VOLUME 17, ISSUE 2  |  FALL 2014  
SMC Graduate Awarded "Vermont Teacher of the Year"
Congratulations, Rebecca Haslam, for being selected 2015 Vermont Teacher of the Year! Rebecca, a first grade teacher at Burlington’s Champlain Elementary School, received her teaching license at Saint Michael’s College in Elementary Education in 2003 and her Master’s Degree in Arts Education in 2012. Vermont Secretary of Education Rebecca Holcombe cited in particular Haslam’s innovative and collaborative work to educate students, teachers and the public about diversity for the Burlington School District. Rebecca, we applaud your accomplishments and all that you do for the children of Vermont.
Judson and Parson's Ready, Set, Teach Endowed Scholarship
Dr. Anne Judson, former Director of Graduate Education at Saint Michael's College, and her husband Dr. Tim Parsons have generously donated $75,000 to support Graduate Education student teachers. This scholarship will make approximately $3,000 available annually with the first awards tentatively scheduled for the 2016/2017 academic year. The funds will be used for one or more Graduate Education student teachers each year. All student teachers except those in the special education licensure program are eligible. Student teachers in the special education program may apply for the Bennett C. Douglas grant of similar amount. Scholarship funding for the student teaching semester will be based on the demonstration of excellence in teaching potential and on financial need.
Anne's career at Saint Michael's started in 1989; she was the Director of Graduate Education for 15 years until she retired this past July. Tim Parsons was Director of YouthBuild Burlington before he retired in 2001. The Saint Michael's Education Department is grateful for this generous gift. Anne and Tim's contribution to excellence in teaching and learning will continue far past their retirements from the field of education.
Graduate Student Spotlight: Ethan Bodin
Ethan Bodin, educator and VT FEED (Food Education Everyday) Professional Development Coordinator, received his M.Ed. with a concentration in Curriculum in 2011. At Saint Michael's College he was introduced to place-based, project-based, and service learning strategies as well as interdisciplinary and student-centered approaches to education. His Capstone research was focused on Education for Sustainability (EFS). His experiences at SMC directly contributed to his commitment to transformative learning and educational pedagogues that put students first.
At Shelburne Farms he coordinates the VT FEED professional development opportunities for educators. In this position he facilitates workshops and institutes on Education for Sustainability; organizes learning experiences on the farm for students K-college; and actively participates in the state-wide conversations on education and workforce development for Farm to Plate. He advocates for the Shelburne Farms mission: cultivating a conservation ethic for a sustainable future. His SMC education was an excellent background for the Shelburne Farms Education Program's emphasis on inquiry, exploration, and play and the focus on the three components of sustainability: social justice, economic equity, and environmental stewardship. He values the opportunity to put theory into practice. For example, he remarks that at Shelburne Farms educators talk about "place as the context for learning, service learning as the strategy, and sustainable communities as the goal."
Prior to working at Shelburne Farms, Ethan worked at Bread and Butter Farm and Thunder Basin Maple works. His professional goal is to combine education and agriculture and in the future, start a family farm.
New Licensure Regulations Will Cause Change in Design of Leadership Practicum (GED 688 C, E and F)
The recent changes in the state requirements (see Core Leadership Standards, p. 21) for an administrative endorsement include a new 300 hour supervised internship. Commencing July 1, 2015, the School Leadership concentration at St. Michael's College will now include a year-long Practicum offering that will assist all endorsement candidates (M.Ed. and C.A.G.S.) in fulfilling the state internship requirements that includes two settings (referred to as central and subsequent by AOE and the VSBPE). The subsequent placement requires a minimum of 60 hours.
Brian O'Regan, School Leadership Concentration Coordinator, will be hosting an informational meeting in December for all endorsement candidates to be followed by a March planning meeting for all administration endorsement candidates. We offer administration endorsement programs in the areas of School Principal and Director of Special Education. Additionally, we are currently going through the approval process for Director of Curriculum.
GED 688 will be a year-long 6 credit course that will entail the internship and the development of a portfolio aligned with the Core leadership Standards for Vermont Educators. The March meeting is intended to assist individuals in identifying licensed supervisors and internship placements. Our program goal is also to ensure that individuals can fulfill the obligations of the internship requirements absent any conflict with current employment.
A communication regarding the December meeting date and agenda will be emailed to all administrative endorsement candidates by early November. Questions please email: boregan@smcvt.edu.
New courses being offered Spring 2015
GED 529: Personalized Learning
GED 541: Building Classroom Community, Engaging Students and Increasing Achievement
GED 544: Mindfulness Education: Cultivating Caring, Attention, Awareness and Self-Regulation 
Introducing Two New Adjunct Faculty Co-Teaching GED 541: Building Classroom Community, this Spring
Emily Tyl has an M.Ed. and 38 years of experience working with elementary aged children. She has been a Professional Learning Community Leader, an Academic Support Team Leader, and a mentor. Additionally, Emily has presented at a variety of educational conferences. These presentations include teaching mathematics using art, creating positive classroom environments, and positive problem solving with children. She has been an active member of district and state committees and initiatives, including district wide school climate and mathematics committees, and supporting state and local mathematics curricula. She has taught a graduate level course on classroom management strategies, and is currently co-teaching monthly seminars for new teachers in the Essex Town School District. Emily believes that developing a positive relationship with each student creates an environment where all can reach their full potential.
Barbara Smith has a M.S. in school counseling and has been a school counselor for over 25 years. Prior to this, she was a counselor at Washington County Mental Health for nine years and is certified as a Master Social Skills Trainer. As a school counselor, she collaborated with classroom teachers, administrators, and families to support children in a variety of ways, and was an active member of many school and district initiatives and committees. She is currently co- teaching a monthly seminar for new teachers in the Essex Town School District. She has presented a variety of workshops for educators and recently taught a graduate level course on building classroom community and classroom management strategies, focusing on ways to include and connect with all students. Barbara believes that building a strong sense of community and connection with all students is critical. She recognizes how these relationships have a direct correlation and impact on a students' risk taking, ultimately impacting their academic achievement.
SMC's Literacy Concentration Welcomes a New Adjunct, Gayle Moskowitz!
Gayle Moskowitz began her career in education teaching first and second grade on the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico. From there she joined Thatcher Brook Primary School in Waterbury, Vermont, where she's been a literacy leader for the past fifteen years. At Thatcher Brook, Gayle works with colleagues to develop literacy curriculum and implement a consistent framework for literacy instruction. Fueled by her passion to collaborate and make a difference in the lives of teachers and students, Gayle has also worked for the Vermont Reads Institute as a literacy consultant for close to a decade. In this role, Gayle travels throughout Vermont providing ongoing job-embedded professional development in literacy to elementary teachers. In 2013, Gayle was awarded the John Poeton Award, an award that honors an outstanding literacy educator in the state of Vermont. We’re delighted to welcome Gayle to the Graduate Education faculty. Gayle will be teaching "GED 510: Becoming a Literacy Leader: Tools and Strategies for Success" this coming spring on Thursday nights.
Spotlight on Adjunct Faculty Member: Val Gardner
Val Gardner is a native Vermonter educated in the Vermont Public Schools System. She served at Champlain Valley Union High School (CVU) for 32 years, as a teacher, athletic director, assistant principal, and principal. In addition to her work at CVU, she has contributed to a number of statewide projects and has been a member of numerous boards including: The Vermont Educational Leadership Alliance, High Schools on the Move, The Snelling School Leadership Project, Vermont Youth Orchestra, Youth and Adults Transforming Schools Together, Flynn Center Education Committee, and Policy Governance training across Vermont.
Her forty years of service in education, has included roles as President of the Vermont Principals' Association, Chair of the Commission on Public Secondary Schools for the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), and as Principal in Residence for the US Department of Education. Val has also been an adjunct faculty member here at St. Michael's College since 2004. She teachers "GED 684: Schools and Communities." Val's regular assignment with GED 684 is considered a highly beneficial and engaging two week summer learning experience. Val continues to mentor, work with schools' leadership teams and school boards to benefit student learning, in addition to being involved in the development of aspiring and practicing administrators and educators throughout Vermont.
Congratulations to our Newly Hired GED Students!
Erin Brady
Special Educator, Milton Elementary School
Mary Carney
Third Grade Teacher, District of Columbia Public Schools
Katie Fraser (Herbert)
Third/Fourth Grade Teacher, Charlotte Central School
Ira Isham
Special Educator, Essex High School
Elizabeth King
Eighth Grade Social Studies Teacher, Lyndon Town School
Christina Lauterbach
English Teacher, Winooski Middle/High School
Jessica Mongeon
Special Educator, CVU High School
Amanda Vella
K-2nd Grade Art Teacher, Porter's Point School/Union Memorial School
Graduate Education Updates
Spring Course Registration - Registration for matriculated students opens Monday, October 27th. For all other students, registration opens Monday, November 24th. The course listing, descriptions and registration form can be found on the web (or on KnightVision for matriculated students).
New Cohort Model for Capstone - We have a new cohort model to support our students in GED 558: Educator as Researcher and GED 699: Capstone. Students will complete a literature review and research proposal in GED 558 in the summer or fall, take a semester between to collect and record data, and then take GED 699 in the spring or summer to analyze their data and complete their Capstone projects. James Nagle and Claudine Bedell will be teaching these two courses and will follow their students through the process. We are looking forward to meeting our students' needs and streamlining this process to foster success!
Canvas - Our new Management System is up and running. Please consult the Canvas site for all of your course needs. Booklists will be posted early, so please view as soon as possible after registration. 
Facebook and Twitter - Check out our Graduate Education Website for our Facebook and Twitter updates coming soon!
Did you know that there are Privileges for Graduate Students at SMC?
SMC graduate students have several privileges on and off campus:
Discounts at Smuggler's Notch: SMC Smuggs Industry Pass Order Form
Free black and white copies anywhere on campus
Use of the library and access to library database (on and off campus)

Use of the Sports Center facilities (if your Knight Card does not work at the Ross Sports Center door, you can contact Security to have it updated)

Parking Permit for $5.00 (only Tarrant Center parking lot with white lines), 
available through the Security Office, Department of Public Safety.
SMC Graduate Students Teaching at Berkshire Elementary School: A Reflection by Professor Tim Whiteford
Towards the end of every spring semester for the past couple of years I have received a call from Lynn Cota, the wonderful principal of Berkshire Elementary School, asking if we currently have any talented graduates who are looking for a teaching job in Vermont. In response, I have given her names of several students. Then, after the usual lengthy, exhaustive interviews, which characterize job applications these days, Lynn has hired them! In fact, Lynn stated that she is always very impressed with the quality of education students from St. Michael's College. This is so good to hear. During the last several years, Lynn has hired five Saint Michael’s College graduates, two of whom were SMC graduate students, Matt Roy and Natalie Cowden.
2014 Education Department Common Read: Home of the Brave
"If there's one thing I want you to remember about my book, is that this is a story about a special kind of courage. Home of the Brave is about a boy named Kek, a refugee from the brutal war in Darfur, who finds himself all alone, without a mother or father, in the very strange land of Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. It's a world full of challenges, snow drifts, washing machines, skate boards, and of course, the relentless struggle to master a new language. But Kek finds friendship with a girl in foster care named Hannah, and he finds solace in the unlikely form of an aging cow named Gal. Kek comes from a tribe of nomadic herders in Sudan, and in his language, Gal means family. To him, a cow represents far more than a burger. She represents everything he's lost and everything he longs for. What Kek longs for most of all is the mother he's lost in Sudan--the mother he hopes to reunite with. While he waits and hopes, Kek learns that there are many kinds of courage in the land people call Home of the Brave." ~ Katherine Applegate
The Education Department has developed the following three events this fall related to our Common Read:
Refugees Seeking Solace in Vermont: Panel Discussion of Home of the Brave
Wednesday, October 29th, 5:00-6:30 p.m. in McCarthy Arts Center
Establishing Relationships with New Americans: A Teacher Workshop
Tuesday, November 11th, 5:00-6:30 p.m. in the Farrell Room, Saint Edmund's Hall
Wet Feet, Fries, and Cattle, Home of the Brave through the Arts:
Presentation and Workshop

Wednesday, December 3rd, 5:00-6:30 p.m. in the Farrell Room, Saint Edmund's Hall
Saint Mike's New Stone Arch
Vermont stone artist and designer, Thea Alvin, along with her team members, Robyn Alvin and Michael Clookey, created a permanent stone arch and bench in our Teaching Gardens this September. As part of her artist residency here, Thea gave a public talk on "The Beauty of Stone." She also led students from Saint Michael's College and fifth-graders from the Integrated Arts Academy (IAA) in arch-building workshops focused on math and physics. In addition, Thea directed SMC Students in stone wall construction. The arch, "Time and Again", was funded by the vanderHeyden Endowment for the Arts and was dedicated on October 29th.
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