The Maine Department of Education in collaboration with Maine educators, is excited to announce the L.I.F.E. Readiness Program Career Exploration Fair. This opportunity is for ALL our scholars with I.E.P.s to engage with hands-on career exploration activities designed to help students experience, learn, and develop an interest in their future career choices. Students can explore up to 10 career clusters at the career fair and complete transition-aligned activities and record self-directed assessments in their event “Passport.”
In turn, the “Passport” support case managers in developing their scholars’ transition portfolio, thus informing the development of their transition services and plans, specifically section 9 and section 4 of the I.E.P.
RSVP: Lorraine Hall lorraine.hall@fivetowns.net with total number of students attending. There is only capacity for 300 students. So RSVP soon to claim your spot(s)!
This opportunity is part of the Maine Department of Education’s 2022 – 2023 Transition Tuesday Power Hour Series, a best practices forum to provide opportunities for our state educators and transition leaders to grapple with and actuate strategies and support for our scholars’ diverse needs and pathways to post-secondary opportunities. for more information about the Transition Tuesday Power Hour Series, contact Titus titus.orourke@maine.gov.
The MLTI 2.0 team has a new podcast called Teaching with Tech. Twice a month, the MLTI Ambassadors create episodes around a specific theme impacting education. Current episodes include gamification in the classroom, STEAM-based learning, and digital citizenship. Not only do the Ambassadors discuss how they view the topics, but they also bring authentic voices from the field to describe their own experiences. The team believes these personal discussions in the podcast make the content accessible for all educators across Maine as well as provide an additional format for educators looking for professional development opportunities.
In addition to the regularly scheduled episodes around a specific theme, Teaching with Tech offers short Community Corner episodes which contain a variety of topics. These topics could include a relevant or current issue educators face, additional voices from the field, or highlighting educator events that have happened across the state. So far these Community Corner episodes have spotlighted the Educate Maine Symposium and a game-based learning activity in elementary physical education class.
Plus, don’t miss out on the monthly giveaways which are available to any Maine educator to bring new resources to their classroom or school. This month’s drawing is for a free BreakoutEDU kit!
The Teaching with Tech podcast is now streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts,andYoutube Music. If you would be interested in joining the conversation, reach out to the MLTI 2.0 Team at DOE-MLTI2.0@maine.gov with feedback, suggestions for future episodes, or questions on the topics outlined in an episode.
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) announced the availability of new Maine Learning Through Technology Initiative (MLTI) #TeachWithTech grants to support school administrative unit (SAU) efforts to meaningfully integrate technology into teaching and learning. The grants provide funding to MLTI educators who want to bring technology into their MLTI schools in a way that is innovative, impactful, and intriguing and will be used to provide supplemental technology to schools.
The supplemental technology available to schools through these grants includes, but is not limited to, 3D printers, laser cutters, video production equipment, specialized cameras, drones, robotics & coding kits, digital microscopes & doc cameras, and audio/podcasting equipment.
“Meaningfully integrating technology into teaching and learning allows teachers to harness the power of technology in a way that deeply engages students, and these tools and resources can be used across content areas and for all grade levels,” said Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin. “Through these grants, Maine students will be able to access cutting-edge technology tools and build the skills they need to lead and thrive in a high-tech, digital world.”
Maine continues to lead the way with technology learning through innovation and meaningful integration. By focusing on ensuring that students have access to high quality technology-infused learning experiences and incorporating real-world topics and skills, Maine students are better prepared for post-secondary education, their careers, and beyond. From providing ongoing professional learning in technology integration, increasing student leadership opportunities in technology, and providing mobile computer science labs to all Maine public schools, these are just a few of the many ways that Maine is building capacity for and expanding critical access to technology learning for all students.
This grant is designed to offer supplemental technology that is not already provided through the MLTI program; device applications will not be considered. Instead, SAUs are encouraged to think about innovative learning through technology and to submit an application to invest in technology that will create transformative learning experiences for students and supplement the devices already provided. Eligible districts can submit an application for technology supplies and associated professional learning. This will include a plan and narrative that describes and clearly outlines the relationship between the technology and the teaching and learning that it’s being integrated into.
Priority will be given to applicants who:
Focus on greatest student impact
Serve socioeconomically disadvantaged school districts
Prioritize student populations traditionally underrepresented in technology
Demonstrate a commitment to pursuing high-quality teaching and learning through technology.
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) has partnered with the Department of Educational and School Psychology at the University of Southern Maine as they implement a new a 5-year, $1.6 million grant sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education to help increase the number of school psychologists in rural areas of the state.
The project, Maine School Psychology: Collaborative Affiliations in Rural Education (Maine School Psychology CAREs), also aims to increase the number of credentialed school psychologists who reflect the diverse backgrounds of students within those communities.
“We are excited about the opportunity to collaborate with rural schools across the state in this endeavor, and we look forward to delivering a low residency specialist-level school psychology training program that is accessible to educators across the state,” said Jamie Pratt, chair of the Department of Educational and School Psychology at the University of Southern Maine.
School psychologists help design, implement, and monitor mental and behavioral health services within schools. However, the ratio of students-to-school psychologists in Maine far exceeds national recommendations: Maine averaged one school psychologist per 1,501 students last year compared to the recommended ratio of 1-to-500. The shortage is particularly acute in Maine’s rural, high-need schools.
“The Maine Department of Education Office of Special Services and Inclusive Education is working diligently to increase the number of school psychologists in Maine,” said Erin Frazier, Director of Special Services Birth to 22 at the Maine Department of Education. “This work is crucial, especially to support our rural areas. Given the lack of school psychologists in remote areas of Maine, many of our students and families must travel great distances and wait for long periods of time to access these services. The CAREs project will begin to remediate this issue and support expansion of access to school psychologists in Maine.”
The Maine School Psychology CAREs project will offer tuition reimbursement and stipends to support 22 graduate students for state credentialing as school psychologists. In partnership with the Maine Department of Education and the Maine Association of School Psychologists, the Department of Educational and School Psychology at the University of Southern Maine will:
Develop and implement a low residency, specialist-level school psychology training program designed for current educators in rural Maine;
Enhance school psychology students’ training in comprehensive, culturally responsive school-based mental and behavioral health services;
Coordinate opportunities for school psychology graduate students to complete field-based training and deliver comprehensive mental and behavioral health services in rural, high-need schools across the state; and
Facilitate professional support systems and trainings to promote effective school psychology practice in rural schools.
“The Maine Association of School Psychologists (MASP) recognizes the critical shortage of school psychologists in Maine and nationally. The high ratio of students to school psychologists directly affects the well-being of PK-12th grade students and schools. Addressing this shortage and fostering mental and behavioral health have and continues to be two of our association’s strategic goals,” said Lisa Backman, President of the Maine Association of School Psychologists. “MASP supported USM in their pursuit of the Maine School Psychology CAREs grant that will assist graduate students and practitioners committed to advancing the mental health of the school-aged population in rural, high-need Maine schools. We look forward to future collaboration and supporting the growth of Maine’s school psychology profession.”
This grant will allow USM to continue its many efforts to help Maine schools and students by providing school workforce development, comprehensive and supportive educator training, and professional preparation focused on student needs.
Anyone interested in learning more about the Maine School Psychology CAREs project is encouraged to contact Pratt at jamie.pratt1@maine.edu.
Attendance, Behavior, Bullying, and Truancy reports for Quarter 3 (January, February, and March) open on April 1st. – These reports are due on Sunday, April 15th. | More
The recovery of Q2’23 MaineCare Seed will occur in the April 2023 subsidy payment. The Maine DOE is asking Districts to review their reports by April 20, 2023, to ensure accurate adjustments to subsidy. SAU staff must review, and submit disputes, student by student claims on both the public and private MaineCare reports for Q2’23 by April 20, 2023. | More
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) today awarded an additional $900,000 in Rethinking Responsive Education Ventures (RREV) funding to support education innovation at Rose M Gaffney Elementary School in Machias, Upper Kennebec Valley Jr/Sr High School, North Haven Community School, RSU 10 schools, Union 103 schools, and Trenton Elementary School. These federal funds will be used to invest in strategies to engage students through outdoor learning, extended learning opportunities, and creating multiple education pathways.| More
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) launched Maine’s Teacher Leader Fellows today with an inaugural class of five extraordinary educators from across the state. Waterville Senior High School social studies teacher Jessica Graham, Fryeburg Academy national-board certified teacher James St. Pierre, Nokomis Regional Middle School Integrated Technology teacher Keith Kelley, Mattanawcook Academy mathematics teacher Sarah Krause, and national-board certified music teacher Dorie Tripp will work with Maine DOE staff to support Maine’s educators in cross-cutting, interdisciplinary concepts of civics, STEAM, and humanities. | More
The Department of Education has decided to withdraw the version of the emergency amendment to rule Chapter 101: Maine Unified Special Education Regulation that was posted on March 24, 2023. The Department is no longer receiving comments on this proposed amendment. | More
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is seeking comments from the public on its annual application for federal funds under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which covers services to children with disabilities ages 3-22. | More
The Maine Learning through Technology Initiative (MLTI) is pleased to announce the launch of the #TeachWithTech grant. The grant is available to all MLTI school districts to provide supplemental technology to support teaching and learning with technology. This program aims to provide funding opportunities to MLTI educators who want to bring technology into their MLTI schools in a way that is innovative, impactful, and intriguing. | More
The Maine Curriculum Leaders Association (MCLA) is now accepting nominations for the Curriculum Leader of the Year and the Instructional Coach of the Year. Nominations close on April 28, 2023 and you can find more details on the nominating process below.| More
The Maine Association of School Nurses announced a call for nominations for the Maine School Nurse of the Year (SNOY) 2022-23. This award recognizes an outstanding school nurse for his/her contributions to the school and community they serve. The award provides recognition to an individual who demonstrates leadership in 6 areas of practice: care provision, program management, health education, professional development, community involvement, and research. | More
“You can learn to make our world a better place. We’re all different and no one has to fit into the same role. I look forward to what you’ll bring to our future.” That’s just one of the many pieces of advice Ms. Diane Fitzpatrick and other retired educators shared with grade 8 students at Caribou Community School during the retired teacher panel on March 27th. | More
Twenty-one teams filled the Ocean Gateway in Portland as the Maine State KidWind Challenge returned following a three-year hiatus. “KidWind is a hands-on design celebration that engages students through the lens of wind and solar energy. Student teams design, construct and test small scale wind turbines and solar structures at events all over the world.” | More
Career and Technical Education (CTE) is growing in Maine, and it was all the more evident at the SkillsUSA Maine State Championships held in Bangor recently. Students enrolled in the many career and technical education (CTE) programs found in schools across Maine gathered in Bangor for an exciting two-day event where they got the chance to showcase the skills they have mastered. | More
Debuting today, Asynchronous PD offerings to support Digital Citizenship, Tech Integration, and more. Digital Citizenship (DigCit), Podcasting, Digital Storytelling and Ap ps & Tools are among the Professional Development topic categories that the MLTI Ambassadors will be offering in the coming weeks. These will go live on the MLTI Youtube channel and are open to all interested educators and will include useful resources and contact hours. Please stay tuned to our professional learning “Now Playing” list with links to the videos, podcasts, and slides as they become available. | More
As part of Maine’s Jobs and Recovery Plan (MJRP), the Maine Department of Education (DOE) was awarded $10 million in American Rescue Plan funding to support the expansion of public pre-k opportunities in Maine. To assist with the provision of technical assistance and professional learning for the new and expanding pre-k programs being funding through this opportunity, the Maine DOE is seeking a Distinguished Educator to be part of its Early Learning Team. | More
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) launched Maine’s Teacher Leader Fellows today with an inaugural class of five extraordinary educators from across the state. Waterville Senior High School social studies teacher Jessica Graham, Fryeburg Academy national-board certified teacher James St. Pierre, Nokomis Regional Middle School Integrated Technology teacher Keith Kelley, Mattanawcook Academy mathematics teacher Sarah Krause, and national-board certified music teacher Dorie Tripp will work with Maine DOE staff to support Maine’s educators in cross-cutting, interdisciplinary concepts of civics, STEAM, and humanities.
The Teacher Leader Fellows will provide educators across Maine with weekly updates on resources and materials, host monthly professional learning opportunities, and maintain webpages with rich and informative content. To receive weekly communications and monthly professional learning around civics, STEAM, and/or humanities concepts, click here.
“Taking on this new position offers so many opportunities to engage with exactly what I love about teaching—meeting other educators, making connections with community partners, and celebrating community centered student learning. I truly believe that building strong communities and educating engaged citizens is the core mission of schools, and that civic learning happens in every grade and every content area. I am so excited to help connect, celebrate, and create with educators and learners around Maine,” said Waterville Senior High School social studies teacher Jessica Graham.
“Being a teacher leader means connecting and helping others connect. It means gathering the ideas and experiences of the teachers in the state and sharing them in manageable, practical, and efficient ways. We have such a great array of professionals whose knowledge can elevate all students, so to be one of the leaders bringing them together is a privilege,” said Fryeburg Academy national-board certified teacher James St. Pierre.
“To be a teacher you need to know the material and your students. A great teacher never stops learning and the best learning is done by teaching others. I hope, with the other Teacher Leader Fellows, to help educate others and myself until STEAM pours out of all of our classrooms,” said Nokomis Regional Middle School Integrated Technology teacher Keith Kelley.
“As a STEAM Teacher Leader Fellow, I hope to help spread important information and opportunities to the other STEAM educators in Maine. I plan to regularly provide teachers with some meaningful STEAM lessons and activities that can be incorporated into their classrooms. Additionally, as a teacher of mathematics and a fan of the arts, I would like to help others see the beauty in the world of STEAM,” said Mattanawcook Academy mathematics teacher Sarah Krause.
“I’m delighted to be working with the DOE to support Maine teachers! I look forward to working with other educators to learn, collaborate, and to create unique learning opportunities for our students,” said national-board certified music teacher Dorie Tripp.
Meet Maine’s Teacher Leader Fellows
Jessica Graham
Jessica Graham is a high school social studies teacher at Waterville Senior High School. She serves as the National Honor Society advisor and Trivia Club advisor and on the district curriculum committee. After working in museum education around the state of Maine for a decade, Jessica transitioned to classroom teaching six years ago and relishes the opportunity to build lasting relationships with students. She is passionate about civics education conceived broadly: helping students practice community in the classroom and in the wider world through conversation, action, and applied knowledge of decision-making processes. Her background in museum work leads her to approach content in an interdisciplinary and experiential way. Her greatest honor as a teacher was receiving Waterville’s annual staff Renaissance Award, a recognition bestowed by the student body.
In her free time Jessica is pursuing a PhD in history from the University of Maine, volunteers as a Girl Scout leader, and enjoys slowly converting her suburban yard into a garden retreat full of native plants and pollinator habitat.
James St. Pierre
James St. Pierre is a national board-certified teacher with thirty years of teaching experience at Fryeburg Academy where he has taught courses in English and biology and served as English department chair. In addition to his work at the secondary level, he also holds the position of Lecturer at both Granite State College and White Mountains Community College, where he has taught as an adjunct for two decades. He holds a master’s degree in English Literature from Middlebury College and has presented at state and regional conferences regarding the medium of comics. He is married with two sons and enjoys making comics in his free time.
Keith Kelley
A Maine educator for more than 33 years, Keith Kelley is currently teaching Integrated Technology. Having taught Language Arts, Social Studies and serving as the School Librarian, he is now teaching IT at Nokomis Regional Middle School. His students make Robots, Skateboards, 3D print, and build Guitars. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Education at UMaine. He has coached soccer, track, and various tech camps. In his free time, he enjoys riding around in his classic mustang with his wife and dogs.
Sarah Krause
Sarah Krause is a graduate from the University of Maine with a B.S. in Secondary Education, a B.A. in Mathematics & Statistics, and a Minor in Zoology.
Currently, she is in her twelfth year of classroom experience with AP Calculus, Precalculus, and AP Computer Science Principles as the bulk of her teaching schedule over the years. Other teaching experiences include: Algebra 1 & 2, Geometry, Math Problem Solving, Linear Algebra, Advanced Topics in Mathematics (and elective that explored advanced precalculus topics). Next year she will be adding Intro to Digital Art & Design into her course load.
Sarah is currently teaching at Mattanawcook Academy in Lincoln, Maine, where she also juggles a handful of other roles in the building. Some of those other positions include Math Team Coach, National Honor Society Advisor, Senior Class Advisor, Mentor Teacher, Mathematics Department Head, Technology Team Member, and Cohort/PLC Leader.
Sarah, is in the beginning stages of being part of the #MaineTeachesCS program as a Computer Science Integration (CSI) Educator, and back in 2019, she was a member of the Maine DOE: Mathematics Standards Writing Team.
Moving forward, Sarah is excited to be part of the Maine DOE in this new role as a Teacher Leadership STEAM Fellow with her other teammates in the Office of Innovation.
Dorie Tripp
Dorie Tripp is a national board-certified music teacher with 14 years’ experience teaching elementary music in Maine public schools. Over the years, it has been her mission to promote music instruction that is developmentally appropriate, inclusive, diverse, and engaging. In her quest to do this, she has taken on many roles as a learner and leader. Dorie spent two terms as Vice President of the Maine Music Educators Association, contributed to the Maine Arts Leadership Initiative as a Design Team member, was an active member of the Maine Learning Results writing team for the Visual and Performing Arts, and co-hosted a series of PD sessions for educators during the Covid 19 pandemic. In 2021, she was awarded the MMEA Music Educator of the Year Award. In this next step of her journey, Dorie is looking forward to working with the Maine DOE. She’s excited to practice, share, and support unique learning opportunities for Maine students and educators!
To receive weekly communications and monthly professional learning around civics, STEAM, and/or humanities concepts, click here.
For more information about this or other innovative programs at the Maine Department of Education, contact, Beth Lambert, Acting Chief Innovation Officer and Director of Innovative Teaching and Learning, at beth.lambert@maine.gov.
The Maine Learning through Technology Initiative (MLTI) is pleased to announce the launch of the #TeachWithTech grant. The grant is available to all MLTI school districts to provide supplemental technology to support teaching and learning with technology.This program aims to provide funding opportunities to MLTI educators who want to bring technology into their MLTI schools in a way that is innovative, impactful, and intriguing.
A few examples include:
3D Printing
Lasercutters
Video production equipment
Audio / Podcasting equipment
Robotics & Coding Kits
Drones
Digital microscopes & doc cameras
Specialized cameras (GoPro, 360, etc.)
These are just a few of the many options that districts could choose to support technology-integrated teaching and learning. Eligible districts will submit an application for technology supplies and associated professional learning; this will include a plan and narrative that describes and clearly outlines the relationship between the technology and the teaching and learning that it’s being integrated into.
This grant is designed to offer supplemental technology that is not already provided through the MLTI program; device applications will not be considered. Instead, districts are encouraged to think about innovative learning through technology and to submit an application to invest in technology that will create transformative learning experiences for students and supplement the devices already provided.
Priority will be given to applicants who:
Focus on greatest student impact,
Serve socioeconomically disadvantaged school districts,
Prioritize student populations traditionally underrepresented in technology,
Demonstrate a commitment to pursuing high-quality teaching and learning through technology.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and in the order in which they are received. Interested, but not sure where to start? Register for a Q&A session and connect with the MLTI team to learn more. Click on the links below to register.
April 1 Enrollment reporting is open as of April 1, 2023, and is due on April 15, 2023.
This report is used to collect April student enrollment in order to calculate tuition rates pursuant to Title 20-A, §5805, Subsection 1.B.
Required to Report: All school administrative units (SAUs) and private schools with publicly funded students should ensure that their enrollment data is current – this includes Charter Schools and Education in Unorganized Territories.
Debuting today, Asynchronous PD offerings to support Digital Citizenship, Tech Integration, and more
Digital Citizenship (DigCit), Podcasting, Digital Storytelling and Ap ps & Tools are among the Professional Development topic categories that the MLTI Ambassadors will be offering in the coming weeks. These will go live on the MLTI Youtube channel and are open to all interested educators and will include useful resources and contact hours. Please stay tuned to our professional learning “Now Playing” list with links to the videos, podcasts, and slides as they become available.
PODCASTING
For deep learning and real engagement, nothing beats student created content. We’ll get you and your students started with this great medium!
The podcasting series will explore at all facets of the medium within the educational context. Podcasts as an engaging and rich information source that you can introduce into your classroom. Podcasting can be applied across all curriculum topics and can increase engagement by getting your students more excited to express their learning. We will explore processes for production, resources, strategies, software, hardware options and the benefits of those various tools. Whether you are an educator looking to “dip your toe” into podcasting or you are looking to learn from the folks behind MLTI’s Teaching with Tech podcast, this series will have something for anyone hungry to learn about podcasting.
APPS & TOOLS
It’s easy to get distracted by so many different options for “amazing” ed tech. We’ve made it easy to find guaranteed winners on our curated list.
This series will look at some popular digital tools and how to integrate them into the classroom effectively. We will look from the teacher perspective to understand rollout, design, and management. We will also look through the student lens and share best practices. Information about access and related costs with any apps will be shared. We will be exploring a combination of web-based tools that are available across platforms as well as tools that are specific to MLTI-provided platforms. Some of these apps will also serve as technical accompaniments to other professional learning offerings, allowing learners to go from app to application or vice-versa.
SHARE YOUR STORY
Students struggle to gain the confidence to share their experiences. We’ll help support your work to make them narrators of their own lives.
This series will explore forms of digital storytelling and how to integrate them into the classroom effectively. We will dig into different approaches like documentaries, animation, podcasting, and interactive storytelling that are popular in classrooms. We will explore the types of digital media such as of images and graphics, timelines and charts, videos and audio that can be utilized to build a digital palette. We will explore how these elements can be pulled together to build unique and engaging narratives.
DIG CIT (DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP)
As Gen Z, and now Gen Alpha, continue to blur the line between “real life” and “online life,” supporting DigCit has now become imperative.
This series will build upon the work from the Digital Citizenship & Online Safety series and News & Media Literacy series (both from Spring 2022) and developed throughout this school year as the MLTI Ambassadors have supported work on Digital Citizenship issues. Content will include best practices for implementing Common Sense Education’s six-pronged approach to Digital Citizenship education. “Left to Their Own Devices” will also offer ideas for educators about why and how to teach Digital Citizenship in their classrooms WITHOUT adding additional work to their plates. And be sure to check out the forthcoming updates to these topics for 2023.
The Maine Association of School Nurses announced a call for nominations for the Maine School Nurse of the Year (SNOY) 2022-23. This award recognizes an outstanding school nurse for his/her contributions to the school and community they serve. The award provides recognition to an individual who demonstrates leadership in 6 areas of practice: care provision, program management, health education, professional development, community involvement, and research.
The individual selected will receive a $500 cash award and be recognized at the October 2023 Maine School Nurse Fall Institute.
We are accepting applications now. Attached you will find the nomination form and the information necessary to begin this process. The application deadline is April 25, 2023. For more information, please click here.
If you know a school nurse who inspires you with his/her dedication to their school community, please consider nominating him/her for this prestigious award!
All information is also located on the MASN website.
Reference letters (3-5) with at least one from administration
Curriculum Vitae
Written report addressing the six content areas
2.) Submit original and 3 copies by April 25, 2023 to SNOY Coordinator, Erin Taylor. Email etaylor@capeelizabethschools.org for mailing address.
Questions? Please contact: Erin Taylor, School Nurse at Pond Cove Elementary School by calling 207-799-7339 x3113 or emailing etaylor@capeelizabethschools.org.
APPS & TOOLS
SHARE YOUR STORY
DIG CIT (DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP)
Maine DOE Newsroom 