September 13, 2023 Edition

IN THIS EDITION...Please Welcome Our Newest Staff Member | Infinite Campus User Groups Sept 26-28 | Co-op Food Program October Meetings | GRANT: MT Safe & Healthy Schools Project, + New Report | SSoM Programs Updates | SSoM Partner Resources feat. Brainstorms! | Joke of the Week | Additional Resources | About SSoM

Please give a warm welcome to SSoM's newest staff member!

JAKE CHIPPS

Director of Curriculum & Assessment

"I am so excited to be part of School Services of Montana as their new Director of Curriculum & Assessment! I am passionate about building the capacity of educators to collaboratively develop and implement meaningful curricula for their students. I look forward to working with districts to align learning experiences with content standards. Please contact me to discuss how School Services of Montana can support your district’s curriculum and assessment needs." Click here to learn more about Jake.

Jake Chipps | jchipps@mt-schools.org | (818) 481-6788

Attn. Infinite Campus Users: Registration is OPEN!

MONTANA USER GROUPS

September 26 - 28, 2023 | 8:30am - 3pm

Breeze into a User Group as we roll through recent waves of releases and OPI updates. Get the latest information on the TEAMS transition to AIM, state reporting, Communication 2.0, and Campus Community. Finally, we'll look over Campus Roadmap and Surveys and Insights.

Tues, Sept 26 - Havre

Wed, Sept 27 - Glasgow

Thur, Sept 28 - Lewistown

Fri, Sept 29 - Hardin

Attendance & Lunch are FREE! Open to ALL Campus Users!

ATTN: Food Service Managers Using the SSoM Co-op Food Program

FALL COMMITTEE

MEETINGS ARE BACK!

If you like to collaborate with your peers, try delicious new foods, and get expert training on content specific to your nutrition program, these meetings are for YOU! If you have opted into the School Services of Montana Co-op Food Program, these meetings are for YOU! If you love FREE stuff, these meetings are FREE and for YOU!

Details are in progress - check your inbox for a survey this week. Here's the tentative schedule:

Miles City: October [tbd] * Great Falls: Oct. 19 * Missoula: Oct. 20

10am-2pm | Broker Presentations 10am-12pm | Training 12-1pm | Collaboration 1-2pm

Please contact our Co-op Food Program Manager if you are interested:

Jennifer Brekke | jbrekke@mt-schools.org | (406) 580-7547

MONTANA SAFE & HEALTHY SCHOOLS PROJECT

School Services of Montana has been awarded a GRANT through the DOJ Bureau of Justice Assistance's STOP School Violence program. We are implementing a multi-faceted approach to preventing school violence through professional learning, coordinated school partnerships, and resources and training on whole child skill development. Implementation of the Montana Safe and Healthy Schools Project will include collaborations with schools and communities to proactively teach students and staff the skills to thrive with interpersonal relationships, self-and social awareness, and conflict resolution skills, including anti­-bullying techniques. Click here for details.

TAKE OUR SURVEY to join our email list of participation opportunities!

New Learning Policy Institute (LPI) Reports & Resources on School Safety

Published Aug. 9, 2023

Safe Schools, Thriving Students: What We Know About Creating Safe and Supportive Schools

: a summary of what is known about which school safety measures improve student safety in schools & which ones do not

Report Highlight

Key Findings - Strategies Intended to Increase Physical Security

"Multiple studies have found that positive relationships between students and staff throughout the school can help prevent physical violence and bullying; a major national study found that school connectedness was the strongest protective factor against school absenteeism, substance abuse, and violence..."

CUSTOMIZED PROFESSIONAL LEARNING | Details

SSoM provides PD customized to the needs of your staff and students, both in-person & online, and will work with you to create a plan that fits your needs. Contact us for pricing, member discounts, and multi-day contract discounts!

• SSoM Gallatin Valley IEFA Institute - details coming soon!
• PROGRAM CONTACT: Genevieve Thomas | gthomas@mt-schools.org | (406) 300-2561

MECC CURRICULUM CONSORTIUM | Details

Get ready for an action-packed school year of captivating curriculum with our brand new Director of Curriculum and Assessment, Jake Chipps!

• 23-24 SY Curriculum Review Schedule & more coming soon
• PROGRAM CONTACT: Jake Chipps | jchipps@mt-schools.org | (818) 481-6788

CO-OP FOOD PROGRAM | 23-24 SY Details

This program features FREE ACCESS to all K-12 Schools & child-based organizations across the state. Districts who submitted a 22-23 SY Opt-in form are NOT required to re-submit for 23-24. Your participation in our program as been automatically rolled over with the US Foods / School Services of Montana contract roll-over, per bid contract language.

• Upcoming Committee Meetings - Miles City 10/?? | Great Falls 10/19 | Missoula 10/20
• PROGRAM CONTACT: Jennifer Brekke | jbrekke@mt-schools.org | (406) 580-7547

MEDICAID BILLING PROGRAM | Details

Over 900 providers currently log services online in the SSoM Service Portal. For program details and Program Manager Lisa Waterman's bio, click the link above.

• Medicaid Service Portal Newsletter - Sept. 2023
• PROGRAM CONTACT: Lisa Waterman | Lwaterman@mt-schools.org | (406) 272-0073

INFINITE CAMPUS SUPPORT | Details

Did you know? You can make the switch to SSoM Infinite Campus Support at ANY TIME during the school year! Our dedicated support team works closely with OPI and understands what makes Montana schools unique. And your support fees will NOT INCREASE when you switch!

• 2023 YES Series PD: Sept 26 & 27 | Oct 17 & 18 | Jan 9 & 10 | Feb 6 & 7 | Mar 6 & 20...
• National Training Week: Nov 13 - 17, 2023
• PROGRAM CONTACT: Mary Anne Skinner | maskinner@mt-schools.org | (406) 256-7306

MSU SCIENCE MATH RESOURCE CENTER (SMRC)

Brainstorms! September 2023 Ed.

Featuring the MSU Research in Action Series

Dr. Sarah Morris | Oct. 4 | 4-5pm | Online

FREE | Pre-Registration Required | OPI Renewal Units Available!

Dr. Sarah Morris is an Assistant Professor in Mechanical & Industrial Engineering at MSU. She specializes in experimental fluid dynamics and runs the Experimental Fluids Research Laboratory. Her research interests include aerodynamics, biological flows, fluid-structure interactions, and flow visualization. Morris received her Ph.D. from Cornell University and her B.Eng. and B.A. from Monash University, Australia.

The one-hour free online workshop strives to connect Montana K-12 educators with MSU researchers to bring stories of authentic people and relevant projects back to the classroom.

THIS JUST IN: Brainstorms! Bonus - High School Edition | Sept. 9, 2023

MSU MentorMT 2.0 FALL 2023 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!

Mentoring is available for Montana's new & underprepared rural teachers! The MentorMT program offers FREE precision support by providing teachers with one-on-one mentoring, a focus on content, curriculum, and instructional support. Plus, there's no cost to schools and a $500 stipend each year for participating teachers. Apply today!

Details | Enrollment Form | Application Deadline: Sept. 30. 2023

MSU MentorMT 2.0 Program Director Jennifer Luebeck | jennifer.luebeck@montana.edu

Recent MentorMT Professional Learning: August 7 - 8, 2023

School Services of Montana, the Center for Research on Rural Education, and Sidney Public Schools collaborated to provide professional learning to 30 mentors in Sidney and surrounding districts. The workshop helped mentors: understand the roles and attributes of a mentor, acquire skills for nurturing mentoring relationships, explore and apply strategies and tools used in mentoring, and build an ongoing mentoring network for collaboration and support. From engaging in interactive activities, discussions, role play, and reflections, mentors gained strategies and resources to bring into their mentoring for the new school year.

COLLABORATIVE CLASSROOM

Announcing the 2023-2024 Teacher Scholarship Program! Apply to receive a FREE classroom package for the SIPPS® or Caring School Community® program, or a Collaborative Coach professional learning cycle to support your current implementation. Applications open in October - click here to learn more.

FREE FALL WEBINARS

1. 9/21 | 2-3 pm MT | Building and Maintaining a Caring School Community: Tips for Building a Foundation for Year-Long Success | Learn More/Register

2. 9/26 | 2-3 pm MT | Foundational Skills Instruction: Why Differentiated Learning & Small-Group Instruction are Key to Student Success | Learn More/Register

3. 10/11 | 2-3 pm MT | Implementing Social-Emotional Learning: Successes and Setbacks | Learn More/Register

BLOGS & BLOG SERIES

What Do We Prioritize? Three SEL Essentials for Beginning the Year | Blog 1 of 3

Building Community in the Classroom | Read Here

Using Collaborative Structures in the Classroom | Read Here

How One School Built Classroom Communities & Grew Students' Sense of Belonging | Read Here

VISIT THE COLLABORATIVE CLASSROOM EVENTS CALENDAR

MT COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN

2024 MCEC & MCASE EDUCATION CONFERENCE April 3 - 5, 2024 | Missoula, MT

ATTENTION: Administrators, special education teachers, paraprofessionals, school specialists, general education teachers, student teachers, & college students!

Registration and a list of speakers (along with a comedy night and other entertainment) will be available in October. Right now we have an open call for presenters - click here for details!

Proposal Deadline: Sept. 30, 2023

Click here to submit your proposal

MT OFFICE OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION

Teacher Learning Hub - a FREE online learning platform providing

high-quality professional learning for Montana educators

OPI Education Compass - Sept. 2023 Edition | OPI Individual Unit Updates

UPCOMING OPI INDIAN EDUCATION FOR ALL (IEFA) EVENTS & PD

Indian Education and Computing for All | 1 evening per month Sept 2023 - May 2024 | Zoom

• A curriculum & PD project designed to bring together social studies, IEFA, and computing content standards for middle school students
• 18 hours of online PD | $1000 stipend | Earn up to 40 PD Units | Flyer | Registration

Energize! IEFA Monthly Gathering: Games, Lessons, and More!

First Tuesdays Sept - June | 4 - 5pm | Registration not required | Earn 1 PD Unit | Details & Zoom

UPDATED OPI AIM REPORTING CALENDAR

First validation and certification date is September 20. Calendar Information for ALL calendars must be certified as part of the State's Requirement per MCA 20-7-104. Click here for details.

Friendly Reminder: districts must prove they have taken attendance the 10 days prior to count date. Best practice is to use the Classroom Monitor to ensure all teachers are taking attendance and saving the information even if all students are present.

COMING NEXT WEEK: MONTANA PBS EDUCATION

FREE VIRTUAL PD FOR TEACHERS THIS FALL!