About
WhO we ARE
The Vermont Curriculum Leaders Association (VTCLA) is a professional organization focused on the promotion and full implementation of effective teaching and learning practices in Vermont schools to frame school systems’ continuous improvement. VTCLA supports its membership and partners with agencies, organizations, policy makers, and educators across Vermont to provide expertise, leadership, and advocacy regarding the role of curriculum, instruction and assessment in improving and enhancing teaching and learning through educational policy, practice, and research. VTCLA believes that the daily collective work of Directors of Curriculum and other curriculum leaders in the state provide us with a strong and critical voice, rooted in the agency of practice, to inform and transform the landscape of education in Vermont on behalf of our learners.
What we do
VTCLA connects curriculum leaders with statewide organizations like the Vermont Principals Association, Vermont Superintendents Association, Vermont Council of Special Education Administrators, the Vermont School Boards Association, and the Vermont Agency of Education (AOE) to collaborate to continuously improve education in all Vermont schools. VTCLA has a critical voice in Vermont education through its advocacy for learner-centered education.
OUR vTCLA Vision
The VTCLA Context: The pandemic has forever changed the way the stakeholders of public education perceive and experience learning and the place we have for centuries called “school.” As leaders in the framing of curriculum, instruction, and assessment for all learners in our Vermont schools, the way we reimagine and redesign education for our stakeholders, now and in the future, is central to the work of the Vermont Curriculum Leaders Association. As we intentionally center the needs, identities, and hopes and dreams of our learners, our work is and always will be informed by the dynamic tensions among the past, present, and the future of education, and our perennial desire to continuously learn, grow, and improve.
The VTCLA Vision: VTCLA is committed to achieving an equitable, learner-centered education for every Vermont student.
We define an equitable, learner-centered education as one that is driven by:
Deep Learning: Learning outcomes that include proficiency in essential standards-based academic content though a guaranteed and viable curriculum, and critical 21st century transferable skills, framed by both high quality instruction and purposeful, engaging inquiry using the principles of universal design for learning (References: Vermont’s EQS; Vermont’s Proficiency Based Learning Glossary; Michael Fullan; UDL; Vermont Portrait of a Graduate; Vermont’s Act 77, Vermont’s Act 28).
Culturally-sustaining Pedagogy: Practices that seek to perpetuate, foster, and sustain—linguistic, literate, and cultural inclusively in safe learning environments, especially for distinct groups that have been marginalized, in service to the vital, democratic nature of schooling (References: Vermont’s Act 1; Harvard Graduate School of Education, 2014; California Department of Education; and Laster et al., 2020, p. 91).
Personalized, Flexible Learning: Authentic opportunities that deepen student learning by incorporating each student’s interests, strengths, and needs - including student voice and choice in what, how, when and where they learn - to achieve the goals of active engagement, academic success, taking informed actions, and preparation for post-secondary opportunities. Flexible pathways to learning allow students to learn and apply their knowledge and skills in various settings in ways that center learning personal, meaningful, and impactful in their targeted contexts. (References: Vermont’s Act 77; AoE Glossary of Terms; The Tarrant Institute).
Layers of Support: Multi-faceted learning, behavioral, and social emotional layers of both direct and integrates supports to ensure that every student receives equitable, student-centered supports that are evidenced-informed, culturally responsive, matched to need, restorative, safe, and developmentally appropriate throughout the learning process (Reference: Vermont’s EQS, VTmtss Fieldguide; Vermont’s Act 173).
Agency: Centering students’ voice and choice in authentic learning so students can own their learning, use their voices in a variety of settings, and affirm a strong belief in their own efficacy and impact as lifelong learners (References: Vermont’s Act 77; Vermont Portrait of a Graduate).
and Joy: The spirit to wonder, dream, and be curious and creative in learning, the construction of knowledge, and the acquisition of skills; the intersection of meaningful content and engaging, empowering, purposeful, and playful learning experiences that continuously improves knowledge of self and a stronger sense of belonging in and caring for the world (References: VTLFF; Joyful Learning Network; Wolk ASCD; Dewey, Experience and Education)
OUR vTCLA Mission
The VTCLA Process: VTCLA is committed to ensuring our vision and mission-driven work on behalf of all Vermont students is both informed and sustained by the provision of a high-quality education grounded in Vermont’s Education Quality Standards, a progressive mindset of continuous improvement; building state-wide capacity; the collection of sound learning evidence; collective educator expertise; implementation science; a high degree of leadership efficacy; and the well-being of all educators in Vermont.
The VTCLA Mission:
We believe our vision will be attained by our professional organization’s mission to:
Communicate
Collaborate
Advocate
and Grow professionally, together.
The VTCLA Board of Directors
Gwen Carmolli, PRESIDENT, Colchester School District - Champlain Valley Region
Jodie Stewart-Ruck, Mill River- Southwest Vermont Region
Michael Berry, Montpelier/Roxbury School District - Winooski Valley Region
Michael Moriarty, North Country Supervisory Union - North East Kingdom Region
Missy Wilkins, Springfield School District & Jennifer Stainton, WCSU - Southeast Vermont Region
Pat Fitzsimmons, VT-AOE, Liaison - Director at Large
Lauren Wooden, CVEDC, Fiscal Agent- Director at Large
Jeff Evans, Executive Director of VTCLA
