Governor Mills Radio Address: Rising to meet an even greater challenge – distance learning amid COVID-19

May 15, 2020

Listen to an audio clip of the address here »

I am the daughter of a Maine public school teacher, so I know firsthand how important the work of Maine teachers is and the many challenges they have to overcome every day. Right now, our teachers and students are rising to meet an even greater challenge – adapting to distance learning amid this dangerous COVID-19 pandemic.

Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.

I want to thank all Maine teachers for their continued devotion to our students even as, in many cases, you care for your own children at home. We will get through this. In the meantime, you continue to guide your students through a very uncertain time, and inspire them and set them on the path to a bright future.

While you do that important work, it is our responsibility to ensure that you, and all of our students, have what you need to stay connected during these difficult times.
Internet access is a necessity, not a luxury now and yet too many families lack access to high-speed internet, especially in some rural areas of our state.

Universal connectivity is more important than ever before during this pandemic as teachers try to stay connected to their students across Maine.

So, I am proud to announce that we have used federal funding and donations to secure internet access and provide internet devices to facilitate at home learning for 100 percent of the Maine children who said that they needed it.

The Department of Education conducted surveys of all public schools and private schools who serve public school students to understand the connectivity needs of students statewide — 21,845 students said they lacked connectivity. That’s a lot of kids. Based on data from the 75 percent of schools that responded, about 2/3 of them said they needed a wireless service contract and about a third said they just needed a device, you know a hotspot or something.

So, to meet that need, our Administration has acquired service contracts for all those students through three different service providers, nearly all of which are for WiFi-enabled Galaxy Tablets that can be used as learning tools and hotspots or hotspots only.

Through one service provider, the Department of Education was also able to order MiFi, a wireless router that acts as a mobile WiFi hotspot. And, to fulfill the device only needs, the Maine Department of Education ordered (more than) 7,400 laptops.

The Department of Education is continuing to survey schools to determine further connectivity needs and they are reaching out to both higher education institutions and adult education programs to determine their students’ connectivity needs.

As we work on returning to in-classroom instruction when it is safe to do so, these new devices will allow Maine students to stay engaged remotely with their school no matter where they live, regardless of their zip code or their family circumstances.

I want to thank the many generous donors and Maine’s Congressional Delegation for their advocacy and support which made this possible.

To all Maine students, I know this school year has been very difficult, but I am proud of the way you have pushed through to continue your education. We will need your skills to create a brighter future for everyone in our state.

And to Maine’s teachers, please know that we deeply appreciate all you do for our children and for the State of Maine. I hope that these devices and these service contracts provide some measure of relief amid a challenging situation to you and your students.

I am Governor Janet Mills. Thank you for listening.

Oak Hill High School Art Teachers Gets Innovative to Ensure Students get an Art Show

Kirsten Arndt is without a doubt one of the best art teachers in the state of Maine. Her classes are overflowing with aspiring artists who are drawn to her compassionate and supportive nature. We have so much interest we often have a waiting list for students to get in.

One or two times a year Kirsten, with the help of her students, put together an art show hosted at Oak HIll HIgh School. Unfortunately, with the onset of the pandemic, like everything else, changes to the art show had to be made. Kirsten jumped at the chance to do the art show in a different format. Ms. Arndt compiled a number of works from her students and put them together in a video presentation.

We put the presentation out through email and our Oak Hill High School Facebook page and received such a positive response we wanted to share it with you. The presentation is a testimony to Ms. Arndt’s dedication to her students and her craft.

Submitted by Marco E. Aliberti, Principal of Oak Hill High School as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. To submit a story or an idea, email it to Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

Portland High School Students Adjust to Internships With Remote Learning

About 40 Portland High School students were on track to complete internships in the community in fields such as education, the arts, trades, social justice, veterinary, nursing, athletics, architecture, and social services when COVID-19 hit. Since students were no longer able to do internships in person, students participated in many remote career-exploratory activities such as informational interviews with college students and industry professionals, resume writing, cover letter writing, online job preference assessments, and identifying their values in relation to work.

One of these students is senior Alexiis Fiore, who before COVID-19 interned in Sheila Hayward’s classroom at Lyseth Elementary School. When asked to describe how the internship program impacted her she said:

“The overall internship program was very beneficial, and is a great resource I think more students need to take advantage of. It provides real world experience and can help you find your path in life. It’s not just going to a work-space and gaining experience, but learning the skills you are going to need to help you succeed in life, such as how to create a resume, cover letter, how to apply for a job, etc.”

Like we see with many internship students, because of this internship Alexiis solidified her career path of wanting to become a secondary math teacher. She shared the following about her learning:

“I was able to learn a lot of things, such as how to interact with children in a classroom setting, how to get them focused and calm down, and how to redirect them to the task at hand without dismissing them. Most importantly, I was able to learn that teaching is definitely what I want to pursue as my career. It was also helpful because as much as I love the little ones, I realized I might want to pursue a degree in secondary education instead of elementary education because I would like to teach more higher-level math.”

We are grateful to all of our community and business partners who make this internship program possible. If your student or business would like to participate in the PHS internship program next year, please contact Andrea Levinsky, Extended Learning Opportunities Coordinator at levina@portlandschoos.org.

This article was submitted by Andrea Levinsky, Extended Learning Opportunities Coordinator (Portland High School) at Portland Public Schools as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. To submit a story or an idea, email Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

Get to Know the DOE Team: Meet Colene O’Neill

Maine DOE team member Colene O’Neill is being highlighted this week as part of the Get to Know the Maine DOE Team Campaign. Learn a little more about Colene in this brief question and answer.

What are your roles with DOE?

I work on the Special Services team at DOE. Day to day I support the State Director and the entire team with various administrative tasks and legislative bill monitoring. I also support special education directors and educators across the state with local entitlement grant questions, questions regarding regulations and fielding other calls and emails.

What do you like best about your job?

I like that I do something different every day. From working on a team helping to rewrite regulations, to setting up and working with multiple calendars to facilitate meetings and trainings or scheduling interviews for the hiring process. I enjoy being involved in the internal policy committee and the morale team at DOE.

How or why did you decide on this career?

I have a business background and have always been on the administrative side of business office management, human resources and technology. I spend 12 years as a bookkeeper for a school district and was pleased to be able to apply that knowledge to my current position.

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

One of my passions has always been cooking and entertaining. I own a catering business and love helping people celebrate life’s events with food. I also love nature walks, yoga, traveling and spending time with my family and friends. I am looking forward to the birth of my first grand baby in November!

Maine’s Community Colleges Offer Free Summer Courses for Maine’s High School Class of 2020

The members of Maine’s high school Class of 2020 are getting an early graduation gift – access to free summer courses at Maine’s community colleges.

Maine students who graduate in 2019/2020 are invited to apply for the free online courses. A student taking two free college courses this summer at a Maine Community College can save between $2,000 and $7,000 in tuition at a four-year college or university.

“The Class of 2020 has lost a lot this spring, from missing out on proms and traditional graduation ceremonies to a disruption of their college and work plans,” said David Daigler, president of the Maine Community College System, in announcing the MCCS Gift to the Class of 2020. “Summer jobs are likely to be in short supply which makes it hard to earn money to help with college expenses and gain valuable work experience. We hope this can save the Class of 2020 significant time and money in reaching their college and career goals. We can’t replace what they have lost, but we can offer to help them keep moving forward.”

Students interested in getting a head start on their college career will be eligible to choose from online college-level classes in English, math, sciences, languages, psychology, history, digital photography, creative writing, and more.

More information is available at https://www.mccs.me.edu/class-gift-2020/, where students can connect with a college navigator to explore course options and get help registering for classes.

About 13,000 Maine students will graduate from high school this spring, and about 60 percent – or 8,000 students – are expected to enroll in college this fall. The MCCS Gift to the Class of 2020 is an invitation to all graduates to explore their interests and potential.

Maine’s seven community colleges provide education and training to over 27,000 individuals each year and offer nearly 300 degree and certificate options in over 140 occupational fields. More than 75 percent of those offerings are the only ones of their kind in the state.

MEDIA RELEASE: Maine High School Grads Celebrated As Part of National Telecast Tonight

MEDIA RELEASE

Contact Information: Kelli Deveaux at kelli.deveaux@maine.gov

May 16, 2020

Commissioner of Education Pender Makin is pleased to partner with the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and XQ Institute in support of Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020, a one-hour, commercial-free primetime graduation special to be broadcast today, Saturday, May 16. During the broadcast, viewers will be directed to XQ’s new Rethink Together online forum, which will feature specific content for each state, including an amazing congratulatory message from some special guests, and a map of Maine that includes all Maine high schools and the names of their anticipated graduates.

“While this graduation season is like no other, the Class of 2020 shares this experience with 13,800 of their classmates across the State of Maine” said Commissioner Makin. “I am happy to be a part of a national celebration that honors the successes, accomplishments, and resilience of our high school seniors.”

The national telecast will air on Saturday, May 16 at 8 p.m. Eastern/Pacific/7 p.m. Central on more than 30 broadcast and cable networks and streaming services, as well as various social media platforms. Rodney Robinson, the 2019 National Teacher of the Year, joins a list of prominent leaders and entertainers in celebrating the Class of 2020. Led by XQ Institute, The LeBron James Family Foundation, and The Entertainment Industry Foundation, the special is being produced in partnership with a broad coalition of education, philanthropic, and corporate partners. In addition, corporate and philanthropic giving associated with #GraduateTogether will benefit DonorsChoose and America’s Food Fund to help meet student needs in some of our nation’s most underserved and under-resourced communities.

Maine’s webpage can be found here, and be sure to check out the very special message on the page, or here.

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Maine DOE Update – May 15, 2020

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

Scheduled System Upgrade: NEO Unavailable from 3pm on 5/15 through 5/17

As part of a scheduled outage, NEO will not be available to users starting at 3pm on Friday May 15th to allow the Department to complete a system upgrade to new servers. NEO will be back and open for business on Monday morning, May 18th. | More

| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |

News & Updates

Priority Notice: USDA Pandemic EBT Program

On May 5, 2020 the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced that Maine, North Dakota, West Virginia and Vermont were approved to operate Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT), a new program authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which provides assistance to families of children eligible for free or reduced-price meals during the closure of classroom-based instruction. | More

Priority Notice: Commission on Educational Opportunity for Military Children Meeting

The next meeting of the Commission on Educational Opportunity for Military Children will be held on Wednesday May 27th at 9:30am. Interested parties may email Tyler Backus at tyler.backus@maine.gov to receive a meeting invite. | More

Priority Notice: Executive Order Revises Permitted Use of School Bus Flashing Lights During Remote Learning

Today Governor Mills signed Executive Order #52, An Order Regarding Certain Education Matters, found here, which included the easing of restrictions for the use of flashing red lights on school buses during the state of emergency due to COVID-19. | More

Priority Notice: Executive Order Regarding Educator Certification

Governor Mills has issued Executive Order #52, to assist educators impacted by the COVID-19 disruptions with completing their certification and/or Criminal History Record Check (CHRC) processes. The Executive Order includes the following | More

Mills Administration Secures WiFi & Learning Devices for 100 Percent of Maine Students Reporting a Need In Face of COVID-19’s Impacts on Schools

Governor Janet Mills and Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin announced today that the Maine Department of Education has secured internet access and devices to facilitate at home learning for 100 percent of Maine school children for whom there was a reported need. The success comes as Maine educators have demonstrated extraordinary commitment and creativity in response to the suspension of classroom-based instruction as a result of COVID-19, providing invaluable and meaningful personal connection and assurance to students in a time of great uncertainty. However, it is still difficult for educators to offer equitable online learning opportunities without individual student internet access. | More

MLTI Virtual Student Conference to Feature New “Innovation Challenge” – Registration Open!

The Maine Department of Education is excited to share that the registration for the much anticipated Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) student conference is open. The conference will be held on May 28th, in virtual format, and it is FREE to Maine students! | More

2020 County Teachers of the Year Announced in Virtual Ceremony

Teachers from all 16 of Maine’s counties were honored today in a virtual announcement that was broadcast live on the Maine Department of Education Facebook Page. | More

Nominations are being accepted for the 2020 MAHPERD Teacher of the Year Awards

Nominations are being accepted for the 2020 Maine Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (MAHPERD) Teacher of the Year awards. | More

Get to Know the Maine DOE Team: Meet Daniel Weeks

Maine DOE team member Daniel Weeks is being highlighted as part of the Get to Know the Maine DOE Team Camping. Learn a little more about Daniel in the brief question and answer. | More

Maine Schools Sharing Success Stories

| Submit your Maine School Success Story |

Professional Development & Training Opportunities

Virtual Meeting Schedule: May 18 – May 21, 2020

The Maine Department of Education continues to schedule virtual office hours and professional development with Department Specialists to support educators and administrators during extended remote learning. During these meetings, our specialists are available to provide support, professional learning opportunities, and guidance regarding distance learning and school supports, as well as to facilitate networking and resource sharing between educators. | More

Professional Learning Opportunities for Education Technicians

Through ongoing efforts to support the needs of Maine schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) is responding to requests for professional learning for Education Technicians with a series of online opportunities scheduled through the month of May and early June. Based on feedback from Maine schools, offerings will consist of series (each being 1-5 parts) delivered in hour-long sessions at regular times each week. | More

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities

View current Maine Department of Education employment opportunities here

MEDIA RELEASE: Mills Administration Secures WiFi & Learning Devices for 100 Percent of Maine Students Reporting a Need In Face of COVID-19’s Impacts on Schools

AUGUSTA – Governor Janet Mills and Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin announced today that the Maine Department of Education has secured internet access and devices to facilitate at home learning for 100 percent of Maine school children for whom there was a reported need. The success comes as Maine educators have demonstrated extraordinary commitment and creativity in response to the suspension of classroom-based instruction as a result of COVID-19, providing invaluable and meaningful personal connection and assurance to students in a time of great uncertainty. However, it is still difficult for educators to offer equitable online learning opportunities without individual student internet access.

Through a combined effort with the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, ConnectME, and business and philanthropic entities, the Maine Department of Education (Maine DOE) has acquired 14,494 service contracts through three different service providers, nearly all of which are for WiFi-enabled Samsung Galaxy Tablets that can be used as learning tools and hotspots or hotspots only. Through one of the service providers, DOE was also able to order MiFi, a wireless router that acts as a mobile WiFi hotspot, to fulfill internet-only needs. To fulfill the device only needs, Maine DOE was able to order 7,450 Chromebooks.

“The suspension of classroom-based instruction because of the Pandemic has brought on new challenges and we should all be grateful for how Maine’s educators have adapted to provide a quality education to our children,” said Governor Mills. “It is our responsibility to ensure that Maine’s teachers, and all students, have the tools they need to stay connected during these unprecedented times. These new connections will allow Maine students to do just that and stay engaged remotely with their school no matter where they live.”

All schools who indicated a need are receiving the information and devices directly from the vendors. Need was assessed by the Department of Education through several surveys of all traditional and non-traditional public schools and private schools who serve public students to understand the connectivity needs statewide. Of the 21,845 students statewide lacking connectivity, based on data from the 75 percent of schools that responded, 14,494 students needed a wireless contract and 7,351 students needed only a device in order to have equitable access to online learning opportunities.

The need for universal connectivity was identified as the top priority of stakeholders across the state in terms of mitigating the impact from the COVID disruption. Teachers have been struggling to connect with the many students and families who do not have access to the internet. A fourth round of surveys has just been completed for schools to report student connectivity needs, and DOE is working now to fulfill this final round of requests. In addition, the department has reached out to both higher education institutions and adult education programs to determine their student connectivity needs.

“This pandemic and the educational disruption brought to light the extreme inequities that exist across our state,” said Commissioner Makin. “The emergency provision of connectivity to all students allows for educational continuity, and I am grateful to our team for their strategic and efficient execution of this enormous effort.”

The Administration utilized federal funds, including a portion of Maine’s $9.3 million allocation from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund, which was allocated through the federal CARES Act, as well as philanthropic donations, to purchase the devices and wireless service contracts to meet the identified need for universal connectivity for Maine students.

FMI: contact Kelli Deveaux, Director of Communications at kelli.deveaux@maine.gov

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Scheduled System Upgrade: NEO Unavailable from 3pm on 5/15 through 5/17

For questions or concerns, please contact Katherine Warren, Education Data Systems Manager at Maine Department of Education katherine.warren@maine.gov

PRIORITY NOTICE: Weekly Schedule of DOE Virtual Meetings; NEW Q&A for Admin Assistants

Virtual Meeting Schedule: May 18 – May 21, 2020

It is advised to check the schedule in advance. Many of the virtual meetings now require pre-registration or the need to email the host to obtain meeting information, these measures help to prevent inappropriate interruptions.

Virtual Meeting Schedule:

The virtual meeting schedule for educators is updated on the Maine DOE website: See the schedule. Please note:

This week there will be no special education meetings on Monday, May 18th.
A Q&A meeting specifically for school administrative assistants has been added to the schedule this week on Thursday, May 21st at 9am.

See the professional learning schedule for Education Technicians here – Ed Tech professional learning sessions are being recorded and available here after they are scheduled to take place.