- COVID-19 Updates and Guidance for Schools
- Other Agency of Education and State of Vermont Updates
- Field Trips Available at State Parks
- Statewide Summative Assessment Poll for District and School Personnel
- Educational Equity and Diversity Professional Learning Providers List Update
- Linking Health & Learning Newsletter, September 2021
- Free Webinar: Indigenous Cultural and Informational Text Resources from Molly of Denali
- Free Important School Safety Training
- Community Schools Act Grant
- 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.
Memo: Calculating A School's Vaccination Rate
The Memo: Calculating A School's Vaccination Rate was released on Friday, August 27, 2021.
Contact: Ted Fisher at ted.fisher@vermont.gov
Vermont PBS: Kids and Education September Resources for Back to School
Audience: Curriculum Directors, Principals, PreK-12 Teachers
The Vermont Agency of Education and Vermont PBS have compiled Vermont PBS Kids and Education: September 2021, which includes resources for back to school, organized by grade band and subject area. Visit the new Vermont PBS Kids and Education page to find more online and printable resources for back to school. 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
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.
Field Trips Available at State Parks
Audience: Prek-Grade 12 Teachers
Guided field trip experiences are available at select state parks across Vermont now through Indigenous Peoples Day. Experienced Park Interpreters will design and deliver fun, hands-on learning experiences aligned to your curriculum. Some available topics include geology, plant identification, migratory birds, reading the forested landscape, Civilian Conservation Corps history and ecosystem studies among many others. Entry fees for school groups during the school year is $0.50 per person. There is no fee for educational programming.
Contact: Rebecca Roy, Interpretive Program Manager, at Rebecca.roy@vermont.gov or (802) 522-0780
Statewide Summative Assessment Poll for District and School Personnel
Audience: Educators, School Administrators, District Administrators, Superintendents and Independent School Headmasters
Share your input on the assessment with the Agency of Education by completing this assessment poll. Your responses will inform the development of professional learning and tailoring of our assessment program. It shouldn't take more than a minute to complete. Your participation is appreciated.
Contact: Amanda Gorham at amanda.gorham@vermont.gov
Educational Equity and Diversity Professional Learning Providers List Update
Audience: Professional Learning Providers
The Vermont Agency of Education (AOE) is collecting information on individuals and institutions not on the 2020 providers list who can provide Vermont educators with professional development in areas related to educational equity and diversity to update its current providers’ list. Please submit your information using this form. The AOE will evaluate the submissions to update the 2020 menu of local and national professional development providers. This menu is available to the state’s educators, updated annually and used as a resource when planning their professional development activities. Submissions will be accepted until September 15, 2021.
Contact Nancy Hellen at Nancy.Hellen@vermont.gov
Linking Health & Learning Newsletter, September 2021
Health Educators, Physical Educators, School Nurses, Guidance Counselors, Curriculum Directors, Principals, Superintendents, Higher Education
The September 2021 Linking Health & Learning newsletter is now posted on the Vermont Agency of Education Health and Physical Education webpages. This newsletter communicates pertinent information about Health and Physical Education as well as professional learning events and resources to support Vermont’s health and physical educators.
Contact: Susan Yesalonia at susan.yesalonia@vermont.gov or (802) 828-6553
Free Webinar: Indigenous Cultural and Informational Text Resources from Molly of Denali
Audience: PK-5 educators
Gear up for the new school year with resources that support diverse cultural awareness and accessing informational text, available free on PBS LearningMedia. Molly of Denali, the PBS KIDS’ award-winning series, follows the adventures of curious and resourceful 10-year-old Molly Mabray, an Alaska Native girl who lives in the fictional village of Qyah, Alaska. Join the Vermont Agency of Education, Vermont PBS and GBH Boston for a deep dive into the Molly of Denali supplemental resources centered around teaching young children how to access and create informational text while exploring aspects of Alaska Native culture and values. Featured educator presenters will share their favorite Molly of Denali resources on PBS LearningMedia and help you integrate them easily into your existing curriculum. You will leave this webinar with very specific strategies and resources you can use immediately. Register now to attend this live webinar on Wednesday, September 29, 2021 from 7-8 p.m.
Contacts: Emily Leute at emily.leute@vermont.gov or Heather Duhamel at hduhamel@vermontpbs.org
Free Important School Safety Training
Audience: Superintendent’s, Principals and School Safety Stakeholders
Vermont’s Agency of Education, Department of Public Safety and the Vermont School Safety Center are pleased to announce that registrations are now open for Behavioral Threat Assessment training coming in October, 2021. This statewide training initiative is designed to educate and inform participants on how to prevent active shooter incidents, stalking and other targeted violence in our schools and school districts. The registration links for this training can be found on the Vermont School Safety Center website.
Contact: Robert L. Evans, VT School Safety Liaison Officer, revans@margolishealy.com or (802) 839-0448
Community Schools Act Grant
Audience: Supervisory Unions/Districts, Superintendents, Principals, Curriculum Directors, Education Leaders
The Agency of Education is pleased to announce that the following Supervisory Unions/Supervisory Districts (SU/SDs) are recipients of the three-year Community Schools Programs grant award: Addison Northwest Supervisory District, Caledonia Central Supervisory Union, North Country Supervisory Union, Orleans Southwest Supervisory Union and White River Valley Supervisory Union. This grant program will support Vermont schools and community partners to develop, expand and sustain a community schools’ model that addresses the five program elements: integrated student supports, expanded and enriched learning time and opportunities, active family and community engagement, collaborative leadership and practices and safe, inclusive and equitable learning environments.
Contact: Jess DeCarolis at jess.decarolis@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.
NEXIS: Developing Literacy Expertise in our Schools
Join Partnerships for Literacy and Learning for: “NEXIS: Developing Literacy Expertise in our Schools.” Coaches play a vital role in increasing teachers’ knowledge and expertise. They can work to support, teach and increase teachers’ understanding of literacy instruction during the actual teaching of literacy. Our sessions together will be spent learning more about how to coach, through our current work, to solve our own identified areas of practice. We will plan approaches, implement our designs and study the effectiveness of our results in real-time. To learn more about this series visit our event page.
Contact: info@pllvt.org or Mary Grace at 802.828.0521
FIRST Robotics
Vermont’s youth robotics community is hosting a virtual season kickoff party on September 18, 2021. All youth and adults are welcome, whether already on a FIRST Robotics team, thinking about starting one up or just interested in learning more. FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) provides an opportunity for youths of all ages to work in teams to design, build and program robots using STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) while honing their problem-solving, communications and other life skills. For the registration link, click on "Contact Us" on the FIRST Robotics VT webpage.
Contact: Liz Kenton at liz.kenton@uvm.edu
Umatter for Youth and Young Adults
Umatter® for Youth and Young Adults is a youth leadership and engagement initiative that includes interactive training, design and implementation of a Community Action Project (CAP) in their school community, and presentation of CAP at an event with their peers. Core content and skills development include: changing mindset, assessing personal strengths, building resiliency, strategies to cope with stress, self-care, recognizing signs of distress in self and others, how to reach out for help and how to help a friend. Groups of 8 youth ages 12-22 with 2 adult facilitators are encouraged to register for this year’s program beginning December 8, 2021.
Contact: Catherine Diduk at info@healthandlearning.org
New Neurodiversity and Inclusion Program at VT-HEC
VT-HEC announces its newly designed Neurodiversity and Inclusion Program. Developed with the working professional in mind, this program updates the VT-HEC Autism Program to equip professionals to support neurodivergent learners, with a specific focus on autism. The program comprises 15 credits to be completed over an estimated 1.5–3 years––with flexibility for professionals to move at a pace that works for them. This fall, the first course in the program will be offered, Autism and Regulation: Reframing What We Know about Neurodiversity to Support Our Learners, a 3 credit online graduate course, consisting of 4 virtual workshops and additional application time. Course begins Sepember 20, 2021 with Danielle Kent.
Contact: Julie Medose at info@vthec.org or 802-498-3350
Professional Learning: UDL Hybrid Series
Registration is open for The UDL Approach: Design & Deliver: Planning & Teaching using Universal Design for Learning - 2 year hybrid series with Loui Lord Nelson,Ph.D. This UDL series is designed for teacher teams and building-based teams to build capacity throughout schools and enhance other leadership UDL training by working directly with a leading UDL expert. Beginning September 24, 2021 at the Delta in S Burlington, there will be 2 full day in-person sessions each year, 4 asynchronous virtual sessions and a 45 minute team consultation with Dr. Nelson. A book study with Dr Nelson and the book are included. Year 2 is the same year-long hybrid plan.
Contact: Lauren Wooden at lauren@cvedcvt.org or (802) 497-1642