ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief)
ESSER
LOOKING BACK:
Safe Return and LEA ARP Plans (ESSER fund use) are required to be updated at least twice a year, in December and June of each of the grant years. OPI has been reviewing these plans as of June 2022, and notifying Districts who still need to review and update plans, including the requirement to engage the community. Please make sure your plans are updated!
Data collection for ESSER I: With the end of the fiscal year in June, the OPI collected and reported data to the Department of Education on how ESSER I funds are being spent. Data reports were submitted successfully.
We are about halfway through the ARP Summer Enrichment grant cycle, which runs through July-August. Summer Enrichment grants were awarded to seventeen non-profits and schools who serve at least 40% low income qualifying students, and whose programs focus on Math. Some of these awards were used to fund scholarships, allowing more students to access summer programs and supports. Some funds helped pay for staff salaries, to increase the staff and program hours offered to students. Students in some programs used math in cooking and baking exercises, feeding their peers and invited guests. Other students used math while working on construction projects like a Library Box or a Shed to hold outdoor play equipment. Sports, gardening, rocket building were all activities used to teach and reinforce students’ Math skills. These Summer programs also focused on Community Connection and Social Emotional learning. Our students are being given more access, support, and opportunity than ever before, and their communities are a big part of making it happen! So THANK YOU and congratulations to all of our Summer Enrichment grantees.
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ESSER staff welcomed a new member of the team in July! Rebecca Brown is joining us from the Bozeman School District where she worked as an ICTE instructor, teaching Metals, Woods, and Auto shop classes. Rebecca holds a B.S. in Technology Education from Montana State University Bozeman. She has just recently moved to Helena with her husband, cats, and parakeet. Born and raised in Montana, Rebecca feels nothing can beat a gorgeous Montana summer weekend spent camping and floating on the river. Rebecca is the new ESSER Program Manager, and she can be reached at Rebecca.Brown@mt.gov or at (406) 444-0783.
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LOOKING AHEAD:
OPI is committed to a system of support for school districts, students, and parents throughout Montana that provides an array of services. These services are available this summer and include webinars, in person conferences, and individualized program support.
Click on the image above to register for the ESSER Conference.
ESSER Virtual Conference: Montana Schools Leveraging ESSER
The Office of Public Instruction is reaching out today regarding an opportunity on August 9th for any stakeholders (superintendents, principals, district clerks, board members) looking for more information and additional support with ESSER. Come join OPI for the Montana Schools Leveraging ESSER conference where your Advocates will guide you through using and managing ESSER funds. This kickoff event will be part of a series of insightful monthly opportunities for your organization and OPI staff to work collaboratively. Our goal is to create a setting for collaboration upon our Pillars of Hope, Teach, Learn, and Ready. Click THIS LINK to register! For more information contact Wendi Fawns at wendi.fawns@mt.gov.
Many resources are available on the OPI ESSER webpage including but not limited to:
Grant Annual Reporting on outcomes achieved for the Montana Afterschool Program Grant will be open for submission in early Fall 2022. Just like with other ESSER grants, OPI needs to collect data on how the Spring Afterschool funding was spent.
Program Reports Data Collection Summer Enrichment: Once the ARP Summer Enrichment grant cycle ends on August 31, 2022 we will begin collecting data on how the funds were spent. You can anticipate communication from OPI on this data collection in late August or early September.
We are very near the end of the ESSER CARES I funding cycle, which closes on September 30, 2022. If your district has not yet used all these funds, please make sure they get used before the deadline. It is important to use these funds before ESSER CRRSA II and ESSER ARP III funds. District allocations can be viewed here, District plans reviewed here. OPI and the Department of Education support the use of funds to ensure Montana students are safe and secure.
Questions? Contact:
Wendi Fawns, ESSER/EANS Director at wendi.fawns@mt.gov
Rebecca Brown, ESSER Program Manager at rebecca.brown@mt.gov
The OPI is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation, require an alternate format, or have questions concerning accessibility, contact the OPI ADA Coordinator, 406-444-3161, opiada@mt.gov, Relay Service: 711.
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