5. Reminder on Safe Kids Thrive! Training:
The Department and Children’s Trust are offering a Safe Kids Thrive! training for preK-12 district and school administrators. Participants in this 90-minute interactive workshop will learn how to identify concrete ways that schools can evaluate and develop policies, procedures, and protocols to prevent abuse. Using a new website called "Safe Kids Thrive," presenters will demonstrate practical and straightforward tools attendees will use to assess or create their own plan to promote child safety. The training will be offered from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 15 and Thursday, August 26 and from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 30. Please register online.
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6. Free Planning and Learning Opportunities from LearnLaunch:
In partnership with DESE, LearnLaunch is offering the following two opportunities:
1.) Developing Well-Being for the Education Triangle: Students, Staff, and Families Workshop Series: This series will help educators build a positive school culture through a strategic understanding of trauma, secure staff-student relationships, and strong, sustainable partnerships with families. This series is open to all educators, from the classroom to the district office, and participants are welcome to attend any one or all three of the workshops in the series. Attendees will walk away with practical tools and tips for immediate use and additional resources for long term shifts in practice.
- The first in the series, Understanding the Impact of Trauma and Building Educator Resilience, will be offered at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 21 and at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, July 26.
- The second in the series, Strategies for Building Secure Relationships and Positive Classroom Culture, will be offered at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 22 and at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 28.
- The third in the series, Building Strong and Sustaining Partnerships with Students’ Families, will be offered at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, July 23 and at 10:00 a.m. Friday, July 30.
2.) Powerful Learning Experiences is a set of principles that enables educators to design learning experiences that fully engage students. Participants will leave this workshop with actionable strategies and resources with an emphasis on voice and choice, purposeful assignments, and meaningful assessments. This 90-minute workshop will be offered at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 27 and at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 29. Explore the Building Blocks tool for additional resources.
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7. Emergency Connectivity Fund Resources and Next Steps:
The Emergency Connectivity Fund Program filing application window is now open. Local education agencies should apply before Friday, August 13 to secure funding to help close the homework gap for students. The non-profit EducationSuperHighway has created new resources to help districts through the application:
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8. Accessible Instructional Materials Library:
The Department and the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind recently finalized an agreement on the Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM) Library, which provides specialized instructional materials and equal access to curriculum for more than 3,000 children and students in Massachusetts who are blind or visually impaired. The agreement took effect Thursday, July 1 and ensures continued services for the coming school year. The library will continue to house materials at Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children.
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- Summer Nights: The Department of Conservation and Recreation’s annual Summer Nights program started this week and will run through August 20. Summer Nights offers recreational, educational, and skill-building activities for young people at nearly 80 locations in urban areas across the state. More information is available online.
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- ASA Engage Summer Series on Helping Careers: The second annual American Student Assistance Engage Summer Series will from Monday, July 12 to Thursday, July 15. Free for educators and students in grades 6-12, this event will feature a series of live, virtual chats between students and industry professionals across the country. Students will have the opportunity to hear about different careers from people who are in them. This year’s event theme is Helping Careers, and all presentations will focus on the positive impact that these professionals have. Register via this link..
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