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Volume 12, Issue 48

December 5, 2018

Smarter Balanced Interim Assessment Survey 

Audience: Educators, Curriculum Coordinators
Smarter Balanced is looking for educator input to assist in identifying the content to emphasize within the target(s) of a specific Focused IAB. Educators can complete more than one grade and content area if they choose. Each survey for one grade level and content area will take about 30 minutes to complete. These links will take you to the ELA Survey and Math Survey.  The deadline for completion is Thursday, December 20, 2018.
Contact: Sarah Birgé  at sarah.birge@vermont.gov

Homeland Security Gun Violence Prevention Guide

Audience: Superintendent’s, Principals and School Crisis Planning Team Members
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Infrastructure Protection (IP) is pleased to present K-12 School Security: A Guide for Preventing and Protecting against Gun Violence (2nd ed., 2018). The Guide provides preventive and protective measures to address the threat of gun violence in schools. It is delivered in two parts:  the first portion is a PDF with general security best practices and considerations in a narrative format; while the second portion is a Microsoft Excel-based security survey.
Contact: Rob Evans, School Safety Liaison Officer, at revans@margolishealy.com or (802) 839-0448

NGSS Phenomena Workshop

Principals, Curriculum Coordinators, Teacher Leaders
The Vermont Agency of Education will be offering an NGSS Phenomena Workshop that introduces Phenomena and their use in 3D classroom performances and assessment.  Participants will jump into using the phenomenon concept in their classrooms as well as drafting and evaluating phenomena that match the PEs of the NGSS. For dates and locations, please visit our registration page. Space is limited to 18 participants - register today.
Contact: Margaret Carrera-Bly at margaret.carrera-bly@vermont.gov or (802) 479-1097

Professional Learning Master Schedule Development

 Audience: Superintendents, Principals, and SU/SD and school leadership teams
The Agency of Education has entered into a contract with the District Management Group to provide professional learning to district and school leadership teams around designing and creating master schedules based on best practices. Information about the professional learning sessions may be found on the AOE website. Specific details and registration information will be announced soon. School administrators are encouraged to coordinate with their leadership teams in preparation for the forthcoming registration announcement.
Contacts: Nate Levenson at nlevenson@dmgroupk12.com or (617) 453-2580 or Meg Porcella meg.porcella@vermont.gov at (802) 479-1870

Computer Science Classes Through VCSA and Code.org

Audience: Superintendents, Principals, Teachers
The Vermont Computer Science Alliance (VCSA) is excited to announce grants and scholarships for schools/districts who wish to offer Code.org supported programs for the 2019-2020 school year. The VCSA is supported by the Vermont Virtual Learning Cooperative (VTVLC), the University of Vermont (UVM), and the Vermont Agency of Education (AOE) to expand computer science programs throughout Vermont. VCSA school/district membership supports teachers with professional development and implementation of computer science. Two-year grants are available to offset membership costs. VCSA members are also eligible for scholarships to 9 days of educator training from Code.org. Applications and additional information are available online at the VCSA website.
Contact: Peter Drescher at (802) 479-1169 or peter.drescher@vermont.gov; Jennifer Fribush at (802) 885-8331 or jfribush@vtvlc.org; Juniper Lovato at juniper.lovato@uvm.edu

Using Medical Terminology to Support Special Education Services

Audience: Special Educators, School Nurses, School Administrators
The Department of Vermont Health Access (DVHA) is working hard to encourage Primary Care Providers (PCPs) to review the Individual Education Plans (IEPs) for children seen by their practices. Sometimes the PCP does not consider the diagnosis listed as the Primary Educational Disability, or the Disability Category, to be clearly medical in nature and declines to sign the IEP.  DVHA strongly recommends that special educators work closely with school nurses to ensure that the disability categories and primary educational disabilities documented on the IEP clearly reflect the child’s medical condition. Framing the condition in clearly medical terms will help PCPs to determine if a service is medically necessary. For example, use of “specific reading disorder” may not appear to support medical necessity to a PCP. If the child also has a medical condition, such as ADHD, listing this condition may help the PCP to determine medical necessity. 
Contact: Susan Mason, Clinical Consultant, Department of Vermont Health Access, (802) 879-6396, susan.mason@partner.vermont.gov

Updated School Nurse Endorsement: Evaluation Tool Pilot

Audience: Superintendents, Principals, School Nurses
Vermont’s School Nurse Professional Learning Collaborative has developed an evaluation tool to align with the revised Vermont Agency of Education licensing endorsement competencies for school nurses (pg. 171) and invites your participation in the pilot project. New language reflects national standards and the Framework for 21st Century School Nursing Practice (NASN, 2016).  The tool is designed to be used for the Licensed School Nurse and the Associate School Nurse at all levels of competencies and to promote lifelong continuous growth in school nurse practice. For a copy of the School Nurse Evaluation Tool please contact. Sharonlee Trefry, State School Nurse Consultant.
 Contact: Sharonlee Trefry, State School Nurse Consultant,  at (802) 863-7348 or sharonlee.trefry@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.

Professional Development: Autism Spectrum Disorder Course

Registration is open for Autism Spectrum Disorder: Stimulating Language, Social Communication and Social Emotional Learning from Birth through Third Grade. This professional development course by the Stern Center for Language and Learning focuses on assessment, intervention and clinical application of evidence-based practices for children who are living with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Registration is due by January 3, 2019.
Contact: SJ White at swhite@sterncenter.org or (802) 878-2332, ext. 320


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.