Volume 16, Issue 42

October 19, 2022

Agency of Education, State of Vermont and Federal Updates
Courtesy Posts

Agency of Education, State of Vermont and Federal Updates

This section of the Weekly Field Memo contains posts from the Agency of Education, other State of Vermont agencies, federal agencies or Vermont's congressional delegation.

Family Engagement Networking Series 

Audience: Family Engagement Personnel, Administrators
Please join the Agency of Education's Vermont Multi-tiered System of Supports (VTmtss) Team for a monthly Family Engagement Networking Series. The next Networking Session will be held on Oct. 20, 2022, from 1-2 p.m. Universal Practices of Family Engagement will be the focus. These are informal monthly, one-hour virtual sessions for family engagement colleagues to connect, hear updates and discuss problems of practice regarding family engagement. Save the dates for future Family Engagement Networking Sessions which will be held every third Thursday from 1-2 p.m.
Contact: Nancy Hellen at nancy.hellen@vermont.gov

Reminder: SY22-23 Universal Screener, Interim or Benchmark Census

Audience: Superintendents, Curriculum Coordinators, Principals
The Agency of Education is seeking to gather information on the type(s) of assessments Supervisory Union/Districts are using to measure growth for English Language Arts, Math and Next Generation Science Standards throughout the school year. These responses are very important and the data gathered by this survey will be used to inform decisions regarding resources needed for learning recovery. Additionally, a future grant funding opportunity soon to be announced will require completion of this survey. This survey is designed to record responses at the supervisory union or school district level. If responses vary by school, aggregate to the best of your ability. Please check with your superintendent to determine who is the best person to fill out and submit the survey. The survey, SY22-23 Universal Screener, Interim or Benchmark Census, must be completed by Oct. 28, 2022.
Contact: Linda Moreno at linda.moreno@vermont.gov

Book Study: Designing Authentic Performance Tasks and Projects

Audience: Curriculum Directors, K-12 Educators, Instructional Coaches
Join members of the AOE’s Proficiency-Based Learning Team as we engage in a book study of "Designing Authentic Performance Tasks and Projects", by McTighe, et. al. Participants of this peer learning community will gain a deeper understanding of the power of performance assessments as they relate to equity, student engagement and authentic assessment and come away with practical tools and strategies for implementing them in their practice. There is no charge for this professional learning opportunity, however, participants will need to purchase the book. Sessions will take place on the following Thursdays from 3:30-5 p.m. and it is strongly recommended that participants attend all six sessions: Nov. 17, and Dec. 15, 2022, and Jan.26, Feb.16, March 23, and May 11, 2023. Fill out the book study registration form to attend. There is also an option to earn one graduate credit through Castleton University.
Contact: Emily Leute at emily.leute@vermont.gov

Congressional App Challenge

Audience: STEM educators, Computer Science Teachers, Principals
The Congressional App Challenge computer science competition is designed to encourage more middle and high school students to study STEM and coding. Individual students or groups of up to four may design an app. The app can be created using any programming language and platform, on any theme or topic. Each app is judged by congressional district, and the winners are judged nationally. New coders are encouraged to participate. For more information and to register, go to Vermont Congressman Peter Welch’s Congressional App Challenge website.
Contact: Fauna Hurley at fauna.hurley@mail.house.gov

ARP/ESSER Act 112 Mental Health and Well-being Service to Youth Grant Application

Audience: Schools, SU/SDs and relevant community partners
The Agency of Education and the Department of Mental Health would like to announce that the Act 112 grant application is available in the Grants Management System. The application deadline is Nov. 15, 2022. We will offer weekly one-hour technical assistance office hours during the application period beginning the week of Oct. 24, 2022.
Contact: Tracy Watterson at tracy.watterson@vermont.gov

Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Office Hours 

Audience: ECSE Coordinators, ECSE Educators, Special Education Coordinators
Office hours on Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) topics begin this month. Bring questions about your own data and learn about important tools to support practice and submissions. The first fifteen minutes of each session will include a brief overview of the indicator/topic. It is recommended that participants review the recorded webinar and slides on the Agency of Education ECSE webpage prior to office hours. The topics and times are as follows: Indicator 7: Early Childhood Outcomes - Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022, 1-3 p.m.; Indicator 6: Early Education Environments (Preschool Environments) - Friday, Nov. 8, 2022, 2-4 p.m., Friday, Nov. 18, 2022, 10-11:45 a.m. and Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, 1-2 p.m. Indicator 12: Part C to B Transition - Friday, Dec. 9, 2022, 10-11:45 a.m. and Friday, Dec. 16, 2022, 1-3 p.m. There is no prior registration and all participants can join office hours by going to the event webpage for meeting details.
Contact: Katie McCarthy at katie.mccarthy@vermont.gov

Agency of Education Open Positions

Audience: All
The Vermont Agency of Education has open positions that are available to both state employees and external applicants. Open positions are: Data Analyst I and Data Analyst II - Contact: David Kelley at david.kelley@vermont.gov; Programs Coordinator I -Science Specialist - Contact: Pat Fitzsimmons at pat.fitzsimmons@vermont.gov; Education Division Director - Data Management & Analysis Division - Contact: Courtney O'Brien at courtney.obrien@vermont.gov; Education Quality Assurance Coordinator - Contact: Josh Souliere at josh.souliere@vermont.gov and Education Assistant Division Director - Contact: Anne Bordonaro at anne.bordonaro@vermont.gov.
Contact: AOE Info at aoe.edinfo@vermont.gov

Vermont Public: October Resources to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

Audience: Curriculum Directors, Principals, PreK-12 Teachers
The Vermont Agency of Education and Vermont Public continue our partnership to meet the anywhere, anytime, educational, social and emotional needs of Vermont students. Visit the Vermont Public Kids and Education page to find recommendations for high-quality media and resource collections, including the new PBS Kids C3 connected series, Rosie’s Rules. Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in the classroom with this booklist, or check out the lessons and media gallery for Let’s Go Luna, along with Incorporating Let’s Go Luna into Your Classroom and Let’s Go Luna Resources and Episode Specific Activities. Listen to But Why Podcast talk about Words and Language with linguist guest John McWhorter. Find more Spanish resources for PreK-Grade 3 at PBS Parents. For older students, check out the Timeline Podcast Composer Maria Grever. For a Vermont connection, listen to Brave Little State Podcast’s What Is It Like to Be a Migrant Worker in Vermont? Also, don’t forget to visit the Education Ambassadors page to learn more about how Vermont educators are involved in our partnership.
Contacts: Emily Leute at emily.leute@vermont.gov or Heather Duhamel at hduhamel@vermontpbs.org

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.

Experience Chinese Language and Culture with SPIRAL International

SPIRAL International helps schools expand their foreign language offerings and build cultural competency. We offer Chinese Language and Culture classes and activities by integrating online instruction with hands-on cultural exploration. We provide in-school language instruction and after-school language and culture clubs, and our programs can be tailored to any grade level. We also design bespoke educational trips to Chinese-speaking countries, with a focus on cultural connection. Find out how SPIRAL has been successfully bringing Chinese Language and Culture into Vermont communities for over eleven years!
Contact: Sydney Estey-Dedell at programs@spiralinternational.org

Using Learner Profile Data to Inform Interventions: A Monthly Webinar Series

The Vermont Higher Education Collaborative (VT-HEC) brings Jen Patenaude for a monthly webinar series that considers how varied learner profiles inform specialized programming, individualized instruction and differentiated supports. Each month a new case study of a student will be analyzed with the opportunity to practice the identification of various learning disability subtypes (including dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, non-verbal learning disability and executive functioning). Case studies will be different each session and participants will apply their learning across age groups. The Learner Profile Case Study webinars will meet once a month from 3-4 p.m. beginning on Nov. 3, 2022.
Contact: Julie Medose at info@vthec.org or (802) 498-3350

Vermont Family Network Free Workshop: “Students with Disabilities and School Discipline - Understanding Your Rights”

The workshop, Students with Disabilities and School Discipline - Understanding Your Rights, will be held on Oct. 27, 2022, from 10-11 a.m. The session will include an overview of students’ discipline rights and protections and answer questions like: Who can/can’t be suspended? What is an informal removal? When the school calls to say they are sending my child home, what can I do? What is a Manifestation Determination Review and when is it required? When can the district change my child’s placement and what are my options? Presenter: Cammie Naylor, MSW, Esq., Disability Law Project - Staff Attorney.
Contact: Rachel Boyers at rachel.boyers@vtfn.org

Winter Symposium at the Woodstock Inn

Winter in Vermont is so beautiful, but nothing compares to winter at the Woodstock Inn. All educators are welcome to join the Vermont Principals' Association and the Center for Creative Leadership for rejuvenating, engaging and meaningful professional learning at the first annual Winter Symposium on Jan. 29 and Jan. 30, 2023.
Contact: Mike McRaith at mmcraith@vpaonline.org

Umatter Training of Trainers

Join the Center for Health and Learning for a Umatter Training of Trainers on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022, from 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., at the Capital Plaza in Montpelier. Participants engage in a full day training to develop their personal skills and confidence to bring Umatter Suicide Prevention Awareness workshops to one's community or workplace. Register online on the training registration page.
Contact: Karen Carreira at karen@healthandlearning.org

Save the Date for the 2023 Transition and Career Planning Conference

The 18th Annual Transition and Career Planning Conference will take place in person on Friday, May 12, 2023, at the Stoweflake Mountain Resort and Spa. “Living and Learning in the 802: Vermont Opportunities and Pathways” will focus on a variety of Vermont’s educational opportunities. To receive updates as information becomes available, please email VSAC-GEARUP@vsac.org to be added to the mailing lists.
Contact: Cathy Printon at printon@vsac.org

All Learners Network Math Professional Development

The Launch/Number Sense Routines Workshop is a six-hour workshop offered on Nov. 15, 2022, from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at the All Learners Network Learning Center in Burlington. The purpose of this workshop is to inspire participants to reimagine how they use the first five to fifteen minutes of their math block for purposeful, discussion-rich number sense routines in their classroom. Launch is the vehicle for powerful instructional routines which are amplified through consistent exposure over time. Through intentional problem selection teachers encourage students to own the conversation and their learning.
Contact: TJ Jemison at communicationsdirector@alllearnersnetwork.com

Vermont History Day State Contest Materials Now Available

The Vermont History Day program engages students in historical research and project-based learning. Students in grades 5-12 can compete at the annual state contest, scheduled for April 8, 2023, at the University of Vermont Davis Center in Burlington. Winners qualify for the National History Day contest. Updated curriculum materials are available from the Vermont Historical Society. Projects can be about any topic in history related to the annual theme of “Frontiers in History: People, Places, Ideas.” Learn more at the Vermont History Day Educator Workshop on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, at the Vermont History Museum in Montpelier.
Contact: Victoria Hughes at victoria.hughes@vermonthistory.org or (802) 828-1413

Continuing Education Credits for School Social Workers at Prevent Child Abuse Vermont

Need social work continuing education credits? Look no further! You could earn eight credits virtually. Prevent Child Abuse Vermont has four great topics to choose from. You can learn about fostering social-emotional development to promote healthy relationships, how to speak with children and youth to promote healthy sexual development, how brain development relates to learning consent and ways to nurture and protect youth who identify as LGBTQIA+. Learn more on the Prevent Child Abuse Vermont Continuing Education webpage.
Questions: Marcie Hambrick at mhambrick@pcavt.org

Consultation Opportunity: Multi-tiered Support System Implementation

Would you like to talk to someone about scaling up Multi-tiered Support System implementation at your school or district? Partnerships for Literacy and Learning (PLL) would like to offer schools the opportunity to share their implementation story and our consultant, Audrey Richardson, will provide you with the support you need based on a wide range of research and Vermont-specific experience. Find more details about this opportunity on the PLL MTSS Implementation Consultation webpage.
Contact: Mary Grace at info@pllvt.org or (802) 828-0521

Middle Grades Instruction and Assessment: An Online Graduate Course

On Oct. 29, 2022, the Castleton University Center for Schools will offer a graduate-level course titled Middle Grades Instruction and Assessment. Dr. Monica McEnerny, full-time faculty in the Castleton University Education Department and former middle grades teacher, will hold this course fully online. Participants will collaborate with their professor and peers to gain further understanding of current instructional strategies and assessment practices. This will include the exploration of educational technologies, proficiencies, individualized learning initiatives and flexible pathways, with a student-centered focus. Personalized learning and equitable practices will be explored and implemented into final projects.
Contact: Tara Lidstone at cfs@castleton.edu or (802) 345-0092

Workshop: Comprehensive Reading Evaluations with Dr. Melissa Farrall

Reading comprehension is hard to quantify and it is challenging to identify the factors that support readers as they make meaning from text. The Comprehensive Reading Evaluations: Heart of the Matter webinar on Nov. 9, 2022, will provide an overview of comprehensive reading evaluations and explain how well-designed assessments, with their roots in reading theory and research, can provide essential recommendations. Dr. Melissa Farrall will explore how oral language and decoding skills support reading fluency and the comprehension of language in print. Sign up today on the Stern Center's event page.
Contact: Peter McDonald at pmcdonald@sterncenter.org

Professional Learning: Culturally Responsive Teaching-Equity

Registration is open for Dr. Gholdy Muhammad Culturally & Historically Responsive Education (CHRE) for Equity and Excellence (virtual). These refresher and practical application sessions are designed to be not only a refresher for past participants, but also incorporate the newest teachings in the CHRE framework. In the second session, you will bring your own unit/lesson to embed the framework within it. Sessions are small so that you get personalized feedback from Dr. Muhammad and her new book "Unearthing Joy" is included. Sessions will take place on March 8 and April 12, 2023.
Contact: Lauren Wooden at lauren@cvedcvt.org

Nominations for Vermont School Nurse of the Year

Do you think your school nurse is fabulous? Do you ever think "I couldn't imagine our school without our school nurse"? The Vermont State School Nurses' Association (VSSNA) is now accepting nominations for school nurse of the year. Nominees must be a registered nurse, practicing as a licensed School Nurse in the State of Vermont, and an active and current VSSNA member for the past two years. If interested in nominating a School Nurse of the Year please email rmccray@vssna.org to request a nomination form to be completed by Nov. 30, 2022.
Contact: Rebecca McCray at rmccray@vssna.org