AUGUSTA – Governor Paul R. LePage today joined state and local officials, representatives from law enforcement, business and community leaders and victims’ advocacy groups at the Blaine House to mark the beginning of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Continue reading “Governor LePage proclaims October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month”
Month: September 2014
Maine DOE Monthly – September 30, 2014
Welcome to the September issue of the Maine DOE Monthly.
This month marked the arrival of the first high school class that will be expected to demonstrate proficiency in the eight content areas of the Maine Learning Results when they graduate in four years. Because of that expectation as well as upcoming implementation of new educator evaluations and next generation assessment systems, in recent weeks the Department brought 24 experts together to review the standards in the foundational content areas of mathematics and English language arts and additionally asked the public to weigh-in. If changes are needed to improve the clarity and rigor of the standards, the time to make them is now. September also marked Attendance Awareness Month and brought well-deserved recognition to our state’s service to military-connected students.
As always, read on for a roundup of other recent updates from the Department, and stay tuned to our Newsroom and weekly Commissioner’s Updates for the latest news you can use from the Maine DOE.
Dispatches & Press Releases
2014-15 school year: We’re in this together
On behalf of Governor LePage and all of us at the Department, I want to thank teachers, administrators and other school staff for their care for and commitment to our students. Maine kids are increasingly being inspired in their classrooms and achievement in their studies is rising as a result, putting them on a path for future college and career success. | More
Commissioner Rier: Transparent, inclusive review process will improve Maine’s learning standards
All Mainers want high standards for our students and believe they are capable of meeting them. From this updating process, I anticipate refinements that reflect the expertise of our panel and the experience of our state in implementing the current standards over the past three years. We will emerge not just with stronger standards but stronger collective confidence in them.| More
Maine partnership receives national honor for service to military-connected children
A local partnership enhanced by the statewide efforts of Maine’s First Lady Ann LePage and the Maine Department of Education has been nationally recognized for serving students whose parents are in the military. | More
Proficiency standard applies to special education students
As Maine moves towards a proficiency-based system that will ensure that all students graduate from our high schools having met rigorous learning standards, some have asked about the impact of this new expectation on students with disabilities. | More
Education Commissioner urges schools to promote importance of attendance
Attendance Awareness Month and back to school season provide Maine districts an opportunity to do what is consistently seen as most effective in combating chronic attendance: educating parents. | More
Maine DOE welcomes new Higher Education Specialist Angel Loredo
Angel Loredo has joined the Maine DOE as its Higher Education Specialist. | More
Superintendents asked to complete survey of public preschool programs
The Maine DOE is committed to supporting and expanding high-quality public preschool programs. The Legislature passed two bills, now Public Laws, which focus on public preschool programs for children four years of age. | More
2015 Maine Teacher of the Year finalists in the final stages of the determination process
Finalists for Maine’s 2015 Teacher of the Year will participate in their final interview with panel members this week–the last step of the determination process. | More
Maine DOE warns of scam targeting schools
The Maine DOE is warning schools to think twice before paying invoices from a Las Vegas based company calling itself Scholastic School Supply. | More
Department provides answers to proficiency FAQs
As the Class of 2018 enters its first year of secondary school, school leaders are thinking deeply and asking questions about what it means to award a proficiency-based diploma after Jan. 1, 2018. | More
Maine DOE creates assessment tool for standards-based IEP goals
The Department has created Self-Assessing for Standards-Based IEP Goals as an optional tool to assist school administrative units (SAUs) to self-assess progress in writing standards-aligned IEP goals. | More
More
Commissioner’s Update – September 25, 2014
From Maine Education Commissioner Jim Rier
It’s been said that the first step to success is showing up and nowhere is that more true than in our schools.
Chronic absenteeism – defined as missing 10 percent of the school year (18 days here in Maine) – increases achievement gaps and decreases student outcomes. Absences add up quickly. In fact, students who are chronically absent in kindergarten and first grade are much less likely to read proficiently by the end of third grade and are more likely to have poor attendance in later grades. By middle and high school, chronic absence is a proven early warning sign that a student will not graduate on time or even at all. Chronic absenteeism especially hurts children with disabilities or from low income families who are both more likely to miss school and who often lack the resources to make up for lost time in the classroom.
This September marks the second annual Attendance Awareness Month. This nationwide event brings attention to the connection between school attendance and academic achievement while mobilizing schools and communities to promote the value of good attendance and take concrete steps toward reducing chronic absence.
Notices and Reporting
- Request for Special Education Contract Approval (EF-S-03), due Oct. 15
- NCLB Title IA Carryover Percentage Certification, due Oct. 15
- EF-M-240 Year End Report of Private Schools, due Oct. 15
- National Board Salary Supplement, due Oct. 15
- EPS October 1 Enrollment Reporting, due Oct. 31
More Notices | Administrative Letters | Reporting Calendar
News & Views
Maine DOE welcomes new Higher Education Specialist Angel Loredo
Angel Loredo has joined the Maine DOE as its Higher Education Specialist. | More
Superintendents asked to complete survey of public preschool programs
The Maine DOE is committed to supporting and expanding high-quality public preschool programs. The Legislature passed two bills, now Public Laws, which focus on public preschool programs for children four years of age. | More
Maine DOE releases social studies webinar highlighting inquiry-based resources
The Maine DOE has created a free webinar to help educators better understand where Maine students are when it comes to developing evidence-based arguments and how to support them in improving those skills. | More
2015 Maine Teacher of the Year finalists in the final stages of the determination process
Finalists for Maine’s 2015 Teacher of the Year will participate in their final interview with panel members this week–the last step of the determination process. | More
Maine high schools awarded three-year grant for computer science instruction
The National Science Foundation has awarded a three-year $469,369 grant to improve access to computer science instruction for Maine high school students. | More
Portland principal nominated for $100,000 award
Casco Bay High School principal Derek Pierce has been nominated for the Nellie Mae Education Foundation’s 3rd Annual Larry O’Toole Award. | More
Maine teachers spend summer volunteering at Maine State Aquarium
While some teachers were taking advantage of the summer to relax, others spent the better part of one week volunteering at the Maine State Aquarium in West Boothbay Harbor. | More
More Dispatches | Press Releases | From the Commissioner
LATEST DOE Career/Project Opportunities
Showing up to promote school attendance
It’s been said that the first step to success is showing up and nowhere is that more true than in our schools.
Chronic absenteeism – defined as missing 10 percent of the school year (18 days here in Maine) – increases achievement gaps and decreases student outcomes. Absences add up quickly. In fact, students who are chronically absent in kindergarten and first grade are much less likely to read proficiently by the end of third grade and are more likely to have poor attendance in later grades. By middle and high school, chronic absence is a proven early warning sign that a student will not graduate on time or even at all. Chronic absenteeism especially hurts children with disabilities or from low income families who are both more likely to miss school and who often lack the resources to make up for lost time in the classroom.
Maine DOE releases social studies webinar highlighting inquiry-based resources
The Maine DOE has created a free webinar to help educators better understand where Maine students are when it comes to developing evidence-based arguments and how to support them in improving those skills. The webinar is the latest in a series of school improvement webinars developed by the Department to support Maine schools based on needs identified from statewide student performance data.
Continue reading “Maine DOE releases social studies webinar highlighting inquiry-based resources”
Maine DOE welcomes new Higher Education Specialist Angel Loredo
Angel Loredo has joined the Maine DOE as its Higher Education Specialist.
In his new role, Loredo will support development of higher education policy and oversee approval of educator preparation programming, additional degree granting for institutions of higher education and Maine proprietary schools. Loredo will work directly with the State Board of Education.
Continue reading “Maine DOE welcomes new Higher Education Specialist Angel Loredo”
Superintendents asked to complete survey of public preschool programs
The Maine DOE is committed to supporting and expanding high-quality public preschool programs. The Legislature passed two bills, now Public Laws, which focus on public preschool programs for children four years of age.
Continue reading “Superintendents asked to complete survey of public preschool programs”
Maine high schools awarded three-year grant for computer science instruction
The National Science Foundation has awarded a three-year $469,369 grant to improve access to computer science instruction for Maine high school students. This project is led by the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance in partnership with RSU 26 in Orono and the University of Maine at Augusta.
Continue reading “Maine high schools awarded three-year grant for computer science instruction”
2015 Maine Teacher of the Year finalists in the final stages of the determination process
Finalists for Maine’s 2015 Teacher of the Year were visited by the Maine Teacher of the Year state review panel last week. As part of the 2015 Maine Teacher of the Year review process, the panel spoke with each candidate’s district administrators, fellow teachers, students and parents. The teachers will participate in their final interview with panel members this week–the last step of the determination process. Once decided, the 2015 Maine Teacher of the Year will be announced at a surprise event by the end of October.
Portland principal nominated for $100,000 award
Casco Bay High School principal Derek Pierce has been nominated for the Nellie Mae Education Foundation’s 3rd Annual Larry O’Toole Award. If selected, Pierce will receive a $100,000 grant for his school, which is located in Portland.
Continue reading “Portland principal nominated for $100,000 award”
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