Year: 2023

Hancock County Technical Center Teacher Meghan Stubbs Surprised with National Recognition

Meghan Stubbs, a career and technical education (CTE) teacher at Hancock County Technical Center, found herself at the center of a heartwarming surprise during a schoolwide assembly earlier today. The visit by Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin to commend the school’s CTE programs also honored Stubbs’ individual contributions with a Milken Educator Award, a distinguished recognition bestowed by the Milken Family Foundation. The Award honors outstanding educators across the country for their innovation, achievements and exemplary leadership, and it includes $25,000 that the recipients may use however they choose.

Hailed as the “Oscars of Teaching,” the Awards will honor up to 75 recipients across the country in 2023-24 as part of the Milken Family Foundation’s Journey to the 3,000th Milken Educator. 2023-24 will reach $75 million in individual financial prizes spanning the length of the initiative and more than $144 million invested in the Milken Educator Award national network overall, empowering recipients to “Celebrate, Elevate, and Activate” the K-12 profession and inspiring young, capable people to pursue teaching as a career.

“Dedicated, an advocate, a leader, and an all-in educator: That’s how Meghan Stubbs is known at Hancock County Technical Center,” said Commissioner Makin. “Meghan is constantly seeking ways to support her students, lift up her colleagues, and foster connections with the community. Being one of her students means not just gaining the skills and knowledge needed to be an early childhood educator but also getting real-world experience through the childcare center she established at the school, competing in state and national competitions, and developing a strong civic voice through visits with legislators at the State Capitol. We are proud to join the entire Ellsworth community to honor and celebrate Meghan Stubbs for her extraordinary contributions to her students, colleagues, and public education in Maine.”

The Milken Educator Award is not a lifetime achievement honor. Recipients are sought out while early to mid-career for what they have achieved – and for the promise of what they will accomplish given the resources and opportunities afforded by the Award. The Maine DOE led the selection committee process for the Award.

More About Meghan Stubbs

Enrichment Through Civic Responsibility: Stubbs cultivates a welcoming, safe atmosphere for students in her highly regarded Career and Technical Education program, focusing on early childhood education. This program not only equips students with the knowledge and skills needed for leadership roles in their school and community, but also emphasizes the importance of civic involvement. For example, Stubbs organizes field trips to the state capital where her students advocate for early childhood education and positive changes in childcare practices.

Hands-On, Early Childhood Instruction: Leading by example, Stubbs established the “Caterpillar Clubhouse,” an on-site, part-time childcare center at the school. Under her guidance, students have the unique opportunity to mentor 3- and 4-year-olds, creating a rich learning experience that extends beyond textbooks. Collaborating with the local elementary school and YMCA, Stubbs provides her students with hands-on experiences across different age groups, and most of her students go on to earn their Certified Early Childhood Assistant certification each year.

Fostering Pathways to Success: Stubbs leads one of Maine’s most active chapters of SkillsUSA, a student-led organization that connects young adults to trade industries for career opportunities. Stubbs serves as a SkillsUSA advisor at both the state and national levels and volunteers on the SkillsUSA Maine Board of Directors. Her students have excelled at SkillsUSA competitions, with some earning gold medals and serving as state officers. Stubbs is active on Hancock’s MELMAC committee that works with students to make informed decisions about their futures, starting with advancing successfully to college or post-secondary training. New teachers look to Stubbs’ guidance and support to instill these values in their own students.

A Role Model Beyond the School: Stubbs’ generosity extends to the community, where she spearheads initiatives such as food and clothing drives. She is also engaged in Comfort Cases, a project that assembles backpacks with essential personal care items for youth entering the foster care system.

Education: Stubbs earned her Bachelor of Arts in early childhood education and child and family studies from Lesley University in 2012.

Three Maine Educators Recognized by Maine Psychological Association

The Maine Psychological Association (MePA) recently honored three outstanding Maine educators at its Annual Conference earlier this month, during an all-day event at the historic Harraseeket Inn in Freeport that celebrated diversity and excellence in psychology and education.

The MePA Educator Recognition Program recognizes PK-12 educators who prioritize the establishment of positive relationships with their students, effectively integrate social-emotional learning within the classroom, and model leadership and advocacy within their school communities.

Recipients of the 2023 Educator Recognition Awards:

Jeni FrazeeJeni Frazee,
Waterville Public Schools

Jeni Frazee, a grade-5 teacher at the Albert S. Hall School, was honored for her trauma-informed approach to supporting students in the classroom. Frazee shows a deep respect for the dignity of all students and adeptness in providing guidance and mentorship to colleagues. She also responds to challenging behaviors in the classroom with empathy and practical coping skill development.

JoyJoy Jancewicz
RSU 56

Joy Jancewicz, a grade-4 teacher at Dirigo Elementary School, was recognized for her innovative approach to integrating social-emotional learning into the classroom and commitment to partnering with families to support positive student outcomes. Jancewicz uses “respect circles” to give her students voice and shows unwavering dedication to whole-education and trauma-informed practice.

Catherine Newell

Catherine Newell
Scarborough Public Schools

Elementary Music Educator Catherine Newell received the award for her commitment to the Responsive Classroom approach and skillful integration of self-regulation tools and strategies within the classroom. Newell’s recognition of how traditional classroom expectations may contribute to challenges in emotional and behavioral regulation, coupled with subsequent efforts to create a more inclusive learning environment and curriculum, highlights her dedication to meeting the diverse needs of students.

During the ceremony, MePA President, Jamie Pratt, PsyD congratulated the educators for their exceptionally psychologically minded performance and dedication to advancing positive mental and behavioral health outcomes for Maine students. “These teachers understand the importance of supporting students’ mental and behavioral health and make a tremendous impact by creating psychologically safe environments for learning,” said Pratt.

For more information about MePA and its mission, please visit mepa.org.

Media Release: Maine DOE and Live and Work in Maine Launch Nationwide “Live and Teach in Maine” Campaign

Multifaceted Campaign Utilizes the Voices of Maine Teachers and Includes Targeted Advertising and Events to Recruit and Support a Vibrant Educator Workforce in Maine

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) and Live and Work in Maine have partnered to launch a nationwide Live and Teach in Maine campaign to attract educators to the state and strengthen the education profession. The multifaceted campaign includes a highly targeted advertising effort, new videos highlighting teachers who have chosen to make Maine their career destination, and events in-state to welcome, connect, and celebrate educators.

The Live and Teach in Maine campaign connects the high quality of life experienced through living in Maine with the advantages of teaching in Maine and highlights the voices of real teachers talking about why they love teaching in Maine public schools. The partnership between Live and Work in Maine and Maine DOE has two goals:

  1. To attract new educators to Maine’s public education system, and
  2. To elevate and celebrate the many outstanding teachers in our classrooms right now.

“We want the world to know that Maine is an amazing place to live and an extraordinary place to teach, and this partnership provides Maine educators with a megaphone to reach people with that message. We’re a state that deeply values and respects the creativity, autonomy, and professional judgment of our educators, we encourage innovation, and Maine educators get to be part of friendly, close-knit communities. If you’ve ever thought of teaching and living in Maine, Department of Education staff are a phone call away from helping you start your journey and our communities would love to have you,” said Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin.  

“Maine’s public education system is among the best in the nation, and our quality of life is among the best in the world. We’re going to leverage those competitive advantages to attract new educators to Maine, retain the talented ones we already have, and help change the conversation about public education to be one of positivity and optimism,” said Live and Work in Maine Executive Director Nate Wildes.

Maine, like most of the nation, continues to experience an educator shortage that has been exacerbated by the pandemic. This partnership builds on the Maine DOE’s wide-ranging efforts to recruit, retain, and support a vibrant educator workforce and leverages Live and Work in Maine’s knowledge and expertise as the state’s premier organization devoted to attracting and retaining Maine’s workforce.

The campaign includes a new Live and Teach in Maine webpage, targeted social media and streaming ads, mobile billboards, subway ads, and events. All Maine school administrative units (SAUs) also have free access to the Live and Work in Maine job board so applicants can access job opportunities in Maine schools. The campaign is being funded through federal emergency relief funds to build and sustain Maine’s educator workforce following the pandemic.

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About Live and Work in Maine
Live and Work in Maine’s mission is to market Maine as a career destination. Through our marketing efforts, we show the world that when it comes to quality of life and career opportunities, you can have the best of both by choosing to live and work in Maine.

LiveandWorkinMaine.com is a robust resource for potential and current Mainers, which enables searching for employers and jobs based on lifestyle and/or geographic region within Maine. The site also includes “success story” testimonials from professionals who have relocated to Maine, details on internships and first career options for college students and new graduates, and information on the lifestyle offered by each of Maine’s eight geographic regions.

About the Department of Education
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) promotes the best learning opportunities for all Maine students by focusing on a whole student approach; encouraging innovation; respecting educators; providing information, guidance, professional learning, and support to schools and educators; providing adequate and equitable school funding and resources; and inspiring trust in our schools.

How Mt. Ararat High School is Integrating their Community Pathways Program Across the Curriculum

Doug Ware’s role as Community Learning Coordinator is to develop and facilitate Mt Ararat High School’s relatively new Community Pathways program. The overarching goal of the program is to enhance the traditional academic curriculum for the school’s full diversity of students by providing credit-bearing extended learning opportunities. These offerings are intended to engage students in their interests, passions, and potential career paths through discovery, exploration, and experience.

Along with this, Ware has also been working to connect students and classrooms to opportunities in the community through several initiatives including a new Community Pathways Career Exploration Series which brings in a range of guest speakers to the school to discuss their work. He also works to facilitate field trips and other such events in an effort to connect students to both opportunities and place-based experiences.

Ware also co-leads a new “Mt. Ararat Eagles SOAR” summer program, which provides students who may most benefit with the opportunity to engage in traditional boatbuilding and more than a dozen outings over the course of the summer.  This year’s cohort had the great fortune of building a traditional wooden skiff at the Maine Maritime Museum under the guidance of their expert boatbuilders.

“I value the opportunities to work with students of all backgrounds and abilities, enriching their lives with relevant, immersive experiences that meet their individual needs, passions, and aspirations,” said Ware.

“We are working to forge Community Pathways collaborations with both external partners and with other programs within our school and district,” added Ware.

Some examples include the incorporation of the Career Exploration Series into the sophomore advisory curriculum, collaborating with the school’s Project GROW school garden club, and countless collaborations with other educators at all levels from elementary right on up to high school where he has been initiating a teaching assistant program. Ware has also involved the district technology integration team, the district gifted and talented, and has also worked with the Facilities and Grounds department at Mt. Ararat to give students career and community exploration experiences.

Ware has also facilitated regular and ongoing collaboration between Mt. Ararat H.S., Brunswick H.S., Morse H.S., Freeport H.S., Midcoast Youth Center, Bath-Brunswick Regional Chamber, Retail Association of Maine, Maine Tourism Association, Maine DOE, MDECD, and JMG.  This effort is to help develop a regional and cooperative career exploration program.  The hope is to expand the program’s offerings in several areas including internships, career exploration bus tours, guest speakers, job posting services, and other events/fairs. ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

Extended Learning Opportunities (ELOs) are hands-on, credit-bearing courses outside of the traditional classroom with an emphasis on community-based career exploration. These opportunities are personalized for students and help them explore options for their professional lives. They help students engage in learning through instruction, assignments, and experiential learning. The Maine Department of Education (DOE), along with state-wide partner Jobs for Maine Graduates (JMG), have made a concerted effort to provide working models, support, and funding opportunities for Maine schools to set up ELO programs within their school communities. To learn more about Maine’s initiatives with extended learning opportunities, visit: https://www.maine.gov/doe/index.php/learning/elo or reach out to Maine DOE ELO Coordinator Rick Wilson at rick.wilson@maine.gov.

Nominations Open for Exceptional English Language Arts and Literacy Teachers; MCELA Conference Set for March 2024

The Maine Council for English Language Arts (MCELA), an affiliate of the National Council of Teachers of English, has announced the Claudette and John Brassil Distinguished Educator Award.  The purpose of this award is to recognize exceptional English language arts and literacy teachers who have demonstrated excellence in teaching, contributed to the profession, and shown a commitment to the community.

The award is open for nominations until 12/10 to learn more and make a nomination visit MCELA’s nominations webpage.

Mark your calendars for the MCELA Annual Conference, on March 29, 2024
at Holiday Inn By the Bay Portland, Maine. To learn more about the conference visit the MCELA website here.

For further information about these opportunities reach out to The Maine Council for English Language Arts (MCELA)

Maine DOE Expanding Access to Community Schools Model in Maine; Welcomes New Staff

The Maine Department of Education Office of School and Students Supports is taking steps to advance community schools as a strategy to help public schools in Maine provide supports so that every child has access to what they need to thrive and reach their full potential.

In many communities throughout Maine, not all families have access to healthy food, stable housing, vision care or dental health services their children need. The impact of these challenges doesn’t stop when students step into the classroom. Students can’t learn and do their best if their basic needs aren’t being met outside the classroom.  For example, without access to affordable vision care, a student in need of glasses can’t read what the teacher is writing on the board. A painful toothache makes it hard to concentrate during lessons. Hunger, a lack of adequate housing, or personal trauma can interfere with a child’s school attendance and ability to focus on learning.

Schools need help to address inequities in such areas as health care, stable housing, and access to affordable and healthy food, which are foundational to every child’s ability to learn. According to the Partnership for the Future of Learning, community schools create the conditions necessary for students to thrive by focusing attention, time and resources on a shared vision for student, school and community success. Community schools work with partners such as local government agencies and nonprofits to provide comprehensive supports and opportunities to meet the needs and interests of students and families, and that are rooted in existing resources within their neighborhoods.

A community school, as defined by the Coalition for Community Schools, is both a place and a set of partnerships between the school and other community resources. Its integrated focus on academics, health and social services, youth and community development and community engagement lead to improved student learning, increased parent engagement, and healthier communities. The community school strategy transforms a school into a place where educators, local community members, families, and students work together to strengthen conditions for student learning and healthy development. As partners, they organize in- and out-of-school resources, supports, and opportunities so that young people thrive. Community schools are deeply connected to the DOE’s Whole Student Approach.

Varying in the programs they offer and the way they operate, depending on their local context, community schools generally have four features:

  • Integrated student supports
  • Expanded learning time and opportunities
  • Family and community engagement
  • Collaborative leadership and practices

In community schools, staff, families and community partners collaborate to focus explicit efforts toward finding solutions to challenges children face-such as lack of stable housing, inadequate medical and dental care, hunger, trauma, and exposure to violence – which helps students to attend school and be ready to learn, setting them up for academic and life success. By coordinating critical supports at the school site, community schools ensure the needs of students and families are met with minimal disruption to the school day. This, in turn, enables teachers to focus on instruction, knowing that there are other professionals attending to the non-academic needs of their students

Community schools also provide opportunities for expanded and enriched learning time so students, particularly those who may be struggling academically or who are unengaged with learning, have access to tutors and other resources to support their academic success. These in-school programs-often delivered by nonprofit partner organizations- help level the playing field for students who don’t readily have access to enrichment programs or personalized tutors.

Community schools exist in all regions of the United States and their numbers are growing fast. In Maine, the community school model was first recognized by Maine Legislative Action of the First Regular Session of the 127th Legislature (2015-2016), in the budget bill Public Law 2015, chapter 267. At that time, the Maine DOE was authorized to fund a limited number of community schools, established in accordance with 20-A MRSA Chapter 333. Currently, there are three schools in Maine who receive funding from the Maine DOE to support their community school strategies: the Gerald E Talbot School in Portland, the Cape Cod Hill School in Farmington; and Old Town Elementary School in Old Town. In addition, several schools in Maine are joining the Maine Coalition of Community Schools as they seek to adopt targeted strategies to meet their students’ needs, including South Portland’s newest middle school.

More recently the Maine DOE has welcomed Ann Hanna, who has joined the Maine DOE Office of School and Student Supports as a Community Schools Consultant. Hanna is a lifelong educator, starting her career as a teacher for Portland Public Schools over 33 years ago. For the last six years, Hanna proudly served as the principal of the Gerald E. Talbot Community School in Portland where she led the school through a transformative process to become a Community School. Hanna will be working on advancing Community School strategies in interested schools across Maine by providing technical assistance and support as needed.  The Maine DOE is also working on the next application for funding for SY 24-25, and information on that will be shared via Newsroom in the coming months.

Community schools foster a shared vision for student success and thoughtfully engage the community in making the vision a reality. Over time, community schools become the center a of community where everyone belongs, works together and thrives. They become the hub of their neighborhoods and communities, uniting families, educators and community partners toward student success.

To learn more about community schools in Maine, please contact Ann Hanna, at ann.c.hanna@maine.gov.

Sources on Community Schools:

 

Maine Student Writing Contest: Share About a Teacher

Maine’s County and State Teacher of the Year Association (MCSTOYA) in partnership with the Maine Council for English Language Arts (MCELA) Association have announced their second annual student writing contest. The prompt is “share about a teacher who made a positive difference in your day, week, year, or life.”

To learn more about the writing prompts and rules for this contest, visit https://www.mainecela.org/student-writing-contest.html at MCELA’s website. The contest closes on December 22, 2023.

Download a flyer that you can print out.

For more information or questions, reach out to Maine County and State Teachers of the Year Association Board Member Heather Webster, heather_webster@msad40.org and/or Maine Council for English Language Arts President
Patti Forster, patti.forster@fivetowns.net.

The Telling Room’s Statewide Writing Context is Now Open

The Telling Room’s annual creative Writing Contest invites youth from all over Maine, ages 6 – 18, to show off their writing. This statewide contest runs from mid-October through November each year. A panel of professional writers and youth selects one grand prize winner, a winner from each of Maine’s 16 counties, and submissions are considered for publication in The Telling Room’s annual anthology. Click on the link below for more information about how to submit.

PRIZES

  • The Grand Prize Winner will receive a $250 award, will be published in our spring anthology, and may be published in other publications and media.
  • One County Winner will be selected from each of Maine’s 16 counties. Each County Winner will receive a $50 award, will be published in our spring anthology, and may be published in other publications and media.

Submissions close on November 30, 2022.

For more information and to make a submission visit The Telling Room website.

 

Celebrating 10 Years of Success: Teacher of the Year Program Hosts Annual Gala Event

The 2023 County Teachers of the Year and the recently named 2024 Maine Teacher of the Year Joshua Chard were celebrated at the annual Teacher of the Year (TOY) Gala event this past weekend. The Teacher of the Year Gala is an annual celebration of the Teacher of the Year Program which honors the hard work and dedication of Maine teachers and in particular the current State and County Teachers of the Year. This year marks a special 10-year milestone, which celebrates the great strides the program has made in expanding its reach to lift the voices of excellent educators in Maine.

Androscoggin County Teachers of the Year
Educate Maine Executive Director and program supporter Yellow Light Breen of Maine Development Foundation.
2024 Maine Teacher of the Year Finalists.
Sagadahoc County Teachers of the Year

The evening event was held at the Holiday Inn By the Bay in Portland and brought together current and legacy State and County Teachers of the Year along with their families, friends, colleagues, and administrators from across Maine to honor both the current cohort of teachers and to celebrate 10 years of growth. In 2014 the Teacher of the Year Program transformed from honoring only one teacher each year, into the robust program that it is today honoring not only a Maine Teacher of the Year that goes on to the National Teacher of the Year Program but also 16 County Teachers of the Year who participate in a full host of opportunities for networking, leadership, and outreach across our state.

In addition to an awards ceremony that honored the 2023 County Teachers of the Year and the 2024 Maine Teacher of the Year, the event was emceed by 2023 Maine TOY Matt Bernstein and featured remarks from Educate Maine Executive Director Jason Judd, Deputy Commissioner of Education Dan Chuhta, 2024 TOY Joshua Chard, and a special Keynote address from Andy Silvernail a supporter and sponsor of the Teacher of the Year program. Other program sponsors were also present, many offering words of appreciation and admiration to the educators in the audience, all speakers stressing the importance of highlighting the positive impacts that teachers make every day.

Maine 2024 Teacher of the Year Semi-Finalists being honored.
Representatives from Maine’s State Board of Education and the Maine County and State Teacher of the Year Association.
Maine’s 2023 County Teachers of the Year being honored.
Maine DOE Deputy Commissioner Dan Chuhta
Maine 2023 Teacher of the Year Matt Bernstein.
Maine’s 2024 Teacher of the Year Joshua Chard.
Keynote address from Andy Silvernail a supporter and sponsor of the Teacher of the Year program
Dolly Sullivan and Peter Geiger talk about the history of Maine’s Teacher of the Year Program.

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows also attended the event bringing another year of the annual tradition of a presentation of a specialty license plate to the Teacher of the Year. Representatives from Maine’s Association of Computer Technology Educators of Maine (ACTEM) also attended the event to present Maine 2024 TOY Joshua Chard with an Apple iPad.

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows presenting a specialty license plate to 2024 Teacher of the Year Joshua Chard.
Representatives from ACTEM presenting 2024 Joshua Chard with an iPad.

The Maine Teacher of the Year program is administered by Educate Maine, a business-led education advocacy organization, in partnership with the Maine Department of Education, the Maine State Board of Education, and the Maine County and State Teachers and County of the Year Association (MCSTOYA).

To learn more about the Maine Teacher of the Year Program visit https://www.mainetoy.org/.

 

Maine DHHS to Offer “WhyTry” Training to Anyone Working with Directly with Children and Their Families

The Maine Department of Education’s Partners at the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of Child and Family Services are excited to bring additional “WhyTry” training to those working directly with children and their families.

The WhyTry training program is an evidence-based, flexible toolkit, along with structured, interactive modalities to improve one’s ability to engage, motivate, and build resilience and a growth mindset in children within a variety of settings and age groups. The WhyTry Program uses a multi-sensory approach incorporating music, movement, art, and video to engage and motivate children.  This unique approach engages children to understand relationships, relevance, and resilience to build positive social skills known as the three R’s. Tools can be utilized with unmotivated children individually or in group settings.

If you work with children who are experiencing adversity, trauma, health, or behavioral challenges, the WhyTry training program is a great resource to add to your toolbox.

Eligible participants will receive full access to the WhyTry training to become a certified WhyTry Facilitator with full access to the WhyTry curriculum.  This fun and engaging training overviews resources, lessons, and competencies along with facilitator guidance to effectively use the program.  Eligible participants will receive access to the digital toolkit and fidelity tools. A certificate of completion will be provided upon course completion.  This is a great opportunity to add a very valuable resource at no cost to you or your agency!

Training is available to Children’s Crisis Providers, Community Mental Health Agencies, Childcare Providers, and all School Personnel.

Check out the video below to learn more:

WhyTry Toolkit Demo short.mp4 from WhyTry Videos on Vimeo.

The online training will be via ZOOM from 9:00 am-1:00 pm each day. Please click on one of the following upcoming training dates to register:

Seats are very limited for each date. Registrants are encouraged to register as soon as possible to guarantee an opportunity to receive this free training.

Please direct any questions about Why Try and this training opportunity to Ellie.Larrabee@maine.gov .