- State Board Accepting Applications for Secretary
- Kindergarten Readiness Data Collection Extended
- Teacher Leaders/Coaches Networking Opportunity
- Unpacking The New Arts Standards Workshop
- Combined Incident Reporting Software
- Unique Training Opportunity for School Administrators
- Courtesy Postings
State Board Accepting Applications for Secretary
Audience: All
As part of the transition process, Governor-Elect Philip Scott has requested that the State Board of Education commence a search for Secretary of Education. Under the law (3 V.S.A. 2702), the State Board of Education recommends three nominees to the Governor. The position will begin on March 1, 2017. Stephan Morse, Chairman of the State Board of Education, announced Tuesday that he had appointed a committee from the Board to commence the search immediately. Morse said that he hoped to complete this search by the Board’s regular meeting on January 17, 2017.
Contact: Allison Keating at allison.keating@vermont.gov
Kindergarten Readiness Data Collection Extended
Audience: Principals, Kindergarten Teachers
The Ready 4 Kindergarten! Survey (R4K!S) has been extended to December 16, 2016. Thank you for taking the time to complete the survey. Kindergarten teachers can locate R4K!S survey online.
Contact: Kate Rogers, Early Education Coordinator, ISL Pre-K-8, at (802) 479-1454 or kate.rogers@vermont.gov, or Dan Shepard, Business Analyst, at (802) 479-1345 or daniel.shepard@vermont.gov
Teacher Leaders/Coaches: Networking Opportunity
Audience: Curriculum Directors, Principals
The AOE is gathering contact information for teacher leaders and coaches in Vermont schools for the purpose of conveying timely information and sharing professional learning opportunities with these leaders. Contact information is needed for the following areas: English Language Arts, Global Citizenship, Mathematics, Music, Science, and Visual Arts. Please provide the cooresponding contact information for your school or SU/SD. Submission deadline is Friday, December 9, 2016.
Contact: Pat Fitzsimmons at pat.fitzsimmons@vermont.gov
Unpacking The New Arts Standards Workshop
Audience: Primary and Secondary Visual Arts Teachers
The Vermont Agency of Education will host a Arts Standards workshop on December 14, 2016 for Art Teachers from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the AOE office in Barre. In this workshop, educators will receive an overview of how the new standards are organized and the major shifts necessary when using them. The standards will be unpacked to create a deeper understanding. Educators will be put into working groups to write unit plans using the new standards. Educators will remain connected via an on-line community. Registration will be first come, first served. Learn more and register online.
Contact: Emily Titterton at emily.titterton@vermont.gov
Combined Incident Reporting Software
Audience: Principals, Behavior Specialists, Planning Room Coordinators
The Combined Incident Report Software (CIRS) is now available. CIRS assists in the gathering of information related to violations of school policies, state or federal statutes or regulations. Deadline is July 1, 2017.
Contact: Nicole Gray, DMAT specialist, at (802) 479-1064 or nicole.gray@vermont.gov
Unique Training Opportunity for School Administrators
The Vermont Principal Association announces a professional development nine-month training program called “The Margaret Waddington Leadership Initiative.” This training program was made possible by the foresight of the late Dr. Margaret Waddington of Rutland, Vermont, who left her estate to the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) in Greensboro, NC for the ”The citizens of Vermont.” CCL is beginning its work by offering a mostly free professional development training for school leaders. Apply online.
Contact: Ken Page, Vermont Principals Association, at kpage@vpaonline.org
Courtesy Postings
Vita-Learn Regional Meeting
Come see and learn about STEM education for Makers and participate in some hands-on activities. Take home some Maker and STEM supplies for your own school. Join us for learning, conversation and pizza on December 1, 2016, from 4 -6 p.m. at the Crossett Brook MS in Duxbury. RSVP
Contact: Ben Matthews, Vita-Learn Central Region Coordinator at bmattbce@u61.net
Save the Date - Edcamp Vermont 2017
Edcamp Vermont will take place on Saturday, April 1, 2017, in Winooski at Centerpoint School. Edcamp is a day of free, learner-driven professional development. Educators of all stripes welcome. In previous years there have been participants from Pre-K through higher education, public, private and alternative school teachers, administrators, counselors and support staff. Registration is free.
One-credit Online Graduate Course - Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Education
The Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug (ATOD) Education online course is offered as one of a series of courses by the Vermont Education Collaborative toward health education endorsement. Students taking the course for credit and successfully complete the course will receive one graduate credit through Union Institute and University. This course is offered so that teachers and health and guidance personnel have a sufficient level of professional development to enable them to competently teach or provide other services required in the school's ATOD prevention education program. The course begins January 7, 2017, tuition is $550.00. Learn more and register.
Contact: Catherine Diduk at catherine@healthandlearning.org
Proficiency-Based Learning with UP for Learning
UP for Learning is pleased to share with you a new student narrated animation video to help explain the basics of proficiency-based learning. This resource was generated by the Communicating School Redesign initiative to help schools around the state build public understanding and support for school change.
Contact: Serena Franks at serena@upforlearning.com
Nominate Schools to Create a Workplace Environment that Supports Breastfeeding/Pumping
The Vermont Department of Health and the Chittenden County Breastfeeding Coalition invite you to apply for a grant that will provide funding and technical assistance for individual schools in your Local Education Agency to create or enhance a lactation space for breastfeeding women working in the schools. We are pleased to be able to partner with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials to assist you in meeting the requirements of Federal and State lactation accommodation laws. A recipient school will be eligible for a maximum of $500. A high school offering similar accommodations to breastfeeding students will be eligible to receive an additional $200. The time frame for this one-time grant is November 15, 2016, to May 30, 2017. School applications are due December 21, 2016 and recipients will be chosen and notified starting January 10,2017.
Contact: Tricia Cassi, Vermont Department of Health, WIC State Breastfeeding Coordinator, at (802) 652-4177 or tricia.cassi@vermont.gov