- COVID-19 Updates and Guidance for Schools
- Other Agency of Education and State of Vermont Updates
- Courtesy Posts
COVID-19 Updates and Guidance for Schools
This section of the Weekly Field Memo contains updates to COVID-19 guidance from the Vermont Agency of Education released since the last Weekly Field Memo and other COVID-19-related updates. For a complete list of AOE-issued guidance, please visit our COVID-19 Guidance for Vermont Schools and Continuity of Learning websites. For the most comprehensive and up-to-date information on the COVID-19 response in Vermont, visit the Health Department's Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) website.
Guidance: A Strong and Healthy Start
Audience: Superintendents, Independent School Heads, Educators
Since last week's Weekly Field Memo, the Vermont Agency of Education has released Clarification on Hybrid Learning Guidance for Inclement Weather Days (9/15).
Contact: Ted Fisher at ted.fisher@vermont.gov
Guidance: Special Education
Audience: Superintendents, Special Education Administrators and Educators
Since last week's Weekly Field Memo, the Vermont Agency of Education has issued Toileting and Diapering When Social Distancing is Difficult or Contraindicated for Students on IEPs (9/15).
Contact: Jacqui Kelleher at jacqui.kelleher@vermont.gov
Guidance: Child Nutrition
Audience: Superintendents, Food Service Manager and Staff
Since last week's Weekly Field Memo, the Vermont Agency of Education has updated FAQ on Summer Food Service Program Extension through December 2020 (Updated 9/15).
Contact: Rosie Kreuger at mary.krueger@vermont.gov
Guidance: Prekindergarten
Audience: Superintendents, Principals, Prekindergarten Education Program Teachers and Staff
Since last week's Weekly Field Memo, the Vermont Agency of Education has issued Clarification on Health Guidance for Public and Private Prekindergarten Education Programs (9/11).
Vermont PBS: New Distance Learning Monthly Schedule for Fall
Audience: Curriculum Directors, Principals, PreK-12 Teachers
The Schedule of Vermont PBS Programs for the months of September and October of 2020 is now available. The Vermont Agency of Education has expanded their partnership with PBS to support in-person, hybrid and remote learning models. Based on teacher feedback, resources for in-classroom and distance learning shift to a monthly overview using analog, digital and broadcast resources. Weekly thematic bundles, with specific episodes highlighted per week by content area and age-level, are available to stream on-demand. These episodes connect to specific resources on PBS LearningMedia and PBS Parents.
Contacts: Emily Leute at emily.leute@vermont.gov or Heather Duhamel at hduhamel@vermontpbs.org
Other Agency of Education and State of Vermont Updates
This section of the Weekly Field Memo contains posts from the Agency of Education and other State of Vermont agencies that are not specifically related to the COVID-19 Response.
Vermont BEST/PBIS Professional Learning Calendar
Audience: All Vermont Educators
The Vermont BEST/PBIS Professional Learning Calendar has been updated to reflect new trainings, dates, times and fees for the fall. All fall events have been moved to an online format and will be free of cost, with the exception of the web-based VTPBIS Annual Forum on Oct. 7, 2020. Registration for the 2020 Forum is now open. The 2020 Annual Forum flyer has all the information, including the schedule, session descriptions and registration link. The morning session will feature topics such as Intro to PBIS, Restorative Approaches, SEL, Staff Resilience, Function-Based Thinking and more. The afternoon session will feature national experts Brandi Simonsen, Kathleen Lane, Ruthie Payno Simmons and Susan Barrett.
Contact: Sherry Schoenberg at sherry.schoenberg@uvm.edu
Students Can Submit Questions for Local Debates
Audience: Middle and High School Teachers
As part of the Vermont PBS and Vermont Agency of Education Distance Learning Project, middle and high school students are invited to include a question in this year’s local debates, which include the Governors Debate, Lt. Governors Debate, and US House Debate. Teachers, please include the student’s name (first name and last initial), grade, and the name of their school as part of their submission. Questions can be emailed to questions@vermontpbs.org. Visit www.vermontpbs.org for more information, including air dates and times, who is debating, and how students can watch the debates to see if their question has been selected. Please send questions by Monday, Sept. 21, 2020.
Contact: Heather Duhamel at hduhamel@vermontpbs.org
Annual Education Technology Survey
Audience: Education Technology Directors, Superintendents
The Annual Education Technology Survey is required of all Vermont schools in order to collect important data about many aspects of the education technology landscape in our schools. The Annual Technology Survey is now open and the deadline has been extended to Sept. 30, 2020. The AOE requests that the survey be answered to the best of the ability of each school. New this year, a supervisory union or school district representative can complete data for multiple schools in one form. This information is used by legislators, as well as state and local policymakers and is regularly referenced in both state and national press with regards to Vermont’s status around education technology. The survey should be completed by Sept. 30, 2020.
Contact: Greg Young at greg.young@vermont.gov
Date Correction: DC05 & DC06 Prior Year Corrections Collection Window
Audience: Superintendents, Data Reporting Managers, Business Managers
We would like to call your attention to a date needing correction in the August 2020 Monthly Data READ_ME (sent 8/25/2020). The date list for Prior Year Corrections [Last 3 Years]: DC05 & DC06 collection window should be noted as Oct. 19 – Nov. 1, 2020. The correct start data is Oct. 19, 2020.
Contact: Bob Keeley at robert.keeley@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. Please refer to the Weekly Field Memo submission guidelines for additional information.
Until further notice, the Courtesy Posts will only include posts related to in-person training, events or meetings that affirmatively comply with current health guidance from the Vermont Department of Health, the Agency of Commerce and Community Development and/or the Vermont Agency of Education.
Youth Environmental Summit - Come Join Our Community
UVM Extension 4-H is offering its annual Youth Environmental Summit again this year, but with a twist. This year's Summit will run for three weeks with a kick-off on Friday, Oct. 30, 2020, and stay open until Nov. 20, 2020. This will allow youth to attend when it works with their schedule. Using FlipGrid we are building a virtual community learning space with keynotes, workshops, "Be the Change Audio Wall" and more to make sure the sharing, learning and networking that usually happens at YES will still happen. Open to all youth in grades 6-12; the Summit is free but registration is required to gain access. Learn more at the 4-H Announcements page.
Contact: Lauren Traister at Lauren.Traister@uvm.edu or (802) 888-4972 x 402.
Register Now for MSE Live Virtual Comprehensive Orton-Gillingham Training through VCSEA
Oct. 19-23, 2020, (via Zoom) - The Institute for Multi-Sensory Education (IMSE) Live Virtual Comprehensive OG Training is a hands-on, interactive and personalized class that provides a complete understanding of IMSE’s enhanced Orton-Gillingham method (30-hour). Teachers will learn the following: the structure and foundation of the English language, how to assess and teach students with dyslexia as well as students in all three tiers of RTI, how to evaluate and teach phonological skills, phonics/word recognition, spelling, writing, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. More information and registration at Vermont Council of Special Education Administrators website.
Contact: Traci Sawyers tsawyers@vcsea.net
Teaching Literacy in the New Normal
Partnerships for Literacy and Learning presents a 3-credit course: Teaching Literacy in the New Normal, instructor Ellen A. Thompson, Ed. D. Note the start date change - We've pushed back the start date to Sept. 28, 2020, in order to accommodate the busyness of the teachers during these first weeks of back to school. Let us help you fill your bucket. We recognize teachers are juggling so many priorities at the moment and the thought of taking a class may feel overwhelming. This particular class will support the work that teachers are doing right now with encouraging and understanding peers and a fantastic instructor. We will be using the incredible new text Distance Learning Playbook, written by Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey and John Hattie.
Contact: Mary Grace at info@pllvt.org or (802) 828-0521
Teacher Apprenticeship Program Info Session
Sept. 29, 2020, Champlain College's Teacher Apprenticeship Program supports career changers and those already working in the education field to earn a Level I Vermont teaching license for $12,000. We will hold our next online info session on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, at 6 p.m. Our 8-month path to licensure includes an intensive student teaching internship as well as relevant coursework and coaching to prepare you for a career in the classroom. Register online for the info session and please visit the Teacher Apprenticeship Program website for more information.
Contact: Caitlin Hollister at (802) 383-6657
VPR: New “But Why?” Learning Guides
“But Why?" VPR's Podcast for Curious Kids is here to help with your education goals! VPR worked with an educational consultant to create learning guides to complement recent podcast episodes. After listening to an episode, educators or parents/guardians can use the learning guide to deepen your child(ren)'s understanding of what they've learned. Transcripts are included and some episodes are supplemented with coloring pages, experiments or recipes. The learning guides were created with students in kindergarten through grade three in mind (ages 5-9) but may be appropriate for other ages. Learning guides can be downloaded as a PDF for easy printing, or click "Google Slide" to send a copy of the learning guide to your (or your students') Google account. Students will then be able to add their thoughts in the text fields or use the Scribble tool to draw on the slide.
Contact: Melody Bodette at melody@butwhykids.org
Askable Adult Fall Trainings
UVM Extension 4-H is offering three sessions of the Vermont Network’s Askable Adult Training this fall. This training is designed for adults who are interested in becoming more “askable” and supportive for the children and youth in their lives. Join this training if you are seeking to enhance skills that will enable you to have strong, trusting and affirming relationships, communicate more effectively, strengthen connections, and be a valuable resource for the young people in your life. For more information on dates and how to register, see the Askable Adult Training flyer.
Contact: Allison Smith at Allison.smith.2@uvm.edu.
Online Professional Development: Fundations® K-2 Workshops
Registration is open for Fundations Levels K, 1 and 2, professional development workshops from the Stern Center for Language and Learning. These online workshops take place Oct. 19-21, 2020, and each workshop provides a practical application of reading research and will prepare teachers to teach Fundations in Prevention (Tier 1) and/or Early Intervention (Tier 2) settings for their grade level. For more information, visit the course webpage for details. Registration due by Sept. 30, 2020.
Contact: SJ Larkspur at slarkspur@sterncenter.org
New Program: Watershed Explorer Challenge
Lake Champlain Sea Grant is launching a new program: the Watershed Explorer Challenge. This self-contained booklet has 11 activities, rooted in Next Generation Science Standards, that are designed for grades 3-8 to learn about watershed science and the Lake Champlain Basin. This is a free resource. There will be a teacher training to provide an overview of the program and to provide support and guidance to teachers interested in using this resource with their students on Sept. 29, 2020 from 4-5 p.m., registration required (this webinar event is free).
Contact: Ashley Eaton at akeaton@uvm.edu or (802) 391-4410
Personal Power and Purpose Through Partnership
P4 Advisory: Personal Power and Purpose Through Partnership centers youth voice and youth-adult partnership to explore individual values and strengths, build caring and collaborative relationships, and positively impact the school and local community. By joining UP for Learning’s 2020-2021 cohort of P4 youth-adult teams, you will take part in ongoing training, coaching and learning as members of a collaborative learning community. Working together in-person or remotely, UP for Learning has the resources and experience to help youth and adults navigate our new educational environments to reimagine and transform the learning experience.
Contact: Sarah Popowicz at sarah@upforlearning.org or (802) 917-1569
Register for Administrative Assistant Workday - Supporting the Behind the Scenes Heroes
Please join us for a virtual training open to all central office and building-based Administrative Assistants on Oct. 22, 2020, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Topics will be Culture and Wellness in the Workplace led by Cara Capparelli, Clinical Director for NFI (which will address strategies to cope with compassion fatigue, navigate “office politics,” and think about workplace systems in the context of COVID-19) and a G-Suite Training led by Technology for Tomorrow (intermediate training on G-Suite including Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides and Google Forms - new skills and shortcuts). Register at the VCSEA website.
Contact Traci Sawyers tsawyers@vcsea.net
Early Childhood Special Education Courses and Professional Development Opportunities
VT-HEC is offering courses and virtual workshops for Early Childhood Special Educators this fall. Assessment in Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education is a 3-credit graduate course that examines the philosophical underpinnings and program components of providing federally mandated services to infants/toddlers with diverse abilities and their families. This course is fully online and begins on Sept. 26, 2020. Tips and Tools for Early Childhood Special Educators is a 1-credit course, with a workshop/PD option as well. This offering will sharpen your organizational skills and add to your strategy toolbox as we walk through each step of the special education process. We will discuss the daily operations and responsibilities of being a preschool case manager/service provider and brainstorm cost-effective, time-smart approaches. This online course begins on Oct. 2, 2020, and includes two virtual workshop days in which participants will create their own materials that you can start using your next day at work.
Contact Julie Medose at info@vthec.org or (802) 498-3350
Assessment for Hybrid, Blended, & Remote Learning (Webinar)
In this free webinar from the UVM Tarrant Institute for Innovative Education, we'll explore formative assessment tools and strategies to create feedback loops and establish routines to answer the question: "How do we know our learners are making progress?" Participants will work in breakout room groups where they'll explore using technology and pedagogy for assessment, as well as participating in discussion of in-practice workflow routines, and will leave with a ready toolkit for implementing innovative assessment. Hosted by Susan Hennessey and Scott Thompson of TIIE, as well as educators Sarah Marcus and Allan Miller. Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, 3:30 p.m. EST. Register online.
Contact: Audrey Homan at events@tarrantinstitute.org or (802) 656-2641