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Volume 18, Issue 25

Weekly Field Memo
August 29, 2024

About

The Agency of Education created the weekly field memo to keep subscribers up-to-date with current education policy, state-wide education initiatives, and official messages from the AOE. The Weekly Field Memo contains education-related posts from the Agency of Education (AOE), other State of Vermont agencies, federal agencies or Vermont's congressional delegation.

Contents: August 29, 2024

Save the Dates: Vermont Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (VTmtss) Office Hours

Audience: Principals, Superintendents, Administrators, MTSS Coordinators  
Please join the new VTmtss Office Hours series facilitated by the AOE Vermont Multi-tiered System of Supports (VTmtss) Team. The series will focus on VTmtss updates, tools, processes and systems to support the field, with the theme of relationship building woven within each session. Some upcoming topics include: Harassment, Hazing, and Bullying (HHB) and Rule 4500 forms and requirements, review of VTmtss survey data analysis and application to decision-making, Educational Support Teams (EST) processes, and more. Sessions will be held every third Thursday from 3-4 p.m. More information to shortly follow.
Contact: Meghan "MJ" Jaird at meghan.jaird@vermont.gov

Behavior Threat Assessment Trainings - Oct. 9 and Nov. 12

Audience: Behavioral Threat Assessment Team Members
School Behavior Threat Assessment & Management (BTAM) Training is a virtual, one-day training course presented by The Vermont School Safety Center, designed to prevent active shooter incidents and other targeted violence in our schools and school districts. This course also teaches participants how to assess threats and other disturbing behavior and take steps to reduce risk and prevent harm. Prior to this training, we strongly encourage schools and school districts to identify potential members of your BTA teams and attend this training as a "team". Act 29 requires that BTA policies and procedures are implemented or updated by SY 2024-2025 for current BTA teams, and that BTATs and annual trainings are implemented or updated by July 1, 2025. 
Contact: Sunni Eriksen at sunni.eriksen@vermont.gov

The 18 Indicators with Ana Russo

Audience: Pathway (D) Participants, Newly Licensed Teachers and Graduates, Special Education Endorsement Candidates, General Education Teachers, High School Special Education Teachers, Educational Support Teams (EST) Members, Evaluation Team members, Related Service Providers, Interventionists
The State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report (SPP/APR) indicators measure child and family outcomes as well as compliance with the requirements of IDEA. This training will review all 18 indicators through the lens of a student’s educational journey. Attendees will leave with an understanding of the measures of each of the indicators and resources to support student outcomes. Sept. 10, 2024, from 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. and Sept. 11, 2024, from 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. Please register for this training.
Contact: Ana Russo at ana.russo@vermont.gov

Coffee and Conversation – New Series SY24-25

Audience: Vermont District and School Staff
The AOE will resume the biweekly meeting series, “Coffee and Conversation”, beginning Wednesday Sept. 11, 2024. C&C is an opportunity for a wide range of school and district staff to connect with Agency of Education staff on timely, high priority topics. The series will run every other week from 9-10 a.m., and we will kick off our first meeting with a “Back to School” themed agenda. Please note, a new series invite has been established for the new school year, and the former calendar appointment will be removed from calendars. A link to the new series is available below. Please email courtney.obrien@vermont.gov if you would like to be added to the standing invitee list. 
Contact: Courtney O'Brien at courtney.obrien@vermont.gov

Save the Dates: Family Engagement Networking Series School Year 2024-2025

Audience: Family Engagement Coordinators and Liaisons, School and District Administrators, Community Organization Personnel
Please save the dates for the Family Engagement Networking Series facilitated by the AOE Vermont Multi-tiered System of Supports (VTmtss) Team. The sessions will focus on Family Engagement as a Strategy for Improving Belonging and Well-Being. These are informal, monthly one-hour virtual sessions for family engagement colleagues to connect, hear updates, learn of resources, share strategies and discuss problems of practice regarding family engagement. The sessions will be held every second Thursday from 1-2 p.m. starting from Sept. 12, 2024, to May 8, 2025.
Contact: Nancy Hellen at nancy.hellen@vermont.gov

Vermont Multi-Tiered System of Supports Professional Learning Providers List Update   

Audience: Professional Learning Providers
To update its current providers’ list, the Vermont Agency of Education (AOE) is collecting information on individuals and organizations who can provide Vermont educators with professional learning specializing in the Vermont Multi-tiered System of Supports (VTmtss) Framework. Please submit your information using this form. The AOE will evaluate the submissions to create the 2024 VTmtss Professional Learning Providers list. This list 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 Sept. 16, 2024. 
Contact: Nancy Hellen at nancy.hellen@vermont.gov 

Agriculture Coloring Contest

Audience: Vermont Educators Grades K-4, Art Teachers
The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets announces a new Agriculture Coloring Contest for students in grades K-4 during the 2024-2025 school year. An email to elementary school principals will be sent later this month with a copy of entry form and rules for the contest. We hope this contest will spark conversations in the classroom about the many types of agriculture here in Vermont. Entries are due on Nov. 1, 2024. 
Contact: Terry Smith at terry.smith@vermont.gov or (802) 828-5667.

Harassment, Hazing, and Bullying Designated Employees List Published

Audience: Superintendents, Principals, Families
The Agency of Education has updated the Designated Employees List for the 2024-25 School Year, currently on the School Climate page. Designated Employees, per Harassment, Hazing, and Bullying (HHB) policy and procedures, are employees at each school that receives reports of harassment, hazing, or bullying. To ensure accuracy of the published list it will be updated mid-year to capture any changes to Designated Employees for public, independent and career technical centers. 
Contact: Meghan “MJ” Jaird at meghan.jaird@vermont.gov

Free Assistance with School Waste and Materials Management

Audience: School Administrators, Green Team Leaders, Facilities Staff
Could your school community use help with recycling, composting or waste management? The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation is offering free assistance to help schools improve their waste and materials management, including recycling, food scraps, fluorescent lightbulbs, batteries, paint, electronics and more. This can include coaching, problem-solving, presentations to students or staff, or helping with Green Team projects.
Contact: Emma Stuhl at (802) 828-1138 or emma.stuhl@vermont.gov or your local waste management district or town (who provide similar, free assistance) at 802recycles.com.

2024 Governor's Annual School Safety Conference - September 30, 2024

Audience: School Community Members, Emergency Management Partners
Vermont’s Agency of Education, Department of Public Safety, and the Vermont School Safety Center are pleased to announce that the Governor’s Annual School Safety Conference will be held on Sept. 30, 2024. This all-day, in-person event will be held at the DoubleTree in Burlington, VT. The conference will include keynotes and breakout sessions presented by several of the country’s foremost school safety experts and advocates, including Michele Gay, co-founder of Safe and Sound Schools, and Don Hough, Deputy Associate Director of the Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). To register, please use the conference registration link.
Contact: Taylor Goodwin at taylor.goodwin@vermont.gov

Creating Effective Professional Learning Communities  

Audience: Administrators and K-12 Educators  
This day-long workshop, available through a contract with Demonstrated Success, will focus on strategies to support highly effective Professional Learning Communities. Teams of educators are encouraged to attend and engage in collaborative data inquiry, utilize data-driven protocols to determine student needs, and explore effective intervention systems. Teams will leave with a strong understanding of how to impact student outcomes by using data in a collaborative, continuous cycle of improvement. This workshop will take place on Sept. 30, 2024, at the Lake Morey Resort in Fairlee from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, see the Vermont Agency of Education Assessment Literacy and PLCs - September Flyer. Registration is available on the Vermont Data Use Webpage.  
Contact: Pat Fitzsimmons at pat.fitzsimmons@vermont.gov 

Assessment Literacy to Support Student Learning  

Audience: Administrators, K-12 Educators, and Paraprofessionals  
This two-day interactive workshop, available through a contract with Demonstrated Success, is designed to support teachers, paraprofessionals, and administrators to leverage a variety of assessment data to inform instruction, provide actionable feedback to students, and identify broader needs for students and staff development. Participants will work as a whole group for part of the day and then work in groups differentiated by levels and roles. This workshop will take place at the Lake Morey Resort in Fairlee on Sept. 25 and 26, 2024. from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, see the Vermont Agency of Education Assessment Literacy and PLCs - September Flyer. Registration is available on the Vermont Data Use Webpage.  
Contact: Pat Fitzsimmons at pat.fitzsimmons@vermont.gov  

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The field memo has time-sensitive and relevant information designed for students, teachers, and staff. The agency encourages principals, headmasters, and superintendents to share the memo with their education community. Additionally, individuals can subscribe or unsubscribe online.

Questions? Email aoe.edinfo@vermont.gov.