Volume 15, Issue 22

June 9, 2021

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: Assessment

Audience: Superintendents, Independent School Heads, Assessment DA/ADAs
Since last week's Weekly Field Memo the Agency of Education has issued Memo: Statewide Summative Assessment Considerations for Interpreting Individual Student Reports (6/3).
Contact: Amanda Gorham at amanda.gorham@vermont.gov

Guidance: Federal Funding

Audience: Administrators, Special Education Directors, Special Education Educators
Since last week's Weekly Field Memo the Agency of Education has issued ARP ESSER LEA Plan for Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Checklist (6/8).
Contact: Jill Briggs-Campbell at jill.briggscampbell@vermont.gov

Vermont Virtual Learning Cooperative FAQ

Audience: Superintendents, Principals
Since last week's Weekly Field Memo the Agency of Education has issued Vermont Virtual Learning Cooperative FAQ: Online and Blended Learning Opportunities for Students for 2021-2022 (6/3).
Contact: Jess DeCarolis at jess.decarolis@vermont.gov

Vermont PBS: Kids and Education Summer Resources

Audience: Curriculum Directors, Principals, PreK-12 Teachers
In lieu of a schedule for June, the Vermont Agency of Education and Vermont PBS have compiled Vermont PBS Kids and Education: June 2021, a resource based on the End of Year Teacher Planning Kit. This kit includes resources and lessons teachers can use with students at all grade levels through the end of the school year as well as free professional learning opportunities and activities to engage families in learning over the summer. Also, check out these online and printable resources for spring and summer learning. The Summer of Possibilities provides children with opportunities to play and learn through hands-on activities, games, and tips that support literacy, math, science, and life skills. Both the Summer Learning Collection and the Science of Summer invite students in grades 6-12 to learn while exploring everyday summer activities. For more information about the partnership between the Vermont Agency of Education and Vermont PBS, visit the AOE’s Vermont PBS webpage or the Vermont PBS Distance Learning page.
Contacts: Emily Leute at emily.leute@vermont.gov or Heather Duhamel at hduhamel@vermontpbs.org

COVID-19 in Schools Data on Health Department Website

Audience: All
The Health Department has been posting data on COVID-19 in K-12 schools since mid-September. The table counts people with laboratory confirmed (by PCR test) COVID-19 who were at the school, attended a school-sanctioned event, or otherwise interacted with the school community during their infectious period. The counts represent cases by school, not individual person. So, if someone interacts with multiple school communities during their infectious period, they will appear in the table multiple times. Please read more about what information is presented in the table.
Contact: COVID19.DataEntryTeam@vermont.gov

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.

Regional Education CTE Centers School Calendars 2021-2022 School Year

Audience: All
State statute requires that superintendents of schools and headmasters of public schools not managed by school boards in an area meet annually, and by majority vote, establish a uniform calendar within that area for the following school year. The summary of the 2021-2022 Regional School CTE Centers Calendars are submitted to the Agency and organized by technical center regions.
Contact: Allison Keating at allison.keating@vermont.gov

Student Member Sought for State Board of Education

Audience: Vermont Secondary Students Graduating in 2023 or later
The Governor’s Office is seeking a candidate to serve on the State Board of Education as one of its two student representatives. The State Board of Education usually meets on the third Wednesday of every month and establishes policies, regulations and rules related to education in Vermont and in keeping with statutes passed by the Legislature. During the pandemic, the Board has continued to meet virtually each month via MS Teams. Candidates may apply using the Application for Gubernatorial Appointment. The deadline for applications is June 11, 2021. Questions about the State Board of Education may be directed to Suzanne Sprague (802-828-1130) or Maureen Gaidys (802-828-0047) at the Agency of Education. Questions about the application or the nomination process itself can be emailed to EXE.Appointments@vermont.gov.
Contact: Suzanne Sprague at (802) 828-1130

Endorsement Revision Group Members Wanted for School Social Workers

Audience: AOE licensed School Social Workers, higher education teaching faculty and other stakeholders in the field
The Vermont Standards Board for Professional Educators (VSBPE) has scheduled to revise the School Social Worker endorsement. The process entails meeting virtually for one full day. The meeting will occur during the summer contingent on group member availability. During the meeting, through AOE facilitation, stakeholders from the field will draft a new School Social Worker endorsement for VSBPE approval. Participants are eligible for a certificate of professional contribution for use toward relicensing. If you are interested in participating in the revision group, please contact Terry Reilly.
Contact: Terry Reilly at terry.reilly@vermont.gov

Early Childhood Outcomes (ECO) Exit and Progress Ratings

Audience: Special Education Directors and Early Childhood Special Educators
As the school year comes to an end, Special Education Directors and Early Childhood Special Educators are reminded that ECO Exit and Progress Ratings are to be completed within your Individualized Education Program (IEP) software system (i.e., Goalview, DocuSped, Adori or Infinite Campus). The May 2018 memo, Reporting Early Childhood Outcomes (ECO) Exit and Progress Ratings, contains important and relevant information on reporting across the three early childhood outcome areas. Please note that for children receiving early childhood special education services in the sending Supervisory Union/School District (SU/SD) for less than six months, no exit rating or reporting is required. The Early Childhood Outcomes (ECO) Practices and Procedures Manual and Decision Tree for Summary Rating Discussions contain additional information that may be helpful in completing ECO Exit and Progress Ratings.
Contact: Katie McCarthy at katie.mccarthy@vermont.gov

State-Placed Students Data Collection for the 2020-2021 School Year

Superintendents, Principals, Special Education Coordinators, Business Managers
Every public school must report the number of state-placed students they educated in the 2020-2021 school year by July 30, 2021. The count of state-placed students data report for the 2020-2021 school year will be used in finalizing the average daily membership census report this fall. For more information, see Memo: Count of State Placed Students Data Collection on the AOE website. The Count of State Placed Students Form is also available online.
Contact: Cathy Scott at cathy.scott@vermont.gov

School Nurse Requirements Prior to Employment and Licensing

Audience: Superintendents, Principals
Registered Nurses (RNs) must complete the online New School Nurse Orientation to practice in Vermont schools. To avoid licensure delays, RNs must complete the required orientation before beginning their Agency of Education application for transcript review. The online orientation may take up to 12 hours for some applicants. Resources for Vermont School Health Services include the Standards of Practice: School Health Services Manual and sample job descriptions for Licensed School Nurse and Associate School Nurse (p. 10). Please refer new school nurses to Kaitlyn Kodzis, State School Nurse Consultant, for the New School Nurse Orientation.
Contact: Kaitlyn Kodzis at kaitlyn.kodzis@vermont.gov

New Parent, Family and Community Engagement Web Page

Audience: All
The Agency of Education (AOE) is excited to announce a new web page Parent, Family and Community Engagement. This web page is intended for families, educators and the partnership fostered to provide an educational system that meets the needs of all. The resources include AOE documents, tools and available resources from across the agency as well as outside organizations. The AOE will highlight Vermont practices and programs that strengthen family engagement and critical connections within the community and empower families as stakeholders. Please contact Nancy Hellen with your feedback and ideas for this web page.
Contact: Nancy Hellen at nancy.hellen@vermont.gov

Mentoring Program External Evaluator RFP is Now Available

Audience: All
The AOE has posted an RFP for prospective vendors who are qualified to provide external evaluation support for a new, statewide Special Education teacher mentoring program. The evaluator would be coordinating with Special Education program staff to articulate program evaluation measures and evaluation tools, collect and analyze program data, and would support program staff in translating evaluative findings into pilot program revisions. The link to the RFP can be found on the Vermont Business Registry site. The deadline for submitting this RFP is June 21, 2021. For more information about the RFP, please contact Jacqui Kelleher, State Director of Special Education.
. Contact: Jacqui Kelleher at jacqui.kelleher@vermont.gov

Edmodo Summer Camp – Camp Mo

Audience: All
Edmodo and C21 Education are hosting an online summer camp for students called Camp Mo, featuring themes on the creative arts and natural sciences. Students will engage in hands-on learning using recycled or readily available materials. Each session of Camp Mo runs for two weeks and includes both camp themes: The Creative World and The Natural World. Campers can choose from the session dates July 5-16, 2021, or July 19-30, 2021. Register online or view Camp Mo FAQs are available on the C21 Education Club website.
Contact: Sigrid Olson at sigrid.olson@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 the Vermont Forward Plan.

Castleton’s 5th Annual Early Childhood Educators Institute

Registration is now open for the 5th annual Early Childhood Educators Institute. This fully online institute offers 14 strands of professional development with aligned graduate and undergraduate credit options in content areas such as Social Emotional Learning, Forest and Nature-Based Learning, Therapeutic Work with Young Children, Early Literacy Acquisition, and more. Please visit the institute website for information on all course and strand opportunities.
Contact: Ric Reardon at ecinstitute@castleton.edu or (802) 468-1234

Vermont Family Network Free Workshop: Home Schooling and Education: Supporting Your Child

June 17, 2021, at 11 a.m. – noon. Are you working with a homeschooled child who is eligible for special education? Come learn about how parents can engage with their school district to ensure they have the information and resources they need to successfully work with their child and access available services. Erin Maguire, Director of Equity and Inclusion and Co-Director of Student Support Services for the Essex Westford School District will present on parental rights as well as tips and tools for collaborating with school districts when parents are homeschooling a child with a disability. She will also share a series of resources for parents who are looking to develop a comprehensive experience at home for their child. Register online.
Contact: Rachel Boyers at rachel.boyers@vtfn.org

Mentoring and Coaching Course

This course supports teachers in coaching and mentoring roles in schools. The course will begin with an in-depth view of Charlotte Danielson’s Framework for Teaching with a focus on the upcoming new release. Embedded in this work includes a deep focus of the common themes; cultural competence, attention to individual students, student assumption of responsibility, developmental appropriateness, which all lead to Equity. This day will include new activities from the Danielson Group. Next, participants will develop a strong understanding of the mentoring and coaching process. As Lipton and Wellman (2017) state in their book, “Mentoring Matters,” learning-focused mentoring relationships include offering support, creating cognitive challenge, and facilitating a professional vision. More information can be found on the VT-NEA website.
Contact: Juliette Longchamp at jlongchamp@vtnea.org

Join us for the SJA Summer Educational Symposium

St. Johnsbury Academy is hosting a new summer initiative from July 25-28, 2021: the SJA Summer Educational Symposium. The event will feature Howard Gardner (Father of Multiple Intelligence Theory); Wendy Fischman and Richard Weissbourd (from Harvard Project Zero); Jessica Lahey (New York Times best-selling author); and other experts from around the country. The Symposium will give educational leaders the opportunity to work with their peers to reimagine the nature and quality of students’ learning and to bridge the distances that have opened between teacher and teacher, teacher and student, and student and student as they begin to move on from the pandemic. More information is available on the SJA Summer Educational Symposium website
Contact: Steve Jolliffe at stjolliffe@stjacademy.org or (802) 745-7498.

Register for the Forest and Garden Educator Week-Long Immersion

A course for educators which honors the very human need to rest and reset while immersed in a holistic natural environment happens this July 26-30, 2021. This summer, earn graduate credit while being guided through varied plant habitats and classroom implementations for best practices in plant literacy, mindfulness and nature immersion. This is the first week-long nature immersion plant literacy course for educators offered by The Tea Project through Castleton Center for Schools. Each day of the week-long course will be wrapped in the practices of mindfulness, sensory awareness, mindful communication, gardening, plant ID and herbal recipe making skills to accompany our students and ourselves in deepening our focus on the present moment, the senses, and our breath when we gather back together in the fall. With a few spaces left in the course, register now or learn more on the Tea Project Website.
Contact: Angie Barger at angie5lunaroot@gmail.com or (802) 595-2512

Professional Learning: Racial Equity/Gholdy Muhammad

Make sure to save your spot(s) by calling or writing us now or registering online for this incredible 90-minute virtual presentation that includes a hard copy of her highly-acclaimed book Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy (sent to you ahead of the event). Dr. Gholnecsar (Gholdy) Muhammad is a leader who strives to shape the national conversation for educating youth that have been underserved. To register: Gholdy Muhammad: Culturally & Historically Responsive Education for Equity and Excellence - Introduction to the Theory & Model. Participants will be introduced to the model of culturally and historically responsive education as well as a five-layered equity model for teaching and learning. The session ends with practical considerations for writing equitable lessons and unit plans. Sept. 30, 2021, from 1 - 2:30 p.m., virtual.
Contact: Lauren Wooden at lauren@cvedcvt.org or (802) 497-1642

Professional Development: Just Words® Online Workshop

Registration is open for Just Words, an online Wilson Language Training® workshop offered by the Stern Center for Language and Learning. Just Words is a highly explicit, multisensory decoding and spelling program for students who have mild to moderate gaps in their decoding and spelling proficiency but do not require intensive intervention. The Just Words online workshop provides the practice and guidance needed to effectively begin teaching the Just Words curriculum. This online workshop occurs on Monday, August 9, 2021. Registration is due by July 26, 2021.
Contact: SJ Larkspur at slarkspur@sterncenter.org

Work-Based Learning Course from VT-HEC

This summer, VT-HEC is offering the foundational course in our Work-Based Learning Program, "Providing Effective Work-Based Learning Opportunities for Students, Schools and Businesses" taught by Rich Tulikangas, Director of Vermont’s Linking Learning to Careers (LLC) project. Ideal for those who are new to WBL, looking for more WBL tools and resources, or pursuing the WBL endorsement. Also appropriate for anyone responsible for student learning outside the school walls (ie community-based learning coordinators, coop coordinators, flex pathway coordinators). This course will provide an overview of labor and safety laws and practices, sales and marketing, career development strategies, and effective systems for organizing, monitoring and evaluating student learning opportunities with businesses and community partners. June 29-August 3, 2021, with three live-stream meetings (June 29, July 13 and July 27, 2021, 4-7 p.m.) and the remainder online.
Contact: Kim McKellar at kim.mckellar@vthec.org