Zoie Saunders, Secretary | Vermont Agency of Education
The Vermont Agency of Education has announced a series of initiatives and updates in its latest weekly field memo. The memo covers a range of topics, from educational activities to system updates and training opportunities.
Vermont Public's "But Why Adventures! Northeast Nature" series has launched an online activity titled "What Is Cyanobacteria?" aimed at educators teaching grades 3-5. As climate change causes cyanobacteria to become more prevalent, scientists are studying their effects on humans and animals. Host Jane Lindholm discusses the significance and challenges posed by cyanobacteria with limnologist Mindy Morales-Williams.
School nutrition professionals in Vermont can register for a free ServSafe class scheduled for June 20 at Brattleboro Union High School. The registration deadline is June 13, though seats are limited.
The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets is inviting students in grades K-4 to participate in an agriculture-themed coloring contest for the 2025-2026 school year. Submissions are due by November 3, 2025.
Winners of the Vermont Youth Book Awards have been announced by the Vermont Department of Libraries. The Red Clover Book Award went to “Who’s Afraid of the Light?” by Anna McGregor, while “Lasagna Means I Love You” by Kate O'Shaughnessy received the Vermont Golden Dome Book Award. Darcy Coates' “Where He Can't Find You” won the Green Mountain Book Award.
The Agency of Education (AOE) will transition its educator licensing process to new software this summer. The Vermont Licensing System for Educators (VLSE) is expected to go live in July, replacing the current ALiS system after a brief blackout period starting July 1.
Licensed educators are invited to join AOE’s Peer Review program as panelists, with applications due by June 15.
The BEST Project's draft professional development calendar for 2025-2026 is now available, offering learning opportunities related to student support systems beginning in August.
In addition, resources have been developed to assist schools with facilities management and compliance with legal requirements like Capital Improvement Plans and Operations Manuals.
Applications for IDEA Basic and IDEA 619 grants are open until June 30 through the Grant Management System account.
New proficiency-based learning hierarchies have been released for health education across various grade spans as part of implementing national standards adopted by Vermont’s State Board of Education.
Similarly, new physical education proficiency-based learning hierarchies support recently adopted national standards across different grade levels. Training sessions on these standards will be held regionally on August 13-15 at various schools in Vermont.
School Behavioral Threat Assessment team office hours will pause on June 26 but resume later in August. Current and prospective team members can attend these sessions twice weekly until then.
Lastly, resources related to maintaining indoor air quality within schools have been made available by the Health Department, including a fact sheet titled "Breathe Easy, Choose Fragrance Free," which addresses concerns about fragrances triggering asthma or other health issues in schools.
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