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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: December 6, 2023
- Fall Issue of Social Studies Newsletter
- Family Engagement Networking Series
- Vermont School Safety Center Resources
- Effective Use of Data Coaching Opportunity
- Building Authentic Performance Assessments for Learning
- Vermont Public: But Why Learning Guides
- University of Vermont Education Leadership Program Survey
- Seeking Early Multi-tiered System of Supports System and Practice-Based Coaches
- Early Warning System Virtual Workshop
Fall Issue of Social Studies Newsletter
Audience: Social Studies Teachers, K-8 Educators, Curriculum Directors, Social Studies Coaches
The Fall issue of the Social Studies Newsletter is now available. This issue contains information regarding the Vermont 250th, the 2nd Annual Holocaust Education Week, information from both a Rowland Fellow and the Office of the Secretary of State regarding Civics education, as well as student and educator opportunities. Please reach out to be included on the AOE’s Social Studies listserv.
Contact: Martha Deiss, martha.deiss@vermont.gov
Family Engagement Networking Series
Audience: Family Engagement Personnel, Administrators
Please join the Family Engagement Networking Series facilitated by the AOE Vermont Multi-tiered System of Supports (VTmtss) Team. The next Networking Session on December 13, 1-2 p.m., will focus on Title IA Parent and Family Engagement Expectations and Opportunities. Guest Jessie Murray, State Title I Director, will clarify the requirements of parent and family engagement for Title I programs and share some examples from the field. These are informal monthly virtual sessions for family engagement colleagues to connect and discuss problems of practice regarding family engagement. Sessions are held every second Wednesday from 1-2 p.m.
Contact: Nancy Hellen, nancy.hellen@vermont.gov
Vermont School Safety Center Resources
Audience: All
The Vermont School Safety Center is pleased to announce the following school safety trainings:
- Crisis Communication Training: Presented by Mark Bosma, Vermont Emergency Management
- Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Training : An eight-hour virtual training held February 20, March 13, April 18, and May 8, 2024.
To learn more about these opportunities visit the Vermont School Safety Center website.
Contact: Robert L. Evans, Vermont School Safety Liaison Officer, revans@cosecure.com or (802) 839-0448
Effective Use of Data Coaching Opportunity
Audience: Curriculum Directors, Principals, and Instructional Coaches
In addition to workshop and webinar opportunities available on the Vermont Data Use website, Demonstrated Success is offering coaching sessions with staff at your site for up to two half days or one full day. The Agency of Education contract covers the cost of these professional learning opportunities. Examples of how Demonstrated Success Coaches provide professional learning for the field include working with leadership teams to articulate systems for school/district-wide data use; coaching educators in next steps within a layered system of high-quality supports based on data analysis; and facilitating data dive protocols using local data to plan for instruction.
Contacts: Pat Fitzsimmons, pat.fitzsimmons@vermont.gov
Building Authentic Performance Assessments for Learning
Audience: Curriculum Directors, Principals, and Grades 9-12 Educators
The Agency of Education in collaboration with Great Schools Partnership is seeking 9th through 12th grade teachers interested in working with a cohort of educators to develop, pilot, and refine content-specific performance assessments. In January 2024, cohorts will form to develop performance assessments that align with the Priority Performance Indicators outlined in the Proficiency-Based Graduation Requirement Hierarchies. Educators will work within their preferred content area to develop performance assessments, facilitator guidelines, and supporting rubrics. If you are interested in developing assessments that will be made available statewide, please complete this brief form providing an overview of your preferences and experiences.
Contacts: Pat Fitzsimmons, pat.fitzsimmons@vermont.gov
Vermont Public: But Why Learning Guides
Audience: Teachers, Curriculum Directors
New for the new year, But Why is a podcast led by kids! Kids ask the questions and Vermont Public finds the answers. It’s a big, interesting world out there. The But Why learning guides were designed to meet Common Core standards. Find out more on PBS LearningMedia. Visit the Vermont Public Educators page for more recommendations for high-quality resources.
Contacts: Emily Leute at emily.leute@vermont.gov or Heather Duhamel at hduhamel@vermontpublic.org
University of Vermont Education Leadership Program Survey
Audience: Individuals interested in becoming a principal
The UVM ED Leadership Program is in the process of re-establishing a primarily online principal licensure program for Vermont educators statewide. In order to ensure that the new program best meets the needs of educators in our state, the UVM team is asking individuals interested in becoming a principal to please complete this brief 10-item, 5-minute needs assessment survey.
Contact: Jill Briggs Campbell, jill.briggscampbell@vermont.gov.
Seeking Early Multi-tiered System of Supports System and Practice-Based Coaches
Audience: All
The Agency of Education, Child Development Division, and Department of Health and Mental Health are collaborating under the Vermont Integration Project Birth-5, and are seeking qualified individuals to become Early Multi-tiered System of Supports (Early MTSS) System and Practice-Based Coaches. Coaches will take part in the VIP B-5 project for the next two to three years, and will receive a training stipend. They will also receive a stipend for their coaching efforts based on Head Start coaching rates. Applications should be submitted no later than Sunday, December 31, 2023. To access the application form, or for more information contact Amy.
Contact: Amy Murphy, amy.murphy@vermont.gov
Early Warning System Virtual Workshop
Audience: Superintendents, Principals, CTE Directors, Data and IT Managers
The next installment of the EWS professional learning series will take place Tuesday, Dec 12, from 2:00-3:00pm. PowerSchool representatives will join the call to provide an overview and demo of PowerSchool MTSS and Student Analytics, two tools that SU/SDs can leverage for their EWS. The overview and demo will be followed by Q&A. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP online. The session is not exclusive to SU/SDs using PowerSchool SIS. A similar session with Infinite Campus is being planned for later this month, details will be sent out via the WFM the preceding week or earlier.
Contact: Ryan Parkman, ryan.parkman@vermont.gov