5. Attendance and Suspension Monitoring Report:
There’s a new report in Edwin! The new Attendance and Suspension Monitoring Report includes students’ Early Warning Indicator System (EWIS) risk level, their current attendance, and how many suspensions they have had, all as reported to DESE via the School Interoperability Framework (SIF). The report is available to users who have access to student-level information within a school or district and are in a SIF-enabled district. For access to Edwin or the Monitoring Report, contact the directory administrator for your district.
The Department will hold a webinar about the Attendance and Suspension Monitoring Report at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 29. Additional training materials, videos and other resources are available on the EWIS website, and other webinars are listed online. Contact EWIS@doe.mass.edu for more information.
|
|
6. Reminder on Alternative Structured Learning Day Programs:
As was communicated last month, DESE is reviewing the implementation of alternative structured learning day programs in collaboration with the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents (MASS) and other stakeholders this year. Districts, schools, and organizations that do not yet have locally-approved alternative structured learning day programs but intend to implement such programs during the 2018-2019 school year are asked to submit a copy of the locally-approved program plan within one week after the date of local approval. All program plans must include the date of approval by the appropriate governing body.
Please email questions and approved program plans to Shay Edmond at sedmond@doe.mass.edu.
|
|
- Doing High School Differently: The Barr Foundation has issued a new request for proposals (RFP) to identify the third and final cohort of teams that will join the Engage New England: Doing High School Differently initiative. Selected teams will embark upon a deep planning and design phase to develop a school model that supports students who are not on track to graduate. To learn more, visit the RFP webpage. The Barr Foundation will hold an informational webinar at noon November 29, and applications are due February 1.
- Grants to police departments will also benefit schools: The Baker-Polito Administration recently announced more than $1.3 million in federal grants to 77 police departments to help buy equipment and technology that will help protect officers and enhance school security.
|
- The Big Read: The National Endowment for the Arts’ The Big Read communities read and discuss a single book. Local governments, libraries, school districts, colleges and universities, and non-profit organizations are encouraged to apply by January 24 for one of approximately 75 grants that will be awarded for programming that will take place between September 2019 and June 2020. Besides the grant, communities will receive resources such as reader’s and teacher’s guides and audio guides in addition to publicity materials. For this cycle, communities will choose from 32 selections (novels, short stories, memoirs, poetry, and books in translation).
|
|
|
NOTE: Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, there will not be a Commissioner’s Weekly Update on November 23.
|
|
|
|
