The Maine Department of Education (DOE), in partnership with Little Kids Rock, today announced the selection of 10 Maine school districts who will be awarded instruments and resources necessary to run modern band programs in their schools.

This project, Maine Kids Rock!, is a pilot program developed between the Maine DOE and Little Kids Rock, a national nonprofit that is dedicated to building a world where kids can live rich, purposeful lives by ensuring that all public school children have the opportunity to unlock their inner music makers.

The selected schools are:

• Central Community Elementary School, RSU 64
• Crescent Park and Woodstock Elementary Schools, RSU 44
• East End Community School, Portland Public Schools
• Houlton Middle/High School, RSU 29
• Katahdin Elementary, Middle and High Schools, RSU 50
• Medway Middle School, Medway School Department
• Meroby and Rumford Elementary Schools, RSU 10
• Penobscot Valley High School, RSU31
• Troy Howard Middle School, RSU 71
• Waterville Senior High School, AOS 92

Schools were chosen by review teams who scored applications based on need, sustainability, and quality of proposed programing. In order to be eligible for the pilot, school districts must serve 50% or more free or reduced lunch to eligible students, and agree to offer modern band during the 2017-2018 school year, taught by a certified music teachers.

 

Falmouth Middle School, Reeds Brook Middle School in Hampden, and Sea Road School in Kennebunk were among the 329 public and private schools across the country this week named 2016 National Blue Ribbon Schools by U.S. Department of Education Secretary John King.

All three Maine schools were honored as “Exemplary High Performing Schools.”

“To be named a National Blue Ribbon School, schools must meet strict criteria, and these three Maine schools deserve great credit for their dedication to the mission of educating our children. I commend the educators, parents, and students who all work to make these schools such proud examples of excellence in the state of Maine,” said Deputy Commissioner of Education William Beardsley.

The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools where students either achieve very high learning standards or are making notable improvements in closing the achievement gap.  The award affirms the hard work of students, educators, families and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging content.

More information about the National Blue Ribbon Schools program can be found at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/index.html.