USM Teacher Certification Program for Current School Employees

Do you have educators in your district with bachelor’s degrees who are seeking initial teacher certification? Consider directing them to the University of Southern Maine’s (USM) ETEP Program.

Here are a few highlights for the 2023-2024 academic year:

All classes will be held in the evening, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. This could be more convenient for ed techs, long-term substitute teachers, and/or teachers with conditional certificates who may want to continue employment while completing the program
Participation in the Maine Teacher Residency program
Enrollment in select courses (rather than entire program) may be an option (on a case-by-case basis).
All classes apply to a Master’s in Teaching & Learning

Applications need to be started by January 31, 2023 to guarantee consideration for this year, but there may also be rolling admissions.

Apply and get more info here.

All questions can be directed to Michael Katz (michael.katz@maine.edu). Mike would be willing to meet with educators individually or arrange a time to meet as a group at your school.

Resources and Guidance for Ensuring a High-Quality Education for Highly Mobile Children

The following message is from the United States Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services:

The letter below and the list of resources provides guidance and describes several important principles that states, school districts, school staff, parents, families, and others may find helpful in ensuring that highly mobile children with disabilities receive required special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs in a timely manner.

Ensuring a high-quality education for highly mobile children is a critical responsibility for all of us. Highly mobile children include children and youth experiencing frequent moves into new school districts, such as military-connected children, migratory children, children who are homeless, and children in the foster care system. While these children often possess remarkable resilience, they also experience formidable challenges as they cope with frequent educational transitions.

Identify ways to make State and district policies and procedures consistent with guidelines and rules set forth under the Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission (MIC3) Compact;
Honor and respect the previous academic standing and accomplishments of highly mobile children in their new districts;
Involve district and school leaders, teachers, school counselors, social workers, coaches, school nurses, and administrators at all levels in efforts to better address the needs of highly mobile children; and
Provide professional development opportunities to educators, related service providers, and staff on how to recognize and respond to the needs of highly mobile children.

Issue #1: Highly mobile children should have timely and expedited evaluations and eligibility determinations.

Issue #2: Comparable services include services during the summer, such as Extended School Year (ESY) services.

Tenets of High-Quality, Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction for Pre-K to Grade 3 Students Released by Maine Department of Education

The success of Maine’s future requires an approach to education that fully prepares students for college, careers, and citizenship by focusing on their physical, emotional, and academic growth. The Maine DOE’s Whole Student Approach is a framework that invests in structures, people, and practices to develop educational systems that support healthy, safe, engaged, supported, challenged and prepared students. To accomplish this, the Maine DOE studies the science of learning and promotes evidence-based practices that support whole student development. A critical component of a whole student approach is to ensure intentionally planned foundational literacy instruction is available for all students in Pre-K to Grade 3. Strong literacy skills are essential for ensuring equitable academic, social, and emotional learning opportunities.

Recognizing the vital importance of foundational literacy development and in response to school system inquiries related to early literacy program development, a team of Maine DOE specialists, with feedback from Maine educators and educational partners, has developed guidance to support School Administrative Units in designing and implementing systematic and explicit early literacy instruction. The guidance outlines essential literacy content as well as core instructional and assessment practices research indicates should be present in Pre-K to Grade 3 classrooms. A table depicting the changing emphasis on essential components across the Pre-K to Grade 3 span is included in the document.

This guidance is designed as a supportive tool for early elementary educators, administrators, and literacy leadership teams to reflect on current practices and to potentially adjust educational design to support high-quality and evidence-based early literacy learning for all Pre-K to Grade 3 students. The recently revised state literacy plan, Literacy for ME 2.0, offers SAUs additional structures to develop reliable systems of literacy supports from birth to adult in communities and schools.

Access the guidance document: High-Quality, Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction for All Maine Pre-K to Grade 3 Students

If you have questions or would like additional information, please contact Dee Saucier (danielle.m.saucier@maine.gov), Inclusive Education Literacy Specialist, or Lee Anne Larsen (leeann.larsen@maine.gov), Director of Early Learning.

Maine DOE Update – January 20, 2023

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |

News & Updates

Assisting Students in Preparing for Career Opportunities

This guidance is offered by the Maine Department of Education to clarify the requirement listed in Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §4713 and §4730 as it pertains to providing access to the public website of the Maine Department of Labor’s Center for Workforce Research and Information (CWRI) containing statewide employment projections. All Maine middle and high schools are required to include the electronic link to the CWRI employment projections when providing career education programming and guidance for students and parents. | More

Seeking Teacher Leadership Fellows for Humanities, STEAM, Civics, and Communication

As part of our work to elevate the expertise of the Maine education field, the Maine Department of Education is looking to hire Maine educators in each of the following areas, Humanities, STEAM, Civics, and Communication. | More

30 Maine School Nurses Complete National Certification in School Nursing

As part of the Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) efforts to provide opportunities to the current workforce of school nurses to build upon their expertise and to promote evidence-based practice in all Maine schools, the Maine DOE hosted a National Certification in School Nursing (NCSN) Review Course created by Nurse Builders this past fall. | More

Maine Department of Education Recognizes this Year’s MPA eSports Finalists

Organized by the Maine Principals Association (MPA), Central Maine Community College hosted the first in-person Maine eSports championships on its Auburn campus. eSports is a form of competition using video games. | More

Maine Schools Sharing Success Stories

RSU 13 Extended Learning Coordinator Creates Student-centered and Enriching Experiences for Oceanside High School Students

“Students are at the core of every move I make, and we create these internship experiences together,” said Molly Staples, Oceanside High School ELO Coordinator. “We treat every challenge as a learning experience and the students are able to dabble in real-world challenges.” | More

Three School Projects Honored with ‘Spirit of America Foundation’ Award

Spirit of America Foundation, has selected three school programs with their ‘Spirit of America Foundation Award. Nominated by local school leaders, the Award is presented to local individuals, organizations, and projects for commendable community service within the school community. | More

| Submit your Maine School Success Story |

Professional Development & Training Opportunities

An Interactive Workshop of Bias and Belonging with Author Hedreich Nichols on 3/2/23 in Brewer

The Maine Department of Education (DOE), Office of Student Supports will be hosting author Hedreich Nichols on March 2, 2023, in Brewer. Nichols is an author and educational consultant helping teachers and districts amplify the voices of all students. With her Solution Tree title, Finding Your Blind Spots: 8 Guiding Principles to Overcome Implicit Bias in Teaching, Hedreich combines her experience as a “One Black Friend” and educator with academic research and pedagogical strategies to ensure that educators have the skills and knowledge they need to create more equitable classrooms and campuses. | More

Webinar Special Topics Series – Leveraging Student Strengths: Neurodiversity and Mathematics

The Office of Special Services and Inclusive Education at the Maine Department of Education is pleased to announce our next speaker in our Special Topics Series – Dr. Rachel Lambert! | More

2023 Maine School Winter Wellness Summit: Prioritize Your S.E.L.F.

The Winter Wellness Summit is not far away! Join your colleagues from across the State to refill your wellness toolbox! This is a professional (and personal) learning event that will feature outstanding keynote speakers and engaging health promotion and wellness sessions. There will also be opportunities to learn about state programs and local school district wellness teams, successful wellness strategies, resources, and programs to can help build an action plan for healthier staff, students, school community, and learning environments. | More

Monthly Sessions: Mental Health Promotion in the School Setting

Project ECHO© presents Mental Health Promotion in the School Setting ECHO Monthly Sessions begin on January 23, 2023, the 4th Monday of the month from 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm on ZOOM. Bring your most challenging cases to colleagues and a panel of subject matter experts for review and recommendations. Access tools to foster positive social, emotional, and behavioral skills, and well-being for all. Join as your schedule allows. CEUs available upon survey completion. | More

WEBINAR: Understanding the Status of Debt Relief, PSLF & IDR Waivers and More

This session, organized by the Finance Authority of Maine and presented by nationally recognized student loan expert, Betsy Mayotte, will explain what to expect regarding the Biden/Harris debt relief program, when the student loan payment pause will end, how student loan borrowers can still take advantage of the temporary exceptions available to those pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness and BIG changes that impact federal Parent PLUS Loan borrowers. | More

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities:

View current Maine Department of Education employment opportunities here

Maine Department of Education Recognizes this Year’s MPA eSports Finalists

Champions

Noble High School: League of Legends
Caribou High School: Rocket League
Maine Central Institute: Super Smash Bros (Tyson Thompson)

Runner Up

Cape Elizabeth High School
Noble High School
Cape Elizabeth High School (Rohan Yadav)

See more info on this year’s competition at MPA eSports.

Establishing eSports in high school enables students to do what they love and provides them with additional opportunities to earn recognition, a sense of belonging and enhanced critical thinking and interpersonal skills.

eSports is a growing trend in Maine and across the country. Why?

Character Growth – Students build character and develop discipline through practice and competition
Grade Point – Both teachers and parents have reported a renewed interest in schoolwork and an improvement in grades as a result of participation.
Socialization Skills – Many students are already passionate about gaming, and eSports provides an environment where they can come together and bond over a shared interest
Stem Skill Growth – Esports competition is rooted in technology, and provides a natural pathway for students pursuing college majors in the STEM category. (Noble Website)

SPRING SEASON 2023

Preseason February 10, 2023
Registration deadline February 13, 2023

Consider starting a team, to learn more visit the Maine eSports website.

Three School Projects Honored with ‘Spirit of America Foundation’ Award

Spirit of America Foundation, has selected three school programs with their ‘Spirit of America Foundation Award.

Nominated by local school leaders, the Award is presented to local individuals, organizations, and projects for commendable community service within the school community. The three awardees this year are:

Perry Elementary Parent-Teacher Committee (PTC) – The Perry Elementary PTC worked diligently to create a Haunted Trail at the school. Many parents, teachers, students, community members, and alumni came together to design a haunted trail that has become an annual event. This community project provided an evening for our families and area families to come together and “Get Spooked.” There were also indoor activities and concessions provided by the 8th-grade students. It was an amazing fundraiser for our PTC.
Kingfield Elementary School Growing Gardeners & Outdoor Learning Program – The Growing Gardeners Program teaches students about wellness: planting and growing healthy foods and herbs, as well as how to prepare healthy foods. The Outdoor Learning Program focuses on “Place” and teaches students about their environment and the world around them.
Stratton School Garden Team Harvest Fest – The Harvest fest is a collaborative event that takes place with the collaboration of the entire staff, including the students and community members. It’s a good event in this crazy world. This year we had over 150 people in attendance and raised about $600 to support the growth of the garden program. This event brings the community together to break bread, chat and genuinely build community and good feelings.

Spirit of America Foundation is an Augusta based public charity established to honor volunteerism. To see past awardees or learn more about the Spirit of America Foundation, visit spiritofamerica.website.

Seeking Teacher Leadership Fellows for Humanities, STEAM, Civics, and Communication

Create and distribute a weekly communication to the field in their focus area;
Create and maintain a webpage on the DOE website related to their focus area;
Provide a monthly, 1-hour long, professional learning opportunity for Maine educators. The professional learning will be based on requested needs from the field, will be offered virtually, synchronously, and archived for asynchronous access on the Maine DOE youtube channel;
Provide Maine educators technical assistance regarding classroom-specific best practices in their focus area; and
Fellows will form a community of practice that will be led by the Director of Innovative Teaching and Learning and will meet monthly to share best practices and engage in a book study to help support their work.

The Fellows will be selected from Maine’s field of exceptional educators through a competitive process. Applicants will need to demonstrate that they have experience as classroom educators (all levels welcome to apply), they have demonstrated innovative approaches in their classroom, have knowledge and experience in the focus area, and they have been involved in learning communities throughout Maine.

Since the fellowship is in addition to their regular teaching job, fellows will work remotely and outside of their contracted school hours.

Fellows will begin work as soon as suitable candidates are found and continue through June 2023. Work will then resume for the 2023-24 school year (September – June) for a total of 14 months. Fellows will be expected to work 20 hours/month for a stipend of $2,000/month.

Click here to apply. Applications close on February 3rd, 2023.

For more information or questions, please contact Beth Lambert, Director of Innovative Teaching and Learning, beth.lambert@maine.gov.

Monthly Sessions: Mental Health Promotion in the School Setting

Audience: Anyone working in the School Setting
Cost: Free

SESSION TOPICS:

Supporting Students with Anxiety
Building Emotional Resilience
Solutions for Challenging Behaviors
Trauma Sensitive De-Escalation
Promoting Rational Thinking
Connecting: Family-School-Community

Register here. (Once you register, you’ll receive convenient, day-of Zoom access direct to your inbox.)
Download a PDF flyer.

For further questions contact sbillings@mcd.org.

30 Maine School Nurses Complete National Certification in School Nursing

Fifty Maine school nurses participated in the course that was delivered online synchronously by Dr. Janice Selekman, DNSc, RN, NCSN, FNASN. As of January 1, 2023, 33 individuals have taken the certification exam with 30 passing. Those 30 are now able to use the NCSN credentials, which is a nationally accredited credential that validates specialized knowledge and expertise as a school nurse. We now have 30 more school nurses within the State of Maine who have met nationally recognized standards for providing excellence in school nursing care.

The National Association of School Nurses endorses national certification of school nurses through the National Board for Certification of School Nurses (NBCSN). School nursing is a subspecialty of public health nursing, incorporated into the baccalaureate nursing programs’ curriculum. Baccalaureate nursing education develops leadership, critical thinking, quality improvement, and systems thinking competencies attained through a minimum of a baccalaureate degree in nursing and validated by specialized certification in school nursing (IOM, 2011).

Congratulations to the following Maine School Nurses who completed the NCSN certification!

Jean Barbour, Falmouth Schools
Melissa Bishop, Mount Desert Island Regional School System
Brenda Bladen, Kittery School Department
Jennifer Bowdish, Brunswick School Department
Nell Bridger, Portland Public Schools
Angie Buker, MSAD 46
April Chapman, Blue Hill Consolidated School
Michele Cooney, RSU 40
Jean Cote, Waterville Public Schools
Candace Crocker, AOS 98
Sarah DeWitt, Winslow Public Schools
Heather Emerson, RSU 40
Jody Gray, RSU 4
Crystal Greaves, MSAD 46
Emily Guyer, RSU 5
Lori Huot, Maine DOE
Brittany Layman, RSU 22
Melanie Lord, Yamouth Schools
Monique Michaud, MSAD 27
Shirah O’Connell, Portland Public Schools
Tara Oxley, Erskine Academy
Alyssa Rainey, Waterville Public Schools
Cathryn Sherman, Brewer School Department
Elizabeth Spaulding, Portland Public Schools
Janneke Strickland, RSU 9
Melissa Tringali, Gorham Schools
Sherri Vail, RSU 40
Rosemary Wiser, MSAD 44
Jessi Woodman, MSAD 6

An Interactive Workshop of Bias and Belonging with Author Hedreich Nichols on 3/2/23 in Brewer

The Maine Department of Education (DOE), Office of Student Supports will be hosting author Hedreich Nichols on March 2, 2023, in Brewer. Nichols is an author and educational consultant helping teachers and districts amplify the voices of all students. With her Solution Tree title, Finding Your Blind Spots: 8 Guiding Principles to Overcome Implicit Bias in Teaching, Hedreich combines her experience as a “One Black Friend” and educator with academic research and pedagogical strategies to ensure that educators have the skills and knowledge they need to create more equitable classrooms and campuses.

Hedreich will be hosting a conference on behalf of the Maine DOE titled Bias and Belonging. This will be an interactive workshop. Check-in on March 2nd is from 8:15-8:30, and we will depart at 3:30 pm. There will be time for Q and A with Nichols and collaboration with participants. We invite you to our day with the author, Bias and Belonging.

Register here (Please register before February 26th; space is limited.)
See the flyer which includes a schedule for the day.

Participation in the March 2nd event will include light refreshments and lunch provided at no additional cost. Those attending on behalf of school administrative units (SAUs) are eligible for a $125 reimbursement (payable to the SAU) for employee time/travel.8 CEUs will be awarded for participation on March 2nd.

For more information about this event, contact Melanie Junkins at melanie.junkins@maine.gov