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Volume 11, Issue 31

August 2, 2017

Homeless Education Annual Conference

Audience: All
Please join us on September 19, 2017 for the Homeless Education Annual Conference at the Capitol Plaza in Montpelier, Vermont.  Diane Bowman, Director at the National Center for Homeless Education will be the presenter for the morning session and will focus on the responsibilities of the local Homeless Liaison, highlighting the changes in the Every Student Succeeds Act. During the afternoon session, we will roll out Vermont’s new transportation model and review new McKinney Vento requirements. Register for the Homeless Education Annual Conference.
Contact: Karen Abbott at karen.abbott@vermont.gov

Sample Graduation Requirements for Visual Art and Theatre Available

Audience: All
Sample graduation requirements with performance indicators for Visual Art and Theatre are available on the AOE website. They are aligned with the National Core Arts Standards and the result of six months of work from dedicated arts teachers from across the state.
Contact: Emily Titterton at emily.titterton@vermont.gov

Vermont Health and Physical Education Survey Closing Soon

Audience: K-12 Health and Physical Educators, Curriculum Directors, Principals, Superintendents, School Board Members
The Vermont Agency of Education has developed a survey to collect data from health and physical educators considering Vermont’s Education Quality Standards, proficiency-based learning, and the development of Supervisory Union/School District K-12 health and physical education curricula anchored to national standards. If you are a K-12 health and/or physical education teacher, please take the time to complete the Health and Physical Education survey. The survey will close on August 8, 2017. The feedback will be used to develop an understanding of the status of K-12 health and/or physical education programs in Vermont schools to inform the agency’s work considering supporting the field.
Contact: Susan Yesalonia, Ed.D., Health and Physical Education Specialist, at (802) 479-1284 or susan.yesalonia@vermont.gov 

2017-2018 School Meals and Child Care Meals Reimbursement Rates Announced

Audience: Business Managers, Superintendents, School Food Service Directors and Managers
USDA has published the Reimbursement Rates for School Meals Programs and the Child and Adult Care Food Program for meals and snacks served from July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018.  The reimbursement rates are found on the Child Nutrition Programs web page.  CACFP Rates for child and adult care programs and after school snacks and suppers are also posted.
Contact: Laurie Colgan, Director, Child Nutrition Programs at (802) 479-1187 or laurie.colgan@vermont.gov

Vermont Early Learning Standards Institutes

Audience: K-3 Teachers, Childcare Providers, Public/Private Pre-K Staff, Administrators, Head Start, Early Childhood Mental Health Providers, Early Childhood Special Educators, Specialists
These three two-day sessions about the Vermont Early Learning Standards (VELS) Institutes focus on specific sections, domains, and elements from infancy through grade three. Lunch is provided. Hotel accommodations are not included but lodging is available on-site at conference rates. Register for the VELS Institutes.

  • Institute 1: September 28-29, 2017 at The Lake Morey Conference Center in Fairlee, VT
  • Institute 2: October 23-24, 2017 at the Killington Grand Hotel, Killington, VT
  • Institute 3: December 7-8, 2017 at the Sheraton Burlington Hotel, Williston Road, Burlington, VT

Contact: Leslie Freedman at leslie.freedman@vermont.gov

School Safety Training: Violence Prevention/De-Escalation of Emotionally Charged Situations

Audience: Superintendents, Principals, School Crisis Planning Team Members
This free webinar will discuss the three major predictors of violence and their impact on how you deal with emotionally charged situations both before they happen and as they take place. The webinar is August 15, 2017 at 2 p.m. EST.  Learn more about Violence Prevention/De-Escalation of Emotionally Charged Situations.
Contact: Rob Evans, Vermont School Safety Liaison Officer, at revans@margolishealy.com

15 Hours - Teacher Professional Development

Audience: All
This two-day workshop/retreat is a "hands-on" immersion in how to facilitate-teach students in core business skills necessary for starting a business and enhancing their personalized learning plans (PLPs).  The workshop will be held October 17-18, 2017 at Lake Morey Resort in Fairlee, Vermont. Whether your students' goals are centered on future college success, preparation for the workforce or enhancing their high school/career tech experience, learning to think like an entrepreneur has value for all. There is a business side to every career pathway. The skills and confidence one gains from learning about and creating an "entrepreneurial mindset" will help them succeed now and into the future. Sponsored by the Vermont Small Business Development Center (VtSBDC), the Vermont Agency of Education and the Vermont Business Education Corp. Space is limited to 20 participants. Contact Laurel Butler at VtSBDC to register.
Contact: Laurel Butler at (802) 922-3692 or lbutler@vtsbdc.org

2018 Robert Howe Fire Safety Calendar Project

Audience: Grade 3 Teachers, Principals
It's time for the annual fire safety calendar and poster contest. The program is a yearly program that features the artwork of third-grade students from around the state. The annual event produces a calendar featuring the artwork, and provides a focused learning experience when children prepare fire prevention posters for the month of the calendar.  This years calendar project is already underway as the National Fire Prevention Week is the week of October 8-14, 2017. Learn more about the fire safety calendar project.
Contact: Division of Fire Safety at (802) 479-7561
 


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 Council of Special Education Administrators Hires New Leader

The Vermont Council of Special Education Administrators (VCSEA) has hired Traci Sawyers as its new Executive Director, replacing Jo-Anne Unruh who recently retired after serving VCSEA as both a member and as Executive Director for the past 5 years. Read the press release to learn more about Traci Sawyers. Visit the VCSEA website to become a member, or find out more about VCSEA or its trainings, conferences and other events.
Contact: Traci Sawyers at (802) 595-5799 or tsawyers@vcsea.net

Navigating Special Education and the IEP

The free webinar, Navigating Special Education and the IEP, will be 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. on August 30, 2017 from the Vermont Family Network. Parents are equal partners in the development of their child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP). Learn about special education evaluations, what it takes to qualify for an IEP, how to develop a strong IEP, parents rights, and tips for successful school meetings. Presenters from the Vermont Family Network: Karen Price, director of family support-education and Christine Kilpatrick, family support consultant-education. All of VFN’s webinars are archived on the VFN YouTube channel and website. Register for Navigating Special Education and the IEP.
Contact: Janice Sabett at (802) 876-5315, ext. 218 or janice.sabett@vtfn.org

Leading Vermont Schools

Understanding the Principalship is led by Jay Nichols (Executive Director of VPA) and meets once per month learning from Vermont’s leading experts from Secretary Rebecca Holcombe to Education lawyers to Finance Managers (Brad James, etc.).  A wealth of knowledge, this has been lauded as the best administrative professional learning from many new principals and assistant principals around the state.  It includes light breakfast, lunch, two outstanding books and optional four graduate credits.  The workshop starts September 14, 2017. Register for Leading Vermont Schools through the Champlain Valley Educator Development Center.
Contact: The Champlain Valley Educator Development Center at info@cvedcvt.org

Umatter for Schools Youth Suicide Prevention

The two-day Umatter for Schools Youth Suicide Prevention training will be held November 15-16, 2017 at the Fireside Inn in West Lebanon, New Hampshire. Two options will be offered. The one-day Umatter Gatekeeper training is offered to schools that have previously attended the two-day team training but want to send individuals to a one-day Gatekeeper training. The cost is $145. The full two-day training is designed for schools to respond to the mental health needs of students and prevent suicide. The cost is $195. Register for the Umatter for Schools Youth Suicide Prevention.
Contact: Catherine Diduk at catherine@healthandlearning.org

Building Youth-Adult Partnerships through School Redesign and Advisory

UP for Learning is currently finalizing plans for 2017-2018 in Communicating School Redesign and M3: Mindset, Metacognition and Motivation. Both initiatives place youth-adult partnerships at the center of communication and a shared language of learning. 
Contact: Helen Beattie at (802) 917-4490 or helen@upforlearning.org

TIME for Teachers Foundational Literacy Skills

The TIME for Teachers interactive course provides a conceptual understanding of how children learn to read and the elements of effective reading and spelling instruction. Topics covered include current research, developmental models, and practical teaching strategies and activities to help teachers understand students' evolving insights into the workings of our alphabetic system. Participants will gain an awareness of the power and usefulness of explicit, systematic instruction in phonemic awareness, phonology, phonics, and morphology. Participants will also leave this course understanding how the English language works and how teachers can foster literacy for all learners. Knowing how our language works is the key to delivering quality reading and spelling instruction. This course is available for three graduate credits. Held at the Stern Center for Language and Learning in Williston, VT from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. with dates from Monday, October 9, 2017 to Monday, January 22, 2018. 
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.