Category Archives: Middle School

New Center for Best Practice videos feature RSU 16

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Maine Department of Education | Leave a comment

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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Posted in Androscoggin County, Elementary School, English Language Arts, Featured, High School, Middle School, Social Studies, Students, Teachers

Maine FFA Association hosts 83rd state convention

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Maine Department of Education | Leave a comment

Maine FFA State President Isaac Wortman (left) presents honorary state FFA degrees to Commissioners Bowen and Whitcomb.

The Maine FFA Association (formerly known as “Future Farmers of America”) held its 83^rd annual state convention May 9-10 at the University of Maine.

Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen and Agriculture Commissioner Walter Whitcomb spoke at the FFA award banquet, as did visiting National FFA President Clay Sapp. Gabrielle Cyr of Ashland High School was named Outstanding Student Chapter Officer, and Kevin Marquis of Easton was named FFA Chapter Advisor of the Year. Maine FFA specially recognized Thomas Hale, Caribou Regional Technology Center agriculture teacher, who is retiring after 38 years of teaching and numerous accomplishments.

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Posted in Career & Technical, Featured, High School, Images, Middle School, Science & Technology, Students

Bowen praises improvement efforts at Indian Township and Caravel Middle Schools

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Courtney Yeager | Leave a comment

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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Posted in Accountability, Administrators, Elementary School, Governor LePage, Middle School, Penobscot County, Press Releases, Professional Development, Students, Teachers, Washington County

Nominate students, adults and organizations for leadership awards

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Maine Department of Education | Leave a comment

Maine Youth Action Network would like to recognize the incredible efforts underway by young people and those who support them to make a positive impact in communities across Maine. If you know a young person, adult, group or organization that has demonstrated or supported strong youth leadership and engagement, consider nominating them for the annual MYAN ImpACT Awards.

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Posted in Administrators, Featured, High School, Middle School, Students, Teachers

Hands-on learning a success in Oxford County

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Commissioner Stephen Bowen | Leave a comment

Eighth grader Ken Stump shows Commissioner Bowen a solar panel they created to heat the indoor greenhouse at Roberts Farm in Norway.

Eighth grader Ken Stump shows Commissioner Bowen a solar panel Oxford Hills Middle School students created to heat the indoor greenhouse at Roberts Farm in Norway.

I had the chance visit three Oxford County schools yesterday as part of my Promising Practices Tour, just a day after releasing the new A-F school grading system designed to improve transparency. As a state, we need to move beyond the one-size-fits-all models of teaching and embrace student-centered models like the ones many Maine schools, like the ones I visited in Oxford County, are doing. Governor LePage and I made reference to that Wednesday when we unveiled the new school report cards, which showed a majority of Maine’s elementary and high schools earned an A, B or C.

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Posted in Career & Technical, From the Commissioner, Governor LePage, High School, Listening Tour, Middle School, Oxford County, Science & Technology, Students

Education Commissioner’s visit promotes promising practices at Oxford County schools

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Samantha Warren | Leave a comment

Mountain Valley Middle School student Abby LaBrash explains her genetics project to Commissioner Bowen.

SOUTH PARIS – A day after releasing a new school grading system designed to focus on transparency and continuous improvement in schools, Maine’s Education Commissioner toured three Oxford County schools that are embracing new models for educational excellence.

The visit by Maine Department of Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen to Oxford Hills Middle School and Oxford Hills Technical School in RSU 17 and Mountain Valley Middle School in RSU 10 was the latest in his Promising Practices Tour.

Bowen began the tour on Thursday at the Roberts Farm Preserve in Norway, where he talked with Oxford Hills Middle School seventh and eighth graders about the life science and leadership skills they’re developing by participating in the farm’s experiential learning program.

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Posted in Career & Technical, Governor LePage, High School, Listening Tour, Middle School, Oxford County, Press Releases

K-8 educators invited to summer iPad retreat

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Maine Department of Education | Leave a comment

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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Posted in Elementary School, Featured, Middle School, Professional Development, Science & Technology, Teachers, Technology

Maine teachers have opportunity to teach in Taiwan

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Maine Department of Education | Leave a comment

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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Posted in Elementary School, Featured, Middle School, Professional Development, Teachers, World Languages