IN THIS EDITION...Spring Enrollment Count Date & User Guide | Suicide Screening & Prevention Panel | Flathead Valley IEFA Institute | Infinite Campus Data Days | IEFA Lesson Demos (4-part series) | Black History Month Tech Resources | SSoM Program Updates & Resources | SSoM Partner Resources | Joke of the Week | Addt'l Resources | About SSoM

This is the second count date used to calculate Aggregate Hours and Count Date Absence. Student data from AIM is imported to the MAEFAIRS system for the calculation of Average Number of Belonging (ANB) which is used for SCHOOL FUNDING. Calculation processes and data uploads should not be completed until the day AFTER the count date. Last day to submit your data is FEBRUARY 11, 2022.

- Virtual Panel Discussion -

Join us for a virtual panel discussion to learn more about the Rural Behavioral Health Institute’s Screening Linked to Care (SLTC) suicide assessment and intervention. During this session, our expert panel will share an overview of SLTC and how the process works, followed by a discussion of why and how it was implemented in Livingston, how it fits with MTSS and other schools’ mental health programming, and how this intervention is likely to reduce suicidality. Also learn about how RBHI is currently able to offer the SLTC free to schools through grant support. Click here for complete details in a flyer you can share.

This is a FREE event! Please register here to receive the Zoom link to join. The recording will also be shared with registrants after the event. This webinar is brought to you through a collaboration between the Rural Behavioral Health Institute and School Services of MT.

Moderator: Melissa Tovaas, SSoM Director of Education Services

March 16, 2022 | 8:30am - 3pm | Kalispell, MT

Join us for a day of IEFA learning with award-winning Montana educators, Jordann Lankford-Forster (Bright Trail Woman) and Miranda Murray.

The Flathead Valley IEFA Institute, hosted by School Services of Montana and Kalispell Public Schools, will provide foundational information concerning the seven “Essential Understandings Regarding Montana Indians” and tools to implement Indigenous content into your curriculum.

Participants may not feel comfortable or know where to begin, and that is okay! The facilitators will provide you with the support and sustainable resources to advance cultural content and Native resources in your classrooms, no matter where you are in your IEFA implementation. Participants will gain instruction and crucial essential understandings as diverse perspectives are important for all students’ success.

Join over 200 Districts across the country for 3 days of incredible Infinite Campus training on all things data and scheduling! 10 sessions will be available each day. Click here for times. Your favorite Tech Minion, Mary Anne Skinner, will be leading a few sessions.

DDMS 2022 Session Booklet NOW AVAILABLE!

One flat fee covers your ENTIRE district's registration. Discounts available

Questions? Contact: training@infinitecampus.com

Join us for a series of (4) 2-hour webinars facilitated by Dottie Susag. The goal of the series is to experience lessons that authentically integrate the Essential Understandings Regarding Montana Indians. After an interactive lesson, participants will debrief and discuss ideas for adapting and integrating the lesson into your classroom. Sessions will be recorded; join live *or watch the recorded sessions.

OPI RENEWAL UNITS: earn 2 for each 2-hour session you join OR 4 per session by implementing the lesson in your classroom and completing a follow-up reflection form.

A Word from Our Tech Education Director...

"Welcome to February and to Black History Month. As we focus on teaching these stories, histories, and cultures, I encourage you to remind students that beyond and in addition to Black History is the reality of Black Futures. (Click the link to see the excellent book by Kimberly Drew and Jenna Wortham.) 

There are so many resources available to educators for Black History Month, increasing each year since recognition of the month began in 1970. To start us off, I'd like to recommend the 2021 list of resources compiled by the AFT via Share My Lesson (if you click on specific topics, you can see all lessons from previous years). They are a great place to start and augment our lessons for February and beyond. Black History shouldn't be confined to one month - I encourage you to integrate these resources throughout the school year.

Director of Technology Education Services

School Services of Montana

(406) 272-0046

CRDC RESOURCES (with love from your favorite SSoM Tech Minion)

CRDC New User Starter Guide | CRDC 2020-21 School Form | CRDC Quick Start Guide

Delivery 1 (D1) began Monday, Jan. 31st (no week break before D2 begins)

D2: Feb 21 - Mar 11; D3: Mar 21 - Apr 8; D4: Apr 18 - May 6; D5: May 23 - Jun 10

Contact: Jennifer Brekke, Marketing & Purchasing Manager, jbrekke@mt-schools.org

American Prairie, in partnership with the Montana Outdoor Science School (MOSS), offers 6th - 8th grade students a fully-funded opportunity to spend 3 days/2 nights learning in the field under Montana's big prairie skies. Classes study STEM curriculum with visits from the Smithsonian Institute and American Prairie research scientists. Subjects include astronomy, plant biology, wildlife ecology, geology, and natural & human history. Click here for full details, application link, and shareable PDF.

Join educators from MOSS and American Prairie for a 3-day, 2-night education extravaganza in the prairie for grown-ups! Learn about prairie ecosystems, nature journaling techniques and spend time immersed in this magical landscape. This workshop is FREE for MT public school teachers, grades 5 - 8. Click here for full details & registration link. OPI renewal units available!

For more information please contact American Prairie Field School Education Coordinator:

NEW UPCOMING EVENTS including...

Summer school is an opportunity to build competence, confidence, and independence in striving readers. Now is the time to prepare and get ideas on how to deliver high-quality instruction to help close the reading gap.

The ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) Fund provides funding to school districts to respond to students' social, emotional, and academic needs. Collaborative Classroom resources are ESSER-eligible and grounded in our dual commitments to equitable, evidence-based literacy instruction and social-emotional learning.

Visit the Events Calendar for a full listing of offerings, or click their logo for more.

OPI Monthly Compass - Feb. 2022 Edition

Featuring: Spring Student Enrollment Day Feb. 7th; OPI Virtual Job Fair; State Graduation Rates now Live on GEMS; Calendar of Events Feb - May

Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022 @ 3:30pm via Zoom

OPI’s Content Standards and Instruction team completed reviewing vendor responses to a Request for Information regarding evidence-based curricular materials. Five vendors responded with information on their supplemental programs (digital / computer-based) and/or curriculum materials meet ESSA Tiers of Evidence and Student Data Privacy. Subject areas include English language arts, mathematics, and/or science.

Bookmark this Zoom link and set a reminder to join!

March 28 Montana Science Fair

March 31 - April 3 NSTA Nat'l Conference, Houston TX

April 15 Montana Science Olympiad

June 20 - 24 OPI Summer Institute

MSSE Engineering Methods for Teachers

Michelle McCarthy, M.Ed. | Science Instructional Coordinator, OPI | mmccarthy@mt.gov

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR WORLD LANGUAGE INITIATIVE SPRING 2022 LANGUAGE PROGRAMS

WLI is offering 12-week language programs beginning Feb. 14th!

WLI-MT's Mission is to make language & culture programming available for ALL Montanans! Check out their website here : )

All 5 CSPDs offer FREE VIRTUAL PD for their respective regions. Click for details:

Region I (Eastern MT) | Region II | Region III | Region IV | Region V (Western MT)

SSoM is a non-profit education service agency 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 excellent 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.