Education Department Newsletter, January 29, 2021

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NewFall 2021 Student Teaching: Fall 2021 Student Teaching Information Sessions will be conducted virtually for all teacher candidates who are eligible to student teach in Fall 2021. These Sessions will be conducted on: 

  • Saturday, January 30 from 10:00-11:30 am and 
  • Monday, February 1 from 6:00-7:30 pm.  

This involves students from all content areas who will complete all licensure coursework before Sept 2021. Click on this link to access the form which will serve as your registration to receive the Zoom invitation: <https://forms.gle/R9mrB3MJhA3seCTW8>

If you have any questions, please contact Barbara West at: <westb@augsburg.edu>.

NewAnnual National Service-Learning Conference: Share your voice and passion for change at the virtual 32nd Annual National Service-Learning Conference, Engage. Evolve. Energize! Use promo code Use MLK2021 for 10% off all rates from 1/17 – 1/25/21. View the listing of 30+ On-Demand sessions; more speaker announcements to come. Encourage your students to showcase their service-learning projects to an international audience- application extended to 2/19. Visit nylc.org/conference to register today!

■ Online Licensure Application Process Announced: On Tuesday, December 8, the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) is launching a new online license application system for initial licensure applicants The new system is accessed at this link.

<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDEyMDguMzE3NjAyODEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3B1YmxpYy5lZHVjYXRpb24ubW4uZ292L0NFTEFwcGxpY2F0aW9uLyJ9.3fQjBnvRLu5EcK0pK5GN0xEPXUxAO3T3cssYIJV2fmo/s/1041081043/br/91317111301-l>.

For those who have never previously held a file folder number with PELSB, an initial license application should be created through the PELSB online system beginning December 8. This will initiate the licensing process. At the end of the online application, a checklist will populate indicating any additional materials that must be mailed to the PELSB office. Please ensure that all materials are gathered and submitted in one packet before mailing.

Should you have any questions about the launch of the new online application system, please contact PELSB at <pelsb@state.mn.us> or by phone at 651-539-4200 (Tuesday-Thursday, 9 am-12 pm).

Augsburg’s Education Department is pleased to announce multiple funding opportunities for licensure-track students of Color and Indigenous students. We were fortunate to receive a generous grant from the Minnesota Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER).  

Only students who are juniors, seniors, or MAT status may apply. The grants will cover only courses that lead to licensure. Undergraduate and graduate students are required to apply each semester for a one or two credit tuition award. Student teaching grants are offered for students only one-time. 

Undergraduate students:  

  • The grant will cover 1 credit per semester at a cost of $1,228 for undergraduate students. 

Graduate students:

  • The grant will cover 2 credits per semester at a cost of $509 per credit for a total of $1018.

Stipend for student teachers: 

  • The grant will cover a one-time living award of up to $1,500

Students who are interested must complete the grant application to receive fall 2020 tuition assistance. 

Tuition reimbursement application:

https://forms.gle/cvd3cNhz79DTQeQv8  

Student teaching stipend application:

https://forms.gle/esQ3wsuujHyUdTo87  

Please reach out to Hana Salad if you have any questions at: <saladha@augsburg.edu>.

■ The Fall 2020 Field Experience Guide <https://docs.google.com/document/d/13oD3XxrHqYtqSgBujCtncgAqWy8AeJzGcSiyYyNq-nc/edit?usp=sharing> and FAQs will walk you through all options available to you whether you choose to opt-in or opt-out of field experience this semester. Please read this document carefully, as it contains important information that could impact your ability to become a licensed teacher in the state of Minnesota.

If you have further questions or concerns about field experience this semester that were not covered in the guide, please feel free to contact:

  • Stephanie Duncomb, Field Experience Specialist, <duncombs@augsburg.edu>, Make an appointment for one-on-one advising with Stephanie via Zoom at <https://calendar.x.ai/stephanieduncomb>.
  • Emily Wollak, Special Education Field Experience Specialist, <wollak@augsburg.edu>.

As an additional resource, feel free to check out the newly updated Field Experience page <http://go.augsburg.edu/fieldexp> on the Education Department website.

■ Summer Teaching Jobs: Breakthrough Twin Cities is seeking applicants for their summer teaching fellowship program. A recruitment kit is available at: <https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1HEf-QFR6NUPGD1apODZoplE3CsrZVEYm?usp=sharing>?

Contact Rachel Banen <rbanen@breakthroughtwincities.org> or 651-748-5596 for more information.

NewEden Valley-Watkins High School: The Eden Valley-Watkins High School has teaching positions available for Life Science and Social Studies classroom instructors for the 2021-2022 school year. These positions have been placed on Ed Post. Should anyone seek additional information about them or have questions, he/she can contact me at:

Bruce Kiehn, Secondary Principal, Eden Valley-Watkins High School, Eden Valley, MN 55329
Phone:  (320)453-2900 extension 1141
Email:  bkiehn@evw.k12.mn.us

NewBreakthrough Twin Cities: Breakthrough Twin Cities is hiring their next cohort of summer Teaching Fellows to support our students on their journeys to college. Summer teaching fellows teach classes of 10-12 students with training and support. The 9-week fellowship is designed to give teachers the instructional and cultural humility tools to become an effective teacher and mentor to students in the Twin Cities who are impacted by inequitable educational circumstances. Teachers will receive support from licensed teachers and committed staff to be successful and learn in a high-challenge, high-support environment. Undergraduate and high school students aged 16+ are eligible to apply. All majors or areas of study are welcomed.

$2,500 living stipend plus housing options
Regular Decision Deadline: February 25, 2021
Final Decision Notification: May 1, 2021, or earlier!

For more information, please go to: <http://www.breakthroughtwincities.org/>.

Summer Camp Jobs: Camp TEKO is looking for counselors, lifeguards, and specialists. You must be entering 12th grade or older but you do not need to be Jewish to apply for these positions. The TEKO staff will get to work at 8:15 a.m., spend the day at camp (on Lake Minnetonka), and head home at 5:30 p.m. Salary is determined based on experience and position. We are looking for fun, creative and open-minded staff who love working with kids and are able to make responsible choices regarding COVID-19 precautions.

For more information, please go to their website: <https://templeisrael.com/articles/work-at-teko>.

The application may be found at this site: <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1o6oMb5wjgnT9bgl9Hrj7tj8Cv6B3LnZCqI7VZOwcydw/viewform?edit_requested=true>.

A brochure describing their programs is available here. <https://s3.amazonaws.com/symposia-app/companies/6bf728/147cc8/2021%20Camp%20TEKO%20Brochure.pdf>

NewTeaching Materials For Sale: A recently retired P-12 teacher has offered to sell her library of resource materials to teacher candidates for $1.00-$2.00 each. Many new and nearly new books for teaching at all grade levels are available, including ESL, Math, English, Reading, World studies, Computer, Special Ed, preschool, elementary ed, afterschool enrichment, and Adult Basic Ed classes. For more information, please follow this link: <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LsjpFvi9wISW2lSd8i4uGtUiuds40O9P17w0hNRZCxE/edit?usp=sharing>.

Submitting news to Augsburg:

  • To the Education Department News: Send your news to Joseph Erickson at C.B. 312 or erickson-AT-augsburg.edu.
  • To the Augsburg Now published by the Augsburg University Office of Public Relations and Communication: Send your news to C.B. 145 or now@augsburg.edu.
  • To the daily A-Mail electronic newsletter: Go to AugNet Home Page and login. Then click on the “Submit News and Announcements” link.

Connecting with Alumni and Friends:

Augsburg University provides several ways to stay connected with alumni and friends. Here are some links to get you started:

  • Alumni Information Update: Submit news and contact information changes to the university’s Alumni Office.
  • TC2 New Teachers’ Blog

Other Sources of News for K-12 Teachers:

Here are links to some of the very best online news sources for K-12 teachers:

  • Education Week
  • Teacher Magazine
  • Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (also, subscribe to ASCD SmartBrief, a daily email news resource delivered right to your inbox).