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Issue 11 | January 2021
Be sure your email address is up-to-date in the Michigan Online Educator Certification System to receive important notifications regarding YOUR certificate.
Please see the archived newsletters for other important information that affects licensure.
Teachers and Student Teachers Now Eligible For Vaccines
Teachers, student teachers, and first responders are eligible for vaccinations for COVID-19 as of January 11, 2021. Visit Michigan.gov/COVIDVaccine for information and to book appointments.
School Counselor Professional Learning Requirements
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25 clock hours focused on college preparation and selection.
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25 clock hours focused on career consultation, including 5 hours in the exploration of military career options.
State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECH) Program Application Requirements
Over the last nine months, MDE waived the 30-day required approval time for SCECH program applications to afford districts maximum flexibility while navigating challenges related to the pandemic and transitioning to the new system. MDE is returning to normal procedures with a slight change in timeline in order to better support districts. Beginning February 1, 2021, all program applications must be submitted in MOECS to MDE a minimum of two weeks (14 calendar days) prior to the program start date. Programs that are submitted less than two weeks prior will not be approved for SCECHs. We continue to recommend and request the submission of programs 30-days prior to the start date to allow sufficient time for program approval.
What Does Trauma Informed Schooling Look Like?
Hear a first-hand student account of the necessity for schools to engage in trauma-informed education and the characteristics of a trauma informed school.
https://youtu.be/t47kht927KM
Certificate Renewals Have Begun!
Schools/Districts: Schools/districts should begin the annual review of staff credentials for 2021. Remind educators with a credential expiring June 30, 2021 to log into the Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS) to begin updating account information. Certificates can be renewed beginning January 1 without any loss of validity! Remember, districts can face costly state-aid deductions for employing educators without appropriate credentials.
Educators: Work with your employer to ensure you are ready for the 2021-22 academic year. Log into the Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS) to check the status of a credential and professional learning to proactively prevent an accidental lapse. While there is no state issued or legal penalty to an educator for a lapsed credential, educators are responsible for maintaining valid Michigan credentials for employment and may face district contract issues for lapses.
Shout-Out: The first #proudMIeducator to renew their certificate in 2021 is…Lisa Brakel!
At precisely 28 seconds after 12:09 AM on January 1, 2021, Lisa Brakel, district librarian for Airport Community Schools in Carleton, MI, became the first Michigan teacher to renew a certificate in 2021. “As a school librarian, I am a lifelong learner and I want everyone to be one, too,” she says. “Professional development sessions allow me to continually bring new ideas to the students and staff that I serve.” An active leader in the school librarian community, she is a Past President of the Michigan Association for Media in Education (MAME), and has served on the Board of Directors of the American Association of School Librarians. She is also a recent recipient of MAME's Margaret Grazier Award for Contribution to the Profession. Congratulations on your certificate renewal!
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Learn more about Federal Educator Loan Forgiveness.
Library of Michigan Announces 2021 Michigan Notable Book Awards
The 2021 Michigan Notable Books were announced on January 5 by the Library of Michigan, providing a homegrown celebration of Michigan. This annal list features 20 books, published during the previous calendar year, which are about or set in Michigan, or written by a Michigan author. Selections span diverse topics and genres, both fiction and nonfiction. Of the list, Michigan’s State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice said: “The diversity of these books reflects the diversity of our state. People, especially children, need to experience through reading the lives and contributions of people like themselves in addition to others about whom they are not familiar. Books should be mirrors that reflect our own lives, as well as windows for us to see others.” Check out the full list at the Library of Michigan website and discover great reads!
Introducing the Future Proud Michigan Educator Campaign
As a continuation of Michigan’s efforts to grow and diversify the educator workforce and reduce educator shortages, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) is launching the Future Proud Michigan Educator (Future PME) initiative with a competitive grant for school districts to develop programs for students interested in the teaching profession. This initiative is part of MDE’s larger Proud Michigan Educator (PME) campaign that focuses on recognizing and honoring current Michigan educators. The newest expanded component provides an opportunity for students in grades 6-12 to explore education professions outside of existing Career and Technical Education Programs. Learn more on the Future PME website.
Michigan Teacher Leader Advisory Council Presentations
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Click here for savings today! |
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The Free and Low Cost Professional Learning Options document has been updated for January. Check back monthly for new professional learning opportunities.
Building Mirrors and Windows Virtual Conference
MDE is excited to announce and host a free virtual conference for educators and administrators, Building Mirrors and Windows: Children Seeing Themselves and Others in the Literature that We Teach, on February 25, 2021. The conference will focus on how to increase the amount of diverse literature available to students and how to use the materials for instruction and student engagement. The conference will run from 9:00 a.m.—noon. Participants can view the conference flyer, register for the conference, and sign up for updates by visiting the MDE Literacy website.
In the Zoom Where It Happened: Educator and Student Privacy Challenges in a Videoconferencing World
The National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) has released the next episode in a podcast and webinar series. The plunge into online instruction has raised significant privacy issues for both educators and students. This presentation explores those privacy issues and offers suggestions on how to strike the right balance between personal privacy and effective remote instruction.
Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence Launches Free Course
The course, designed for teachers, paraprofessionals, counselors, principals, and non-teaching staff in preK-12 schools, provides participants with the knowledge, skills, and strategies to understand and manage their emotions and those of their students. For course registration, go to https://www.coursera.org/learn/managing-emotions-uncertainty-stress. Refer to the course media kit for information on how to communicate with your community.
Three Videos to Support Early Learning and Literacy
REL West has recently produced three short videos that include activities and ideas to support young children's language and literacy development. These strategies can be used or adapted for distance learning and may be especially helpful for students whose home language is not English.
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Interactive Writing Instruction Online with Young Children
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Interactive Readalouds: Learning from Books Together
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A Teaching Routine for Academic Vocabulary in Grades PreK-1
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Question:
"As the pandemic continues, are educators still required to complete 150 credit hours to renew a teaching certificate?"
Answer:
Yes. At this time there is no planned reduction of education-related professional learning hours for this year. To find online professional learning opportunities, please view the SCECH Catalog, and the Free and Low Cost Professional Learning Options document.
Do you want specific details or have a "good of the group" question? Submit a question and it could appear in an upcoming newsletter!
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Copyright © 2020 Office of Educator Excellence, All rights reserved.
Michigan Department of Education - Office of Educator Excellence 608 W. Allegan Street, Lansing, MI 48933 (517) 241-5000 | MDE-EducatorHelp@michigan.gov
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