Department of Education Communications on COVID-19

Additional COVID-19 information may appear in the archives of the regular Monday Minutes.

TO: Faculty | Face Mask Requirement Update - Dept. of Education | Tuesday, July 21 at 8:31 a.m.
TO: UTEC | UTEC Updates and Virtual Meeting 4/22 | Friday, April 10, 2020 at 11:35 AM
TO: Students | SENT: David Reese - Message from Dept Head | Friday, March 29 at 4:45 pm
TO: Department of Education Community | 3/27 Update: Department of Ed COVID-19 planning and communications | Friday, March 27, 2020 at 11:45 AM
TO: Teacher Candidates | [Reproduced in Message to Department of Education Community 3/27] | Thursday, March 26, 2020
TO: Administrators and BPE/Class 5 Interns | [Plan for Interns] | Thursday, March 26
TO: Student Teaching Administrators, CTs, and FSs | [Move to All Online] | Thursday, March 26
TO: UTEC Partners | For UTEC - Practicum Registration and other updates | Thursday, March 26, 2020 at 4:59 PM
TO: Department: | 3/24 Department meeting follow up | Wednesday, March 25, 2020 at 3:06 PM
TO: Student Teachers (Teacher Candidates) | Note to Student Teachers | Monday, March 23, 2020 at 5:55 PM
TO: Department | 3/23 Update: Please connect with your students today | Monday, March 23, 2020 at 4:52 PM
TO: Department | 3/20 Dept of Ed Update: message to all pre-service teachers & Webex meeting invitation: Department Meeting | Friday, March 20, 2020 at 5:12 PM
TO: Students | An End-of-Break Message from the Education Department - Online Learning and More | Friday, March 20, 2020 4:53 PM
TO: Department | 3/19 Update: Dept of Ed Online Transition: Preparing for next week | Thursday, March 19, 2020 at 5:27 PM
TO: Students | Important Registration Updates | Thursday, March 19, 2020 3:20 PM
TO: All Teacher Candidates | Check in from MSU Field Placement | Wednesday, March 18, 2020
TO: UTEC | 3/17 Update: Dept of Ed coronavirus plan and preparations forward | Tuesday, March 17, 2020 at 2:49 PM
TO: School Field Placement Partners, Cooperating Teachers, Field Supervisors | Montana State University Student Teaching Update | Tuesday, March 17, 2020 at 2:05 PM
TO: Department | 3/17 Update: Dept of Ed coronavirus plan and preparations forward | Tuesday, March 17, 2020 at 11:32 AM
TO: Student Teachers | Student teaching update | Tuesday, March 17, 2020 at 11:11 AM
TO: Department | 3/13 Update: Dept of Ed coronavirus plan and preparations forward | Friday, March 13, 2020 at 5:47 PM
TO: UTEC | MSU Education Department Statement on Clinical Placements and Coronavirus | Friday, March 13, 2020 at 4:58 PM
TO: Students | MSU Education Department Statement on Clinical Placements and Coronavirus | Friday, March 13, 2020 at 4:35 PM
TO: Students | Education Advising for Summer/Fall 2020 - Coronavirus Update | Friday, March 13, 2020 at 4:32 PM
TO: Students | Update on Spring 2020 Field Experience and COVID-19 | Friday, March 13, 2020 4:17 PM
TO: Reading Clinic Families | MSU Spring 2020 Reading Clinic Cancelled | Friday, March 13, 2020 at 11:38 AM
TO: Department | Dept of Ed Update: RE coronavirus and preparations | Thursday, March 12, 2020 at 8:51 PM
TO: UTEC | Teaching Majors/Minors: Update on clinical school-based field placements | Thursday, March 12, 2020 at 5:54 PM
TO: Students | Email to pre-service teachers in clinical placements | Thursday, March 12, 2020 at 3:39 PM
TO: Faculty to take students on Spring Break field experiences | Spring Break Travel | Thursday, March 12, 2020 at 12:21 PM
TO: Department staff | Working Remotely – Identifying Staff Needs | Wednesday, March 11, 2020 at 5:42 PM

TO: Faculty
Face Mask Requirement Update - Dept. of Education
Tuesday, July 21 at 8:31 a.m.

Dear Colleagues,

I wanted to provide you an update on the MSU face mask requirement and how it intersects with the Governor’s recent Executive Order requiring face coverings in government buildings and businesses.

First, my number one priority is to keep you and your family safe and healthy. Second, as a Department of Education, we value effective and inclusive teaching. Some of you have reached out with concerns about teaching while wearing a face covering. There can be issues with voice projection and other issues which limit the effectiveness of the instructor. Further, students who are deaf or hard of hearing may need to read lips or need amplification to understand the instructor.

Today, an appendix was added to the MSU Roadmap which outlines the mask requirements on campus. Please see the below excerpt from the appendix. I will order a face shield for each instructor who will teach face to face this fall, and I encourage you to wear a mask when you can. For example, you may wish to lecture using the face shield, ensuring social distancing; and you may wish to switch to a mask when working with small groups at a closer proximity. Each classroom situation is different, and you are empowered to make the decisions that work best for your teaching within the MSU requirements.

Please reach out with any questions, comments, or concerns you have. My job is to facilitate your success!

Appendix J: “Plastic face shields may be used in instances where an individual can consistently and reliably maintain appropriate social distancing or where a cloth mask is otherwise impracticable. Such instances may include, but not be limited to, ADA and other medical accommodations. If an individual chooses to use a plastic face shield the shield should cover from above the eyes to below the chin and wrap around the side of the wearer’s face to reduce the risk of the spread of respiratory particles. However, it is important to note that cloth face masks are preferred. The CDC notes: It is not known if face shields provide any benefit as source control to protect others from the spray of respiratory particles. CDC does not recommend use of face shields for normal everyday activities or as a substitute for cloth face coverings. Disposable face shields should only be worn for a single use. Reusable face shields should be cleaned and disinfected after each use. Plastic face shields for newborns and infants are NOT recommended.”

Take good care,

Ann

Many Indigenous peoples, including the Apsáalooke (Crow), Niimiipuu (Nez Perce), Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (Lakota), Piikani (Blackfeet), Seliš (Salish), Shoshone, and Tsétsêhéstâhese (Northern Cheyenne), have traditional claims to the lands upon which Montana State University (MSU) physically sits. Indigenous histories and perspectives inform my work.

Ann Dutton Ewbank, PhD
Associate Professor and Department Head
Director, School Library Media Certificate Program
Department of Education
College of Education, Health and Human Development
Montana State University
(406) 994-5788

http://www.annewbank.com
[email protected]

TO: UTEC
UTEC Updates and Virtual Meeting 4/22
Friday, April 10, 2020 at 11:35 AM

Dear UTEC Partners,

Thank you for your efforts in preparing our students to be excellent P-12 educators while managing an incredible transition to virtual/remote instruction. Know that your efforts are appreciated and we are hearing feedback from our students that they feel supported in this difficult time. I have several updates for you:

COVID19 Communication:

Our COVID19 Communications Webpage continues to be updated. Please check in from time to time.

Virtual Teacher Education Program Induction and Student Teacher Sendoff:

You are cordially invited to our Virtual Teacher Education Program Induction and Student Teacher Send-Off, Monday, April 13, from 5:30-6:30pm. This event will be livestreamed on YouTube. Please join us to wish our Fall 2020 student teachers well and to welcome new students into the program.

Virtual Meeting:

We will hold a virtual UTEC meeting on Wednesday, April 22, 3pm-5pm in WebEx: https://montana.webex.com/meet/f37x661. At our last meeting we discussed inviting the instructors of our professional core classes to speak with our UTEC partners about the content in these courses and how it supports content taught in the teaching majors. We are developing the agenda, and we envision a short (5 minute) presentation on learning outcomes and major assignments for each course, with Q and A after. We will record this meeting and send out the link.

Pass/Fail Option:

Students from teaching majors and minors across MSU may inquire about choosing the pass/fail option provided to all students for each course in which they are enrolled during Spring 2020. As these choices may affect each student differently, the Department of Education advises you discuss the pass/fail vs letter grade decision individually with each student. Please reach out to John Melick or GIni Mohr if students are close to student teaching and need additional guidance.

Clinical Placements/field Experiences:

Moving teacher candidates out of the classroom to complete student teaching online has evolved into an opportunity for them to join every current educator's crash course on implementing virtual learning. We thus asked candidates to develop two lessons ready to be implemented in a virtual environment and requested that they also review and provide feedback for three of their peers’ lessons. The first virtual lessons have been posted to D2L, and many of our candidates have risen above anyone’s expectations. In reviewing them, we have explored historic websites, manipulated little skateboarders to demonstrate kinetic vs. stored energy, watched two superheroes illustrate similes vs. metaphors, and come to “understand” inverse functions. Many of these lessons are of such high quality, that we are working with the library to develop a “Cat Academy” of these open educational resources to be shared with partner districts and other MSU students. ...a new take on "Go Cats!"

As always, thank you for your efforts in preparing the best P-12 educators in Montana!

Take care,

Ann

--
Ann Dutton Ewbank, PhD
Associate Professor
Director of Accreditation and Operations
Director, School Library Media Certificate Program
Department of Education
College of Education, Health and Human Development
Montana State University
(406) 994-5788
http://www.annewbank.com
[email protected]

TO: Students
SENT: David Reese - Message from Dept Head
Friday, March 29 at 4:45 pm

Dear Pre-service Teachers,

This is an unprecedented time with constantly evolving information being shared and it can be difficult to keep track of the email. First and foremost, MSU is committed to supporting you in your Teacher Education Program. I want to take this moment to share a couple of helpful tips and resources as we transition to online learning.

TIPS:

I have asked your instructors to communicate early and often with you. Please check your D2L course shell regularly for updates. In fact, why not check today? If you are not sure of the expectations for the course moving forward, please ask your instructor directly.
We know students may have intermittent internet connectivity. I have asked your instructors to use asynchronous learning as much as possible along with short videos (think of the mini-lecture) that you can watch as your bandwidth allows.
I have asked your instructors to focus on course learning outcomes: what is the most central elements that students need to know and what should they be able to do? That’s what matters.

RESOURCES:
You may be uncertain how to “do” an online course, especially if it is your first time. The websites below provide some brief tips on being an online student:

https://goodcolleges.online/study-tips-for-success/

https://www.northeastern.edu/graduate/blog/tips-for-taking-online-classes/

In a nutshell, I’d boil to the advice down to three key points:

Show up – Treat online class as if it is your regular class. If you normally have class MWF 9-9:50, show up at the same time. Do the reading, contribute to the discussion posts. Be present.
Engage – Learning online is a two-way street. You take AND you give. So ask questions of your instructor and your classmates. Leave a comment on a discussion thread. Share what it was about your classmate's comment that made you think differently about the reading. What did your classmate overlook in the reading that might change their understanding of the argument being presented? Be part of the community of learners.
Find your best place to work – This will differ by each person but the goal is to create the most optimal work environment. Dig softer lighting and aromatherapy? Go for it!

TUNED OUT FROM YOUR EMAIL THE LAST WEEK? YOU MAY HAVE QUESTIONS.
When will we return to face-to-face instruction? We are fully online through the end of the semester and summer.

Should I come back to the residence hall? MSU recognizes that not all students have the ability to go home. As such, the residence halls remain open but MSU strongly encourages students to leave the residence halls if they have another housing option. To discuss your personal residence hall housing situation, please contact Residence Life at [email protected].

Can I get my money back? – You may have questions about refunds related to fees paid for the spring semester. Please contact the Student Accounts office at [email protected] or to Residence Life, for room and board related inquiries, at [email protected].

In closing, the best educators are rarely those who know the most content but who build the strongest relationships with their students. Those relationships have trust and empathy at their foundation. Please know that we empathize with you in this crazy time. We trust that you are doing your best. We will do everything we can to be flexible in understanding your situation.

This is a time when we have to practice what we hear on the airplane: “In case of a cabin pressure emergency, put on your own mask first ... You can't help others for very long if you don't take care of yourself first.”

The cabin pressure has changed. And we must put on our masks. Yesterday, I listened to a Facebook Live concert and just hearing the music I have sung for so many years was very good for my heart. Please do what you need to take good care of you.

And continue washing your hands. 😊

Best wishes,
Tricia

TO: Department of Education Community
3/27 Update: Department of Ed COVID-19 planning and communications
Friday, March 27, 2020 at 11:45 AM

Dear Department of Education Community,

I am so honored to be part of this team. It has been a long couple of weeks; let’s be honest the last two weeks have felt like a year. And yet, our team has pulled together to create rich, meaningful online learning opportunities for our students. I am excited by what is being done across the department to have students learn how to teach in this moment. Thank you!

Stay at Home Directive. On the afternoon of March 26, Governor Bullock issued a stay at home directive beginning 12:01 am March 28 through April 10, 2020 (see attached). MSU remains open for critical, essential functions specifically related to facilitating remote learning or performing critical research, but all employees must practice social distancing to the greatest extent possible. The University is cleaning and closing buildings in an effort to protect the health of all students, staff, and faculty. Given the situation, please come to campus TODAY, March 27, and take what you need to work remotely through April 10, 2020. If you work in a space with any other people, please coordinate with your officemates so that you are not collecting your things at the same time today. Please review the Governor’s shelter-in-place directive attached for more details.

Level 2 Research Operations. Documents needed TODAY, March 27. All PIs: please submit the document (see attached ‘Research Operations’) detailing how you are conducting research under the Level 2 Research designation to me today. It was initially due on Monday, March 30 but the due date has been moved up. Thank you.

Time sheets and COVID-19 Leave. A reminder that time sheets will be due on Monday, March 30. You will notice there is a place to claim COVID-19 Leave. The form of leave is only for a very specific set of situations specified in bullet points below. Working remotely is work time; it is not COVID-19 Leave.

Effective March 16, 2020, the Montana University System has made available, in conjunction with state and federal guidelines, Paid COVID-19 Leave, which will assist in those situations where employees are told by public health officials or health care providers to quarantine due to potential exposure, or in situations where the employee is diagnosed with COVID-19. Employees who work in positions where the duties do not allow for a telecommuting (telework) arrangement, or who are required to stay home due to closure of a school or care facility, may be eligible to use Paid COVID-19 Leave in the instances described below.

Please indicate the reason for requesting the leave and submit the COVID Leave form (see attached) to your Human Resources Business Partner (Kasia Maison) as soon as the requirement for use is determined. Submission of a fully completed and approved form will prompt Payroll personnel to load the correct number of hours to the employee’s COVID-19 leave balance so they can use the hours:

The employee is quarantined because of potential exposure to COVID-19. This employee is unable to work remotely and is eligible for up to 14 calendar days of Paid COVID-19 Leave.

The employee is unable to work remotely and the employee, or a member of the employee’s household, has a compromised immune system. The employee is eligible for up to 14 calendar days of Paid COVID-19 Leave.
The employee must be absent from work to care for an immediate family member who is quarantined as a result of COVID-19 and is eligible for up to 14 calendar days of Paid COVID-19 Leave.
The employee has been diagnosed with the COVID-19 virus and is eligible for up to a maximum of 30 calendar days of Paid COVID-19 Leave. This maximum 30-calendar-day period includes any calendar days absent while under quarantine for COVID-19. The employee must provide medical certification for use of this benefit.
The employee is absent due to closure of a school, childcare or eldercare facility in connection with the monitoring or management of COVID-19 is not eligible to work remotely or is unable to telework because the employee’s child needs full-time care. The employee is eligible for up to 80 hours (prorated on FTE) of Paid COVID-19 Leave. This leave may be taken intermittently.

COVID-19 communications page. We know that keeping track of all the communications that have gone out can be difficult. Bill Freese is creating a webpage to be hosted on the Department of Education website that will be a compendium of all messages sent by the department to all of our stakeholders (students, school partners, cooperating teachers, field supervisors, UTEC partners, Reading Clinic parents, etc.). Check the department’s website early next week. Thanks, Bill! And thanks, Ann Ewbank, for the great idea of creating this resource.

Student Teaching continues. Below in blue is the email sent to all student teachers yesterday (March 26 at 8:40 am). The plan was developed collectively in an effort to ensure consistency of the experience among students whose field placement sites extend from coast to coast. We think it is important you are aware of the communications we are sharing with our students in the field. The two documents guiding student teaching moving forward are attached.

Hello everyone,

We hope you are all staying healthy.

Thank you for all your responses to our email survey. We are working to connect students with resources they need, and we have designed the rest of the semester based on the data you provided.

At this point we need to be clear that you have not finished the student teacher semester. We still have standards that we are responsible for evidencing to recommend each of you for licensure. The response to the current situation from MSU was to move all further instruction online for the remainder of the term. Student teachers were included in the expectation that all remaining standards to be met will be done virtually.

You can work with your CT in a virtual fashion if desired by your CT. We have informed cooperating teachers, field supervisors, and administrators of this. If they request you provide online teaching assistance for the remainder of the term we have built in allowances for this. If your CT has not asked please volunteer to be of service as you are able.

We have been working on designing a consistent model that will evidence all standards being met, will not be busy work, will allow you to talk in future interviews about how educators can be flexible and responsive in the event of unforeseen circumstances, and will allow you to meet all licensure requirements. We also designed something that will meet the needs of students who were at varying degrees of completion.

Attached to this email you will find a PowerPoint that explains the expectations for the remainder of the term. We look forward to working with you throughout this time. We trust you will find value in the remaining assignments and will work diligently to finish the semester on a positive note.

After you look at the attached PowerPoint please let us know what questions you have.

In appreciation,

Joe, Gini, and John

In closing, this is a crazy time and one that we must take care of ourselves and each other. Please check in with your co-workers, colleagues, students, and friends. Know that they are going to check-in on you. Be well, stay safe, and keep washing your hands.

All the best,
Tricia

TO: Administrators and BPE/Class 5 Interns
[Plan for Interns]
Thursday, March 26

Hopefully, we have all had a chance to take a breath or two and are now shoulder-deep (or deeper) into problem solving. I do not want to add additional burdens to the ones you are already carrying, so I have come up with a plan for interns to fulfill their CEEX 280 requirements as soon as possible. At this point, I am looking for two elements. The first will need to come from administrators who are serving as field supervisors, and the second will be developed by the interns themselves:

1. I am eliminating the discussion post reflection required by interns about the formal observation experience. However, I still need a copy of an observation tool for each intern. I have attached that tool to this email and am asking all administrators, who haven't already observed candidates, to complete this tool and send it to me directly using my email below. I have, to date, received documentation of observation for four interns:

[Name of Student]
[Name of Student]
[Name of Student]
[Name of Student]

If you are an administrator, and your intern name is not one of the four above, I need you to complete the attached observation tool based on your overall experiences with the intern up until the day your school was forced to shut its doors. If you cannot complete a category, please leave it blank, but provide scores in all categories possible. Again, email a copy of this evaluation to [email protected] and I will provide the intern a "pass" for the observed lesson requirement of the course.

2. I need a final assignment from all interns:

If you are finishing your internship either this spring or over the summer, please submit to the D2L Assignment drop box a final reflection paper according to guidance in the "Assignments" descriptions for CEEX 280

If you have one or more semesters of internship remaining, please do the following to complete the final assignment and submit to the appropriate Assignment drop box on D2L.

Re-write for me your original professional development goal.
Provide me your original table of resources and timelines. Go ahead and fill in the final column about the outcome of exploring each resource. Many of you had a very disrupted timeline, so you may not have made any progress. Feel free to notate "no progress."
In your paragraph of reflection, I invite you to be as transparent as you like. Talk about your professional development in honest terms; you do not need to stick to your work with the
resources listed. Consider that paragraph your space to talk about where you are right now as an educator. These are tough times.

As soon as I have a copy of the Observation tool for each of you and either the final reflection paper or this slightly modified Evidence of Professional Development piece, I will pass you for the course, and you may strike one task from your list. Please accept my sincere best wishes for your health, safety, and well-being. Let me know if there our office can do anything to help or support you. We will do our very best.

TO: Student Teaching Administrators, CTs, and FSs
[Move to All Online]
Thursday, March 26

Greeting from MSU.

We hope you are all healthy and ready for the remainder of the year, regardless of what it looks like for each district.

Per our last email we have moved all student teachers into an online learning environment. We are disappointed our semester ended so abruptly for all of our face-to-face interactions. The good news is our online environment allows our students to evidence meeting all remaining standards for licensure. Their progress towards licensure will not be impacted by this change in modality.

Our students are able and willing to collaborate with online instruction should your school be headed in that direction. They are eager to stay connected with you for the rest of the term. Please feel free to utilize our students in creating curriculum, designing on-line instruction, providing online instruction, working with students in district approved online settings, or any other way they may be helpful. If you are new to the online teaching model the student teacher may be a valuable part of your transition process.

The only thing we must require is that our students are not asked to meet face to face for the remainder of the term. Our instructions from the university have been clear, no more face to face. This includes having our students attend in-person meetings in any school, or non-school, setting. We know this adds a layer of complexity to the planning process, but it does lessen the likelihood our students will either contract, or spread, the corona virus.

We will be sending the final performance assessments later this week. The instructions will explain the process for filling out the forms and will all be done electronically. We do ask that you consider the teacher candidate’s performance as final, with the understanding they will continue to grow and develop in their first year. If you have any doubt as to their readiness to be licensed please contact our office prior to filling out the final performance assessment. We realize that a few of you may not have been with candidates for more than a few days (second endorsements). If you do not feel prepared to complete a final assessment, please contact us, and we will look into options for licensing the candidate.

Thank you for all you have done this semester. If there is any way MSU can provide support for you at this time please do not hesitate to let us know.

John Melick, M.Ed.
Director of Field Placement and Licensure
Montana State University
Department of Education
Bozeman, MT 59717
406-994-6277

TO: UTEC Partners
For UTEC - Practicum Registration and other updates
Thursday, March 26, 2020 at 4:59 PM

Dear UTEC Partners,

Please see the below message from Education Advising. I also wanted to let you know that we are working on a webpage which will contain all the communications about the teacher education program in reverse chronological order, like MSU has: https://www.montana.edu/health/coronavirus/archived-comms/index.html

We hope this will be beneficial in tracking all of the communications and keeping you and your students up to date. I will send you an email when the page goes live.

Until then, be well and let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks,

Ann

From: "Reese, David" <[email protected]>
Date: Thursday, March 26, 2020 at 3:24 PM
To: Ann Ewbank <[email protected]>
Cc: "Meldahl, Cynthia" <[email protected]>
Subject: For UTEC - Practicum Registration and other updates

Hey Ann,

We’ve been getting questions from UTEC advisors and students about a few things, so I was wondering if you could share the following information:

Students who need to submit TEP applications should email their GPA calculators and application forms to [email protected]. I’ll pull their DegreeWorks records when I process their applications.
Students who need to register for K-12/5-12 practicum or methods should email the attached registration form to [email protected].
Regarding EDU 202 – Early Field Experience:
- EDU 202 will be offered twice more—Fall 2020 and Spring 2021—for students whose catalogs require the course. EDU 202 will not be required for any students coming into the 20-21 catalog or later.
- Information for the Fall 2020 offering is available at http://www.montana.edu/education/advising/EDU202.html. This information is, of course, tentative, depending on the status of K-12 education in the fall.

Thanks for your help. Take care, and please let me know if I can do anything else.

Best,

David Reese
Academic Advisor
MSU Department of Education
[email protected]

406.994.5948

TO: Department:
3/24 Department meeting follow up
Wednesday, March 25, 2020 at 3:06 PM

Dear colleagues,

I am so grateful for our amazing team and our ability to persevere through really challenging times. Here are some of the things we discussed:

Screencast: Preferred Email in MyInfo

Nigel’s screencast, lightly edited, is now posted on the EHHD YouTube Channel at https://youtu.be/VCuiGr8-CTs.

On the department website, Bill linked to it from the front page
http://www.montana.edu/education/index.html

and from the resources page.
http://www.montana.edu/education/menu/resources/index.html

Thank you Nigel, Bill, and Karen for your efforts!

Please also provide instructions to your students for forwarding D2L internal email to their email address: http://www.montana.edu/ecat/help/email/index.html

Students who have not checked in by 3/30

Please forward to Ann the names of any students who have not checked in to class by March 30. Ann and Kayte Kaminski will work on a plan to follow up with these students right away.

Communication with students

Students are more likely to open emails from their instructors than from university administrators. Please forward important university or departmental communications to your students with a reinforcing message. An alternative could be posting the messages to D2L class announcements- with your reinforcing of the message.

PPE Face Mask 3D Printing

As well-meaning as this proposal is—we are not authorized to use state resources in this way. Please do not make masks with university-owned 3-D printers.

WebEx-Change Background (iOS only)

Conduct your videoconference from exotic locales: https://help.webex.com/en-us/80jduab/Change-Your-Video-Background-on-Your-iOS-Device

Take good care,

Ann
--

TO: Student Teachers (Teacher Candidates)
Note to Student Teachers
Monday, March 23, 2020 at 5:55 PM

Dear Teacher Candidate,

We are grateful for the feedback you provided on your own personal/professional situation, how you are feeling, and the questions/frustrations you have. The MSU Department of Education wants to be transparent with our thinking process and plan for finishing the semester. This email message is longer than previous messages and explains the thinking behind the decisions that have been made. In summary, we aim to tell you the WHAT and the WHY.

At this point, there is no certainty which of Montana’s public schools will re-open after the Governor-mandated closure concludes on March 27. Unless the Governor or Board of Public Education extends the state-wide closure, continued closure of public schools will be decided on a district-by-district basis. In light of this unknown, we feel it is unfair to require student teachers, whose schools may re-open, to return to their placement site in a face-to-face fashion when other student teachers may not have this option. Moreover, MSU and the Montana University System have moved all course instruction online and we feel it is important to be in accordance with this policy directive.

We feel it is important that you are aware of the principles central to our decision-making with respect to student teaching. They are stated below.

Maintain equity and consistency of expectations for student teaching
Create a student teaching experience that culminates with your Spring 2020 graduation

We are creating a consistent set of expectations for the remainder of student teaching. It will require successful completion of the:

REP – based on the totality of your student teaching experience to date, inclusive of all REP lessons taught and developed
Journal assignments – those you have completed and those yet to be completed
A remote teaching experience in lieu of face-to-face teaching. As you will not have any additional days in a physical classroom, preparing remote course materials will replace face-to-face teaching. Full information and detailed expectations will be provided in your D2L course shell.

Remote learning is our current reality; you did not choose this, nor did we. But as educators, we are called to rise to the reality we find ourselves. Teachers create learning opportunities for students whether face-to-face, digitally online, or in an at-a-distance packet form. Practicing how to teach remotely is where we find ourselves today. Not knowing what the future holds, it is a teachable moment we simply can’t pass up. It is the reason for the final expectation in the list above.

Contributing to your placement site’s remote learning efforts. It has been heartwarming to hear from many of you about how you have assisted with the development and delivery of remote learning content with your CTs already. We invite you to continue to do so remotely; the lessons and content you are creating will be part of satisfying Expectation #3.

Being in the school placement site. Spring Break varies by school district. Some of you were on Spring Break this past week; others will go on break in the coming week. Because of this variability, your travel plans, and with caution and concern for the general public health, we have decided you are not able to return physically to your placement site as a MSU Student Teacher. We must recognize and respect the challenges and difficulties that responding to COVID-19 presents.

Again, we reiterate that we invite you to continue to support the efforts of your CT and school but we require that all collaboration be done remotely. You have access to no-cost web conferencing software through MSU. Learn more here: http://www.montana.edu/webex/student/index.html

We also know that not everyone has internet access at their homes and therefore want to share that Charter will offer free Spectrum broadband and Wi-Fi access for 60 days to households with K-12 and/or college students who do not already have a Spectrum broadband subscription and at any service level up to 100 Mbps. To enroll call 1-844-488-8395. Installation fees will be waived for new student households.

In closing, this is hard. We know you are stressed; the last thing we want is for an email from the Department of Education or the Office of Field Placement & Licensure to contribute to your stress. Every email sent to you takes hours to write and has many sets of eyes on it before it goes out. We want to get it right.

We ask your patience and humanity as we aim to get it right. In return, we will extend the same to you. In this moment, which none of us asked for, we have to be in it together. We can get through this.

Thank you for what you have done and will continue to do to make learning coming alive for kids.

Best wishes,
Joe, John, and Gini

TO: Department
3/23 Update: Please connect with your students today
Monday, March 23, 2020 at 4:52 PM

Dear Department of Education Faculty,

If students had checked out from their email and D2L during Spring Break, they are back today. Please be sure to reach out to them. Below is the email from Provost Mokwa that I wanted to ensure every member of our teaching team received.

We recognize not everyone has internet access at their homes and therefore want to share that Charter will offer free Spectrum broadband and Wi-Fi access for 60 days to households with K-12 and/or college students who do not already have a Spectrum broadband subscription and at any service level up to 100 Mbps. To enroll call 1-844-488-8395. Installation fees will be waived for new student households. Please share this information with your students.

Please also share this information with your students.

Your health and health of our community is paramount, and currently, social distancing is one way to maintain that health. However, as we practice social distancing, feelings of isolation and loneliness can take its own toll on your mental health.

This article by Scientific American, describes ways to prevent loneliness during social distancing – what we can do as individuals and what we can do for others, such as our families, friends, and fellow students.

Suggestions include:

Video chatting let us see facial cues, body language, and other nonverbal forms of communication
Showing kindness to others online
Finding a digital community of people with common interests
Getting in touch with someone you haven’t spoken to in awhile
Finding new tools and apps that help optimize social interactions

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Montana chapter published a message on mental health during this time, and lists reliable resources for information on COVID-19 and suggests ways to work on your mental health regimen.

MSU’s Counseling & Psychological Services has created a handout on coping with stress and supporting mental health during this time, which is attached. The WellTrack app is provided for MSU students and has general self-help information and modules for managing mental health.

Additionally, If you need a confidential resource to talk about domestic violence, sexual assault, or other interpersonal violence please text or call the Voice Center at 406-994-7069.

Finally, I want to say how grateful I am for your work to ease this transition to all online course delivery. The ingenuity and commitment to innovative practice demonstrated by members of this Department is awe-inspiring. Thank you.

Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

All the best,
Tricia

TO: Department
3/20 Dept of Ed Update: message to all pre-service teachers & Webex meeting invitation: Department Meeting
Friday, March 20, 2020 at 5:12 PM

Dear Department of Education community,

We are coming to the end of Spring Break and I hunch you did not get a break. I want to open by acknowledging your selfless service to our students and for making lemonade out of worldwide lemons. Thank you.

Below (in blue) is the message sent to all pre-service teachers. You will notice it is very similar to the message you received yesterday. The first tip has to do with communication. If you are planning on using Mon March 23 and Tues March 24 as online transition days, resuming classes after Spring Break on Wed March 25, please communicate that with your students TODAY.

At the bottom of this message is the “join meeting” information for the virtual Department meeting on Tuesday at 12:15. I will send it out also in next week’s Monday Minutes.

TO: Students
An End-of-Break Message from the Education Department - Online Learning and More
Friday, March 20, 2020 4:53 PM

Dear Pre-service Teachers,

TIPS:

I have asked your instructors to communicate early and often with you. Please check your D2L course shell regularly for updates. In fact, why not check today? If you are not sure of the expectations for the course moving forward, please ask your instructor directly.
We know students may have intermittent internet connectivity. I have asked your instructors to use asynchronous learning as much as possible along with short videos (think of the mini-lecture) that you can watch as your bandwidth allows.
I have asked your instructors to focus on course learning outcomes: what is the most central elements that students need to know and what should they be able to do? That’s what matters.

RESOURCES:

You may be uncertain how to “do” an online course, especially if it is your first time. The websites below provide some brief tips on being an online student:

https://goodcolleges.online/study-tips-for-success/

https://www.northeastern.edu/graduate/blog/tips-for-taking-online-classes/

In a nutshell, I’d boil to the advice down to three key points:

Show up – Treat online class as if it is your regular class. If you normally have class MWF 9-9:50, show up at the same time. Do the reading, contribute to the discussion posts. Be present.
Engage – Learning online is a two-way street. You take AND you give. So ask questions of your instructor and your classmates. Leave a comment on a discussion thread. Share what it was about your classmate's comment that made you think differently about the reading. What did your classmate overlook in the reading that might change their understanding of the argument being presented? Be part of the community of learners.
Find your best place to work – This will differ by each person but the goal is to create the most optimal work environment. Dig softer lighting and aromatherapy? Go for it!

TUNED OUT FROM YOUR EMAIL THE LAST WEEK? YOU MAY HAVE QUESTIONS.

When will we return to face-to-face instruction? We are fully online through the end of the semester and summer.

Should I come back to the residence hall? MSU recognizes that not all students have the ability to go home. As such, the residence halls remain open but MSU strongly encourages students to leave the residence halls if they have another housing option. To discuss your personal residence hall housing situation, please contact Residence Life at [email protected].

Can I get my money back? – You may have questions about refunds related to fees paid for the spring semester. Please contact the Student Accounts office at [email protected] or to Residence Life, for room and board related inquiries, at [email protected].

In closing, the best educators are rarely those who know the most content but who build the strongest relationships with their students. Those relationships have trust and empathy at their foundation. Please know that we empathize with you in this crazy time. We trust that you are doing your best. We will do everything we can to be flexible in understanding your situation.

This is a time when we have to practice what we hear on the airplane: “In case of a cabin pressure emergency, put on your own mask first ... You can't help others for very long if you don't take care of yourself first.”

The cabin pressure has changed. And we must put on our masks. Yesterday, I listened to a Facebook Live concert and just hearing the music I have sung for so many years was very good for my heart. Please do what you need to take good care of you.

And continue washing your hands. 😊

Best wishes,
Tricia

Tricia Seifert, PhD
Head, Department of Education and Associate Professor
Montana State University
P.O. Box 172880; Reid 213
Bozeman, MT 59717
406-994-3127

TO: Department
3/19 Update: Dept of Ed Online Transition: Preparing for next week
Thursday, March 19, 2020 at 5:27 PM

Dear Department of Education community,

This is an unprecedented time with constantly evolving information being shared. I want to reiterate a couple of tips and share more resources that might be helpful in transitioning your class online.

TIPS:

Please communicate early and often with your students. Let them know what to expect as they are likely to be uncertain how to “do” an online course, especially if it is their first foray into online learning. Here’s some resources you might want to share to help them become an awesome online student:
https://goodcolleges.online/study-tips-for-success/
https://www.northeastern.edu/graduate/blog/tips-for-taking-online-classes/
Know that our students will have varying internet connectivity. Please use asynchronous learning as much as possible. You can certainly post short videos (think of the mini-lecture) that students can watch any time that their bandwidth allows.
Focus on your course learning outcomes. We do not have the luxury of teaching all the content in just the way we intended. What is the most central elements that students need to know and what should they be able to do? That’s what matters.

RESOURCES:

We have amazing people in the Department who have tremendous expertise in the area of online learning. If you need a personal WebEx help session, please email Tina Cusker ([email protected]), Nick Lux ([email protected]), Kayte Kaminski ([email protected]) directly. If others want to offer their assistance, please let me know.
MSU has pulled together so many resources. If you haven’t visited Learn Anywhere, it’s great! Rebecca Koltz created an awesome handout (see attached) – it is the compendium of the key highlights from the many emails sent by MSU.
I have been curating resources and links. I don’t want to inundate you but please know that do not need to do this alone. Other resources:

TechSmith Relay – a screen recording tool
Off-campus MSU Library Access
Chronicle of Higher Education compilation of online teaching resources

WHAT TO SHARE WITH STUDENTS IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS
When will we return to face-to-face instruction? In the event students have not paid attention to their email, we are fully online through the end of the semester and most likely through summer.

Should I come back to the residence hall? MSU recognizes that not all students have the ability to go home. As such, the residence halls remain open but MSU strongly encourages students to leave the residence halls if they have another housing option. To discuss your personal residence hall housing situation, please contact Residence Life at [email protected].

Can I get my money back? - We anticipate that students and/or parents may inquire about refunds related to fees paid for the spring semester. Please forward all such requests to the MSU Student Accounts office at [email protected] or to Residence Life, for room and board related inquiries, at [email protected].

In closing, this is a time when we have to practice what we hear on the airplane: “In case of a cabin pressure emergency, put on your own mask first ... You can't help others for very long if you don't take care of yourself first.”

The cabin pressure has changed. And we must put on our masks. As I type, I’m listening to the Indigo Girls live on Facebook. Just hearing the music that I have sung at the top of my lungs for so many years has been very good for my heart. Please do what you need to take good care of you.

And continue washing your hands. 😊

All the best,
Tricia

TO: Students
Important Registration Updates
Thursday, March 19, 2020 3:20 PM

Hi everyone,

Since sending out yesterday’s Monday Minutes, I’ve received a few important pieces of info from the Registrar that I wanted to share with you right away:

Registration for summer and fall have been postponed: Registration for summer and fall has been postponed to open on March 30th. Priority registration hierarchy will remain in place (all delayed one week) except for those with early registration. Your new registration dates are visible at the top of DegreeWorks. This delay will allow the summer schedule to be shifted to fully online offerings—if you’ve made a summer plan, check the schedule again in a week or so to make sure it will still work.
New process for dropping SP 20 courses online: Students can request to add or drop a course remotely/online by visiting http://www.montana.edu/registrar/adddropcourse.html. In order to drop a class, you will need to upload copies of emails from your instructor and your advisor approving the drop. You’ll see the following notice on the drop website, which specifies precisely how to format those documents for upload.
New process for changing majors/minors/concentrations/etc.: To make a curriculum change, you’ll need to fill out the Curriculum Change form and submit it—along with attached email approval(s) from your current and/or new advisors—to [email protected].

I hope you’re all holding up through social distancing. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Best,

David Reese
Academic Advisor
MSU Department of Education
[email protected]
406.994.5948

Click here to schedule an appointment

TO: All Teacher Candidates
Check in from MSU Field Placement
Wednesday, March 18, 2020

[Teacher Candidate’s Name],
[The first sentence or two were personalized and varied from letter to letter.] We know that your school is currently closed, and we wanted to find out more about how this is affecting you. We have a few questions below for you to answer. We will use your responses to help us decide what you most need from us. Stay well, be calm, and know that you are very much in our thinking. Below are the questions, if you can answer all of them, we will know more how to help you:

What is your current living situation (at home with family, housing in my home area, housing not in your home area—whatever most applies to you).
How settled and secure do you feel in your current living situation?
What is the latest update on plans to re-open your school? Do you know if your district plans to reconvene in person or online?
If your school has no plans to re-open, have the staff begun preparing to deliver virtual instruction for students? Has any online instruction begun?
If so, have you been asked to be involved in the development of such virtual instruction?
If so, have you been asked to be involved in the delivery of virtual to students?
If your school plans to develop and deliver virtual instruction to students, can you participate without going to the placement site? (MSU is asking that you not return in person to your placement site in any teacher candidate-related role.)
If your school plans to develop and deliver virtual instruction to students, approximately how many hours per week do you anticipate being involved in that process?
Exactly what is your current progress on the REP? (You should have developed and submitted all your lesson plans. Have you taught them? If so, how many of your total REP lessons have you taught?) Have you taught your solo week yet?
Is there anything else about your placement situation that you would like us to know? (plans for subbing, etc.)

Thank you, [Teacher Candidate’s name]. Feel free to contact either John or Gini personally. We may or may not be working at the office, so using the emails below would probably be the best way to communicate.

John Melick, M.Ed.
Director of Field Placement and Licensure
Montana State University
Department of Education
Bozeman, MT 59717
406-994-6277

Gini Mohr, Ed.D.
MSU Assistant Director of Field Placement & Licensure
Reid 248
406-994-4762
[email protected]

TO: UTEC
3/17 Update: Dept of Ed coronavirus plan and preparations forward
Tuesday, March 17, 2020 at 2:49 PM

Dear UTEC Partners,

As you know, things have changed dramatically since Friday 3/13. I am writing today with the latest communications sent to all student teachers and our cooperating school districts. We will not send student teachers back to the field this semester and they will complete their requirements remotely/online. As a reminder, we will not send students back for field experiences other than student teaching (practicum/internship/service learning/after-school partnership- book/tech club) as these requirements will be completed remotely/online. This communication is also below.

Please let me know if you have any questions. We will work diligently next week to finalize the design of the virtual/remote student teaching experience and send information out to stakeholders and student teachers ASAP.

Below you will find:

3/17 2:05 pm email to administrators, cooperating teachers, and field supervisors
3/17 11:21 am email to student teachers
3/13 4:45 pm email to all students in the teacher education program

Thank you for your incredible support of our teacher education program students during this unprecedented time.

Ann

TO: School Field Placement Partners, Cooperating Teachers, Field Supervisors
Montana State University Student Teaching Update
Tuesday, March 17, 2020 at 2:05 PM

Dear Administrators, Cooperating Teachers and Field Supervisors,

Montana State University has made the decision to complete this semester online for all current students. Following MSU guidelines, we want to ensure student teachers are given the same opportunities to finish their semester with an online experience. This is consistent with Governor Bullock’s announced closure of all Montana public schools through March 27, 2020.

At this time, all student teachers will complete all remaining requirements online and will not return to your buildings as MSU students. We will work with students to ensure they return all materials, in a manner that is consistent with both district and MSU protocols, to limit exposure of both our students and your staff and students. Shortly, we will send final performance assessments for teacher candidate. Please assess the students based on the performance they have demonstrated up to this point.

We are committed to providing support to our school partners where we are able, recognizing that our student teachers are on different timelines and placed in districts around the state and out of state. We invite principals to share with us what kind of support would be welcomed and helpful moving forward as candidates complete their final placement weeks in April.

We will identify ways in which our students can virtually thank and say goodbye to the classrooms and school communities that have hosted them this spring. This is not how we envisioned ending the experiences in your classrooms and appreciate your support and understanding.

Feel free to contact me directly with any questions.

John Melick, M.Ed.
Director of Field Placement and Licensure
Montana State University
Department of Education
Bozeman, MT 59717
406-994-6277

TO: Department
3/17 Update: Dept of Ed coronavirus plan and preparations forward
Tuesday, March 17, 2020 at 11:32 AM

Dear Department of Education community,

Earlier this morning, we confirmed with the Office of Public Instruction that they will accept recommendation for licensure for all student teachers who successfully completes their placement online. Having received this confirmation and in spirit of keeping you abreast of our communications with students, we share the email text sent to all student teachers below.

Best wishes,
Tricia

TO: Student Teachers
Student teaching update
Tuesday, March 17, 2020 at 11:11 AM

Dear MSU Student Teacher Candidate,

As many of you may know, Governor Bullock announced closure of all Montana public schools through March 27, 2020. You can read the press release here. We want to acknowledge the stress school closures and uncertainty around student teaching can cause. It is with this understanding that we reach out to you today.

First and foremost, your graduation and recommendation for licensure IS NOT in jeopardy because of school closures. The Department of Education has determined that ALL student teaching placements for Spring 2020 will be completed virtually, beginning March 25, 2020. All who successfully complete student teaching and meet the minimum requirements will be recommended for licensure.

What does it mean to ‘successfully complete’ the virtual version of student teaching? MSU student teachers will not return to their face-to-face placement. Rather, you will complete online assignments, journal prompts, and other assessments the Department of Education is developing in order to continue advancing your learning and professional practice. Stay tuned for your instructor to provide more information.

The end of the semester is going to feel different as we will cancel, and design online options for a number of face-to-face events like Rural Colloquium and the final on-campus days of EDU 495. The Department of Education will leverage innovative technological ways for you to engage with principals, superintendents, and other educators during these virtual events. Stay tuned.

You have noticed we have stated “stay tuned” a couple times in this email. It’s important that the Department has a proven way of communicating with you. If you haven’t set your preferred email address through MyInfo, do so now. We want to ensure that everyone receives all of the communications coming from instructors and the Department.

In closing, we ask you to take care of yourself and those in your household. There is great information on how to take preventative steps here. If you are unsure what actions MSU is taking, please review the following webpage: https://www.montana.edu/health/coronavirus/index.html.

We know this is a difficult and stressful time. Breathe deeply and wash your hands. We will get through it together.

All the best your student teaching team,

Joe Hicks, Gini Mohr, and John Melick

TO: Department
3/13 Update: Dept of Ed coronavirus plan and preparations forward
Friday, March 13, 2020 at 5:47 PM

Dear Department of Education community,

Last night I sent a message about the Department’s plan for moving forward in light of the Commissioner’s directive to “in every instance possible, transition all in-class instruction to online or other remote teaching modalities that do not require in-class presence.” I wish to share a few more updates on this rapidly changing situation. I forewarn you that this is a lengthy email. Rather than peppering you with many brief emails, I am consciously choosing to be thorough with all information as it is available. Thank you for your patience.

Online Transition Plan. If you have not begun to do so already, please transition all of your courses to an online format with the expectation that we will complete the semester solely online. With NCUR cancelled, I invite you to choose to use the two designated NCUR days off (March 26 and 27) to March 23 and 24. These two days will be designated for online course transition and assistance. If you would like to “book” time with a D2L and online teaching expert, please email me directly at [email protected] with your preferred dates and times. If you plan to re-start your class after Spring Break on Wed. March 25, whereby taking advantage of the online transition days, please communicate this schedule change promptly with your students.

Field Experience. The Department of Education has communicated with all pre-service teachers the field experience plan moving forward. At the bottom of this email is the text of the email which we have sent to all students. Please review carefully so that you are aware of this communication.

Dissertation Defense. I expect more guidance will be coming from the Graduate School with regard to the public requirement for dissertation defenses. In the meantime, I ask dissertation chairs to create an online space using your WebEx meeting room for the public to join virtually for the first hour of your advisee’s dissertation defense. We will publicize the link to the WebEx space like we would a regular meeting room. You can learn more about how to use WebEx here.

Educational Leadership Interview. I want to thank all those who came and took part in Dr. Cat Biddle’s interview for the position in Educational Leadership. Despite a fairly unusual set of circumstances, I believe Dr. Biddle experienced our Department’s warmth and welcome.

EHHD COVID-19 Preparedness Meetings Today. If you were unable to attend either of the two meetings held by EHHD earlier today, the Dean sent out a summary of the meeting in an email with “EHHD COVID-19 Preparedness Meetings Today” in the subject line. I ask you review the summary or watch the video.

Department Meetings moving forward. We will continue to meet, resuming Tues March 24 in Reid 301. We will also have a virtual option for those who wish to join remotely. Look for the link in the March 23 Monday Minutes. The focus of this meeting will be to share what you have done to transition your course online; to seek assistance and inspiration for how to modify assessments; to ensure that all communications with students are clear and thorough. Please come prepared to engage and share.

Email to Pre-service Teachers.

Dear Pre-service Teachers,

We thank you for your patience as the Department of Education conferred with stakeholders and state agencies to determine the most prudent path forward in light of the Commissioner of Higher Education’s statement that as of March 23 “all MUS campuses will, in every instance possible, transition all in-class instruction to online or other remote teaching modalities that do not require in-class presence.”

We understand the Commissioner’s directive as one that provides students who are willing and able to depart from campus the ability to do so while continuing to make progress in their courses for the semester. In support of this directive, the Department of Education has made the following decisions for students engaged in field experiences during the Spring 2020 semester.

Student Teaching. Student teachers should plan to continue in their placement provided that they are healthy and their school is open. For those who are unable to continue in their placement, we have a plan to transition your ongoing educational experience to a virtual modality. It is imperative you communicate with the Office of Field Placement & Licensure and your field supervisor if you are unable to continue in your placement in a face-to-face format. Please communicate this within 24 hours of learning you are not able to continue in your face-to-face teaching placement.

What are the circumstances for not continuing in face-to-face student teaching placement?
• You are not feeling well.
• Someone in your household has a compromised immune system
• Your school closes
• If you have traveled outside of Montana during Spring Break, the Department of Education requires you to self-quarantine for two weeks after your return to Montana. During the quarantine period, you will continue your placement in the virtual setting.
If you fit any of the bullet-pointed situations above, FPL will have a virtual option available that will not affect your time to completion.

Successful completion of your student teaching placement virtually will not affect your licensure recommendation from the MSU Office of Field Placement & Licensure.

All other field experiences. For students in field placement experiences outside of student teaching, inclusive of EDU 222, 223, 331, 370, EDU 395, 397, 438, 497, and 498, your field experience will transition to a virtual modality. Your course instructor will provide specific details about the transition to the online learning environment. Please DO NOT REPORT to your field placement site.

Thank you for your patience as the Department of Education worked diligently with partners from around the state on a solution to keep your present and future secure. As we noted yesterday and wish to reiterate today, a crisis like this one is surely reinforcement for the value of educating all citizens; we are grateful that you represent this future in education.

Best wishes,

Tricia Seifert, PhD

In Closing. If you have a question about the Department’s plan moving forward, please do not hesitate to ask. My goal is to communicate openly and transparently with the most complete information as I have it available. If you need assistance, guidance, or help on how to transition your class to an online environment, please reach out. Our Department is fortunate to possess great expertise in this area and a deep willingness to share.

Like I said yesterday and will reiterate today, most importantly, please take care of yourself. If you do not feel well, do not come to campus. If you have an immune-compromised person in your home, do not come to campus. Prudent public health decisions are our operating rules of engagement.

Best wishes,
Tricia

TO: UTEC
MSU Education Department Statement on Clinical Placements and Coronavirus
Friday, March 13, 2020 at 4:58 PM

Dear UTEC Partners,

The below message was sent to all TEP students a few moments ago. For the health and safety of our students as well as the schools in which they work, we are asking your cooperation in transitioning field experiences other than student teaching to a virtual modality for the remainder of the semester. It is important that MSU’s Teacher Education Program is consistent in its messaging and plans for the 800+ pre-service teachers in our programs, the schools we serve, and the children in our students’ care.

For those who manage their major’s practicum class, please reach out to Joe Hicks to collaborate on solutions for a virtual practicum modality. There are some really interesting emerging ideas for how to best deliver a field experience without being in the field. If you have any questions at all, do not hesitate to ask.

Thank you,

Ann

TO: Students
MSU Education Department Statement on Clinical Placements and Coronavirus
Friday, March 13, 2020 at 4:35 PM
Forward of Update on Spring 2020 Field Experience and COVID-19
Friday, March 13, 2020 4:17 PM

What are the circumstances for not continuing in face-to-face student teaching placement?
• You are not feeling well.
• Someone in your household has a compromised immune system
• Your school closes
• If you have traveled outside of Montana during Spring Break, the Department of Education requires you to self-quarantine for two weeks after your return to Montana. During the quarantine period, you will continue your placement in the virtual setting.

If you fit any of the bullet-pointed situations above, FPL will have a virtual option available that will not affect your time to completion.

Successful completion of your student teaching placement virtually will not affect your licensure recommendation from the MSU Office of Field Placement & Licensure.

All other field experiences. For students in field placement experiences outside of student teaching, inclusive of EDU 222, 223, 331, 370, EDU 395, 397, 438, 497, and 498, your field experience will transition to a virtual modality. Your course instructor will provide specific details about the transition to the online learning environment. Please DO NOT REPORT to your field placement site.

Thank you for your patience as the Department of Education worked diligently with partners from around the state on a solution to keep your present and future secure. As we noted yesterday and wish to reiterate today, a crisis like this one is surely reinforcement for the value of educating all citizens; we are grateful that you represent this future in education.

Best wishes,

Tricia Seifert, PhD
Head, Department of Education and Associate Professor
Montana State University
P.O. Box 172880; Reid 213
Bozeman, MT 59717
406-994-3127

TO: Students
Education Advising for Summer/Fall 2020 - Coronavirus Update
Friday, March 13, 2020 at 4:32 PM

Hi everyone,

In light of the measures implemented by MSU in response to the coronavirus pandemic, we will not continue with group advising for Elementary Education, General Science Broadfield, and Social Studies Broadfield majors—or any in-person advising—after spring break. Instead, we will shift to remote advising appointments to minimize the risk of contagion. Any students who have already signed up for a group advising session will need to make alternative arrangements according to the instructions below.

Advising for Summer and Fall 2020 will now take place in the following format:

Wherever possible, students should submit their proposed courses for the summer and/or fall semesters via email to their assigned advisor (listed in DegreeWorks). We will reply with suggestions or comments as necessary, as well as your registration PINs. We ask that students advising via email work with their assigned advisor to ensure that both Cyndi and David are able to respond to students in a timely manner.
Students who prefer to meet with an advisor should sign up online for a phone appointment with either David or Cyndi (we have reopened our online appointment calendars). We will call you at the time of your scheduled appointments (please make sure to account for time zone changes if you are planning to be away from Bozeman). We ask that, if possible, you log in to CatCourse and DegreeWorks before your appointment begins so that we can have informed, efficient conversations regarding your coursework.
- Please note that in order to accommodate the large number of students who will now need individual appointments, we will be scheduling 15-minute appointments. We will do our best to answer all of your questions in that time, but this will require that you prepare for your appointment in advance. We specifically ask that you prepare a list of possible courses prior to your appointment. If we are unable to answer all of your questions during your appointment time, we will work with you to schedule a follow-up appointment.
Any required forms, including practicum registration forms, TEP applications, variance requests, etc., should be submitted via email. If this poses a problem for you, please email or call David or Cyndi to make alternative arrangements.
ALL students should read through the information at the end of this email. We would normally cover these topics during group advising, but we will not have time to discuss them individually with everyone. If you have questions about anything below, just let us know, and we’ll do our best to answer.

We apologize for the inconvenience, and we wish everyone a safe and healthy remainder of the semester. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Important Information for All Continuing Teaching Majors – Please Read Carefully

Stay up-to-date with MSU’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak at https://www.montana.edu/health/coronavirus/index.html.
Please continue to check your email regularly. Now more than ever, we will be communicating important information via email. We will do our best to avoid flooding your inboxes, but please be patient with us as this situation continues to develop.
Your registration date is visible on DegreeWorks. Register as early as possible to get the courses you need.
GPA Requirements:
- Teaching students must pass all major/minor/option courses with at least a C.
- Admission to TEP and student teaching require a 2.75 overall GPA, a 2.75 in any teaching major/minor/option, and a 2.75 content GPA in any teaching major/minor. See www.montana.edu/education/advising/GPAcalculators.html.
All education students must adhere to the department’s Professional Competencies and Dispositions.
Refer to the online catalog (or click a course you still need in DegreeWorks) to make sure you’ve met all prerequisites. If you think you have fulfilled a requirement and a substitution/exception needs to be made, please discuss with an advisor.
If you have trouble registering for an EDU course for which you have the prerequisite, check with Education Advising—we can help with restricted entry courses, transferred prerequisite courses, or other issues.
All online courses incur a $45/credit distributed learning fee.
Elementary Education students who wish to register for PHSX 201 (Physics by Inquiry), contact the Physics Department, Barnard 264, 406.994.7398 with your name, ID number, and the section you want to take.
K-12 and 5-12 students who still need EDU 202 should note that this course will be offered for the last time in Spring 2021. Find out about the Fall 2020 offering at http://www.montana.edu/education/advising/EDU202.html.
To find detailed information about course offerings (especially important for summer classes) or to search effectively for individual courses or subjects, try the Schedule of Classes – Find CRN here, available at www.montana.edu/myinfo.
Information on logistics for the summer term is available at www.montana.edu/summer.
If you have a registration hold, DegreeWorks explains why and whom you need to contact to resolve it.
Education department scholarships are advertised in November each year, with applications due in January. See http://www.montana.edu/ehhd/scholarship/index.html.
For information on student teaching, licensure, and the Praxis, visit www.montana.edu/fieldplacement.
Students interested in getting some field experience in a rural setting should be aware that we offer opportunities for practicum and student teaching in rural Montana (pandemic pending, of course). Let your advisor know if you’re interested.
Students interested in study abroad (again, pandemic pending) should let their advisor know so that we can let you know about good classes to save for your time abroad.
Speak to an advisor if you need help finding academic or other support resources on campus.
If you need help with DegreeWorks or CatCourse, you can find it here:
- DegreeWorks: https://www.montana.edu/degreeworks/
- CatCourse: http://www.montana.edu/registrar/RegistrationOverview.html
Follow the Education Department on Facebook: www.facebook.com/edubozmt/

Best,

David Reese
Academic Advisor
MSU Department of Education
[email protected]
406.994.1880

Click here to schedule an appointment

TO: Reading Clinic Families
MSU Spring 2020 Reading Clinic Cancelled
Friday, March 13, 2020 at 11:38 AM

Dear Families,
It has been our pleasure to work briefly with your children in the MSU Reading Clinic. Due to the rapidly evolving challenge of the COVID-19 outbreak, MSU will transition on March 23 from in-class instruction to online or remote teaching. Unfortunately, the Reading Clinic is discontinued. We understand the disappointment this may bring to you and your children. However, we are taking this action to ensure the continued health and safety of all involved.

The Education Department will work with you to refund the registration fee you paid for the Reading Clinic. This may take a couple of weeks, but please be assured that you will receive a refund if you paid for your child to attend the clinic.

We hope to offer the Reading Clinic again in fall 2020. Information will be provided to area schools, homeschools, and other related organizations in early September.

We encourage you to keep reading daily with your child to help develop a love of books, as research shows that families reading together is one of the most important factors in a child’s success as a lifelong reader.

On behalf of Paula Schultz, Elizabeth Lilly (instructors), and all student tutors, thank you and be well.

Ann

--
Ann Dutton Ewbank, PhD
Associate Professor
Director of Accreditation and Operations and incoming Department Head
Department of Education
College of Education, Health and Human Development
Montana State University
(406) 994-5788
http://www.annewbank.com
[email protected]

TO: Department
Dept of Ed Update: RE coronavirus and preparations
Thursday, March 12, 2020 at 8:51 PM

Dear Department of Education community,

I want to start off by thanking you for being the amazing educators that you are. Our team is always two steps ahead and COVID-19 is no exception. I shared the questions you raised during the department meeting on Tuesday with the EHHD Leadership Team on Wednesday. The response the Dean had prepared to send was already outdated by this morning. I share this to illustrate how moment-by-moment fluid the situation of responding to COVID-19 has become.

That said, please know the Department is working diligently with stakeholders and state agencies to ensure our pre-service teachers are positioned to graduate and meet their career goals on schedule with minimal disruption. At the bottom of this email is the full text of the message sent to all pre-service teachers within the Department of Education. We have asked our UTEC partners to forward the communication to teaching majors/minors at their earliest opportunity. Please take a moment to review the communication.
Online Transition Plans. Commissioner Clayton Christian communicated today with the MUS today that as of March 23 “all MUS campuses will, in every instance possible, transition all in-class instruction to online or other remote teaching modalities that do not require in-class presence.” The good thing is the Department of Education instructional staff have a long history of teaching online; we are positioned to lead the university in this effort. Importantly, I ask you to communicate early and often with your students about what to expect and how you will support them through this transition. We recognize this is a huge effort and a big lift. As Provost Mokwa noted today, we are not striving for perfection but the very best that can be done in these circumstances.

There are a tremendous number of resources available to assist in moving courses from a face-to-face format. MSU Center for Faculty Excellence has developed MSU Learn Anywhere and offers these general best practices: http://ato.montana.edu/learnanywhere/practices.html
Please devote time to review the teaching and learning resources available to assist you at and do not hesitate to seek help with any aspect of your teaching. You will see these pages offer practical, implementable advice for selecting and using alternative instructional methods for remote course delivery. The Department has also created a document in our Education Share on Box titled “Online Course Transitions due to COVID-19.” This document is intended to serve as a clearinghouse for our faculty and staff to share what they have done to transition their courses. We can learn from each other in this difficult time so I invite you to share briefly what you have done already and what you plan to do to optimize the online learning environment. For those on Facebook, you may also wish to join the public group “The Spring 2020 Online Learning Collective”.

Field Experience. With an abundance of caution and concern for the safety of our students and communities, the Department of Education made the difficult decision today to cancel all practicum- and Tech Club-based Spring Break field experiences to local Montana schools: Broadus, Cut Bank, and Shelby. We are in daily communication with our school partners with respect to other field experiences (practicum and student teaching). We will keep you apprised of decisions as the situation unfolds.

Educational Leadership Interview. Dr. Catherine Biddle’s interview will take place as scheduled tomorrow, March 13. The teaching conversation over lunch and her research presentation at 3 pm will still be held. Please attend if you are able.

GTA/GRAs. Dean Craig Ogilvie has directed that GTAs are instrumental in the transition from face-to-face courses. If you are an instructor, please work closely and collaboratively with your GTA in creating the optimal online learning environment. If you have a GRA working on your externally-funded research, please communicate directly with your GRA as to how the work may continue with minimal disruption that maintains health as the top priority.

Dissertation defenses. The Graduate School encourages departments and committees to schedule video conferences for meetings, thesis defenses, comp exams, etc.In particular, the Graduate School will for the remainder of the Spring semester waive its requirement of people being present in the same room for thesis and dissertation defenses, for all parties. We will allow all members to connect via video conference. The other aspects of video conference policy still apply, e.g. technical requirements, interruptions, etc. See our policy on Video Conferencing.

Communications: Email sent to all pre-service teachers:

Dear Pre-service Teachers,
We are aware that the statement from the Montana University System Office of Commissioner of Higher Education has created uncertainty and confusion across campus and particularly for our students involved in clinical school-based field placements. We are currently working with MSU administration and the Montana Office of Public Instruction to craft a safe and adequate way for you to complete clinical requirements and allow you to graduate and meet your career goals on schedule with minimal disruption. As soon as we have a solid plan in place, we will pro-actively email all of you with information. We respectfully ask you to hold your questions until that email; your patience will give the caring and knowledgeable people working for you time to collaborate on a solution to keep your present and future secure. Thank you so much for your concern and dedication to the profession of education. A crisis like this one is surely reinforcement for the value of educating all citizens, and we are grateful that you represent this future in education.

Ann Dutton Ewbank, PhD

In Closing. We will weather this. I believe each of us will learn something deeply valuable from this experience. Most importantly, please take care of yourself. If you do not feel well, do not come to campus. If you have an immune-compromised person in your home, do not come to campus. Prudent public health decisions are our operating rules of engagement.

With that, remember to wash with soap for 20 seconds. 😊
Tricia

Tricia Seifert, PhD
Head, Department of Education and Associate Professor
Montana State University
P.O. Box 172880; Reid 213
Bozeman, MT 59717
406-994-3127

TO: UTEC
Teaching Majors/Minors: Update on clinical school-based field placements
Thursday, March 12, 2020 at 5:54 PM

Dear UTEC Partners,

Please send the below message to students in your teaching majors/minors. We are actively working on a solution which requires collaboration with many agencies and stakeholders and will communicate as soon as we are able.

Thank you,

Ann

[message below referenced in the email was the one directly below.]

TO: Students
Email to pre-service teachers in clinical placements
Thursday, March 12, 2020 at 3:39 PM

Dear Pre-service Teachers,

We are aware that the statement from the Montana University System Office of Commissioner of Higher Education has created uncertainty and confusion across campus and particularly for our students involved in clinical school-based field placements. We are currently working with MSU administration and the Montana Office of Public Instruction to craft a safe and adequate way for you to complete clinical requirements and allow you to graduate and meet your career goals on schedule with minimal disruption. As soon as we have a solid plan in place, we will pro-actively email all of you with information. We respectfully ask you to hold your questions until that email; your patience will give the caring and knowledgeable people working for you time to collaborate on a solution to keep your present and future secure. Thank you so much for your concern and dedication to the profession of education. A crisis like this one is surely reinforcement for the value of educating all citizens, and we are grateful that you represent this future in education.

Ann Dutton Ewbank, PhD
Associate Professor
Director of Accreditation and Operations and Incoming Department Head
Department of Education
College of Education, Health and Human Development
Montana State University
(406) 994-5788
http://www.annewbank.com
[email protected]

TO: Faculty to take students on Spring Break field experiences
Spring Break Travel
Thursday, March 12, 2020 at 12:21 PM

Dear Department of Education Spring Break trip leaders,

With an abundance of caution and concern for the safety of our students and communities, the Department of Education has determined it is prudent to cancel the Spring Break trip for EDU 370 students to Broadus and the Rural Practicum experience to Shelby and Cut Bank has also been cancelled.

This decision was not made lightly but fully informed by the recent memo from Commissioner Christian (see attached) and communications with MSU senior leaders.

We deeply appreciate your understanding and ask that you reach out immediately to students planning on taking part in this experience and to community partners in Broadus, Cut Bank, and Shelby. Our focus is on community health and well-being in its broadest expression.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Best,
Tricia

Tricia Seifert, PhD
Head, Department of Education and Associate Professor
Montana State University
P.O. Box 172880; Reid 213
Bozeman, MT 59717
406-994-3127

TO: Department staff
Working Remotely – Identifying Staff Needs
Wednesday, March 11, 2020 at 5:42 PM

Dear Department Staff,

With MSU’s response to COVID-19 changing rapidly, Dean Alison Harmon and Department Head Tricia Seifert request that you prepare for the possibility of working remotely. In the next few days, please identify what you need in order to work remotely. Some items to consider may be:

Loaner laptop
Computer with MSU VPN installed (needed to access secure files remotely, such as Knox/Banner)
Parallels installed on a Mac for Banner access
WebEx installation assistance
Office supplies

For computer hardware/software, please email [email protected] to open a ticket. For all other needs, please let me know.

Thanks,

Alison, Ann, and Tricia