That’s why Gov. LePage this winter introduced legislation aimed at ensuring that all students are taught by effective teachers who have access to high-quality and constructive performance evaluations that help them grow as professionals. It’s also why our strategic plan released a few months ago devotes substantial attention to ensuring great teachers and leaders.
As part of that effort to ensure great school leadership, the Department of Education is sponsoring a weeklong leadership institute this summer at Sugarloaf. Rarely in Maine do current and aspiring school leaders have the chance to receive training not in day-to-day operations, but in the leadership skills necessary to leading a school through significant improvement.
The leadership institute from July 9-13, called “Building Capacity for Transformational Leadership,” will offer district teams a chance to hear from guest speakers with valuable insights, an opportunity to learn from other Maine educators about what has worked and what hasn’t in undertaking improvement efforts, and time to work with colleagues to start piecing together plans for implementing district-level improvements.
I hope to see many of you there.
— Stephen Bowen
ACTION ITEMS
Administrative Letters
Notices
Reporting
Please note: We generally provide notice of requirements only once. Please check the Reporting Calendar (link below) regularly for a list of ALL upcoming items.
- No new reporting requirements this week.
NEWS & VIEWS
Portland students to Maine peers: Plan a service project
The students at Portland’s Lincoln Middle School are challenging their peers from across the state to make a difference in their communities by participating in Global Youth Service Day later this month. | More
CTE instructors contribute to national career readiness tests
Career and Technical Education instructors in Maine are collaborating with colleagues in Nevada, Virginia and elsewhere to create end-of-course assessments that test the skills businesses say they look for in the people they employ. | More
Draft of new science standards expected this month
A first public draft of the Next Generation Science Standards is expected later this month, and Maine science teachers will have the chance to offer feedback and suggestions. Learn about the upcoming release by watching a presentation recently recorded by the Maine DOE’s Anita Bernhardt. | More
Aroostook teachers make classrooms inquiry-based
Science and agricultural science teachers from Aroostook County worked on making their classrooms inquiry-based at a training recently. Inquiry-based learning allows students to take charge of their learning through experimentation, rather than through the traditional delivery of required content. | More | Conference on writing, Common Core standards draws strong interest
- April is Month of the Military Child; opportunities for military families
- Maine Board of Ed member appointed to national panel
Upcoming professional development
- School leaders invited to summer institute
- Bus drivers offered training at regional conferences
- Conference focuses on bullying prevention plans
- UMaine invites teachers to campus for a day