Nominate Today: Maine’s 2023 History Teacher of the Year

The Maine Department of Education, on behalf of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is seeking nominations for the History Teacher of the Year Award. This recognition is part of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History’s commitment to K-12 education. Each year, the award honors an exceptional K-12 history teacher in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense Schools, and US Territories. The National History Teacher of the Year is chosen from among the state winners. Since 2004, this award, co-sponsored by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and Preserve America, has celebrated nearly 750 outstanding American history teachers at the state and national levels

State award winners receive: a $1,000 cash prize; certificate of recognition; an archive of books and other resources, given in honor of the state winner, for use in the school library or resource center; recognition at a ceremony in their state; and the winner’s school will become a Gilder Lehrman Affiliate School.

Eligibility

Any full-time educator of grades K-12 who teaches American history (including state and local history). American history may be taught as an individual subject or through social studies, reading, language arts, and other subjects.
Nominees must be planning to teach for at least one year following the award year.
Past state and national winners are not eligible and self-nominations are not accepted.

Ready to Nominate?

Nominations must be submitted on the Gilder Lehrman website at A teacher can be nominated at any point during the year but must

be nominated by March 31, 2023, to be considered for the current year’s award.

Nominators are asked to provide contact information for themselves and information about the nominee, including a short statement about why the nominee should be honored. Nominations can be made by any individual who is familiar with the teacher’s work, including students, parents of students, colleagues, etc.

For more information please visit: gilderlehrman.org/nhtoy

Maine Students Selected for United States Senate Youth Program

Students Headed to Washington, D. C. and to Receive $10,000 Scholarship

The United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) announces that high school students Ms. Natalie Barbara Emmerson and Mr. Shawn Jiminez will join Senator Susan M. Collins and Senator Angus S. King in representing Maine during the 61st annual USSYP Washington Week, to be held March 4 — 11, 2023. Natalie Emmerson of Woolwich and Shawn Jiminez of West Gardiner were selected from among the state’s top student leaders to be part of the 104 national student delegation. Each delegate will also receive a $10,000 college scholarship for undergraduate study.

The USSYP was created by Senate Resolution 324 in 1962 and has been sponsored by the Senate and fully funded by The Hearst Foundations since inception. Originally proposed by Senators Kuchel, Mansfield, Dirksen and Humphrey, the Senate leadership of the day, the impetus for the program as stated in Senate testimony is “to increase young Americans’ understanding of the interrelationships of the three branches of government, learn the caliber and responsibilities of federally elected and appointed officials, and emphasize the vital importance of democratic decision making not only for America but for people around the world.”

Each year this extremely competitive merit-based program provides the most outstanding high school students – two from each state, the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Education Activity – with an intensive week-long study of the federal government and the people who lead it. The overall mission of the program is to help instill within each class of USSYP student delegates more profound knowledge of the American political process and a lifelong commitment to public service. In addition to the program week, The Hearst Foundations provide each student with a $10,000 undergraduate college scholarship with encouragement to continue coursework in government, history and public affairs. All expenses for Washington Week are also provided by The Hearst Foundations; as stipulated in S.Res.324, no government funds are utilized.

Natalie Emmerson, a senior at Morse High School, serves as the student representative to the Regional School District 1 School Board. She also serves as the president/co-founder of Morse’s Women’s Empowerment Club, a member of National Honor Society and the Maine People’s Alliance, and was a former member of the Feminist Action Board (Hardy Girls Healthy Women). She has accumulated over 200 volunteer hours since freshman year through swimming, climbing, the Teen Library Council and more. She has received AP Scholar With Distinction, AP Capstone Certificate, Phi Beta Kappa Certificate of Recognition, Harvard Book Award, Language Certificate in French from the University of Maine at Augusta, and the Seal of Biliteracy in French. This summer she won delegate of the week for her town at Dirigo State and attended the Cohen Leadership Institute. She swims competitively and hopes to major in political science or government in college.

Shawn Jiminez, a senior at Gardiner Area High School, serves as the president of the Interact Club and has been appointed to several leadership positions throughout his high school years, including serving as the president of the Drama Club and the Maine Junior Classical League. Shawn was named the 2021 Young Maine Volunteer of the year, accumulating over 300 hours of community service. In addition, he was named a 2022 national quarterfinalist in the American Legion Oratorical Contest, the runner-up in the 2021 Maine State Voice of Democracy Contest, a QuestBridge National College Match scholar, a Horatio Alger State Scholar, a National College Board Rural and Small Town Scholar, and a National Coca-Cola Scholar semifinalist.

Chosen as alternates to the 2023 program were Mr. Ryan Hafener, a resident of Hampden, who attends Hampden Academy and Ms. Carolyne Sauda, a resident of Bangor, who attends Bangor High School.

Delegates and alternates are selected by the state departments of education nationwide and the District of Columbia and Department of Defense Education Activity, after nomination by teachers and principals. The chief state school officer for each jurisdiction confirms the final selection. This year’s Maine delegates and alternates were designated by Pender Makin, Commissioner of Education. During the program week, the student delegates will attend meetings and briefings with senators, the president, a justice of the Supreme Court, and leaders of cabinet agencies, among others.

In addition to outstanding leadership abilities and a strong commitment to volunteer work, the student delegates rank academically in the top one percent of their states among high school juniors and seniors. Now more than 6,000 strong, alumni of the program continue to excel and develop impressive qualities that are often directed toward public service. Among the many distinguished alumni are: Senator Susan Collins, the first alumnus to be elected U.S. senator; Secretary of Transportation and former Mayor of South Bend Indiana, Pete Buttigieg, the first alumnus to be appointed as a cabinet secretary; former Senator Cory Gardner, the second alumnus to be elected U.S. senator and the first to be elected to the
U.S. House of Representatives; former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, the first alumnus to be elected governor; former Chief Judge Robert Henry, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit; former Ambassador to West Germany Richard Burt, former presidential advisors Thomas “Mack” McLarty and Karl Rove. Additional notables include former Lt. Governor of Idaho David Leroy, Provost of Wake Forest University Rogan Kersh, military officers, members of state legislatures, Foreign Service officers, top congressional staff, healthcare providers and other university educators.

Members of the U. S. Senate Youth Program 2023 annual Senate Advisory Committee are: Senator John Hickenlooper of Colorado, the 2023 USSYP Democratic Co-Chair and Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, the 2023 USSYP Republican Co-Chair. The full USSYP Senate Advisory Committee consists of the vice president of the United States and the Senate majority and minority leaders who annually serve as the program’s Honorary Co-Chairs; two senators, one from each party, serving as acting Co-Chairs who each have keynote speaking roles, and an eight-member bipartisan senate panel, four senators from each party, who lend their names in support. Serving on the Advisory Committee for the upcoming program are: Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey, Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Senator Jon Tester of Montana, Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Senator Bill Cassidy, MD, of Louisiana, Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Senator Cynthia M. Lummis of Wyoming.

For more information please visit: http://www.ussenateyouth.org

Register a Team for the 2023 Farm to School Cook-off!

(Pictured: Caleb Pratt & Gina Bailey from Team Son-Day, competing in last year’s Westbrook Regional Cook-off)

Registration is open for the annual Maine Department of Education, Child Nutrition Farm to School Cook-off! The event will be held in the Spring of 2023. The cook-off is a statewide culinary competition for teams of school nutrition professionals and students to promote local foods in school meals. This voluntary competition is made available to all school districts in Maine.

The cook-off involves three regional competitions that take place in locations across the state and a final competition in the Child Nutrition Culinary Classroom, where the top teams compete to determine the Farm to School Cook-off Champion. Each team, consisting of one student and one school nutrition employee, is tasked to prepare a breakfast and lunch meal using specific recipe guidelines and time restrictions and will present to a panel of judges.

At least three local ingredients and one USDA food must be used in each meal. Local oats and local carrots will be used as “challenge” ingredients in the competition this year. All recipes will later be shared in a Maine farm-to-school cookbook to be used in future school meal programs. To view the 2022 Cookbook and prior years please visit the Maine Child Nutrition website.

TIMELINE AT A GLANCE

January 13, 2022 – Team Registration Due (click here for registration link)
Date TBD- Mandatory Team Meeting
February 17, 2023 – Recipes Due to Child Nutrition State Office
March 27- April 7, 2023- Regional competitions take place (location TBD)
April 7, 2023 – Finalists Announced
April 25, 2023 – Cook-Off Finals at the Child Nutrition DOE Culinary Classroom!

Interested school districts can find more information and the link to register on the Maine Child Nutrition website. The registration deadline is January 13, 2023. For more information on Maine’s Farm and Sea to School program, visit https://www.maine.gov/doe/farmtoschool.

For questions about the Farm-to-School Cook-off, contact Maine DOE Child Nutrition Supervisor, Stephanie Stambach at stephanie.stambach@maine.gov.

2022 Cook-off Champions- McMahon Tigers Alain Lemesse & Alicia Smith — 2022 Cook-off Champions- McMahon Tigers, Alain Lemesse & Alicia Smith

MEDIA RELEASE: Help Honor Maine Teachers – Nominations Open for Maine Teacher of the Year Program

The Teacher of the Year Journey starts with your nomination. Nominate someone from your town, county, or region today at mainetoy.org/nominate.

MAINE – Nominations are now open for the 2023 County Teachers of the Year and 2024 State Teacher of the Year. Members of the public are encouraged to nominate educators who demonstrate a commitment to excellence and who inspire the achievement of all students.

“Maine’s Teacher of the Year Program is unique,” said Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin. “In addition to much-deserved recognition of the incredible educators in Maine classrooms, it is also a year-long journey that gives educators from each county in Maine a platform to share their passions and knowledge. This program is a growing network of dedicated and caring education colleagues from across our State and nation, so please take a few minutes and nominate someone today.”

Nominations can be made through a nomination form on the Maine Teacher of the Year Website now through 5:00 pm on Feb. 5, 2023. Nominations will be accepted from students, parents, caregivers, community members, school administrators, colleagues, college faculty members, and associations/organizations (self-nominations, and nominations from family members are not accepted).

To be considered for the County and Maine Teacher of the Year award, a person must:

Hold the appropriate professional certification for their teaching position;
Be a full-time, certified, in good standing, PK-12 teacher in a state-accredited public school, including a career and technical education and adult education center, a public charter school, or a publicly supported secondary school (a private school that enrolls 60 percent or more publicly funded students, sometimes referred to as “town academies”);
Be actively teaching students at least fifty percent of the workday at the time of nomination and during their year of recognition.
Maintain their teaching position and remain in the County for which they are selected throughout the year of recognition.
Have a minimum of five years of teaching – three of which are in Maine.

Maine’s County and State Teachers of the Year serve as advocates for teachers, students, and public education in Maine. They serve as advisors to the Department of Education and state-level education stakeholders across Maine. Additionally, County and State Teachers of the Year join a cohort of teacher leaders that actively work together for the betterment of education in Maine. They also receive on-going professional learning and participate in many state and county leadership opportunities.

The 2023 County Teachers of the Year will be announced in May. The 2024 Maine Teacher of the Year will be selected from the 16 county honorees. Through a selection process designed for educators by educators, the field will be narrowed to semi-finalists and then state finalists before the Maine Teacher of the Year is announced by Maine’s Education Commissioner at a school assembly in the fall. Each year, State and County Teachers of the Year are honored at the annual Teacher of the Year Gala also held in the fall.

On behalf of, and in partnership with Maine Department of Education, the Maine Teacher of the Year program is administered by Educate Maine, a business-led organization whose mission is to champion college, career readiness, and increased education attainment. Funding is provided by Bangor Savings Bank, Dead River Co., Geiger, Hannaford, the Maine Lottery, the Silvernail Family, and Unum, with support from the State Board of Education and the Maine State and County Teacher of the Year Association.

“We are proud to administer the Maine Teacher of the Year program in collaboration with the Maine Department of Education,” said Dr. Jason Judd, Educate Maine Executive Director. “Now more than ever, we need to recognize the excellence within our educator workforce, amplify the voices of classroom teachers, and elevate the teaching profession in Maine. The 2023 County Teachers of the Year will be the tenth cohort to engage in this reflective and rigorous process and join the growing network of teacher leaders teaching, learning, and leading in Maine.”

The Maine Teacher of the Year program is committed to a nomination and selection process that ensures people of all backgrounds are represented. Educate Maine and the Maine Department of Education champion that commitment by encouraging the nomination of educators from all culturally diverse experiences and backgrounds.

Through the generous support of Maine businesses, there is no cost to the local district when the Teacher of the Year is out of the classroom on their official duties, which includes representing educators state-wide and nationally through safely distanced in-person and virtual events that highlight the important work of Maine schools, communities, and educators.

For more information about the Maine Teacher of the Year program, visit the Maine Teacher of the Year website. Help us promote the Teacher of the Year Program by using the promotional materials on our website! Our goal is to expand and diversify our nomination pool!

Media Contact: Dolly Sullivan, Educate Maine at dolly@educatemaine.org

Nominate a Teacher for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching by January 9th

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is currently accepting nominations and applications for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). PAEMST is the highest recognition that a Kindergarten through 12th grade science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and/or computer science educator may receive for outstanding teaching in the United States. Since 1983, more than 5,100 teachers have been recognized for their contributions to mathematics and science education. Up to 108 awardees may be recognized each year. Maine is proud to have honored over 80 exceptional educators for their contributions!

Marshalyn Baker, Secondary Mathematics Awardee (1994) shared the value of accepting the nomination and the impact on her life, “Receiving this award took me on a professional and personal journey of a lifetime. I took on leadership roles with ATOMIM and NCTM Affiliate Services and the Board of Directors, met and worked with NASA scientists, and leveraged classroom resources and knowledge to better teach my students. I traveled extensively to speak at conferences and share and collaborate with a fabulous professional community. I felt valued and honored to be a mathematics educator from a rural state.”

This current cycle will recognize educators teaching grades 7-12. Anyone—principals, teachers, parents, students, colleagues, Higher Education partners, association members, or members of the general public—may nominate a teacher by completing the nomination form. To submit a nomination, you’ll need the teacher’s name, email address, and school contact information. Teachers may also initiate the application process themselves at www.paemst.org.

2022-2023 One-Page Outreach Flyer

2022-2023 One-Page Outreach Flyer (Spanish)

Eligibility

Applicants must:

Teach science, technology, engineering, or mathematics as part of their contracted teaching responsibilities at the 7-12 grade level in a public (including charter) or private school;
Hold at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution;
Be a full-time employee of their school or school district as determined by state and district policies, with responsibilities for teaching students no less than 50% of the school’s allotted instructional time;
Have at least five years of full-time employment as a K-12 teacher prior to the 2022-2023 academic school year, with science, technology, engineering, or mathematics teaching duties during each of the past five years;
Teach in one of the 50 states, the Department of Defense Education Activity schools, or the U.S. Jurisdictions of the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or as a group American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands;
Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident; and
Not have received the PAEMST award at the national level in any prior competition or category.

Why apply/nominate?

Please consider nominating outstanding STEM teachers today! By nominating a teacher, you play an important role in elevating Maine’s education workforce.

Recipients of this prestigious Presidential award receive the following:

A certificate signed by the President of the United States.
A paid trip to Washington, D.C., to attend a series of recognition events and professional development opportunities.
A $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation. An
opportunity to build lasting partnerships with colleagues across the nation.

Important Dates

For secondary 7-12, the nomination deadline is January 9, 2023, and the application deadline is February 6, 2023. Secondary 7-12 educators will be eligible to apply during the current cycle. Nominations are encouraged early so that educators have ample time to submit applications!

Questions? Contact:

Emily Doughty, PAEMST Coordinator, Emily.doughty@maine.gov

To learn more about the ways in which Maine is striving to attract, support, and sustain a strong educator workforce please visit the Teach Maine plan’s webpage: https://www.maine.gov/doe/exploreeducation/teachmaine.

Maine School Counselor Association Award Nominations

The Maine School Counselor Association (MESCA) is pleased to announce that we are accepting nominations for the following awards for 2023:

Maine School Counselor of the Year – The Maine School Counselor of the Year Award honors the best of the best – counselors who are running or supporting a top-notch, comprehensive school counseling program at their school. The award winner will be announced at the Maine Hall of Flags during National School Counselor Week of 2023 and will be recognized in Washington D.C. the following school year in January 2024. The recipient is also invited to serve on the MESCA board
MESCA School Administrator of the Year – This award recognizes an administrator that has contributed to the growth and understanding of the school counseling profession and the implementation of a comprehensive school counseling program.
MESCA Lifetime Achievement – This award recognizes a certified school counselor who has worked in the school counseling field for over 10 years. Has made a positive impact for students. Has made a positive impact on the profession. Demonstrates Leadership, Advocacy, and professionalism
MESCA Emerging School Counselor – This award recognizes a certified school counselor who has worked in the field for five years or less and has contributed outstanding service or innovation to the profession.

To nominate School Counselor of the Year, go to https://mesca.schoolcounselorawards.org/scoy/nominate . Fill out the nomination form and submit it. You and the nominee will receive a confirmation email after you have submitted your nomination. The deadline to nominate someone is Friday, December 23rd, 2022.

To Nominate for any other award, go to https://mesca.schoolcounselorawards.org/scoy/, and click the log-in button at the top right of the page. You can log in with an account or register for one if needed. Submit the required information, and the deadline to nominate someone is Tuesday, January 17^th, 2023.

Please contact Scott Harris, sharris@scarboroughschools.org Awards Committee Chair, if you have any questions. Thank you for your time and consideration!

Lowell Oyster Named 2023 Maine’s National Outstanding Assistant Principal of the Year

The Maine Principals’ Association (MPA) is pleased to announce that Lowell Oyster, Assistant Principal of Bonny Eagle Middle School in Buxton, has been named Maine’s National Outstanding Assistant Principal of the Year. He will be honored by the MPA at its annual awards banquet at the Spring Conference on April 27, 2023, at the Samoset Resort in Rockport, Maine.

Mr. Oyster received this award because of his strong emphasis on community outreach. He has the ability to build connections across diverse stakeholders and goes to extraordinary lengths to meet the needs of students and staff. He loves being an assistant principal and believes it is the best job in the world.

In announcing Mr. Oyster’s selection as 2023 Maine’s National Outstanding Assistant Principal of the Year, MPA Executive Director, Dr. Holly Blair noted, “The MPA is pleased to recognize Lowell Oyster as Maine’s National Outstanding Assistant Principal of the Year. He is a reflective educational leader who people seek out and look to for guidance and leadership. Mr. Oyster focuses on the strengths of the people he works with to lift and accentuate each team member, making the overall school community stronger.”

Mr. Oyster received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education from the University of Maine, Orono, in 2005. In 2007, he earned his Master of Science Degree in Middle Level Education also from UMaine. He then obtained his Certificate of Advanced Studies from the University of Southern Maine in 2015.

Mr. Oyster started his educational career as a math/science teacher at Bonny Eagle Middle School in 2007. During this time, he took on the following school and/or district level leadership positions: Clan Leader, Symposium Leader, Math Meet Coordinator, Continuous Improvement Team member, Certification Steering Committee member, and was the 7^th grade Baseball Coach. In 2017, Mr. Oyster became the Assistant Principal of Bonny Eagle where he has served in this capacity ever since.

Mr. Lowell Oyster is a member of the Maine Principals’ Association and National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP).

The Maine Principals’ Association is a professional association representing Maine’s Pre-K-12 educational leaders. The Association dates its history back to 1921 and focuses its work on promoting the principalship, educational leadership, and promoting and administering interscholastic activities in grades 9-12.

Nominations Open for 2023 Claudette and John Brassil Distinguished Educator Award

The Maine Council for English Language Arts (MCELA), an affiliate of the National Council of Teachers of English, is accepting nominations for the 2023 Claudette and John Brassil Distinguished Educator Award.

The purpose of this award is to recognize exceptional English language arts and literacy teachers who have demonstrated excellence in teaching, contributions to the profession, and commitment to the community.

For more information about the award, including how to submit a nomination, please visit: https://www.mainecela.org/brassil-award.html

Nominations are due by December 10, 2022.

For more information, contact MCELA.

Maine DOE Staff Jean Zimmerman and Susan Berry Honored by Maine AHPERD

The Maine Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (Maine AHPERD) recognized Maine Department of Education (DOE) Health Education and Health Promotion Specialist Susan Berry and Maine DOE Health Education & Physical Education Consultant Jean Zimmerman for their outstanding contributions to Health Education and Physical Education in Maine. The recognition was received at the annual Maine AHPERD conference at the Samoset Resort earlier this month.

“It was the first time the organization held an in-person banquet since 2019,” said Maine DOE Director of School and Student Supports Julie Smyth, who works directly with Berry and Zimmerman. “Both Susan and Jean were unaware that the other was receiving recognition, so it was quite a special evening,” she added.

Jean Zimmerman received the Worthy of Praise Award for her leadership, involvement and service in the State of Maine to the professions of Health Education and Physical Education. Jean is the Maine DOE lead for the Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey. Jean has helped develop State documents including the 2007 and the 2022 Maine Learning Results for Health Education and Physical Education and the key concepts for Health Education and has served on the Maine AHPERD board for many years.

“Karyn Bussell, Skowhegan educator and member of the MAHPERD Awards Committee shared Jean’s long list of contributions to the field of Health and Physical Education – from her days of being the first female staff person for the St. Joseph’s College Department of Athletics to her time at the Maine DOE in her many roles supporting the field,” said Smyth of the event. “Jean received a standing ovation from the crowd of 100+.” Congratulations, Jean!

Susan Berry received the 2022 Distinguished Leadership Award. Susan is currently the Health Education and Health Promotion Specialist at Maine DOE. This award recognizes Susan’s lifelong commitment to Health Education in the State of Maine. Susan is involved with the Society of State Leaders of Health and Physical Education, and she has been on the Maine AHPERD Board and served as President. Susan is a beacon of excellence, high intention, and sincere effort. The breadth and depth of Susan’s skills and passion for her work have had a huge impact on Health Educators in Maine.

As stated in the announcement my Maine AHPERD representatives, “In recognition for profoundly affecting the way the MAHPERD organization accomplishes its day to day business. As a result of your leadership and dedication, MAHPERD has become a strong and united organization. Your tireless efforts have strengthened our professional organization and have encouraged others to take leadership roles, prompting professionalism through work.”

Smyth reported that Berry’s entire family was in attendance to help celebrate this honor. Congratulations, Susan!

Five Maine Educators Honored as Teachers of the Year by Maine Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance

The Maine Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (Maine AHPERD) recognized five Teachers of the Year at the Samoset Resort in Rockport, Maine earlier this month.

Pictured L to R:

Emily Ellis
Oxford Elementary School
Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year

Amy Wheaton
Sumner Memorial High School
High School Physical Education Teacher of the Year

Kristen Allen
Mountain Valley High School
High School Health Education Teacher of the Year

Kawika Thompsom
Day Mountain Regional Middle School
Middle School Physical Education Teacher of the Year

Clairlynn Roundtree
Brunswick Junior High School
Middle School Health Education Teacher of the Year

Maine Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (MAHPERD) Honor Awards are presented to MAHPERD members in recognition of their excellence to their profession by demonstrating outstanding dedication to their students and profession. To learn more about MAHPERD visit maineahperd.org.