Weekly Field Memo

August 3, 2023

Agency of Education, State of Vermont and Federal Updates

Agency of Education, State of Vermont and Federal Updates

This section of the Weekly Field Memo contains posts from the Agency of Education (AOE), other State of Vermont agencies, federal agencies or Vermont's congressional delegation.

Restraint and Seclusion Incident Count

Audience: Principals, Heads of Independent Schools, Superintendents
The Agency of Education will be collecting a count of all incidents of restraint and seclusion in schools from August 23, 2023 through December 31, 2023. This count will provide aggregate statewide data about the number of each incident of restraint and seclusion. This count is intended to inform anticipated discussion of future reporting requirements and is not intended for monitoring or compliance of any individual school, district, or supervisory union. A link to a simple reporting form will be provided to all principals and heads of schools before the start of the school year in August.
Contact: Tom Faris at thomas.faris@vermont.gov

Vermont Public

Summer of Possibilities

Audience: Curriculum Directors, Principals, PreK-5 Teachers
Join the Vermont Agency of Education and Vermont Public for the Summer of Possibilities. PBS LearningMedia shares Summer Camp Collections, digital collections with downloadable/printable options that are FREE for all. These collections include PBS Kids printables about topics like space, animals, and connections to storytelling. Check out this printable Summer Activity Booklet. Also, PBS LearningMedia organizes amazing resources this summer for your students, including Writing, Reading, and Storytelling for grades K-5, a Middle School Collection, and a High School Collection. Remember to visit the Vermont Public Kids and Education page for more recommendations for high quality resources.
Contacts: Emily Leute at emily.leute@vermont.gov or Heather Duhamel at hduhamel@vermontpublic.org

Northeast Nature Videos from But Why

Audience: Curriculum Directors, Principals, Grades 3-5 Teachers
Vermont Public’s But Why team has created a series of short videos for 3rd-5th grades. In the first season, Northeast Nature, host Jane Lindholm helps kids explore the science behind what’s happening in the northeastern U.S. each month, offering educators and students an opportunity to find science in their own backyards. Additionally, the team provides teacher resources, project suggestions, and fun activity guides to take learning off the screen and into the classroom. Visit the website to see descriptions of all the episodes and to sign up for these free resources made in collaboration with the Vermont Agency of Education.
Contacts: Emily Leute at emily.leute@vermont.gov or Heather Duhamel at hduhamel@vermontpublic.org

Summer of Possibilities for Math and Literacy

Audience: Curriculum Directors, Principals, Teachers
Join the Vermont Agency of Education and Vermont Public as we continue to celebrate the Summer of Possibilities. PBS LearningMedia organizes amazing resources for your students in Math & Engineering (Grades K-5), Middle School Collection, and High School Collection. In addition, check out these literacy resources: Writing, Reading, and Storytelling (Grade K-5), Middle School Collection, and High School Collection. Remember to visit the Vermont Public Kids and Education page for more recommendations for high quality resources.
Contacts: Emily Leute at emily.leute@vermont.gov or Heather Duhamel at hduhamel@vermontpublic.org

Effective Use of Local Assessment Data Professional Learning Opportunity

Audience: Superintendents, Curriculum Directors, Principals, and K-8 Teachers
The Agency of Education will be offering professional learning and coaching designed to support Vermont educators in the effective use of local assessment data to inform instruction and improve student learning supported through a contract with Demonstrated Success. Participating teams will view systems, study models, share ideas, and receive tools to improve student learning. An optional three-credit course ($150/credit) through Castleton State will supplement the series. For details and registration, visit Professional Learning and Coaching for the Effective Use of Local Assessment Data Overview and Kickoff. Registration closes on August 7.
Contact: Pat Fitzsimmons at pat.fitzsimmons@vermont.gov

IEP Transition Plan Improvement Training for Special Educators

Audience: Special Educators, Special Education Directors
Registration is now open for IEP Transition Plan Improvement Training for Special Educators on August 22, 2023 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in person and remote. Participants will increase understanding of IDEA requirements of transition plans, review resources and strategies for increasing student voice and parent engagement in the IEP process, specifically the transition plan, understand that to ensure FAPE transition plans and the IEP need to be written for compliance and implementation.
Contact: John Spinney at john.spinney@vermont.gov

The Vermont Framework for Proficiency: A Deeper Dive

Audience: Superintendents, Curriculum Directors, Principals, and High School Teachers
The Agency of Education is looking for educators to join an in-person conversation taking a deeper dive into the Proficiency-Based Graduation Requirement (PBGR) hierarchies. Work includes revisiting the hierarchies, cross-walking the transferable skills and the hierarchies, and identifying connections between the hierarchies, Personalized Learning Plans, and Portraits of a Graduate. This collaboration lays the foundation for the development of performance assessments that will be available across Vermont. The convening will take place on August 21, 2023 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Mountain Top Inn. Additional information is available on the registration site. Registration closes on August 4.
Contact: Pat Fitzsimmons at pat.fitzsimmons@vermont.gov

VTmtss Professional Learning Providers List Update  

Audience: Professional Learning Providers  
To update its current providers’ list, the Vermont Agency of Education (AOE) is collecting information on individuals and organizations who can provide Vermont educators with professional learning specializing in the VTmtss Framework. Please submit your information using this form. Those currently on the provider’s list need to reapply as the criteria has changed. The AOE will evaluate the submissions to create the 2023 VTmtss Professional Learning Providers list. This list is available to the state’s educators, updated annually, and used as a resource when planning their professional development activities. Submissions will be accepted until August 7, 2023.
Contact: Nancy Hellen at nancy.hellen@vermont.gov

Vermont School Safety Center Resources

Audience: Superintendents, Principals and School Safety Stakeholders
The Vermont School Safety Center is pleased to announce the following school safety resources can now be found on the VT School Safety Center’s website: Back to School Preparedness Items, CISA bystander reporting toolkit and SRO MOU’s and selection/training guidance.
Contact: Robert L. Evans, VT School Safety Liaison Officer, revans@cosecure.com or (802) 839-0448.

Annual Education Technology Survey

Audience: Education Technology Directors, Superintendents
The Annual Technology Survey is required of all Vermont schools to collect data about many aspects of the education technology landscape in our schools. The survey is now open and the deadline to respond is September 1, 2023. The survey is structured to enable a supervisory union or school district representative to complete data for multiple schools in one form. This information is used by legislators, as well as state and local policymakers and may be referenced in both state and national press with regards to Vermont’s status around education technology. Please complete the survey through the link located on the AOE Education Technology web page.
Contact: Lisa Helme at lisa.helme@vermont.gov

Weekly Field Memo - Volume 17, Issue 27