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DEPARTMENT
OF EDUCATION
(Updated 11/19/09)
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MEET
THE COMMISSIONER
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 Meet
Vermont Education Commissioner Armando Vilaseca
A resident of Westford, Vermont, Armando Vilaseca graduated from the University of Vermont with a bachelor of science degree in education. He received his masters in education with a focus on educational leadership from Lesley College in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Vilaseca has over 29 years of experience in Vermont education, having spent his entire professional career in Vermont schools. He began as a classroom teacher at the Georgia Middle School in Georgia, Vermont, and served as a teaching principal at the Reading Elementary School. He then served as the principal for Westford Elementary and Middle School, assistant principal and then principal of Essex High School, a position he served in for 10 years, and superintendent of the Colchester School District. Most recently he has served as the superintendent of Franklin West Supervisory Union.
Vilaseca, a native of Cuba, has also served as a government liaison accompanying a delegation to Cuba to introduce Cubans to Vermont agricultural products.
Communications from the Commissioner:
- Letter from Commissioner Vilaseca and Commissioner of Finance & Management Jim Reardon Regarding Fiscal Year 2011 School Budget Recommendations (November 10, 2009)
This memo to school administrators and school board members discusses the impact the economic downturn is having on school budgets and some potential changes legislators may consider this upcoming session that would affect school budgets.
- Letter and Forms on School-based Clinics for H1N1 Flu Vaccine (September 11, 2009)
This joint letter from Health Commissioner Wendy Davis and Education Commissioner Armando Vilaseca outlines the state plan for hosting school-based clinics for the H1N1 Flu Vaccine for students. In addition to this important letter, this packet includes the options schools have for voluntarily participating in the clinics, and a form schools are required to fill out and return to the Health Department by September 18, 2009.
- Letter Regarding President Obama’s Speech to Students (emailed September 4, 2009)
- Commissioner’s Op-Ed Submission on Adult Literacy (September 3, 2009)
- Letter from Commissioner Vilaseca and Department of Health Commissioner Davis Regarding H1N1 (Swine Flu) and Action Steps for Schools (August 19, 2009)
Please review this important letter from Education Commissioner Armando Vilaseca and Health Commissioner Wendy Davis including guidance for schools in preparation for an anticipated resurgence of the H1N1 virus this fall in schools. View additional H1N1 resources.
- Letter from Education Commissioner Armando Vilaseca and Health Commissioner Wendy Davis
- One-Page Action Steps for Schools to Prevent the Spread of Flu
- Memo:
Reports of Alleged Unprofessional Conduct or Incompetence (July 6, 2009)
- Memo: Title I Schools (May 6, 2009)
- Memo: Schedule of Parent/Teacher Conferences and In-Service Days (May 4, 2009)
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Current Initiatives
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)
The ARRA (or Recovery Act or "Stimulus Bill") was signed into law by President Obama on February 17th, 2009. The passage of the Act has created a need for information concerning its effect on Vermont schools, districts and supervisory unions. The Vermont Department of Education and Vermont’s congressional delegation have been working to clarify the details and the requirements of ARRA.
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The Transformation of Education in Vermont
The Vermont education system must prepare students for a future that is continuously being reinvented and must give them the 21st Century skills they need to succeed. View the State Board and department rationale for initiating the transformation of education endeavor, what's involved in the transformation, and what skills Vermont students need in order to succeed in the world that awaits them. In addition, this page contains a link to the Transformation Policy Commission which will be working over the next 9-12 months to bring policy recommendations to the Board for advancing transformation efforts in Vermont.
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The Future of Education in Vermont
In the Fall of 2007, the State Board of Education and former Commissioner Richard Cate articulated their vision for the future of education in Vermont. The vision document was the starting point for several public conversations that began with the October 16, 2007 State Board meeting at which students and parents participated in roundtable discussions on the future of education.
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Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and National Governors Association (NGA) Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI)
The CCSSI is a significant and historic opportunity for states to collectively develop and adopt a core set of academic standards in mathematics and English language arts. Forty-six states and three territories have joined the CCSSI. The initiative is being jointly led by the NGA Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School Officers in partnership with Achieve, ACT, and the College Board. It builds directly on recent efforts of leading organizations and states that have focused on developing college- and career-ready standards and ensures these standards are evidence- and research-based and internationally benchmarked to top-performing countries. For more information, visit http://www.ccsso.org/federal_programs/13286.cfm.
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CONTACT THE DEPARTMENT
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General Phone Numbers
This link provides phone numbers for programs and services in the Department of Education listed alphabetically by topic area (e.g., licensing, special education technical assistance, GED, etc.).
- Staff Directory
Use this link to view the current list of staff members, including e-mail address links (underlined names), phone numbers (with voice mail messaging), and team affiliation.
Directions/Hours of Operation
For information about our location, office hours and mailing address, view our "contact us" Web page. |
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CALENDAR
OF DEPARTMENT-SPONSORED EVENTS
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The
department's calendar of events is designed to be used as a planning
tool by department staff, State Board members and educators in
the field. The calendar lists department-sponsored events, which,
unless noted otherwise, are intended to benefit service providers,
educators and administrators. View the calendar
of department-sponsored events.
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VERMONT
TEACHER OF THE YEAR & OTHER EDUCATOR/PROGRAM RECOGNITION AWARDS
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Each
year a teacher from Vermont’s education community is recognized
as the Vermont Teacher of the Year. The Teacher of the Year is
chosen through a thorough application and selection process. As
the recipient of this award, the teacher travels statewide visiting
schools and working with other educators. This program is sponsored
by Hannaford Supermarkets and the Vermont Department of Education.
The Vermont Teacher of the Year also becomes a candidate for the
National Teacher of the Year award sponsored by the Council of
Chief State School Officers. View additional information about Vermont's Teacher of the Year and
other recognition awards. NOTE: View an archived version of the nomination and application information for the 2010 Teacher of the Year. The application process ended March 16, 2009.
This page also contains other educator awards as well as awards given in recognition of exceptional programs and activities taking place in Vermont's schools. |
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MISSION
& VISION OF THE DEPARTMENT
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Mission
The State Board of Education and the Department of Education provide
leadership and support to help all Vermont students achieve excellence.
Vision
The State Board of Education and the Department of Education shall
sustain a vision of high skills, creative thinking and love of
knowledge, and learning for every student while ensuring student
achievement in a safe and healthy learning environment.
Vermont State Board of Education and Vermont Department of Education Strategic Plan for 2010-2014
The State Board and Department of Education are currently in the process of developing a statewide strategic plan for education. At its June 22-23 planning meeting, the State Board, in collaboration with staff from the Department of Education, met to begin preliminary work on the next iteration of the Board’s and Department’s strategic plan. 16 V.S.A. §180 requires the State Board of Education to “adopt through a public process a statewide strategic education plan to describe how the agency will help school boards to improve student performance” and that it be reviewed and updated every five years. This being the fifth year, work is underway to develop a strategic plan that: 1) reflects current practice and views, 2) assures that all students graduate from high school competitive in a global economy, and 3) integrates the tenets of Transformation. NOTE: Download the complete packet of documents using the link above or download the individual components using the following links:
Vermont State Board of Education FY 2010 Budget Book ("Transformative Times ")
Produced annually, the State Board of Education's Budget Recommendations and Annual Report provides an overview of the Department of Education's programs and teams along with an overview of the proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The department works with the State Board to ensure that the book is a useful resource not only to the Vermont Legislature as it reviews state agency budget proposals, but to members of the education community and general public as well. |
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ORGANIZATION OF THE DEPARTMENT/CONTACT THE DEPARTMENT
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 The department is currently organized into a Finance & Administration division and five Education Program divisions. Each division is further divided into teams providing specific programs and services.
- General Phone Numbers
Find phone numbers for programs and services in the Department of Education listed alphabetically by topic area (e.g., licensing, special education technical assistance, GED, etc.).
NOTE: Click on the graphic to view a larger version of the chart and an option for downloading a copy of the chart. |
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VERMONT EDUCATION IN THE NEWS (Updated 11/19/09)
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The communications staff at the department manages both media relations and public information for the range of constituencies interested in and served by the department. As part of its public information services, use the following links to view:
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Education-related News
NOTE: The news
clips have been discontinued as of October 1, 2009.
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Press Releases
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Weekly Field Memos (Superintendents & Principals) (Updated 11/19/09)
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PROGRAMS
& SERVICES
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For
information about programs and services offered by the Vermont
Department of Education, please check out the Programs
and Services
main page. |
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REQUEST
FOR PROPOSALS (RFPs)
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All
requests for contract bids (requests for proposals) issued by
the department for amounts over $15,000 are posted to one of two
central state Web sites:
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NOTE: The phone number listed below is for nondiscrimination policy questions ONLY.
For questions NOT related to nondiscrimination policies,
use the department's general phone numbers Web page.
The
Vermont Department of Education does not discriminate on the
basis of race, color, national origin, creed, marital status,
sex, disability, age, gender identity or sexual orientation in its programs or
activities. The following person has been designated to handle
inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies ONLY:
Barbara
Crippen, Civil Rights Coordinator
Vermont Department of Education
120 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05620-2501
(802) 828-5937 (P)
(802) 828-3140 (F)
barbara.crippen@state.vt.us |
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Department of Education:
Awards | Calendar of Events | Current Initiatives
Organization of the Department
Vermont Education in the News
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