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Volume 11, Issue 25

June 21, 2017

Registration for Vermont State Plan Educator Information Sessions is Still Open

Audience: All
The AOE will be holding a series of Vermont State Plan (Plan)  information sessions for educators throughout July.  These sessions are meant to provide educators with information about the Plan, and to give them a chance to reflect on what the Plan will mean for their practice, along with how they might share session information with their colleagues.  Individuals and SU/SD “teams” are welcome  All sessions will cover the same content; topics will include how the State Plan connects with multiple existing state policies and initiatives, academic performance measures, long-term and interim academic goals, N size and its implications for Vermont, and anticipated continuous improvement supports. Register online for a State Plan Informational Session. The registration window will close on June 30, 2017.
Contact:  Chris Case, Education Project Manager, 802-479-1179 or chris.case@vermont.gov

Smarter Balanced Newsletter is Out

Audience: All
The final issue of the Smarter Balanced (SBAC) newsletter for the 2016-2017 school year is available online. In this issue, we talk about student reports, the score embargo, determining growth, and this year’s SBAC testing feedback survey. We encourage everyone to please share your experience with this year’s test administration. Your experiences help shape future versions of the test. Finally, we’ve included important information about next year’s science and alternate assessments. 
Contact: Linda Moreno at linda.moreno@vermont.gov

Combined Incident Reporting Software Report

Audience: Superintendents, Principals, Behavior Specialists
The Combined Incident Reporting Software (CIRS) data collection is a collaborative effort among the Agency of Education, the Department of Health, Office of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Programs, and the Department of Mental Health. The information will be used to provide schools with valuable information regarding your school climate, assess individual school compliance with Every Student Succeeds Act, Act 120 (Hazing, Harassment and Bullying) and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and prepare for Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act on-site evaluation visits. The deadline is July 1, 2017.
Contact: Tracy Watterson at (802) 479-1353 or tracy.watterson@vermont.gov

Enrollment Deadline for the Community Eligibility Provision

Audience: Principals, Business Managers, Superintendents, Food Service Managers and Directors
School Food Authorities wishing to enroll a school or schools in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) to provide meals at no charge to students must submit their applications and data no later than June 30, 2017. CEP schools must have a minimum of 40% of their enrolled students directly certified as eligible for free meals and must provide breakfast and lunch to students at no charge for a period of 4 years. The application process requires a completed agreement, a site declaration report with the school enrollment as of April 1, 2017 and the direct certification data to verify the number of identified students.
Contact: Laurie Colgan at (802) 479-1187 or laurie.colgan@vermont.gov 

School Wellness Policies: Creating Healthier School Environments

Audience: Local Wellness Team Members, Physical Educators, School Nurses, Administrators, Food Service, Farm to School Coordinators
Have you updated your School Wellness Policy to meet the 2016 federal requirements? Are you interested in developing an implementation plan for your school district to further your wellness efforts? This workshop is designed to provide participants with practical strategies for updating school wellness policies to address the USDA Final Rule requirements and to create and monitor an effective school wellness policy implementation plan. Participants will also hear from a Vermont School Healthy Foods Educator and Provider, about the strategies they employed to revise and implement school wellness policies. This half-day class will be offered on Thursday, Aug. 10th in St. Johnsbury as part of the annual Child Nutrition Summer Institute. Learn more and register online for the Creating Healthier School Environments workshop.
Contact: Cheryl Rogers at (802) 479-1360 or cheryl.rogers@vermont.gov

2017-2018 Free & Reduced Meal Applications and Eligibility Materials

Audience: School Approving Officials, Verification Officials, Principals, Food Service Managers
The free and reduced-price meal applications for the 2017-2018 school year have been posted online. Please be sure to use the correct application, instructions and cover letters for distribution to households found in the Vermont Appendix. The packet mailed to households must not include the Income Eligibility Guidelines and must include all of the language in the letter templates. Schools using the cover letters in their computerized systems must modify the letter templates in their systems to include the correct information. For schools participating in the Community Eligibility Program, your materials are also included in the VT Appendix and must be distributed as part of the back to school packet. Training sessions for Approving Officers and Verification Officials will be held at Summer Institute during the week of August 7, 2017.
Contact: Laurie Colgan at (802) 479-118 or laurie.colgan@vermont.gov

BEST/ Act 230 Grant Reporting Requirements

Audience: Superintendents,  Grant Managers
The Vermont Agency of Education monitors grants it provides to Supervisory Unions (SUs), Supervisory Districts (SDs), and local organizations. The BEST Act 230 application instructions in Grantium include the reference to grant reporting requirements for the 2016-2017 school year. Reporting will be done through a survey, which will be sent to each SU/SD and local organization for which a report required. Learn more about the BEST and Act 230 Reporting Requirements.
Contact: Debbie Lesure, Assistant Director Integrated Support for Learning, at debbie.lesure@vermont.gov, or Sabine Baldwin, Administrative Assistant Integrated Support for Learning, at sabine.baldwin@vermont.gov


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.

Vermont School Boards Association seeks Director of Board Education Services

The Vermont School Boards Association (VSBA), a non-profit membership organization serving Vermont’s school boards, is seeking a Director of Board Education Services to join our high-energy team.  This position will be the lead in creating and implementing a comprehensive school board development program to orient new school board members and support long-term members in fulfilling their duties. This position will primarily provide direct service to local boards, delivering educational opportunities and facilitation services in multiple settings and through varied media.  The position involves substantial evening work. Learn more about the Director of Board Education Services position.
Contact: Kerri Lamb at klamb@vtvsba.org

Creating Gender-Affirming School Environments: What Leaders Need to Know and Do

Vermont‘s Youth Risk Behavior Survey data continues to paint a clear and alarming picture of the disproportionate rate at which transgender and gender-expansive youth are among our most vulnerable. Join in this day-long workshop, Creating Gender-Affirming School Environments: What Leaders Need to Know and Do, as we lean into the who, what, where, when, why, and most importantly how of creating affirming environments for all Vermont’s children and youth across a spectrum of gender. Dana Kaplan and Amanda Rohdenburg of Outright Vermont will guide participants through this process, and send you off with a roadmap for how to bring your staff, students and families alongside you as you foster a climate and culture that remains current with an ever-changing gender landscape. The workshop date is August 8, 2017 at Capitol Plaza in Montpelier. 
Contact:  Julie Medose at (802) 498-3350 or julie.medose@vthec.org

Social Cognition 1

This 11-day graduate-level course is designed to provide participants with a conceptual understanding of the theoretical frameworks underlying social cognition assessment and intervention for individuals presenting with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and related socio-cognitive deficits. This course is an introduction to functional and everyday application of interventions, strategies, and supports for improving social understanding and implementing social cognition groups. This course draws heavily on the historical development of social cognitive theory, Theory of Mind, the biological underpinnings of socio-cognitive deficits and current research in best practices for supporting and coaching students struggling with socio-cognitive challenges. K-12 Classroom teachers, special education teachers, reading specialists, and content area teachers are encouraged to enroll. The course will be held at the Stern Center for Language and Learning in Williston from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on dates between September 19, 2017 and December 5, 2017. Register online through the Stern Center for Social Cognition 1 graduate course.
Contact: Caitlin Niland, Intake Coordinator for Professional Learning, at (802) 878-2332 or proflearning@sterncenter.org


Subscribe Online

The field memo has time-sensitive and relevant information designed for students, teachers, and staff. The agency encourages principals, headmasters, and superintendents to share the memo with their education community. Additionally, individuals can subscribe or unsubscribe online.

Questions? Email Ted Fisher at ted.fisher@vermont.gov.