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

Contents:

Vermont Regional School Calendars for 2026-2027 - Due April 1

Audience: Vermont Secondary Students, Superintendents, Principals, CTE Directors, Guidance Counselors, Secondary Educators

16 V.S.A. §1071 (e) requires that before April 1 of each year, the superintendents of schools and the headmasters of public schools not managed by school boards in an area shall meet and, by majority vote, establish a uniform calendar within that area for the following school year. The calendar must include student attendance days, vacations, holidays, and the requisite five teacher in-service education days. Please send approved regional calendars to the Agency of Education at [email protected] no later than April 1, 2026, or as soon as approved.

Contact: Suzanne Sprague, Maureen Gaidys at [email protected]

Award Opportunity: VT Lottery Educate Innovate Award

Audience: Superintendents, Principals, Technology Directors, Curriculum Directors, Educators, Librarians

Through a partnership with the Vermont Lottery, AOE announces the 2026 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. Four schools will receive awards of $15,000 each. The deadline to apply is April 3, 2026. Obtain an award application at the AOE's Education Technology page.

Contact: Josh Blumberg at [email protected]

BEST Summer Institute Registration is Open!

Audience: School teams, including educators, caregivers/family members, students, and community partners

The 30th BEST Summer Institute (June 22-25), funded with support from the Agency of Education, offers an immersive experience for school teams, including educators, caregivers/family members, students, and community partners. This experience is thoughtfully designed to enhance your skills and to rejuvenate your approach to supporting the social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health needs of all students. This four-day Institute brings acclaimed, inspirational presenters from across the state, region, and nation to facilitate content on relevant topics, including restorative approaches, equity, inclusion, classroom-level supports, trauma-informed approaches, mental health collaboration, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), and more! Building on our collective knowledge, we will learn together and action plan around the most current evidence-based strategies for promoting well-being for all. This year's keynotes include Dr. Shelley Moore, Cornelius Minor, and Dr. Deonna Smith. Registration is now open and expected to fill up quickly, so please register using our link - as soon as possible. Registration acceptance will be on a first come, first served basis.

Contact: Anne Dubie, BEST Project Program Specialist, [email protected]

Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA) Panel Discussion

Audience: Principals and those responsible for setting the conditions for Comprehensive Needs Assessments at the SU/SD level

Many Vermont schools are beginning the process of developing their Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP) for the 2026-27 school year, starting by conducting a Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA). The AOE School Improvement Team is pleased to host a panel of Vermont education leaders and Agency staff who will share effective processes for leading high-quality CNAs. Join our virtual meeting March 24th, 11 AM - 12 PM via Microsoft Teams.

Contact: Josh Souliere at [email protected]

Behavioral Threat Assessment Community Resources Webinar

Audience: current and prospective school BTA team members

The Agency of Education will host an informational webinar about the recently published BTA Community Resources on Thursday, March 19, 2026. These resources are supplemental and can be found on the AOE BTA webpage . This webinar is for current and prospective school BTA team members and school administrators. Please register via the BTA Community Resources Webinar registration page attend.

Contact: Taylor Goodwin at [email protected]

Behavioral Threat Assessment Webinar: Considerations for Special Populations

Audience: current and prospective school BTA team members

The Vermont Agency of Education is pleased to host a half-day, virtual webinar for school BTA team members on Thursday, March 26th 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM. Join presenter Dr. Stephanie Leite, national school threat assessment expert, to learn about current best practices and considerations for special populations, including students with disabilities, when conducting a threat assessment. This webinar is for current or prospective school BTA team members. This webinar does not count towards annual BTA training requirements. Please see the BTA Considerations for Special Populations Webinar to register.

Contact: Taylor Goodwin at [email protected]

C3 Teaching and Learning VT Framework for K-8 Social Studies

Audience: Superintendents, Principals, Curriculum Leaders, K-8 Educators

The Vermont Framework for K-8 Social Studies is available on the Vermont Agency of Education's Social Studies page and has been developed as a means to assist and support Curriculum Leaders as they write or revise curriculum for their districts. The framework relies heavily on what has been developed nationally, is based on the Vermont State Board of Education-adopted College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for State Standards, and encompasses a lens aligned to the work of the Ethnic Studies and Social Equity Standards Working Group.

Contact: Martha Deiss at [email protected]

Field Trip Opportunity: The Patriots of Mount Independence

Audience: Principals, Curriculum Directors, Educators

Mount Independence State Historic Site in Orwell, VT, is offering "The Patriots of Mount Independence" Education Day- 250th anniversary program, on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. This field trip opportunity for schools will be an experiential, outdoor, and hands-on learning day for 4th through 12th graders. Students will discover the people who built Mount Independence 250 years ago into one of the largest Revolutionary War fortifications in the United States. Groups will rotate through stations outside the museum on the historic grounds and one or more stations inside. Interpreters in period attire and other experts will highlight an aspect of living or working at Mount Independence in 1776. Groups can also walk trails and visit the museum. $1.00 per student. To reserve a spot for your class, please email [email protected] or call (802)948-2000.

Contact: Martha Deiss at [email protected]

The VT Agency of Education is hiring

Audience: All Administrators, Educators and communities

The Vermont Agency of Education is hiring. To support our ongoing recruitment efforts and keep the field informed, all current open positions at the Agency will now be shared in the Weekly Field Memo (WFM). We encourage you to review, share, and distribute these opportunities throughout your schools, districts, and professional networks. View two current openings on the VT Careers website. Thank you for helping us spread the word and connect talented professionals with meaningful work in Vermont education!

The following positions have been posted: