Weekly Field Memo: Recent News and Items of Interest From the Agency

Content:

Audience: All educators and communities

The Agency is pleased to announce the release of the Agency of Education's Statewide Strategic Plan . Developing this Strategic Plan would not have been possible without the significant contributions of the field and the extensive engagement from Vermonters over the past two years. We are grateful to everyone who shared their experience, ideas, and aspirations for Vermont's public education system.

The plan will guide collaborative work at the Second Annual Statewide Education Planning Retreat, with a focus on implementation and aligning our collective efforts to move the work forward.

Contact: AOE General Info [email protected]

Audience: Educators, literacy leaders, curriculum directors, principals, district leaders

On Wednesday, September 16, Mountain Views Supervisory Union (MVSU) presented "Teacher Voice for Structured Literacy: A Story of District-Level Change." In his Summit keynote, Dr. Timothy Shanahan presented on the three educational variables that make the most difference for reading achievement: the amount of instruction provided, the content or curriculum of that instruction, and the quality of the delivery of that content. Grounded in this model, MVSU leaders and teachers walked through their district's comprehensive approach to literacy improvement: adopting high-quality instructional materials, building strong professional learning, and centering teacher voice throughout the process of structured literacy implementation. This video features the Mountain Views team leading this work:

• Julie Burtscher Brown, EdD - MVSU Literacy Facilitator; Founding Member, The Project for Adolescent Literacy
• Jenny Hewitt - Barnard Academy, Grades 3/4; Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching 2006
• Kelly Jean, M.Ed - The Prosper Valley School, 5th and 6th Grade Reading Teacher
• Maggie Mills - Principal, Woodstock Elementary
• Jennifer Settle, EdD - MVSU Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment

October's Read Vermont Leadership Spotlight: Winooski School District, Wednesday, October 21 from 3:30-4:30 PM. Remember to register for October's spotlight using our link.

Contact: Emily Leute at [email protected]

Audience: K-12, CTE, and Adult Educators, Curriculum Directors, Community Members

The Vermont Alliance for the Social Studies (VASS) will be holding its annual conference at the Capital Plaza in Montpelier on November 18, 2026. The theme of this year's conference is "Vermont at 250: Voices of the Past, Leaders of the Future." There will be two keynote speakers: UVM's Dr. Pamela N. Walker and the Brennan Center's Derek Tisler, as well as engaging breakout sessions and walking tours of the State House and the Vermont Historical Society exhibits. VASS will also recognize the Vermont Social Studies Teacher of the Year. Register using this online link by November 11.

Contact: Martha Deiss at [email protected]

Audience: Supervisory Union's, School District's, Grant Administrators, Administrators

Now is a great time to add robotics to your school's STEM offerings. With more than 120 youth robotics teams across Vermont, robotics is a growing indicator of a high-quality STEM educational program. FIRST in Vermont is a local non-profit that can help your school start a robotics team with little to no impact on the school budget. FIRST in Vermont offers equipment grants and coaching stipends, plus an extensive support network. Coaches need no prior knowledge of robotics or programming; enthusiasm for working with students is the only prerequisite. More information is available at firstinvermont.org or by emailing Joe Chase at [email protected] . Joe is a retired 30-year classroom veteran and has helped over 100 teams get started in the last three years. Every Vermont school has students interested in joining an inclusive team that builds social and emotional well-being while also learning business and engineering skills. Let's work together to make this happen for your students.

Contact: Joe Chase at [email protected]

Audience: Superintendents, Special Education Directors, Curriculum Coordinators

The application for the FY27 BEST/Act 230 grant has been reopened and the deadline extended to October 30. The application can be found in the Grants Management System (GMS) and previous communications and information can be found on the BEST and Act 230 Funding website. Please reach out to Monica Desrochers or Beth Keister with any questions.

Contact: Beth Keister at [email protected]

Audience: District/Supervisory Union and School Administrators

Please note that the Exclusionary Discipline Guidance Overview training originally scheduled for Monday, October 5, 2026, has been rescheduled to Tuesday, October 27 from 9:00-11:00 AM.

This training will provide educators and school leaders with an overview of Vermont's updated exclusionary discipline guidance, including requirements, developmentally appropriate practices, prevention and alternatives to suspension and expulsion, and reporting requirements. Participants will also have an opportunity to ask questions and discuss scenarios.

The full training overview and additional details can be found on our events page. Participants may register for the October 27 training using our online registration form.

Contact: Ashley Riendieu at [email protected]

Audience: Public and Approved Independent Schools - Superintendents / Directors / Administrators

Please note that the Rule 4500 Administrator Training originally scheduled for Thursday, October 8, 2026, has been rescheduled to Friday, October 9 from 9:00 - 10:30 AM.

This virtual training is designed for school and district administrators responsible for implementing Vermont's requirements for restraint and seclusion. The training will review key administrator responsibilities under Rule 4500, including requirements for the use of restraint and seclusion, documentation and reporting, parent notification, post-incident requirements, and prevention-focused practices.

View the full training overview and details on our website. Participants may register for the October 9 training using our online registration form.

Contact: Ashley Riendieu at [email protected]

Audience: School/District Administrators and Designees, Educators

Please note that the Harassment, Hazing, and Bullying (HHB) Toolkit Workshop for Supervisory Unions/School Districts (SU/SD) has been rescheduled to Friday, October 23, 2026, from 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM.

This workshop will provide SU/SD leaders with an opportunity to explore the HHB Toolkit and its Prevent-Respond-Restore framework, including guidance, resources, and practical tools to support consistent implementation of Vermont's harassment, hazing, and bullying requirements.

View the full workshop overview and details on our website. Participants may register for the October 23 workshop using our online registration form.

Contact: Ashley Riendieu at [email protected]

Audience: Community Members, Families, Students

Please note that the Harassment, Hazing, and Bullying (HHB) Toolkit Workshop for Communities, Families, and Students has been rescheduled to Friday, October 30, 2026, from 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM.

This workshop will provide an overview of the HHB Toolkit and its Prevent-Respond-Restore framework, with a focus on guidance, resources, and practical tools designed to support students, families, and communities in understanding and navigating Vermont's harassment, hazing, and bullying requirements.

View the full workshop overview and details on our website. Participants may register for the October 30 workshop using our online registration form.

Contact: Ashley Riendieu at [email protected]