April 25, 2024 Edition

IN THIS EDITION...MT STEM Summer Institute Team Deal B2G1 FREE | SSoM Programs | SSoM Partner Resources feat. The Reading League - MT and Collaborative Classroom | Joke of the Week | Addt'l Resources feat. a Word from Montana PBS | About SSoM

- ATTENTION TEAMS -

6th ANNUAL MONTANA STEM

SUMMER INSTITUTE

August 5 - 8, 2024 | Bozeman, MT

The Montana STEM Summer Institute is a one-of-a-kind, Montana-made showcase for STEM integration across all grades and subject areas. You’ll enjoy exemplary K-12 STEM instruction and resources, inspiring national speakers, and the best of Montana! We welcome attendees interested in STEM learning in any discipline.

General Registration: $295 | SSoM Member Rate: $245

Click the

TEAM PROMO

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register

You will be

invoiced : )

2024 Conference Details | List of SSoM Member Districts | Questions? Contact:

Melissa Tovaas, SSoM Executive Director | mtovaas@mt-schools.org | (646) 831-7264

SSoM PROGRAMS & SERVICES

CUSTOMIZED PROFESSIONAL LEARNING | DETAILS

SSoM provides PD customized to the needs of your staff and students, both in-person & online, and will work with you to create a plan that fits your needs. Contact us for pricing, member discounts, and multi-day contract discounts.

• Save the Date: SSoM IEFA Institute | Nov. 7 - 8, 2024 | Anaconda, MT
• Program Lead: Genevieve Thomas | gthomas@mt-schools.org | (406) 300-2561

MECC CURRICULUM CONSORTIUM | DETAILS

MECC is an add-on benefit exclusive to SSoM Member Districts. Details & registration links for upcoming MECC reviews can be found in the 2023 - 2024 MECC Meetings & Events Calendar.

• Program Lead: Melissa Tovaas | mtovaas@mt-schools.org | (646) 831-7264

CO-OP FOOD PROGRAM | 23-24 SY DETAILS

Are rising food costs getting you down? Save time and money with this program, available to ALL MT Schools, child-based educational organizations, licensed early childhood learning centers, and after school programs. Join at any time!

• Program now open to Licensed Early Learning Centers - contact us for details
• MT School Nutrition Assoc.(MTSNA) Conference Registration | June 24 - 27 | Billings, MT
• Program Lead: Jennifer Brekke | jbrekke@mt-schools.org | (406) 580-7547

MEDICAID BILLING PROGRAM | DETAILS

Over 900 providers currently log services online in the SSoM Service Portal, and our program serves students from 105 Montana districts! Customized Zoom training available to all users.

• Program Lead: Lisa Waterman | Lwaterman@mt-schools.org | (406) 272-0073

INFINITE CAMPUS SUPPORT | DETAILS

You can switch to SSoM Infinite Campus Support at any time during the school year and your support fees will not increase! Our dedicated support team works closely with OPI and understands Montana District SIS needs. Contact us today!

• Infinite Campus 2024 YES PD Series: May 7 & 8
• Program Lead: Mary Anne Skinner | maskinner@mt-schools.org | (406) 256-7306

SSoM PARTNER OPPORTUNITIES

THE READING LEAGUE MT

HB352 Support & Summer Book Study

Established in 2022, The Reading League Montana (TRL-MT) chapter supports the advancement of the Science of Reading. TRL-MT shares the mission of the national organization of advancing the awareness, understanding, and use of evidence-based reading instruction.

GROW YOUR HB352 KNOWLEDGE

In response to the HB352 legislation, TRL-MT is working to support MT Educators in building capacity to develop high quality early childhood programs. If you missed the first two virtual sessions, you can catch the recordings here: 

🎞️April 5 Creating & Sustaining Early Learning Programs That Align With HB352

🎞️April 11 Building an Inclusive Early Learning Model Aligned to HB352 For All Students

NEXT SESSION: 🎞️April 29 Creating Alliances That Build Strong Early Learning Communities

STAY TUNED for session info on effective screening & curriculum evaluation

TRL-MT 2024 SUMMER BOOK STUDY | June 17 - July 29

Effective Universal Instruction: An Action-Oriented Approach to Improving Tier 1

Hosted by The Reading League | FREE Registration | Use code SUMMER2024 for 10% off the book

SSoM Director of Professional Learning, Genevieve Thomas, can attest to the usefulness of this resource for analyzing and improving universal instruction through an MTSS model.

Questions about TRL-MT? Please contact Genevieve Thomas

gthomas@mt-schools.org | (406) 300-2561

COLLABORATIVE CLASSROOM

FOCUS ON READING SUPPORT

Upcoming Webinars & a SIPPS

Summer Reading Course

Events Calendar

PD OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS

Intro to SEEDS of Learning: Ensure Early Literacy Success for Children Ages 3 - 5 | May 7 | 2 - 2:45pm MT | Free

AN EDUCATOR'S INTRODUCTION TO READING PROGRAMS WITHIN THE COLLABORATIVE LITERACY SUITE

• Small-Group Reading Sets (K–2) May 1 | 2 - 2:45pm MT | Aligns with SIPPS
• Being A Reader, 2nd Ed. (K-5) May 2 | 2 - 2:45pm MT
• All registrants, regardless of attendance, will receive the webinar recording!

CURRICULUM RESOURCES TO SUPPORT YOUR SUMMER JUMPSTART PROGRAM

SIPPS is an accelerated reading intervention program designed to develop fluent and independent readers who read with fluency and automaticity. Designed to be taught in differentiated, small group 30-minute lessons, SIPPS is a great addition to Summer Jumpstart Programs designed to increase reading proficiency.

SIPPS Summer Virtual Learning Course (5) 2-hr Virtual Sessions | $150 per person | 1 - 3pm MT each day: 6/18, 6/25, 7/9, 7/16, 7/18

For educators implementing SIPPS in SY 24 - 25, please join us and learn how to: leverage your print and digital program materials, plan for high-quality foundational skills instruction, engage in the structured lessons by delving into the instructional routines, give corrective feedback, and use data to drive decision making.

Please reach out to Genevieve if you would like to discuss any of these opportunities:

Genevieve Thomas, SSoM Director of Professional Learning, gthomas@mt-schools.org

JOKE OF THE WEEK

MT OFFICE OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION

Teacher Learning Hub - a FREE online learning platform providing high-quality professional learning for Montana educators

OPI April 2024 Compass | OPI Unit Updates

NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES FOR TEACHERS

3-Week Course | June 10 - 28 | Zoom + Asynchronous Work | 45 OPI Renewal Units OR 3 UM Grad Credits | Details & Registration

Chickadee Community Services is leading this course that will help teachers develop understanding of American Indian history, culture, policy, and contemporary issues to create more comprehensive, accurate IEFA teaching units.

• Week 1 & 2 Focus: tribal topics
• Week 3: provides support for new or improved IEFA units, or choose to conduct research toward a future IEFA unit

What's the MONTANA PBS Difference?

Global Perspectives; Local Stories

"You may be familiar with conversations about “media consolidation.” The phrase is a mouthful, but it’s simply another way of saying more and more of the media options available to us are owned by fewer and fewer companies. Often this results in less locally focused programming and less connection to the community. This is not, and never has been, the path for Montana PBS.

The nationally distributed programming you spend time with tackles topics of interest to people coast to coast. Yet each unique locale across America originates its own stories, too. An important part of our mission is to fully examine those stories by creating community-focused productions and projects specifically for the people of this region.

We're proud of that part of our mission as a noncommercial public media institution serving Montana. You can see all we have going on by visiting our website.

Thanks for your interest in Montana PBS. People who value the Montana PBS difference are why we do what we do.

Sincerely,

Kristana Martin

Director of Development

All 5 Montana CSPDs Offer FREE PD in Their Regions

Region I - Eastern MT | Region II - North Central MT | Region III - South Central MT

Region IV - Southwest MT | Region V - Northwest MT

OUR MISSION

School Services of Montana commits to providing equitable support and services designed to leverage school resources, enhance curriculum and instruction, and offer economically sustainable solutions. Through collaboration with government, public, and local entities, SSoM provides personalized, innovative programs to empower and connect Montana’s diverse school communities.

SSoM Members educate nearly 60,000 students across the state. Membership is open to all K-12 school districts, public or private, and education-based organizations primarily serving Montana’s youth. While membership is not required to participate in the vast majority of SSoM programs and services, membership does have its perks.

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