Agency of Education, State of Vermont and Federal Updates
This section of the Weekly Field Memo contains posts from the Agency of Education (AOE), other State of Vermont agencies, federal agencies or Vermont's congressional delegation.
General Educators: Impact of Special Education Rule Changes Office Hour
Audience: General Educators, Building Leaders, District Leaders, Special Education Directors, Special Educators
General Educators: Impact of Special Education Rule Changes Office Hour will be held on March 16, 2023, from 3-4 p.m. This office hour is intended to support the special education rule changes and the impact they have on general educators. To learn more, join in the office hour. Please submit any questions in advance through the submission form.
Contact: Cassie Santo at cassie.santo@vermont.gov
Teachers Who Write Conference
Audience: PreK-12 English Language Arts Teachers
Join the Vermont Council of Teachers of English and Language Arts, the Vermont Agency of Education and the Ruth Stone House for the Teachers Who Write Conference at the Willowell Foundation on May 3, 2023. Develop your own writing practice and translate it into the creation of a literary community for young people. This immersive, day-long retreat will include conversations with fellow educators on writing and literature, opportunities for writing alongside professional writers, and an exploration of effective writing instruction that engages all learners. Featured writers include Ben Pease, Bianca Stone and Angela Patten. The cost is $115, meals provided. Register by March 30, 2023.
Contact: Emily Leute at emily.leute@vermont.gov
Student-Centered Terminology
Audience: Superintendents, Curriculum Directors, Teachers
The Student-Centered Terminology document was created to explain and clarify language that is being used at the state level to describe the various components of the Vermont Framework for Proficiency. The intended audience for this document is educators, however, students and families may also benefit from the information.
Contact: Pat Fitzsimmons at pat.fitzsimmons@vermont.gov
Coordinated Early Intervening Services Funds Office Hour
Audience: Special Education Directors, Superintendents, Business Managers
CEIS Funds Office Hour will be held on March 23, 2023, from 3-4 p.m. to discuss the use of CEIS funds. To learn more, join in the office hour. Please submit any questions in advance through the submission form.
Contact: Cassie Santo at cassie.santo@vermont.gov
Peer Review Panelists Wanted
Audience: Currently Licensed Vermont Educators
The Agency of Education’s Peer Review program needs licensed educators to serve as panelists. Panelists receive $175 per interview. The work of a panelist involves evaluating a candidate’s portfolio (approximately 2-4 hours) and participating in the interview process (approximately 1-2 hours). Interviews are online and scheduled based on your convenience. If you are interested, complete the Small Scale Education Contract Survey by March 15, 2023. The areas of greatest need for panelists are work based learning coordinator, theatre arts and dance, but all are welcome to submit if interested.
Contact: Ryan McCormick at ryan.mccormick@vermont.gov
Civic Literacy Grant Opportunity
Audience: Superintendents, Curriculum Directors, Social Studies, ELA and/or Interdisciplinary Educators
The Agency of Education has streamlined the competitive Civic Literacy Grant opportunity to Supervisory Unions/Supervisory Districts (SU/SDs) to complement and/or amplify their existing secondary school curricula. This grant will provide SU/SDs with funds for the purchase of the book "Our Unfinished March" by former United States Attorney General Eric Holder, and to support student participation in an event at The Flynn Center for Arts on May 16, 2023, where they will hear from and talk with Mr. Holder. The grant application is due March 8, 2023.
Contact: Martha Deiss at martha.deiss@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. The open positions are: Digital Communications Specialist - Contact: Ted Fisher at ted.fisher@vermont.gov and Director of Education Finance - Contact: Bill Bates at bill.bates@vermont.gov.
Contact: AOE Info at aoe.edinfo@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.
Transformative Language Learning in the French Classroom
Klett World Languages provides the highest quality language materials in French. Klett World Languages creates content that helps students build authentic communicative competence and become global citizens. All materials are authentic, accessible and user-friendly. Materials follow a communicative approach with project based learning that is student centered and ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language) aligned. We highly recommend our series such as Cap Sur for elementary students and Reporters Francophones for middle/high school students. For a free demonstration/sample of any of our materials, schedule a meeting with our Northeast Program Consultant, Kristi O’Connor.
Contact: Kristi O’Connor at koconnor@klettwl.com or (708) 689-0409 ext.116
Mindfulness Program Grant for All Vermont PreK-12 Schools
Inner Explorer has partnered with Project Hoeppner to provide all interested Vermont teachers with an audio-guided daily mindfulness program specifically designed for schools. Mindfulness has been proven to improve mental health by reducing stress by 43%, improving emotional regulation and behavior by 60% and increasing grade point average (GPA) by 15%. These breathing and focusing practices help with learning recovery and are an ideal countermeasure to the stress and anxiety fueling the current mental health crisis. The 5-10 minute-a-day practices are simple to implement, require no teacher training, are proven effective and benefit teacher wellbeing as much as student wellbeing.
Contact: Lisa Cahill at lcahill@innerexplorer.org
Professional Development Courses or Full Certificate in Learning Differences and Neurodiversity
Apply by March 26, 2023, for “Academic Strategies & Executive Function Supports for Students with LD, ADHD, and Autism” or an eight-week course in universal design and learning technologies for three-graduate credits per course. Each course can be taken individually or as part of Landmark College’s online certificate program in Learning Differences and Neurodiversity. Specialize in Executive Function, Autism on Campus and Online, or Postsecondary Disability Services. Courses run April 14 – June 11, 2023.
Contact: Carol Beninati at institute@landmark.edu or (802) 387-1662
Professional Development Opportunity for Vermont High School Math Teachers
Registration is open for the week-long, in-person workshop, “Best Practices in Secondary Math Teaching: Introduction to Essential Math for College and Careers (EMC2)”. This training opportunity will be held at Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) in Winooski from July 31 to August 4, 2023. Topics will include using formative assessment effectively, crafting instructional strategies to engage students fully, sharing ideas for building a rich learning environment, and utilizing performance-based assessment throughout the course. Attendees will earn 30 professional learning hours for the week. Visit the VSAC EMC2 webpage for more information.
Contact: Anita Long at long@vsac.org
Holocaust Education Contest
Vermont Holocaust Memorial’s contest “Why Is It Important For Students To Learn About The Holocaust?” requests a persuasive essay, poem or informational poster explaining how studying the Holocaust and learning from survivors can inspire change in your school, communities or the world. Top submissions win cash prizes. Teachers of first-place winners receive a $50 Amazon gift card. Winning entries announced and exhibited in the Vermont State House April 18, 2023. Entry deadline: March 21, 2023. For detailed guidelines visit the Vermont Holocaust Memorial’s Student Writing and Poster Contest webpage.
Contact: Debora Steinerman at info@holocaustmemorial-vt.org
All Learners Network Math Professional Development: Math Menu
Math Menu is a free six-hour workshop offered in person at the All Learners Network Learning Center in Burlington on March 2, 2023, from 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. There will also be a virtual class offered on Zoom on March 7, 2023, from 8 - 11 a.m. and 1 - 4 p.m. This workshop focuses on building teacher pedagogical knowledge about effective practices for mathematics teaching and learning using the Math Menu framework as an effective practice for differentiating and enhancing mathematics instruction to meet the needs of all learners.
Contact: TJ Jemison at communicationsdirector@alllearnersnetwork.com
Professional Learning: Wilson Reading System® Introductory Course
The Wilson Reading System (WRS) is an intensive intervention program for students in grades 2–12 who are reading and spelling below grade level and those diagnosed with a language-based learning disability. Registration is open for the WRS Introductory Course, which begins April 18, 2023. Offered by the Stern Center for Language and Learning, this course addresses the teaching of phonemic awareness, word identification, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension. It provides participants with an overview of the WRS 4th Edition curriculum and serves as the prerequisite for WRS Level I Certification. Visit the course page to learn more.
Contact: Julia Caminiti at news@sterncenter.org
Business and Entrepreneurship Competitions
Students can enter the free 15th Annual Business Plan, Business Model Canvas or Business Video Pitch contests now through May 19, 2023. Work as a team or individually to demonstrate creativity, innovation, leadership, problem solving, communication skills and more. The experience can be awe-inspiring on a student’s resume, application for employment or post-secondary education, easily setting students head and shoulders above their peers. They can also earn cash prizes. Details can be found on the Secondary School Resources webpage.
Contact: Laurel Butler at lbutler@vtsbdc.org or (802) 922-3692
More Spring 2023 Educator Courses Starting Soon
Registration is still open for upcoming educator courses offered through the Castleton University Center for Schools. Course content, schedules and formats are specifically designed to support practicing PreK to 12 educators. The majority are fully online in synchronous and asynchronous environments and have start dates in March, April and May 2023. The full list and course descriptions can be viewed on Castleton's Continuing Education and Graduate Courses webpage.
Contact: Tara Lidstone at cfs@castleton.edu or (802) 345-0092
Umatter Suicide Prevention Awareness and Skills March
Join the Center for Health and Learning's Umatter Suicide Prevention Awareness and Skills Training on March 7, 2023, at 10 a.m. for a 90-minute virtual live session. This session is structured to enhance knowledge, comfort and skills to identify those at risk for suicide in your organization or community, including resources to get help. Umatter Suicide Prevention Awareness and Skills Training provides the fundamental knowledge to build a suicide prevention-aware community or workplace. Visit the Umatter course registration page to register for free or low-cost training opportunities offered by the VT Suicide Prevention Center, a CHL program supported by Facing Suicide VT.
Contact: Karen Carreira at karen@healthandlearning.org
Governor’s Institutes of Vermont Presents the Environmental Sciences and Technology Institute this Summer
The Governor’s Institutes of Vermont will be hosting a series of Institutes for Vermont high school students this summer, including our Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ESAT), happening July 14 - July 22, 2023, at the University of Vermont (UVM). In the ESAT Institute, students investigate our air, water and soil. Focused on adventure and real-world exploration, students collect environmental data from their own community to analyze, interpret and explore at the UVM labs. Combined with community immersions and investigations, the ESAT Institute is about explorations and solutions. Students can attend for as little as $10.
Contact: Matthew Binginot at hello@giv.org