ESSER Newsletter: November 2021

  • Mon, Nov 1 2021

 

Greetings school leaders! We are thrilled to send you the first installment of our monthly ESSER newsletter.

The goal of this newsletter is twofold. First, we want to keep you apprised of all of the opportunities and resources that your LEA can leverage and that are funded by federal recovery dollars (we refer to these as ADE’s ESSER set-aside projects.)  

Second, we want to provide information regarding the ESSER I, II, and III monies your LEA are allocated to fund your own activities. Think of this newsletter as a one-stop-ESSER shop.

 

Upcoming ESSER Set-Aside Opportunities for LEAs

Discovery Education

Discovery Education's state-of-the-art edtech learning platform, including a vast collection of compelling high-quality, standards-aligned content, ready-to-use digital lessons, and professional learning resources, is now available at no cost to Arizona’s public district and charter schools. Learn more about resources available on Discovery Education:

 

New Pathways for Youth

As a beneficiary of ADE federal recovery funding (ESSER), New Pathways for Youth will be able to expand its reach to more than 1,000 youth in Maricopa County. You can join in these efforts by volunteering as a mentor. New Pathways for Youth works with high-school-aged kids who have experienced high levels of adversity. Youth are matched with a volunteer mentor who serves as a caring and stable adult in their life and learns the New Pathways research-based curriculum with them. Interested in learning more? RSVP for an upcoming info session in November or December to learn about possibly getting matched with youth as soon as January: npfy.org/get-involved/

For questions about these opportunities, please email [email protected].

 

Upcoming ESSER Application Office Hours

Struggling with your ESSER I, II, or III application or revision? Attend one of our standing office hours with an ESSER specialist! Registration is not required – simply click the links below to access the office hours on the given time and date.

November

Have a question before one of these dates? Reach an ESSER specialist at any time at [email protected].

 

Creative Uses of ESSER Funds

Each month, we will highlight creative uses of ESSER investments in LEAs across the state. However, we know that each school community has unique contexts and needs – and ADE’s ESSER Team is available to discuss how to leverage your ESSER dollars to best to meet those needs.

Don’t hesitate to start a conversation with our team. Devon Isherwood @ 602-3640379 [email protected] or Allison Barbor @ 602 542-3068 [email protected] or email [email protected] .

Creighton is using ESSER funds to subsidize afterschool care – leveraging federal recovery dollars to bolster existing systems in their school community.

In the Creighton School District, leaders leveraged existing structures and teams to gather stakeholder feedback very intentionally for the use of ESSER funds. The team members represented of a variety of stakeholder groups, including families, staff, community partners, and higher education. They agreed on beliefs and goals as guiding principles and potential investment outcomes – and all feedback was considered and categorized for possible funding.

One area of focus they identified is intensified learning – which they are supported by staffing and implementing intensified learning pods, and by extending the school day with tutoring opportunities. For social-emotional well-being, another focus area, Creighton will partner with community agencies to provide additional counseling resources and expertise.

There was another substantial need among Creighton families that was identified in the feedback process – high-quality, affordable childcare. Creighton is addressing this need while also focusing on the identified needs of additional intensified instruction and social-emotional learning and trauma-sensitive practices by identifying community partners for afterschool childcare that include both academic and SEL evidence-based practices. ESSER funds will be used to contract with these childcare providers.

By listening to stakeholders, Creighton has developed a comprehensive, inclusive plan to use the ESSER funds to improve outcomes for all students.

Interested in learning more? Reach out to contacts at Creighton directly.

Eric Dueppen, Chief Academic Officer [email protected]
Pam Burkhardt, External Programs Director [email protected]
Donna Lewis, Superintendent [email protected]

 

Addressing Disrupted Learning

Curious what other districts and charters are doing to address Disrupted Learning? Review their submissions on our website to find out more: https://www.azed.gov/esser/addressing-disrupted-learning

At Az-Tech High School, school leaders plan to holistically address academic and SEL impact, especially for students disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 by utilizling their allocated ESSER monies to fund a portion of the salary and benefits for an appropriately certified, highly qualified teacher for FY22 and FY23 whose primary job is to raise the educational level of all our students who have been impacted by lost instruction time. In addition, this funding will pay a portion of the salary and benefits of a school counselor for FY22 and FY23 who will conduct interventions that will focus on the social, emotional, and mental health needs of all students and particularly students who have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic.

View all ESSER posts