November 18, 2016
- 2016 Science Standards Adopted
- Wyoming Hour of Code
- Letters About Literature Contest
- JFK Profile in Courage Essay Contest
- Nominations Open for PAEMST
- Think Through Math (TTM) Algebra Pilot
- Pilot Course for Secondary Math Teachers
- ESSA & The Arts
- Poetry Out Loud!
- Tuition Support for Spanish Speakers
- WIDA Professional Development Opportunities
- World Languages Day
- ESL/DLI Conference
- Wyoming and National Geographic Bee
Best wishes for a wonderful fall from the WDE Standards Team.
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 December 5 - 11
The Wyoming Department of Education would like to invite you to participate in Hour of Code during Computer Science Education Week.
What is Hour of Code? All K-12 students engage in a coding activity for one hour.
When? You pick the time(s) during Computer Science Education Week December 5-11.
Why? To promote coding and computer science education in all grades.
Where? You pick the location(s) in your district, school, and/or classrooms.
How? Code.org has additional information and coding lessons to help educators participate in this opportunity.
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Contest Deadlines:
Level 3 (grades 9-12): December 2nd
Level 2 (grades 7-8): January 9th
Level 1 (grades 4-6): January 9th
Letters About Literature is a Library of Congress national reading/writing promotion program for students in grades 4-12. Students are asked to read a book, poem, or speech and write to the author (living or dead) about how the book affected them personally. Wyoming winners in each level will receive a $150 Amazon gift card for 1st place, $100 card for 2nd place, and $50 for 3rd place. You can learn more, read winning letters, or download a teaching guide that provides activities and addresses ways to connect the program with reading and writing instruction on the Library of Congress website. Questions may be directed to Susan Mark, Wyoming State Library publications specialist (307) 777-5915.
Contest deadline: January 4th
First-place prize is $20,000
Celebrate the JFK Centennial by entering the 2017 Profile in Courage Contest. Essays must describe an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official who served during or after 1917, the year John F. Kennedy was born. The contest is open to United States high school students in grades 9-12 attending public, private, parochial, or home schools; US students under the age of 20 enrolled in a high school correspondence/GED program; and US citizens attending schools overseas.
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 Nominations open through April 1st
This year’s awards will honor mathematics and science (including computer science) teachers working in grades 7 - 12. The PAEMST is the nation's highest honors for teachers of mathematics and science (including computer science). Awardees serve as models for their colleagues, inspiration to their communities, and leaders in the improvement of mathematics and science education. Since 1983, more than 4,700 teachers have been recognized for their contributions in the classroom and to their profession. If you know great Wyoming teachers, nominate them to join this prestigious network of professionals. The winning recipient will receive a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation.
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 Think Through Math (TTM) is a new pilot program in Wyoming that uses an online platform to support students in grades 3-8 to become algebra-ready before high school. The program is supplemental and is free for districts.
The pilot is now expanding to include a small group of high school algebra students struggling with foundational skills needed for success in algebra. If you are interested in participating in the algebra component of this pilot program, please contact Gretchen Brown.
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 Spring 2017 - University of Wyoming
This course is an opportunity for math teachers in need of post-graduate math credit to teach concurrent enrollment courses. The course will be offered on the Laramie campus and online through the University of Wyoming.
For more information contact Myron Allen, Department of Education, University of Wyoming.
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The Wyoming Arts Council has compiled a helpful guide and relevant resources for ESSA and the arts. |
Registration closes on December 16th
This is the last chance to get your students involved in Poetry Out Loud -- a state and national poetry recitation competition for students in grades 9-12. The program is free, and registered teachers will receive a toolkit with posters, lessons plans, and a teacher’s guide. You can learn more about the program on the POL website.
Regional and state competitions will take place in Wyoming high schools this winter and early spring. Winning students can win cash prizes, money for their school library, or a trip to Washington, D.C. Register today so students can be prepared to compete. Please contact the Wyoming Poetry Out Loud Coordinator, Tara Pappas (307) 777-7109 with any questions.
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The University of Wyoming College of Education can provide tuition support for Spanish-speakers who wish to become classroom teachers.
Please contact edquest@uwyo.edu for more information.
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 WIDA Wyoming Workshop: ACCESS 2.0 Test Administration Training
WIDA Formative Language Assessment Workshop
WIDA 2017 Annual Conference: Call for Proposals, Call for Reviewers
The WIDA Conference Committee is pleased to announce the opening of the Call for Proposals for the WIDA 2017 Annual Conference. WIDA is looking for session presentations that engage educators and administrators with topics that best represent the current state of ELL research, policies, and practices. In addition, we need highly experienced educators to help evaluate the proposals we receive. Read more
Online Accessibility Tools Survey: Grades 1-12 Educators
Please participate in this short survey that looks at how grades 1-12 educators view the various embedded supports available in online ACCESS for ELLs 2.0. These tools (e.g., highlighting, sticky notes, etc.) are designed to improve accessibility for students taking the online assessment, and mirror tools available to students during instruction.
Please share your thoughts, and feel free to share the link with colleagues who administered the assessment last spring, so that we can understand what is working and identify areas for improved accessibility. Thank you in advance for your participation! Take the survey
Contact Robin Holbrook 307-777-5217 for more information.
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March 3-4
World Languages Day introduces Wyoming language students to the UW campus, exposes them to language and culture experts from around the world, leaves a lasting impression of friendship and global understanding, and gives them a chance to get a taste of UW campus life and form bonds with others from around the state.
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Jackson Hole High School
April 21-22
The 2nd Annual Wyoming ESL/DLI Conference aims to provide forums for disseminating and sharing of information among K-12 teachers, dual language immersion and ESL teachers, administrators, community program teachers, and graduate students involved in teaching English as a second language and dual language instruction.
Discounted registration closes on December 21st
Registration for the 2017 National and Wyoming Geographic Bees is now open. The registration fee is $100 until December 21st and then increases to $120. The deadline for completion of State Bee qualifying tests is February 6th. The Wyoming State Geographic Bee is March 31st, and the National Geographic Bee is May 15-17 in Washington, D.C.
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