Author: Maine Department of Education

MEDIA RELEASE: Maine Department of Education Announces 2021/2022 Student Cabinet

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) has announced that 21 Maine students have been selected to join its Student Cabinet for the 2021/2022 school year. The newest members will join 14 students serving their 2nd year as Student Cabinet members, along with the Maine State Board of Education’s two Student Representatives who also serve on the Cabinet each year.

This is the third year the Maine DOE has appointed students to a Student Cabinet with the goal of integrating student voice into decision-making on education issues that impact their journey, and those of their peers, through Maine’s education system. In past years students have helped in highlighting mental health needs at school, raised issues of racial equity, and helped brainstorm ways to individualize learning.

“I’m thrilled to welcome our newest members of our Student Cabinet and to welcome back our returning members. Student Cabinet members come from every part of our state and reflect the full diversity of our student population, bringing their ideas, voice and experiences to the table to strengthen our schools,” said Commissioner of Education Pender Makin. “Their perspectives and their power to innovate, problem solve, and bring fresh ideas are critically important to our work at the Department of Education, and I look forward to working with this group of leaders.”

The Student Cabinet convenes virtually each month starting in December to provide regular input to Maine DOE. This year is a special opportunity for Cabinet members to design pilot projects that reflect on the past two school years, and reinvent how schools think about remote and responsive learning as part of the Reinventing Responsive Education Ventures (RREV) initiative.  RREV is the product of a $16.9 million award from U.S. DOE to support systemic investments which will strengthen a culture of innovation in PK-12 education and enhance learning experiences for all students. As part of this year’s program, the students are currently using design thinking processes to help identify and develop solutions to complex problems in education.

Comprised of 37 students in grades 5 – 12 and first year of college from all 16 counties in Maine, Maine DOE Student Cabinet members serve as representatives and advocates for the unique educational challenges in their region, as well as for underrepresented student groups who may face challenges in education.

To learn more about the Maine DOE Student Cabinet visit: The Maine DOE Student Cabinet Webpage.

Sign up for the Maine App Challenge!

There’s an App for that!

Are you a student who’s interested in app design? Or a teacher looking for ways to get your students more involved with innovative processes? Consider signing up for the Maine App Challenge! Since 2015, the Maine App Challenge has provided Maine students with the opportunity to delve into the technology sector of app design and development. The Maine App Challenge is open to middle and high school students age 13+. Submissions give students a chance to win scholarships and other prizes.

To help support the development of the skills needed to be successful, The Maine App Challenge is offering free innovation workshops through the University of Maine’s Foster Center for Innovation.

The Maine App Challenge is accepting submissions now through May 15, 2022.

Download the Infographic here.

Click here for more information and details about the Maine App Challenge.

 

Maine Farm and Sea to School Institute 2022 – 2023

The Maine Farm and Sea to School Institute is a unique opportunity to impact your entire community! The Maine Farm and Sea to School Institute is a year-long professional opportunity for Maine schools/districts to develop a Farm and Sea to School (FSTS) program.

The Institute begins with a virtual orientation and pairing with an FSTS Coach, followed by an August 2022 Academy Program where teams learn about the 3 Cs of a FSTS program (cafeteria, classroom, community); discover the opportunities and resources in Maine; develop a vision for their FSTS program; create an action plan to implement that vision; and network with other FSTS champions!

For more information including a timeline and commitment, FAQ, contact information, and how to register visit https://www.mainefarmtoschoolnetwork.org/new-page-4.

Register NOW for 2022 Maine Virtual Career Fair

Maine’s C3 (Community Coordinators Collaborative), in partnership with the Maine Department of Education and Association of Computer and Technology Educators (ACTEM), will be hosting its second annual statewide Virtual Career Fair on March 22 – 23, 2022.

This event is designed to provide students with information from businesses representing a variety of career clusters regardless of their geographic location and to create equitable opportunities for students to explore numerous career offerings.

Live Sessions March 22 & 23, 2022
8:00 AM – 2:30 PM
2022 Schedule of Presenters – More than 125 Live 30-Minute Sessions
School Promotion Flyer
Website: ME Virtual Career Fair

This year, ME Virtual Career Fair will be open to ALL middle schools as well as high schools and CTE schools throughout the state. Interested in having your school participate? Fill out the school sign-up form.

“It is never too early to help students explore the exciting career possibilities that await them, and the new innovative use of virtual experiences for a career fair means connecting more students with more opportunities,” said Commissioner of Education Pender Makin. “I encourage all middle and high school students, with support from their schools and families, and all businesses who are looking to expand their workforce and tap into the talents that exist in our classrooms, to get involved with this exciting event.”

Maine Virtual Career Fair Highlights:

 

Made possible with generous grants from Unum and Bath Iron Works, the ME Virtual Career Fair will provide scholarship opportunities to schools to attend.

“The students participating in the ME Virtual Career Fair will soon be an active part of the workforce. Providing an early look into careers and professional connections can help them choose a field they are passionate about,” said Cary Olson Cartwright, Unum’s assistant vice president of corporate social responsibility. “Unum is glad to relieve some of the financial barriers and provide equitable pathways to success for students across our state.” 

For more information contact Maine C3.

Teacher’s Creative Lessons on Food Insecurity Lead to Agriculture Award

Image: Manchester School Principal Danielle Donnini (left) and Fourth Grade Teacher/Awardee, Stacey Sanborn (right).

Stacey Sanborn, a fourth-grade teacher at Manchester School in Windham, has had a lifelong passion for gardening, especially as it alleviates food insecurity. She’s passed that love on to her students. It is for her innovative and creative approach that Sanborn has been awarded the Maine Agriculture In The Classroom Teacher of the Year (MAITC) Award for 2022.

The MAITC organization singled out Sanborn as a teacher who incorporates agricultural education in the classroom while at the same time, aligning it with core curriculum standards in science, math, social studies, and art. But perhaps just as importantly, Sanborn also introduces the importance of food insecurity and how it affects others’ lives.

Sanborn said incorporating gardening as part of the curriculum is important because Maine is a farming and aquaculture state, and students get to experience how much we are all a part of something bigger and how life is interrelated.

“Teaching students about agriculture helps them to develop the understanding of where our food comes from,” she said. “Students can see the importance of protecting a long Maine tradition of farming. It gets them out of the classroom and into the outdoors where the students are motivated learners with plenty of opportunity for fun and hands-on experiences.”

Her students are involved in all parts of the gardening process – from seed to harvest – and as they do so, they learn the traditional “reading, writing, and arithmetic.” Ways in which the conventional curriculum is a part of the gardening program include activities such as composting and soil experiments, pollination, keeping detailed records, data collection, and analysis to name just a few. Sanborn also points out that the social studies curriculum plays a strong role in Manchester School’s agriculture program.

“Gardening offers the guiding principles of being part of a community and being an active problem solver,” she said. “Doing something for others – even if it is something small – can have a big impact.”

Some of what the students grow, they get to sample, making some of their favorite recipes such as carrot muffins and “Amazing Carrot Soup.” What they can’t use in the cafeteria, they give to the RSU 14 nutrition program and the Windham Food Pantry. But the social responsibility the students learn in Sanborn’s class doesn’t end there.

“A former student-gardener who lived with food insecurity started their own garden at home and were so successful they were able to share produce with other families in need,” Sanborn said.

The Manchester School teacher says she feels very honored to be a part of this program and is grateful for the recognition from MAITC, however, she believes this is not her award alone.

“I must recognize a former colleague, Master Gardener, and a great mentor, Pam Lenz,” Sanborn said. “She has put so much effort into this program and is a major part of its success. Pam has helped me to achieve everything I’ve done, and it is a true partnership. She was instrumental in keeping the program going during the early days of the pandemic when schools were not meeting in person. She continued by starting seedlings, planting them in the garden, and creating gardening videos that were used as part of the remote learning experience. Pam is just as an important part of this award and I couldn’t have done it without her.”

Pine Tree District FIRST Robotics Competition to be held In-Person at Thomas College in March

The Pine Tree District FIRST Robotics Competition’s 2022 official season kicked off on January 8th with 24 teams registering to compete later this year. The event will take place from Friday, March 11th through Sunday, March 13th at Thomas College in Waterville.

After two seasons on hold from in-person competitions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s event will be in-person, with no on-site spectators. 

FIRST Robotics is powered primarily by volunteers. Professionals from the community serve as mentors for high school team members. Each team is responsible for their own fundraising, and are judged on many criteria from the building of the robot to the sustainability of the team. 

According to a description by First Inspires, “under strict rules and limited time and resources, teams of high school students are challenged to build industrial-sized robots to play a difficult field game in alliance with other teams, while also fundraising to meet their goals, designing a team ‘brand,’ and advancing respect and appreciation for STEM within the local community.” 

The Pine Tree District FIRST Robotics Event is not affiliated with any one team, but is organized by a group of volunteers from several teams to hold the only qualifying event being held in Maine. The event is funded entirely by corporate and private donations.

For more information or to get involved as a supporter or volunteer, contact the planning committee at pinetreeregional@gmail.com, or visit www.pinetreedistrict.org. 

School Librarians Invited to Apply for Innovation Grant Through New England School Library Association

The New England School Library Association (NESLA) has announced a new grant established to encourage the development of innovative projects by school librarians in K-12 schools in the New England region. 

Named in honor of the late Carolyn Markuson, a longtime NESLA member and a mentor and inspiration for school librarians throughout the region, the grant will be presented annually by NESLA. 

Grant Details: 

  • Funding is up to $500. 
  • Grant recipients will also receive an initial payment or renewal for one year’s membership in ALA and  AASL. 
  • Applications for the 2022-23 school year are due by April 2, 2022. 
  • The successful grant award will be announced by May 31, 2022. 
  • Projects for the 2022-23 school year begin between September 2022 to March 1, 2023, and are to be completed by April 30, 2023. 

Eligibility: 

  • Membership in NESLA (Applicants may join when applying.) 
  • State school librarianship licensure 
  • Projects in progress and planned projects in need of financial assistance are eligible. 

Further information, including selection criteria, is available on the NESLA website.

Maine CDC Announces “Tick Wise” Poster Contest

Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) announces the 2022 Lyme Disease Awareness Month poster contest. This contest is for Maine students in grades K-8th to raise awareness of tickborne disease prevention. The 2022 Lyme Disease Awareness Month poster contest theme is “Tick Wise.”

Maine CDC encourages students to show how they are “Tick Wise.” Posters should illustrate at least one of the four approaches to personal prevention:

  • Use caution in tick-infested areas
  • Use an EPA-approved repellent
  • Wear protective clothing
  • Perform daily tick checks both by sight and by touch

Maine CDC will choose one winner each from grades K-1st, 2nd-3rd, 4th-5th, and 6th-8th. One winning poster will become Maine CDC’s 2022 Lyme Disease Awareness poster. Visit Maine CDC’s Lyme Disease Awareness Month website for more information. All posters must have a signed parent consent form.

Maine CDC created free downloadable school curriculum materials for students in 3rd – 8th grades to learn about ticks.  Parents and teachers can also find tickborne disease posters, brochures, and other resources to download and order here.  Explore these resources to become “Tick Wise” and prevent tick bites and tickborne disease.

For more information about tickborne diseases in Maine, visit www.maine.gov/lyme. For questions about the poster contest, contact megan.porter@maine.gov.

Maine DOE Update, January 21, 2022

 

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |

News & Updates

MEDIA RELEASE: Maine Honors 11 Inspirational School Employees Through RISE Award

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) announced the state finalists for the Recognizing Inspiring School Employees (RISE) Award. In two special outdoor gatherings held today at East End Community School (Portland Public Schools) and Marcia Buker Elementary School (RSU 2), Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin presented Maine’s two State-level Honorees each with certificates and flowers and thanked them for their service. Award nominators and members of their school community were also present to show their gratitude and share inspirational messages about how these individuals have impacted their community. | More

Get Ready to Read! Celebrate the Read to ME Challenge During the Month of February

For the 7th year, the Maine Department of Education will collaborate with community organizations and schools to support the Read to ME Challenge, a month-long public awareness campaign held in February to promote the importance of literacy across the curriculum for all of Maine’s students, regardless of age. | More  

Computer Science Professional Development Grant Application

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is pleased to announce the opening of the second round of the Computer Science Professional Development Grant! | More  

Input Sought Related to Bus Routing Software Needs

The Maine Department of Education (Maine DOE) is in the process of drafting an RFP to seek proposals to provide interested SAUs with comprehensive school bus routing and transportation management systems, including system implementation, software licensing, hosting, maintenance, support, and training. | More  

Maine Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) Traffic Safety Programming

Students Against Destructive Decisions in Maine is offering educators across the state free access to mental health, prevention and mobility safety resources through a partnership with the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety. | More  

Foreign Language Association of Maine Accepting Nominations For ESOL Teacher of the Year and World Languages Teacher of the Year

The Foreign Language Association of Maine (FLAME) is now accepting nominations for two awards to celebrate excellence in language teaching – English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Teacher of the Year and World Languages Teacher of the Year! | More  

Maine Schools Sharing Success Stories

| Submit your Maine School Success Story |

Professional Development & Training Opportunities

SOS to Spring – Social Emotional Intelligence Series for Maine’s Education Workforce

The Maine Department of Education’s Office of School and Student Supports invites ALL educators to SOS to Spring starting Feb. 3rd. Our SOS (Supporting our Staff) Platform was first introduced in November 2021, and if educators have not had the opportunity to explore its modules, we’re here to spring you forward and to reignite your own Adult SEL (Social Emotional Learning) skills. Educators are invited to chart their own course and to choose modules from the Adult, Social Emotional Intelligence site, OR our SEL Specialist Kellie Bailey has selected six high-leverage modules for interested participants. | More

Professional Development Series with Liz Kleinrock, nationally-recognized author with Teaching Tolerance on Anti-racist and Anti-bias Education

Are you interested in learning about anti-racist and anti-bias education? If so, register for this no-cost training with Liz Kleinrock, the anti-racist and anti-bias educator who won the 2018 Teaching Tolerance Award for Excellence in Equity. She will share her expertise about having difficult conversations in the classroom about race and ethnicity. Don’t miss this three-part professional development series, to how “Education is Everywhere” (2019 Ted Talk). | More

Register Now: Maine Collaborative Child Abuse Prevention Online Conference February 2-4

Register Now: Maine Collaborative Child Abuse Prevention Online Conference February 2-4Melissa Condon, the Emergency Operations Planning Officer for the Maine Department of Education’s Maine School Safety Center will be offering virtual office hours for anyone working in Maine’s education workforce who is interested in talking about School Emergency Planning. | More

FORUM: Emotional Well-Being During a Pandemic

Sponsored by Maine Community Action Partnership (MeCAP), this is a forum, open to all and at no charge, to connect and explore coping strategies.| More

Webinar Regarding Education and Afghan Newcomers: Keeping the Promise Register

The U.S. Department’s Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) in collaboration with the Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) invites you to a webinar that will provide information about ORR’s process for placing and supporting Afghan refugees in the context of the U.S. educational system.| More

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities View current Maine Department of Education employment opportunities here

 

Get Ready to Read! Celebrate the Read to ME Challenge During the Month of February

For the 7th year, the Maine Department of Education will collaborate with community organizations and schools to support the Read to ME Challenge, a month-long public awareness campaign held in February to promote the importance of literacy across the curriculum for all of Maine’s students, regardless of age.

This simple but powerful campaign challenges adults to read to children for 15 minutes, capture that moment via a photo or a video, and then post it on social media and challenge others to do the same. Don’t forget to use the hashtag #ReadtoME and tag the Maine DOE at @mdoenews on Twitter, @MaineDepartmentofEducation1 on Facebook, and @mainedepted on Instagram! Capturing the power of reading and talking about any type of text with children and youth of any age promotes life-long habits essential for being a literate citizen.

The Read to ME Challenge will run for the month of February, leading up to Read Across America Day on March 2, 2022. The Maine DOE will be kicking off the Read to ME Challenge this year on February 1st with the Commissioner doing a special reading – more information will be forthcoming via the Maine DOE Newsroom.

For more information, contact Dee Saucier, Elementary Literacy Specialist for the Maine DOE.