Volume 15, Issue 43

November 3, 2021

Agency of Education and State of Vermont Updates
Courtesy Posts

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.

Public Comment Sought for Proposed Amendments to State Board of Education Rule Series 7000

Audience: All
The State Board of Education is seeking public comment on the proposed amendments to Rule Series 7000 (Recognized Accrediting Agencies & Relationship with Other Entities). Public comment will be taken at a public hearing on Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021, starting at 4 p.m. The details for this virtual hearing are: Microsoft Teams meeting link, call-in number: +1 (802) 828-7667; Phone Conference ID: 990 049 488#. There will also be a physical public space available at the Agency of Education, 1 National Life Drive, Davis 5, Room 513, Montpelier, VT 05620-2501. Additionally, public comments can be submitted in writing to SBE.PublicComment@vermont.gov. The public comment period closes on Dec. 10, 2021.
Contact: Donna Russo-Savage at Donna.RussoSavage@vermont.gov

Vermont PBS: November Resources to Celebrate Winter and National Native American Heritage Month

Audience: Curriculum Directors, Principals, PreK-12 Teachers
The Vermont Agency of Education has updated our Vermont PBS webpage for November. This month, celebrate National Native American Heritage Month with resources about Abenaki history and culture. Other topics of interest include Poetry Out Loud, jazz, the human genome and more. We will be updating this webpage monthly, so check back often to find new featured resources related to monthly themes and organized by grade band and subject area. Also, visit the Vermont PBS Kids and Education page to find more online and printable resources. To share resources and network with colleagues, join the Vermont PBS Educational Resources group on Edmodo. Activate your Edmodo account and join the VTED Learns community by filling out this form.
Contacts: Emily Leute at emily.leute@vermont.gov or Heather Duhamel at hduhamel@vermontpbs.org

Nominations for Presidential Scholars – Deadline is Nov. 12, 2021

Audience: Students, Principals, Guidance Counselors, Academic, Arts and CTE Teachers, and CTE Center Directors
The Vermont Presidential Scholars Program recognizes students for academic success, artistic and technical excellence, community service, and leadership. Scholars are chosen in three different categories: General (for high school seniors), the Arts (for grades 10-12) and Career Technical Education (for high school seniors currently enrolled in a state-approved CTE program). Outstanding students are selected based on nominations from teachers and administrators. Students in all categories may also nominate themselves and those selected in the General and CTE categories will be invited to apply to the U.S. Presidential Scholars program. The deadline for nominations is Nov. 12, 2021. Only nominations submitted via electronic applications will be accepted.
Contact: Ryan Parkman at ryan.parkman@vermont.gov

November Issue of Literary Learning: Newsletter for English Language Arts in Vermont

Audience: English Teachers, Literacy Coaches
The November issue of the bi-monthly newsletter, Literary Learning, is now available to read on the Agency of Education’s English Language Arts (ELA) webpage. This issue focuses on the power of poetry to teach literacy skills, support social emotional health, build community, develop empathy, and as a means of self-expression and a creative outlet for students. Also included are poetry opportunities for students as well as resources for teaching poetry. Be sure to subscribe to the Agency’s ELA listserv in order to stay informed about ELA in Vermont.
Contact: Emily Leute at emily.leute@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.

Virtual Vermont Afterschool Conference

We are thrilled to bring back our statewide professional development experience in 2021. This year’s Virtual Vermont Afterschool Conference will be on Friday, Nov. 12, 2021, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. The conference offers three hours of quality training plus time for hearing from state leaders and special guests, networking with other programs and providers from around the state, and raffle prizes. Our 2021 conference will offer six workshop selections that focus on best practices in out-of-school time programming, youth development, social-emotional learning and expanded learning opportunities. Plus, we’ll kick off the day with an interactive session keying off of the Universal Afterschool and Summer Summit as we envision the future and your role within the system. Come share your ideas for the future! Find more information and where to register on our website.
Contact: Nicole Miller at nicole@vermontafterschool.org or (802) 448-3464

100% Graduate Course Scholarships Available: 2022 Educators Financial Literacy Academy from Champlain College's Center for Financial Literacy

This free online graduate course is being offered in two sessions: Jan. 17 to March 11, 2022, and March 14 to May 6, 2022. Teachers who complete the training will have the confidence, skills and curriculum tools to successfully bring financial literacy topics into their middle and high school classrooms. Learn how to implement Jump$tart Financial Literacy Standards into a stand-alone financial literacy class, or into multiple content areas. More than 200 Vermont educators have taken this course. Recognized by the Obama White House, FDIC, CFPB and US Dept. of Treasury.
Contact: John Pelletier at cfl@champlain.edu or (802) 860-2744

VSAC Statewide Senior Survey Class of 2021 School Reports Will Arrive Soon

In the Spring of 2021, VSAC conducted the Senior Survey, the statewide survey of high school seniors’ postsecondary plans. In November, VSAC will begin mailing school-level reports based on the special COVID-edition Class of 2021 Senior Survey. School reports include several indicators of students’ post-high school plans and will feature findings on how COVID-19 affected their senior year experience.
Contact: Robert Walsh at walsh@vsac.org

Professional Learning: Wilson Reading System® Introductory Course

Registration is open for Wilson Reading System® Introductory Course, which begins Dec. 7, 2021, a professional development workshop by the Stern Center for Language and Learning. Participants learn about reading research, dyslexia, appropriate student identification and placement, program implementation, progress monitoring, scheduling, and creating a successful learning environment. Fill out this form to register.
Contact: SJ Larkspur at slarkspur@sterncenter.org

Professional Learning: Grade 6-12 Educators C-3 Social Justice

Registration is open for Dr. Kathy Swan: Countering the Past of Least Resistance: Inquiry as a Tool for Teaching Hard History. This course is a virtual 3 hour seminar with C-3 Framework author on April 6, 2022 at either 8:30-11:30 a.m. or 12:30-3:30 p.m. (allowing for full day substitute sharing). It also includes her latest book: Blueprinting: An Inquiry-Based Curriculum, mailed ahead. In this session, we will examine The IDM Inquiry Design Model approach to teaching hard history, essential for understanding today's calls for racial justice and understanding how we got here and what hope lies ahead.
Contact: Lauren Wooden at lauren@cvedcvt.org or (802) 497-1642

The Five (Research-Based) Parts of a Phonics Lesson

The pandemic, emergency virtual instruction and the complexities of distanced, masked phonics instruction have produced the need for instruction that optimizes learning and “cuts the fluff.” Based on her recent book, Alphabetics for Emerging Learners, Mesmer will teach participants the Five (Research Based!) Parts of a Phonics Lesson. The session will focus on specific techniques to accelerate decoding and letter instruction. This 1.5 hour virtual session on Dec. 8, 2021 will be beneficial to teachers of reading in grades K-3. Registration and more details on our event webpage.
Contact: Mary Grace at info@pllvt.org or (802) 828-0521

Registration is Open for the 3rd Annual Youth Sex Education Summit

Planned Parenthood of Northern New England (PPNNE) is again hosting our Sex Education Summit for high schoolers in Vermont and, new this year, students in New Hampshire and Maine. The Youth Summit will take place Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021 from 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on Zoom. Please promote the Summit to high school youth and support them to attend this day filled with opportunities to promote sexual health education. The Summit is scheduled for a Wednesday based on feedback from Vermont Health Educators who recommended scheduling on a school day. There is no cost to attend, but pre-registration is required by Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021.
Contact: Planned Parenthood of Northern New England at education@ppnne.org or (802) 448-9726