Berwick Teacher Selected for National History Day Spring Webinar Series

Ms. Christa Boeykens-Bui, a teacher at Noble Middle School in Berwick, Maine is one of only 120 teachers selected for a National History Day® (NHD) spring professional development program. This course focuses on using online Library of Congress resources to develop and support historical arguments and is a feature of NHD’s membership in the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) Consortium.

The teachers chosen for this honor represent NHD’s 58 affiliates across the country and around the world, and the National History Day program in Maine selected Ms. Boeykens-Bui. NHD affiliates include all 50 states and the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and international school programs in China, South Asia, and South Korea.

“The skills and strategies Ms. Boeykens-Bui is developing through this series will benefit her students over the course of their academic and professional careers,” said National History Day Executive Director Dr. Cathy Gorn. “As a Library of Congress TPS Consortium member, NHD is incredibly fortunate to be able to offer this opportunity for teachers, especially now as teachers and students continue to address challenges of non-traditional learning settings required by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.”

For several months, Ms. Boeykens-Bui works with her peers around the country and National History Day staff to build knowledge for teaching with online Library of Congress resources. Upon completion of the series, she will have demonstrated the ability to share with her students key strategies for researching, supporting, and presenting historical arguments bolstered by these primary sources.

NHD is a non-profit organization based in College Park, Maryland, which seeks to improve the teaching and learning of history. The National History Day Contest was established in 1974 and currently engages more than half a million students every year in conducting original research on historical topics of interest. Students present their research as a documentary, exhibit, paper, performance, or website.

For more information about the national level program, visit nhd.org. for more information about National History Day in Maine visit http://www.mcslibrary.org/national-history-day-in-maine/ or contact State Coordinator John Taylor at john.m.taylor@maine.edu or 207-474-7133.

MEDIA RELEASE: 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.

Maine’s 2021 World Language Teacher of the Year is Julie Speno, a Spanish teacher at Camden-Rockport Elementary School. Julie has taught Spanish for more than 25 years and currently teaches elementary Spanish to K-4th grade students. In addition to teaching, Julie has presented over 200 hours of professional development at FLAME and many other conferences about teaching languages in elementary schools. Julie’s session “Calm in the Classroom” was chosen Best of FLAME 2019 and she was the keynote speaker at the NNELL (National Network for Early Language Learning) summer institute. Julie is especially well-known as the creator and illustrator of El Mundo de Pepita, providing resources for teaching elementary languages to teachers across the country.

The World Language Teacher of the Year award honors a Maine educator who has achieved outstanding results in teaching modern or classical languages. Other nominees for the award were: Traci Sorti, RSU 29; Jonna Bouré, Caribou High School; and Deb Backman, Cony High School.

The Maine English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Teacher of the Year award was also presented this year for the first time. The new award is co-sponsored by FLAME and the Maine Department of Education and honors outstanding ESOL educators in Maine.

This year’s ESOL Teacher of the Year is Elena Sullivan. Elena currently coordinates Augusta’s K-12 ESOL program and teaches at Cony Middle/High School. She has dedicated 31 years to teaching, both as a Spanish teacher and as an ESOL teacher. Elena’s leadership is evident in her willingness to serve her community and advocate fiercely for language education at the state level as a member of the FLAME Board and incoming president and at the national level in Washington through the Joint National Committee for Languages – National Council for Languages and International Studies. She has forged strong connections with the families of her students, supporting them as they transition to life in Augusta. Focused on equity for English learners, Elena works closely with content area teachers to ensure they are equipped with effective ESOL strategies.

In addition to FLAME’s Teacher of the Year Awards, they also presented the Student Recognition Award to Thomas Wheeler, a student at Orono High School. Thomas is an exceptional student of both French and Spanish. He jumped into French III as an 8th grader, earned his Maine Seal of Biliteracy in French in 10th grade, and won a silver medal in the Grand Concours, ranking 8th nationally. After completing all possible French courses, Thomas then moved to Spanish. He has already earned a silver medal on the National Spanish Exam and hopes to qualify for Maine’s Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish too. Thomas has a heart for service as well, most notably volunteering with CISV (formerly known as Children’s International Summer Villages), a youth organization to develop peace around the world.

The Maine Department of Education in joins FLAME in honoring the hard work and dedication of these amazing honorees.

For more information about FLAME or the awards, please visit: http://www.maineforeignlanguage.org/

MEDIA RELEASE: 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.

In its eighth year, the annual Custodian of the Year contest honors custodians for their exemplary work in schools across the nation. The school custodian with the most votes will be named Custodian of the Year and will receive a $10,000 cash prize, along with products and services for their school, a comprehensive training and development package, and enrollment in the GBAC Fundamentals Online Course that teaches cleaning professionals to prepare for, respond to and recover from biohazards in the workplace, from the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a Division of ISSA.

In nominating Colello for the contest, OAES Principal Beverly Stevens described her as outstanding. “Miss Donna works tirelessly every day and always brings a smile to all students and staff,” Stevens wrote. “What started as a job 25 years ago to support herself and newborn child, then flourished into a dedicated and fulfilling career where she goes out of her way to help students build up their self-confidence and help those in need. She’s meticulous in her level of higher cleaning techniques and standards, and takes great pride and care in the work she and her team accomplishes. Donna is an integral part of the Ocean Avenue Elementary community and is the one that both staff and students rely on the most.”

Stevens praised Colello’s impressive work ethic. “Donna is always one-step ahead, knowing not only what to do next, but what is coming up over the next few months. For two years in a row, 100% of the teaching staff rated the building clean and orderly on the climate survey,” Stevens wrote. “She does side-by-side training on best practices for cleaning the school and keeping our equipment maintained. She is passionate about her team and keeping our building healthy, secure, and looking top-notch. Donna is thoughtful, kind, and puts students, staff, and safety at the core of her work. She is an ethical compass, and leads by example. Donna has created and maintained lasting connections to everyone in the Portland Public Schools and city community, including parents and neighborhood groups. Donna’s mantra is: ‘We’re doing it for the kids.’”

“Donna Colello is one of the most respected, hardworking custodians in the district. We are so grateful to Donna for her dedicated service to our students and staff,” said Superintendent Xavier Botana. “She goes above and beyond at Ocean Avenue School and she also is a leader in the district. This past summer, she volunteered to serve on the district’s custodial ‘Tiger Team,’ working to figure out how to best keep our school buildings safe during the pandemic. In our eyes, Donna already is a winner, but I encourage everyone to vote for her to come out on top in this national contest and receive the recognition of which she is so worthy.”

Cintas Marketing Manager Christiny Betsch said in a statement: “With over 2,000 deserving nominations, it was difficult choosing only 10 finalists. This contest shows us that custodians are much more than cleaners. They’re true role models who go above and beyond to have a positive impact on students, faculty, teachers and communities across the U.S.”

The nine other finalists are Christopher Bowman (Ohio); Bobbi Sue Burbey (Wisconsin); Robert Buster (Colorado); Francesco Catalano (Illinois); Charles Harris (Georgia); Mike Heiry (Pennsylvania); Edward Straub (South Carolina); Terry Tackett (Kentucky); and John Wheeler (Florida).

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Mt. Ararat High School French Teacher Given International Recognition

An impressive honor has been bestowed upon deserving Maine educator Nathalie Gorey, a French teacher at Mt. Ararat High School in Topsham. For her many years of leadership and commitment to promoting French language and culture through education, Nathalie has been named a Chevalier-Knight- in the Ordre des Palmes Académiques (French for “Order of Academic Palms”).

“It really came as a surprise,” said Nathalie after finding out that she had been recommended for the award by the French Consul’s staff in Boston, who know her work as an advocate and a teacher of French language and culture.

The Ordre des Palmes Académiques, originally established in 1808 by Emperor Napoleon, is an Order of Chivalry of France bestowed by the French Republic to academics and cultural and educational figures. The recognition honors major contributions to French national education and culture by French expatriates who expand French culture throughout the rest of the world.

Born and raised in Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa, and France, Nathalie’s heritage is one of the most influential factors in her desire to share the French language and culture with students. She got her first taste for teaching French during the last year of earning her Master’s degree, when she travelled abroad from the University of Angers, France to the University of Limerick, Ireland and worked a part-time job at the local Alliance Française, an after-school program where she taught French to Irish kids.

“I love sharing my native language with students, a language which makes up a third of the English language,” said Nathalie. “I went to school studying three foreign languages, so I know how valuable it is to learn and communicate in a second language and discover other cultures.”

After returning to France and graduating, she took a rare opportunity through a partnership between her university in France and the University of Maine System to travel to Maine and spend a year as a teaching assistant at the University of Maine at Machias (UMM), where she helped start and grow a vibrant French program while immersing herself in American and Maine life.

What started out as a one-year assignment turned into a successful professional choice that developed into a long-term teaching career, and prompted her to start a family and relocate to Maine permanently.

“I am passionate about teaching about the Francophone world, opening students’ minds to other lands and cultures,” said Nathalie. “That is what is great about teaching a language – you get to also teach geography, history, art, literature, music, literature, and cooking,” she added.

Nathalie has nearly three decades of French teaching under her belt at both UMM and UMA, and through other secondary French teaching positions in Maine, including her current position at Mt. Ararat High School.

“Some rewarding aspects have been seeing students go on with French studies in college, even become a French teacher as a career,” explained Nathalie. “ Or teaching about the Acadian history in Maine and seeing my students understand the background of their own ancestors!”. And she added, “Taking students on trips to Quebec or France is also very rewarding, seeing the kids applying their skills and making those connections to what they have been learning in class, with the language and culture”.

Outside of school, she is the Maine chapter president of the AATF (American Association of Teachers of French), representing Maine teachers through their professional organization. She also serves on the Advisory Board of the Alliance Française du Maine as their pedagogical coordinator, and advises them on their cultural events among other things. Nathalie has also been very active in the arrival and settling of French-speaking African immigrants in Maine over the past four years, serving as the French translator for the Maine-based African newspaper Amjambo Africa!.

“I feel like Maine is the perfect place to also make connections, with the Franco-American heritage and the renaissance of French thanks to the African immigrants,” said Nathalie.

Plans for a formal recognition event and ceremony are in the works for this coming fall, following COVID-19 safety measures. In the meantime, Nathalie has received an official letter of recognition from the French Embassy and a medal honoring her lifetime efforts to promote French culture and language all over the world.

The Maine Department of Education congratulates Nathalie Gorey for her tireless efforts as a world language educator, as an advocate for French culture, language and teachers, and for this well-deserved, prestigious award honoring her hard work and continued advocacy.

MEDIA RELEASE: Maine Students Selected for United States Senate Youth Program

Students to Participate in the First Online Program and to Receive $10,000 Scholarship

The United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) announces that high school students Mr. Iann Leigh and Mr. Hilton Scott Petersen will join Senator Susan M. Collins and Senator Angus S. King in representing Maine during the 59th annual USSYP Washington Week, to be held March 14 — 17, 2021. Iann Leigh of Bangor and Hilton Petersen of Nobleboro were selected from among the state’s top student leaders to be part of the 104 national student delegation who will each also receive a $10,000 college scholarship for undergraduate study. Due to the pandemic, the 2021 program will break ground as the first-ever fully virtual Washington Week, and is designed to be a highly interactive and exciting education and leadership forum for the nation’s most outstanding student leaders. During the program week, the student delegates will attend online meetings and briefings with senators, the president, a justice of the Supreme Court, leaders of cabinet agencies and senior members of the national media, among others.

Iann Leigh, a junior at Bangor High School, serves as a representative to the Student Council and secretary of the Class Council. He started his leadership career as a Boy Scout senior patrol leader where he organized multiple service projects for area causes. Iann has served as manager of a state senate campaign and has interned for political campaigns for the Maine Republican Party. A member of his school’s debate team where he won the junior varsity state champion award in 2020, Iann has successfully coached new members to ensure their success. (Photo curtesy of Bangor School Department)

Scott Petersen, a senior at Lincoln Academy, serves as president of the Senior Class, was appointed co-captain of the debate team for both the state champion 2019 team and State runner-up 2020 team, and has been an individual debate national qualifier. In addition to debate activities, Scott is an award-winning speaker with his local Rotary organization, leads the Alpha Gamma service fraternity as co-president, serves as a member of the National Honor Society, and is a three-time recipient of Lincoln Academy’s English Award. Scott volunteers at local food pantries, the town of Nobleboro’s summer festival, and at a local nature preserve. He has studied Spanish abroad, plays five instruments, has starred in past musical productions and has played varsity tennis. Scott plans to continue his studies of economics, politics, and policy at Brown University next year. (Photo curtesy of Aria Tan)

Chosen as alternates to the 2021 program were Mr. Joseph Labrie, a resident of Cape Elizabeth, who attends Cape Elizabeth High School and Mr. Zachary Whiting, a resident of Cumberland, who attends Greely High School.

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.”

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. To learn more about USSYP in Maine, check out https://www.maine.gov/doe/learning/content/social/USSYP

PRIORITY NOTICE: There is Still Time to Nominate Maine Schools to Win a New Fitness Center

Maine has been selected to participate in the 2021 DON’T QUIT! Campaign, a national effort to encourage physical fitness in youth. As part of the campaign, the National Foundation for Governors’ Fitness Councils (NFGFC) will gift Fitness Centers to three Maine schools that use new and unique methods to promote student physical activity and wellness to help them construct fitness centers. Read the 2/8 DON’T QUIT! Campaign announcement here.

All public and public charter elementary and middle schools in Maine who have a majority of students between the ages of 8 to 14 years old and an available room ready for equipment installation by June 2021 within their existing infrastructure are eligible to apply. Three schools in each state, prioritized based on need, will be chosen from applicants by NFGFC to receive a brand new, state-of-the-art DON’T QUIT! Fitness Center.

Download Application to Nominate a Maine School

Learn more information about the program.

Each fitness center is financed through public/private partnerships with companies like The Coca-Cola Company, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, Wheels Up and Nike, and does not rely on taxpayer dollars or state funding. Fitness in Motion provides all the fitness equipment, which is manufactured in the United States.

Physical activity and exercise are shown to help prevent and treat more than 40 chronic diseases, enhance individual health and quality of life, and reduce health care costs. In schools, studies show that physical activity improves academic achievement, increases confidence and self-esteem, reduces discipline problems, cuts absenteeism, and fosters better interpersonal relationships.

School nominations will be accepted starting today, Monday, February 8, 2021 until Friday, March 19, 2021. Maine people interested in nominating their school can visit https://natgovfit.org/nominate-your-school/ and click on the Maine state seal to download and submit the short application.

More information about the program can be found here.

PRIORITY NOTICE: Maine DOE Joins NewsCenter Maine to Thank School Staff and Educators Through Video Messages from Across the State

The Maine Department of Education is excited to be working with News Center Maine on a two-week campaign that aims to give Maine schools staff and teachers the giant shout out and thank you they deserve.

With Valentine’s Day and the national #LoveTeaching week just around the corner, the Maine DOE and News Center Maine have formed a unique partnership to broadcast video messages from schools across Maine showcasing the amazing heroes that work in our local schools and districts.

From February 7^th through February 21^th, WCSH 6/WLBZ 2 has launched a Thank You campaign that will air as video clips during both their morning and evening news broadcasts. The video clips feature a broad range of school and district staff, working in schools in all regions of Maine, talking about where they work and why they love what they do.

During the campaign, News Center Maine will also be soliciting videos from community members across Maine talking about their local teachers and school staff members, thanking them for all their hard work. Students and their families, as well as fellow educators, are encouraged to give a video shout out to say “Thank you!” and send along to NewsCenter Maine. One can share video by:

Using the Near ME tool of their mobile app
Texting them at 207-828-6622
Posting them on social media and using the hashtag #LoveSchoolStaff.

Be sure to tune into News Center Maine, WCSH 6/WLBZ 2 now through February 21^st to see the faces of the amazing people working to educate the youth in our state and hear from students and families who are sending in their messages of appreciation. Maybe you will even see someone from a school near you! A library of videos is available on the NewsCenter Maine website.

MEDIA RELEASE: Maine Celebrates School Counselor Week by Announcing 2021 Maine School Counselor of the Year

The Maine Department of Education joins the Maine School Counselor Association (MESCA) in celebrating National School Counseling Week Feb. 1-5, 2021. National School Counseling Week honors and celebrate the contributions of school counselors and highlights the tremendous impact they have in helping students achieve school success.

In a timely announcement by MESCA, the 2021 Maine School Counselor of the Year was recently named at a surprise virtual ceremony. Kim Raymond, the School Counselor at Leroy H. Smith School in RSU 22 was honored as the 2021 Maine School Counselor of the Year. The Maine School Counselor of the Year Award is a program of MESCA that honors school counselors who are running a top-notch, comprehensive school counseling program at either the elementary, middle or high school level.

“My goal is and always has been to help all students know how much they matter every day.” said Mrs. Raymond. “School counselors make a difference in the lives of students. I’m thankful that I have a career that I love that impacts students in a positive way.”

Mrs. Raymond graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 2004 from the University of Maine and obtained her master’s degree in counselor education in 2006. She has been working as a school counselor for the last ten years, six of which have been in a Pre-K through 8th grade school in Etna before she started working for RSU 22 in 2012.

With a strong passion for working with children and helping others, Mrs. Raymond is also the advisor of Smith School’s Civil Rights team, works as a cheerleading official, and sits on the Maine School Counselor’s Association’s Board of Directors. When she not at school, she enjoys spending time outside, reading and writing stories and poetry, and spending time with her husband and two young daughters.

“What makes her an outstanding candidate for this award is her infectious enthusiasm,” said Mrs. Patterson, a Kindergarten Teacher and colleague of Mrs. Raymond. “Mrs. Raymond doesn’t hesitate to throw on a school mascot costume to engage students in an assembly or lead the school in a cheer.”

“Kim is the kind of School Counselor that all schools need,” said Melissa Davis, a parent and community member. “She makes our school a place where children feel safe, loved, and supported.”

“She is more than a school counselor, she is a change agent,” said Smith School Principal Mrs. Moore.

In the year ahead, Mrs. Raymond will have several speaking engagements, event appearances, and will be invited to a formal Gala in Washington, DC in Winter, 2022 as well as honored at the American School Counseling Conference in Austin, Texas in Summer, 2022.

National School Counseling Week is always celebrated annually the first full week in February. This year The Maine School Counselor Association has events planned From February 1 through February 5 to celebrate National School Counseling week. For more information view Maine School Counselor Week Events on their website.

Seeking Nominations for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Teacher of the Year Award

The Maine Department of Education and the Foreign Language Association of Maine (FLAME) are now accepting nominations for the 2021 English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Teacher of the Year! Submit nominations by February 12th, 2021 through this online form.

This is the first time this award will be offered, co-sponsored by these two organizations. The award will be presented at the FLAME Conference, which is to be held virtually this year on March 12th and 13th.

The winner of the ESOL Teacher of the Year award will be recognized for excellence in leadership, advocacy, teaching methods, and family & community engagement.

If you have any questions, contact April Perkins, World Languages & ESOL Specialist at april.perkins@maine.gov.

Oak Hill High School Honors Student Nominated for The Congress of Future Medical Leaders

Kyleigh Hyde, a Junior at Oak Hill High School of Wales has been nominated to be a Delegate to the Congress of Future Medical Leaders. The Congress is an honors-only program for high school students who want to become physicians or go into medical research fields and aims to honor, inspire, motivate and direct the top students in the country interested in these careers, to stay true to their dream and, after the event, to provide a path, plan and resources to help them reach their goal.

Kyleigh’s nomination was signed by Dr. Mario Capecchi, winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine and the Science Director of the National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists to represent Maine based on her academic achievement, leadership potential and determination to serve humanity in the field of medicine.

Kyleigh is slated to join students from across the country for a two day event in March to hear Nobel Laureates and National Medal of Science Winners talk about leading medical research; be given advice from Ivy League and top medical school deans on what to expect in medical school; witness stories told by patients who are living medical miracles; be inspired by fellow teen medical science prodigies; and learn about cutting-edge advances and the future in medicine and medical technology.

Some of the services and programs the Academy offers are online social networks through which future doctors and medical scientists can communicate; opportunities for students to be guided and mentored by physicians and medical students; and communications for parents and students on college acceptance and finances, skills acquisition, internships, career guidance and much more.

The National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists was founded to identify prospective medical talent at the earliest possible age and help them acquire the necessary experience and skills to take them to the doorstep of this vital career by offering free services and programs to students who want to become physicians or go into medical science.. For more information visit http://www.FutureDocs.com or call 617-307-7425.