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Weekly Field Memo - Volume 17, Issue 47

Weekly Field Memo
January 3, 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: January 3, 2024

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 January 10, 2024 from 1-2 p.m., will be an Open Forum: How Mission and Values Show Up in Our Goals Working with Families. We’ll discuss goals, what’s working well, and how your school’s mission statement shows up for you and for families. These are informal monthly one-hour virtual sessions for family engagement colleagues to connect and discuss problems of practice regarding family engagement. Save the dates for future Networking Sessions held every second Wednesday of the month from 1-2 p.m.   
Contact: Nancy Hellen, nancy.hellen@vermont.gov

ARP ESSER Summer Application Deadline

Audience: All
This notice is to remind all interested applicants that the window for submission for the second round of ARP ESSER Summer grant applications will close at end of business on Thursday, January 4.  No late submissions will be accepted.
Contact: Johannes Haensch, johannes.haensch@vermont.gov 

Coming Soon: AOE to Offer ISTE AI Series Free to SU/SD

Audience: K-12 Educators, School Librarians, Curriculum Directors
AOE is working with the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) to create a Vermont cohort for their popular eight module series “Artificial Intelligence Explorations and Their Practical Use in Schools.” To prepare students for success, educators need to understand how AI technologies can be leveraged to facilitate learning and solve real-world problems. AOE will make 50 slots available free-of-charge to educators for a specific Vermont cohort group. The asynchronous sessions are scheduled to begin in early February and conclude by the end of March. You may register your interest in attending this class series through the AOE registration link.
Contact: Lisa Helme, lisa.helme@vermont.gov

Celebrating 10 Years of Flexible Pathways Legislation in Vermont

Audience: Superintendents, Curriculum Directors, Principals, and Educators
If you were unable to attend the Tenth Anniversary Celebration of Act 77, you can learn about the day through this CompetencyWorks blog, Celebrating 10 Years of Flexible Pathways Legislation in Vermont, written by Laurie Gagnon. The event was a collaborative effort hosted by the AOE, UP for Learning, the Vermont Principals Association, the McClure Foundation, and the Vermont Virtual Learning Cooperative. It was held at the State House on December 7, 2023 and featured reflections from students and educators about how teaching and learning have been impacted as a result of the Flexible Pathways legislation.
Contact: Pat Fitzsimmons, pat.fitzsimmons@vermont.gov

Building Authentic Performance Assessments for Learning

Audience: Curriculum Directors, Principals, and Grades 9 – 12 Educators
The AOE, 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. Cohorts will 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 today! The first session will take place virtually in early January.
Contacts: Pat Fitzsimmons, pat.fitzsimmons@vermont.gov and Erica Wallstrom, ewallstrom@greatschoolspartnership.org

Comprehensive Needs Assessment Virtual Training

Audience: School Leadership Teams from schools eligible for Comprehensive and Equity Supports 
To provide leadership, oversight, and technical support the EQA Division will be hosting a virtual Comprehensive Needs Assessment Training on January 25 from 9-11 a.m. for School Leadership Teams from schools eligible for Comprehensive and Equity Supports. Link will be provided in the upcoming weeks.
Contact: Nicole Whitney, nicole.whitney@vermont.gov, Toni Marra, toni.marra@vermont.gov, or Lori Dolezal, lori.dolezal@vermont.gov 

Mid-Year Review of Harassment, Hazing, and Bullying (HHB) Designated Employees Information

Audience: Principals, Superintendents
Per Vermont's Harassment, Hazing, and Bullying (HHB) Policy, each campus needs to identify at least two (2) Designated Employees to receive reports of potential HHB inquiries and the AOE needs to present this list to the public. The AOE is asking for Principals to complete a mid-year review of their HHB Designated Employees to keep this contact list current and accurate. Kindly complete this form by January 20. Current HHB policy and procedures can be found on the School Climate AOE webpage.
Contact: Meghan “MJ” Jaird, meghan.jaird@vermont.gov

Early Warning System: One-on-One Consultations Now Available

Audience: Administrators, Data Managers, IT Directors, Guidance
As part of the Early Warning System (EWS) professional learning series, Vermont AOE and Resultant are offering custom coaching to any SU/SDs interested in receiving 1:1 consultation for the development and/or implementation of an Early Warning System. Sign up here for a 30-minute session with the Resultant team – they will be happy to answer any questions related to your SU/SD’s EWS needs or the EWS workshops that have occurred over the past few months (you can visit the EWS Resource Site for more information on these workshops). Space is limited so please sign up soon. 
Contact: Ryan Parkman, ryan.parkman@vermont.gov

Growing Works of Art Contest Is Now Live

Audience: K-8 Educators, and K-8 Art teachers
The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation and the Vermont Urban & Community Forestry Program is hosting the Growing Works of Art Contest art contest as a celebration of Arbor Day. Arbor Day is a day to plant, nurture, and appreciate trees and the difference they make in our lives. This year's theme is "ABCs of Trees," where students choose a letter of the alphabet and identify a tree-themed word to create a piece of artwork and a written submission. Submission deadline is March 8, 2024
Contact: Megan Davin, megan.davin@vermont.gov 

U.S. Department of Education 2024-2025 School Ambassador Fellowship Application Open

Audience: All
Applications are now open for the U.S. Department of Education's 2024-2025 School Ambassador Fellowship.  Launched in 2007, the Fellowship is a unique professional engagement experience designed to improve the outcomes for students nationwide by leveraging the voices of outstanding school-based practitioners to inform the Department on a range national education policy issues.

Founded on the principles of partnership, collaboration and cooperation with school-based educators, the Fellowship seeks to:

  • Establish an active community of teachers, principals, counselors, psychologists, social workers and other school-based staff members who share expertise and collaborate with Department of Education leaders on national education issues.
  • Engage school-based educators in development of policies that impact learning environments nationwide.
  • Showcase the power of practitioners' voices and expand the critical leadership role of educators at the national, state, and local levels.

The application deadline is Monday, February 5, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. Please visit the School Ambassador Fellowship program webpage for more information about the types of Fellowship opportunities, eligibility requirements, and to access the online application.

Contact: Prospective applicants can contact SAF@ED.gov with any questions about the program or about the application process.

School Restraint and Seclusion Count 2023

Audience: Principals, Superintendents

Reminder: The 2023 Restraint and Seclusion count form is due by January 12, 2024. 

Contact: Tom Faris, thomas.faris@vermont.gov

Coming Soon: ARP ESSER CS, ELA/ Literacy and Mathematics Grant 

Audience: Superintendents, Curriculum Directors, Principals, and Educators
The AOE will soon launch a grant opportunity focused on improving academic outcomes in the areas of computer science, ELA/ literacy, and mathematics. When released applicants may apply to: 1) develop, purchase, or refine high-quality instructional materials and/or coordinated curriculum; 2) fund needs-based professional learning; and/or 3) provide systems-level coaching to support and sustain the implementation of coordinated curriculum, evidence-based instruction, or local comprehensive assessment systems (LCAS).  There will be no maximum on funding requests but must demonstrate that requests are allocable, reasonable, and necessary. Applications will be due 6-8 weeks from the grant launch in early January. You may preview the grant guide on the AOE website. 
Contacts: Lisa Helme (Computer Science), lisa.helme@vermont.gov; Emily Lesh (English Language Arts/Literacy), emily.lesh@vermont.gov; or Pat Fitzsimmons (Mathematics), 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.