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Volume 11, Issue 36

September 6, 2017

21st CCLC Grant Competition

Audience: All
The 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) Grant Application is open. The 21st CCLC Grant helps provide high-quality afterschool and summer learning opportunities.  Applications are due February 5, 2018.  Applicant workshops will be held on October 11, 18, and 19, 2017 from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. 
Contact: Emanuel Betz, 21C State Coordinator, at emanuel.betz@vermont.gov or (802) 479-1396

Professional Learning Network

Audience: Educators, Principals and Superintendents
Looking for professional learning? Check out the Vermont Professional Learning Network (VTPLN), in collaboration with the Center for Collaborative Education. The VTPLN will develop self-paced courses, host digging-deep series and collect stories from Vermont’s education community about your journey implementing education initiatives. Follow the hashtag #VTPLN for links to upcoming events, training and news.
Contact: MC Moran at mc.moran@vermont.gov  or Michael Brownstein at mbrownstein@ccebos.org

Opioid Use Impacts Families of Our Vermont School Children and Our Greater School Community

Audience: Superintendents, Principals, Teachers, Parents, Students, and Community Members
The Vermont Department of Health and the Vermont Agency of Education developed a statement, Opioid Use Impacts Families of Our Vermont School Children and Our Greater School Community, with resources to inform stakeholders about how the opioid crisis is being addressed in Vermont.
Contact: Susan Yesalonia, Health and Physical Education Specialist at susan.yesalonia@vermont.gov

Vermont Personalized Learning Plan Platform Fair

Audience: Curriculum Coordinators, Technology Coordinators, PLP Coaches, Others Involved in PLP Programs
The Agency of Education is hosting a Personalized Learning Platform (PLP) Fair on October 3, 2017 at Lake Morey Resort, Fairlee, VT. The fair will consist of various vendors of PLP platforms discussing and presenting their online platforms that are applicable in the management, cataloging and communication aspects of PLP’s. Because of space concerns we are initially limiting registration of the event to two individuals from each of the Vermont Supervisory Unions/Districts/Unified Districts. As registration gets closer to October 3, 2017 and space allows, we may be able to open it to more from each of those entities. As the date approaches, more information on the vendors presenting will be shared with participants. Learn more and register for the PLP Platform Fair.
Contact: Peter Drescher, Education Technology Coordinator at (802) 479-1169 or peter.drescher@vermont.gov

Work-Based Learning Collaborative Learning Group Series Registration

Audience: Work-Based Learning Coordinators, Educators
Registration for the SY 2017-2018 Work-Based Learning Coordinators’ professional learning series is now open. The Series Kick-Off will take place on October 4, 2017 at Lake Morey Resort in Fairlee, VT. The first and final sessions of this four-day series invites WBL educators statewide to convene for all day in-person collaborative working sessions. The second and third sessions are regional meetings to provide and support the continued work of these groups with local businesses to establish, build, and strengthen WBL partnerships and WBL programs to meet the goals of Act 77 and Education Quality Standards.  The cost for this series is $150 per person. Register for the Work-Based Learning Coordinators' professional learning series with payment by September 28, 2017.
Contact: For registration information contact Michael Brownstein or Allison Short at vtclg@ccebos.org; at the AOE contact Veronica Newton at veronica.newton@vermont.gov

Prekindergarten Exclusionary Discipline Data Collection for the 2017-2018 School Year

Audience: Superintendents, Elementary Principals, and PreK Providers
Many of you have been inquiring about data collection related to exclusionary discipline. During the week of September 11, 2017 information will be shared by the AOE about the collection of PreK exclusionary discipline data for the first time this school year.
Contact: Tracy Watterson at tracy.watterson@vermont.gov, or Kate Rogers at kate.rogers@vermont.gov

What If Wednesdays

Audience: Superintendent’s, Principals and School Crisis Planning Team Members
The What if Wednesday school safety initiative is designed to stimulate a conversation about school emergency preparedness. Participants should read the summary of the fictional school safety incident and then answer the multiple choice question with the appropriate response action to be taken for the specific emergency. 
Contact: Rob Evans, School Safety Liaison, at revans@margolishealy.com

Designing and Implementing a Skills-Based Approach in the Health Education Classroom

Audience: K-12 Health Educators, Administrators, Curriculum Designers
The Designing and Implementing a Skills-Based Approach in the Health Education Classroom workshop, offered in partnership with Vermont Agency of Education, is for individuals who have an introductory understanding of skills-based health education and are looking for additional support to help them transition from a content-based to a skills-based curriculum.  Participants will discuss the details of implementing a skills-based approach in the health education classroom and take time to explore how to arrange content and skills within a scope and sequence, develop performance-based assessments to measure skill proficiency, and design units to achieve skill development.   By completing additional online course work, participants may also choose to earn 1 graduate credit from Castleton State University. Participants from V-SHEP districts are eligible for a 25% discount on the workshop or course. 
Contact Julie Medose at julie.medose@vthec.org or (802) 498-3350


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.

K-12 Benchmarks for Informative Writing

The Vermont Writing Collaborative is delighted to announce the arrival of new K-12 benchmarks for informative writing. All of these pieces come from classroom curriculum and are rooted in the Writing for Understanding, common sense recognition that students need a solid understanding of both content and structure/craft if they are going to be able to write proficiently. On the first day, November 6, 2017, the Vermont Writing Collaborative will work closely with those benchmarks, both at individual grade levels and system-wide. On the second day, November 7, 2017, educators are invited to actively use these benchmarks to analyze student work for instructional needs, and to score it – so, bring a set of your own student work! Both sessions will take place at Lake Morey Resort from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The cost is $200 for the first day or $350 for both days. Special room rates are available at Lake Morey Resort. Register for K-12 Benchmarks for Informative Writing.
Contact: Joey Hawkins at joeylornell@gmail.com

ACT College and Career Readiness Fall Workshops

ACT will be hosting two ACT College and Career Readiness Workshops this fall in Vermont. They will take place on September 28, 2017 at the College of Saint Joseph and November 2, 2017 at Saint Michael’s College. The theme for this year’s workshop: “Preparing Students for Success: A Holistic Approach.” Register for ACT Workshop.
Contact: Sean Corcoran at sean.corcoran@act.org

Creating the Readers We Need for a Democratic Society

This hybrid 3 credit course by Ellen Thompson & June Golato, will focus on encouraging and producing critically thinking readers who really love reading and help them understand that how and what they think matters. Includes two books:  Falling in Love with Close Reading and Disrupting Thinking: Why How we Read Matters.  Register for Creating the Readers We Need for a Democratic Society online.
Contact: info@cvedcvt.org

Rowland Foundation Annual Conference

The Rowland Foundation has announced that it has just opened registrations for its October 26, 2017 conference at the University of Vermont. Our inspiring keynote speaker will be Princeton University's Ruha Benjamin, author, lecturer, and professor specializing in the interdisciplinary study of race-ethnicity, health, knowledge and power.  The conference theme  is "Schools as Laboratories for Social Change: Regenerating Empathy at the Heart of Education." Given the political climate in our country, this will perhaps be our most topical conference to date. Register now as this conference must be capped at 500 people, a number usually reached by the end of September. For conference details, workshop descriptions and registration.
Contact: Marge Malko, Administrative Assistant, at margemalko@gmail.com or (802) 824-6400

Powering Up: How to Create Change through Legislation

A daylong, peer-organized, statewide conference designed to increase knowledge of the Vermont legislative process, build stronger advocacy skills, and enhance the collective power.  The overall conference will consist of panel presentations, a keynote address, a workshop on using storytelling to educate legislators, and a panel about the work of the coalition that worked to pass S.3 during the last legislative session.  Register online for Powering Up
Contact:  Logan Selkirk, SAMHSA Recovery and Resiliency Grant Project Coordinator, at lselkirk@vffcmh.org  or (802) 03-4066

Vermont Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program Fall Workshops

Registration is open for "Meeting the Auditory, Speech, and Language Needs of School-Age Children with Hearing Loss" Capitol Plaza Hotel in Montpelier, VT on September 28, 2017. Speech and hearing professionals are encouraged to attend. 
Contact: Ileene Therrien at itherrien@9east.net

TRY Science Cafe Leadership Team

TRY Science Cafe is a free, fun way for teens to explore science and technology. Teens will participate in lively discussions and activities with scientists. The Leadership Team contributes ideas on topics, recruits friends and classmates to attend cafes, and helps organize and run each cafe. Leadership Team members must be in grades 9-12 and live in (or are able to travel) to Burlington for meetings and cafes. Contact Lauren Traister to request more information if interested. 
Contact:  Lauren Traister, 4-H Teen & Leadership Program Coordinator, at lauren.traister@uvm.edu or (802) 888-4972 x 402

Way to Go! School Challenge

A long list of K–12 schools are gearing up to improve health, save money and battle carbon pollution this Fall, September 25 - October 6, 2017. Visit Way to Go! to see who is participating, and who has yet to sign up. Everything you need is online to get organized. Sign-up and start spreading the word. Let us know on or before September 18, 2017 and we'll send you all you need including posters, tips for success. 
Contact: Cara Robechek at cara.robechek@veep.org or (802)-552-8450


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.