Year: 2023

20th Annual MLTI Student Conference Call for Breakout Session Proposals

The Maine Department of Education is issuing a call for student and educator team breakout session proposals for any of the three events that are part of the 20th Annual MLTI Student Conference.

  • In-person Conference – University of Southern Maine (Portland) on May 12th
  • Virtual Conference on May 18th
  • In-person Conference – University of Maine (Orono) on May 25th

The MLTI Student Conference is a unique technology experience developed exclusively for students at MLTI schools in grades 6-9. Since MLTI’s beginning in 2001 this conference has been providing students with their own conference where they can engage in authentic, relevant, technology-rich, learning experiences that prepare them for a fulfilling future.

Conference Theme and Breakout Sessions

The MLTI team is excited to host three conferences this year, which provides more opportunities for presenters (both educators and students) to share the innovative work that is happening with the technology in Maine schools. If you are excited to share and showcase work at any of our in-person and virtual events, please consider submitting a proposal. We will be hosting some Q&A sessions and providing support if you are interested, but still unsure about submitting a proposal at this time. We are also happy to announce that we will be providing technology for presenting teams to bring back to their schools.

Other considerations:

Conference Theme: DiveRightIn The intent of the conference theme is to reflect the many interpretations of water as they relate to Maine students and their use of technology as well as how technology connects us in different environments and virtual spaces.

Possible Topics

Proposals are not limited to the conference theme and might include topics such as:

Device Requirements: Sessions should be “platform agnostic” and feature only free apps and tools that are accessible to all, and appropriate for 6th through 9th grade MLTI students. If you have concerns or questions about these requirements, please email doe-mlti2.0@maine.gov.

Session Design

  • Led by
    • Educator with student(s)
    • Student(s) with educator support
    • Educational partner with educator and/or student support
  • Length of
    • 60 minutes
    • 90 minutes
    • 120 minutes
  • Encourages participants to
    • explore & create
    • participate & share
    • or engage & connect

Submit Proposals by completing this online form.

Important Dates

  • Tuesday, March 21st, 2023 – Session proposals due
  • Friday April 3rd, 2023 – Sessions posted
  • Friday, April 7th, 2023 – Student Conference Registration opens
  • Friday April 21st, 2023 – Student Conference Registration Closes
  • Friday May 5th, 2023 – Conference registrations finalized

Get to Know the Maine DOE Team: Meet Steve Airoldi

Maine DOE team member Steve Airoldi is being highlighted this week as part of the Get to Know the Maine DOE Team Campaign. Learn a little more about Steve in the question and answer below.

What are your roles with DOE?

I am the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Project Manager, monitoring and regulating the CTE Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan (MJRP) grants.

What do you like best about your job?

I love the connections within the agency and the schools and the people from all across the State that I get to work with in support of Maine’s students and educators.

How or why did you decide on this career?

I chose education very early on in my career. I worked my way through higher education, private secondary schools, and then most recently public elementary schools. As my family moved to Maine I sought to find a position that kept me serving public educators and students and I was lucky to find a role on this team!

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

Outside of work I love to hang out with my wife and my two kids. We hike, play disc golf, and tour the tasty food and beverage options throughout the area!

Media Release: Maine Teachers and School Staff Share Why They #LoveTeaching as Part of a National Campaign to Promote Educator Voices 

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) has partnered with News Center Maine for the third year in a row to highlight the voices of teachers and school staff sharing why they #LoveTeaching during a weeklong national campaign.

#LoveTeaching week is a national campaign started by educators in 2015 and takes place every year around Valentine’s Day. All week, News Center Maine will feature videos from Maine’s 2022 County Teachers of the Year and other members of Maine’s education workforce.

“Love Teaching week gives Maine’s teachers and school staff a megaphone to share what they love about teaching and working in our schools. We want to thank News Center Maine for providing teachers and school staff an opportunity to share the extraordinary things happening with their students,” said Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin.

Here’s what teachers have shared about why they #LoveTeaching:

“I love teaching because it’s a great privilege to get to work with Maine students as they’re learning about the world around them and all of the different ways that they can make it better. I’ve never had the same day twice and I love my job,” said Emily Albee, a social studies teacher at Hampden Academy and the 2022 Penobscot County Teacher of the Year.

“I love teaching art because it gives kids an opportunity to express themselves and use their voice in unexpected ways,” said Kelsey Boucher, an art teacher at Robert Connors Elementary School in Lewiston and the 2022 Androscoggin County Teacher of the Year.

“This is my 17th year teaching and I love this job because I get to work with curious, kind, and hard-working students,” said Ashley Bryant, a 4th grade teacher at Sacopee Valley Middle School and the 2022 Oxford County Teacher of the Year.

The video messages will air on News Center Maine’s morning and evening news shows from February 13th – 17th. Educators and school staff can also participate in the campaign by posting their videos to social media and using the hashtags #LoveTeaching and #LoveSchoolStaff. Tune in to News Center Maine, WCSH 6/WLBZ 2 to see the faces and messages of the amazing people working to educate, inspire, and support young people in our state.

4H Agriculture Leadership Ambassador Program for Students

University of Maine Cooperative Extension 4-H is offering its Agriculture Leadership Ambassador program from March 7–April 18. The program, open to all teens ages 14–18, will focus on understanding the Maine food system, exploring careers and building advocacy skills.

As formal agricultural programs at local high schools disappear, students lack opportunities to learn about critical food systems and discover careers in agriculture. The 4-H Agriculture Leadership Ambassador program seeks to provide teenagers with opportunities to consider a future in agriculture and connect with others who have similar goals. Additional details about the program can be found on the program website.

Participants in the program will gain leadership experiences, explore career pathways and investigate current issues around food systems including climate, social justice, food equity, livestock, crop sciences and aquaculture. This program is open to all Maine youth; 4-H membership is not required for participation.

The program will begin with a series of online learning and will conclude with an in-person visit to the UMaine campus in Orono. The spring 2023 cohort will meet virtually. from 3:30–5 p.m. on Tuesday afternoons from March 7–April 18, with an in-person celebratory luncheon in Orono on April 20.

Download a PDF Poster about this opportunity

To register, visit the event website. For more information or to request reasonable accommodation, contact Sadee Mehuren; 207.342.5971; extension.4hagleadership@maine.edu.

Culturally Diverse Culinary Resources

The Maine Child Nutrition office has created a new webpage dedicated to culturally diverse culinary videos, recipes and resources that are available for Child Nutrition Programs, including the National School Breakfast and Lunch Program, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the Summer Food Service Program. Currently, there are Halal and Wabanaki/indigenous foods recipes and resources available, with plans for more culturally diverse resources being added in the future! The goal of these resources is to educate and provide tools for child nutrition programs in meeting the diverse needs of their student populations.

For more information and to view these resources, visit the Culturally Diverse Culinary Resources page.

Maine DOE Update – February 10, 2023

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |

News & Updates

Q&A With Maine’s 2023 Teacher of the Year Matt Bernstein

Get to know Matt Bernstein, Maine’s 2023 Teacher of the Year and a 9th grade Social Studies teacher at Casco Bay High School in Portland. Matt sat down for this Q&A as he begins his year of service. |  More

Application Process Open for Student Position on Maine State Board of Education

The Maine State Board of Education is currently seeking applications for the newest student member to join the Board. Applications are being accepted from February 1, 2023 – March 1, 2023. |  More

The University of Maine Invites High school and Middle School Student Teams to Participate in the Windstorm Challenge

The Matthew R. Simmons Windstorm Challenge, hosted by the University of Maine, asks teams of students to design and construct a floating platform for a scale model wind turbine, and then deliver a presentation to a panel of expert judges. |  More

Worthington Scholarship Application Open

The Worthington Scholarship Foundation is offering scholarships of up to $17,000 to high school seniors in 13 counties, who plan to attend Worthington-eligible colleges or community colleges in Maine. |  More

Get to Know the Maine DOE Team: Meet Alissa Mank

Maine DOE Team Member Alissa Mank is being highlighted this week as part of the Get to Know the Maine DOE Team Campaign. Learn a little more about Alissa.. |  More

Maine Schools Sharing Success Stories

‘Casco Teaches’ Introduces High School Students to the Teaching Profession

“The key to productive and equitable teaching is consistent patience and understanding, which creates a welcoming environment that encourages a growth mindset that carries on outside of the classroom.” I wish I could write that those wise words are mine, but they are, rather, the teaching philosophy statement of Sophia Chouinard, a junior at Casco Bay High School (CBHS) who spent the first week of January, along with 17 of her peers, learning about becoming a teacher in the Casco Teaches intensive. |  More

Technology Collaborations and Integration with MLTI and Caribou Community School

When eighth-grade teachers Kim Barnes, Heather Anderson, Holly Rhinebolt, and Troy Barnes wanted to provide students with learning opportunities that would spark curiosity and engagement in their students, they knew just who to contact. The Maine Department of Education’s Maine Learning Technology Initiative, or MLTI 2.0, answered the call. |  More

Belfast Area High School ELO Program Sparks Student Interest in Community Jobs

Belfast Area High School in RSU 71 began implementing an Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO) program at the beginning of the school year, and so far, they already have 15 students starting out at a variety of places throughout the community – a veterinary hospital, the fire department, a hair salon, the police department, and the county District Attorney’s office to name a few. |  More

| Submit your Maine School Success Story |

Professional Development & Training Opportunities

WEBINAR: Multi-Tiered Systems of Support: Timely Instruction for All Students

Join MAIER (Maine Access to Inclusive Education Resources) and the Maine Department of Education Office of Special Services and Inclusive Education (OSSIE) for a webinar with host Dr. Rachel Brown Chidsey on multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS). This session will provide an overview of the components in a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) and how students with disabilities can and should participate within all tiers. |  More

Special Topic Series: Word-Level Reading Problems – Implications for Instruction and Intervention

The Maine Department of Education’s Office of Special Services & Inclusive Education is hosting a Special Topic Series around inclusivity and multi-tiered systems of support through the winter and spring months. The upcoming speaker is David A. Kilpatrick, PhD |  More

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities:

Seeking Experienced Project Manager for the Maine Learning Technology Initiative

The Learning Through Technology Team, in the Office of Innovation, is looking for an experienced Project Manager for the Maine Learning Technology Initiative. |  More

View current Maine Department of Education employment opportunities here

 

Worthington Scholarship Application Open

The Worthington Scholarship Foundation is offering scholarships of up to $17,000 to high school seniors in 13 counties, who plan to attend Worthington-eligible colleges or community colleges in Maine.

Students with a high school GPA of a B- or higher attending one of Worthington’s partner four-year colleges, or students with a GPA of a C- or higher attending one of the foundation’s partner community colleges are encouraged to apply. The application deadline is April 15.

For the application and complete details regarding eligibility, please visit worthingtonscholars.org.

Each award can be up to $17,000 over four years for students attending a four-year college and up to $15,000 to attend community college, with the option of continuing to a four-year college. The foundation’s goal is to award scholarships to eligible students in each partner high school.

The foundation also provides mentoring and student support services to its scholars throughout their college careers and works closely with each partner college to help students attain their education goals.

For more information and an online application, please visit worthingtonscholars.org. For additional information, email info@worthingtonscholars.org or call 207-975-0971.

The University of Maine Invites High school and Middle School Student Teams to Participate in the Windstorm Challenge

The Matthew R. Simmons Windstorm Challenge, hosted by the University of Maine, asks teams of students to design and construct a floating platform for a scale model wind turbine, and then deliver a presentation to a panel of expert judges.

The event is designed for student teams at both the high school and middle school level, with a diverse range of experiences.

Event details, an updated Guidebook and Curriculum for the Challenge, registration link, and contact info are available at the University of Maine Advanced Structures & Composites Center website.

Technology Collaborations and Integration with MLTI and Caribou Community School

When eighth-grade teachers Kim Barnes, Heather Anderson, Holly Rhinebolt, and Troy Barnes wanted to provide students with learning opportunities that would spark curiosity and engagement in their students, they knew just who to contact.  The Maine Department of Education’s Maine Learning Technology Initiative, or MLTI 2.0, answered the call.   

On Monday, February 6th, MLTI ambassadors visited Caribou Community School to provide workshops for students on topics including virtual reality using Cospaces, google slides animations, green screens, and podcasting with WeVideo.  Two neighboring districts, Fort Fairfield and Woodland were also invited to attend.  

Kim Barnes, ELA teacher, shared, “Our whole theme this year in grade 8 has been to reconnect and re-engage students in their learning and this is one way to accomplish that.”  Math teacher Troy Barnes adds, “This is a great opportunity for the kids because it’s not a traditional school day.  It’s taking their interests and expanding it, giving them the opportunity to work outside of traditional environments.”  

Students spent the morning attending a rotating schedule of 40-minute sessions where MLTI ambassadors Rob Dominick, Jonathan Werner, Martha Thibodeau, and Kathryn Meyer presented an overview of their topics. The afternoon was reserved for students to practice what sparked their interest and MLTI ambassadors were on hand to help as students practiced honing their new skills. 

“The MLTI 2.0 program is such an incredible resource for teachers trying to integrate more technology into their classroom.  The ambassadors, first and foremost, are teachers so they are fantastic to collaborate with because they know how best to complement what we are already doing,” Social Studies teacher Heather Anderson shared and Holly Rhinebolt, science teacher, added how 8th graders are also working on integrating a new space STEM program and that these workshops will really complement what she’s been working on.  

This is the 2nd year, Caribou Community School teachers and MLTI ambassadors have worked to provide this day for students and the skills they have learned will definitely be utilized in the months to come.  

“Their learning today is going to lead to a community project where we partnered with our Caribou Historical Society.” Kim Barnes said. “Students will be creating podcasts for the exhibits that are located there so the community will be able to hear our students tell stories of the past.” The teachers all agreed that they hope to be able to continue and expand these workshops in the years to come.

MLTI Caribou Visit with students

Seeking Experienced Project Manager for the Maine Learning Technology Initiative

The Learning Through Technology Team, in the Office of Innovation, is looking for an experienced Project Manager for the Maine Learning Technology Initiative.

Overview:

The MLTI Project Manager: provides leadership and guidance to the MLTI program team, partners, and vendors; effectively manages program resources and/or vendors in coordination of competing priorities to ensure the needs of MLTI schools are met and align with program and Department of Education priorities; executes project management deliverables within program budget, deadlines and; coordinates implementation and execution of the MLTI program working with program team, partners, and vendors.

Scope:

  • Manages two project support staff.
  • Manages mid-size projects or very large projects with limited supervision
  • Utilizes Microsoft project management tools to plan, organize, and coordinate management of the overall program and projects with high visibility.
  • Oversees planning and provides guidance on the MLTI program and other project annual budgets.
  • Prepares reports and presentations to summarize the status of projects and program deliverables
  • Plans and facilitates program and project meetings with the MLTI program team, partners, and vendors.
  • Analyzes program evaluation and implementation against State of Maine Statute
  • Incorporates evaluation findings and changes into future program and project planning
  • Coaches program and project team to ensure activities are undertaken and completed
  • Assists employees in compliance with all human resources policies, procedures & guidelines of conduct
  • Provides leadership and guidance to MLTI program team, program partners, and vendors in support of program deliverables and priorities
  • Ensures compliance to policies and procedures throughout the MLTI program and projects.
  • Manages all marketing for MLTI program including overseeing website and working directly with Department communications team on social media and newsroom releases.
  • Manages all communications to key stakeholders and ensures program team are aware of significant changes to project status in a timely manner
  • Provides guidance through the creation and implementation of MLTI program procedures and process. Ensures the MLTI program team have a clear understanding of program process and procedure.
  • Provides guidance to the MLTI program team on state procurement rules and regulations as it pertains to implementation of program and projects.
  • Provides overall guidance, and reporting of all MLTI program and project activities to the LTT Coordinator.

Job Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree. *Business Administration, or Business Management preferred.
  • 3-5 Years of project management experience. *PMP-Project Management Certification preferred.
  • 1-3 years personnel management experience.
  • Excellent communication, problem-solving and decision-making skills with ability to effectively communicate with all levels of the organization.
  • Demonstrated ability to build strong collaborative business and technology relationships
  • Proven ability to manage multiple competing priorities, making sound business decisions
  • Self-driven and have excellent problem-solving skills
  • Detail oriented and have well-developed organizational skills
  • Individual must have exceptional interpersonal skills, ability to maintain confidentiality, flexible and possess a high degree of initiative and motivation
  • Proven record of providing excellent internal and external Customer service

Salary:

$110,000 annually. This is a contracted position and will not include state benefits.

Application:

Interested and qualified candidates should apply here. Applications close on midnight on Sunday, February 26th.

Please contact Beth Lambert, Director of Innovative Teaching and Learning, at beth.lambert@maine.gov with questions.