020, and by majority vote, establish a uniform calendar within that area for the following school year. The calendar needs to include student attendance days, periods of vacation, holidays, and the requisite five teacher in-service education days. Please send approved, regional calendars to Allison Keating at the Agency of Education no later than April 1, 2020.
Contact: Allison Keating at (802) 828-4855 or allison.keating@vermont.gov
Vermont Governor Safety Initiative: Free Trainings Available
Audience: Superintendent’s, Principals, School Crisis Planning Team Members
Vermont’s Agency of Education and Department of Public Safety have partnered with Margolis Healy in Vermont’s School Safety Planning, Training and Exercise initiative. The intent of this initiative is to assist all of Vermont’s public and independent (K-12) schools with enhancing their level of school emergency preparedness. This 3-hour training focuses on an all hazards response approach to critical incidents with a specific focus on Run/Hide/Fight. Learn more and register for a training in your area online: VT School Safety Initiative Phase III Training Information and Registration
Contact: Robert Evans at revans@margolishealy.com or (802) 839-0448
Special Education Technical Assistance Contact Information
Audience: General Public
It has recently come to the AOE’s attention that members of the public may not have the correct contact information for Special Education Technical Assistance. Special Education Technical Assistance is available 24 hours/day through the general email and voicemail system. These methods of communication are monitored regularly during business hours: AOE.SpecialEd@vermont.gov or (802) 828-1256. The former Barre phone number will not reach the AOE Special Education Team. We look forward to serving you!
Contact: Jacqui Kelleher at (802) 828-5382 or Jacqui.kelleher@vermont.gov
Registration Ends March 13, 2020: 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
DMV Safe Selfie Zone Contest for High-School Students
Audience: High School Educators and Administrators
One easy way for identity thieves to snatch personal information is when new drivers, in their excitement to show off their licenses, post photos of them on social media. The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles plans to create a “Safe Selfie Zone” at all locations for new drivers to stand in front of and have their picture taken without holding up a permit or license. A contest to design the Safe Selfie Zone is open to all Vermont high-school students. Contest guidelines and a printable poster are on the DMV website.
Contact: Amy Tatko at amy.tatko@vermont.gov
Regional Licensing Training
Audience: Superintendents, Superintendent Designees for Licensing
Back by popular demand, the Education Quality Division will be offering regional licensing training sessions for superintendents and their designees. Southeast and Southwest SU/SDs on March 31, 2020 in Castleton and Champlain Valley SU/SDs on April 3, 2020 in Colchester. Register online by March 12, 2020.
Contact: Amy Scalabrini at (802) 828-0699 or Amy.Scalabrini@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.
Friday Institute with The Daily J.A.M.
The Amazing Race - Making Sure Youth & Families Win! Adrian McLemore, Jamole Callahan and Michael Sanders will encourage us to rethink, redesign and recommit to serving children and families. Participants will learn how to harness youth voice and how to maximize authentic engagement and help address challenges associated with being a ‘youth in care’ with solution focused approaches. For all professional who work with Vermont youth. March 27, 2020, Doubletree by Hilton, South Burlington, VT from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. For more information and to register visit our website. Please register by March 20, 2020. Join us as we create a vision for Vermont youth with commitment, courage and compassion.
Contact: Jesilyn Bashaw at vfafacoordinator@gmail.com
Vermont Family Network Webinar 3/18 – Suspension & Expulsion in Universal PreK: A Guide for Families
This webinar aims to increase awareness of what suspension and expulsion looks like in early childhood settings and your child’s rights in Vermont Universal PreK public and private programs. Presenter: Katie McCarthy, M.Ed, ECSE /IDEA Part B 619 Coordinator, Early Education Team, Vermont Agency of Education. Register online to listen to this webinar on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, from 12 noon – 1 p.m. If you can’t listen “live”, you can register and receive a link after it’s saved on the VFN YouTube Channel.
Contact: Janice Sabett at janice.sabett@vtfn.org
Edcamp Vermont
Edcamp Vermont is coming up in only a couple of weeks on Saturday, March 28, 2020. Edcamp returns to Winooski for a day of fun, free professional development, by teachers and for teachers. This participant-driven unconference is designed to facilitate authentic conversation about you're passionate about or curious about in education this year. Past Edcamp Vermont sessions have included a focus on social-emotional learning, trauma-informed practices, proficiency-based learning, equity and more. Learn more and register for free.
Contact: Ali Putnam at edcamp@centerpointservices.org
Building Equity Through Powerful Literacy Instruction
Partnerships for Literacy and Learning presents: Building Equity Through Powerful Literacy Instruction with Dr. Kathleen Brinegar on March 13, 2020, at the Hampton Inn, Colchester from 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. Education is not a neutral enterprise. As educators we can either choose to maintain the status quo, or reconsider and reimagine education centered in equity and inclusion. You'll dig deep at this workshop. To register email info@pllvt.org.
Contact: Mary Grace at (802) 828-0521
Professional Development Opportunity for Pediatric Physical & Occupational Therapists
The Vermont I-Team and UVM’s Center on Disability and Community Inclusion are hosting the following course from “Apply EBP” (Evidenced Based Practice). Please share with your PT and OT colleagues: Everything's Measurable! An ICF-based Approach to Pediatric OT and PT Assessment. Held Oct. 26-17, 2020, in Colchester, VT by Carlo Vialu, PT, MBA. Early bird registration ends Sept. 25, 2020.
Contact: Carlo Vialu at applyebp@gmail.com or call 646-269-9039
Registrations now open - VTC STEM Leadership Camp for Girls and STEM Leadership Camp for Boys
Vermont Technical College’s STEM Leadership Camps create positive, safe, supportive environments, with teamwork, character development, skills building and tons of fun woven in. They are a place where campers can enhance their leadership skills, express themselves creatively, explore what the world has to offer them and what they have to offer the world. Program offerings may include: Allied Health; CIT, Civil/Environmental & Architectural Engineering Technology; Construction Management; Agriculture; Electromechanical Engineering; Mechanical & Advanced Manufacturing; Professional Pilot Technology; Renewable Energy plus loads of activities, arts and more. Dates for both residential girls and boys camps are at the Randolph Center Campus (held separately) June 28 – July 2, 2020.
Contact: Bridgett Taylor at Bridgett.Taylor@vtc.edu
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 for the workday online.
Contact: Traci Sawyers at tsawyers@vcsea.net
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 workshop is due by March 27, 2020.
Contact: SJ Larkspur at slarkspur@sterncenter.org
Performing Arts Summer Camps
Returning favorites like History Comes Alive (at the Rokeby Museum), Radio Plays (with VPR), Latin Jazz (with Ray Vega), Show Choir Camp, Magic Toy Box, Afro-FUN Dance Camp, and Flash Mobs & Pop Up Performance are joined by new camps like Dancing with the Stars, Skits and Tales from Middle School, Young Choreographers Project, Story Portal, and Where Dance Meets Space. In all Flynn camps, kids play, create and discover while building social, emotional and problem-solving skills. Camps run in June, July and August; registration is $200-$350 per camp; scholarships and payment plans are available to make them accessible to all students who wish to participate. More information on the Flynn Center website.
Contact: Sarah Caliendo at (802) 652-4537 or scaliendo@flynncenter.org