7. Upcoming LearnLaunch Building Blocks Workshops:
Beyond Screens: Using Zoom to Deepen Engagement will guide district leaders, school leaders, and teachers through actionable tips for using Zoom to deepen engagement. The workshop is fast-paced and practical; participants will leave with strategies to implement immediately. The workshop will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 9. Register here and explore the Engage Learners Building Block tool.
Relationship Mapping to Support Social Emotional Well-Being will guide district and school leaders through research that supports relationship mapping for social emotional health, and then a peer principal, Chris Dodge from Orange Public Schools, will guide participants through a process to implement this practice. The workshop will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 10. Register here and explore the Include Social-Emotional Learning Building Block tool.
Cultivating a Culture of Caring guides educators through strategies for building 1:1 relationships, student community, and communication channels to create a culture of care in remote, hybrid, or in-person models. This workshop will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 16. Register here and explore the Engage Learners Building Block tool.
Powerful Learning Experiences (new) will help school and district leaders cultivate deeper learning in classrooms through voice and choice, purposeful work, and meaningful assignments. Work with peers to transfer practices from in-person to remote learning and vice-versa. These workshops will be held on at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 18; 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 23; and 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 25. Register for one of the workshops here and explore the Engage Learners Building Block tool.
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8. ASOST Competitive Grant Opportunity and Info Session:
The Department recently released the Afterschool and Out-of-School Time Quality Enhancements (ASOST-Q) grant opportunity (fund code 530) for spring and summer 2021 programming. The goal of this state-funded, competitive grant program is to enhance ASOST programs to improve the academic, physical, social, and emotional wellness of school-age youth. The grant is open to before-school, after-school, vacation, and summer programming, as well as extensions to remote learning enrichment center/program hours beyond school time.
Applications are due Tuesday, February 23. The Department will host a grant information session from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, February 10 via Zoom. Registration is open online.
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9. Info Session for New 21st CCLC Sites:
The Department will host a virtual information session from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Friday February 12 for anyone interested in applying for an FY22 FC647 MA 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) Supporting Additional Learning Time Grant for new schools/sites. The session will provide information and timelines to help interested applicants prepare to write their application.
This federally-funded competitive grant program is intended to help high need schools, districts, and communities implement additional learning time during out-of-school time (OST) or as part of a longer school day or year (extended learning time, or ELT). For more information, see the online registration form or email karyl.a.resnick@mass.gov.
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10. Digital Literacy Now Grant:
The Digital Literacy Now Grant is available to help districts add or expand their digital literacy and computer science offerings. Through this grant, district teams of district administrators, school leaders, and educators will engage in an in-depth, facilitated process to develop a K-12 digital literacy and computer science plan for their district and start implementation in the middle grades (6–8). Districts will select middle grades curriculum for SY2021 and complete digital literacy and computer science professional development. Proposals are due Friday, February 19.
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11. DLCS Student Learning Devices Grant:
The Department is offering the Digital Literacy and Computer Science (DLCS) Student Learning Devices grant to help districts purchase student learning devices used in digital literacy and computer science classes to teach programming. The devices can include tablets, circuit boards, and robots. The maximum purchase is $2,000 per teacher. More information is available online, and proposals are due Friday, February 19.
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12. Civics Curriculum Teacher Advisor Application Open:
In order to expand access to quality civics curricular materials for the new Grade 8 civics course, DESE and the Rennie Center are convening a panel of civics curriculum teacher advisors. Panelists will meet to review evidence of curricular materials’ alignment to Massachusetts content and practice standards, cultural responsiveness, and usability. This is an opportunity to make a positive impact across the Commonwealth while connecting with peers from other districts and deepening knowledge about quality curriculum. Panel meetings will take place from March to June, and teacher advisors will receive a $1,000 stipend for the successful completion of the advisory panel. Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis until Wednesday, February 24.
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13. Moving to College Housing Scholarship:
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is partnering with the Department of Higher Education, the Department of Housing and Community Development, and the Governor’s Commission on Unaccompanied Homeless Youth to offer college housing scholarships for homeless students. The new Moving to College Housing Scholarship, funded by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, will provide year-round, on-campus housing, as well as a meal plan funded by campuses. Applicants must be accepted and plan to register at either a participating community college or a state university; those attending a community college would live at the nearest participating state university campus and commute to classes and/or take classes online. School counselors and McKinney-Vento liaisons are encouraged to help students complete the application, which opens on Monday, March 1.
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14. Additional Students Qualify for Pandemic-EBT and Free and Reduced-Price Meals:
The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) recently announced that beginning this month, certain children with disabilities who qualify for Medicaid because they receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) can be directly certified for free and reduced-price meals through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National School Lunch Program. This policy change will connect approximately 2,600 children who are disabled and living with a relative caregiver to additional nutritional supports. These children will then also automatically meet one of the eligibility criteria to receive Pandemic EBT (P-EBT). The Department of Transitional Assistance and DESE are working on a process to ensure these households will receive P-EBT benefits. MassHealth and DESE are setting up changes to EOHHS’ Virtual Gateway system so these children are directly certified for free or reduced-price meals through that system going forward.
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- Free webinar on supporting students: District and school administrators and staff are invited to register for a free webinar, “A Framework for Supporting Students During COVID and Beyond,” from the Boston College Center for Optimized Student Support. The webinar will be held from 4:00-5:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 11.
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