Category Archives: Elementary School

New Center for Best Practice videos feature RSU 16

The Maine Center for Best Practice is pleased to announce the posting of two new videos of Maine schools working toward learner-centered, proficiency-based education. Both schools are from Regional School Unit 16.

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Bowen praises improvement efforts at Indian Township and Caravel Middle Schools

CARMEL – Department of Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen commended regional sharing of resources as well as professional development efforts at Indian Township School in Princeton and Caravel Middle School (RSU 87/MSAD 23) in Carmel, which he visited Thursday and Friday as part of his Promising Practices Tour.

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K-8 educators invited to summer iPad retreat

Registration for iPadagogy, a summer retreat for educators on using iPads in the K-8 classroom, is now open. This relaxing, casual retreat, held June 23-25 at the University of Maine at Fort Kent, will include cutting-edge presentations by teachers, school technology staff, guest speakers and educational administrators, all sharing their expertise and experiences in the use of iPads as an educational tool.

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Sign-up fifth grade classes for hurricane awareness webinars

The University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography’s Hurricanes: Science and Society (HSS) project will present webinars for fifth grade classes in the Northeast region on May 8 and 15. Teachers may register their classes on the HSS website.

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Portland schools establish promising practices for all students

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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Maine teachers have opportunity to teach in Taiwan

Through a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Education in the Republic of China (Taiwan), the Maine Department of Education invites new and experienced licensed teachers to apply to the Teaching in Taiwan program. The selected educators will teach English to students in Taiwan in public elementary and junior high schools (grades K-9) for one academic year beginning in August 2013.

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Commissioner tours Portland elementaries, commends innovative ideas

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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Submit application for Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program grants

The USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) is a grant to provide fruits and vegetables to students during the school day, aside from breakfast and lunch times. Maine schools have until Friday, March 30, to request applications to apply for the program. This program is only for grades PreK-8.

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Weatherbee School gets community involved in Maine Day

Fourth grade student Colin Trudelle uses a microscope to study fiber investigation.

Weatherbee School fourth grade student Colin Trudelle focuses on fiber investigation during a Maine Day paper making workshop (hosted by the Maine Discovery Museum).

George B. Weatherbee School in Hampden recently celebrated its second annual “Maine Day,” a tribute to Maine Statehood Day, by offering dozens of state-themed workshops to its third through fifth grade students on Monday, March 18.

This year’s event featured over 40 presenters, half of whom were outside visitors from the community. Presenters taught workshops that focused on Maine’s slogan: The Way Life Should Be.  Teachers assigned third grade students to workshops, but fourth and fifth graders could sign-up for the workshops that most appealed to them. Workshops included: “A Wicked Good Guide to Maine Language,” in which kids listened to a true Mainer speak and translated to people from afar; “Mission of the Maine Warden Services,” which explained game wardens’ role in protecting fish and wildlife; “Whoopie Pies,” in which students heard about the official state treat; and “Aroostook County,” a brief overview of the area and potato harvesting.

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Agriculture takes root in Maine classrooms

The following press release was issued March 13 by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.

Commissioner Whitcomb previews National Agriculture Week to Students at Augusta’s Farrington Elementary School

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