Skip to main content

Volume 12, Issue 22

May 30, 2018

Ready for Kindergarten SY2018 Report

Audience: Superintendents, Principals, Kindergarten Teachers
The SY2018 Ready for Kindergarten Survey Report is now available. The report contains statewide and supervisory union/supervisory district (SU/SD) level data. Ready for Kindergarten Survey is an annual readiness assessment of children entering kindergarten. The R4KS report includes aggregate readiness data in the areas of social and emotional development, communication and physical health, as well as cognitive development, knowledge and approaches to learning.
Contact: Kate Rogers at kate.rogers@vermont.gov

Financial Literacy Program for Vermont Elementary Schools

Audience: Elementary School Principals, Librarians, and K-6th grade teachers
For the past eight years, the State Treasurer’s Office has offered the Reading is an Investment program to elementary schools. The program emphasizes the importance of reading and teaching young children about money and basic financial information. This past school term, Vermont elementary schools from across the state participated and we received more than 5,000 individual reading logs from students who completed the personal reading requirements. The Reading is an Investment program takes a two-prong approach to promoting financial literacy — class or library instruction and personal reading. Each fall, participating elementary schools receive two or three new hardback books. Lesson plans and activities are included with the books to teach money concepts. In order to receive the free library books and personal reading materials for students, a school must sign up for the program through the State Treasurer’s Office. We are now assembling the new books and materials for the upcoming school term. Your school is invited to participate in the program. To sign up, email the following information to Dylan Giambatista: school name; number of students in grades K-6th grades; school contact name, job title, phone and email; and mailing address for the school. The school registration deadline is June 15, 2018.
Contact: Dylan Giambatista, State Treasurer’s Office at dylan.giambatista@vermont.gov or(802) 828-3706

USED Announces Website Accessibility Technical Assistance Initiative

Audience: Superintendents and Principals, IT Administrators
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is launching a new technical assistance initiative to assist schools, districts, state education agencies, libraries, colleges and universities in making their websites and online programs accessible to individuals with disabilities. Through webinars, OCR will provide information technology professionals with vital information on website accessibility, including tips for making their online programs accessible. OCR will offer the first three webinars on May 29, 2018 June 5, 2018 and June 12, 2018 at 1 p.m. Those interested in participating should send requests to OCRWebAccessTA@ed.gov and include name, preferred webinar date, and contact information. Supervisory Unions/Districts are encouraged to invite vendors to attend these webinars. Additional information about the scheduling and registration for additional webinars, as well as more information about the initiative is available on the Department’s website.
Contact: Ted Fisher at ted.fisher@vermont.gov or (802) 479-1170

2018 Alternate Assessment Office Hours

Audience: Special Educators, Principals, Special Education Administrators, Assessment Coordinators
The Agency of Education will host the second virtual question and answer session on Friday June 8, 2018, at 3 p.m. This session will respond to any remaining questions related to the administration of the alternate assessment. There will be a short presentation with answers to the frequently asked questions followed by an opportunity for the participants to ask questions. The webinar can be accessed via GoTo Meeting or by calling in. Registering through GoTo Meeting will allow users to view the presentation and type in questions. Just calling in will allow users to hear the presentation without access to the chat function. Registrants will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. The call in number is 1(914) 614-3221 and the audio pin will be shown after joining the webinar.
Contact: Chris Kane at christopher.kane@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.

The Rowland Foundation Annual Conference

Pre-registration is open for the Rowland Foundation Annual Conference on October 23, 2018 at the University of Vermont. Ruha Benjamin is returning to Vermont after a successful conference last year. Dr. Benjamin is an author, lecturer and professor at Princeton University specializing in the interdisciplinary study of science, medicine and technology; race-ethnicity and health; knowledge and power. The 2018 Conference is entitled, “Beyond Buzzwords: How Do We Transform Equity Idea into Effective Action.” No payment is required until September.
Contact: Chuck Scranton at chuckscranton@gmail.com or (802) 824-6400

Scholarships Available: UVM Summer Academy for HS Students

This summer, students can earn credits and experience college life through one of the intensive, 4-week courses offered through UVM's Summer Academy. Students can use drones to map changing landscapes, perform virtual medical procedures in the College of Medicine, or explore biomedical sciences with UVM faculty.
Contact: Katie Albee at learn@uvm.edu or (802) 656-2085

Early Childhood/Early Childhood Special Educator (ECE/ECSE) Pathway to Licensure Program

This program is open to licensed Vermont educators wishing to add either the Early Childhood or Early Childhood Special Educator endorsements to their teaching license. It is also open to qualified individuals seeking initial licensure in either ECE or ECSE through peer review. All our pathway programs have the goal of providing quality preparation and training to Vermont educators who are committed to working towards the success of every child and student. Partial scholarships may be available through Vermont Higher Education Collaborative’s Mission Investment Fund. These scholarships may be available to students that have no other financial support for professional development.
Contact: Julie Medose at info@vthec.org or (802) 498-3350

Webinar on Bullying Best Practices for 2018

Registration is now open for "Bullying Best Practices for 2018", held by Snowy Owl Tutoring, on August 8, 2018 from 9 to 10 a.m. Join us for an online training hosted by Tom Thelen, Founder of No Bullying Schools, an evidence based-bullying prevention program.
Contact: Thomas Loudon at tom@snowyowltutoring.com or (802) 299-9642

Flynn Center 2018-19 Student Matinée Series

Registration is open for the 2018-19 Student Matinée Series. The series supports connections to Common Core, Next Generation, and C3 Standards through study guides, companion workshops, and by identifying select standards for each show. Educators are encouraged to order now for their class or school to secure their top picks and apply early for bus money from the Vermont Arts Council.
Contact: Kat Redniss at kredniss@flynncenter.org or (802) 652-4548

Professional Learning: Reading Solzhenitsyn

Registration is open for a Professional Development Day at Northern Vermont University (Lyndon) dedicated to Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Nobel Prize Winner in Literature and Vermont resident for 18 years. The event will be held September 7, 2018 as part of an international conference dedicated to the life and works of the writer organized by NVU. University professors and experts from several countries will share their knowledge and expertise with Vermont educators. Participants will learn teaching strategies through the lens of Solzhenitsyn’s life and works. Special certificates will be issued event participants. To register, contact Professor Alexandre Strokanov.
Contact: Alexandre Strokanov at alexandre.strokanov@northernvermont.edu or (802) 748-3256

Professional Learning Opportunity: Simplifying Fractions

This three-graduate-credit course for Math Teachers of Grades 3 to 8 is taught at Main Street Middle in Montpelier by Betsy Allen from August 13 to 15, 2018 and then 5 sessions in fall from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Each participant will analyze student work to identify where students are on a learning progression, identify common misconceptions and then develop and plan next instructional steps. The book "A Focus on Fractions" is included.
Contact: Lauren Wooden at lauren@cvedcvt.org or (802) 497-1642

Professional Learning: Providing Work-Based Learning Opportunities

Registration is open for "Work-Based Learning: Providing Safe, Legal and Effective Opportunities for Students, Schools and Businesses." This three-credit Castleton University course is designed to support those pursuing the Work-Based Learning (WBL) Coordinator Endorsement, or those seeking to build their professional WBL practice. In order to develop legal, safe, and effective work-based learning programs and experiences, school personnel must understand labor and safety laws and practices, sales and marketing, career development strategies, effective systems for organizing, monitoring and evaluating student learning opportunities with businesses and community partners. The course provides participants with the knowledge base needed to develop a coherent school work-based learning program. This class will be offered in an independent study format with a combination of in-person and online sessions. The first in-person session will be held at Vermont Tech in Williston on Saturday, June 9, 2018 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The June 30, July 14 and July 28, 2018 sessions will also be held at Vermont Tech in Williston from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. To register contact the instructor, Rich Tulikangas.
Contact: Rich Tulikangas at rtulikangas@comcast.net or (802) 734-8170


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.