Trauma, Anxiety & Behavior
And there is more on the VT-HEC Drawing Board for the spring; check back often to see the latest news & opportunities. For more information and registration go to vthec.org.
The VT-HEC announces the start of new course sequences that lead to licensure – Special Educator, Early Childhood/Early Childhood Special Education. All our pathway programs have the goal of providing quality preparation and training to Vermont educators who are committed to working towards the success of every child and student. Courses begin June, 2018.
All VT-HEC Programs:
• Offer coursework that meets the VT requirements for transcript review in the endorsement area sought
• Offer the coursework and guidance to apply for initial licensure through the AOE’s Peer Review program
• Are affiliated with and offer credit through our VT State College partners- Castleton University and Lyndon State College
• Can lead to a master’s degree with partnering institution if eligible
• Are offered in either a face to face or hybrid model to maximize statewide access
• Are taught by qualified experts from field who are committed to using principles and practices of adult learning to ensure practical and relevant learning.
Partial scholarships may be available for VT-HEC’s Pathway to Licensing Programs including Early Childhood, Early Childhood Special Education and Special Education. These scholarships may be available to students that have no other financial support for professional development.
Download flyer here:
file:///C:/Users/dm74k/Downloads/Flyer%20-20New%20Licensure%20Offerings%202018%20v.5.pdf
The VT-HEC Board of Directors has established the VT-HEC Mission Investment Fund for the purpose of advancing our goal of providing high quality professional learning opportunities that support the success of every Vermont student. The VT-HEC Mission Investment Fund will be focused on developing new professional learning offerings in high need areas and supporting increased access to current VT-HEC offerings by providing a limited number of scholarships or reduced cost offerings.
For 2017- 2018 the Mission Investment Fund will provide professional development worth over $100,000 and will be supporting:
You Can Help…. Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to help us expand the impact of the VT-HEC Mission Investment Fund so that we can offer support for increased participation in our offerings and develop new programs to meet the most critical professional learning needs in education in Vermont.
VT-HEC has a full slate of offerings planned for the spring covering topics ranging from the practical use of learning scales to a series of “Make & Take” WORKshops focused on young students with developmental disabilities. We welcome some of VT-HEC favorites such as Jen Patenaude, Chris Knippenberg and Bill Rich as well as some new folks that we are very excited about including, Heather Lynn on Special Education law, Paul Foxman on anxiety in the classroom and Jayne Singer from Boston Children’s Hospital. In short, there is something for just about everyone.
Our spring offerings that most relate to young children through grade 3 include:
Connecting the Dots: Using Best Practices to Support Infants, Toddlers, and Their Families in Montpelier, VT ~ Three more workshop dates (2/9, 3/23, 5/3) Supporting young children and their families is one of the most important things we can do for Vermont’s future. Next up is Jayne Singer from Boston Children’s Hospital and then Dee Smith from UVM. Don’t miss these experts as they explore the most effective practices and research findings.
Getting Ready to Learn Series: Three Make and Take WORKshops with Patty Piotrowski and Chris Knippenberg in So. Burlington, VT (2/2, 3/13, 4/10) – One of our most successful WORKshop series for a reason. It is focused on creating materials to meet the specific needs of young students with learning challenges. You will leave with an arm-load of learning materials tailored to support your toughest kids and tips on how best to use them. This year we have added the option of earning credit focused on implementation of these concepts and materials.
It Came from Outer Space: Integrating Technology and Writing Across the K-3 Curriculum with Arlyn Bruccoli and Jennifer Fitch in Montpelier, VT (3/9) The title says it all…. Arlyn, a library/media specialist, and Jennifer, an accomplished classroom teacher, will show you how. They will have you practicing with the tools they use working together using technology to help younger students express their ideas and reactions about science, social studies, literature, etc.
A Systematic Approach to Teaching Socialization and Play for Young Learners with Chris Knippenberg in Burlington, VT (5/4) Learning to interact with peers is one of the most important skills a child can learn and for some it doesn’t come easily. Chris will help you develop and plan for those students in a way that will benefit all kids.
Fostering Resilient Learners: Creating Trauma Sensitive School Communities, with Joelle van Lent, Psy.D, and Gillian Boudreau, Ph.D., in Montpelier, VT ~ Four workshop days (1/18, 2/16, 3/16, 4/12) and an additional date (5/17) for 3-credit graduate course. From the basics on the impact of trauma on kids’ ability to form relationships to utilizing mindfulness and other strategies to build their resilience, these workshops and course will put you and your school on track to support students dealing with or recovering from trauma. Joelle and Gillian form a dynamic team with complimentary expertise and experience.
Managing Anxiety in the Classroom, with Paul Foxman, Ph.D., in Montpelier, VT (1/26) Daily headlines seem to bring more sources of anxiety that are difficult enough for adults to deal with but are putting more and more kids in the situation of trying to deal with chronic anxiety without the supports or tools to help. Paul will help you recognize the symptoms and develop strategies to help your students cope and succeed.
Special Education: Suggested Approaches to Case Management with an Eye to Recent Cases and Legal Requirements with Heather T. Lynn Esq. in S. Burlington (2/8) Heather will share the practical implications of recent court decisions and current regulations and how you can navigate the often- confusing legal waters of special education to avoid the danger zones, resolve conflict and stay on a safe and productive course.
MTSS Ground Level Systems Planning: What does effective, daily implementation look like? (K-6) with Jen Patenaude in Rutland, VT ~ Two workshop dates (4/4 & 4/5) Do you need to make changes to your MTSS structure and systems in order to more effectively implement multi-tiered programming designed to serve all students? If so, this intensive two-day workshop is the perfect time to plan for the next school year. Strategies and suggestions shared are drawn from the collective experience of schools across Vermont that are well underway with MTSS. Jen is the perfect person to lead your team to assess and design the changes your system needs for next year.
Check out our other series for offerings that may also address your interests and needs including: Special Education; Trauma, Resilience & Anxiety; Gender and where Proficiencies & Personalization are really working in VT.
VT-HEC WORKshops are learning opportunities that are planned to have participants practicing, applying and tailoring the concepts, skills and models that are being shared for much of the day and often include a course option to support implementation in your own setting.
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Workshop #2 October 26 December 11th Lesson Planning, Consultation & Transitions
During this workshop we will explore tips and tools related to:
• Lesson plans, data collection & evidence-informed programming decisions;
• Paraprofessional supports and consultation;
• Transitions into early childhood special education, as well as kindergarten.
WORKshop 2: Strategies for Targeting Practice & Orchestrating Feedback (December 14)
We’ll spend the morning sharing, modeling, and considering strategies for targeting practice and
orchestrating feedback in ways that bring out the best in our colleagues and support their learning.
Participants will identify the strategies they want to try out and begin designing and refining a plan to apply
these back in their setting.
WORKshop 3: Strategies for Creating a Culture of Collaborative Inquiry (January 19)
How can we inspire and empower educators to begin working together in ways that nourish each other and
their students? Throughout this workshop we’ll model and practice strategies for tapping the collective
wisdom of our colleagues, students, and communities in the age of Act 77 and Education Quality Standards
(EQS).
WORKshop 4: Ending Well: Revisiting and Enhancing What Matters Most (March 15)
After studying a range of specific examples and processes, we’ll devote most of the day to
designing and tuning your approach to ending the year well for your particular learners.
We hope we can help you get the year off to a great start with offerings in key areas of need that focus on gaining practical knowledge and skills as well as applying them in real ways to benefit students.
The VT-HEC began in 2000 as an effort of the VT Department of Education, VSC & UVM. Our first program was the Pathway to Special Education Endorsement course series that continues to this day and has had over 350 completers. In addition, we have offered a selection of workshops and single courses for all those who work with struggling learners and students with disabilities.
Registration will open August 10th for these Fall offerings:
Trauma-Informed Schools – September 26 & October 23, Rutland, VT: David Melnick of NFI will kick things off with a two-workshop series that has an extended course option.
Spring 2018 Workshops & Courses: We have three additional offerings in this series for the spring– a Part II course presented by David Melnick, a workshop series & course by Joelle van Lent and Gillian Boudreau focusing on resilience, compassion fatigue and mindfulness and Paul Foxman on anxiety.
The VT-HEC is announcing a new offering focused on the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) titled, MTSS “Ground Level” Systems Planning led by Jen Patenaude. The new offering is planned for May 2nd & 3rd at the Hampton Inn in Colchester, VT.
This event is being designed to support school teams as they develop plans to improve their MTSS and implement those plans in the coming new school year. Special team rates and an option for additional support over the summer will also be offered.
We are very pleased that Jen Patenaude, one of Vermont’s most popular and expert presenters in the area of special education and MTSS, has agreed to develop this offering specifically to help teams assess their systems and lay out plans to improve their: service delivery model, operation of their Education Support Teams, coordination of services, use of assessment data, scheduling, etc.
Details and flyers will be available soon at vt-hec.org – attendance will be limited.
Mailing Address: PO Box 285, Montpelier, VT 05601
Phone: (802) 498-3350
Email: [email protected]
The leadership and staff of the VT-HEC add our voices to the resounding chorus that has risen to express outrage, sadness, anger and dismay at the latest examples of the long-standing and systematic violence inflicted upon people of color. Black Lives Do Matter. Those of us who have benefited from white privilege may struggle to understand what living with this fear and injustice every day entails, and we are humbled by our inability to fully relate to the impact of the systematic deprivation of human rights. What we do clearly recognize is our collective responsibility to confront racism wherever it exists, and to join together to attack it at its foundation.
Over the past few years, the VT-HEC has acted on its responsibility to address inequity in education by dedicating its Mission Investment Fund to offer education opportunities to all those who work to benefit children and youth. We embrace our responsibility to work to ensure that all students receive an equitable education that includes learning about and reducing social injustice, and systemic racism and bias. It is our hope that we can all be responsible for future generations that are more accepting of differences and demonstrate kindness to all.
Click here to read the full statement from VT-HEC’s Executive Director