Civics Projects: Implementation 101

The MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education welcomes educators from across the state to join our 2020-2021 mathematics, literacy, science, digital learning and computer science, and history/social science educator networks. These networks are designed to support educators to advance teaching and learning across the Commonwealth. We are calling on classroom leaders, school leaders, and district leaders to join us and collaborate across districts to learn, to test and refine tools and strategies, and to innovate.

Chapter 296. An Act to promote and enhance civic engagement, was passed in 2018 and expects schools to provide non-partisan civics projects to all grade 8 and high school students. If you have not yet started planning to implement Civics Projects, this Network will lay the foundation to get started. Using the Civics Project Guidebook, this network will support participants to understand the defining characteristics of high-quality, aligned student-led civics projects and plan for project implementation.

Participants will attend two virtual, regional meeting in the winter, with optional virtual support forums throughout the year to share implementation successes/challenges and to support each other.

Who should attend:
Teachers, district or school-based administrators, and/or department heads with responsibility for History and Social Science, and Educator Prep faculty, who did not attend a previous Civics Project Network.

Location and dates:
All meetings will be virtual. For each 2.5-hour session, participants will attend a meeting with colleagues from their region in order to facilitate collaboration.

Session 1 meetings will be held between November 16 and December 4, 2020.
Session 2 meetings will be held between December 14, 2020 and January 8, 2021.

Meetings will take place 3:00-5:30 p.m. Dates and times are subject to change based on participant availability. Dates for regional meetings are listed below:

Regions	Session 1	Session 2
Hampshire + Franklin County, and the Berkshires	11/17	12/15
Greater Springfield and Hampden County	11/18	12/16

Greater Worcester	11/23	12/21
Metrowest	11/24	12/22
Southeastern (Bristol and Plymouth County), and Cape and Islands	11/20	1/11/21

Northeast (North Shore/North of Boston)	12/2	1/6/21
Greater Boston	12/3	1/7/21

Please contact Cecelia Spencer, cecelia.t.spencer@mass.gov, with questions.

1. Contact Information *This question is required.

First Name

Last Name

Email Address *This question is required. This question requires a valid email address.

Confirm Email Address

2. District or Charter School *This question is required.

If you selected collaborative or other non-district participant, which collaborative or organization do you represent?

3. Title/Role *This question is required.

4. Please select your region. (Specific dates and times listed below subject to change based on participant availability). *This question is required.