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Tags: opportunities

Last Call! I, Too, Am the Dream Contest

The first ever I, Too, Am the Dream Contest seeks to engage high school seniors in describing dynamic stories that have propelled themselves and others to pursue and achieve their American Dream. Students may submit an essay, poem, spoken word, or short story for an opportunity to win $5,000 toward achieving their dreams. Submission deadline is September 14.

 

 

Last Call! Registration is now open for AASB’s Virtual Fall Boardsmanship Academy    

The Association of Alaska School Boards is working hard to put together a fantastic virtual academy for school districts. All sessions will be related to issues that school districts are grappling with, and there will be ample opportunities to share and learn from other districts. The conference will take place September 19-20.

 

 

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NEW! Dr. Fauci Helps Students Understand Coronavirus and Safety

Talking to children about COVID-19 may have just gotten a little easier. In the latest kid-friendly pandemic video published by BrainPOP, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious  Diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci, explains to students of all ages the role they can play in controlling the spread of coronavirus.

 

 

NEW! Alaska Staff Development Network Upcoming Fall Webinar Series

We are in a new place this school year, and ASDN’s fall webinar series will address focusing on the most important instructional goals, ideas for teaching in person and online, and strategies for clearly communicating with families and supporting engagement during blended or online instruction.

 

 

NEW! The Alaska Staff Development Network Fall 2020 Catalog is Out!

In it you will find details of all ASDN's online courses, webinars, conferences and institutes available to you. ASDN currently offers 75 high-quality online courses, including courses that meet the DEED certification requirements in multi-cultural education and Alaska Studies. 

 

 

NEW! Scholarship Program Seeking Alaska’s Top Youth Volunteers

In this time of disruption due to COVID-19, it’s more important than ever to celebrate young people making a difference through volunteer service. Prudential Financial and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) are calling on Alaska youth volunteers to apply for scholarships and national recognition through The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. Applications are due November 10.

 

 

NEW! Smithsonian Center Distance Learning Resources

During this challenging back to school season, Smithsonian is committed to supporting teachers, students and caregivers through free, quality resources from the Smithsonian Education team. Resources focus on pre-K through 12 education and include lesson plans tied to national learning standards and a variety of low-tech and no-tech solutions. There are also Spanish/English learning resources that touch all subject areas.

 

 

NEW! Notice of Request for Information on STEM Education

On behalf of the National Science and Technology Council's Committee on STEM Education and in coordination with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the National Science Foundation requests input related to the implementation of the Federal STEM Education Strategic Plan, Charting a Course For Success: America's Strategy for STEM Education. Comments must be submitted by October 19.

 

 

NEW! Public Health Webinar Series – Play Every Day

The State’s Section of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion continues its webinar series at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, September 15. The webinar will focus on how Alaska's Play Every Day campaign pivoted to address the pandemic. The ongoing campaign shares new videos and materials focused on the importance of staying active right now for physical and mental health.

 

 

NEW! Alaskan Educators – Encourage Your Students to Check their Voter Status

The League of Women Voters of Alaska invites all Alaskan educators to alert students who are 18 years old or who will be 18 before or on the General Election day, November 3rd, to check their voter registration. To check voting status, visit: https://myvoterinformation.alaska.gov/. Encourage students to inform themselves with the information on candidates and ballot issues.

 

 

NEW! EdPalooza – Ignite Ideas, Inspire Change, Transform Education

Leveraging the power of technology, EdPalooza will be the largest virtual convening of its kind, with three days of visionary keynotes plus a “palooza” of interactive learning sessions, engaging discussions and action-oriented workshops. Watch for agenda details and highlights in the coming weeks, with registration opening in October. The conference will take place December 1-3.

 

 

NEW! Healthier Generation: COVID-19 and Back-to-School Resources

For nearly every school and family, the back-to-school season looks and feels very different this year. Healthier Generation provides a selection of free, evidence-based resources designed to support you and your students or children in reducing stress, eating healthy, moving regularly, getting quality sleep, and more, whether school is taking place in-person or virtually.

 

 

NEW! Secretary DeVos Extends Student Loan Relief to Borrowers through End of Year

Acting on President Donald J. Trump's Presidential Memorandum signed August 8, 2020, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos today directed Federal Student Aid (FSA) to extend the student loan relief to borrowers initiated by the President and Secretary in March 2020 through December 31, 2020.

 

 

NEW! Institutional Resilience and Expanded Postsecondary Opportunity Grants Program

The Institutional Resilience and Expanded Postsecondary Opportunity (IREPO) program is designed to help institutions of higher education emerge from the pandemic more resilient and better able to expand educational opportunities for students. This program gives priority to those applicants who plan to expand opportunities to students who live or attend high school in an Opportunity Zone or rural community. Application deadline is October 20.

 

NEW! Project ECHO – Call for Presenters!

Alaska Education Network – Project ECHO Sessions begin in October. They are currently seeking presenters and problem of practice submissions from educators throughout the state. The networks this year are Educational Leadership; Positive Behavior, Safety, and Well-Being; and Instructional Development. All are in need of presenters. For more information or to submit a proposal, please visit www.echoeducationak.com.

 

 

Reminder:

 

Alaska’s COVID-19 ECHO Informational Sessions

Keep informed about COVID-19 in Alaska with DHSS, the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development (DEED) and Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) through the UAA Center for Human Development. These videoconferences create virtual learning communities by connecting Alaska’s COVID-19 experts with specific audiences on specific topics.

Wednesdays at 10:30-11:30 am.

 

 

Sealaska Heritage Institute Hosts Culturally-Responsive Education Lecture Series

Sealaska Heritage Institute is sponsoring a free weekly lecture series in September to acquaint the public with culturally-responsive education in Southeast Alaska and delve into the educational system as perceived through the Native world view.

 

 

USDA Extends Free Meals for Kids Through December 31, 2020

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will extend several flexibilities through as late as December 31, 2020. The flexibilities allow summer meal program operators to continue serving free meals to all children into the fall months. This unprecedented move will help ensure – no matter what the situation is on-the-ground – children have access to nutritious food as the country recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic

 

 

Awareness Materials on Family and Youth Homelessness

As a result of the pandemic, and without the usual methods of outreach and identification, many families and youth experiencing homelessness may be even more disconnected from school and early childhood programs. The SchoolHouse Connection created PSAs and a social media toolkit to help raise awareness and provide information around educational rights. 

 

 

UAS Education Grad Awarded Grant from the NEA

University of Alaska Southeast education graduate Robyn Capp has been awarded a $5,000 grant from the National Education Association Foundation for her project on COVID-19 Rapid Response. The program goal is to support educator-led initiatives that increase educational equity and opportunity in response to student needs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

 

Virtual Anchorage College and Career Fair

Given the cancellation of in-person college fairs in Alaska, UAA is partnering with StriveScan to produce a virtual program for all Alaska students this fall. With support from the school districts and communities across the state, all organizations who typically participate in the Alaska college fair circuit are encouraged to participate. Student registration opens September 28, the virtual Fair will take place October 13-14.

 

 

Latest COVID-19 Response Resources from the REL Program

In response to COVID-19, the 10 Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs) have collaborated to produce a series of evidence-based resources and information about teaching and learning in a remote environment, as well as other considerations brought by the pandemic.

Supporting Children’s Reading at Home: Family Resources for Kindergarten through 3rd Grade
Three Steps for Using Culturally Responsive Practices to Support Equity During Remote Learning

 

 

Healthy Futures Challenge

Some schools are starting online, while others are starting in person. When students are not in school, they miss opportunities for daily movement that recess and in-person physical education class provide. The free Healthy Futures program challenges students to be active and record their activity for a chance to be awarded with fun incentives. The challenge runs September 1 – November 30.

 

 

Employability Skills for Success is Available Online

Over the summer, Alaska Safety Alliance partnered with the University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Management and eCampus Alaska Advantage Program to develop an online course based on their YES! Employability Skills Program. This course can help students stand out from the crowd with the skills Alaska employers are looking for. The one-credit Employability Skills for Success online course is open for secondary and postsecondary students to enroll through the end of this week.

 

 

Transition Guide to Postsecondary Education and Employment for Students and Youth with Disabilities

The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) is pleased to publish an updated Transition Guide to Postsecondary Education and Employment for Students and Youth with Disabilities (August, 2020), to advance our efforts in ensuring that all students and youth with disabilities are equipped with the skills and knowledge to achieve their post-school and career goals.

 

 

Save These Dates for the Association of Alaska School Boards!

  • Virtual AASB 67th Annual Conference – November 6-8
  • Virtual AASB Maintenance Conference – October 7-8

 

 

AASB Call for Resolutions

Attention all Board Presidents, Superintendents, and Board Secretaries! The Alaska Association of School Boards is soliciting resolutions, resolution amendments, and comments from local school boards for consideration by the 2020 Resolutions Committee. Resolutions are due to AASB Tuesday, October 6.

 

 

Local Museums Snag Federal, State Grant Dollars

Regional museums are reeling from closures and the loss of ticket revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic. Upper Lynn Canal institutions received some federal and state relief dollars to soften the blow.

 

 

Learning Computer Science While Schools are Closed

Code.org want to support teachers, students, and families while students are learning from home. They’re offering resources for parents and teachers. Plus, options for smartphones for anyone who doesn’t have a computer at home.

 

 

Alaska Staff Development Network Shares Code.org Regional Partner Impact Report

ASDN is thrilled to report that it nearly doubled their goal for providing professional development on the highly rated, proven Code.org computer science curriculum to Alaskan educators. This means that 3,615 new students will have access to computer science curriculum to advance their skills!

 

 

Free Virtual Author Visits

Author J. Scott Savage is offering free virtual author visits this year. Savage, author of nineteen novels including the Farworld middle grade fantasy series, The Case File 13 middle grade horror series, the Mysteries of Cove steampunk dragon series, and The Lost Wonderland Diaries, will be hosting virtual assemblies starting in September. Spots fill up fast, so interested parties should contact Jennifer Aspley at events@jscottsavage.com.

 

 

U.S. Department of Education Launches Space Mission Challenge

The U.S. Department of Education launched CTE Mission: CubeSat, a national challenge to inspire students to build technical skills for careers in space and beyond. High school students from across the country are invited to design and build CubeSat (cube satellite) prototypes, or satellites that aid in space research, bringing space missions out of the clouds and into the classroom. Interested schools should form a team and submit a mission proposal by October 16.

 

 

Statistics in Schools for the New School Year

As the 2020-2021 school year gets underway, the U.S. Census Bureau’s Statistics in Schools (SIS) program is here to support educators, parents, and caregivers with easy-to-use resources for classroom lessons or at-home learning.  Using these resources, you can empower students to learn how the once-in-a-decade count impacts and shapes their communities.

 

 

Meet-a-German Speaker Opportunity

Meet-a-German offers American schools the wonderful opportunity to have a native speaker or someone with first-hand experience of German culture join their classroom. It also provides speakers with the chance to connect with local communities and to contribute to international understanding.

To mitigate the spread of COVID-19, this year all Meet-a-German events will take place online via video conferencing platforms.

 

 

Hero Elementary

This summer, a new children’s show funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Ready to Learn Television program debuted on PBS.  “Hero Elementary” is about a school for up-and-coming superheroes, where students learn to master such powers as flying and teleportation while exploring science along the way.  The series -- watch a preview episode available on YouTube -- pushes children ages 4 to 7 to think like scientists to solve problems and touches upon social issues like kindness and empathy.

 

 

USDA Approves Program to Feed Kids in Alaska

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced Alaska has been approved to operate Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer, a new program authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, signed by President Trump, which provides assistance to families of children eligible for free or reduced-price meals dealing with school closures. 

 

 

COVID-19 and Early Care and Education: Considerations Before Reopening

Explore the latest research- and science-informed resources and practices for caring for children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Early care and education directors and staff, and training and technical assistance staff, can use this tool as a guide to prepare programs to reopen.

 

 

UAS Coaching/Mentoring New Teachers Flyer Fall 2020

This course will provide opportunities to explore and apply effective coaching/mentoring practices including: creating coaching plans, using effective language stems for coaching conversations, and direct practice in coaching experiences. Offered through the University of Alaska Southeast. Alaska College of Education will pay tuition for any current host teacher. For more information contact Lisa Richardson or Beth Hartley.

 

 

Physical Activity During the Pandemic: Recess and Activity in Schools

As schools use Alaska’s Smart Start 2020 Framework to create these new models for learning, finding different ways to support students’ and staff’s physical, mental, and social-emotional health is more important than ever. Participating in physical activities can improve all of these types of health.

 

 

USDA Ensures Food, Funding During Pandemic

This is a challenging time for many Americans when access to food is more essential than ever. Thankfully, USDA’s vital partners are helping feed those in need during the coronavirus pandemic. And for that, we couldn’t be more grateful. To support these important efforts, USDA is stepping up to provide over $6 billion worth of food and administrative resources in response to the crisis.

 

 

Guidance for Assessing Cardiac Issues in High School Student-Athletes with COVID-19 Infection

An expert medical task force appointed by the National Federation of State High School Associations and the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine has issued guidance for assessing potential cardiac issues in high school student-athletes with COVID-19 infection.

 

 

US ED Launches Competition to Advance Student-Centered Technology Education

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced a challenge to advance high-quality technology instruction in rural communities. The Rural Tech Project, with a total cash prize pool of $600,000, invites high schools and local educational agencies to develop competency-based, distance learning programs that enable students to master skills at their own pace with the goal of preparing them for the well-paying, in-demand jobs of today and tomorrow. Proposals are due October 8.

 

 

Families Can Make Playground Visits Safer During the Pandemic

After months of closing or being too snow-covered to use, playgrounds at schools and public parks reopened in most communities for the summer. Families are definitely returning to play. Parks departments across Alaska are putting in extra time to clean playgrounds. Even so, you can help set expectations for your family to prevent the spread of illness.

 

 

Secretary DeVos Issues Rule to Ensure CARES Act Funding Serves All Students

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos issued a rule that would help to ensure all students whose learning was impacted by COVID-19 are served equitably by emergency funding authorized by the CARES Act, no matter where they attend school.  The Interim Final Rule, which becomes effective immediately, outlines how local education agencies must calculate the emergency funds available for providing equitable services to students and teachers in private schools.

 

 

AASL Partners with StoryCorps to Launch StoryCorps Connect

The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) is partnering with StoryCorps to launch StoryCorps Connect. The new free platform allows Americans to conduct and record StoryCorps interviews remotely. AASL encourages school librarians to utilize the technology to support learners in connecting with others amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and, in the process, to contribute to the creation of a unique first-person historical record of this unprecedented crisis.

 

 

How Do We Read? Let’s Count the Ways

This report analyzes data from the 2017 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts (SPPA), which the National Endowment for the Arts conducted in partnership with the U.S. Census Bureau. It gives a statistical overview of how the nation’s adults engage with leisure reading and other literary activities, such as author readings, book clubs, and creative writing.

 

 

Ilisagvik College Type M CTE Teacher Prep Program

The CTE Teacher Preparation Pilot Program at Ilisagvik Colllege will help Type M teachers build upon career knowledge and combine educational practices and theories to support confident, effective classroom leaders. Ilisagvik College just released its fall course offerings. Contact Arth Brown for more information.

  • ED 194 82B – CTE: School Law, Regulations, & Compliance (starts 9/28)
  • ED 199 80B – CTE Practicum (starts 11/2)

 

 

Online Story Circles for Educators and Community Members

Educator Story Circles are opportunities for small groups of people (educators and engaged community members) to gather together to listen and share thoughts and stories related to a common theme. No preparation is necessary, and each participant has the option to share or simply listen to others. Story Circles aren’t about performing. Rather, the purpose is to listen and connect. Participants who want to lead Story Circles with their own students or community members will have access to a free toolkit and will be eligible for a $200 stipend from the Alaska Humanities Forum.

 

 

Ready to Read Alaska

Ready to Read Alaska is a statewide initiative for families and caregivers of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers in Alaska. The program’s mission is to promote early literacy development in Alaska’s young children to create the foundations needed for when a child begins to learn to read. Ready to Read is posting training videos on YouTube, and literacy tips, book recommendations, crafts, and activities on Instagram.