DESE Extends FREC’s Professional License Program Authorization

Attention Teachers in need of your Professional License…

We have good news! The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has extended our authorization (at least until June 30, 2013) to offer an approved, district-based professional license program for teachers holding an initial license in the following: Elementary Education, 1-6; Early Childhood Education, preK-2/3; and Moderate Disabilities, preK-8 or grades 5-12.

To date, nearly 200 area teachers have completed this DESE approved program since February 2006 and earned their professional license – while not having to enroll in a Masters Program.

Interested? We are enrolling now on a “first come, first serve” basis for a January 2012 program start. Contact Mike Fields at 508-987-0219, ext. 101 or mfields@frec.org for more information and a program enrollment packet.

Attention, Special Education, Classroom, and Inclusion Teachers: we are enrolling now for…..

SUMMER 2012

PRDV 75017 “Including Special Needs Students in the Classroom”*

Location: Oxford High School Instructor: Susan Brown

Dates: Wed., Thurs., & Fri., June 27, 28, & 29; Time: 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Mon., & Tues., July 2 & 3 (five total class days) Tuition: FREC Members: $550

Credits: 3 credits from FSU Non-Members: $650

*We present this course now so those interested can make vacation plans accordingly.

As for tuition, send no money now. Registrants will be invoiced on or about May 21, 2012.

Description: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) provides the foundation for inclusive schooling, requiring that every child with a disability receive a free and appropriate education and learns in the least restrictive environment. One approach to achieve the requirements of the law is to “retrofit”, meaning teachers solve problems after the fact in an attempt to fit a student into the existing framework. An alternative approach is “universal design”, meaning that the differentiated materials, methods, and assessment alternatives are considered and created in advance with the full range of students’ differences in mind. This course will show participants how to shift from retrofit to universal design for student diversity and curriculum access.

NOTE: While this is open to all K-12 teachers, it is also a required program course for moderate disabilities

professional license candidates. As such, the tuition for these enrolled program teachers is $900.

For more information and a registration form, click here.

Do You Need to Earn Your Professional License?

If you are teaching with an initial license in elementary education; early childhood education; math, grades 5-8; general science, grades 5-8; or moderate disabilities, preK-8 or 5-12 and would like to start your professional license program before the current Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (DESE) regulations change (no Masters degree required now), then contact Mike Fields at 508-987-0219 Ext. 101 or mfields@frec.org.

We are accepting registrations now for our Professional License Program.

Click here for more information.

Fall 2011 Graduate Course Listing

Fall 2011 graduate course fliers will be mailed to our member schools the last week of August.

Receive Your Copy of the Graduate Course Flyer by Email…

If you wish to have a copy of the Graduate Course flyer and Professional Development Programs emailed to you automatically, please email your name to: neslusan@frec.org.

Call for Instructors

French River is now in the process of scheduling Graduate Courses for the Spring 2012 Semester. If you are interested in teaching a 36-hour graduate course, please contact Madeleine Dudley at 508-987-0219, Ext. 104 or email mdudley@frec.org. We are especially in need of instructors to teach courses in high school English, Math, Science, Foreign Language and Social Studies.

Excellent Teaching and Learning Resources

http://free.ed.gov

Are you pursuing a Preliminary License in Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education, or Moderate Disabilities? If so, the following may be of interest to you…

If you are seeking a preliminary license in Elementary Education or Early Childhood Education, besides possessing a bachelor's degree, a passing score on the Communication/Literacy Skills and subject matter knowledge tests; and, in some cases, a competency review, the MA Department of Education's Regulations for Educator Licensure (603 CMR 7.04 subsections 5a and 5b) outlines additional requirements for teacher candidates. Unless you have had these seminar topics as undergraduate courses, or you can document experience in the areas these seminars address, you must also complete four (4) 10 hour seminars that address teaching Reading, English/Language arts, Mathematics and Inclusion with an emphasis on ways to prepare and maintain students with disabilities for general classrooms. French River has a program designed to satisfy this requirement. Click here for the 40 hour Seminar Series Registration Form.

If you are seeking a preliminary license in moderate disabilities, and you have not has these seminar topics as undergraduate courses, or you do not have documented experience in the areas these seminars address, you must also complete three (3) of the 10 hour seminars that address Reading, English/language arts, and Mathematics. In addition, you must also complete a seventy (70) hour seminar series – 10 hours on each topic – designed to meet subject matter competencies as outlines by the Department of Education. Click here for the 70 hour seminar series registration syllabus.

MA Department of Education Approved Professional Licensure Programs…

French River Education Center is now accepting

professional license program registrations for:

~Early Childhood Education, PreK-2 (January, 2012)

~Elementary Education, Grades 1-6 (January, 2012)

~Teachers of Students with Moderate Disabilities, PreK-8 & Grades 5-12 (January, 2012)

~Math, Grades 5-8 (January, 2012)

Teacher licensure in Massachusetts is a two step process requiring teachers to first obtain an Initial License and then go on to earn a Professional License in the same field within five years.

Do you hold Initial Licensure in the above referenced fields and do no expect to complete a Masters in the same field within 5 years? If so, the following may be very important to you.

To obtain Professional Licensure, teachers must satisfy five additional criteria:

Hold an Initial License in the same field for which a Professional License is sought;
Completion of a one-year induction program with a mentor;
Completion of three full years of employment in the role of their Initial License;
Completion of at least 50 hours of mentored experience beyond the induction year; and
Completion of one of the following within 5 years:

· A Department of Education sponsored Performance Assessment Program;

· An approved Masters Degree program in the same field as your initial license;

· A Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education approved, district-based program with at least 50 contact hours of content-based seminars beyond the induction year.

As to the latter, French River Education Center, in partnership with Framingham State University (FSU), is pleased to announce that the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has recently designated the Center an “approved site” for District-Based/Content-Based, Professional Licensure programs in the following:

elementary education, grades 1-6;
early-childhood education, preK-2;
math, grades 5-8; and
teachers of student with moderate disabilities, preK-8 and 5-12.

What does this mean for you? You do not have to take a State test or “Performance Assessment” to earn Professional Licensure and you do not have to enroll in or complete a Master’s program in any one of these program areas within 5 years of hire to earn Professional Licensure. You can enroll in any one of the Center’s DESE approved district-based programs, successfully complete 2 or 3 courses (depending upon your certification field) and complete your Professional Licensure program requirements within one year.

NOTE: All Licensure Program Courses are held at Oxford High School, Route 12, Oxford, MA

[Click Here for Map and Directions]

Interested? Want to learn more? If you would like to learn more about how you can earn Professional Licensure, in most cases, after just a few FSU graduate courses, contact Mike Fields, Director, at 508-987-0219 Ext. 101, (email: mfields@frec.org) or Maddy Dudley, at 508-987-0219 Ext. 104, (email: mdudley@frec.org) .

Telephone inquiries are always welcome so please do not hesitate to call if you have questions. Also, feel free to share this information with teacher friends in non-FREC districts as these programs are open to anyone.

Early Childhood Education Professional License Program

~ Attention Early Childhood Teachers

Learn how those currently holding an Initial License in early childhood education can earn Professional Licensure from the DESE with just two Framingham State University graduate courses…one in math and one in literacy. Click here for more details on the program (PDF); Click here for the math course syllabus (PDF); Click here for the literacy course syllabus (PDF).

· Click here for enrollment information and registration form for the Tuesday math course:

84.937 Connecting Mathematical Concepts and Teaching (January, 2012)

· Click here for enrollment information and registration form for the Thursday math course:

84.937 Connecting Mathematical Concepts and Teaching (January, 2012)

· Click here for enrollment information and registration form for the Tuesday literacy course:

LTRC 907 Literacy Instruction: Connection Theory, Research, and Best Practice (September, 2012)

· Click here for enrollment information and registration form for the Thursday literacy course:

LTRC 907 Literacy Instruction: Connection Theory, Research, and Best Practice (September, 2012)

Elementary Education Professional License Program

~ Attention Elementary Education Teachers, Grades 1 through 6

Learn how those currently holding an Initial License in elementary education can earn Professional Licensure from the DESE with just two Framingham State University graduate courses…one in math and one in literacy. Click here for more details on the program (PDF); Click here for the math course syllabus (PDF); Click here for the literacy course syllabus (PDF).