Category Archives: Cumberland County

Maine Charter Commission approves contracts with three new public charter schools

Posted on May 8, 2013 by | Leave a comment

The following is a news release from the Maine Charter School Commission.

AUGUSTA — The Maine Charter School Commission in a public meeting held Tuesday in Augusta discussed, voted and signed three public charter school contracts – culminating months of work on the part of the schools and the commission. The Maine Charter School Commission has the responsibility to approve up to 10 public charter schools in the State in 10 years. The three schools are the Baxter Academy for Technology and Sciences to be located in Portland; the Fiddlehead School of Arts and Science in Gray; and the Harpswell Coastal Academy in Harpswell. These three schools will open September 2013. Continue reading →

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Posted in Charter schools, Cumberland County, Featured, Mathematics, Press Releases, Science & Technology, Students, Visual & Performing Arts

Being a Laker, then and now

Posted on April 17, 2013 by | 1 Comment

By Jamie Riel, teacher leader and student advocate, Lake Region High School

I joined the Lake Region High School community shortly after it was recognized as a failing school. Upon reflection, I am convinced there are few things that can be done to or said about a school that has a worse effect than being tagged with such a label. Teachers and staff had worked diligently to offer a quality educational experience to students, and many students worked hard to take advantage of those offerings. Continue reading →

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Posted in Cumberland County, Featured, Funding, High School, Students, Teachers

Senior reflects on Lake Region HS’s transformation

Posted on April 17, 2013 by | 1 Comment

By Kasey Huntress, senior, Lake Region High School

I’ve always been a big believer in school pride, and thus the changes that Lake Region High School went through after being identified as a “low-performing school” my freshman year were especially hard for me. I had chosen to attend Lake Region over a high school from a different district, and because of that, the bad press and insults surrounding our school following this identification angered me to no end. I had chosen to come to Lake Region because of the overwhelming sense of community and pride that I experienced every time I visited; the welcoming nature that made me feel as if this were the place that I belonged. Where was the press that exposed that side of our school?

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Posted in Cumberland County, Featured, Funding, High School, Students

Two Maine schools invited to participate in AP STEM Access program

Posted on April 17, 2013 by | Leave a comment

The College Board shared the following news release with the Maine DOE for publication.

AUGUSTA—Hampden Academy and Scarborough High School are among 800 schools across the country invited to participate in the AP STEM Access program, created to increase the number of traditionally underrepresented minority and female high school students that participate in Advanced Placement® courses in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) disciplines. Continue reading →

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Posted in Assessment, Cumberland County, Funding, High School, Penobscot County, Press Releases, Science & Technology, Students

Commissioner explores “academies” at Lake Region HS

Posted on April 5, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Commissioner Stephen Bowen visited Lake Region High School and Lake Regional Vocational Center, both in RSU 61/SAD 61, Naples, to explore their project-based academies and new career and technical education facility as part of his Promising Practices Tour on Friday.

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Posted in Career & Technical, Cumberland County, High School, Listening Tour, Press Releases

Portland schools establish promising practices for all students

Posted on April 3, 2013 by | Leave a comment
East End kindergartner Antonio Hernandez explains his math journal to Commissioner Bowen.

East End kindergartner Antonio Hernandez explains his math journal to Commissioner Bowen.

When I visited East End Community School and Riverton Elementary in Portland last week as part of my Promising Practices Tour, I was blown away by the measures they’re taking to ensure all students are engaged in learning—not an easy feat in such a multilingual district.

East End and Riverton were both identified as underperforming—one in 2009-10 and one in 2010-11—and applied for and received School Improvement Grants. With the help of those grants and technical assistance from the Department, the schools have initiated a number of promising practices. Last week, these schools showed me they’re doing what it takes to get things done.

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Posted in Administrators, Cumberland County, Elementary School, From the Commissioner, Funding, Instruction, Listening Tour, Students

Commissioner tours Portland elementaries, commends innovative ideas

Posted on March 29, 2013 by | Leave a comment

AUGUSTA – Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen praised the work of teachers and administrators at Riverton Elementary and East End Community schools in Portland following his visit Friday, part of his Promising Practices Tour.

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Posted in Cumberland County, Early Childhood, Elementary School, Instruction, Listening Tour, Press Releases, Students, Teachers

Bowen to visit Portland schools as part of Promising Practices Tour

Posted on March 28, 2013 by | Leave a comment

AUGUSTA — Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen will visit Riverton Elementary and East End Community schools in Portland on Friday as part of his Promising Practices Tour.

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Posted in Cumberland County, Governor LePage, Listening Tour, Press Releases, Technology

Innovative Maine Schools selected to present at conference

Posted on March 18, 2013 by | Leave a comment

The schools will share successful strategies with colleagues from across New England

AUGUSTA – Three Maine secondary schools—Falmouth High School, Sanford High School, and United Technologies Center (Bangor)—have been invited to represent the state at a regional conference on effective strategies for improving teaching and learning in the 21st century.

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Posted in Career & Technical, Cumberland County, Featured, High School, Penobscot County, Press Releases, Professional Development, Science & Technology, Students, York County

Notice of public meeting to discuss Baxter Academy

Posted on March 13, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Update: This article was corrected on March 14 to reflect the date and time change of the meeting.

The Maine Charter School Commission will hold a public meeting with the board of Baxter Academy for Technology and Science, a Maine charter school set to open in Portland next fall. The meeting will be held Monday, March 25, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Cross State Office Building (room 104) in Augusta.

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Posted in Charter schools, Cumberland County, Featured, Featured, High School, Public meetings