MEDIA RELEASE: Governor Mills Proclaims April 2021 as National Poetry Month

Governor Janet T. Mills has proclaimed April 2021 National Poetry Month in the State of Maine, marking the importance of poetry in education and the everyday lives of our citizens.

“National Poetry Month brings us together as readers and writers, whether at home, in classrooms, bookstores, or libraries throughout our nation,” said Governor Janet T. Mills as part of the official proclamation. “Poetry illuminates hope in our darkest hours, gives voice to our struggles, brings inspiration to our triumphs, and is a gift of expression that transcends our personal experience to unite us in words.”

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) joins Governor Mills and our partners throughout the state this month by promoting and participating in activities that support schools in using poetry as a tool and a topic for instruction.

“Poetry is often taught as a stand-alone unit of study, yet the power of poetry is in its versatility by virtue of form and precision, and could be included in every unit of study all year long,” said Morgan Dunton, Maine DOE English Language Arts Specialist. “Regular engagement with poems, long or short, contemporary or historical, provides an opportunity to better understand complex texts.”

With a theme of “Normalize Poetry in Your Classroom” the Maine DOE has collaborated on poetry themed events and opportunities in April including:

How We Do It: Inspiring Students to Write and Publish
The Telling Room hosted a conversation with educators about their experience supporting and encouraging educators to write stories and poems. They discussed their recent collection of youth poems called, “A New Land” and share resources you can use in your classroom.  Download the collection here. Learn more and access their educator toolkit.

Spend an evening with Maine Poet Gary Lawless
Hosted by the Maine Council of English Language Arts. Lawless is a poet who has authored 21 collections of poems. He is also the co-owner of Gulf of Maine Books, a book editor, and publisher. Thursday, April 8th, 7pm: Click here to register.

Normalize Poetry: Teach Poetry in Every Unit
Many of us teach a poetry unit each year, but that is just not enough. Poetry is a fabulous tool for teaching the fine art of language use in every instructional unit. Maine DOE ELA Specialist Morgan Dunton will demonstrate methods of teaching grammar, usage, mechanics, and appreciation of the poetic form to enhance reading, speaking, and writing skills. Thursday, April 15th, 3:30 pm. Click here to register.

In concluding the official proclamation, Governor Mills writes, “I urge all Maine citizens to celebrate the creativity of poets and the indelible marks their words leave upon the pages of our shared humanity by reading and writing poetry.”

Find additional information, events, and resources to celebrate and appreciate the beauty of poetry all month on the Maine DOE Website. For further questions about poetry in curriculum or the Department’s efforts for poetry month, please contact Maine DOE English Language Arts (ELA) Specialist Morgan Dunton at morgan.dunton@maine.gov.

Priority Notice: Registration for 2021 ESOL Meeting May 7, 2021 Now Open!

Registration for the 2021 Maine English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Meeting is now open! All educators and community partners are welcome to attend this free virtual event on Friday May 7th, which will feature a variety of speakers and presentations on topics related to ESOL.

We are excited to hear from Elena Sullivan, Maine’s 2021 ESOL Teacher of the Year, the Department’s Family Engagement/Cultural Responsiveness Specialist Deqa Dhalac, and Dr. Laurene Christensen from the Wisconsin Center for Education Research, who will be speaking on identification and services of students who are English learners and students with disabilities. Details on the breakout sessions, facilitated by outstanding ESOL educators from around Maine, will be available in the Professional Learning section of the Maine DOE English learners webpage in early April.

Register here to receive Zoom links to all the day’s events (to be emailed to you on 5/3/21). Participants may attend the full day or specific sessions, as their interests and schedules allow. Sessions will be recorded and shared on the Maine DOE YouTube channel after the event concludes. See the tentative schedule below, and contact April Perkins at april.perkins@maine.gov if you have any questions. We look forward to seeing you there!

Tentative Schedule of Events

10:00-10:20 Opening Remarks: April Perkins, World Languages & ESOL/Bilingual Programs Specialist

10:20-10:30 A Message from our 2021 ESOL Teacher of the Year: Elena Sullivan

10:30-10:50 Plenary Speaker: Deqa Dhalac, Family Engagement & Cultural Responsiveness Specialist

10:50-11:00 Break

11:00-12:00 Keynote Speaker: Dr. Laurene Christensen

12:00-12:45 Social Time/Lunch

Breakout Presentations

12:45-1:15 Session A

1:20-2:05 Session B

2:10-2:55 Session C

WIDA Standards Framework 2020 to be Introduced at Maine ESOL Meeting on May 7

The WIDA English Language Development (ELD) Standards Framework, 2020 Edition, is now available! This new framework provides a clear and coherent structure to guide the development of curriculum, instruction, and assessment of content-driven English language learning. The 2020 Edition:

Incorporates ideas and feedback from educators around the world
Refines and enhances ideas and concepts from prior editions and resources
Continues to advance the field of language development and academic achievement for multilingual learners, pushing forward the latest theory, policy, and practice
Serves as the foundation for systems that foster engaged interactive student learning and collaborative educator practice
Is centered on equity and fosters the assets, contributions, and potential of culturally and linguistically diverse children and youth

Maine Department of Education (DOE) will be introducing the WIDA ELD Standards Framework, 2020 Edition, on May 7th at the Maine ESOL Meeting. All educators, administrators, and community partners are invited to attend this free, virtual event, which will include a session on the 2020 ELD Standards Framework and Maine’s implementation plan, as well as a variety of other ESOL-related sessions for participants to attend.

For more information and to register for the Maine ESOL Meeting, please visit the Maine DOE professional development calendar.

Visit the WIDA ELD Standards webpage to download the 2020 Edition, learn about professional learning opportunities, and access resources. WIDA is offering a free, self-paced, six-module training called The WIDA 2020 ELD Standards Framework: A Collaborative Approach. This training is available to all Maine public school educators through the WIDA Secure Portal. If you do not yet have a WIDA Secure Portal account, contact WIDA Client Services to have one set up for you.

In addition, the Maine Department of Education is hosting two eWorkshops, facilitated by WIDA, on Planning with 2020 WIDA ELD Standards. The eWorkshops will take place on June 9^th from 9:30am to 11:30am and June 16th from 9:30am to 11:30am. Registration is not yet open, so stay tuned for announcements or contact April Perkins at april.perkins@maine.gov for more information.

Priority Notice: Maine Department of Education Speaks Out Against Attacks on Asian American and Pacific Island Community Members

The Maine Department of Education joins our colleagues and communities across Maine, as well as leaders across the nation, in taking a stance against the demonstrations of hate and violence endured by our Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) friends and neighbors. The reported attacks on members of the AAPI community members across our country, and here in Maine, and the horrific murders in Atlanta on March 16, 2021 are painful reminders of the importance of recognizing the harm that prejudice and racism inflict upon all of us.

Race-based violence has no place in our society; we strongly denounce such actions, and we stand in solidarity with AAPI communities to demand the end of the discrimination and attacks. We encourage Maine schools and educators to join us as we engage in education about the impact of discrimination and violence on our society.

We understand that discussions about discrimination and violence can be emotional and at times difficult to navigate for both educators and our students. With this in mind, the Maine DOE has created a resource page to help support these conversations in our classrooms. It is also important for both educators and students to take time to reflect on our own biases and beliefs in order to help us understand how we see the world around us. Our webpage on Personal, Student, and Staff Reflection and Engagement has a variety of videos and tools to help with this process of reflection.

The Maine Department of Education, in partnership with our schools and educators across Maine, pledges to continue to speak up with and on behalf of every student and every person in our education system. We strive to create an inclusive culture within all Maine schools, where all people are supported, celebrated, and heard.

Bath Middle School 8th Graders Find Their Passion

Eighth graders at Bath Middle School (BMS) are preparing for high school with “Journey to Success,” a cross-disciplinary learning initiative (called an “expedition”) with a presentation component. Students were recently asked to identify something they are passionate about and present the topic in front of their classmates.

Pictured above: Sawyer Wright demonstrates his model airplane before his presentation on the aerodynamics of flight.

“Middle school is the transition between ‘everything is possible’ and narrowing your field,” said science teacher Monica Wright, describing the importance of helping students identify their passions so that they can pursue them in high school and beyond. “Before winter break, we helped students make their own ‘interest bracket.’ On one side they put things that they think about often; things that jazz them up. On the other side they put things that make them mad. Going through the bracket helped them articulate things they are passionate about.”

Projects spanned a broad range of topics, and every eight-grade teacher played a role in each student’s success: social studies teacher Tiffany Alexander helped them perform interviews with local experts, tech ed teacher Steve Richard supported hands-on building projects (like setting up wave tanks, house models, and engineering cars), art teacher Jackie Johnson helped them create their displays, and ed techs, like Roman Quinn, offered ongoing support.

Tirzah Berglund’s scale model house presentation

Shealyn Brochu shows a video where she dissected a pig heart to show the innerworkings of the organ.

Presentations took place on February 25 and 26 in the BMS cafeteria – it was the first time that some students had spent class time together since the pandemic started. Topics included everything from suicide prevention to traditional chip boat design to the aerodynamics of flight. Shealyn Brochu filmed herself dissecting a pig’s heart and demonstrated the inner workings of the organ in her presentation, “How can the heart be cured?” Gaffney McDonough, who had been helping his father with the restoration of a Ford Model A, documented his repair of the car’s signature “ahooga” horn. Belle Watson wrote and recorded a heartfelt song about discrimination.

Despite the breadth of topics, there was one common thread: the students’ enthusiasm and pride in their work.

“Every student put themselves out there,” said Wright. “There were so many moments where they had to let themselves be vulnerable. In the end, their perception about the project went from, ‘This is something I have to do,’ to ‘This is something I’m really passionate about doing.’ Every kid did that, and that’s what’s so important to me.”

Wright said the passion projects could not have been done without the one-on-one support of ed tech Roman Quinn, who joined BMS this year. Quinn discovered a 3D printer in the school’s library and taught himself how to use it so he could help students create unique props for their presentations. For example, when student Brady Wallace wanted to make a presentation on turbochargers vs. superchargers, Quinn helped him locate a design and print a model turbocharger to show his class. Quinn even lent his own car to the passion process when student Jackson Murray wanted to learn how to change a tire.

“I filmed Jackson changing the tire at BMS,” Quinn said. “It turns out that he was born to be in front of the camera – he was so personable. So determined. The whole experience was awesome.”

Quinn, who worked in finance before switching careers, said projects like this make him wish he had become a teacher “right out of the gate.”

“I know what it’s like to watch the clock at work. Now, every day I leave work, I’m still energized. I have just as much fun as the kids, if not more,” he said.

The final step in the eight grade’s “Journey to Success” expedition will come at the end of the year when students present evidence to a panel of judges that they are ready to start high school; a process guided by English language arts teacher Adelle Carter. But these have students already accomplished something that they can carry forever: finding and sharing their passion.

This article was provided by Bath Middle School as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. To submit a story or an idea, email it to Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

Bangor City Hall Student Art Show Goes Virtual

Bangor City Hall is home to four bulletin boards where art created in the Bangor School classrooms is displayed. With limited access to City Hall due to COVID-19 health and safety precautions, the district sought to provide a way to continue to share the great work that their students created by doing a video art show this year. The video allows the community to continue enjoying the student work virtually.

Information for this article was provided by Bangor School Department as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. To submit a story or an idea email it to Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

PRIORITY NOTICE: Still Time to Register for Mental Health Forum on April 1

There is still time to register for the Maine Department of Education’s FREE virtual forum taking place on Thursday, April 1st from 9:00am – 3:00pm.

Supporting Maine Educators: A Forum to Bolster Mental Health in Our Schools.
Date: Thursday, April 1, 2021
Time: 9:00 AM EST – 3:00 PM EST
Format: Zoom Webinar

The focus of this forum is to acknowledge the struggles of this past year, celebrate our successes and build resources to support mental health for our school communities. We hope to bring a greater awareness to the importance of mental health, destigmatize mental illness, increase mental health literacy for staff, administrators and community-based agencies, as well as provide practical supports to bolster the mental wellness of students and staff.

This forum will be a six hour event and consist of keynote speakers, with each followed by a related panel discussion comprised of experts from the field, State agencies and community partners, as well as staff and students from Maine schools. This will be a live event and each session will be recorded and available on the DOE website. This is a FREE event!

For More Information and to Register

Emergency Rental Assistance Program Available for Eligible Families

The Maine Department of Education asks that our school and district partners please share this important information with families that may need housing assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

MaineHousing and Maine’s Community Action Agencies are accepting applications for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program. This program helps pay rent and utility costs for eligible renters affected by COVID-19. Maine’s Community Action Agencies are running this program in communities across Maine.

Program information and the application link can be found here: mainehousing.org/covidrent

Marketing Materials:
Flyer
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For further information or questions, please reach out to MaineHousing at (800) 452-4668 or (207) 626-4600.

PRIORITY NOTICE: Vaccination Appointments Available NOW for School/Child Care Staff

Have you received your COVID-19 vaccine? Your shot is waiting for you!

All Maine residents who are Pre-K through Grade 12 school staff/teachers, or who work at licensed child care providers are eligible to be vaccinated, regardless of age.

APPOINTMENTS ARE AVAILABLE: Click here to view a list of locations and instructions for scheduling an appointment.

Questions? Answers to frequently asked questions are available here.

Maine DOE Update – March 26, 2021

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

April 1st Enrollment Count Report to Open on April 1st, 2021

The Maine Department of Education is asking schools to submit and have their superintendents certify their April Enrollment Count Report. The April Enrollment Count Report is utilized by the Maine Department of Education for the purpose of calculating public school tuition rates. | More

| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |

News & Updates

Mills Administration Updates COVID-19 School Health Advisory System

All counties remain green

The Mills Administration today released an update to its color-coded Health Advisory System that classifies counties’ relative risk of COVID-19 transmission to assist schools as they continue with their plans to deliver instruction and support students safely. The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) continue to review evidence that indicates lower transmission of COVID-19 in schools compared to the general population. Over the last 30 days, the rate of new cases for school staff or students is 30 per 10,000, about 25 percent lower than a new case rate of 41 per 10,000 for the general population. This continues to demonstrate that in-person learning in schools that follow public health precautions can be conducted safely, without increased transmission of COVID-19, and supports schools’ adherence to the six requirements for returning to in-person instruction, regardless of their county’s designation. | More

PRIORITY NOTICE: Maine Department of Education’s Guidance for Pre-Kindergarten/Kindergarten Child Find Screening

Maine Department of Education Rule Chapter 101 includes federally mandated Child Find requirements, including timely screening procedures for incoming Pre-Kindergarten (PreK) and Kindergarten (K) students.  As Maine schools begin preparations for spring, summer or early fall screenings, appropriate precautions should be taken.  In addition to the supports that you would typically provide to families based on their needs (e.g. language, culture, transportation), the following screening guidance is provided for school administrative units (SAUs) and their Collaborative Planning Teams  to inform local procedures. | More

The Early Learning Team Releases New Public Pre-K Guidebook

The Maine Department of Education’s Early Learning Team and Head Start State Collaboration Office are excited to offer a new resource to facilitate the expansion of high-quality and inclusive public Pre-K in Maine. The Public Pre-K Guidebook describes high-quality pre-k programming, provides guidance for developing and implementing inclusive public pre-k programs that align with state requirements, and offers links to a wide variety of useful tools. This guidebook will support not only school administrative units planning new programs, but also existing programs with continuous improvement efforts. The guidebook can be accessed digitally on the Early Childhood Education homepage or downloaded as a PDF document. | More

Emergency Broadband Benefit Program Available to Eligible Families in April

The FCC recently adopted a Report and Order that established the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, a $3.2 billion federal initiative to help lower the cost of high-speed internet for eligible households during the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. | More

Maine Partners with T-Mobile to Provide Increased Internet Access to Maine Students

The Maine Department of Education has partnered with T-Mobile to expand efforts to provide internet access and devices to Maine students through their Project 10Million initiative. If they choose to participate, the program provides mobile Wi-Fi hotspot devices directly to school districts for student use. | More

Comments Sought on Maine’s IDEA Part B Application

The Maine DOE is seeking comments from the public on its annual application for federal funds under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which covers services to children with disabilities, ages 3-22. | More

Registration Open for Black Student Caucus Hosted by MYAN

This April, MYAN (Maine Youth Action Network) is hosting a multi-day virtual caucus for Black Student Unions and Black students from across Maine. Each Saturday of the month (four events in total), Black youth in Maine will have the opportunity to collaborate and learn from one another and four incredible keynote speakers. | More

MYAN to Host Virtual Youth Leadership Conference April 15th and 16th

MYAN (Maine Youth Action Network) is hosting its very first virtual youth leadership conference on April 15th and 16th. The virtual conference is designed by and for middle school and high school aged young people, as well as recent graduates and college-aged youth. Unlike the in-person conferences from years past, this event is free to attend! | More

World Language & ESOL Teachers of the Year Announced by FLAME

The Foreign Language Association of Maine (FLAME) honored award recipients at a virtual conference held recently including Maine’s 2021 World Language Teacher of the Year, Maine’s 2021 ESOL Teacher of the Year, and the Student Recognition Award. | More

Visiting Teachers from Spain Program

Is your school anticipating difficulty in securing a licensed Spanish teacher for the 2020-2021 school year or beyond? Do you want to expose your students to a native speaker and cultural expert? Are you trying to figure out how to staff a Spanish immersion program? Then the Visiting Teacher from Spain Program may be just the answer! | More

Vote NOW for Maine Custodian in the Running for National Custodian of Year

Portland Public Schools’ Ocean Avenue Elementary School (OAES) lead custodian Donna Colello has been chosen as one of the top 10 finalists nationally in Cintas’ 2021 Custodian of the Year contest. Colello is the only finalist from the Northeast and one of only two women in the top 10. From now through April 16, anyone can vote for Colello at https://www.custodianoftheyear.com/custodian-of-the-year/. Each person can vote once per day. | More

Maine DOE Child Nutrition Kicks off Virtual Farm to School Cook-off

Celebrating its 6th annual competition, the Maine Farm to School Cook-off is a statewide culinary competition for teams of school nutrition professionals and students to promote local foods in school meals. The 6th annual competition is organized by the Maine Department of Education, Child Nutrition team. On March 22nd the Maine Department of Education (DOE) Child Nutrition team is kicking off the virtual competition. Four teams are participating in the competition this year including, RSU 12, RSU 14, RSU 54 and South Portland. Voting will take place starting today, March 22nd through April 2nd for school staff, family and friends to vote for their favorite cook-off team! | More

Get to Know the Maine DOE Team: Meet Ángel Martínez Loredo

Maine DOE team member Ángel Martínez Loredo is being highlighted this week as part of the Get to Know the Maine DOE Team Campaign. Learn a little more about Ángel | More

Maine Schools Sharing Success Stories

Berwick Teacher Selected for National History Day Spring Webinar Series

| Submit your Maine School Success Story |

Professional Development & Training Opportunities

Supporting Maine Educators: A Forum to Bolster Mental Health in Our Schools

Following up on the Save the Date sent out on March 10, the Maine Department of Education is pleased to invite Maine education personnel to attend Supporting Maine Educators: A Forum to Bolster Mental Health in Our Schools on Thursday April 1st from 9:00-3:00. This is a FREE Virtual event | More

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

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