While some teachers were taking advantage of the summer to relax, Deb Clark, a Gifted and Talented Program teacher at Winslow Elementary, spent the better part of one week volunteering at the Maine State Aquarium in West Boothbay Harbor. The experience provided a chance not only to give back to the aquarium, a place she has been bringing her students for years, but to grow personally and professionally.
Continue reading “Maine teachers spend summer volunteering at Maine State Aquarium”
Earlier this week, a 24-person panel came together in Augusta to begin reviewing the state’s math and English language arts standards.
The panel’s membership – which includes parents, teachers, principals, superintendents, school board members, college professors and business leaders – is diverse, as are their perspectives. Over the next six weeks, they’ll assess the rigor and clarity of each standard and make suggestions where improvement is needed.
I personally asked them to participate in this critical process because learning standards underlie much of our work in the coming years to transform education in Maine, from the awarding of proficiency-based diplomas to the implementation of educator evaluations and next generation assessment systems. If changes are needed, the time to make them is now.
More Notices | Administrative Letters | Reporting Calendar
Maine’s Education Commissioner is asking the public and a panel of parents, educators and business leaders to inform improvements his Department plans to make to the state’s learning standards for mathematics and English language arts. | More
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
The Maine DOE is warning schools to think twice before paying invoices from a Las Vegas based company calling itself Scholastic School Supply. | More
The Update of Maine Schools form is now overdue. This year’s electronic version replaced a paper form previously sent to school administrative units and private schools. | More
The 23 Academy Fellows who graduated from the Governor’s Academy for STEM Education Leadership program this summer were provided with professional development opportunities. | More
The Department is reminding school administrative units that the following trigger a duty to provide procedural safeguards. | More
A new grant is now available to 25 rural schools in Maine to implement a program which has proven to increase academic growth and achievement for first-year high school students. | More
The Maine DOE is committed to ensuring the effective and timely identification of learners with special needs. | More
The Maine DOE has posted additional guidance clarifying the process for preparing or disputing charter school invoices to resident school administrative units. | More
School administrative units (SAUs) should begin preparing data for the EF-S-05, which includes Part 1: Special Education Child Count as well as Part 2: Special Education Personnel Employed, Contracted, and Needed. | More
The Department has completed its review of FY 2015 leased space applications and posted the results here. | More
Maine high schools are invited to register for Poetry Out Loud, a nationwide program that encourages youth to learn about poetry through memorization and recitation. | More
The Maine Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy is seeking nominations for the Maine Jump$tart Coalition Educator of the Year Award. | More
The Department is encouraging Mainers to vote for Karen MacDonald, the current Maine Teacher of the Year, in her quest to win a $2,500 grant. | More
More Dispatches | Press Releases | From the Commissioner
Earlier this week, a 24-person panel came together in Augusta to begin reviewing the state’s math and English language arts standards.
The panel’s membership – which includes parents, teachers, principals, superintendents, school board members, college professors and business leaders – is diverse, as are their perspectives. Over the next six weeks, they’ll assess the rigor and clarity of each standard and make suggestions where improvement is needed.
I personally asked them to participate in this critical process because learning standards underlie much of our work in the coming years to transform education in Maine, from the awarding of proficiency-based diplomas to the implementation of educator evaluations and next generation assessment systems. If changes are needed, the time to make them is now. Continue reading “Transparent, inclusive process will improve Maine’s standards”
The Maine DOE is warning schools to think twice before paying invoices from a Las Vegas based company calling itself Scholastic School Supply.
Continue reading “Maine DOE warns of scam targeting schools”
The Update of Maine Schools form is now overdue. This year’s electronic version replaced a paper form previously sent to school administrative units and private schools. Please check the status of your updates and complete them as soon as possible. The form requires a Superintendent signature to complete the process and make it “Ready for Approval” in NEO.
The 23 Academy Fellows who graduated from the Governor’s Academy for STEM Education Leadership program this summer were provided with professional development opportunities designed to build leadership qualities with a focus on STEM integration.
Continue reading “Fourth cohort of Maine Governor’s STEM Academy graduates”
The Department is reminding school administrative units (SAUs) that, in addition to the requirement that they provide parents of children receiving special education (or adult students receiving special education) a copy of the procedural safeguards once each year, the following events also trigger a duty to provide the procedural safeguards:
Maine high schools are invited to register for Poetry Out Loud, a nationwide program that encourages youth to learn about poetry through memorization and recitation while helping students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence and learn about their literary heritage.
Continue reading “Maine high schools invited to register for Poetry Out Loud competition”
A new grant is now available to 25 rural schools in Maine to implement a program which has proven to increase academic growth and achievement for first-year high school students by providing a proven, flexible, data-driven system centered on the relationships between students and teachers.
Continue reading “Informational meetings on new rural funding scheduled”
School administrative units (SAUs) should begin preparing data for the EF-S-05, which includes Part 1: Special Education Child Count as well as Part 2: Special Education Personnel Employed, Contracted, and Needed.
Continue reading “Report of Services to Students with Disabilities (EF-S-05 Part 1 & 2) due Oct. 31”
Maine DOE Newsroom 