The Maine School Bus Purchasing Program provides subsidies to school administrative units (SAUs) to help offset the cost of purchasing new school buses used to transport students to and from school, home, and school-sponsored events. This program is designed to support SAUs in acquiring new buses, retiring end-of-life vehicles, and meeting emergency or special transportation needs.
The Maine School Bus Purchasing Program will open on November 1, 2025, and close on November 25, 2025. Before then, please consider joining Cheryl Brackett, Maine Department of Education (DOE) Transportation Coordinator; Donna Tiner, Maine DOE School Finance Coordinator; and Kimberly Hall, Maine DOE Education Data Systems Manager, for a Maine School Bus Purchasing Program informational session on October 15, 2025, from 1-2 p.m. via Zoom:
Cheryl will demonstrate how to access NEO and complete the bus purchase request. She will also review the steps in the program.
Donna will share details about funding.
Kimberly will provide information surrounding the role of the Maine Education Data Management Systems (MEDMS).
This hour-long session will conclude with a question-and-answer period. Please find the Zoom information below:
The first round of approvals for the Maine School Bus Purchasing Program will occur between December 30, 2025, and January 15, 2026. With questions, please contact Cheryl Brackett at cheryl.brackett@maine.gov or 207-446-3019.
2024 Maine Teacher of the Year Joshua Chard recently represented the state of Maine and his students at the 102nd National Christmas Tree Lighting event in Washington, D.C.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Elementary students in Portland recently created original ornaments that are now on the national stage, decorating Maine’s tree for the 2024 National Christmas Tree display at the White House in Washington, D.C.
Led by their teacher, 2024 Maine Teacher of the Year Joshua Chard, third graders from East End Community School designed ornaments for the Maine tree this year as part of the
64(26.8%) ornament program, an annual collaboration of the National Park Service, the U.S. Department of Education, and the National Park Foundation. Through this program, ordinary Americans create ornaments to symbolize the history, heritage, and culture of their homelands.
“In third grade, my students explore the history of the Presumpscot River, which flows into the bay visible from our classroom windows,” explained Chard. “We learn how the Wabanaki tribes have served as water protectors of these rivers, both in the past and today, and we take action to support rivers and the diverse life they sustain. Our ornaments showcase the flora and fauna found along the banks of the Presumpscot, symbolizing what we strive to protect, as we join the Wabanaki in being water protectors.”
Chard recently represented the state of Maine and his students at the 102nd National Christmas Tree Lighting event in Washington, D.C. During the event, President Joe Biden lit the National Christmas Tree, which is surrounded by 58 smaller trees representing states, territories, and schools managed by the Bureau of Indian Education and the Department of Defense Education Activity.
Vice President Kamala Harris, Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff, and other special guests from across the nation attended, and musical artists Trisha Yearwood and James Taylor performed. The tree-lighting event will air on CBS on Friday, December 20.
While in Washington, D.C, Chard also visited with Maine Senator Angus King, toured the U.S. Capitol and the White House to view holiday decorations, and connected with fellow State Teachers of the Year from Illinois and Maryland.
2024 Maine Teacher of the Year Joshua Chard recently represented Maine at the 102nd National Christmas Tree display in Washington, D.C.
Joshua Chard’s third-grade students at East End Elementary School created ornaments for the Maine tree at the National Christmas Tree display in Washington, D.C.
While in Washington, D.C., Joshua Chard met with Maine Senator Angus King.
Sam Drummey of Thornton Academy and Emmett Appell of Erskine Academy will represent Maine at the United States Senate Youth Program in Washington, D.C. in March of 2025.
AUGUSTA, Maine – The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is thrilled to announce the selection of Maine’s delegates for the 63rd annual prestigious United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP). On Monday, December 2, two exceptional Maine students, Sam Drummey and Emmett Appell, were recognized at their schools for their outstanding leadership, academic achievements, and community involvement. They will represent Maine in Washington, D.C. in March of 2025 for an immersive week-long program, designed to deepen students’ understanding of the U.S. government and inspire future leaders.
Sam Drummey is a senior at Thornton Academy. He serves as the Student Body’s Vice President and is a passionate advocate for environmental sustainability and equal rights. Sam is deeply involved in his community, serving on the City of Biddeford’s Ad Hoc Sustainability Committee and the Biddeford Sustainability Commission. He has earned top academic honors, including awards in Honors Sophomore English, AP Human Geography, Honors Blind Eye of History, and nine other courses. Outside of the classroom, Sam actively volunteers with Maine Youth Action Network, MaineTransNet, and GrowSmart Maine. He is also a member of several school organizations, including the Student Council, Environmental Club, National Honor Society, Model UN, and the Speech Team. Sam’s future career aspirations focus on ensuring equal rights for all, protecting the environment, and working toward a renewable energy transition. His goal is to mitigate the negative impacts of environmental changes on vulnerable populations, while expanding access to vital services like housing and health care.
Emmett Appell is a senior at Erskine Academy. He is a dynamic leader with a passion for both public service and STEM. He is President of the Student Council and Environmental Club, Co-Founder of the Math Team, and Vice President of the International Outreach Coalition. Emmett is also the First Chair Saxophonist in the Jazz Band and the Captain of the Soccer Team. His academic excellence has earned him the Rensselaer Medal and the George Eastman Young Leaders Award, along with competitive research positions at MDI Biological Laboratory, the Keller BLOOM Program at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, and Colby College’s Professor Dasan Thamattoor’s lab. Emmett’s leadership extends to volunteering as Chief of Staff at Dirigo State and as a Rural Youth Activist at JustMe for JustUS. His passion for public service began early, inspired by attending selectboard meetings with his father and witnessing the impact of local government. Emmett plans to pursue a liberal arts education in college to continue his work in policy and STEM, with a long-term goal of becoming a congressman.
“We are incredibly proud of these outstanding students who have demonstrated exemplary leadership, dedication to community service, and a deep commitment to learning,” Beth Lambert, Chief Teaching and Learning Officer for the Maine Department of Education, said. “Both Sam and Emmett embody the values of the United States Senate Youth Program, and we are confident that they will bring their passion for public service and civic engagement to Washington, D.C., as they represent Maine at the national level.”
Members of both Senator Susan Collins’ office and Senator Angus King’s office, as well as representatives from the Maine Secretary of State’s office, were present during Monday’s announcement, underscoring the importance of fostering civic engagement and leadership in Maine’s young people.
The USSYP, established by Senate Resolution 324 in 1962, offers a unique opportunity for young leaders to gain a deeper understanding of the federal government and meet with U.S. senators, government officials, and political leaders. In addition to the immersive experience, each delegate will receive a $10,000 college scholarship.
For more information about the United States Senate Youth Program, please click here.
From left to right: Sarah Stanley, York County Regional Representative, Senator Angus King; Pamela Buck, State Office Representative, Senator Susan Collins; Delilah Poupore, Sam’s mother; Sam Drummey; Jonathan Drummey, Sam’s father; Beth Lambert, Chief Teaching and Learning Officer, Maine Department of Education; Vanessa Diaz Gaumond, Youth Programs Coordinator, Maine Department of the Secretary of State
From left to right: Kathy Finnemore, Constituent Services Representative, Senator Susan Collins; Karen Fox, Constituent Services Representative, Senator Angus King; Emmett Appel; Beth Lambert, Chief Teaching and Learning Officer, Maine Department of Education; Vanessa Diaz Gaumond, Youth Programs Coordinator, Maine Department of the Secretary of State
Public Law, Chapter 190 was born out of a deep commitment to ensure Maine students are taught the knowledge and skills needed to make informed career choices in a complex world where exponential increases in computing power, the agility and power of digital technologies, and the creativity of human beings to innovate are fueling rapid rates of change in the workplace and in daily life.
Recognizing that students will choose to enter the workforce in different ways, the newly enacted law preserves local control over curricula, courses of study, resources, materials, and multiple pathways for learning. It also honors the impact that well-designed work-based learning experiences can have in developing student aspirations and employability skills by encouraging direct exposure of adolescents to a variety of career options.
Aligned tightly with the 2020 Maine Learning Results Life and Career Ready Standards, the newly enacted law updates language in Maine’s Education Laws by replacing the former title of the standards (career and education development) with the new title (life and career readiness), thereby highlighting the developmental progression of learning from career awareness in elementary school to career exploration and planning in grades 6-12.
To support educators throughout the summer, the Maine DOE will continue to develop and collect resources aligned with the 2020 Maine Learning Results Life and Career Ready Standards and upload them to the Life and Career Ready Resources page.
For more information, please contact Maine DOE Life and Career Ready Education Specialist, Diana Doiron at diana.doiron@maine.gov.
Votes were cast and here are the results! Congratulations to South Portland (Kaler Kooks) and RSU 12 (Whitefield Wildcats) who will be advancing to the finals round of the 2021 Maine Farm to School Cook-off. The finals competition will be held on May 5th at the Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) Child Nutrition Culinary Classroom in Augusta.
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 DOE’s Child Nutrition Team.
Specialists from the Maine Department of Education’s Early Learning Team are excited to offer a web-based professional development opportunity for early childhood educators in the Pre-K and Kg grade span. Participants in this opportunity will get the chance to explore strategies for managing student trauma and mental health behaviors through a text study of both Responding to Student Trauma by Stephanie Filio, M.Ed. and A Practical Guide to Mental Health & Learning Disorders for Every Educator by Myles Cooley, Ph.D.
The text studies will take place virtually in hour-long sessions on a weekly basis between November 30, 2020 and April 2, 2021:
Responding to Student Trauma by Stephanie Filio, M.Ed is tentatively set to run Nov. 30-January 8, 2021 (with a scheduled holiday break).
A Practical Guide to Mental Health & Learning Disorders for Every Educator by Myles Cooley, Ph.D. is tentatively set to run January 11, 2021 through April 2, 2021.
The learning groups will be limited to 48 participants each. Goals of this professional learning opportunity are to improve participant awareness and understanding of what causes student trauma and to acquire strategies for how to better educate our students exhibiting behaviors related to trauma, mental health, and learning disorders.
Those interested are welcomed to register for one or both studies. Participants will receive a copy of the book(s). Contact hours will be provided at the end of each text study.
Registration is free and can be completed here. Registration closes November 13th at 5pm. Participants will be notified on a first come, first served basis.
For further information, please contact Nicole Madore, Early Childhood Specialist at Nicole.madore@maine.gov.
The recovery of Q4’20 MaineCare Seed will occur in the October 2020 subsidy payment and the Maine DOE is asking school administrative units (SAU) to review their reports by October 15, 2020 to ensure accurate adjustments to subsidy. SAU staff must review student by student claims on both the public and private MaineCare reports for Q4’20 by October 15, 2020.
To access the MaineCare Seed reports, please follow the instructions below.
Anyone who currently has Special Education Director permissions to the Special Education module, will automatically have permissions to access MaineCare reports.
As in the past, if a new staff member needs permission to access this module, a request from the Superintendent to the Maine DOE Helpdesk will be necessary. The helpdesk contact information is medms.helpdesk@maine.gov or 207-624-6896.
Click on the Student Data tab
Click on the Student Report tab
Select MaineCare in the Reporting Area drop-down
Choose the quarterly Seed report and the report type (private/public)
Click view report button
Once the report appears on the screen, choose the export button.
You may export the reports to Excel but, please be aware that there may be multiple worksheet tabs within the workbook. Save the file to your computer.
If you disagree that a particular student or time period should be on the report, please provide the reason that you disagree along with the following information to stephanie.clark@maine.gov:
Identify the type of report (public or private) and the quarter in which the claims are located.
State Student ID
Service provided dates (From and To)
Total amount of Seed being disputed
Summer services: Students must be enrolled for the time period they are receiving educational services. This means that students that are receiving extended school year services in district or extended school year services in an out of district placement must have a primary enrollment for that time period in order for the MDOE to have the most accurate enrollment data to determine SAU responsibility for MaineCare Seed.
Please contact stephanie.clark@maine.gov for more information or technical assistance related to MaineCare Seed.
Maine DOE team member Danielle (Dee) Saucier is being highlighted this week in the Get to Know the Maine DOE Team Campaign. Learn a little more about Dee in the question and answer below.
What are your roles with DOE?
After 25 years as a classroom teacher and literacy specialist and coach in the public school system I decided to give the Maine DOE a try. In 2017 I joined the department as the Elementary Literacy Specialist and Aroostook County Representative. I have the great honor of supporting educators across the state in areas related to Elementary Literacy. This includes a wide range of opportunities from the K for ME pilot curriculum, to the Grade 1 MOOSE module team and supports for the English Language Arts and Literacy Standards. I have also served as the Regional Representative for Aroostook County, an opportunity through which I’ve had the great honor of visiting schools in the County and meeting many of the educators that support students and communities in the northern most part of our state.
What do you like best about your job?
The best parts of my job are the opportunities that allow and encourage me to continue to learn new information each and every day and interact with educators to learn, grow and share. Education is an ever changing field and I am challenged to stay current with my knowledge by reading, researching and most importantly learning from the knowledge of the people I work with.
How or why did you decide on this career?
I always knew I was going to be a teacher – my mother was a teacher and we worked toward getting our graduate degrees in literacy together. I watched the impact that she had on students for more than 40 years in education and can only hope my impact is comparable. I am proud to say that my daughter has followed in my tradition and is currently starting her 2nd year as a teacher.
What do you like to do outside of work for fun?
I enjoy cooking and spending time with my husband and two adult daughters. The physical distancing of the past 6 months presented many struggles but one silver lining for me was the fact that my grown family was brought together in one home for a few unexpected bonus weeks with lots of family dinners and time to hang out.
Commissioner of Education Pender Makin will be hosting a Zoom update on education in Maine during the current pandemic on Tuesday, June 2, from 4:00-5:00.
Please register in advance for this meeting, as there is a 500-person maximum. You can register here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Questions or topics of interest may be submitted in advance by emailing Chief-of -Staff Jessica Nixon at Jessica.nixon@maine.gov by Tuesday at 8:00 am.
The meeting will be recorded and posted on our website.
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) today kicked off the national #LoveTeaching campaign in Maine. Running February 14th through February 21st, the #LoveTeaching Campaign is observed by educators around the country as an opportunity to celebrate teaching, leading, and learning in a way that unites and invigorates educators and those they inspire all around the world.
Every year, Valentine’s Day marks the beginning of a week-long conversation that aims to illuminate why teachers enter and remain in the field of education, offering a mindset shift from the seemingly singular focus on the challenges of the profession.
Starting today, we encourage educators across Maine to participate by using the #LoveTeaching hashtag on social media to share why they love teaching, either through a story, a moment, a memory, a picture, a quote, a phrase, or a simple explanation. Tag the Maine DOE at @mdoenews on Twitter and at @MaineDepartmentofEducation1 on Facebook so that we can share your teaching inspiration around our state!
To help get the conversation going, we are releasing this two and a half minute video, developed by the Maine Department of Education, starring 20 educators from across the State of Maine who explain why they teach:
In collaboration with the Maine Education Association, the Department is looking forward to hosting educators in Augusta next week to celebrate their profession and engage in meaningful conversations about teaching in Maine.
For further information about the #LoveTeaching campaign, please visit weloveteaching.org. Follow the conversation on Maine DOE’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
Maine DOE Newsroom 