Volume 18, Issue 35

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: December 11, 2024

School Budget Training Resources

Audience: Education professionals
Please see the School Budget Training Resources link to the AOE website to access webinar recordings and other materials relevant to the school budgeting professional development series provided by the AOE and New Solutions K12.
Contact: Taylor Goodwin at [email protected]

Read Vermont December Workshop

Audience: Educators, administrators
Register and join Read Vermont's Workshop on December 11th from 3:30-5:30, focused on reading comprehension and the connections between comprehension and explicit and systematic evidence-based literacy instruction. Pre-K-12 and beyond, educators and administrators will learn and discuss the complex nature of reading comprehension, the critical processes and knowledge necessary for our students to make meaning, and practical ways to incorporate evidence-based instructional practices to support comprehension. Join live for the opportunity to ask questions of the facilitators, join breakout room discussions by grade band, and earn a certificate of completion.
Contact: [email protected]

Webinar on Using Assessment Data to Get Results: Fidelity and Perception Data Matter

Audience: Leadership Teams, including VTPBIS School Coordinators, Administrators, SU/SD Coordinators, and other Leadership Team members
As schools implement PBIS/MTSS, assessing whether they are implementing with fidelity and how key partners perceive the efforts is critical to success. This webinar will introduce a variety of assessment tools (Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI), Self-Assessment Survey (SAS), School Climate Surveys) and the Team Initiated Problem-solving (TIPS) protocol to help teams efficiently analyze their data. Participants will learn how to access, complete, and analyze results. Participants will also see examples of how schools present and share their data with staff, families/caregivers, and other partners. The webinar will be held on Thursday, January 9, 2025 from 9:00am-10:00am. Join us by registering for this webinar!
Contact: Anne Dubie at [email protected]

Vermont Multi-Tiered System of Supports Professional Learning Providers (2024)

Audience: Administrators, VTmtss Coordinators
This Vermont Multi-Tiered System of Supports (VTmtss) Professional Learning Providers (2024) includes organizations who provide multi-tiered system of supports professional learning in alignment with the VTmtss Framework. The Suggested Criteria and Questions When Selecting Vermont Multi-Tiered System of Supports (VTmtss) Professional Learning Providers includes the criteria used to identify the providers on this list. SU/SD/schools may use these criteria and questions when selecting professional learning providers to support expanding and improving the systemic infrastructure provided by the VTmtss Framework.
Contact: Nancy Hellen at [email protected]

Disability Determination and Eligibility Training: Specific Learning Disability

Audience: Pathway (D) Participants, New teachers to the State, 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
Participants attending this training can expect to review Special Education Disability and Eligibility for Specific Learning Disability in Vermont. This session will be held on Jan. 13, 2025, from 8-9:30 a.m. and Jan. 15, 2025, from 3-4:30 p.m. Please register for Disability Determination and Eligibility: Specific Learning Disability with Cassie Santo and Ernie Wheeler.
Contact: Cassie Santo at [email protected]

Post-Secondary Transition Basics

Audience: Pathway (D) Participants, New teachers to the State, 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
This training will provide an overview for all of the items that special educators need to know related to best practices and Indicator 13 compliance for the IEP Transition plan. Additionally, this training will cover the graduation readiness tool, the summary of performance and a brief overview of the LEA Transition capacity building rubric. This session will be held on Jan. 23, 2025, from 9-10 a.m. and from 1-2 p.m. Please register for Post-Secondary Transition Basics with John Spinney.
Contact: John Spinney at [email protected]

Best Practices in IEP Transition Plan Development Training

Audience: Vermont High School Special Educators and Special Education Directors
This training will cover all aspects of the IEP Transition plan, including best practices and Indicator 13 compliance requirements around the eight elements that need to be included in the plan. There will be emphasis on identifying necessary transition skills that students need and how to build goals that support development of those skills. We will also go over common areas of noncompliance found during the monitoring process. This session will be held on Jan. 14, 2025, from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Please register for Best Practices in IEP Transition Plan Development Training
Contact: John Spinney at [email protected]

Dual Enrollment System Office Hours

Audience: Counselors, administrators
AOE's Student Pathways Division is inviting school counselors and staff to a walk-through and discussion of the enhanced Dual Enrollment System platform. During this time, AOE will facilitate a closer look at the user guides and answer questions. Other information to be covered include the processes for a student requesting an account and voucher, and school counselor approvals. Two meeting times are offered to best accommodate scheduling demands. The content for each session is the same and interested staff need only attend one of the meetings. The sessions will be facilitated by Amy Dodge, post-secondary programs coordinator, and Ryan Parkman, personalized learning team program manager.
Meeting Invite for Thursday, December 12 from 9:30 - 10:30: DE System Office Hours 9:30AM
Meeting Invite for Thursday, December 12 from 3:00 - 4:00: DE System Office Hours 3PM
Contact: AOE Dual Enrollment Group at [email protected]

Division of Family and Child Health Survey

Audience: Vermont parents and caregivers
The Division of Family and Child Health of the Vermont Department of Health has distributed a survey designed to capture the needs of children, adolescents, young adults, parents/caregivers/guardians in Vermont. The results of this survey will inform future programs and activities to better meet those needs. All individuals taking the survey can be entered into a drawing to win a $50 gift card. Please use the Vermont Department of Health Survey link to complete the survey. The deadline for completion is Wednesday, December 18, 2024. Thank you for your participation.
Contact: Emily Smith at [email protected]

2024-2025 Family Engagement Networking Series

Audience: Family Engagement Coordinators and Liaisons, School and District Administrators, Community Organization Personnel
Please join the 2024-2025 Family Engagement Networking Series: Family Engagement as a Strategy for Improving Belonging and Well-Being. At the December 12th session, from 1-2 p.m.,"Sharing the Work with Colleagues: Strategies for Consistent and Intentional Impact" we will explore where conversations of family engagement practices happen within school systems, where there is opportunity to expand this collaboration and learning. These are informal monthly virtual sessions facilitated by the AOE Vermont Multi-Tiered System of Supports (VTmtss) Team, for family engagement colleagues to connect, hear updates, learn of resources, share strategies, and discuss problems of practice regarding family engagement.
Contact: Nancy Hellen at [email protected]

Vermont Public: Teach Your Way

Audience : Vermont educators, PreK-2 educators
Teach Your Way from Vermont Public and PBS KIDS is a supplemental collection that includes resources aligned to themes and skills for PreK-2 students. From exploring resources like video clips, interactive games, printables, self-paced professional learning opportunities, classroom posters, and more, choose which you will integrate to support your young learners. Check out the new Seasons and WeatherTeach Your Way calendar and teacher planner to integrate media in creative and developmentally appropriate ways, all year long. Visit the PBS LearningMedia Ready to Learn collection for even more science, math, art, and social-emotional learning resources.
Contacts: Emily Leute at [email protected] or Heather Duhamel at [email protected]

Vermont Public: PBS Kids Resources for Arts and Science

Audience: Vermont educators, PreK/K educators
Help young students learn about the colorful world around them with Elements of Art. Encourage students to immerse themselves in learning about different elements of art like colors, shapes, lines, and textures. These lessons have been co-designed by museum and educational partners and feature many of your favorite PBS KIDS friends. PNC Grow Up Great has teamed up with Vermont Public and PBS KIDS to elevate free, bilingual, media-rich arts and science-based lesson plans that empower children to expand their natural curiosity. Check out more thematic resources in Changing Seasons,All About Me, Community Helpers,andHealthy Me.
Contacts: Emily Leute at [email protected] or Heather Duhamel at [email protected]

Center and Program Track State Afterschool Grant Applications are Now Live in GMS

Audience: Superintendents, Principals, and Afterschool Directors
The Agency of Education is pleased to announce that the applications for the Center and Program Track State Afterschool Grants are now live and accepting submissions in GMS. These grants are designed to support the development and expansion of Afterschool and Summer programs. The due date for the Center Track Application has been moved to January 29, 2025, and the Program Track's due date has been moved to December 18, 2024. Please reach out for any assistance in accessing or submitting your application.
Contact person: Johannes Haensch at [email protected]

Community School Foundations Grant Announcement

Audience: Principals and Superintendents
The AOE is pleased to announce the release of the Community School Foundations grant opportunity. This grant competition is intended to support the implementation of new Community School initiatives with award amounts up to $120,000. For more information about Community Schools generally or about this competition specifically, please see our Act 67 - Community Schools Website.
Contact person: Johannes Haensch at [email protected]

SY25 Child Count Collection Now Open

Audience: Special Ed Directors and Child Count Collection submitters
The School Year 2024-2025 Child Count Collection is now open until December 16, 2024. Submitted data must be accurate as of December 1, 2024.
Contact: AOE Child Count Team at AOE Child Count team.

Peer Review Panelists Wanted

Audience: Any licensed educators
The Agency of Education's Peer Review program needs licensed educators to serve as Panelists. Panelists receive $175.00 per interview. The work of a panelist involves evaluating a candidate's portfolio (approximately 2 - 4 hours) and participating in additional follow up questions or reviews of evidence, as needed. There is no longer a car insurance requirement for this role! If you are interested, complete the online Small Scale Education Contract Surveyby December 15, 2024. All endorsement areas are welcome to submit if interested.
Contact: Michelle Farrington at [email protected]

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