Skip to main content
An Official Vermont Government Website

Volume 18, Issue 3

Weekly Field Memo
February 7, 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: February 7, 2024

February EQA Office Hours Date Change

Audience: Schools Eligible for Comprehensive and Equity Supports
To provide leadership, oversight, and technical support the EQA Division will be hosting an Office Hours session for schools eligible for Comprehensive and Equity Support on Feb. 14, 2024, from 10-11 a.m. This date has been changed from Feb. 21 to accommodate school breaks. The next Office Hours session will be March 20, 2024 at 10 a.m.
Contact: Nicole Whitney at nicole.whitney@vermont.gov or Toni Marra at toni.marra@vermont.gov

BTA Training: Multiple Dates Available

Audience: Behavioral Threat Assessment Team members
School Behavioral 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. Please register for BTAM training online.
Contact: Sunni Eriksen at sunni.eriksen@vermont.gov

Crisis Communication Training: March 14 and 15, 2024

Audience Superintendents, administrators, Behavior Threat Assessment Teams
MGT 417: Crisis Management for School-Based Incidents for Key Decision Makers is an in-person, two-day training course that provides instruction to school personnel, law enforcement, other emergency responders and community stakeholders in planning, preparation, communication, response and recovery in the event of a school-based incident. This course offers the opportunity to collaboratively apply the course objectives in scenario-based applications. FEMA SID is required. Please register for crisis communication training online.
Contact: Sunni Eriksen at sunni.eriksen@vermont.gov

USED Issues New Resource for School Administrators on Importance of Safe and Secure Firearm Storage

Audience: Superintendents, Administrators
The White House and the US Department of Education recently released new resources for school administrators on the importance of safe and secure firearm storage. Safe storage of firearms is an important prevention tool that can be used to help keep schools, homes, and communities safe from gun violence. As a reminder, Vermont also passed a safe gun storage law in 2023. Safe gun storage sites are also available at these Vermont locations.
Rob Evans, School Safety Liaison, at revans@cosecure.com

Request for Proposals: Afterschool Contract Bid

Audience: Potential 21CCLC Contractors
The primary objective of this document is to solicit proposals from potential contractors to assist in the Agency of Education’s (AOE) statewide responsibilities in relation to the 21st Century Learning Center’s Program. In addition, with the passage of new Afterschool and Summer Learning Programs legislation, deliverables may support similar comprehensive centers as they come into existence to ensure coherence and quality. The successful bidder(s) will provide services that will drive quality within Vermont Supervisory Unions, School Districts, and communities in support of the needs of Vermont’s youth. Evidence of success will be rooted in program improvement and positive student outcomes. For more information please see Vermont Business Registry - Bid Preview online.
Contact: Emanuel Betz at emanuel.betz@vermont.gov

Assessment Literacy to Support Student Learning: Two-Day Workshop

Audience: Superintendents, Curriculum Directors, Principals, and K-12 Teachers
Assessment Literacy to Support Student Learning, a two-day interactive workshop facilitated by Demonstrated Success consultants, is designed to help Vermont teachers, paraprofessionals, and administrators leverage a variety of assessment data to inform instruction, provide actionable feedback to students, as well as 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. Sessions will take place on March 13 and 14, 2024, in Burlington, or May 8 and 9, 2024, in Killington. Registration information is available on the Vermont Data Use site.
Contact: Pat Fitzsimmons at pat.fitzsimmons@vermont.gov

Music Proficiency-Based Graduation Requirements Review

Audience: Music Educators
Attention all music educators, regardless of your specialization - whether you teach band, chorus, orchestra, or general music, your expertise is invaluable. We invite you to collaborate in reviewing and refining the K-8 Priority Performance Indicators. This workshop presents a unique opportunity to shape the recommended Music Proficiency-Based Graduation Requirements proposed by the Agency of Education. We will convene remotely for three Thursdays from 3:30 to 5 p.m. on March 7, 14 and 28, 2024.
Contact: Lisa Bresler at lisa.bresler@vermont.gov

The Vermont Kindergarten Conference: Registration is Open

Audience: Early Educators and Administrators
Registration is now open for the Vermont Kindergarten Conference! The conference will take place at the Doubletree in South Burlington on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. The morning keynote speaker, Christine Cunningham, is the founding director of Engineering is Elementary at the Boston Museum of Science. A lunchtime keynote by John Cohn will focus on the importance of a playful culture in the workplace. The registration fee for educators is $160. 
Contact: Pat Fitzsimmons at pat.fitzsimmons@vermont.gov

Family Engagement Networking Series

Audience: Family Engagement Personnel, Special Education 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 Feb. 14, 2024, 1-2 p.m., will focus on Family Engagement Through Collaboration: Families and Special Education Services. Guests, AOE Special Education colleagues, will share considerations, rights and support for families with students with disabilities.  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 at nancy.hellen@vermont.gov

Vaping Prevention and Treatment Kits Shipped

Audience: School Nurses and SAPs
The Vermont Department of Health Tobacco Control Program has shipped Vaping Prevention and Treatment Kits to more than 100 Vermont middle and high schools. Kits contain materials and links to resources for addressing youth vaping use and are addressed to school nurses or SAPs. If you haven’t received a kit but are interested in getting materials, contact the Tobacco Control Program at tobaccovt@vermont.gov.
Contact: Beth Keister at beth.keister@vermont.gov

Dual Enrollment, Fast Forward, and Early College Partnership Agreements (FY25)

Audience: Superintendents, Principals, CTE Directors, Independent School Heads, High School and CTE Coordinators and Counselors
To continue to administer and report on Vermont Dual Enrollment, Fast Forward, and Early College programs, we are asking you, or your designee, to review and complete the FY25 Partnership Agreement memos and forms, located on the Dual Enrollment and Early College webpages. The appropriate program memos for operating and non-operating districts should be read prior to submitting the accompanying form by February 16, 2024. Links to the partnership agreement forms that need to be completed are contained within.
Contact: Amy Dodge at AOE.DualEnrollment@vermont.gov

Frequently Asked Questions: ARP ESSER Student Learning Grant for Computer Science, English Language Arts/Literacy, and Mathematics

Audience: Superintendents, Curriculum Directors, Principals, Educators
The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document for the ARP ESSER Student Learning Grant for computer science, English language arts/literacy, and mathematics learning is now available. Grant applications are due in the Grants Management System (GMS) on Feb. 14, 2024. For additional information, please refer to the grant guide posted under ARP ESSER Current Funding Opportunities.
Contacts: Lisa Helme (Computer Science) at lisa.helme@vermont.gov, Emily Lesh (English Language Arts/Literacy) at emily.lesh@vermont.gov, or Pat Fitzsimmons (Mathematics) at pat.fitzsimmons@vermont.gov

Vermont Public: Eclipse Resources

Audience: Teachers, Curriculum Directors
The Eclipse will be seen in totality in parts of Vermont on April 8, 2024. There are spectacular cross-content curricular opportunities to share with your classroom from Preschool to Grade 12 leading into this exciting solar event. Go to Vermont Public’s Eclipse page to find community and classroom resources created by the Vermont Agency of Education, Vermont Public Ambassadors, But Why team, and from the Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium.
Contact: Emily Leute at emily.leute@vermont.gov or Heather Duhamel at hduhamel@vermontpublic.org

Award Opportunity: VT Lottery Educate Innovate Initiative

Audience: Superintendents, Principals, Technology Directors, Curriculum Directors, Educators, Librarians
Through a partnership with the Vermont Lottery, the AOE announces the 2024 round of a competitive award program that seeks to further school education technology programs. Proposals should showcase a practical and deliberate use of technology for increasing student engagement and to support student-centered learning. This program aims to support educators from all content areas to create connections between students and curriculum content using technology. Two schools will receive awards of $15,000 each. The deadline to apply is March 22, 2024. Obtain an award application on the AOE Education Technology webpage.
Contact: Lisa Helme at lisa.helme@vermont.gov

Subscribe Online

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 Ted Fisher at ted.fisher@vermont.gov.