Year: 2019

Maine Farm to School Network, in Conjunction with the Maine Department of Education, Child Nutrition, Offers Engaging Local Foods Trainings in October  

We are excited to announce that the Maine Farm to School Network has received a $25,000 USDA Farm to School Training Grant to build local food procurement capacity in Maine schools. Designed to increase the availability of local foods in schools, USDA Farm to School grants can help farm to school programs get started or expand existing efforts. “This award will develop the capacity of Maine school food directors to purchase from and support Maine farmers,” comments Stephanie Cesario, Maine Farm to School Network Coordinator. “The funds will support local foods procurement training for food service directors across the state as well as network building,” she added.

The Maine Farm to School Network, in collaboration with other state farm to school advocates, will offer local procurement and network building trainings at the 2019 Maine Farm to School Conference being held at the Kennebec Valley Community College, Alfond Campus in Clinton, ME on October 3-4, 2019. The combined trainings count towards 7.25 contact hours for school nutrition professionals.

Maine schools are ramping up their local food purchasing to support local farms and the local economy, while making school meals fresher and more appealing! The pre-conference local procurement training on October 3rd will join Martine Cherry, USDA Team Lead and Procurement Specialist, and Abbie Nelson, Farm to School Program Director from Vermont Food Education Every Day (VT FEED) and NOFA-VT for a fun, interactive afternoon of digging into local food procurement rules and guidelines so schools can get the local foods they want! This hands-on workshop is designed for school nutrition directors, kitchen managers, business managers, and others responsible for school food purchasing.

This free, 3-hour training will explore topics such as micro purchasing, informal bid process, Buy American provision, purchasing thresholds, values-based buying, and the importance of relationship building with food producers. Participants will learn how to apply strategies to make the most of marketing tools like Maine Harvest of the Month, and reimbursement opportunities like the Local Produce Fund, to either start a local purchasing strategy or take it to the next level.

To register for the training and to learn more about the 2019 Maine Farm to School Conference and Maine’s Farm to School initiatives visit www.mainefarmtoschool.org/conference. A limited number of scholarships are available to support costs associated with attending the local procurement training.

EF-M-13 Private School October Resident Enrollment Counts

This is a reminder that the EF-M-13 Private School October Resident Enrollment Count report is open October 1st.  Private schools that do not have any “publicly funded students” may complete only the EF-M-13 October 1st Resident Enrollment report, but have the option to also enroll their non-publicly funded students in the Synergy State Edition.

Private schools with publicly funded students must report all “publicly funded students” in Synergy State Edition.  Synergy State Edition reporting is necessary in order for the sending school administrative unit to be allocated subsidy for the student. State subsidy to a school administrative unit is often the source of funding that is used to pay the student’s private school tuition.

A “publicly funded student” is defined as a Maine resident student whose educational cost (such as tuition) has been paid for by public funds from a public entity such as the following:

  • Municipal school unit (including those in a School Union)
  • School administrative district
  • Regional School Unit
  • Community school district
  • Education in the Unorganized Territory
  • Maine Indian Education
  • State Funds from a State Agency such as the Maine Department of Education
  • Federal Funds from a State or Federal Agency

The excel form for this report is located on the helpdesk webpage inside the ‘Data reporting Instructions’ tile,  as well as an instructional walkthrough on completing this form.
For questions regarding this report or Synergy/NEO Access, please contact:
Reporting: Trevor Burns – Student Data Coordinator
Email: Trevor.R.Burns@maine.gov                   Phone: (207) 624-6678

Synergy/NEO Access: MEDMS Helpdesk
Email: medms.helpdesk@maine.gov               Phone: (207) 624-6896

Seeking Additional Maine Schools for Social Emotional Learning Pilot Program

The Tobacco and Substance Use Prevention and Control Program with the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (MECDC), in partnership with the Maine Department of Education (Maine DOE), is seeking additional schools that would like to implement the social emotional learning (SEL) program, Second Step, funded by a grant through MECDC.

The MECDC received a portion of the State Opioid Response grant to provide community-based substance use prevention as part of the grant’s larger goal to reduce the prevalence of non-medical use of opioids. The Second Step Curriculum is research-based and available for PreK through 8th grades. Many of the skills within the Maine Learning Results for health education in elementary school align with goals of Second Step, such as nurturing skill building and preventing problematic developmental behaviors that are part of the trajectory towards substance use.

If you are interested in adding Second Step to your school’s curriculum and you are not already part of the MECDC pilot or have not already been contacted by the Maine CDC regarding your application from the last round, please complete this brief 5 minute application survey which will be open for submissions until Friday, October 11, 2019.

Please note: If you applied in the last round and have not heard from the Maine DOE or CDC, please feel free to apply again. We may not have had enough information from you in the last application to proceed.

For more information, contact Megan.Scott@maine.gov at Maine CDC or Emily.Poland@maine.gov at the Department of Education.

K-12 101 Train-the-Educator & SITE ASSESS Trainings

Morning Session – Developing EOPs K-12 101 Training

The REMS TA Center, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Healthy Students, is pleased to offer this on-site, 4-hour training that presents important Federal guidance on school emergency management planning. Each school day, our nation’s schools are entrusted to provide a safe and healthy learning environment for approximately 55 million elementary and secondary school students in public and nonpublic schools. In June 2013, the White House released the Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans (School Guide), which provides an overview of Federal guidance on school emergency management planning. The School Guide, produced by the U.S. Departments of Education; Justice, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Homeland Security, led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency; and Health and Human Services, incorporates lessons learned from events, like the school shooting in Newtown and the tornadoes in Oklahoma, as well as years of emergency planning work by the Federal government, to present a recommended process, important content elements, and key considerations for school EOP development. In collaboration with their local government and community partners, schools can take steps to plan for these potential emergencies through the creation of a high-quality school EOP. With this K-12 101 training, an expert team will provide an overview of a recommended six-step planning process to create a high-quality school EOP, which includes:

Step 1: Forming a Collaborative Planning Team
Step 2: Understanding the Situation
Step 3: Determining Goals and Objectives
Step 4: Plan Development
Step 5: Plan Preparation, Review, and Approval
Step 6: Plan Implementation and Maintenance

Afternoon Session – SITE ASSESS Mobile App Training

Participants will learn about SITE ASSESS, the REMS TA Center’s first-ever mobile application designed to support education agencies with examining the safety, security,
accessibility, and emergency preparedness of a school building and grounds. This 2-hour training provides information on the importance of site assessments as a school emergency preparedness activity, an overview of the secure mobile app and its features, and shared strategies for using the app to conduct K-12 site assessments collaboratively.

TRAINING DETAILS

When: Friday, September 27, 2019
Time: 8:00 am – 3:00 pm (Registration begins at 7:30 am)
Where: Senator Inn, 284 Western Ave, Augusta, ME 04330
Cost: NO CHARGE

Register for these training sessions online here.   Registration for this event closes on Tuesday, September 24, 2019 at 5:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.

If you have questions or need additional assistance, please contact the REMS TA Center at (855) 781-REMS (7367) or info@remstacenter.org.

Developing Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs) K-12 101 Train-the-Trainer (TtT) Training

The Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance (TA) Center, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Healthy Students, is pleased to offer the “Developing Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs) K-12 101 Train-the-Trainer (TtT) Training.” This on-site, 8-hour training presents important Federal guidance on school emergency management planning.

TRAINING DESCRIPTION
Each school day, our nation’s schools are entrusted to provide a safe and healthy learning environment for approximately 55 million elementary and secondary school students in public and nonpublic schools. In June 2013, the Obama Administration released the Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans (School Guide) which provides an overview of Federal guidance on school emergency management planning.

The School Guide, produced by the U.S. Departments of Education; Justice, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Homeland Security, led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency; and Health and Human Services, incorporates lessons learned from recent events, like the school shooting in Newtown and the tornadoes in Oklahoma, as well as years of emergency planning work by the Federal government, to present a recommended process, important content elements, and key considerations for school emergency operations plan (EOP) development.

In collaboration with their local government and community partners, schools can take steps to plan for these potential emergencies through the creation of a high-quality school EOP. With this K-12 101 TtT TBR, an expert team will train potential master trainers on the recommended six-step planning process to create a high-quality school EOP, which includes the following:
Step 1: Forming a Collaborative Planning Team
Step 2: Understanding the Situation
Step 3: Determining Goals and Objectives
Step 4: Plan Development
Step 5: Plan Preparation, Review, and Approval
Step 6: Plan Implementation and Maintenance

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
Potential master trainers from participating schools and districts responsible for training site-based planning teams interested in creating, revising, or enhancing school EOPs; school staff who serve, or will serve, on their school or school district’s EOP planning team; and other interested community stakeholders, including first responders, emergency medical services personnel, law enforcement, and others.

TRAINING DETAILS
When: Thursday, September 26, 2019
Time: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm (Registration begins at 7:30 am)
Where: Senator Inn, 284 Western Ave, Augusta, ME 04330
Cost: NO CHARGE

Register for this training session online here. Registration for this event closes Tuesday, September 24, 2019 at 5:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.

If you have questions or need additional assistance, please contact the REMS TA Center at (855) 781-REMS (7367) or info@remstacenter.org.

Maine DOE Update – September 12, 2019

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |

News & Updates

Maine Partners Help Tackle Opioid Addiction with Mobile Bedroom Trailer

The Rx Abuse Leadership Initiative (RALI) of Maine hosted tours of a youth bedroom trailer in the parking lot at NAMI Maine (National Alliance on Metal Illness) today in Hallowell in an effort to raise awareness about the warning signs of opioid misuse in youths. | More

PRIORITY NOTICE: Mandatory Annual Notification of Eligibility for Schoolwide Programs

Schools that receive federal Title I funds, have poverty rates of at least 40 percent, and have approved Title IA Schoolwide Plans are eligible to use their Title I funds – and funds from other sources – to develop “schoolwide programs.” | More

Mandatory Annual Notice of Integrated Pest Management Requirements

Encounters with rodents, hornets, bats, poisonous plants and other pests can threaten the health and safety of students, staff and visitors on school properties. However, pesticides can also pose a risk, and the use of these chemicals in Maine is strictly regulated.  All public and private schools serving any grades pre-k through 12 are required, under state law, to adopt and implement an integrated pest management (IPM) policy to reduce potential risks of exposure to pests and pesticides. | More

Maine DOE Launches Culinary Classroom to Support School Meal Programs; EUT to Share Office Space

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) recently held an open house to showcase a new culinary classroom based in its Augusta offices. Located just across the river from the Capitol complex, the new space also houses offices for the Child Nutrition Team and the Education in Unorganized Territories (EUT) team as well. | More

MAINE HARVEST OF THE MONTH

The Maine Department of Education Child Nutrition Program is excited to announce the official launch of Maine’s Harvest of the Month (HOM) Program. The program was piloted in schools in Spring 2019, with participation from over 165 schools state-wide. The full roll out of the program begins this fall for School Year 2020. | More

HEALTH UPDATE: Mosquito-Borne Illnesses and Schools

Maine Department of Education (Maine DOE), in collaboration with Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC), is sharing this important guidance, developed by Maine CDC, with schools regarding mosquito-borne illnesses.   | More

Get to Know the DOE Team: Meet Shawn Collier

Maine DOE team member Shawn Collier is being highlighted this week as the part of a Get to Know the DOE Team campaign! | More

Maine Schools Sharing Success Stories

| Submit your Maine School Success Story |

Professional Development & Training Opportunities

Multi-tiered Systems of Support Professional Learning Opportunity for Maine Schools

The Maine Department of Education is pleased to share a year-long professional learning opportunity for Maine schools, designed to help school leadership teams develop and implement Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) frameworks in their schools. | More

Free Adverse Childhood Experiences and Resilience Building Training for Childcare and PreK Teachers

The Preschool Development Grant (PDG), B-5, a collaboration between the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services, will be providing free trainings on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) and resilience building. | More

More Webinars to Assist with Data Submission!

To assist those who are responsible for the important task of reporting data to the Department of Education, the DOE Data Team will be holding two webinars on Tuesday September 24th. | More

Developing Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs) K-12 101 Train-the-Trainer (TtT) Training

The Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance (TA) Center, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Healthy Students, is pleased to offer the “Developing Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs) K-12 101 Train-the-Trainer (TtT) Training.” This on-site, 8-hour training presents important Federal guidance on school emergency management planning. | More

K-12 101 Train-the-Educator & SITE ASSESS Trainings

The REMS TA Center, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Healthy Students, is pleased to offer this on-site, 4-hour training that presents important Federal guidance on school emergency management planning.
| More

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities

Multi-tiered Systems of Support Professional Learning Opportunity for Maine Schools

The Maine Department of Education is pleased to share a year-long professional learning opportunity for Maine schools, designed to help school leadership teams develop and implement Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) frameworks in their schools.

What is MTSS? 

Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) are comprehensive frameworks designed to address the academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs of each student in the most inclusive and equitable learning environment.   The MTSS framework is driven by strong leadership, policies and practices, family and community engagement, staff collaboration, and data-informed decision-making. Through the implementation of a MTSS framework, districts and schools increase attendance, elevate student engagement, lessen concern about behavior, improve school climate, and boost academic performance.

OBJECTIVE OF MTSS SERIES:

The professional development sessions in this series will provide educators a common understanding of an integrated MTSS Framework to support both academics and behavior.  This series builds on the success of several Maine schools, and offers ongoing statewide technical assistance. With the support of the presenters, participating school teams will:

  • Become familiar with the essential components of the MTSS framework;
  • Be guided through developing their own MTSS framework;
  • Be provided tools to use within their own school for professional development; and
  • Have a plan to implement their MTSS framework in the 2020-2021 school year.

The school leadership teams attending this series will work between sessions with their school faculty.  This will ensure that school faculty is informed and has a voice in the creation of this framework.  The facilitators will also be checking in with the team between sessions to lend support and to be a resource for the continued development of their MTSS framework.

OVERVIEW OF SESSIONS

Session 1:  October 22nd and October 23rd at Jeff’s Catering in Brewer Maine.
Day One:  LEADERSHIP
– Overview of MTSS
– Roles of Shared Leadership and Shared Responsibility
– Exploring the Why
– Equity and Cultural Shifts
– Role of Data
– Layered Continued Support
– Presentation by Garret Schenck Leadership Team

Day Two:  FOUNDATIONAL SUPPORTS for Academic and Behavior
– Tier 1:  Core Curriculum
– Universal Screener
– Progress Monitoring
– Assessment Reasoning
– Equity for all

Session 2:  Regional Groups- November 2019
DATA, LITERACY AND SUPPORTS
– Data Literacy by Shelly Simpson
– Tier 2 and Tier 3
– Interventions
– Introduction to Individual Learning Plans
– Equity and Data

Session 3:  Regional Groups February 2020
EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICES
– What and When
– Individual Learning Plan update
– Supports in creating a master schedule
– Examination of Professional Development
– Equity and Progress Monitoring
– Assessment Reasoning
– Equity and Time

SESSION 4:  March 2020
FAMILY/COMMUNITY/SCHOOL ENGAGEMENT
– Engagement Strategies
– Implementation
– Creating the process
– Equity within the Framework

SESSION 5:    May 2020
SHARING FRAMEWORK
– Schools share their MTSS Framework

The Maine DOE is committed to working with all Maine schools who wish to improve teaching and learning.  As such, DOE will cover costs for the actual MTSS sessions, texts, and materials that will be used throughout the year. Schools or districts are responsible for travel costs and a fee of $125 per person to help defray expenses for refreshments and lunches for all sessions. For recertification purposes, contact hours will be awarded to MTSS participants.

If interested in joining other schools in creating a Multi-Tiered System of Supports for your school or district, please submit your application  by October 15, 2019.

Maine DOE Launches Culinary Classroom to Support School Meal Programs; EUT to Share Office Space

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) recently held an open house to showcase a new culinary classroom based in its Augusta offices. Located just across the river from the Capitol complex, the new space also houses offices for the Child Nutrition Team and the Education in Unorganized Territories (EUT) team as well.

The hallway that can be seen upon entering the new office space for Maine DOE’s Child Nutrition and EUT Teams.
Maine DOE Child Nutrition staff member, Paula Nadeau stands in a new conference room at the DOE.
The entrance way to the office of the Education in Unorganized Territories (EUT) where EUT staff member Cathy Severance can be seen sitting at her desk.

The new kitchen is supplied with industrial stoves, appliances, sinks, counter space, ventilation, and tools that will allow the child nutrition team to host professional learning opportunities for school nutrition staff that are working in schools throughout the state. Pending the final touches on some cameras and tv monitors, the DOE will be planning some upcoming webinars, with tips and information about how to utilize and cook with USDA approved foods in school kitchens, including cooking from scratch, with vegan options, and keeping up with trends in the food service industry, among other topics.

Just down the hall from the kitchen there is ample office space for the staff who work on the Child Nutrition teams including two chefs and several other nutrition specialists. Maine DOE’s Child Nutrition team is a federally funded function of the Department that works to support federal programs that help fight hunger and obesity, by reimbursing organizations such as schools, child care centers, and after-school programs for providing healthy meals to children. They also help run the Summer Food Service Program and oversee several United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Services programs and initiatives that provide healthy food to children.

Child Nutrition Chefs, April Taylor and Michele Bisbee.
Child Nutrition Chefs, April Taylor and Michele Bisbee.

While the Child Nutrition Team is working hard to ensure Maine kids have healthy meals, their neighbors, the EUT team, are next door providing State-run administrative services for Maine schools that enroll students from unorganized territories throughout the State, ensuring students who do not have a school near their home have access to elementary and secondary education. The EUT places and supports 900 students from unorganized territories all over the state with tuition, special education services, transportation, and advocacy. They also help run EUT schools, Connor Consolidated School in Connor Township; Edmunds Consolidated School in Edmunds Township; and Kingman Elementary School in Kingman. Maine has 421 (and growing) unorganized territories with students from north to south, inland and islands, mountain areas in the west, and farms areas in the northeast.

In addition to the day-to-day flow of files that pass through the EUT offices during regular business, they also house some unique historical documents with a rich history dating back before the 1920s. Some of which are now on display for visitors to see in their new space, including black and white pictures, hand-drawn floor plans from old school houses, and even some old tuition bills.

Black and white photos taken in unorganized territories, now on display in an old window frame from an EUT school at the Maine DOE.
An old tuition bill for $75.00 from 1929.
EUT staff member Cathy Severance points to a old hand-drawn floor map now on display at the EUT offices in Augusta.

The open house drew colleagues and news stations alike and ended with an announcement that the new kitchen space will be dedicated to Child Nutrition Director Walter Beesley who was instrumental in launching the culinary classroom in hopes of providing more hands-on, advanced support to Maine school kitchen staff.

People gather in the kitchen for the kitchen dedication.
Walter Beesley holds up the new kitchen sign dedicating the space to him for his efforts to launch the classroom.
Walter Beesley being interviewed by Channel 8 news.
Maine DOE Child Nutrition staff members, Stephanie Stambach, Adriane Ackroyd, and Michele Bisbee.

For more information about Maine DOE’s Child Nutrition Team, please visit their website or contact their offices, and for more information about Education in Unorganized Territories, please visit this webpage for contact information.

HEALTH UPDATE: Mosquito-Borne Illnesses and Schools

TO:        Superintendents, Heads of Private Schools, School Nurses, Principals, Athletic Directors and Coaches
FROM:  Maine Department of Education and Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention
RE:        Mosquito-Borne Illnesses and Schools
DATE:   September 2019

Maine Department of Education (Maine DOE), in collaboration with Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC), is sharing this important guidance, developed by Maine CDC, with schools regarding mosquito-borne illnesses.

Three mosquito-borne illnesses are a local risk in Maine: Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), Jamestown Canyon virus (JCV), and West Nile virus (WNV).  These are potentially serious viral infections, spread by the bite of an infected mosquito.  These diseases are especially severe in children (as well as adults over 50).  About one in every three people with EEE die, and many of those who recover have lasting health problems. It is important to practice prevention, since there is no vaccine or treatment for humans.

Maine saw the first human case of WNV in 2012, the first human case of EEE in 2014, and the first human case of JCV in 2017. Maine had two human cases of WNV and one human case of JCV in 2018. Maine also had one case of WNV in a horse and four WNV positive mosquito pools in 2018. Mosquito testing in Maine does not include JCV, and laboratory testing for JCV in humans is done out of state.

Maine identified an EEE positive horse in York County on August 30, 2019. To date in 2019, Maine has not identified any positive human or mosquito pools. Other northeastern states are reporting a very active season for EEE. Massachusetts is reporting one human death and four animal deaths from EEE. Hundreds of mosquito pools in Massachusetts have come back positive for EEE. New Hampshire also reports EEE positive mosquito pools and an EEE positive horse. Massachusetts also reports WNV positive mosquito pools.

The risk for getting a mosquito-borne disease is highest from dusk to dawn and when temperatures are above 50 degrees (and especially above 60 degrees), since these are the conditions when mosquitoes are most actively biting.

Schools play an important role in preventing mosquito-borne illnesses.  Maine CDC and its partners recommend:

  • Cover up outdoors. Children and others on outdoor field trips and participating in outdoor activities for a significant amount of time, when the temperature is above 50 degrees, should cover up with long sleeve shirts, long pants, and long socks.
  • Use repellent.   Use an EPA approved repellent containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus on skin. The repellent permethrin can be used on clothing and can be remain effective through several washes. Always follow the package directions.  See here for details on recommended repellents.  Schools that schedule practices or games at dusk or evening with temperatures above 50 degrees should encourage the use of repellent for all participants, including coaches and observers.  Please note:  School employees and volunteers must have authorization from parents/guardians before applying repellents to minor children (CMR 01-026, Chapter 10, Section 2.I.4.iii).
  • Implement Integrated Pest Management strategies. Since we anticipate the risk from mosquito-borne illnesses to continue, schools should consult with their IPM Coordinator to review their IPM policy.  Review information on Maine’s School IPM Program. 
  • Monitor Maine CDC’s arboviral website for the most up to date information on confirmed detection in the state. If mosquito-borne disease activity increases in your area, the following strategies should be implemented:
    1. Strongly encourage the use of EPA approved repellents.
    2. Talk with your school IPM coordinator and implement a plan to reduce the number of mosquitoes and mosquito breeding sites on school grounds.
    3. Limit and/or reschedule evening outdoor activities. Unless the dusk temperature is forecast to be less than 50 degrees, limit or reschedule outdoor evening activities such as school athletic events so people are able to go indoors by one hour before sunset.

All these recommendations are especially true in those areas with previously-identified mosquito-borne illnesses.  However, the lack of identified virus in an area of the state does not mean there is no risk.

Resources to learn more about mosquito-borne illness and mosquito control:

Maine DOE and Maine CDC continue to work very closely together and are greatly appreciative of your assistance in keeping Maine’s children and school communities healthy.

Get to Know the DOE Team: Meet Shawn Collier

Maine DOE team member Shawn Collier is being highlighted this week as the part of a Get to Know the DOE Team campaign! Learn a little more about Shawn in the brief question and answer below.

What are your roles with DOE?

As the Data and Research Coordinator for Special Services, I oversee the collection of special education data and work to ensure data quality for federal and state reporting. My role also involves research and data analysis to evaluate various special education programs and initiatives and assess compliance with federal and state regulations.

What do you like best about your job?

I enjoy the research aspects of my job the most, and I enjoy helping others use data to evaluate programs and initiatives and inform policies that promote student success. I also like to annoy my cube neighbor Leora Byras by singing classic Madonna hits like ‘Borderline’ as I work.

How or why did you decide on this career?

I’ve worked in a wide variety of positions over the years, including social work/case management, college teaching, psychological research, and I served 8 years in the Navy. In my current position, I draw most heavily on the investigative and statistical methods I learned as a researcher and teacher. I have always loved the ‘detective work’ of research – gathering data and testing hypotheses – and it is very rewarding to have these efforts benefit students.

What do you like to do outside of work for fun?

My favorite times are spent outdoors, especially at a beach or lake, with my 7-year-old daughter. I also enjoy hand-drumming and playing folk music, especially Celtic and Eastern European, on the fiddle. This winter, I’d like to start an ‘extreme’ (outdoors, in the snow) badminton league.