Volume 16, Issue 9

March 2, 2022

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.

Asthma-Friendly School Nominations

Audience: All
Students, parents, staff and friends can now nominate their school to be recognized as an asthma-friendly school at bronze, silver and gold levels through the Vermont Department of Health’s Asthma Friendly Schools Program. Asthma-friendly strategies are simple to implement, low cost, and help students and staff with asthma avoid triggers, manage their symptoms, successfully learn, and avoid missed school days and asthma-related emergencies. Indeed, many of the actions schools are taking to satisfy policy requirements and address COVID-19 challenges may already make their school eligible. With Vermont among the top five states in the country in asthma rates, it is all the more important for schools to be as asthma-friendly as possible. The deadline for nominating your school is May 31, 2022, with recognition announced in June.
Contact: Karen Casper at Karen.Casper@vermont.gov

Vermont Multi-tiered System of Supports (VTmtss) Professional Learning Providers (2022)

Audience: Administrators
This Vermont Multi-tiered System of Supports (VTmtss) Professional Learning Providers (2022) contains vendors who provide MTSS professional development in alignment with the VTmtss Framework. These suggested criteria and questions were used to identify the providers on our list. SU/SDs/schools may want to use them when selecting additional professional learning providers to support expanding and improving the systemic infrastructure provided by the VTmtss Framework.
Contact: Nancy Hellen at Nancy.Hellen@vermont.gov

Behavioral Threat Assessment Training – March 16, 2022

Audience: Superintendents, Principals, School Crisis Planning Team Members
The Vermont School Safety Center is pleased to announce a free 8-hour virtual Behavioral Threat Assessment training scheduled for March 16, 2022. This training is designed to prevent active shooter incidents, stalking and other targeted violence in our schools and school districts. Registration is now open. Sign up on our event page.
Contact: Robert L. Evans, VT School Safety Liaison Officer, revans@margolishealy.com or (802) 839-0448

Elementary Scheduling Best Practices

Audience: Elementary School Principles, Assistant Principals, Leadership Team Members
The District Management Group (DMG) is presenting six proven best practices in elementary school scheduling. The AOE-sponsored webinar will be offered twice and is developed to help elementary principals and assistant principals create better school schedules grounded in best practices and aligned with their strategic priorities. This training is appropriate for anyone regardless of how your schedules are made. For questions about the webinar, please reach out to support@dmgroupk12.com. Follow the link to register for one of the webinars: Friday, March 11, 2022, at 3:00 p.m. EST or Tuesday, March 15, 2022, at 3:00 p.m. EST. This opportunity is funded through a contract in support of Act 173 (2018).
Contact: Meg Porcella at Meg.Porcella@vermont.gov

Registration Open: 2022 Kindergarten Conference - It’s Time to Play! Nurturing Each and Every Child’s Curiosity, Learning, and Well-Being

Audience: Administrators, PreK, Kindergarten and First Grade Teachers
The 2022 Kindergarten Conference will open with stories from several Vermont schools where teachers and administrators offer children ample time and meaningful opportunities to learn and grow across all domains - cognitive, emotional, social and physical - through play. Workshops will focus on areas of interest that were identified through a fall survey of early educators. In the morning, all workshops will be virtual, while in the afternoon, face-to-face workshops will be taking place around the state. Space is limited as a result of safety precautions due to COVID, so register early. The fee for educators is $100 and $60 for students. Find additional information on the registration page.
Contact: Pat Fitzsimmons at Pat.Fitzsimmons@vermont.gov

Community Schools Event - Advancing Community Schools: Lessons Learned and Visions for the Future

Audience: All
On March 9, 2022, at 4 p.m. EST, the New England MHTTC School Mental Health Initiative will be hosting a panel of national and state-level experts and leaders on the Community Schools Framework. Two of Vermont's Act 67 Community School grant recipients, Rebecca Tatistcheff from Cabot and Matt DeBlois from Vergennes, will be joining other New England leaders to share their perspectives and insights as they develop and grow their community schools. For questions about this event, visit Advancing Community Schools: Lessons Learned and Visions for the Future; for questions about Act 67 or Community Schools in Vermont, contact Jess DeCarolis at jess.decarolis@vermont.gov.
Contact: Jess DeCarolis at jess.decarolis@vermont.gov

Vermont PBS: March Resources to Celebrate Women’s History Month

Audience: Curriculum Directors, Principals, PreK-12 Teachers
The Vermont Agency of Education has updated our Vermont PBS webpage for March 2022. Celebrate Women’s History Month with resources from PBS Learning Media and VPR. Other topics of interest include Holocaust remembrance collections, exploring the outdoors, middle school math and young adult literature. We will continue to update 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

2023 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 you or your child feel more connected? Is there a teacher who you think has never received acknowledgment 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 now through March 17, 2022.
Contact: Patrick Halladay at aoe.vtoy@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.

University of Vermont Summer Courses for Education and Social Services Professionals

University of Vermont’s College of Education and Social Services offers a variety of convenient and flexible summer courses to improve your practice, enhance your credentials and boost your career. Our coursework is built on research-informed practices, collaboration and experiential learning. Summer tuition is 30% less than academic-year tuition, and there are many classes to choose from over three sessions starting in May, June and July. View course descriptions, instructors, dates, financial aid information and how to register on our courses page.
Contact: Doug Gilman at learn@uvm.edu or (800) 639-3210

Free Educational Opportunity for School Nutrition Professionals

Register for New England Dairy’s Real Facts About Real Dairy in School Meals webinar on March 16, 2022, from 2-3 p.m. EST featuring Robert Murray, MD, and Dayle Hayes, MS, RD. This webinar will explore the nutritional contributions of dairy foods to student health, and answer common questions related to dairy alternatives and flavored milk. Learn why you can feel good about encouraging your students to choose dairy. For more information, visit New England Dairy’s - Dairy in Schools webpage.
Contact: Julie Hussils at jhussels@newenglanddairy.com

For All Elementary Educators: Teaching Substance Misuse Prevention

The Vermont Education Quality Standards state that Vermont elementary schools must ensure all students have access to health curriculum and instruction. Classroom teachers and other elementary specialists (physical education, school counselors, school nurses, etc.) are often tasked to teach K-6 health without the training or content expertise in health-related topics. The Vermont Higher Education Collaborative (VT-HEC) is offering an afternoon webinar on March 8, 2022, with JoEllen Tarello that will introduce the basic concepts, skills and methods for teaching the risks and prevention of substance misuse. Participants will be introduced to curriculum and resources available to them to support instruction and will walk away with information to begin immediately using in their classroom.
Contact Julie Medose at info@vthec.org or (802) 498-3350

Vermont Family Network Free Workshop: The New Face of Vocational Rehabilitation: HireAbility VT

VocRehab VT has changed their name to align with their career focus and to better reflect the services that they offer. The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation has been dedicated to helping Vermonters living with disabilities achieve employment and vocational goals for years. The services that they provide are not just about finding jobs, but also obtaining training, education and credentials needed for higher-wage career opportunities. It’s about working together to navigate a path to grow and learn about their dream career. Please join this webinar on March 16, 2022, from 1:30-2:30 p.m. to find out about all they can provide for youth and young adults with disabilities! Presenters from HireAbility are: Diane Dalmasse, Division Director, Hibbard Doe, Field Services Manager and Tara Howe, Transition Program Manager. If you are unable to attend, please register anyway and you will receive an email with a link to the recording which you can watch on your own time. Please register at The New Face of Vocational Rehabilitation: HireAbility VT.
Contact: Rachel Boyers at rachel.boyers@vtfn.org

College & Career Pathways is coming up this Saturday, March 5, 2022, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Families can register in advance, or day of event, to take part in live virtual workshops, discover free resources, get expert advice and meet with local representatives from colleges and training programs across the state. Find out more and register on our event webpage.
Contact: Anna Telensky at telensky@vsac.org

Education for Sustainability Certificates of Graduate Study

Apply now for the Education for Sustainability Certificate of Graduate Study programs recently launched by the University of Vermont and Shelburne Farms. Educators can choose to enroll in either the 18-credit Certificate of Graduate Study (CGS-EFS) or the 12-credit Micro Certificate of Graduate Study (mCGS-EFS). Coursework will benefit PreK-12 educators as well as those working in museum education, outdoor education, parks and recreation activities, and other fields where natural and built environments are part of the curriculum. Learn more by visiting the Education for Sustainability Certificates of Graduate Study webpage.
Contact: Doug Gilman at efs@uvm.edu

Request for Health and Physical Educator Award Nominations

The Society of Health and Physical Educators of Vermont (SHAPE VT) is seeking nominations for deserving educators. Please view the awards descriptions and submit your nomination using this form. The deadline is March 6, 2022. Award winners will be honored at SHAPE VT Conference on March 24, 2022.
Contact: Dr. Lisa Pleban at lisa.pleban@castleton.edu or (802) 468-1254

All Learners Network: Math Intervention for Interventionists and 5-8 Teachers

The workshop, Math Intervention for Interventionists and 5-8 Teachers, will be held virtually on Zoom, on March 10, 2022, from 8-11 a.m. and 1-4 p.m. As the pandemic draws on, everyone is concerned about our most vulnerable students. Drawing on his 30 years in schools, education research and experience as a math leader in the U.S. and abroad, All Learners Network Founder John Tapper will facilitate an engaging virtual learning experience aimed at 5-8 intervention.
Contact: TJ Jemison at communicationsdirector@alllearnersnetwork.com

Partnerships for Literacy and Learning: Ready To Take On New Partnerships for 2022-23

Partnerships for Literacy and Learning has a lot to offer Vermont schools. In addition to events, seminars and graduate courses we can work with your school/district on your literacy needs. We can provide comprehensive literacy needs assessment with school and/or district results based on interviews, observations and other forms of data collection. We also like to facilitate the process for program evaluation and create customized coursework on all things literacy! Learn more about what we do and can offer at our school support page.
Contact: Mary Grace at info@pllvt.org or (802) 828-0521

Schools, Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Webinar Series

Schools, Mental Health and Suicide Prevention is part of a comprehensive community approach to suicide prevention. Every school is encouraged to become “prevention prepared”. This requires attention to multiple dimensions of the school program: the climate around mental health, preparedness of adults in the school community to respond to mental health concerns, effective protocols for identification and referral and engagement of students in prevention through curriculum and social supports, etc. Each webinar will provide content knowledge, resources, models, examples, and ample time for questions and answers.
Contact Catherine Diduk at info@healthandlearning.org

Champlain Research Experience for Secondary Teachers (CREST) Professional Learning Program

CREST is a week-long program from June 27 to June 30, 2022, for grade 7-12 teachers conducted at the University of Vermont’s (UVM) Ecosystem Labs and aboard UVM’s new research vessel. Teachers will engage in place-based research about Lake Champlain led by scientists, STEM educators and graduate students. Teachers will gain access to STEM resources, project templates and data applicable to your curriculum and will create place-based projects that integrate diversity and equity principles and proficiencies. Apply online and complete the survey by March 25, 2022: CREST 3.0 Application and CREST 3.0 Survey.
Contact: Regina Toolin at rtoolin@uvm.edu