Articles of Interest
911 tracking/mapping system to spread to all Wise County schools | News | timesnews.net
SCPS drops word ‘honors’ from Gifted Local Plan – The Tidewater News
Stafford schools wrapping up testing of all water fountains
False threats barrage schools in Virginia and beyond
Forum aims to ’empower’ Virginia parents
VDOE Updates
HQWBL Web Page and Resources
The new CTE Resource Center High Quality Work-Based Learning (HQWBL) web page is now available. It includes resources for marketing HQWBL to parents, students, and communities. Connect with any Regional Work-Based Learning Specialist for more information or assistance with your HQWBL program.
New 2022 HQWBL Guide Available for Download
The Regional Work-Based Learning Specialist Team is excited to announce the new 2022 High-Quality Work-Based Learning Guide is available to all WBL stakeholders. Download the Word version of the 2022 HQWBL Guide and click here to access a recording of the HQWBL Guide updates.
Canvas’s Training Services Portal Weekly Sessions
Educators can participate in training each week via Canvas’s Training Services Portal. To find any of the sessions listed below, first make sure you are logged into your Canvas account. The upcoming hour-long sessions are appropriate for Division and School Leaders, Statewide LMS Admin, Instructors, and Support.
10/13 at 5:00 p.m.: Canvas Mobile Apps: Supporting Students
10/14 at 9:00 a.m.: Outcomes & Rubrics for Instructors
10/17 at 5:00 p.m.: Exploring the Canvas Commons
10/19 at 3:30 p.m.: Family Engagement & Support in Canvas-Supporting Students & Families through Mobile Apps (Register for this webinar)
10/20 at 10:30am.: Training Your Faculty and Staff
Jamestown-Yorktown Free Virtual Workshop
The Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation is offering a free virtual workshop on October 18, at 7 p.m. that explores how Indigenous peoples of the Powhatan paramount chiefdom lived in their homeland, Tsenacommacah. This workshop will help teachers connect the history of the Powhatan paramount chiefdom to the lives of Virginia Indian peoples today. Register or find out more information today!
Ed. Department Updates
STEM EDUCATION FOR ALL
On October 12, at the STEMconnector and Million Women Mentors Summit, Deputy Secretary of Education Cindy Marten launched the Department’s “YOU Belong in STEM” initiative, a commitment to galvanize and support the broad science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education eco-system to implement and scale excellent and equitable STEM education for all young people — from pre-K to higher education — while promoting positive conditions for STEM learning and development that improve student outcomes. The agency is also committed to supporting states, districts, and schools in diversifying and retaining high-quality STEM educators over the next 20 years. “With the YOU Belong in STEM initiative, we will work not only to redesign systems and learning spaces so students get the well-rounded education they need, we will also rewrite the long-standing narratives about who belongs in STEM learning and careers,” the Deputy Secretary asserted. “These narratives have, over generations, left out millions of girls and young women, students of color, students living in poverty, students with disabilities, Native American and Alaska Native students, and other marginalized students. Every student, no matter their background or zip code, has a right to meet and exceed their potential for learning and thriving in the classroom.”
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS
The Department is soliciting applications for two grant programs, totaling $280 million, to increase access to mental health services for students and young adults funded through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) and Fiscal Year 2022 omnibus appropriations. The BSCA provides historic funding to help meet President Biden’s goal of doubling the number of school-based mental health professionals and addressing the nation’s mental health crisis. This is the first of $1 billion in BSCA funding that the agency will award over the next five years for this purpose (press release).
The first program, School-Based Mental Health Services, awards grants to states and school districts to increase the number of credentialed school-based mental health professionals. There is $144 million available each year for five years, with an average award size of $1.75 million. The agency estimates making up to 150 awards.
The second program, Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration grants, supports innovative partnerships in high-need districts to boost the mental health profession pipeline. There is $143 million available each year for five years, with an average award size of $800,000. The agency expects to make 250 awards. Coinciding with this announcement, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded nearly $27 million to expand and improve mental health care for children and adolescents (press release).
