- 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: Federal Funding
Audience: Administrators, Special Education Directors, Special Education Educators
Since last week's Weekly Field Memo the Agency of Education has issued FAQ: Considerations for Using ESSER Funds to Support Summer Programs (6/10).
Contact: Jill Briggs-Campbell at jill.briggscampbell@vermont.gov
Vermont PBS: Kids and Education July Resources
Audience: Curriculum Directors, Principals, PreK-12 Teachers
The Vermont Agency of Education and Vermont PBS have compiled Vermont PBS Kids and Education: July 2021. This resource is based on the PBS Kids Summer of Possibilities, which provides children with opportunities to play and learn through hands-on activities, games and tips that support literacy, math, science and life skills. Visit the new Vermont PBS Kids and Education page to find more online and printable resources for summer learning. For more information about the partnership between the Vermont Agency of Education and Vermont PBS, visit the AOE’s Vermont PBS webpage.
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.
SPP-APR Indicator Target Stakeholder Input Opens and New Webpage
Audience: All
Vermont Agency of Education State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report (SPP/APR) Target Setting process includes stakeholder involvement in setting the SPP targets. Public Input for the State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Review Target Setting Proposals is open from May 15 until Nov. 15, 2021. For more information, please visit Target Setting for the State Performance Plan Annual Performance Review.
Contact: Ana Kolbach at ana.kolbach@vermont.gov
Social Studies in Vermont Newsletter, June 2021
Audience: Educators, Curriculum Directors, Principals, Superintendents, Higher Education
The June 2021 Social Studies in Vermont newsletter is now posted on the Vermont Agency of Education Social Studies web page. This newsletter communicates pertinent information about Social Studies Education as well as professional learning events and resources to support Vermont’s Social Studies educators.
Contact: Martha Deiss at martha.deiss@vermont.gov
2022 Vermont Teacher of the Year Nominations Open
Audience: All
Did a colleague in your building differentiate herself during the pandemic? Did a specific teacher make remote instruction more accessible for you or your child? Is there teacher who you think has never received acknowledgement for his innovation in the classroom? Now is your chance to celebrate that great work by nominating an educator as the Vermont Teacher of the Year. Any currently practicing, licensed teacher in Vermont is eligible for nomination. Nominations are open through June 30, 2021.
Contact: Patrick Halladay at patrick.halladay@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.
Presentation by leading Gen Z expert “Leading the Generational Divide” Jason Dorsey
The world’s leading Gen Z and Millennial’s speaker – Jason Dorsey is coming to Vermont virtually on June 25, 2021, at 1 p.m. The statewide business and educational community will have an opportunity to attend a unique and inspiring presentation by this industry leader. Attendees will learn how to drive communication, engagement, trust and performance across generations based on Jason’s brand new generational research. Register for free online. Brought to you by the Vermont Small Business Development Center.
Contact: Laurel Butler at lbutler@vtsbec.org
Entrepreneurship Professional Development Opportunity with Grad Credits for Educators
Join this fun, experiential hands-on immersion: “Entrepreneurship: Creativity and Innovation” this fall Oct. 18 and 19, 2021, at Lake Morey Resort for 8th – 12th grade secondary/CTE educators in all programs, workforce and career dev professionals. This opportunity is comprised of many interactive activities from design thinking – with some short design projects, from idea generation to pitching. Whether a student’s goals are centered on future college success, preparation for the workforce or enhancing their high school/career tech experience, creativity and innovation are keys to leadership and success. Includes workbook (and e-version) with lessons easily incorporated into any subject area/curriculum. Participate with or without three graduate credits through Castleton University. Safety protocols for meeting in person will be in place.
Contact: Laurel Butler at lbutler@vtsbdc.org or (802) 922-3692
Announcing VT Folklife Center's 2021 Summer Institute August 2-13, 2021
This year’s professional development course, offered over 10 days of synchronous and asynchronous sessions with optional field site visits, will be embedded within a community-led oral history project, Vermont Town Schools Project. The course content will present strategies and skills for community-based inquiry and introduces digital media making with a critical lens on documentary work and the ethics of representation. For more information and to register, visit the VT Folklife Summer Institute page.
Contact: Sasha Antohin at aantohin@vermontfolklifecenter.org
Umatter for Schools Virtual Youth Suicide Prevention Training
This newly designed online training consists of meetings and coursework over six weeks. The Umatter® for Schools Suicide Prevention national best practice program for suicide prevention was developed by the Center for Health and Learning. Umatter® can be adapted to state contexts and to meet statute requirements. The training has routinely been offered to school staff in grades 7-12 and includes K-6 specific content.
Contact: Catherine Diduk at info@healthandlearning.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
Assessment Over Coffee: A Five-Part Webinar Series with Melissa Farrall
Registration is open for Assessment Over Coffee: A Five-Part Webinar Series with Melissa Farrall, offered by the Stern Center for Language and Learning. This webinar series is designed to add a little assessment excitement to your summer. Tune in to learn about why reading is so important, and why it is so hard for many students to become skilled readers and writers. Learn about the tools that literacy professionals use to identify dyslexia and dysgraphia, and how a comprehensive evaluation can be instrumental to providing effective, evidence-based instruction. Webinars run from 9-11 a.m. on Wednesdays from June 30 to July 28, 2021. Discounts available.
Contact: SJ Larkspur at slarkspur@sterncenter.org
Order Your 2021-2022 VSAC Publications Now
Visit the VSAC publications site to have brochures, booklets, planning checklists and more ready to go when students return in the fall. All bulk orders placed now will be fulfilled in late August. Please note: scholarship booklets will be mailed separately in early to mid-October.
Contact: VSAC Marketing at publications@vsac.org
UP for Learning: How will Students Reconnect and Actively Engage in School Post COVID-19?
When students return to school in the fall, creating opportunities to proactively infuse the principles of restorative practices and SEL to foster positive relationships, build community and give voice to every member of the school will be of utmost importance. To help schools with this work, UP for Learning is offering customized programming to meet the needs of your school community. Personal Power & Community Connections explores the skills necessary for personal growth and well-being including managing emotions, healthy identities, empathy and awareness, building strong relationships, and making constructive choices. Facilitation is customized with ongoing coaching as well as a comprehensive toolkit of resources and activities. Transforming School Culture Through Restorative Practices is tailored to meet the needs of your school with a focus on creating stronger relationships, building empathy, bridging differences, and strengthening a more just, joyful and sustainable community. The central goal is a culture shift to one of equity and shared responsibility to reimagine and transform education together.
Contact: Sarah Popowicz at sarah@upforlearning.org