Author: Maine Department of Education

Maine DOE Update – May 15, 2020

 

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

Scheduled System Upgrade: NEO Unavailable from 3pm on 5/15 through 5/17

As part of a scheduled outage, NEO will not be available to users starting at 3pm on Friday May 15th to allow the Department to complete a system upgrade to new servers. NEO will be back and open for business on Monday morning, May 18th. | More

| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |

News & Updates

Priority Notice: USDA Pandemic EBT Program

On May 5, 2020 the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced that Maine, North Dakota, West Virginia and Vermont were approved to operate Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT), a new program authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which provides assistance to families of children eligible for free or reduced-price meals during the closure of classroom-based instruction. | More

Priority Notice: Commission on Educational Opportunity for Military Children Meeting

The next meeting of the Commission on Educational Opportunity for Military Children will be held on Wednesday May 27th at 9:30am. Interested parties may email Tyler Backus at tyler.backus@maine.gov to receive a meeting invite. | More

Priority Notice: Executive Order Revises Permitted Use of School Bus Flashing Lights During Remote Learning

Today Governor Mills signed Executive Order #52, An Order Regarding Certain Education Matters, found here, which included the easing of restrictions for the use of flashing red lights on school buses during the state of emergency due to COVID-19. | More

Priority Notice: Executive Order Regarding Educator Certification

Governor Mills has issued Executive Order #52, to assist educators impacted by the COVID-19 disruptions with completing their certification and/or Criminal History Record Check (CHRC) processes.  The Executive Order includes the following | More

Mills Administration Secures WiFi & Learning Devices for 100 Percent of Maine Students Reporting a Need In Face of COVID-19’s Impacts on Schools

Governor Janet Mills and Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin announced today that the Maine Department of Education has secured internet access and devices to facilitate at home learning for 100 percent of Maine school children for whom there was a reported need. The success comes as Maine educators have demonstrated extraordinary commitment and creativity in response to the suspension of classroom-based instruction as a result of COVID-19, providing invaluable and meaningful personal connection and assurance to students in a time of great uncertainty. However, it is still difficult for educators to offer equitable online learning opportunities without individual student internet access. | More

MLTI Virtual Student Conference to Feature New “Innovation Challenge” – Registration Open! 

The Maine Department of Education is excited to share that the registration for the much anticipated Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) student conference is open. The conference will be held on May 28th, in virtual format, and it is FREE to Maine students! | More

2020 County Teachers of the Year Announced in Virtual Ceremony

Teachers from all 16 of Maine’s counties were honored today in a virtual announcement that was broadcast live on the Maine Department of Education Facebook Page. | More

Nominations are being accepted for the 2020 MAHPERD Teacher of the Year Awards

Nominations are being accepted for the 2020 Maine Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (MAHPERD) Teacher of the Year awards. | More

Get to Know the Maine DOE Team: Meet Daniel Weeks

Maine DOE team member Daniel Weeks is being highlighted as part of the Get to Know the Maine DOE Team Camping. Learn a little more about Daniel in the brief question and answer. | More

Maine Schools Sharing Success Stories

| Submit your Maine School Success Story |

Professional Development & Training Opportunities

Virtual Meeting Schedule: May 18 – May 21, 2020

The Maine Department of Education continues to schedule virtual office hours and professional development with Department Specialists to support educators and administrators during extended remote learning. During these meetings, our specialists are available to provide support, professional learning opportunities, and guidance regarding distance learning and school supports, as well as to facilitate networking and resource sharing between educators. | More

Professional Learning Opportunities for Education Technicians

Through ongoing efforts to support the needs of Maine schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) is responding to requests for professional learning for Education Technicians with a series of online opportunities scheduled through the month of May and early June. Based on feedback from Maine schools, offerings will consist of series (each being 1-5 parts) delivered in hour-long sessions at regular times each week. | More

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities

View current Maine Department of Education employment opportunities here

 

MEDIA RELEASE: Mills Administration Secures WiFi & Learning Devices for 100 Percent of Maine Students Reporting a Need In Face of COVID-19’s Impacts on Schools

AUGUSTA – Governor Janet Mills and Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin announced today that the Maine Department of Education has secured internet access and devices to facilitate at home learning for 100 percent of Maine school children for whom there was a reported need. The success comes as Maine educators have demonstrated extraordinary commitment and creativity in response to the suspension of classroom-based instruction as a result of COVID-19, providing invaluable and meaningful personal connection and assurance to students in a time of great uncertainty. However, it is still difficult for educators to offer equitable online learning opportunities without individual student internet access.

Through a combined effort with the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, ConnectME, and business and philanthropic entities, the Maine Department of Education (Maine DOE) has acquired 14,494 service contracts through three different service providers, nearly all of which are for WiFi-enabled Samsung Galaxy Tablets that can be used as learning tools and hotspots or hotspots only. Through one of the service providers, DOE was also able to order MiFi, a wireless router that acts as a mobile WiFi hotspot, to fulfill internet-only needs. To fulfill the device only needs, Maine DOE was able to order 7,450 Chromebooks.

“The suspension of classroom-based instruction because of the Pandemic has brought on new challenges and we should all be grateful for how Maine’s educators have adapted to provide a quality education to our children,” said Governor Mills. “It is our responsibility to ensure that Maine’s teachers, and all students, have the tools they need to stay connected during these unprecedented times. These new connections will allow Maine students to do just that and stay engaged remotely with their school no matter where they live.”

All schools who indicated a need are receiving the information and devices directly from the vendors. Need was assessed by the Department of Education through several surveys of all traditional and non-traditional public schools and private schools who serve public students to understand the connectivity needs statewide. Of the 21,845 students statewide lacking connectivity, based on data from the 75 percent of schools that responded, 14,494 students needed a wireless contract and 7,351 students needed only a device in order to have equitable access to online learning opportunities.

The need for universal connectivity was identified as the top priority of stakeholders across the state in terms of mitigating the impact from the COVID disruption. Teachers have been struggling to connect with the many students and families who do not have access to the internet. A fourth round of surveys has just been completed for schools to report student connectivity needs, and DOE is working now to fulfill this final round of requests. In addition, the department has reached out to both higher education institutions and adult education programs to determine their student connectivity needs.

“This pandemic and the educational disruption brought to light the extreme inequities that exist across our state,” said Commissioner Makin. “The emergency provision of connectivity to all students allows for educational continuity, and I am grateful to our team for their strategic and efficient execution of this enormous effort.”

The Administration utilized federal funds, including a portion of Maine’s $9.3 million allocation from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund, which was allocated through the federal CARES Act, as well as philanthropic donations, to purchase the devices and wireless service contracts to meet the identified need for universal connectivity for Maine students.

FMI: contact Kelli Deveaux, Director of Communications at kelli.deveaux@maine.gov

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Scheduled System Upgrade: NEO Unavailable from 3pm on 5/15 through 5/17  

As part of a scheduled outage, NEO will not be available to users starting at 3pm on Friday May 15th to allow the Department to complete a system upgrade to new servers. NEO will be back and open for business on Monday morning, May 18th.

For questions or concerns, please contact Katherine Warren, Education Data Systems Manager at Maine Department of Education katherine.warren@maine.gov

PRIORITY NOTICE: Weekly Schedule of DOE Virtual Meetings; NEW Q&A for Admin Assistants

Virtual Meeting Schedule: May 18 – May 21, 2020

The Maine Department of Education continues to schedule virtual office hours and professional development with Department Specialists to support educators and administrators during extended remote learning. During these meetings, our specialists are available to provide support, professional learning opportunities, and guidance regarding distance learning and school supports, as well as to facilitate networking and resource sharing between educators.

It is advised to check the schedule in advance. Many of the virtual meetings now require pre-registration or the need to email the host to obtain meeting information, these measures help to prevent inappropriate interruptions.

Virtual Meeting Schedule:

The virtual meeting schedule for educators is updated on the Maine DOE website: See the schedule. Please note:

  • This week there will be no special education meetings on Monday, May 18th.
  • A Q&A meeting specifically for school administrative assistants has been added to the schedule this week on Thursday, May 21st at 9am.

See the professional learning schedule for Education Technicians here  – Ed Tech professional learning sessions are being recorded and available here after they are scheduled to take place.

Nominations are being accepted for the 2020 MAHPERD Teacher of the Year Awards

Nominations are being accepted for the 2020 Maine Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (MAHPERD) Teacher of the Year awards.

Maine educators in the following categories are eligible for consideration:

  • Elementary Physical Education Teacher,
  • Middle Level Physical Education Teacher
  • Secondary Physical Education Teacher
  • Adapted Physical Education Teacher
  • Health Education Teacher (All levels)
  • Recreation Teacher/Leader, and Dance Teacher

There are many deserving teachers throughout the State of Maine and MAHPERD would like to be able to recognize more of those individuals.

Click here for more information regarding eligibility, nomination criteria and to access the nomination form. Nominations are due by May 30th  and completed applications are due by June 30th.

For more information contact Liz Hemdal at mahperdawards@gmail.com, MAHPERD Awards chairperson, before May 30th.

MEDIA RELEASE: 2020 County Teachers of the Year Announced in Virtual Ceremony

Teachers from all 16 of Maine’s counties were honored today in a virtual announcement that was broadcast live on the Maine Department of Education Facebook Page. Here is a direct link to view ceremony.

The Maine County Teacher of the Year announcement is held annually in the spring to honor the teachers selected from nominations for Maine Teacher of the Year from each county. The County Teachers of the Year are the finalists for Maine Teacher of the Year, an honor awarded each year to one teacher in Maine.

The educators were each nominated by a member of their community for their exemplary service in education, and dedication to their students. They were selected by a distinguished panel of teachers, principals and business community members from a pool of hundreds of other nominated teachers in their communities.

During the ceremony, teachers were honored by Maine Department of Education Commissioner, Pender Makin; Executive Director of Educate Maine, Jason Judd; State Board of Education member, Martha Harris; 2018 Maine Teacher of the Year, Kaitlin Young; and 2020 Maine Teacher of the Year, Heather Whitaker.

2020 County Teachers of the Year:

As ambassadors for teachers, students, and quality education in Maine, the Maine County Teachers of the Year are available to make presentations to local and regional organizations. Throughout the summer, they will continue to participate in an intensive State Teacher of the Year selection process.

The Maine Teacher of the Year is a program of the Maine Department of Education, administered and partnered by Educate Maine, a business-led organization working to ensure Maine’s students and workers are the best educated and highly skilled in the world.

For more information contact Rachel Paling (Maine DOE) at rachel.paling@maine.gov or Dolly Sullivan (Educate Maine) at dolly@educatemaine.org.

 

RSU 14 Senior Spotlight: “This is How I was Raised”

AustinEvery year around this time RSU 14 starts to highlight the Senior class and their achievements as they take their next steps down the career paths they’ve chosen. But Austin Merkle is an example of one Senior who hasn’t waited for graduation to take solid steps towards his goals. 

Austin has actually been pursuing his career since before high school, starting his work as a Junior Firefighter six years ago. Austin chose this path in order to follow in the footsteps of his father, who has been a firefighter for more than two decades and who he credits for giving him the desire to be a firefighter as a career path.

“I was raised to work hard and do what I can to help others,” Austin says, “This is a dangerous job that is hard on your body. It takes a lot of heart and a lot of commitment and a lot of training, but I can’t imagine doing anything else.”

Austin has taken every opportunity over the last 6 years to dig into his passion for firefighting, participating in dozens of trainings to help hone his skills. Even tasks that seem incredibly simple require specific training under the types of circumstances firefighters are often in.

“One of the most important things you learn early on is how to breathe correctly,” Austin says, “ When I first started I could burn through our ½ hour tanks in 10 minutes. But firefighters use a technique called ‘skip breathing’ to conserve oxygen.”

Austin’s training didn’t stay with the basics. Over the years, he has done everything from Search and Rescue training to training in car extractions and ice water rescues, dedicating hundreds of hours to becoming the best firefighter he can be.

So while many students are planning for future careers right now, Austin’s career isn’t in the future at all.

Austin Merkle is living out his career, right now, as a firefighter.

This story was submitted by Lanet Hane, Director of Community Connections, RSU 14 as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. To submit a story or an idea, email Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

 

MLTI Virtual Student Conference to Feature New “Innovation Challenge” – Registration Open! 

The Maine Department of Education is excited to share that the registration for the much anticipated Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) student conference is open. The conference will be held on May 28th, in virtual format, and it is FREE to Maine students!

Registration for the 2020 MLTI Virtual Student Conference is open until 5/22/20. The Conference will take place online on Thursday, May 28th from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.

The 2020 conference theme, “Looking Backward, Looking Forward,” draws inspiration from Maine’s bicentennial. The event will feature an “Innovation Challenge” that fosters research, design, and presentation skills for aspiring innovators and motivates them to solve important issues related to Maine’s—and their—future.

Conference sessions have been developed for students in grades 6-12, although students from non-MLTI grades can attend the conference and are welcome to register/attend. Teachers are encouraged to register to observe sessions and/or attend with their students.

Please complete your registration form here. Confirmation is returned when the registration form is successfully submitted. Conference log in and session information, along with preparation requirements, will be emailed directly to registrants no later than 5/27/20.

For more information and the registration link, please visit: https://www.maine.gov/doe/learning/ltt/conference or for questions don’t hesitate to reach out to the Conference planning team at mlti.project@maine.gov, and we look forward to seeing you.

Please be sure to register by Friday, May 22nd! Pass this exciting news along.

Virtual Student Conference Schedule

  • May 25th – May 27th Pre-Conference Activities – Looking Backward
  • May 28th – Conference Day Activities
    • Live Presentations/Interactive Sessions via an online platform 9:00AM – 3:00PM
    • Session categories include Animation, Augmented Reality, Design, Gaming, Music, Productivity, Robotics, Video
    • Uber Session: Innovation Challenge “Pitch Competition”
  • May 28th – June 1st – Post-Conference activities – Looking Forward
    • Innovation Challenge “Prototype Competition”

Registration Form: https://mainedoe.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6L89v59Eijx8HpX

What the World Can Learn from Maine’s One-Room Island Schools

During these unprecedented times that directly impact every one of us, we can look to Maine’s smallest and most remote schools for inspiration as well as practical help.

In a recent webinar, Monhegan Island teacher Mandy Metrano and Yvonne Thomas, education specialist at the Island Institute, shared stories and the lessons learned from the Outer Island Teaching and Learning Collaborative (The TLC) and the Monhegan Island School that directly apply to the current crisis.

The TLC is a 10-year-old, teacher-created collaboration between the one- and two-room Maine island schools that uses technology in innovative ways to support teachers, students, and families in order to combat extreme isolation. The same urgent need to connect and collaborate through technology that led to the TLC’s founding is now being felt by educators, students, and parents across the globe. Read more in their blog article, “Already Ready: Maine’s Outer Island Schools and the Pandemic.”

You can hear the inspiring story of the Monhegan School and the TLC, and learn tips and tools for effective teaching, learning, and collaborating online during and after the COVID-19 crisis here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySWXltInVw8&feature=youtu.be

Community Learning for Maine (CL4ME) Website Launch Party
Thursday, May 14 | 4:00-5:00 p.m

The TLC is also co-hosting a QUICK virtual tour of a brand new Community Learning for Maine (CL4ME) website, along with a Q&A session to help answer any questions. CL4ME is a Maine-based web resource that aims to support schools, organizations, and communities through crisis-schooling and beyond, working together to build long-term school-community collaborations and vitality. Check out the new website design, learn about what educational opportunities are available, and hear how you can be a part of this exciting collaboration. Register here.

Get to Know the Maine DOE Team: Meet Daniel Weeks

Maine DOE team member Daniel Weeks is being highlighted as part of the Get to Know the Maine DOE Team Camping. Learn a little more about Daniel in the brief question and answer below.

What are your roles with DOE? 

Currently I work as part of the ESEA Federal Programs team and I am the Title V (Rural Education Achievement Program or REAP as many know it) Coordinator, Title I Data Specialist, and the point of contact for the federal Teacher Loan Forgiveness (TCLI) program.

What do you like best about your job?

I really enjoy advocating for the rural school districts in the state, ensuring that they receive accurate information related to which program (state or federal) they should apply for as well as providing them with the knowledge as to what it means to receive Title V funding and the flexibilities that come with it.

How or why did you decide on this career? 

After going to Johnson and Wales and getting my degree in Baking and Pastry Arts, I realized that the food service industry wasn’t where my heart was at, plus they made me work on Thanksgiving and Christmas.  It was my time at J&W that made me realize that what I really wanted to do was become a math teacher.  As I finished my degree at UMF the only thing I knew was that I wanted to have as big of an impact as I possibly could.  After 5 years in the classroom I decided to get my masters in Education Administration so my area of impact could expand to an entire school rather than a single classroom.  Upon completion of my degree the job at the Department opened up and I jumped on it, knowing that my impact could span across the state.   I’ve been fortunate in my work to not only have impact in the state, but also some national impact as well.

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

This year I’ve gotten into gardening and built my own raised garden beds where we are attempting to do some “square foot” gardening to maximize our vegetable yield to help reduce what we spend at the grocery store.  I love spending time with my wife and 6 year old daughter.  I also love games (both tabletop and video games) as I have a need to constantly be thinking, strategizing, and using my brain (I have a hard time sitting and watching TV as it just doesn’t engage me).