Standards, PD, & Resources

Update from the Wyoming Department of Education  |  view online |  website

Standards Updates masthead

March 8, 2022

IN THIS EDITION

  • Educator Recruitment for Assessment Work
  • Introductory Video: Lexile Measures In The Library
  • Wallop ELA/Social Studies Workshop
  • WIDA Self-Paced eWorkshops
  • Computer Science Summer PD
  • Because Of A Teacher Campaign
  • Wyoming Book Awards
  • Wyoming Arbor Day Poster Contest
  • Wyoming Veterans Welcome Home Day
  • Wyoming Science Olympiad
  • NSTA National Conference
  • Educators Sought For High School Science Reviews
  • National Youth Science Camp
  • Science Standards Coffee Talks
  • Civic Education Workshop
  • Engaging Multicultural Learners In Science: Making Sense Of Phenomena (New WIDA Course)

EDUCATOR RECRUITMENT FOR ASSESSMENT WORK

Science Standard Setting for Grades 4, 8, and 10

The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) seeks general education educators, special education educators, content specialists, academic coaches, curriculum directors, and administrators to participate in standard setting for WY-TOPP and WY-ALT assessments for Science

  • Each assessment will have a two-day standard-setting meeting during the week of June 13, 2022.
  • A $150/day stipend will be offered to all participants.
  • Those traveling outside of Cheyenne will also be reimbursed for travel and lodging. 
  • Register here by March 9, 2022.

Assessment Alignment Studies for ELA and Math

  • The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) will be working with EdMetric to perform an alignment study of the WY-TOPP and WY-ALT Assessments to the State Standards in ELA, Math, and Science.
  • ELA and Math Alignment Studies will be performed 4-7 p.m. on Monday through Friday as follows:
    • WY-TOPP - March 28-April 1, 2022.
    • WY-ALT - April 4-8, 2022.
  • Any necessary Alignment Studies for Science will be done after this year’s test, in late Summer or early Fall 2022.
  • Register here by March 22, 2022 for all three content areas.

For more information, contact Cat Palmer, WDE Assessment Supervisor, at 307-777-8568 or catherine.palmer@wyo.gov.


INTRODUCTORY VIDEO: LEXILE MEASURES IN THE LIBRARY

New Recording for Librarians


WALLOP ELA/SOCIAL STUDIES WORKSHOP

June 7-9, 2022 Online

  • The UW Wallop Civic Engagement Program Team and Trustees Education Initiative will host a two-part workshop for Wyoming social studies and English language arts teachers.
  • One day each will be held for English language arts teachers (June 7) and social studies teachers (June 9) and one shared day (June 8) to advance interdisciplinary perspectives to bring humanities into civics education.
  • A $500 stipend will be offered for educators who participate in and complete all phases of the workshop. 
  • Teachers who participated in the 2021 summer workshop and play a leadership role in the 2022 project will receive an additional $250 stipend.
  • The Wallop Civic Engagement K-12 online catalog is available for free.
  • Please RSVP to wallop@uwyo.edu by April 29.

WIDA SELF-PACED eWORKSHOPS

Must Be Completed by August 31, 2022

The opportunity to complete WIDA Self-Paced eWorkshops is coming to an end. Visit the WIDA Self-Paced eWorkshops webpage to view eWorkshop descriptions, estimated time to complete each course, and more. If you need an account to take the eWorkshops, contact Antoinette Hallam at antoinette.hallam@wyo.gov or call 307-777-5217. Topics available include:

  • Classroom Teachers: Engaging Multilingual Newcomers.
  • Home Languages in the Classroom.
  • Leading for Equity: Classroom Walkthrough.
  • Social Studies: Engaging Multilingual Learners Through Inquiry.
  • Developing Language for Learning in Mathematics.
  • School Improvement Planning for Multilingual Learners.
  • The WIDA ELD Standards Framework: A Collaborative Approach.
  • Engaging Multilingual Learners in Science: Making Sense of Phenomena.

COMPUTER SCIENCE SUMMER PD

  • UW will provide three paid opportunities and two potentially free options for computer science professional development for teachers in summer 2022.
  • WySLICE 2022 aims to recruit 80 K-8 teachers and librarians from across Wyoming for a virtual week-long engagement.
  • The deadline to apply is March 15, 2022

BECAUSE OF A TEACHER CAMPAIGN

  • Teachers make an impact every day, from big moments that shift the trajectory of a person's life to small things teachers do to make students feel safe, appreciated, and ready to learn.
  • To celebrate these influential teachers and make their impact known, the UW College of Education is collecting stories from across Wyoming to showcase how teachers make a difference in the lives of their students.
  • The college hopes the Because of a Teacher campaign will ensure teachers feel valued for their tireless work and that young people will be inspired to become the great teachers of tomorrow.

WYOMING BOOK AWARDS

Voting Ends March 15, 2022

  • The Wyoming Library Association and the Wyoming State Literacy Association jointly sponsor three awards to provide an opportunity for students to read and select favorite books and to honor the authors of those books.   
  • Have your students vote at:

2022 WYOMING ARBOR DAY POSTER CONTEST

THEME: Trees: For Birds, Bugs, Bees, and Me

  • Calling all Wyoming fourth and fifth graders.
  • This year, Wyoming will be celebrating its 134th Arbor Day.
  • Contest deadline is March 23, 2022.
  • More information.

WYOMING VETERANS WELCOME HOME DAY

March 30, 2022

  • March 30 of each year is designated as "Wyoming Veterans Welcome Home Day” in recognition of the members of the U.S. Armed Forces who served bravely and faithfully during the Vietnam War, and to all those members who were not properly thanked or welcomed home following their military service.
  • Under state law, the day shall be appropriately observed in the public schools of the state and by organizations within the state. 
  • Additionally, it is recommended that Wyoming communities host "Wyoming Veterans Welcome Home Day" celebrations to ensure those members of the United States armed forces can be properly thanked and welcomed home.

WYOMING SCIENCE OLYMPIAD

Register by April 1, 2022

  • WYSO is open to students in grades 6-12 and will be held at Casper College on April 9, 2022.
  • Registration: $150/team.
  • Lunch is provided at $9/person.
  • More information.

NSTA NATIONAL CONFERENCE

Houston, March 31-April 2, 2022

  • Register for the National Science Teaching Association conference by March 25, 2022.
  • Presentations focused on 3-D science teaching and learning, sense making, and assessment as well as the latest science teaching tools, materials, and technologies.
  • Customize your conference experience with learning institutes, short courses, the film festival, and share-a-thon.
  • More information.

EDUCATORS SOUGHT FOR HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE REVIEWS

Biology NGSS Programs will be Reviewed Initially

  • EdReports is seeking educators to join a national network to help other educators find quality science instructional materials. 
  • Chosen reviewers must possess expertise in the Next Generation Science Standards and a commitment to quality instructional materials. 
  • Applications for reviewers are being accepted for the inaugural high school science review beginning in April 2022. 
  • Stipends range from $1,750 to $2,500 depending on the role you play on a review team, opportunities to learn with national experts in the field, and more.
  • Apply/Learn more.

NATIONAL YOUTH SCIENCE CAMP

June 27-July 20, 2022 Online

  • Graduating high school seniors are eligible to represent Wyoming at the 2022 National Youth Science Camp
  • The experience includes lectures and hands-on research projects presented by scientists from across the nation. 
  • Delegates must demonstrate superior academic proficiency in mathematics and science, exhibit leadership abilities and community involvement, and enjoy challenging themselves in the areas of biological and physical sciences. 
  • Applications are due March 31, 2022

SCIENCE STANDARDS COFFEE TALKS

  • Hosted by the Board of Science Education of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
  • March 16: Supporting 3-D Instructional Shifts.
  • To register or for more information, visit the website.

CIVIC EDUCATION WORKSHOP

11 a.m.-2 p.m. on March 24, 2022 Online

  • Can We Find Common Ground on Civic Education in Turbulent Times?
  • The Center for Educational Equity at Teachers College, Columbia University, will offer a mini-conference to explore how to build a cross-partisan national movement to prepare students to effectively participate in civic and political life.
  • Register here.

ENGAGING MULTICULTURAL LEARNERS IN SCIENCE: MAKING SENSE OF PHENOMENA (NEW WIDA COURSE)

No cost for Wyoming educators 

Science and language teachers will learn:

  • Multiple strategies for engaging multilingual students through video, interactions, and reflection activities.
  • How to select science phenomena that are relevant to students and effective for teaching science.
  • Strategies that promote language development in the context of sense making.
  • How to support student agency and authority in reasoning about phenomena.

For more information check out the link and contact Antoinette Hallam at antoinette.hallam@wyo.gov or 307-777-5217 to set up your WIDA account.


Wyoming Department of Education

Standards Team

Barb Marquer, Supervisor  | 307-777-5506

Rob Black, Social Studies/P.E./Health  | 307-777-3747

Antoinette Hallam, EL/Foreign Language  | 307-777-5217

Lori Pusateri-Lane, ELA/F&PA  |  307-777-8595

Alicia Wilson, Math/Computer Science  |  307-777-5036  

JulieAnn Samora, Administrative Assistant | 307-777-2906

Laurie Hernandez, Director  | 307-777-3469