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An Official Vermont Government Website

Volume 12, Issue 37

Weekly Field Memo
September 20, 2018

DATE CHANGE: National Test of the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts

Audience: All
The National Test of the Wireless Emergency Alerts System will now take place on October 3, 2018. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA). The wireless alerts will commence at 2:18 p.m., with the emergency alert system following at 2:20 p.m. on radio and television. This is only a test. All cellphones from participating carriers will receive this alert; school staff should expect that most students and staff with mobile phones will receive the following notification: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.” The national wireless notification system is used to warn the public about dangerous weather, missing children and other important alerts through mobile phones. For more information, please visit the FEMA website.
Contact: Mark Bosma, Public Information Officer, VT Emergency Management, at mark.bosma@vermont.gov

Vermont School Climate Survey Frequently Asked Questions

Audience: Assessment Coordinators, Principals, Educators, Non-instructional School Staff
The Vermont School Climate Survey (VTCLIM, "vee-tee-climb") assesses school climate in Vermont by surveying students in grades 5, 6, 7, 10, as well as all adults working in Vermont schools. This online survey will be rolling out state-wide in spring 2019. The VTCLIM FAQ document has comprehensive information about the VTCLIM, and updates will be posted to the VT Comprehensive Assessment Portal as well as through the WFM.
Contact: Sarah Birgé at sarah.birge@vermont.gov or (802) 479-1426

Professional Learning: Enhancing Classroom Management

Audience: Classroom Teachers, Integrated Arts Teachers
Registration is open for Enhancing Teachers' Classroom Management: Efficient and Effective Evidence-Based Strategies, a half-day training on October 19, 2018 from 9 to 12:30 p.m. will provide participants an opportunity to  reflect and assess current classroom and non-classroom management strategies,  learn and apply several low-intensity classroom management strategies (i.e. Opportunities to Respond, Behavior Specific Praise, and Instructional Choice, etc.) and discuss systems that need to be in place to support classroom management in a school. An introduction to understanding the function of behavior will also be included. Participants are encouraged to attend in small teams.
Contact: Amy Wheeler-Sutton at amy.wheeler-sutton@uvm.edu or (518) 421-3965

Vermont Inclusive Practices for Students with Significant Disabilities Learning Day

Audience: Special Educators, General Education Teachers, Principals, Superintendents, Special Education Coordinators
Registration is open for a Vermont Inclusive Practices Professional Learning Day on October 29, 2018, in Castleton, or on October 30, 2018, in Burlington. Participants will learn how to include students with extensive needs in their grade level classroom, curriculum, and activities at the universal level of a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). Hear from Vermont grade level and special educators who make inclusive education a reality in their schools. Dive deep into Alternate Assessment data and what it means for students. Lunch not provided.
Contact: Chris Kane at christopher.kane@vermont.gov

Save the Date: Professional Development for Sexual Health Special Educators

Audience: Educators and paraeducators
Save the date for a two-day training to provide professional development to educators and others who work in schools who will provide human sexuality education to students receiving special education services.  Tentative dates are November 13 and 14, 2018 in Burlington.  Day one is targeted to health educators and special educators and will focus on curriculum training.  Day two is targeted to paraeducators who work one-on-one with students.  Paraeducators must register as part of a district team.  The training is free, but lunch is not provided.  Registration will be available in late September.
Contact: Tom Aloisi at thomas.aloisi@vermont.gov

Update to the Notice of Procedural Safeguards: Rights of Parents of Students with Disabilities

Audience: Special Education Administrators, Special Educators, Principals
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), requires schools to provide parents of a child with a disability with a notice containing a full explanation of the procedural safeguards available under the IDEA and Vermont Agency of Education Special Education Rules. This is to notify special educators that the Notice of Procedural Safeguards: Rights of Parents of Students with Disabilities has been updated and can be found on Agency of Education’s Family Resources webpage.
Contact: Tonya Rutkowski at tonya.rutkowski@vermont.gov

Registration Open for the Early Childhood Special Education Overview

Audience: Early Childhood Special Educators and Related Service Staff; Directors of Student Support/Special Education
The Early Learning Team will host two Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Overviews, October 17, 2018, at the Hilton Battery Street, Burlington or October 18, 2018, at the Holiday Inn, Rutland. Both day-long workshops will be especially helpful for both new and veteran ECSE staff and include lunch. Sessions include a review of Early Childhood Special Education Regulations, Early Childhood Outcomes, 504/ADA/IDEA: Serving Children in Public and Private PreK Programs and more.
Contact: Leslie Freedman at leslie.freedman@vermont.gov or (802) 479-1412

21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant Application Open

The 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) Grant Application is now open for the purpose of providing high-quality afterschool and summer learning opportunities. Applications are due February 5, 2019. Applicant workshops for teams will be held on October 10, 16, and 18, 2018 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. To view the locations visit the agency’s Events Calendar. To apply for the 21st CCLC, please complete the grant application.
Contact: 21C State Coordinator, Emanuel Betz at emanuel.betz@vermont.gov  or (802) 479-1396

Networked Improvement Community for Instructional Coaches and Teacher-Leaders

Audience: Instructional Coaches and Teacher-Leaders (such as math, literacy, PBL, science, etc.)
Registration is open for a Networked Improvement Community Meetings Series. The goal of this community is to support coaches and teacher leaders. Networked Improvement Community (NICs) are communities grounded by shared goals, norms, theories and practices. They coordinate and accelerate learning through strategic knowledge management. Participating in this NIC will support continuous improvement planning and will facilitate meeting the required CFP evidence of impact. The community will meet three times throughout the year in two regional locations, Rutland and Newport. The dates for the Rutland community are November 27, 2018, February 1, 2019, and April 5, 2019. The Newport community will meet November 9, 2018, January 30, 2019, and April 3, 2019. The community meetings will be led by Heidi Whipple, Susan Yesalonia, and MC Moran.
Contacts: Heidi Whipple at (802) 479-1379 or heidi.whipple@vermont.gov and Susan Yesalonia at (802) 479-1284 or susan.yesalonia@vermont.gov

October Math EdCamp Registration Information

Audience: Math Teachers, Coaches, Math Instructional Leaders, Principals, Special Educators, District Leaders, and teams from sites participating in the State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP)
Registration is open for an October Math EdCamp Session. This EdCamp-style professional learning series is being offered to teams of VT educators who have a role in designing and implementing math instruction. This year's focus is building capacity to implement evidence-based mathematics instruction (core instruction and additional supports) that is responsive to the needs of ALL students. There will not be a fee for these sessions.
Contact: Meg Porcella meg.porcella@vermont.gov or (802) 479-1870

2018 Multi-tiered System of Supports Survey Closed

Audience: Principals and Superintendents
The 2018 MTSS Survey is now closed. The MTSS Team would like to thank the superintendents and principals who ensured that a survey was completed for their schools—a thank you letter is forthcoming. The team is now busy analyzing the data from the survey to write the 2017-2018 MTSS Survey Summary report which will be available in late October. You may review last year’s data analysis at 2016-2017 MTSS Summary Report or on MTSS webpage. The goal is that 100% of schools will participate in this annual survey. The next MTSS Survey window will open on May 1, 2019.
Contact: Emma Louie, Ed.D. at (802) 479-1336 or emma.louie@vermont.gov

BEST-Act 230 Formula Grant Program Updates

Audience: Superintendents, Principals, Curriculum Coordinators, and Grants Managers
The deadline for the BEST-Act 230 Formula grant is October 1, 2018. On the Resources section of the Multi-tiered System of Supports webpage, are two documents: BEST/Act 230 Grants Frequently Asked Questions and Sample Level of Evidence Statements. Based on feedback from applications received so far, these memos will provide helpful tips for completing the applications successfully.
Contact: Meg Porcella at meg.porcella@vermont.gov

Save the Date: 2019 Farm to School Grant Request for Proposals

Audience: Superintendents, Principals, Teachers, Child Nutrition Professionals, Curriculum Coordinators, Other Staff
The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets Farm to School Program will release the 2019 Requests for Proposals for Infrastructure and Child Nutrition Grants on October 2, 2018. The AAFM Farm to School team is seeking applications from eligible Vermont-based schools and early care providers to expand and improve food programs and/or to create or expand farm to school programs by integrating the classroom, cafeteria, and community (the 3 C’s of farm to school). Grantees best achieve this when they take a holistic approach to incorporating the 3 C’s of farm to school into their program. Together, the 3 C’s support healthy children, healthy agriculture, and healthy communities. Up to seven Farm to School Child Nutrition applications will be awarded at $15,000 each, to be spent during a 2-year grant period, with additional comprehensive technical assistance, professional development and coaching, offered at no charge to grantees. Additionally, up to $32,000 will be available in $1,000 Infrastructure Grants to help schools and early care providers improve local food use. Learn more on the AAFM program webpage.
Contact: Ali Zipparo at (802) 505-1822 or alexandra.zipparo@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.

Training for Early Educators at the Stern Center

The Stern Center for Language and Learning in Williston presents three days of training in Fundations October 1 through 3, 2018. Fundations is a phonological/phonemic awareness, phonics and spelling program for the K-3 general education classroom. Based on the Wilson Reading Principles, Fundations is a Tier 1 and Tier 2 program designed to provide high-quality classroom instruction for all students; it also serves as a “double dose” of instruction for students who require more targeted intervention. Each Fundations workshop aligns with that grade’s Common Core Reading Foundational Skills and provides practical application of brain-based reading research for teachers to use in Prevention (Tier 1) and/or Early Intervention (Tier 2) settings. The cost per day is $325.
Contact: SJ White at (802) 878-2332 or swhite@sterncenter.org

TRY for the Environment - Apply to be a Teen Teacher

TRY stands for Teens Reaching Youth and is an environmental leadership opportunity for youth in grades seven through 12. TRY for the Environment includes five different program areas—energy FUNdamentals, waste solutions, food systems, forest and trees and 4-H20 —in which teen teachers can teach younger students in grades K-4. Applications for TRY for the Environment are due no later than November 9, 2018. Check out a short TRY overview video showcasing how TRY connects to student's PLPs and transferable skills. Contact: Lauren Traister at lauren.traister@uvm.edu or (802) 888-4972, ext. 402

Professional Learning: Work-Based Learning

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 & online sessions. The first in-person session will be held at Central VT Medical Center in Berlin on Saturday, October 6, 2018, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The November 3, November 17 and December 8, 2018 sessions will also be held at CVMC from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. 
Contact: Rich Tulikangas, Instructor, at (802) 734-8170 or rtulikangas@comcast.net

The Rowland Foundation Annual Conference

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.”  Registration is open on the Roland Foundation Website.
Contact: Chuck Scranton at chuckscranton@gmail.com or (802) 824-6400

Scholarships Available for the VHC Fall Conference

The Vermont Humanities Council is offering scholarships for K-12, Adult Education, and Literacy system educators to attend their Fall Conference at UVM on November 16 to 17, 2018. The theme of the conference is “The Ebb and Flow of Optimism through American History.” The deadline for scholarship applications is October 26, 2018.
Contact: Richelle Franzoni at (802) 262-1355 or community@vermonthumanities.org.

Registration Now Open for Vermont Jump$tart’s 2018 Educator Conference

The Vermont Jump$tart Coalition will hold its Annual Education Conference at Vermont Technical College in Randolph, Vermont on Friday, November 2, 2018. Secretary of Education Dan French will speak and provide background on personal finance education, including his past involvement with the Vermont Financial Literacy Task Force. Sessions will focus on the newly adopted Jump$tart financial literacy standards and how they connect to student-centered learning in an interdisciplinary way. Educators can register for the Jump$tart Conference online. Space is limited to 50 attendees.
Contact: Amy Dickinson at vtbanker@sover.net or (802) 229-0341

Vermont State School Nurses' Association Fall Conference

The VSSNA would like to invite you to their annual Fall Conference on October 13, 2018, in St. Johnsbury. The conference, Strengthening Community through School Health will focus on the key role nurses play in community health.  Topics for the conference include cannabinoid use, environmental health, opioid use and prevention, and Bright Futures updates.  The conference is jointly sponsored by the Vermont Department of Health resulting in a reduced cost to participants.
Contact Louisa Driscoll at ldriscoll@vssna.org

Vermont Council of Teachers of Mathematics 2018 Annual Conference

Registration is open for the Vermont Council of Teachers of Mathematics 2018 Annual Conference. On October 19, 2018, Vermont Council of Teachers of Mathematics (VCTM) will host its annual conference at Norwich University, Northfield, VT from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. This year, the title of the conference is Moving Mountains with Mathematics. The keynote address will be given by John Tapper, Associate Professor of Elementary Education at St. Michael’s College and author of Solving for Why. Early bird registration is $115 and late registration (after September 28, 2018) is $125.
Contact: Jacie Kendrew at jacielyn87@gmail.com

Mastermind Mentors Training for Middle Schools and High Schools

Mastermind Mentors is an opportunity for upper elementary to high school youth to facilitate lessons and activities with younger elementary grade students about how their brains learn. Youth mentors and their adult partners participate in a one-day training on the key concepts of growth mindset & self-talk. This background knowledge is interspersed with examples from a toolkit of ideas that they bring back to use with younger students (K-3).  Over the course of several weeks, mentors team up with younger students and share how learning happens.
Contact: Bruce Perlow at bruce@upforlearning.org or (802) 552-8140

Professional Learning: Creating High Impact Workshops

Leading Instructional Coach expert Jim Knight returns to facilitate "designing high impact presentations and workshops" that will inspire and deliver a powerful message to teachers and staff. This trining will be of interest to principals, superintendents, curriculum directors and coaches, covering effective design, designing slide decks, powerful delivery and keeping the energy high. Additionally, true Equity will be the focus on day two through a focus on engagement and how to foster it. Jim Knight- Designing High Impact Professional Development for High Impact Instruction is a two-day institute tailored for Vermont on November 7 and 8, 2018.
Contact: Lauren Wooden at lauren@cvedcvt.org or (802) 497-1642

September Is College Savings Month

To encourage Vermont families to save for their children’s future education, in honor of National College Savings Month the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation is holding a drawing for five $100 college savings accounts and other prizes this September. Any Vermont resident can enter the drawing. Research shows that children from families who put aside even $500 or less for college are three times more likely to attend and complete college or other training. VSAC administers Vermont’s tax-advantaged 529 college savings plan (the Vermont Higher Education Investment Plan) for the state. Learn more about the drawing and other events this fall at vsac.org.
Contact: Rich Westman at westman@vsac.org or (800) 637-5860

Professional Development Opportunity with Carol Ann Tomlinson, Expert on Differentiation

Carol Tomlinson will help kick off a three-workshop series, Strategies for Sustaining the Student-Centered Classroom, with Bill Rich, on October 18, 2018 at the Capitol Plaza in Montpelier. This series will explore how skillful differentiation provides students (and teachers) the practice they need to make personalization successful. Participants do not need to attend all the workshops in the series. Register on the Vermont Higher Education Collaborative website.
Contact: Julie Medose at julie.medose@vthec.org or (802) 498-3350

School Registration Open for Vermont Poetry Out Loud

Vermont Poetry Out Loud provides high school students with a highly engaging opportunity to work toward ELA and transferrable skills proficiencies. The program provides pathways for students to explore, memorize, and recite great works of poetry and enhance presentation techniques. Participation begins at the classroom level. Teachers engage students through instruction and organize contests involving one class or a whole school. Students may advance to the state and national competitions. To participate, schools will register by December 31 and may take advantage of resources such as visiting artist workshops and regional events that draw nearly 40 high school students per year. Registration and more information is available on the Vermont Arts Council website.
Contact: Troy Hickman at thickman@vermontartscouncil.org or (802) 828-3778 

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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.