Tuesday, October 24, 2023
Welcome to the ConnectEd Bulletin Board!
This is the place to find opportunities for further professional development, grant and awards opportunities, and much more!
PBS Wisconsin Education adds three new resources to popular collections
Robotics Grant Application Process Open For 2023-24 Cycle
Lights on Afterschool
Updated Bullying Prevention Toolkit Available
Educational Equity Network Leadership Series
Virtual Workshop for Teachers of Native American Indian Languages
Nominate an Outstanding WI Mathematics or Science Teacher Today!
Design a Civics Game for Fun and Prizes!
News from Around the State
PBS Wisconsin Education adds three new resources to popular collections
PBS Wisconsin Education’s resource collections continue to expand with a new addition to Meet the Lab and two new music culture-bearers added to the Re/sound: Songs of Wisconsin collection.
Meet the Lab connects middle-grade learners to relevant real-world issues, cutting-edge research, and the human element: people working together to research, innovate, and solve problems using science. The new lab, “Climate Trackers: Superpowered by Ecometeorology”, introduces students to scientists who collect and share data about the earth’s land and air to help inform decisions for our changing climate.
The Re/sound: Songs of Wisconsin collection explores the connections between music, identities, cultures, and emotions, introducing educators and learners to Wisconsin musicians from distinct cultural groups through a musical composition and videos discussing their art, culture, and identity. Marcya Daneille, a jazz vocalist based in Milwaukee, joins the collection alongside Kellen “Klassik” Abston, who produces electro-soul-infused hip-hop music.
Robotics Grant Application Process Open For 2023-24 Cycle
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has posted application details for this grant opportunity to the robotics website. Grant applications are due Nov. 1, 2023. Teams can apply for up to $6,000 in grant funding! A direct link to the grant application is can be found on the DPI's website.
Lights on Afterschool
Lights On Afterschool is a day of celebration for out-of-school time (OST) programs across the nation. Lights On Afterschool will be celebrated in over 8,000 communities by over 1 million people on Oct. 26, 2023! The Wisconsin DPI implements the federal 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) funding and Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) III out-of-school time (OST) grants. The two grants fund 213 OST programs in Wisconsin, providing meaningful access to students to improve their academic achievement, build on their interests and strengths to explore new learning concepts, build strong and healthy relationships, and engage in leadership activities in the school and community. Visit the Wisconsin Afterschool Network website or the Afterschool Alliance website for more information.
Updated Bullying Prevention Toolkit Available
October is National Bullying Prevention Month
It is essential that schools work to prevent and respond to bullying throughout the year to create safe, inclusive, and welcoming school climates. According to the 2021 Wisconsin Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 18 percent of Wisconsin high school students report being bullied on school property in the past year, and over 16 percent of Wisconsin high school students report being cyberbullied. Female and LGBTQ+ students are at especially high risk of experiencing both school-based and cyberbullying. The DPI’s Bullying Prevention Toolkit serves as a resource for schools to implement and strengthen their comprehensive approach to bullying prevention and response. The toolkit provides guidance for bullying prevention practices including:
- Educating students, staff, and caregivers about bullying
- Establishing a bullying prevention task force
- Creating a bullying prevention action plan that can be integrated into existing multilevel systems of support
- Guidance for bullying response protocols including reporting, investigation, and decision-making procedures
- Letters, fillable forms, and caregiver resources.
Educational Equity Network Announces Leadership Series
The Educational Equity Network invites all Wisconsin educators to continue deepening their equity work by attending the 2023-2024 Educational Equity Leadership Series. This unique series was designed to increase educators' capacity for co-creating belonging in all learning spaces. The first of four all-day learning events will take place online on Oct. 26th, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. To learn about the full slate of presenters and to sign up to attend, visit the Educational Equity Network's Fall Institute Page.
Virtual Workshop for Teachers of Native American Indian Languages on Assessing Language Proficiency Levels
The Wisconsin DPI and the Minnesota Department of Education are partnering to offer training on language proficiency levels, based on the ACTFL proficiency scale. This language proficiency training is for teachers of Native American Indian languages and adult speakers involved in supporting Indigenous language learning. The training, provided by ACTFL (a national association of professional language educators), will focus on language proficiency levels and strategies for growing and assessing students’ language proficiency over time.
This virtual workshop is free and scheduled for the mornings of Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, 2023. Registrants are required to attend both days from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Review the workshop summary and register by Oct. 27, 2023.
Nominate an Outstanding WI Mathematics or Science Teacher Today!
Calling all elementary teachers who love mathematics and science! The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) are the highest honors bestowed by the United States government specifically for mathematics or science teaching. The award recognizes those teachers who use their deep content knowledge and pedagogical skills to support and leverage students’ strengths to be successful in learning mathematics or science. Nominations are now open for the K-6 cycle of these awards with applications due in February 2024. Learn more about this White House-sponsored award, administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) by visiting the PAEMST website. Mentors and other supports are available for Wisconsin applicants. Have questions? Please contact Julie Bormett for math, or Kevin Anderson for science
Design a Civics Game for Fun and Prizes!
The Library of Congress is sponsoring a challenge to help improve public knowledge of civics – that is, the rights and responsibilities of citizens – by asking video game developers to create fun, lightweight video games related to civics that incorporate Library of Congress resources. The Library will award cash prizes to the winners and the games will be hosted on the Library's site for use by the public. The deadline for entries is Nov. 27, 2023. Additional details on the rules and information on how to enter are available on this website.
State-funded driver's education could return to Wisconsin via Wisconsin Public Radio
The state Assembly has already approved a bipartisan bill that would provide up to $400 in grants for low-income families to pay for drivers' education. The Senate will hold a public hearing on the proposal Tuesday.
Scoring big: Appleton's adapted sports league changing lives and building community via NBC 26 – Green Bay
The Appleton Area School District's adapted sports league has come a long way since its announcement in the summer. Coaches tell us the league promotes community building, and that for many players, it’s the first time they’ve participated in an organized sport.
Farm to School program growing in Howard / Suamico via WFRV – Green Bay
AmeriCorps is a national service program that engages over 80,000 members in service each year to solve pressing national problems through direct service and by mobilizing millions of volunteers for the organizations they serve.