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December 14, 2022 Edition
IN THIS EDITION.. SSoM Member Testimonial | Infinite Campus 2023 PD & Notice | Dyslexia Self-paced Course | SSoM Programs Overview | USDE Grant Opportunity | SSoM Partner Resources | Joke of the Week | Addt'l Resources featuring 9-8-8 | About SSoM
CUSTOMER TESTIMONIAL
- from our newest member district -

UPCOMING INFINITE CAMPUS
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
YEARLY EVENT SERIES (YES)
Jan 10 - 11, 2023: Master Scheduling
Feb 7 - 8, 2023: Online Registration
Join us for the largest offering of live professional development events in Infinite Campus history! YES includes timely instruction on a wide array of Infinite Campus topics that will easily save you and your staff hundreds of hours during the school year. Register today!
Questions? Please contact the SSoM Director of Infinite Campus Support Services:
Mary Anne Skinner | maskinner@mt-schools.org | (406) 256-7306
- NOTICE TO CAMPUS PAYMENTS DISTRICTS -
CAMPUS PAYMENTS PROCESSOR CHANGE
  • Transition Date: JAN 31, 2023
  • New Payment Processor via Payrix: WorldPay/Fifth Third Bank
  • Action Required on Your Part: NONE
  • Functional, Reporting, or Cost-Related Changes Expected: NONE

This message has been posted to Campus Community and has been emailed out to all support and technical contacts for Campus Payments districts.
UNDERSTANDING & SUPPORTING STUDENTS WITH DYSLEXIA & OTHER READING DISABILITIES
A self-paced, online course brought to you by SSoM
Available through June 30, 2023

GOAL: to deepen your knowledge about dyslexia as it relates to Montana’s Dyslexia Screening and Intervention Act, the science of reading, and research-based literacy assessment and instructional practices in a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS)
SSoM PROGRAMS OVERVIEW
SSoM PROFESSIONAL LEARNING - That Meets Your Needs
Customized | In-Person &/or Virtual | Member Discounts

Questions? Please contact SSoM Executive Director:
Melissa Tovaas | mtovaas@mt-schools.org | (646) 831-7264
MECC - MONTANA EDUCATION CURRICULUM CONSORTIUM
Curriculum Design | Standards Alignment | Collaboration Across Schools

Questions? Please contact SSoM Executive Director:
Melissa Tovaas | mtovaas@mt-schools.org | (646) 831-7264
SSoM INFINITE CAMPUS SUPPORT - Switch to SSoM for FREE
Montana Expertise | On-Site & Virtual PD | FAST Response

Questions? Please contact the SSoM Director of Infinite Campus Support Services:
Mary Anne Skinner | maskinner@mt-schools.org | (406) 256-7306
SSoM MEDICAID BILLING PROGRAM - Serving Schools for 9+ Years
Electronic | Efficient | Empowering

Questions? Please contact the SSoM Medicaid Billing Program Specialist:
Lisa Waterman | Lwaterman@mt-schools.org | (406) 272-0073
SSoM CO-OP FOOD PROGRAM - All Schools Opt-in for FREE

Questions? Please contact the SSoM Purchasing Manager:
Jennifer Brekke | jbrekke@mt-schools.org | (406) 580-7547
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY GRANT
US DEPT. OF ENGERGY PROGRAM
The Office of State and Community Energy Programs issued $80 million for critical energy upgrades in America’s highest-need K-12 school facilities Nov 29, 2022. Applications now OPEN for Renew America’s Schools grant program.

This initial funding round of up to $80 million of the $500 million program, is available to public schools to perform energy improvements in the highest-need K-12 districts across the country.
Click here for full USDE announcement with application link.

Deadline for applicant concept papers: January 26, 2023
Full applications due: April 21, 2023
SSoM PARTNER RESOURCES
MSU SCIENCE MATH RESOURCE CENTER (SMRC)
Brainstorms! Newsletter December 2022 Edition

Welcome to Montana STEM educators of all grade levels, subjects and settings. Today we're featuring a FREE PAID SUMMER RESEARCH EXPERIENCE and ON DEMAND STEM PD!
ATTN. ELEMENTARY TEACHERS: HOW ABOUT A 6-WEEK PAID SUMMER RESEARCH EXPERIENCE? Applications due Feb. 4, 2023
MSU will host a six-week Research Experience for Teachers (RET) for elementary teachers in Summer 2023. The experience includes a stipend plus housing and travel expenses. In the energy-themed program, teachers gain hands-on experience in state-of-the-art engineering research labs and will visit multiple energy facilities such as hydroelectric dams and oil refineries. No STEM degree or prior experience is required! All elementary teachers are encouraged to apply.
Visit https://www.montana.edu/ret/ for more information and a link to the application.
ON DEMAND STEM PD plus FREE kits!
Learn about Arduino coding and sensors that are used for science and engineering with our Sensing for Science PD program for teachers.
This program, launched at the July 2022 STEM Summer Institute, continues on as a free on-demand video series through MSU - SMRC. If you are a Montana teacher and intend to complete the program in the next 3 months, we’ll send you a FREE Arduino kit. AND if you complete the course and share some info about how you intend to use the program with your students, you could get a free Arduino kit for your whole class!
Click here and get started today!

Supercharge Your Classroom with Montana Field Science Data
...is a FREE, self-paced course for educators that consists of 5 modules. Through these modules, educators will learn to incorporate datasets from authentic Montana research projects into their own classroom.
Visit Supercharge Your Classroom for details.

COLLABORATIVE
CLASSROOM'S
GIFT TO YOU


COLLABORATIVE CIRCLE The latest issue is now available for you to enjoy : )
  • Educator Spotlight: How a SIPPS Teacher Scholarship Helped a Striving Reader
  • Author's Chair Interview with Nadine Kaadan
  • The Use of Pseudowords: The Importance of Being Earnest About the Science of Reading
  • Paul Revere Innovation School: Targeting Foundational Skills to Improve Reading

Click here for the Events Calendar, or contact us for more information:
Melissa Tovaas, Collaborative Classroom Liaison | mtovaas@mt-schools.org
JOKE OF THE WEEK
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
MT OFFICE OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION

OPI Education Compass - December 2022 Ed.
988 logo
NATIONAL SUICIDE & CRISIS LIFELINE 9-8-8
effective July 18, 2022

Call or text 988 for suicide prevention and mental health crisis support 24/7. Chat at 988lifeline.org/chat. Anyone could be struggling with suicide. Click the 988 logo to find more specific resources on the 988 website, including:
  • Individuals with Neurodivergence
  • Youth
  • Veterans
  • Attempt Survivors
  • Black Mental Health
  • Disaster Survivors
  • Loss Survivors
  • Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Hearing Loss
  • Maternal Mental Health
  • Native Americans & Alaskan Natives
  • LGBTQ+
  • Ayuda En Español
988 is a talk line, not the number to dispatch services. A reminder that
emergency calls still need to go to 9-1-1 if police or an ambulance is needed.
HEALTH NEWS: Is it COVID, Flu, or RSV?

COVID, Flu, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) are together driving a national wave of respiratory illnesses, and they can be distinguish, since they share many common symptoms. But it's useful to know which virus you have, since that determines the treatments you should receive and how long you should isolate.

Check out this article for details on five factors to consider and a handy symptoms comparison chart.
All 5 Montana CSPDs offer FREE VIRTUAL PD in their regions. Click for details:
ABOUT SCHOOL SERVICES of MONTANA
SSoM is a 501(c)(3) non-profit education service organization committed to unlocking the full potential of every child in each and every school we serve across the state. We accomplish this by providing a wide variety of professional learning activities and business services designed to meet the specific needs of Montana’s educators and administrators. Interested in supporting our work? Click here to make a donation, and be sure to read all about our organization on our website.

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