The Maine Department of Education (DOE) has launched a new statewide Computer Science Landscape Study to better understand how computer science, computational thinking, artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, and emerging technologies are currently being experienced in Maine schools. The Maine DOE has contacted Maine educators directly by email to request their participation in the study.
The goal of the Computer Science Landscape Study is to help ensure all Maine students have access to meaningful and engaging computer science learning experiences.
Computer science education can look very different from one Maine school to another. In some schools, students may take dedicated computer science courses. In others, coding, computational thinking, physical computing, AI, or cybersecurity may be integrated into science, mathematics, library, technology, career and technical education, or other learning experiences.
The Study will explore areas including computer science instruction and curriculum, access to hardware and physical computing, AI use and readiness, cybersecurity education, professional learning, educator confidence, school and district supports, and barriers that may impede the expansion of opportunities for students.
Findings will help the Maine DOE identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities across the state and make more informed decisions about future resources, professional learning, programs, partnerships, and supports for Maine schools. Understanding where computer science is not currently happening is just as important as understanding where it is.
The results will also contribute to Maine’s broader work to strengthen computer science education statewide, alongside the forthcoming updated Maine Computer Science State Plan and Maine Computer Science Integration Framework.
Questions about the Maine Computer Science Landscape Study or to inquire about participating, please reach out to Allison Braley, Computer Science Specialist, Maine Department of Education. To learn more about computer science in Maine, visit the Maine DOE website.
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is excited to announce the return of Pine Tree Programming, a statewide initiative that brings hands-on computer science learning to Maine students through engaging, after-school programming with micro:bits.
Now in its third year, Pine Tree Programming offers elementary and middle school students opportunities to explore coding, computational thinking, problem-solving, and physical computing in a fun and collaborative environment. Students work together to code, build, test ideas, and discover what they can create with technology.
Since its launch, Pine Tree Programming has continued to grow across the state from 44 clubs in its first year to 66 in its second, expanding computer science experiences in communities across Maine.
New This Year: Foundations and Explorations
For the 2026–2027 school year, Pine Tree Programming will offer two levels, creating opportunities for schools that are brand new to the program while giving returning participants new ways to continue building their skills.
Foundations (Level 1) is designed for schools and clubs that are new to Pine Tree Programming. Participating clubs will receive micro:bits and everything they need to complete six weeks of introductory programming activities. Foundations introduces students to coding and physical computing through approachable, hands-on challenges designed for beginners.
Explorations (Level 2) is designed for returning clubs, as well as coaches and students who already have experience using micro:bits. Explorations builds on those foundational skills with new challenges, additional hardware and accessories, and expanded opportunities for students to design, build, experiment, and create with physical computing.
Throughout the program, club coaches will receive resources and support from the Maine DOE, including weekly materials designed to make it easy to facilitate meaningful computer science experiences with students. No computer science teaching background is required to lead a Foundations club.
Learning Beyond the Club
While Pine Tree Programming is designed as an after-school program, the learning does not have to stop when the club meeting ends.
Participating schools receive equipment and resources that can also support computer science learning during the school day. Educators can continue using micro:bits and program materials to introduce coding and physical computing in classrooms, integrate technology into other content areas, or provide additional hands-on learning opportunities for students.
This allows Pine Tree Programming to serve as both an engaging after-school experience and a starting point for schools seeking to expand access to computer science and physical computing throughout their learning community.
Six Weeks of Creating, Coding, and Exploring
Pine Tree Programming clubs will complete six sessions during the January 25–March 15, 2027, program window, providing flexibility for school schedules and February vacation.
Activities are designed to encourage students to learn through experimentation and creation. Along the way, students develop computer science skills while also practicing collaboration, creativity, persistence, and problem-solving.
Registration
Registration for the 2026–2027 Pine Tree Programming program is open through November 20, 2026.
Maine elementary and middle schools interested in starting a new Pine Tree Programming club or continuing their experience through Explorations can learn more and register using the following links:
Through Pine Tree Programming, the Maine DOE continues to expand opportunities for Maine students to experience computer science in meaningful, engaging, and hands-on ways—both after school and throughout the school day.
For more information or questions, please reach out to Maine DOE Computer Science Specialist Allison Braley at Allison.Braley@maine.gov.
Educators, administrators, community partners, industry leaders, and others invested in computer science education are invited to attend the Maine Computer Science Education Summit on Friday, November 6, 2026, at the Westin Portland Harborview.
This free, statewide event will bring together people from across Maine to connect, share perspectives, and explore how Maine can continue expanding access to meaningful, high-quality computer science education for all students.
As computer science education evolves across Maine, schools are exploring new approaches to computational thinking, artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, physical computing, and emerging technologies. This event brings these conversations together to explore how best to support students and communities.
Throughout the day, educators, school and district leaders, policymakers, industry representatives, higher education partners, and community stakeholders will have opportunities to learn from one another, explore Maine’s current computer science education landscape, and contribute their experiences and perspectives to conversations about where Maine goes next.
The goal is not only to share what is already happening, but to strengthen connections across organizations and communities and identify coordinated, actionable strategies that can support computer science education across the state.
The Summit is designed for anyone who has a role in creating opportunities for Maine students. By bringing these voices together, the Summit can help build a more complete picture of what computer science education looks like in Maine and what students, educators, schools, and communities need moving forward.
Event Details
Friday, November 6, 2026 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. The Westin Portland Harborview, Portland Free to attend $100 stipend available for educators
Learn more and register for the Maine Computer Science Education Summit using theevent website. Registration is required.
The summit is funded by the Harold Alfond Foundation through the STEM Workforce Ready 2030 project with support from the Maine Department of Education (DOE), the University of Maine, the Maine Mathematics & Science Alliance (MMSA), Educate Maine, and the Maine Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA).
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Learning Through Technology team is excited to announce the launch of the second year of Pine Tree Programming, a statewide initiative designed to expand access to high-quality computer science education. Building on a successful first year that introduced more than 500 students to coding across 44 schools, Pine Tree Programming is returning with even more opportunities for Maine students.
This year, the program will feature hands-on coding experiences using micro:bits, small programmable devices that make computer science interactive, creative, and accessible for learners of all backgrounds. Students in grades 3-8 will participate in six weeks of progressively sequenced activities, empowering them to explore coding concepts, solve problems, and create their own digital projects.
“Pine Tree Programming is all about making computer science fun and approachable,” Allison Braley, Maine DOE Computer Science Specialist, said. “By giving students the chance to learn through doing, we’re helping them to develop the confidence and skills they’ll carry into high school, careers, and beyond.”
Pine Tree Programming clubs will launch in February and run for six weeks, providing students across the state with an engaging introduction to computer science—with no prior experience necessary.
Additionally, the Learning Through Technology team is committed to equitable access for all participating schools. As part of the Pine Tree Programming club sign-up process, schools may request micro:bits, if access to devices would otherwise be a barrier to participation. Schools that are planning to do so must submit their requests by Friday, January 9, 2026, to allow time for shipping before clubs begin.
Schools that are interested in participating in Year Two of Pine Tree Programming, or in requesting micro:bits, can sign up using this form.
Join educators and students from across Maine for an afternoon of computer science fun at the Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) fourth annual Computer Science Education Showcase on December 12 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. This event is hosted by the Maine DOE, in partnership with Educate Maine, as part of the 2025 Educate Maine Annual Education Symposium.
The 2025 Computer Science Education Showcase will celebrate the educators, students, community organizations, and partners who are expanding access to and participation in computer science across the state.
Whether you’re new to computer science, curious about how it’s taught, or looking to connect with others who share your interest in technology learning—this event is for you! Experience hands-on demonstrations, student projects, and inspiring stories from classrooms and communities around Maine.
For a preview of what to expect, check out this article about the second annual Computer Science Education Showcase, which featured students and educators from 40 school administrative units (SAUs) who presented a variety of computer science education projects, including robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), 3D design, coding, augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR), data science, cybersecurity, and more.
For more information, please contact Maine DOE Computer Science Specialist Allison Braley at allison.braley@maine.gov.
Thanks to the Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) “Teach with Tech” grant, junior high students at Athens Community School are diving into computer science with hands-on lessons that incorporate Sphero BOLT robots.
Last year, Mrs. Luce, the Library/Media Specialist at Athens Community School, applied for this grant with a vision of sparking student interest in robotics and opening students’ eyes to the vast possibilities within the field of computer science. In the fall, the school received a set of 15 of these robots, which are now being used to launch exciting new computer science units for students in grades 5-8.
Athens eighth graders were the first to experience the magic of Sphero, starting with a fun and challenging activity: driving their robots through a maze using on-screen steering. From there, they advanced to the next level, learning to code their robots to navigate the maze independently. Students gained hands-on experience with block-based programming, mastering essential concepts such as parameters, conditionals, and loops. Through trial and error, as well as creative problem-solving and critical thinking, they wrote and tested their own code to overcome obstacles and guide their robots to success.
The excitement for robotics has proven to be contagious. As younger Athens students in the fifth, sixth, and seventh grade watched their older peers navigate these mazes, they couldn’t wait to get their own hands on the robots. This interactive nature of the robotics experience ignites curiosity and a passion for learning, leaving all students eager to try out programming for themselves. What has made this project at Athens Community School truly special is the collaborative learning environment it fosters. Students have had opportunities to share insights and learn from on another’s successes and failures, building community through teamwork.
Thanks to the comprehensive set of resources that Sphero provides—which includes a curriculum for multiple grade levels—Athens Community School is set to offer a rich, ongoing STEM education to students for years to come. Integrating robotics into the classroom not only helps students develop valuable coding skills; it also encourages them to think critically, collaborate with peers, and explore the limitless possibilities of the digital world.
This story was provided by Athens Community School. To submit good news to the Maine DOE, please fill out the Good News Submission form.
The Maine Department of Education (DOE), in partnership with Educate Maine, is hosting its third annual Computer Science Education Showcase as part of the 2024 Educate Maine Symposium in December!
Join the Maine DOE at this event for an afternoon of computer science fun and learning! The showcase highlights educators, students, community organizations, and other partners who are teaching, learning, and expanding access to and participation in computer science education statewide. Whether you’re new to computer science, aren’t sure what exactly computer science is, or want to learn more about the ways that computer science is taught across Maine—this is the event for you.
The Computer Science Education Showcase is scheduled for Friday, December 13 from 4-6 p.m. at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland. You can register here to attend. If you’re interested in exhibiting something you’re doing with computer science education, please fill out this brief form.
If you have questions or would like more information about the Computer Science Education Showcase, please reach out to Maine DOE Computer Science Specialist Allison Braley at allison.braley@maine.gov.
(Students use colored cards to tell robotic cars where to go.)
At Windsor Elementary and Middle School, students are passionate about innovation, and their librarian, Kristel Anuszewski, uses the mobile computer science labs funded by the Maine Department of Education (DOE) to support that passion. Anuszewski, Kennebec County’s 2024 Teacher of the Year, is the Librarian and STEM Educator for Windsor’s Learning Commons. On a Friday in late May, the Maine DOE visited as she taught coding skills to a first-grade class using indi cars from the Maine DOE’s Mobile Computer Science Lab program.
In 2022, the Maine DOE offered a grant for educators to apply for one of three mobile labs. Anuszewski chose the robotics and programming lab, with the other options being augmented and virtual reality and coding and hardware.
“We wanted to create a space where kids can be creative, they can be innovative, they can explore, and they can engineer,” said Anuszewski. The cart came with three learning tools for students: Sphero Indi Cars, Sphero BOLTs, and Merge Cubes.
Anuszewski used the Mobile Computer Science Labs to transform the library into a vibrant hub for innovation.
“I feel like it went from gray to this burst of color,” said Windsor Principal Heather Wilson. “She pulls out of the students different things that they’re interested in and shows them how technology can enhance that.”
At Windsor, the Learning Commons is designed to blend technology and traditional library lessons seamlessly. Anuszewski was brought on in 2019 to build out and run the program.
“We had this vision of it being called the Learning Commons and not the library because we wanted it to be more than books,” Wilson said. “We wanted it to be about technology, STEM, innovation, and fun. Before Kristal and the [Mobile Computer Science Labs], we viewed technology as one kind of tool, but it wasn’t interactive with the kids. Now, it’s a vibrant, interactive space that sparks creativity and engagement.”
Now, Learning Commons is bursting with color and sound. The moment students walk through the door, they are filled with curiosity. When Anuszewski tells her first-grade class about the day’s assignment, using the Lab’s indi cars for a lesson about Summer, the room fills with cheers.
“Kristel is an astoundingly intuitive teacher when it comes to building instruction around the STEM,” says Anuszewski’s teaching assistant, Ed Frankonis. “Students have developed immense teambuilding skills with each other thanks to the challenges presented by the coding-teaching technology tools.”
Students enthusiastically engage with Anuszewski’s indi Car assignment.
The indi cars Anuszewski used for the day’s lesson provide a hands-on coding experience using a built-in color sensor and interactive color-coded tiles. For more advanced learning, students can progress to simplified block coding options. In Anuszewski’s first-grade class, they stick to the color sensors.
“Students start out really young, with the directional coding, like the indi cars, and essentially, it’s, here’s where you’re starting, here’s where you’re ending, and what directions do you have to give your robot to be able to get them to where they need to be. So, it’s all about processing and logic,” explains Anuszewski. “Having [the Mobile Computer Science Labs] creates more opportunities. I never had anything that was color coded before, and for the kids who are still learning their lefts and rights, the colors help them flush out those concepts, all the while they are doing directional coding.”
For Pre-K through fifth grade, Anuszewski meets with each class twice a week, once for a traditional library lesson and then again for a STEM lesson. She ties these lessons together with a theme. Her Friday first graders have been learning about seasons, specifically summer. Earlier in the week, they read the book “Stuck” by Oliver Jeffers, a story about a boy whose kite is stuck in a tree and his attempts to knock it loose by throwing more objects up into the tree until it is full of stuck objects. For their following technology lesson, they are strategizing how to move their indi cars down a track to a summer object, like the ones from “Stuck.” To do so, they will have to use indi’s colored cards to tell the robot where to go.
The students pair off, each assigned to a specific section of the library where Anuszewski has laid masking tape tracks for them to lead their cars down. Frankonis goes to each group and lays out their special summer object at the end of the masking tape track.
“It’s hard, but it’s really fun,” said Nevada, one of Anuszewski’s first graders.
“You have to figure out what color to use,” explained another student named Landon. “Sometimes I get it wrong. I try again, though.”
Anuszewski teaches Windsor students up to eighth grade. Older students have more autonomy when it comes to the Learning Commons.
“So my middle school curriculum is very different from a traditional curriculum. I have what is called choice boards, so at the beginning of every month, I present between 12 and 14 choices for students in the areas of reading, technology, coding, engineering, and maker space,” explains Anuszewski. “So, within those headings are four different choices, at least, for students to be able to choose from. They pick the one area that they want to study for the month. There are clickable links that will take students to different places online, whether it’s instruction or the actual site, and they explore the subject independently and kind of prep themselves to be able to be successful with their choice.”
Every year, Anuszewski selects a team of middle school students to attend the Maine DOE’s Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) Student Conference at the University of Maine Orono (UMaine). She selects students who have shown an aptitude or particular interest in tech. This year, one of her Windsor Middle School students, Emry Michaels St. Ong, won a $1,000 scholarship for UMaine at the conference for a game design challenge.
“I got a scholarship to the University of Maine in Orono at the MLTI conference. I was playing an online game called Bloxels, and I won for creating a character based on one of my favorite teachers,” explained St. Ong.
For those unfamiliar, Bloxels is a game-building platform where players can create games their peers can play.
“At the conference, we would go to different blocks. In the Bloxel block, the presenter told us how to go in and make characters, then gave us time to play around with it,” continued St. Ong. “There was a competition for best character. I didn’t think I was going to win it at all. But Mr. Ed here in the library told us that you never know, just take your chance and you can get it. So, I submitted my character and won one of the scholarships.”
St. Ong stands in front of the Windsor’ Mobile Computer Science Labs.
Anuszewski mentions that game design is very popular for a lot of kids.
“They get to do it in the library during learning commons time,” she said. “But to be able to hear from another presenter, to be able to have that kind of college experience with someone who’s not your teacher is really, really cool for them.”
That being said, St. Ong credits Anuszewski with giving him the tools he needed to win: “She teaches you a lot of stuff that will not just help you in school but help you wherever you go. She has taught us to use our imaginations and to be creative.”
Regarding coding, St. Ong was able to learn more about himself as a learner by using the robots from the Mobile Computer Science Carts.
“I’ve learned I’m a visual learner, and I like to go off on my own to code,” St. Ong explained. His class uses the Sphero Bolt bots. Students like St. Ong will code the bot to move about a room independently. “I’ll code a [Sphero Bolt] a little bit, see where it ends up, and then I’ll use what I learned to change it. I love learning hands-on like that.”
Through programs like the Mobile Computer Science labs, educators like Anuszewski have the means to empower students to engage with technology from a young age, building skills that they will use for the rest of their lives.
“I don’t want kids to ever be afraid of technology. I feel like immersing them in the technology is one way to do that,” says Anuszewski. “If they want to seek a career, technology is going to be a part of that. I don’t ever want them to feel like they don’t understand tech or not pursue something they want because they’re too afraid of what they don’t know. I never want them to be scared to try something.”
The Mobile Computer Science Labs are a part of Maine Teaches CS and were purchased with Federal Emergency Relief Funding. Maine Teaches CS is a part of Maine’s Whole Student Pandemic Response. Discover more of the DOE’s innovative programming at Maine’s Whole Student Pandemic Response page on the Maine DOE website.
RSU 40 staff are finding ways to use robotic technology, funded by the Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) Maine Teaches CS Initiative, to support interdisciplinary learning across grade levels. The school’s acquisition of Sphero Bolts and Indi cars is making learning experiences playful and engaging for both students and educators.
Holly Doe, Director of Technology for RSU 40, applied for the grant last school year to foster experiential learning through technology for even the youngest students. Sphero Indi cars introduce coding at the simplest level using color tiles to tell the robot what to do. While this is an ideal tool for younger students, it is also great for older students when the goal is not coding itself but supporting other learning outcomes.
By leveraging robotic technology, students in RSU 40 are exploring new ways to retell—or tell—stories.
Students in grades 1-3 used Sphero Indi cars to retell stories they had read in class while seniors in Spanish IV wrote their own stories in the foreign language and crafted narrated films using the Indi cars.
In the elementary classrooms, the robots foster natural collaboration as pairs of students work together to plan a path of color tiles that represent their story summary. Crafting a simple costume for the Indi car and scenery or other characters to be placed along the car’s path engages students’ creativity and requires students to consider symbolic representations. The simple, flexible lesson quickly adapts to accommodate students’ and teachers’ needs.
At the high school, the ease of using the Indi cars allows students to combine story mapping with other technology. Students film the cars in front of a green screen and use Canva’s AI image generator to create backgrounds for their movies which they then narrate in Spanish.
Recently, Heather Webster, RSU 40’s technology instructional coach, shared her experiences using Sphero Indi robots in elementary ELA classrooms and high school Spanish classrooms at the Maine Council for English Language Arts spring conference. Participants were introduced to Indi cars, watched video clips of RSU 40 students engaging in the lessons, and then had the opportunity to try the activity themselves, working collaboratively with their tablemates to retell a familiar story. They left the conference session with a concrete example of how technology like the Sphero robots can support cross-curricular lessons and boost the playful spirit in a classroom.
(Maine Council for English Language Arts spring conference photos curtesy of Katie Kelley Photography)
The Computer Science Mobile Labs Grant has enabled RSU 40 to uniquely support playful learning. Robotic technology has enhanced students’ collaborative skills and their understanding of symbolic representation. Encouraging a playful approach to learning, this technology has increased student engagement and has inspired educators to rethink traditional teaching methods. The immersive learning experiences enabled by Sphero Indi and Bolt robots are set to shape the educational landscape at RSU 40 for years to come. Maine leads the nation in providing interdisciplinary computer science education to all Maine schools at all grade levels.
This story was provided by RSU 40. If you would like to submit good news from your school, fill out our good news submission form.)
In this discussion-based webinar, Maine Department of Education (DOE) Maine Humanities Teacher Leader Fellows Jim St. Pierre and Dorie Tripp host an exchange among teachers who are gamifying their curriculums or who want to learn more about gamification to improve student engagement.
This relatively new approach to teaching is gaining momentum but there are few resources available for anyone seeking to understand more about it. This webinar hopes to address these shortcomings by bringing together interested practitioners to exchange ideas and methods. We hope you join us and we look forward to exchanging ideas.
