Category: Awards and Honors

MEDIA RELEASE: Bonny Eagle Middle School Nurse Named 2020/2021 School Nurse of the Year

The Maine Association of School Nurses (MASN) recently announced that Donna Jordan from Bonny Eagle Middle School is the 2020/2021 Maine School Nurse of the Year. This award acknowledges a member of the MASN who demonstrates excellence in school nursing practice, and leadership in the profession.

“Our School Nurses are true heroes, and work tirelessly to ensure the health and safety of everyone in their school community,” said Maine DOE Commissioner Pender Makin. ” Congratulations to Mrs. Jordan on this tremendous honor, in a time that is so very demanding of school nurses in particular.”

Mrs. Jordan started her school nursing career 15 years ago at Bonny Eagle Middle School and continues to work there today. She is a trusted medical figure within her middle school community – not just among students, but also among staff. She has been described by one colleague as the “staple health professional” in a building of over 800 students and 100 staff members. Her school principal describes her as “a true professional who brings all she is to her position.”

In her career at Bonny Eagle Middle School, Mrs. Jordan has worked tirelessly as a champion for multiple causes. Her influence at the school and within the district is seen through committee appointments at the local and state level, in her training and educational roles, and as the recipient of several funded grants. She maintains professional membership in both the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) and the Maine Association of School Nurses (MASN) and has served on the board of MASN for the past five years as treasurer. As one supporter stated, “she is a natural born leader…perceptive, caring, extremely bright, and always willing to go the extra mile for her school children and for her peers.”

“I am so proud of the way school nurses have taken on the incredible challenges of the Coronavirus,” added Makin. “Their knowledge, experience, and grace has been vital to the emergency preparedness partnerships in Maine schools across the state.”

For more information about past School Nurses of the Year, or how to nominate someone in your school community, visit the MASN website.

 

Educators Honored at Unique Teacher of the Year Tailgate Gala

The Maine Teacher of the Year Program hosted a unique celebration this year to honor its 2020 Maine County Teachers of the Year and the 2021 Maine Teacher of the Year. With COVID-19 health protocols in mind, the innovative team of people behind Maine’s Teacher of the Year Program planned a safe, in-person tailgate event this year in place of the traditional indoor evening gala.

Hosted in Lewiston at an outdoor event at Geiger, a longtime supporter of the Maine Teacher of the Year Program, the celebration featured lunch provided by Lewiston Regional Technical Center’s Green Ladle Food Truck, a socially distanced awards ceremony, and remarks (both in-person and recorded) from partners, supporters, and 2020 Maine Teacher of the Year Heather Whitaker. Event attendees included the 2020 Maine County Teachers of the Year and Maine’s 2021 Teacher of the Year Cindy Soule, who were each accompanied by members of their family.

The event was made possible by the impeccable planning of Educate Maine and the program’s generous sponsors: Bangor Savings Bank, Dead River, Geiger, Hannaford, the Maine State Lottery, Unum and the Silvernail Family.

Staff from the Maine Department of Education, including Commissioner Pender Makin, were also present, along with Secretary of State Mathew Dunlap. Honoring an annual tradition, Secretary Dunlap graciously presented Maine’s signature license plate to the 2021 Teacher of the Year.

 

Representatives from the Maine Teacher of the Year Association, legacy County and Maine Teachers of the Year, and members of the Maine State Board were also there to celebrate and honor their fellow awardees.

Attendees adhered to state COVID-19 safety requirements by keeping socially distanced and wearing face coverings. Additional protocols were implemented to ensure a safe event for all. As was stated by several speakers at the event, in a year that has been very different in many ways, all were grateful for the opportunity to come together, in-person, to celebrate and honor Maine’s outstanding teachers!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeTZckT_IjQ

U.S. DOE Seeks Maine Educators for National School Ambassador Fellowship

The U.S. Department of Education’s School Ambassador Fellowship application window for the 2021-2022 cohort is now open.

Applications are being accepted through Monday, January 11, 2021.

This opportunity is for school-based educators. The Fellowship is designed to improve educational outcomes for students by leveraging the expertise of school-based practitioners in the creation, dissemination, and evaluation of national education policy. Founded on the principles of partnership, collaboration and cooperation with school-based educators, the Fellowship seeks to:

  • Create a community of teachers, administrators, counselors, psychologists, social workers, and other school staff members who share their expertise with one another and collaborate with Department of Education leaders on issues important to students and educators nationwide.
  • Involve practicing educators in developing policies that holistically affect learning environments.
  • Highlight practitioners’ voices and expand educators’ critical leadership at the local, state, and national levels.
  • The School Ambassador Fellowship offers two separate year-long tracks: full-time and part-time. The full-time appointment is based at the Department of Education Headquarters in Washington, DC; and the part-time fellowship enables educators to collaborate with the Department while maintaining their regular school responsibilities in their home communities.
    To be eligible for the School Ambassador Fellowship program, participants must:
  • Be a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident.
  • Currently be a teacher, administrator, counselor, social worker, or other school staff member (and anticipate being employed in this role during the 2021 – 2022 school year).
  • Be employed by a traditional public, charter, private, virtual, military (DoDEA), or tribal (BIE) school that serves any grade, preschool through twelfth.
  • Have at least five years of experience in his/her role, up to and including the current school year.
  • Have daily interaction with students and/or educators in his/her school/district role.

Ideal candidates for this program are educators from public, charter, independent, magnet, parochial schools, etc. who have made significant contributions to student learning and culture, can effectively communicate to a variety of internal and external education stakeholders, and can promote excellence in education through their collaboration and leadership capabilities.

The deadline to apply for the 2021 – 2022 School Ambassador Fellowship is Monday, January 11, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. Program and application submission information can be found at the School Ambassador Fellowship Website.

Have Questions About the School Ambassador Fellowship? Contact the School Ambassador Fellowship program office at SAF@ed.gov.

Gorham Middle School Music Educator a Semifinalists for GRAMMY Association’s Music Educator of the Year Award

Tracy Williamson, music educator at Gorham Middle School, has been selected as 1-of-25 semifinalists for the GRAMMY Association’s Music Educator of the Year. A total of 25 music teachers from 24 cities across 16 states, have been announced as semifinalists, selected from more than 1,989 initial nominations submitted from all 50 states

The Music Educator Award recognizes current educators who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education and who demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools. The recipient will be recognized during GRAMMY Week 2021.

The award is open to current U.S. music teachers, and anyone can nominate a teacher — students, parents, friends, colleagues, community members, school deans, and administrators.

Each year, one recipient is selected from 10 finalists and recognized for their remarkable impact on students’ lives. They will receive a $10,000 honorarium and matching grant for their school’s music program. The nine additional finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium and matching grants. The remaining fifteen semifinalists will receive a $500 honorarium with matching school grants.

The matching grants provided to the schools are made possible by the generosity and support of the GRAMMY Museum’s Education Champion Ford Motor Company Fund. In addition, the American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, NAMM Foundation, and National Education Association support this program through outreach to their constituencies.

The finalists will be announced in December, and nominations for the 2022 Music Educator Award are now open.   To nominate a music educator, or to find more information, please visit www.grammymusicteacher.com.

See a full list of educator selected nation-wide.

This story is part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success campaign. To submit a story or an idea email it to Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

MEDIA RELEASE: ‘The Learning Space’ a Finalist for National Award; Virtual Announcement to Take Place Tomorrow! 

Maine’s very own educational success story, The Learning Space is one of 5 finalists for a national public media contest, “Local That Works.” Finalists will be celebrated and a winner will be chosen this Thursday, Oct. 22 at 2pm, during an hour long online festival that is open to the public! 

In the Spring of 2020 when COVID-19 spread across the country, forcing schools to provide education remotely, Maine Public, the Maine Department of Education, and Educate Maine joined forces to create original, educational programming for students in Grades 3 through 5. Dedicated teachers from across Maine developed original video lessons, pulling content from their own lesson plans and sources to provide exceptional learning opportunities for Maine students.  

The Learning Space project is now in competition with four other impressive examples of public service, including shops like KQED and Detroit Public TV, for a $20,000 prize. 

During the festival, attendees will be treated to a ten-minute highlight video of The Learning Space, as well as video stories from the other four finalists. This will be where Maine ‘makes the case’ for the Learning Space to a panel of voters! Tickets to attend this event virtually are free, but participants need to register here! Please join us in celebrating and supporting Maine’s outstanding education community!  

The Learning Space was broadcast on Maine Public from April through mid-June. For more information about the Learning Space including archived episodes, visit Maine Public’s website. 

 

 

Students, Parents, and Schools Celebrate School Bus Driver Appreciation Week Oct. 19-23

Nationally, while school buses are the gold standard of safety and considered the Titans of Transportation, school bus drivers are the heroes of safety that go above and beyond the call of duty as they deliver the most precious cargo – our students.

Locally, parents, students, teachers, and superintendents celebrate National School Bus Driver Appreciation Week by showing appreciation for school bus drivers that build local community, make special deliveries, arrive in early hours, help students in need, focus on safety, and more.  School staff and parents make special cards, deliver special snacks, talk with drivers about how much their commitment to student safety means to families, schools, and the community, and learn about a day in the life of a school bus driver. School district transportation directors celebrate National School Bus Driver Appreciation Week by providing driver safety training at the district. This is a time for celebrating school bus drivers.

Historically, Maine schools celebrate School Bus Driver Appreciation Week during National School Bus Safety Week which occurs annually during the third week in October. It is a time for Mainers to reflect upon the outstanding job performance of our school bus drivers who transport students to and from school and school related events throughout the year traveling over 30 million miles of urban and rural roads. In Maine about 80 percent of students ride the school bus which is much higher than the national average of 50 percent.

We welcome you to share stories about your Maine school bus driver heroes of safety on the Maine DOE social media on Facebook @MaineDepartmentofEducation1 and/or Twitter @mdoenews.  Here are some historic examples of Maine school bus driver heroes of safety:

School bus drivers receive extensive driver and safety training to provide the essential service of school transportation. They are responsible for conserving the comfort, safety, and welfare of students they transport. Should a critical incident occur that requires student relocation, school bus drivers will be called on to deliver students to a safe haven.

For information about school transportation policy contact Transportation and Facilities Administrator Pat Hinckley at pat.hinckley@maine.gov .

For information about how to become a school bus driver contact the Maine Association for Pupil Transportation (MAPT) http://www.maptme.org/

MEDIA RELEASE: UTC Business Leadership Instructor Named CTE Teacher of the Year

Amanda Peterson, the Business Leadership Instructor at United Technologies Center (UTC) in Bangor has been named the 2020 Maine Career and Technical Education (CTE) Teacher of the Year by the Maine Administrators of Career and Technical Education (MACTE). Mrs. P, as her students call her, was honored by Maine Department of Education (DOE) Commissioner Pender Makin and Maine Community College System President David Daigler at the annual MACTE conference which was held virtually on October 8th.

(Pictured: Amanda Peterson poses for photos with her family members after being honored.)

 

“This is a period in our history where educators of exceptional character are extra important,” said Commissioner Makin in her remarks honoring Peterson. “Students all crave stability and hope, a reason to believe in their own future. Having your teacher demonstrate clearly and consistently that they care and believe in you is priceless.”

Known for her ability to blend an extraordinary set of abilities in an effort to cater to each and every student, Mrs. P thoughtfully taps into each student’s uniqueness, talents, and dreams by celebrating and them and helping them to confidently grow into their best selves.  She transforms individuals often filled with self-doubt and uncertainty, to individuals who demonstrate self-confidence and direction.

During his remarks, MCCS President Daigler spoke about Mrs. P’s efforts to develop a robust CTE Business program for UTC that helps students earn college credit. “Currently Ms. Peterson offers 12 EMCC Business courses and additional courses from 2 other Maine higher education institutions, bringing her total course offerings to 14 college courses or 42 college credits.  Delivering a demanding college level curriculum to high school students is challenging.  Having over 90% complete with A’s and B’s based on locked 3rd party and college summative assessments is phenomenal. This level of learning, with students widely becoming able to reach and function in Bloom’s Quadrant D, occurs because of her dedication, belief system, and understanding of experiential education.”

Maine Administrators of Career and Technical Education (MACTE) administers the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Teacher of the Year Award, which recognizes teachers who are providing outstanding career and technical education programs for youth and/or adults in their respective fields and communities.

Peterson has a Master’s of Science in Education and a Bachelor’s of Science in Business from Husson University and an Associate Degree in Business Administration from Thomas College. She has 25+ years working in a family small business, (farming, restaurants, general stores), in addition several years in industrial education experience, instructing, banking, IT support, finance, and small business ownership. Peterson is a certified Maine CTE instructor in Business Education, Information Technology and Cooperative Industrial Training.

 

###

MEDIA RELEASE: Maine State Board of Education Chairman Wilson G. Hess Receives National Public Service Award

The National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) today announced that Maine State Board of Education Chairman Wilson G. Hess is one of three  national recipients of NASBE’s 2020 Distinguished Service Award. This national award honors current and former state board members who have made exceptional contributions to education. It is given to three outstanding leaders each year and is the highest award NASBE can bestow on a state board of education member.

Wilson G. Hess is chairman of the Maine State Board of Education. A member of the board’s Legislative Action Committee, he excels in building relationships with local, regional, and state legislators. Hess has been particularly instrumental in ushering in policies on higher education, career and technical education, school construction, and expanded internet access.

“He is a tireless educator who does not sit on the sidelines,” said board colleague Fern Desjardins, who nominated Hess. “Wilson was in constant contact with the Department of Education and other legislators this year on CTE matters and expanding broadband access to rural communities. Both initiatives received boosts in funding as a result of his efforts.”

Another board member, John Bird, notes of Wilson: “He enables me to be more effective [as a board member]. He understands the politics of education and the framework of education in Maine. He attends to details while focusing on a broader vision to make something better happen.”

Hess worked over 40 years in higher education, including more than 20 years as college president in private and two- and four-year public institutions. As president of the University of Maine at Fort Kent, Wilson instituted a series of successful online degrees and the state’s largest dual enrollment early college program. He is involved in several advisory councils, boards, and committees in higher education and countless other business, entrepreneurial, economic, and development initiatives. An active member of NASBE, Hess has served on the editorial advisory board since 2016.

“The 2020 Distinguished Service Award winners represent the very best in citizen leadership in America,” said NASBE President and CEO Robert Hull. “State boards of education remain a steadfast bastion of nonpartisan discourse and policymaking at its very best, and this year’s distinguished service awardees represent all that is good about that process. Strong proponents of stakeholder engagement, strategic planning, and a firm focus on equity are but a few of their stellar traits. Hats off to our 2020 Distinguished Service Awardees!”

Other award recipients were Dr. John Kelly, vice chair and previous chair of the Mississippi State Board of Education and Maria Gutierrez, the longest-serving member of the Guam Education Board.

The 2020 Distinguished Service Awards will be presented October 21 at NASBE’s virtual annual conference. Learn more about the conference.

NASBE serves as the only membership organization for state boards of education. A nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, NASBE elevates state board members’ voices in national and state policymaking, facilitates the exchange of informed ideas, and supports members in advancing equity and excellence in public education for students of all races, genders, and circumstances.

MEDIA RELEASE: Portland 4th Grade Teacher Named 2021 Maine Teacher of the Year

Cindy Soule, a 4th grade teacher at Gerald E. Talbot Community School has been named the 2021 Teacher of the Year by the Maine Department of Education’s Teacher of the Year Program.

In a unique, limited audience outdoor event held at the Gerald E. Talbot Community School in Portland, the Maine Department of Education and Educate Maine named fourth grade teacher Cindy Soule Maine’s 2021 Teacher of the Year. Students and colleagues at the school were able to watch the event via a live broadcast from their classrooms.

Cindy’s journey began in May, when she was named the 2020 County Teacher of the Year. Cindy, along with 15 other County Teachers of the Year, was selected from a pool of more than 300 teachers who were nominated earlier this year. In August, Cindy was named one of three state finalists before being named the 2021 Teacher of the Year.

“We are proud to announce that Cindy Soule is the 2021 Maine Teacher of the Year!” Said Heather Whitaker, 2020 Maine Teacher of the Year and member of the Teacher of the Year State Review Panel, “Cindy has been a dedicated member of the Talbot School Community for 20 years. She is a life-long learner who is committed to the craft of teaching and building strong relationships with her students, colleagues, and community.  We will learn so much from her passion for teaching inquiry-based science and literacy!”

Cindy has an innate ability to create a learning community that disrupts the opportunity gap. For twenty of her twenty-one years of teaching, she has been committed to one of Maine’s most diverse schools, the Gerald E. Talbot Community School (formerly Riverton Elementary School), in Portland, Maine. Soule fosters a dynamic learning environment that inspires curiosity and citizenship in her fourth-grade students.

A lifelong resident of Maine, Cindy developed an appreciation for the natural world. This passion is evident in her teaching. She grounds learning in real world contexts and encourages students to construct scientific understanding through observation, questioning, and collaborative thinking.  Through inquiry and discourse, Soule empowers students to see themselves as meaningful contributors to their community. This work is recognized by her Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching candidacy.

Cindy contributes to a positive culture of collective efficacy where students thrive. To enrich student learning, she partners with community organizations to include Side X Side, the Maine Audubon, and the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance. She serves as a representative on the Portland Schools Literacy Committee, Talbot Leadership Team, Building Steering Committee, RTI Team, and Science Teams. On behalf of students, Soule is a recipient of Portland Education Foundation, TD Banknorth and DonorsChoose grants.

Cindy holds a Master of Science in Special Education from the University of Southern Maine and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from the University of Maine at Orono. A 2020 Funds for Teachers Fellow, she looks forward to continued professional discovery and learning.

Cindy was nominated in January by her colleague Brooke Teller, STEM Coordinator for Portland Public Schools and the 2017 Cumberland County Teacher of the Year.  Brooke shared in her nomination:

Cindy is an extraordinary teacher for many reasons.  Cindy has dedicated most of her nineteen years in education to the students of Riverton Elementary School.  At Riverton, she has been in the role of special educator, literacy coach and now pioneering science curriculum developer.  She told me that each time she is presented with a new initiative, she is ‘all in’, wanting to do whatever she can to benefit her students.  I can think of no better example of an extraordinary teacher than one that is always looking out for her students and on a continuous path for her own improvement.    In my role as Science Coach, I have been helping Riverton develop a science curriculum.  It will be the first comprehensive curriculum in the Portland Public School district.  Cindy has been a leader in this work.  This past summer she participated in a training from the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance.    Kate Cook, who facilitated the work had this to say about Cindy:  “I had the privilege of getting to know Cindy through a professional learning pathway focused on the Next Generation Science Standards.  In working with Cindy, it became immediately clear to me that she is an incredible educator for her students and an inspirational leader amongst her colleagues.  Cindy believes, fervently, in taking her students’ thinking seriously, helping every single student in her class progress, and in advancing critical and creative thinking.  Her belief in her students is infectious amongst her colleagues.  She has a zeal for continuing to advance her own learning and a deep passion for helping her students and colleagues learn that is refreshing, hopeful, and desperately needed in the teaching profession.

The Teacher of the Year Program is a year-long process that involves educator portfolio and resume submissions, interviews, oral presentations, and classroom visits made by a selection panel comprised of State Board of Education members, school administrators, Maine Department of Education staff, former Teachers of the Year, and other Maine business partners.

As the 2021 Maine Teacher of the Year, Cindy Soule will spend her year of service advocating for students and teachers and speaking to the importance of education in preparing Maine students for the future.  She will represent Maine in the National Teacher of the Year program.

The Maine Teacher of the Year program is administered by Educate Maine, a business-led advocacy organization, in partnership with the Maine Department of Education and the Maine State Board of Education. Funding for the program is generously provided by Maine businesses.  The program’s lead sponsor is Bangor Savings Bank.  Other program sponsors include Dead River, Geiger, Hannaford, the Maine State Lottery, Unum and the Silvernail Family.

For more information about the Maine Teacher of the Year program, visit www.mainetoy.org.

MEDIA RELEASE: Three Maine Schools Receive National Blue Ribbon School Honors

United States Department of Education (DOE) has recognized three Maine schools as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2020. The recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.

The following Maine schools were recognized:

Easton Elementary School, Easton School Department

Mary Snow Elementary School, Bangor School Department

Pond Cove Elementary School, Cape Elizabeth School Department

The National Blue Ribbon Schools award affirms the hard work of educators, families, and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging and engaging content. Now in its 38th year, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has recognized more than 9,000 schools.

U.S. DOE recognizes all schools in one of two performance categories, based on all student scores, student subgroup scores and graduation rates:

  • Exemplary High Performing Schools are among their state’s highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests.
  • Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools are among their state’s highest performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school’s student groups and all students.

Up to 420 schools may be nominated each year. The Department invites National Blue Ribbon School nominations from the top education official in all states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and the Bureau of Indian Education. Private schools are nominated by The Council for American Private Education (CAPE).

The 2020 National Blue Ribbon Schools Awards Ceremony will be held virtually Nov. 12 and 13 and they will each receive their plaques and flags via mail.

Photographs and brief descriptions of all 2020 National Blue Ribbon Schools are available at https://www.ed.gov/nationalblueribbonschools.