- VELS Family Calendar
- Multi-tiered System of Supports November Office Hour
- Registration Open for the Universal PreK Statewide Conference
- Multi-tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Survey Summary 2017-2018
- Training of Trainers for Implementing a Parent/Family Workshop
- Professional Learning: Universal Screening Webinar
- Courtesy Posts
VELS Family Calendar
Audience: Early Childhood Educators
The Vermont Early Learning Standards (VELS) Family Calendar was so well received by families and educators that the Agency of Education is ordering more. Educators are encouraged to order calendars to share with families and/or to use in their classrooms. The deadline to place an order is December 7, 2018. Calendar activities and children’s books directly align with the Vermont Early Learning Standards (Birth through Grade 3). Calendars are free thanks to funding from the RTT Early Learning Challenge Grant.
Contact: Shirley Rawson shirley.rawson@vermont.gov
Multi-tiered System of Supports November Office Hour
Audience: Members of SU/SD/School Leadership Teams and Administrators
Registration is now open for the Multi-tiered System of Supports (MTSS) November Office Hour rescheduled for November 29, 2018, from 3 to 4 p.m. In this online session Jen DeSorgher, Director of Teacher and Learning of Missisquoi Valley Union High School will share her Systemic and Comprehensive Approach to MTSS in her educational setting. If attending as a team, please have each member register for the Office Hour. PreK-12 educators are welcome.
Contact: Tom Faris at (802) 479-1359 or thomas.faris@vermont.gov
Registration Open for the Universal PreK Statewide Conference
Audience: PreK Teachers, PreK Administrators, Principals, Early Education Directors
The first annual Universal PreK Statewide Conference for teachers and administrators in public, private, and Head Start PreK programs will be held on December 10, 2018, at the Hilton in Burlington, VT. Teachers will walk away with practical tools and strategies to support building and maintaining high-quality PreK classrooms. Additionally, participants will learn more about Act 166 requirements, Vermont’s Guiding Principles, the proposed PreK monitoring system.
Contact: Laura Greenwood at laura.greenwood@vermont.gov or (802) 479-1476
Multi-tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Survey Summary 2017-2018
Audience: Superintendents and Principals
The Multi-tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Survey Summary 2017-2018 provides an analysis and evaluation of the data reported in the annual survey by 260 of VT K-12 public school principals. This data will inform the Secretary of Education of the status of each school’s multi-tiered system of supports and the funding sources used to provide supports to students. In addition, the data will be used by the MTSS Team to determine the professional learning opportunities, technical assistance, and resources needed to support SU/SDs in their implementation of a tiered system of supports.
Contact: Nancy Hellen at nancy.hellen@vermont.gov
Training of Trainers for Implementing a Parent/Family Workshop
Audience: Educators, Nurses, others interested in facilitating parent workshops
On December 4, 2018, the Agency of Education will host Training of Trainers for Implementing Parent/Family Workshop, a three-hour workshop designed to increase the quality of sexual health education being provided at home by families in Vermont. There is no cost to participants. This three-hour Training of Trainers (TOT) will prepare attendees with everything they need to successfully implement a parent education workshop developed by Vermont sexuality education experts. The parent workshop series, called "Moving Beyond the Talk" has three levels - one each for parents of elementary, middle, and high school students. After attending this workshop, participants will have everything they need to host each of the three workshops, including resource lists, presentation slides, evaluations, and tips for success. Parent-child communication and parent engagement at school has been shown to improve sexual health outcomes for youth. The parent workshop teaches tips and techniques parents can use every day to improve communication about sexuality.
Contact: Tom Aloisi at thomas.aloisi@vermont.gov
Professional Learning: Universal Screening Webinar
Audience: PBIS Leadership Team members in schools looking to explore Universal Screening
Registration is open for the Universal Screening Webinar. This free webinar on December 12, 2018, at 9 a.m. will provide an overview of the benefits of Universal Screening in a PBIS school. It will explore how Universal Screening promotes early identification of children at risk, the systems needed to implement Universal Screening and the process of matching results with proactive and preventative practices. The webinar will explore a few screening tools and resources, as well as highlight Vermont school experiences.
Contact: Sherry Schoenberg at sherry.schoenberg@uvm.edu or (802) 656-9656
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.
VPA Equity Summit II
Registration is open for the VPA Equity Summit II: Building a Culture of Equity on November 30, 2018, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Champlain College. Every six months, a Courageous Conversation about removing barriers to equity in Vermont’s public school system pops-up around the state. May was in Montpelier; this month’s summit is in Burlington; May 2019 will be near Brattleboro. These are gatherings of students, school leaders, policy-makers and partner organizations. The exercises vary somewhat each time; the audience is always different, and the information gathered informs the VPA and their partners as they seek education excellence through equity. The VPA Equity Initiative seeks to build the collective will to be a threat to inequity in our school system. The $50 registration fee covers lunch, students attend free, sponsored by the Vermont Community Foundation.
Contact: Linda Wheatley at lwheatley@vpaonline.org or (802) 535-8383
Professional Learning: Cannabis and Mental Health Online Course
The Center for Health and Learning is offering a one-graduate credit course Cannabis and Mental Health: Debunking Myths About Cannabis beginning February 17, 2019. Attendees will learn to teach or provide other services required in a school’s alcohol and drug abuse prevention education program specific to cannabis.
Contact Catherine Diduk at info@healthandlearning.org or (802) 254-6590.
Registration Open: Vermont Junior Iron Chef
Registration is open for the 12th Annual Jr Iron Chef VT Competition taking place on March 16, 2019, at the Champlain Valley Exposition. Schools and organizations can sign up a youth team, up to 70 teams will be accepted. Last year, all team spots filled before the registration deadline, so registrants are encouraged to act soon. Early Bird rates ($130) are available until December 12, 2018 and registration closes (regular rate = $150) January 18, 2019. For more information read VT-FEED's Press Release.
Contact: Livy Bulger at livy@nofavt.org or (802) 434-4122, ext. 21
Learn Next Micro-Grant Opportunity
The Learn Next effort is inviting Vermonters to rethink educator professional development. What would it look like if we transformed the traditional stand and deliver professional development model into something much more flexible, engaging, and effective? Use the Learn Next free and open resources to design and pilot an innovative professional learning model. Submit a brief, detailed plan with a line item budget by December 10, 2018, to be considered for a micro-grant of up to $10,000. Further application instructions are available on the 2Revolutions website.
Contact: Meaghan Foster at meaghan@2revolutions.net or (612) 616-4837
Seeking Student Work for the World Water Day Contest
The Champlain Basin Education Initiative seeks K-12 classroom entries for the World Water Day contest in March 2019. Awards will include boat rides, experts to lead field trips, classroom resources, and more. If students are working on water issues, let’s showcase that work publically. For CBEI World Water Day rules, entry form, and previous examples are available on the CBEI World Water Day website. Or join a brief webinar on Dec 5, 2018, from 3:30 to 4 p.m. for a five-minute introduction to World Water Day and Q&A with CBEI partners. Entries may include writing, videography, art, and photography. The deadline to enter is February 21, 2018.
Contact: Colleen Hickey at chickey@lcbp.org or (802) 372-3213