Tuesday, January 30, 2024
Welcome to the ConnectEd Bulletin Board!
This is the place to find opportunities for further professional development, grant and awards opportunities, and much more!
Quick Navigation Links
Wisconsin Wayfinder: Children's Resource Network Updated Resources
WI School Counselors: Standard-Setting!
WEOP Precollege Fair February 10, 2024
2024 Promoting Early Childhood Conference
Educators' Appreciation Celebration Night with the Milwaukee Bucks
2024 Play Make Learn Conference Call for Proposals
Take the DPI Strategic Planning Survey and Attend a Community Engagement Session!
Internship Applications Open for the DPI's State of Wisconsin Student Diversity Internship Program (SWSDIP)
New FAFSA Form Is Here!
News from Around the State
Wisconsin Wayfinder: Children’s Resource Network Updated Resources
Wisconsin Wayfinder now has videos and brochures that can be shared with families at IEP meetings, email lists, parent resource areas in schools, and school and district webpages. The DPI will continue to share additional resources as the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) develops them.
Video Links to Share with Families:
Brochures to Share with Families:
- Wisconsin Wayfinder Brochure English
- Wisconsin Wayfinder Brochure Spanish
- Wisconsin Wayfinder Brochure Hmong
Wisconsin Wayfinder provides a statewide user-friendly website and toll-free number, 877-WiscWay (877-947-2929), to provide families with convenient, direct access to compassionate and knowledgeable children’s resource guides. Please share the toll free number (877-WiscWay) and these resources and much more that you can find on the Wisconsin Wayfinder website with families in your schools, districts, and communities. Below are two additional resources that may help case managers, IEP team LEA representatives, and other educators talk about Wisconsin Wayfinder with families who have children with disabilities.
As educators in Wisconsin schools, you have incredible access to providing families with timely and relevant information.
WI School Counselors: Standard-Setting!
National School Counseling Week kicks off the month of February (Feb. 5-9) with a focus on the significant contributions that school counselors make in their schools and communities. The 2024 theme is School Counseling: Standards-Based, Student Focused. This focus punctuates the impact school counselors make by utilizing standards for academic, social emotional, and career development, while simultaneously ensuring a whole-child focus. Wisconsin school counselors set high standards for themselves and their professional peers, being dedicated to fulfilling Wisconsin’s Constitution through state statute 121.02(1) where Wisconsin administrative rule PI 8.01(2)(e) mandates that each school district board has an approved program for the delivery of guidance and counseling services to all pupils enrolled in the district that is planned and provided by licensed school counselors. School counselors live this standard, ensuring the Constitution’s goal that all students in Wisconsin have access to a high-quality education, with opportunities and services regardless of where they live. School counselors are honored to be stewards and recognize, advocate for, and implement school counseling programs that ensure a high-quality education for each and every student in Wisconsin.
Likewise, each and every school counselor in schools across Wisconsin is making a difference for students, families, educators, schools, communities, and education. As National School Counseling Week unfolds, we have gratitude for the lofty standards that Wisconsin school counselors have set and relentlessly pursue. State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly proclaims Feb. 5th - 9th as National School Counseling Week and we extend a heartfelt thank you to Wisconsin School Counselors for all you do. You are appreciated!
WEOP Precollege Fair February 10, 2024
Marquette University Monaghan Grand Ballroom, 1442 West Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, 9am-2pm.
Students, families, educators, and education stakeholders who are interested in learning about various precollege programs offered throughout the state should plan on attending! You'll have the opportunity to talk with representatives from Wisconsin colleges, universities, community partners, and other organizations about the many opportunities they offer students in preparation for college and career readiness.
For more information on this free event and to register to attend, visit the event webpage.
2024 Promoting Early Childhood Conference
Promoting Early Childhood Conference (PEC) is an early childhood collaborative event sponsored by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction in partnership with the Wisconsin Early Childhood Collaborating Partners (WECCP). The conference will be taking place March 5-7, 2024.
Who Should Attend? Early childhood leaders from schools, child care, Head Start, home visiting, environmental education and other related programs and services such as: principals, 4K coordinators, special education directors, program support teachers, school board members, child care directors, Head Start directors and coordinators, professional development trainers, community teams, Early Childhood faculty at two- and four-year colleges. For more information, check out the Promoting Early Childhood Conference web page on the DPI's website.
Educators' Appreciation Celebration Night with the Milwaukee Bucks
The first 300 who purchase a ticket through the link will receive a Bucks <3 Educators Laptop sticker! PLUS, bring your teacher ID and receive 10% off in the Bucks Pro Shop the night of the game!
For information and tickets, visit the Educators' Appreciation Celebration page on the Bucks website.
2024 Play Make Learn Conference Call for Proposals
You are invited to submit a proposal to present at the 2024 Play Make Learn Conference (PML)! The conference is a place for collaboration and discovery in the design, research and practice of playful learning, games for learning and positive social impact, making and makerspaces, STEAM education, and arts in education. PML creates an inspirational space for preK-12 educators, designers, developers, innovators, librarians, museum professionals, makers, and researchers to tinker together, share knowledge, and celebrate one another’s work. Find out more on the event webpage.
Take the DPI's Strategic Planning Survey and Attend a Community Engagement Session!
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction is currently engaged in the creation of a five-year strategic plan. The strategic plan aims to align the work of the agency and the needs of all learners in our schools and libraries. Our strategic planning process features three phases culminating in a strategic plan in fall 2024. Community Engagement Sessions are coming up through the end of February in Dodgeville, DeForest, Janesville, and also online. View dates and locations on the DPI's website, and RSVP to attend an upcoming session!
Take the DPI Strategic Planning survey now!
Attend a Strategic Planning Community Engagement Session
Learn more about the DPI's Strategic Planning Process
Internship Applications Open for the DPI's State of Wisconsin Student Diversity Internship Program (SWSDIP)
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction is currently seeking applicants for the State of Wisconsin Student Diversity Internship Program (SWSDIP). Interested people must be at least 18 years of age by May 22, 2024 and living in Wisconsin during the internship program. Candidates must be enrolled in, recently graduated (2022/2023) from, or planning to attend (2023/2024) a 2-year, 4-year, or graduate school.
The goal of this internship program is to connect people from culturally diverse groups with various lived experiences to state government. Our hope is that this internship will provide interns with a snapshot of what working at DPI is like, so they are excited to explore a career here. More information about this internship program can be found here.
Interested individuals may apply online by 11:59 pm on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024, through Wisc.Jobs.
Show this video to your students and share on social media!
To apply for a position, the applicant must enter the job code:
- Position 255101: Equity and Inclusion Human Resources Generalist (Human Resources Team)
- Position 255102: Communication and Research Intern (Special Education Team)
- Position 255103: Homeless Children & Youth Education Intern (Title I and School Support Team)
- Position 255104: Media Relations and Speechwriting Intern (Education Information Services Team)
- Position 255105: Family Youth & Community Engagement Consultant (Operations Partnerships and Innovation Team)
New FAFSA Form is here!
The new FASFA form is here, and the US Department of Education has resources available to help you understand the changes, and additional resources and updated information will be coming soon. Updated information is also available on the DPI's school counseling FAFSA information page. For a roundup of all the biggest changes, check out this article from NerdWallet! For tips on how to fill out the new FAFSA, this article is a great resource.
DPI awarded $1.5M grant to advance career and technical education across state, partner with workforce
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction today announced it has been awarded a $1.475 million per year federal grant to aid public schools in improving and modernizing career and technical education, in addition to ensuring workforce skills taught in programming align with labor market needs. The grant will be funded for three years with the potential for two additional years.
Doing what is best for our kids and our state
A statement by State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly on Governor Tony Evers’ State of the State Address. "Our state has the resources to also now more robustly fund public education, and I renew my call for the legislature to use a portion of our state’s $7 billion surplus to strengthen the future of our state by investing in public schools, starting with increasing the special education reimbursement rate."
Summer Food Service Program seeking sponsors to provide healthy meals to children
Program offers meals to children and teens in low-income and rural areas during summer months.
We want to hear from you. Take the DPI's Strategic Planning survey!