Career Advancement and Navigation Specialists Attend Employer Summit

Three out of the four Adult Education-based Career Navigators attended the Employer Summit in Augusta in late May.

The Navigators are part of the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan (MJRP) which has committed $6 million dollars to address the workforce development needs of those disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Maine’s Department of Education, Adult Education team is using these funds to help eligible adults and employment sectors recover from the stresses of the pandemic through a variety of academic and job training supports including Career Advancement Navigators and College and Career Success Coordinators.

Kate Points and Karen Morin shared their expertise in connecting with and supporting the re-entry community with employment with employers. Cassie Robichaux shared her expertise in how to create appealing entry-level jobs with flexibility and opportunities to advance.

Here are the four Career Navigators at a meeting in front of the State House in Augusta.

Adult education-based Career Navigators serve primarily in geographic areas of the state with less access to post-secondary and other educational opportunities as well as support services. These areas include the counties of York, Kennebec, Androscoggin, Oxford, Lincoln, Waldo, Knox, and Sagadahoc. Navigators help people in their communities to take the next step in their careers.

To learn more about the Career Navigators and how to contact them click here.

Maine DOE Update – June 23, 2023

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

Exiting Student Enrollments Reminder

All students MUST be exited from State Synergy with an exit date on or before 6/30/2023. This includes students attending year-round programs. | More

| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |

News & Updates

Requests for Applications (RFA) for the Maine Transition Regional Interagency Collaborative (MeTRIC) Grants

The Office of Special Services and Inclusive Education at the Maine Department of Education is now accepting applications from school administrative units for the Maine Transition Regional Interagency Collaborative (MeTRIC) grants. The purpose of these grants is to provide students with disabilities the necessary support and resources to seamlessly transition to post-secondary education or employment. | More

Seeking School Leadership Coaches for 2023-2024 School Year

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is looking for experienced school leaders to join the ESEA Federal Programs Team as a part-time contracted School Leadership Coach for the 2023-2024 school year. A School Leadership Coach serves as a thought partner to school leadership teams, is a broker of information and resources, builds capacity with school leaders and school leadership teams, and supports school leaders and school leadership teams on their continuous school improvement journey. | More

Maine Schools Sharing Success Stories

Six Maine Students Awarded Martin Mackey Memorial Scholarship

The Alternative Education Association of Maine has selected six students to receive this year’s Martin Mackey Memorial Scholarship. As they graduate from their respective programs, these six individuals have each been awarded $500. With many trials and triumphs throughout their school experiences, each graduate has an inspirational story and passion for their education that makes them a perfect recipient of this award. | More

| Submit your Maine School Success Story |

Professional Development, Training, and Events

Register NOW for Maine DOE’s 2023 Educator Summit

The countdown is on for the start of the Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) 2023 Educator Summit, which is being held August 7-10 at the Augusta Civic Center. Last year’s inaugural Summit attracted more than 600 educators from across the state. This year’s theme is Inspiration, Innovation, and Inclusion and participants will have access to more than 140 sessions and professional learning opportunities. | More

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities:

View current Maine Department of Education employment opportunities here

Exiting Student Enrollments Reminder

All students MUST be exited from State Synergy with an exit date on or before 6/30/2023. This includes students attending year-round programs.

Finding students who need to be exited can be done in the Attending Student Details Report in NEO Student Data, Student Reports. This report can be filtered using the “Exit Date” column, student with blanks in this column need to be exited.

Exit codes for students who are returning, graduating, moving, etc., can be found on the Synergy Instructions tile of the Helpdesk page. The Student Exit Data Dictionary contains exit codes for varying situations. Proper exit codes will help ensure that graduation and dropout data are accurate in the fall.

Students who have concurrent enrollments will need to be exited from their concurrent enrollment before primary enrollments can be exited.

Synergy ’22-’23 will only be open until Tuesday, August 15^th and then will be rolled over to the ’23-’24 school year. This will lock all ’22-’23 data.

If you have any issues exiting your students, please contact MEDMS.Helpdesk@maine.gov or call 207-624-6896.

For training in how to exit students please contact our Data Quality Trainer – Alexandra.Cookson@maine.gov or call 207-446-3897

Six Maine Students Awarded Martin Mackey Memorial Scholarship

Recipient Ericka Dunn is graduating from Houlton’s Summit Academy and will continue her education at Southern Maine Community College with plans to become an elementary school teacher. As a second-year Early Childhood Education student, Dunn has been praised for the effort and care she puts into teaching her class. “Ericka is an honest, hard-working student who is one of the most responsible seniors I have ever met,” said her nominator.

Graduating from the Nu Program in Brewer, scholarship awardee Delany Adams has overcome adversity and excelled academically. Through her responsibility with her schoolwork and her impressive attendance record, Adams has been described by her nominator as “a model student for why this program was started.” Adams will be continuing her education at Unity College pursuing studies in animal sciences with hopes of starting an animal rescue one day.

McKayla Geroux is receiving the scholarship after graduating early from Orono High School’s CORE program. While balancing her regular course load, additional college courses, and her job at a local home for developmentally disabled humans, Geroux has been passionate about bringing positivity to her community. “I just want to give as much as I can to others,” said Geroux, who has started a positivity rock garden and created countless fun art projects for her work. After graduation, she plans on attending college to become a dental hygienist.

Awardee Leah Hashem is a graduating senior from Noble High School’s Multiple Pathways program. She will be attending the University of Southern Maine and plans on becoming an elementary school art teacher. While working extremely hard to improve her academic skills in her final years of high school, Hashem has been greatly admired by her peers and teachers for her enthusiastic energy and the effort she puts into her schoolwork. “Leah has an ability to experience joy that is one-of-a-kind,” said her nominator. “Her passion and enthusiasm for learning and life is contagious.”

Graduating from Brewer High School’s Alpha program, scholarship recipient Anna Puckett has been an honors student and a role model for other alternative education students. Puckett has overcome obstacles in her academics and personal life while still maintaining a high standard of grades and attendance. As described by her nominator, Puckett is “a young lady who comes from very humble beginnings and has a very selfless heart for others.” Puckett will be continuing her education at Eastern Maine Community College pursuing studies in social work, as she hopes to one day become a trauma counselor and work with children overcoming traumatic life events.

Dominic Ramirez is receiving the scholarship as he graduates from Sanford High School’s alternative education program. After spending many years transferring schools and feeling disengaged from his learning, Ramirez found an excitement and passion for his education when he began his alternative education program, saying it was the best change he has ever made. His time in the program inspired him to consider community college, and he will be attending York County Community College in the fall to study behavioral health.

The Martin Mackey Memorial Scholarship was established by the Alternative Education Association (AEA) of Maine in 2022 after the untimely passing of beloved education colleague and champion Martin Mackey. The scholarship recognizes Mackey’s dedication to education as a career and especially in remembrance of his passion for working with students on Alternative Education pathways. AEA aims to award as many funds as they can raise to as many students as they can each year. In 2022 they awarded $2,000 to one student and this year they decided to split the scholarships among 6 students because of the excellent applicant pool.

To learn more about the Alternative Education Association of Maine visit their website or reach out to Alternative Education Association of Maine President Lenny Holmes at lholmes@bonnyeagle.org.

Requests for Applications (RFA) for the Maine Transition Regional Interagency Collaborative (MeTRIC) Grants

To qualify, applicants must demonstrate innovative and sustainable partnerships among multiple agencies to provide inclusive transition services such as vocational training, job readiness, financial literacy, and advocacy.

The MeTRIC initiative also encourages inclusive transition opportunities like apprenticeships, work based learning, mentoring, and community college partnerships. Applicants must facilitate a forum for sharing best practices and resources with students and agency participants.

The Maine DOE, Office of Special Services and Inclusive Education applied and received a $$750,000.00 ESSA grant award to develop regional transition collaboratives. Each SAU applying and approved will receive a minimum of $100,000.00 each to establish their seamless and sustainable coordinated set of transition program(s) in their region. The number and size of awards will depend on the number of applications received and available funds. The Department reserves the right to eliminate the lowest scoring application(s) and/or make awards for amounts less than requested, whichever is in the best interest of the State.

Eligible schools interested in the Maine Transition Regional Collaboratives (MeTRIC) Grant Program opportunity may access the application through the Grant RFPs and RFAs webpage.

A timeline for the RFA process is provided below.

Deadline	Action Steps
Fri – 06/30/23	Questions due date from SAUs emailed to titus.orourke@maine.gov
Mid July	Answers will be posted to the public via Procurement
Wed – 07/26/23	RFA Applications due

All questions related to the Maine Transition Regional Interagency Collaborative (MeTRIC) RFA should be submitted to:

Titus O’Rourke, Transition Specialist, Office of Special Education and Inclusive Education, titus.orourke@maine.gov no later than Friday, June 30, 2023.

Seeking School Leadership Coaches for 2023-2024 School Year

What is a School Leadership Coach?

A School Leadership Coach Supports principals and School Leadership Teams in establishing and reinforcing evidence-based processes that will improve teaching and learning in schools and/or across districts. A highly effective School Leadership Coach meets principals where they are through personalized and individualized support. An effective leadership coach also works toward a Problem of Instructional Practice through guidance and conversations during Leadership Team meetings. Helping schools identify strengths and leveraging those to address the growth areas needing improvement. Effective leadership is central to sustainable school and district improvement. Engaging educational leaders – both individually and as members of School Leadership Teams – in the design and implementation of effective change processes is aimed at strengthening the culture and capacity of schools to improve student outcomes.

Manie DOE School Leadership Coaching Requirements

Candidates for the position of Maine DOE School Leadership Coach are required to have a Master’s Degree in Education and experience in school improvement reform and demonstrated experience in data-driven processes and interventions that were significant contributions to a current or past position. Knowledge of state and federal accountability standards, experience in state and local assessment systems, and strong planning and facilitation skills are helpful. Effective written and oral communication skills and a commitment to utilizing our communication and storage platform tools are required. School Leadership Coaches use the following core tenants to guide their work:

Creating Community

Develop positive, trusting relationships
Model effective interpersonal communication
Identify underlying beliefs and assumptions
Work collaboratively rather than being viewed as an “expert”
Foster a professional learning community

Bringing Focus

Promote the development and use of several goals focused on student achievement
Focus the efforts of all members of the school community on goals
Align programs and practices to identified goals
Be familiar with CNA/SAU Consolidated Plan and school-level CNA (if applicable), for the purposes of alignment, consistency, and fidelity

Leading Change

Understand the theory and practice of organizational and individual change
Assess the extent to which the school culture supports planned changes and know how to improve school culture as necessary

Developing Accountability

Encourage skillful use of data to inform decision-making
Share best practices in student assessment
Provide support in the use of data to improve instructional effectiveness
Promote a culture of distributed accountability

Building Capacity

Encourage the development of leadership team staff
Encourage reflective practice within the leadership team
Assess organizational structures
Develop the capacity of the leadership team to align and balance curricula

Growing Professionally

Keep current on educational literature
Continue collaboration to learn from and with peers in similar roles

If you are interested in applying to become a School Leadership Coach, please contact Cheryl Lang, ESEA Federal Programs Director at Cheryl.Lang@maine.gov or 207-441-8059

Subscribe to the Maine DOE Interdisciplinary Instruction Newsletter

Are you looking for ways to enhance your instructional practices and transfer your students’ learning to the next level? Look no further. The Interdisciplinary Instruction team has created a monthly newsletter that you can subscribe to. This newsletter will highlight innovative interdisciplinary classroom resources and upcoming professional learning opportunities.

To subscribe, click the link below, fill in your contact information, and click “Interdisciplinary Instruction” in the “Subscribe me to” section. When we publish a new newsletter, it will automatically arrive in your inbox.

(Please note that if you are already subscribed to Maine DOE publications like the Maine DOE Update or other newsletters we publish when you submit your information, you will be redirected to update your preferences.)

Maine DOE Subscriptions.

Summer Training – SY23-24 State Reporting

This year, the Maine DOE Data Team is bringing back Summer Training! Several locations throughout the state have graciously agreed to host us to provide on-site training. All of the trainings will be held from 8:30 am – 12 pm. This year’s training topics will include new resources from the Helpdesk, staff reporting tools, and Synergy error logs. We look forward to collaborating with you!

Training Dates & Locations
August 3rd: Presque Isle
August 14th: Ellsworth
August 15th: Eastport
August 16th: Union
August 17th: Auburn
August 21st: Biddeford
August 22nd: Norridgewock
August 23rd: Corinth

For questions about Summer Training and/or other data training opportunities please contact Alexandra.Cookson@maine.gov – 207-446-3897

Maine DOE Update – June 16, 2023

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

Graduation Reporting Opens July 1st; Webinar Available on August 1st

Reporting of 2022-2023 graduation data will open on July 1st. This report allows districts an opportunity to review and certify their graduation data. All graduation certifications are due on August 30th. | More

Summer Training – SY23-24 State Reporting

| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |

News & Updates

Maine DOE Awards Additional $800,000 in ‘Strengthening Maine’s Workforce’ Education and Training Grants

More K–12 students and educators in Maine are set to benefit from stronger social, emotional and behavioral supports thanks to Maine PBIS, a collaboration between the University of Maine System and the Maine Department Education (DOE), which is adding 21 new schools to its professional development cohort. The schools, which will participate in the initiative …  | More

Maine DOE Launches ‘Hot Lunch Summer’ to Provide Children With Nutritious Meals Beyond the School Year

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) announced the return of Hot Lunch Summer, the state’s summer food service program which provides free meals to children beyond the school year. These meals are available at hundreds of sites across Maine and families can locate nearby meal opportunities on the Hot Lunch Summer website HotLunchSummer.com or by texting ‘Summer Meals’ to 914-342-7744. | More

New Members Appointed by Governor Mills to the Maine State Board of Education

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) and the Maine State Board of Education today announced the new members of the Board and member reappointments. The Board consists of nine voting members and two nonvoting student members appointed by the Governor. Board members serve staggered, five-year terms and nonvoting student members serve staggered, two-year terms. | More

Subscribe to the Maine DOE Interdisciplinary Instruction Newsletter

StrengthenME Continues to Provide Support for Education Workforce

StrengthenME is a free service available to educators and other school personnel through a partnership with the State of Maine and Northern Light Work Force EAP and Training. The program will continue to provide individual work/life coaching, wellness workshops and facilitated group discussions this summer and for the 2023-2024 school year… learn more here. | More

Maine Schools Sharing Success Stories

Noble Middle School Students’ 3D Gaming in Neuroscience Exhibit Showcased at Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History

As part of 2023 National History Day (NHD), 48 student-produced exhibits from across the United States were selected to be featured in a live showcase at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History on Flag Day, June 14, 2023. The exhibits were created by middle and high school students competing in the 2023 NHD National Contest. | More

Brownville Elementary Schools Holds Career Day for Students

Brownville Elementary held its 2023 Career Day recently. The day was a huge success with many presenters who came to work with the students all day. There were six rotating groups in the morning with Zachary Monroe and Lincoln Mazzei from the Maine Forest Service presenting information about the helicopter rescue. Mr. Mazzei landed his helicopter in the backfield while the whole school watched. | More

Sumner Students Help Count Horseshoe Crab Populations in Taunton Bay

What can a species “older than dinosaurs” teach us about the importance of citizen science in the modern world? For eighth-grade students from RSU 24’s Sumner Learning Campus, all it took was a visit to the mud banks of Taunton Bay to find out. | More

Caribou Community School 8th Graders Hold Mock Legislature Day

What could eighth-grade students from Caribou Community School learn during a Mock Legislator Day? On Monday, May 22nd, there were many things that these students learned about the legislative process and about Susan Collins. (This article was written and submitted by Caribou Community School 8th graders, Elizabeth Robbins and Kaydence Hafford with the help of their teacher Heather Anderson.) | More

| Submit your Maine School Success Story |

Professional Development, Training, and Events

Registration Details for the DOE’s 2023 Educator Summit

Maine PBIS Advanced Tiers Cohort Training Opportunity

The Maine PBIS (Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports) team is excited to announce applications are open for our first Advanced Tiers Cohort Training starting in fall 2023! If your school has been implementing Tier 1 with fidelity and are ready for next steps, this opportunity is for you. | More

Early Childhood C.O.A.C.H. Opportunity

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Early Learning Team is excited to announce a new opportunity for Pre-K and Kindergarten teachers to network during the 2023-2024 school year. Continued Outreach to Assist ChildHood (C.O.A.C.H.) Educators will meet with Early Learning Team members once a month to discuss topics related to research-based high-quality early childhood classrooms, Pre-K through Kindergarten. | More

REMINDER: 2023 Summer Symposium on Inclusive Practices for Students with Autism and Developmental Disabilities

Join the Council for Exceptional Children’s (CEC) Division of Autism and Developmental Disabilities (DADD) groups face-to-face at UMaine Orono or join via Zoom on July 21st from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm for a full day of inclusion-building topics in education centered around two strands of learning- 1) access to the curriculum and 2) quality of life. There are multiple ways of joining and learning. Get more information and register HERE now! | More

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities:

View current Maine Department of Education employment opportunities here

Media Release: Maine DOE Launches ‘Hot Lunch Summer’ to Provide Children With Nutritious Meals Beyond the School Year

“Hot Lunch Summer ensures that Maine children can continue to access the healthy and nutritious meals they rely on during the school year,” said Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin. “No child should worry about going hungry when the school year ends, and we thank the schools and organizations that have stepped up to make the distribution of these meals possible.”

Maine’s Summer Food Service Program is a U.S. Department of Agriculture program offered statewide in areas or at sites where more than 50 percent of the children are eligible for free or reduced meal benefits under the National School Lunch Program or where census track data supports the need. Free meals are provided to children 18 and younger at open meal sites. Eligible sponsoring organizations include schools, nonprofit residential summer camps, government agencies, and tax-exempt organizations including faith-based organizations. This year, rural meal sponsors may offer free meals offsite to further assist in reaching children who are unable to access congregate meal programs.

The Maine DOE launched Hot Lunch Summer last year as a statewide ad campaign to raise awareness of summer meal options and clearly explain the logistics of where, when, and how Maine children and adolescents can access complementary meals. This year, the campaign focuses on reaching households through social media networks and includes an animated video to promote summer meal opportunities which you can view here.

To find nearby summer meal sites, please visit www.HotLunchSummer.com or text “Summer Meals” to 914-342-7744.

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In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English.  Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible State or local Agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

(1)       mail:

U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or

(2)       fax:

(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or

(3)       email:
program.intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

The Maine Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination because of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, religion, ancestry or national origin.

Complaints of discrimination must be filed at the office of the Maine Human Rights Commission, 51 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0051. If you wish to file a discrimination complaint electronically, visit the Human Rights Commission website at https://www.maine.gov/mhrc/file/instructions and complete an intake questionnaire. Maine is an equal opportunity provider and employer.