April 17, 2024 Edition

IN THIS EDITION...MT STEM Summer Institute Team Deal B2G1 FREE | Safe & Healthy Schools Grant Update | The Reading League MT Summer Book Study | SSoM Programs | SSoM Partner Resources feat. Reading Resources | Joke of the Week | Addt'l Resources | 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

Team Promo: Register 2 Get 1 FREE

(must use the Team Registration link; 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

APPLY NOW, IMPLEMENT IN SY 24 - 25

MONTANA SAFE & HEALTHY SCHOOLS PROJECT UPDATES

Caring School Community Schoolwide

Program Scholarships

SSoM is currently working with Richland County stakeholders to plan resources for families to support proactive approaches to mental and behavioral health and wellness. Resources will include a “Prioritizing School and Community Wellness” in-person event this fall, as well as a series of virtual training sessions. Look for future announcements and details as schools and families in Richland (and surrounding counties) are welcome to join!

Are you working with a school/district in Richland or a surrounding county and are interested in joining our stakeholder team to plan the event and provide input into topics? Contact Melissa Tovaas today!

RESOURCES & LINKS

• Caring School Community Scholarship Details
• Caring School Community Scholarship Application
• FREE Upcoming Webinar: learn about CASEL SELect Caring School Community (K-8) | April 24 | 2 - 3pm MT | Details & Registration

For questions about joining our Richland County stakeholder team, contact:

Melissa Tovaas, Project Director | mtovaas@mt-schools.org | (406) 272-0021

THE READING LEAGUE MONTANA - RESOURCES

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.

🍎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

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

Please note the MECC Review date changes for March & April. Details & registration links can be found in the 2023 - 2024 MECC Meetings & Events Calendar.

• MECC Science Review - rescheduled for April 22 @ the Bozeman Public Library
• 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, 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!

• Montana Spring User Groups: April 15, 16, 17, 18 | Free! | REGISTER
• Infinite Campus 2024 YES PD Series: May 7 & 8
• Program Lead: Mary Anne Skinner | maskinner@mt-schools.org | (406) 256-7306

SSoM PARTNER OPPORTUNITIES

COLLABORATIVE CLASSROOM

FOCUS ON READING & SEL

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!

SEEDS of Learning is a research-based PD program for early childhood educators focused on social-emotional development and the Big Five Early Literacy Predictors. Join the SEEDS team for a free informational webinar!

• Reach out to Genevieve Thomas if you’d like to discuss opportunities to bring SEEDS to your school or district. 

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.

• Interested in learning more about SIPPS materials and/or professional learning? Reach out to Genevieve Thomas.

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

Are you implementing the SIPPS program this school year? If so, you’ll want to join us! 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.

CASEL SELect Caring School Community (K-8) | April 24 | 2 - 3pm MT

Learn about how this SEL learning program builds school-wide community (supporting both adults and students), develops students’ social skills, and enables a transformative stance on discipline.

Small-Group Reading Sets (K–2) | May 1 | 2 - 2:45pm MT | Aligns with SIPPS : )

Learn about how these supplemental sets for Small-Group Reading Instruction, a component of Being a Reader K–2, are designed to help students build and practice phonics and foundational skills, improve language comprehension, and develop independent thinking skills.

Program Contact: Genevieve Thomas, Director of Professional Learning, gthomas@mt-schools.org

MSU SCIENCE MATH RESOURCE CENTER

Newsletter: Brainstorms! April 2024 Edition

The April 2024 edition features cool opportunities for Montana STEM educators of all grade levels, subjects, and settings. You'll find upcoming PD workshops, grants, resources, events and contests for students, and more:

Help build a STEM Learning Ecosystem in Montana!

The Science Math Resource Center is one of several partners supporting the Montana Afterschool Alliance as they work toward forming a STEM Learning Ecosystem in Montana. STEM learning ecosystems are networks of organizations that work together and support one another to advance STEM learning opportunities for youth.

You can learn more about this effort or sign-up for a list-serv to stay in touch. Watch for an announcement of a statewide virtual meeting later this month!

APRIL HIGHLIGHTS & RESOURCES

• Celebrate World Quantum Day, April 14
• April is Citizen Science Month
• MSU Summer Math Camp | June 17 - 20 | 6 - 9th grade students
• Computer Science in the Classroom: Computational Thinking for Teachers (CSCI 581, 2 credits) July 8 - 12; FREE for MT Teachers: Online Summer Graduate Course!
• STEM STRONG seeks rural teachers of grades 3 - 5 for paid PD opportunity!
• MT Nanotechnology Facility (MONT) paid summer nanoscience workshop for MS teachers | July 15-19 | Virtual | up to $800 stipend!

Full details, resources, and registration links can be found in Brainstorms! April 2024 Ed.

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

MONTANA PBS EDUCATION

Featuring the MT State Parks Collection & Spring Field Trip Ideas

Take your students on an adventure to one of the Montana State Parks and let Montana PBS be your tour guide!

• Get your students excited for the trip by watching a quick overview video about all the things they will see in the park.
• Use the background reading documents to talk to students about the park and what they might learn on the field trip.
• Explore the photo gallery & the wandering wonders video to preview of the landscape of the park.
• During your field trip use the Park Visitation Guide in the support materials to keep track of things you observe.
• Once you are back from the field trip take a look at the lesson video and do a hands-on activity to explore a science or social studies topic related to the park.

This original collection contains teacher resources for exploring Lewis and Clark Caverns, Makoshika State Park, Flathead Lake, and First People's Buffalo Jump.

🌲Start Your Trip!🐻

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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