The Agency of Education Early Education Team's electronic newsletter shares a variety of research and evidence-based resources, hot topics, news items and professional articles relevant to your daily work and practice as an Early Childhood Educator and Early Childhood Special Educator.
UPK Cafe: Special Edition Issue 3 - March 29, 2024
In celebration of Act 166 Tenth Anniversary this UPK Cafe Special Edition gives an overview of the Vermont Early Learning Standards (VELS) and upcoming projects.
UPK Cafe: Special Edition Issue 2 - February 28, 2024
In this Act 166 Tenth Anniversary Special Edition the Early Education team provides a detailed overview of Vermont’s Early Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (Early MTSS).
UPK Cafe: Special Edition Issue 1 - January 31, 2024
This year marks the Tenth Anniversary of the signing of Act 166 Universal PreK (2014-2024). In this Special Edition of the UPK Café the Early Education team provides a historical timeline of prekindergarten education in Vermont.
UPK Café: Special Series Issue 6 – July 12, 2021
This issue centers on inclusive environments and universal best practices in early education.
UPK Café: Special Series Issue 5 – May 28, 2021
Child Find, Universal Screening and Assessment: This UPK Café is the fifth in a series that focuses on recovery, reconnection, and resources to support school district recovery and implementation plans.
UPK Cafe: Special Series Issue 4 - April 28, 2021
Transitions: This UPK Café is the fourth in a series that focuses on recovery, reconnection, and resources to support school district recovery and implementation plans.
UPK Café: Special Series Issue 3 - April 14, 2021
Family Engagement: This UPK Café is the third in a series that focuses on recovery, reconnection, and resources to support school district recovery and implementation plans.
UPK Café: Special Series Issue 2 - March 31, 2021
Social and Emotional Development and Play: This UPK Café is the second in a series that focuses on recovery, reconnection, and resources to support school district recovery and implementation plans.
UPK Café: Special Series Issue 1 - March 17, 2021
Educator Well Being: This UPK Café is the first in a series that focuses on recovery, reconnection, and resources to support school district recovery and implementation plans.
UPK Café: Issue 39 - October 7, 2020
This issue of UPK Café highlights Vermont’s Early Multi-tiered System of Supports (Early MTSS), Guiding Principles and VELS as foundational to ensuring high-quality inclusive practices for each and every child.
UPK Café: Issue 38 - September 11, 2020
Universal Developmental Screening and Assessment
UPK Café: Issue 37 - September 2, 2020
UPK Resources
UPK Café: Issue 36 - August 14, 2020
Back to school Educator Wellness
UPK Café: Issue 35 - July 2, 2020
Summer Fun Edition III
UPK Café: Issue 34 - June 26, 2020
Summer Fun Edition II
UPK Café: Issue 33 - June 18, 2020
Summer Fun Edition I
UPK Café: Issue 32 - June 15, 2020
Equity Edition
UPK Café: Issue 31 - June 9, 2020
Transition to Kindergarten
UPK Café: Issue 30 - May 28, 2020
Educator in the Spotlight, Build Your Video Conferencing Skills: For Home Visitors – And Everyone Else!, "We Can Be Problem Solvers at Home!", Supporting Families in Uncertain Times: Social Media Messages, PBS, VPR, For Parents How Play Helps Kids Navigate Difficult Times, How Helping the Helpers Can Help Us All, Books FTW! Summer Reading Challenges to Hook Kids on Books
UPK Café: Issue 29 - May 21, 2020
Family Engagement, Family Connections through home languages, Brain Architect’s Podcast, NPR/PBS Scheduling, Conversation Starters for Children. VELS: Developing Self
UPK Café: Issue 28 - May 14, 2020
Support for Helpers During Coronavirus; Classroom Connect: A toolkit for educators impacted by Covid-19; Vermont PBS Scheduling Information Week of 5/18; Vermont Public Radio's But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids. VELS Standard: Approaches to Learning
UPK Café: Issue 27 - May 7, 2020
Educator in the Spotlight: Meg Edmunds; Resources for Supporting Children’s Emotional Well-being during the COVID-19 Pandemic; WBUR Circle Round Podcast; Vermont PBS Scheduling for Week of 5/11; VELS Standard: Developing Self
UPK Café: Issue 26 - May 1, 2020
Educator in the Spotlight: Jennifer Knowles; Providing Distance Family Support: What do I say? How can I help? A Conversation with NCPMI Faculty; Practice Guides for Families; 10 Strategies for Engaging Parents (not Children?) during Tele-Intervention; Vermont PBS Scheduling Information Week of 5/4; VELS Standard: Communication and Expression
UPK Café: Issue 25 - April 23, 2020
Supporting Families in Uncertain Times: Social Media Messages; My Peers: A Collaborative Platform for the Early Care and Education Community; How Providers and Parents Partner Together to Use ASQ-3 in a Virtual Environment; Vermont Public Broadcasting System (PBS) and the Agency of Education (AOE); VELS Standard: Developing Self
UPK Café: Issue 24 - April 16, 2020
Providing Distance Family Support: What do I say? How can I help? A Conversation with NCPMI Faculty; Play, Child Development, and Relationships: A Preschool Teacher in China Shares Her Virtual Teaching Experience; Teaching Strategies: Classroom Connect; VELS Standard: Developing Self
UPK Café: Issue 23 - April 7, 2020
Resources Within Reason – Using Telepractice to Support Children and Families; Learning at Home During Trying Times; Classroom Connect; VELS Standard: Developing Self
UPK Café: Issue 22 - March 31, 2020
Continuity of Learning (COL); National PreK-3rd Grade Center; Having Their Say: Parents Describe Why and How They are Engaged in Their Children’s Learning; TSG Support Portal; Family Routine-Based Support Guides; VELS Standard: Developing Self
UPK Café: Issue 21 - March 18, 2020
Vermont Early Learning Standards (VELS); Overview, Purpose and Uses
UPK Café: Issue 20 - February 27, 2020
Teaching Strategies Gold: Documentation in GOLD®; Student Transfers; Disabling or Deletion of Administrators and Teachers and FERPA; Vermont Agency of Education’s definition of High-Quality Effective PreKindergarten Education
UPK Café: Issue 19 - February 14, 2020
New Accountability and Continuous Improvement System; Act 166, Vermont’s Universal Prekindergarten Education law; UPK Accountability and Continuous Improvement Annual Assurance Form; Desk Monitoring; Vermont Agency of Education’s definition of High-Quality Effective PreKindergarten Education
UPK Café: Issue 18 - January 27, 2020
Spring 2020 Checkpoint period for Teaching Strategies Gold
UPK Café: Issue 17 - January 14, 2020
Early Learning Network: Transitions; The Pyramid Model for Promoting Social-Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children (Pyramid Model); The Community Contributions Page
UPK Café: Issue 16 - December 20, 2019
Meet the new Universal PreK Coordinator, Wendy Scott; Teaching Strategies GOLD® Thank You
UPK Café: Issue 15 - December 4, 2019
Webinar: Saving Time Using GOLD® for Teachers; Utilizing Teaching Strategies GOLD® Resources; My Teaching Strategies GOLD® Requirements and Guidelines; Early Childhood Education Assessment
UPK Café: Issue 14 - November 21, 2019
My Teaching Strategies GOLD®: Assessing and Reporting; Teaching Strategies GOLD® Resources; Vermont Agency of Education’s definition of High-Quality Effective PreKindergarten Education
UPK Café: Issue 13 - November 6, 2019
Meet the Agency of Education’s Early Education Team
UPK Café: Issue 12 - October 2, 2019
Teaching Strategies GOLD® (TSG) Resources
UPK Café: Issue 11 - September 6, 2019
Welcome to a new school year! Teaching Strategies GOLD® (TSG) for the 2019-2020 school year
UPK Café: Issue 10 - August 20, 2019
“You Are Brave and Kind”: Helping Your Child Get Ready for the First Day of School; Supporting Friendships – Disabilities Services Newsletter; Find Three Good Things Each Day!
UPK Café: Issue 9 - August 1, 2019
NPR: 8 Student-Made Podcasts That Made Us Smile; WATCH: It's Hard To Delay Gratification. Just Ask Cookie Monster; TED Talk: Every Kid Needs a Champion
UPK Café: Issue 8 - July 16, 2019
Act 166 Universal Prekindergarten Education (UPK); Learning Modules; Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE)
UPK Café: Issue 7 - June 25, 2019
Water Play; Exploring Outside; Everyone can Journal
UPK Café: Issue 6 - June 12, 2019
TED Talk: School suspensions are an adult behavior - Rosemarie Allen; ECTA – Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center – Reducing Early Childhood Suspensions and Expulsions; Webinar: Early Childhood Suspensions: The Impact on Families
UPK Café: Issue 5 - May 25, 2019
Challenging Behaviors and the Role of Preschool Education; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services U.S. Department of Education: Policy Statement on Expulsion and Suspension Policies in Early Childhood Settings
UPK Café: Issue 4 - May 14, 2019
The Pyramid Model for Promoting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children; The Pyramid Model for Educators: Community Contributions; The Pyramid Model for Families: Family Engagement Resources; The Vermont Early Learning Standards (VELS)
UPK Café: Issue 3 - April 23, 2019
The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University; Vermont Early Learning Standards (VELS) Website; VT AOE definition of High Quality Effective PreK Education
UPK Café: Issue 2 - April 9, 2019
Resources within Reason; Source: Center on Developing Child: Harvard University; Vermont Agency of Education’s definition of High-Quality Effective PreKindergarten Education
UPK Café: Issue 1 - March 26, 2019
Understanding Motivation: Building the Brain Architecture; What are the DEC Recommended Practices; We are excited to share the Vermont Agency of Education’s definition of High Quality Effective PreK Education!