5. Elementary Principals December Network Sessions:
The Department’s Early Learning Team and the Massachusetts School Administrators Association (MSAA) will host a series of regional networking and professional development opportunities for elementary principals (preschool-third grade) during the 2019-2020 school year. Social and emotional learning and trauma-informed practices are the theme for this year’s series. Registration is now open for the December network meetings, which will be held Friday, December 6 in Northbridge; Wednesday, December 11 in Dartmouth; and Friday, December 13 in Holyoke. All three will run from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Anyone interested in attending one of the sessions should register by Monday, December 2. Details will be sent to registered participants a few days before the session.
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6. High-Quality Curriculum: A Foundation for Student Success:
Join the Rennie Center for Education Research & Policy on Wednesday, December 4 to explore how curriculum can support deeper learning and better student outcomes. Participants will learn about DESE’s CURATE project and how schools and districts are identifying and using high-quality curriculum as an essential tool for advancing equity within schools and communities. This event will feature a keynote address from Commissioner Riley, an opportunity to experience high-quality curriculum firsthand (facilitated by Teaching Lab), and a panel discussion by Massachusetts educators.
The event will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the University of Massachusetts Club (1 Beacon St., Boston). Click here to register, or email Laura Dziorny at ldziorny@renniecenter.org for more information.
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7. High School Computation Science Pathway Project Awarded:
The Education Development Center, in collaboration with DESE, was recently awarded funding from the National Science Foundation to develop a computational science pathway to college and career options for Massachusetts high school students. This project will integrate the Digital Literacy and Computer Science Framework and real world skills into traditional biology, chemistry, and physics courses. Educators selected for the pilot will be receive comprehensive professional development and coaching throughout the project.
High school educators interested in piloting any of these Science+C courses in the 2020-2021 school year are asked to complete an online Interest Form.
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8. Action Required for FY2021 Grant Applicants:
The Department is asking all agency partners who receive grant funding to complete a revised Commonwealth of Massachusetts – Standard Contract Form (SCF) which will take effect July 1, 2020. This form is part of a master agreement that is good for 10 years. The form is published and issued jointly by the Executive Office for Administration and Finance, the Office of the State Comptroller, and the Operational Services Division for use by all departments for new grants/contracts and grant/contract agreements or renewals.
Please review this memo and kindly respond by returning the required forms by January 31, 2020. The Department must have this documentation in place before it can release any FY2021 grants to applicants. Anyone with questions should call grants management at 781-338-6595.
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9. DESE Resource Corner
A Parent’s Guide to Special Education: In collaboration with the Federation for Children with Special Needs, DESE previously created "A Parent's Guide to Special Education", a resource for parents and organizations that serve them. Now, DESE’s Office of Special Education Planning and Policy is excited to share the newly developed, online, interactive guide to complement the original. The interactive guide is in the form of an e-learning module. Both the original Parent Guide and the e-learning module highlight Massachusetts' special education systems, and both were designed for families who have children with disabilities. The e-learning module is accessible through DESE’s Special Education homepage or directly at http://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/videos/parents-guide/index.html#/.
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- Poetry Out Loud for High Schools: High schools have until Friday, December 20, to sign up for this year’s Poetry Out Loud competition. Poetry Out Loud is the national recitation contest that celebrates the power of the spoken word and mastery of public speaking while cultivating self-confidence and an appreciation of literary heritage. Poetry Out Loud is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation and is run in Massachusetts by the Mass Cultural Council and the Huntington Theatre Company’s Education Department. The state champion wins a $200 cash prize and an all-expense paid trip to compete in Washington, D.C., plus $500 for their school to purchase poetry materials. For more information, visit www.huntingtontheatre.org/pol or email poetryoutloud@huntingtontheatre.org.
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