Category: Health and Safety

Student behavior management and update on restraint and seclusion rules

Safely and effectively managing student behavior in class can be a challenge.

A recently-adopted rule regarding the use of restraint or seclusion in schools (Department of Education Rule Chapter 33) limits the use of restraint or seclusion to manage behavior to situations in which the health or safety of a student or others is at risk, and other less intrusive methods have failed to alleviate the risk or have been deemed inappropriate.

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Educator resources for suicide awareness and prevention

The following Priority Notice was distributed to superintendents on Tuesday, August 19.

Dear Superintendents,

Ensuring the safety of our students is a commitment we all share and by providing supportive places to learn and thrive, we are doing our part to help our young people reach their full potential.

That is why today, I am pleased to announce the release of an online training video and toolkit, Suicide Prevention Awareness for Maine School Personnel, prepared by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Maine and available at no cost to Maine schools. This important resource aids school districts in complying with Maine’s school-based suicide awareness and prevention law (LD 609, PL 53, DOE Rule Chapter 38) that was passed in April 2013.

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Governor LePage announces $11.3 million to support at-risk students

The Governor announced the awards from the Maine Department of Education at the Reiche School in Portland alongside the CEO of LearningWorks, one of 15 grantees who will establish or continue 32 community learning centers that provide students extended learning services

PORTLAND – Governor Paul R. LePage announced today that the Maine Department of Education is giving out $11.3 million over the next five years to support extended learning opportunities for at-risk students.

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Brewer School and Police Departments announce school and workplace violence training

The Brewer Police Department in partnership with the Brewer School Department are inviting members of the community, law enforcement, public safety staff, educators and administrators to a two-day training on August 18-19 at the Brewer Community School.

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Maine DOE offers facilities, maintenance staff training

The Maine DOE and the Educational Plant Maintenance Association of Maine invite school administrators, facilities directors, business managers, maintenance teams and custodial staff to the 46th Annual School Facilities Conference at Colby College on June 23-25. Registration to the multi-track conference on leadership, maintenance and custodial care is free to public school staff.
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Maine DOE proposes rules for suicide awareness and prevention

The enactment of PL 2013, Chapter 53, (LD 609), An Act To Increase Suicide Awareness and Prevention in Maine Public Schools, requires all Maine school personnel to be trained in suicide awareness and prevention. It further requires all school administrative units (SAU) to put supports in place to help prevent suicide.

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