Category: Early Childhood

Registration for Maine’s 2023 Statewide Early Childhood Education Conference is open!  

This year’s Statewide Early Childhood Education Conference has an incredible lineup of keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities planned for October 27 & 28 in Portland.  Keynote speakers will be Denisha Jones, Executive Director of Defending the Early Years, and Angela Hanscom, author and founder of TimberNook. 

How to Register:  

  • Step 1: Go to maineaeyc.org/conference 
  • Step 2: Click the BIG PINK BUTTON at the top of the page that says “REGISTER” 
  • STEP 3: Follow the directions on the registration page 

Each guest must register separately and will need to have a credit/debit card number to put into the form. Administrators will only be able to register their staff one at a time, and they must have their staff’s personal contact information (i.e. home address, home email, home phone, etc.). Alternatively, administrators can email the registration form to their employees and have them each register separately. Participants will select breakout sessions for the conference at a later date.  

If you would like to book a room to stay at the Holiday Inn where the conference is being held, click on this link. When you input the conference dates at the link, you will automatically be given the room discount for conference attendees.  

If you have any questions about the conference or registration, please contact MaineAEYC at conference@maineaeyc.org 

Leading Early Learning—A Professional Learning Series for Elementary School Administrators

“Participating in the series has helped me to look at the decisions we make about our instructional programming and school community through the lens of early learning and what is developmentally appropriate for our youngest learners.”  –Quote from Cohort 1 participant

As Maine elementary schools have added preschool programming and are promoting whole student approaches across the Pre-K -Grade 3 span, elementary principals have requested professional learning to support their work as educational leaders.  The Maine Department of Education (DOE) and several Maine educational organizations (listed below) have collaborated to design an exciting professional learning series to address identified needs and support professional growth.  The Leading Early Learning series has supported cohorts during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years.  We are pleased to announce the third cohort for this series will launch during the 2023-24 school year.

The series will not only provide participants with opportunity to deepen their knowledge of early learning pedagogy and best practices related to supporting students and teachers across Pre-K-3, but it will also provide a professional learning network, opportunity to design a concept for an implementation project, and be supported through facilitated discussions.  Participants will engage in a variety of modes of learning, from asynchronous modules to professional learning communities to attendance at a statewide early learning conference.

If this opportunity interests you, please review the details for the series in the informational guide.  A link to apply for the series is included in the informational guide.  The series will support up to 30 participants.  Applications will be received through July 10, 2023. Once spaces are filled, a waiting list will be generated.

For additional information, please contact Lee Anne Larsen, Director of Early Learning at Maine DOE, leeann.larsen@maine.gov.

Leading Early Learning Partner Organizations

  • Maine Department of Education
  • Maine Roads to Quality Professional Development Network
  • Maine Association for the Education of Young Children
  • UMaine Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies

Registration Opens June 5th for Maine’s 2023 Statewide Early Childhood Education Conference

Save the Date for Maine’s 2023 Statewide Early Childhood Education Conference! The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is proud to collaborate with the Maine Association for the Education of Young Children to provide this professional learning opportunity geared to educators working across the birth to grade 3 spans. This year’s conference has an incredible lineup of keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities planned for participants gathering in Portland on October 27 & 28. Keynote speakers will be Denisha Jones, Executive Director of Defending the Early Years, and Angela Hanscom, author, and founder of TimberNook.  

The call for proposals is currently open through May 31st at 5:30pm. Those interested in offering a breakout session can learn more and submit their ideas at https://maineaeyc.org/conference 

A link to register will be available on Monday, June 5th 

How to Register on June 5th:  

  • Step 1: Go to https://maineaeyc.org/conference 
  • Step 2: Click the BIG PINK BUTTON at the top of the page that says “REGISTER” 
  • STEP 3: Follow the directions on the registration page 

We can’t wait to see you in October! If you have any questions about the conference or registration, please contact MaineAEYC at conference@maineaeyc.org. 

First 10 Community Schools Request for Applications (RFA)

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is accepting applications from school administrative units (SAUs) and Education in the Unorganized Territory (EUT) to be part of a 3-year First 10 Community School pilot project funded through Maine’s Preschool Development Grant.  Developed by Education Development Center, First 10 Community Schools bring together school systems, early childhood programs, and community partners/agencies to improve care and education for young children and their families throughout the first 10 years of children’s lives.  This model works to improve teaching and learning, deepen partnerships with families, and provide comprehensive services for children and families.

Through this opportunity, pilot sites will be supported in developing and implementing First 10 Community School models. To learn more about the model and the pilot opportunity, interested applicants are encouraged to view this recorded First 10 Community School information session. Additional information about First 10 Community Schools can be found on the Maine Department of Education’s First 10 webpage and on Education Development Center’s First 10 webpage.

Eligible schools that are interested in the First 10 Community School grant opportunity may access the application through the First 10 Community School Request for Applications (RFA).

A timeline for the RFA process is provided below.

  • May 1, 2023–RFA released
  • May 8, 2023—RFA question submission deadline
  • May 19, 2023—RFA submission deadline

All questions about the First 10 Community School RFA should be submitted to the First 10 Community School Grant Coordinator identified on the Grant RFPs and RFAs webpage.

Additional questions regarding this announcement should be directed to:
Lee Anne Larsen, Director of Early Learning, leeann.larsen@maine.gov.

The Early Learning Team Releases New Public Pre-K Self-Assessment and Continuous Quality Improvement Tool

The Maine Department of Education’s Early Learning Team is excited to offer a new resource to help facilitate the continuous quality improvement of high-quality and inclusive public Pre-K in Maine.

The Public Pre-K Self-Assessment Tool will assist public schools in reviewing their current progress in implementing high-quality pre-k programming while also highlighting areas for future growth. The tool also includes a variety of elements that offer guidance for developing and implementing inclusive public pre-k programs that align with state requirements.  This resource will support not only school administrative units planning new programs but also existing programs, with continuous improvement efforts.

An informational session will be offered and recorded on Tuesday April 25th from 11:30-12:30. Please register to attend here. A link to the recording will be provided to those who register but cannot attend. Time will be provided during the session for questions and answers.  Following the informational session, the tool will be accessible digitally on the Public Preschool homepage and downloadable as a PDF document for use.

In the self-assessment tool, you’ll find detailed information related to the following topics:

  • Student Recruitment and Enrollment
  • Student Instruction
  • Student Assessment and Ongoing Progress Monitoring
  • Staff Development and Certifications
  • Program Environments and Operational Elements
  • Family and Community Engagement

Any questions can be directed to the following team members:

First 10 Community School Informational Session

Has your elementary school and its community partners been interested in collaborating to support children and families in your community? Have you wondered about the positive outcomes such partnerships can afford? If so, the First 10 Community School model may be just such an opportunity to consider.  Join the Maine Department of Education for an informational session to:

  • learn more about the First 10 Community School model,
  • consider being part of an upcoming First 10 Community School pilot, and
  • obtain answers to questions you have about the model.

Informational sessions will be held on April 13 from 9:00-10:00 a.m. and on April 27 from 3:00-4:00 p.m. Links to register for the sessions (same content in each) can be found below. One of the sessions will be recorded and shared if you are unable to attend the live sessions.

Developed by Education Development Center, First 10 Community Schools bring together school systems, early childhood programs, and community partners/agencies to improve care and education for young children and their families throughout the first 10 years of children’s lives.  This model works to improve teaching and learning, deepen partnerships with families, and provide comprehensive services for children and families.  Typical First 10 practices include, but are not limited to:·

  • fostering engagement of families with schools and community partners,
  • providing play and learn groups linked to elementary schools,
  • coordinating connections to health and social services,
  • connecting child care providers with elementary schools,
  • improving the quality of early childhood programs,
  • coordinating the transition to kindergarten,
  • conducting joint professional learning among early childhood, pre-k and elementary teachers, and
  • aligning and improving elementary grade curriculum and instruction.

Information about First 10 Community Schools can be found on the Maine Department of Education’s First 10 webpage and on Education Development Center’s First 10 webpage.  For more information, reach out to Lee Anne Larsen, Director of Early Learning, at leeann.larsen@maine.gov.

Public Pre-K Expansion Distinguished Educator Opportunity

As part of Maine’s Jobs and Recovery Plan (MJRP), the Maine Department of Education (DOE) was awarded $10 million in American Rescue Plan funding to support the expansion of public pre-k opportunities in Maine.  To assist with the provision of technical assistance and professional learning for the new and expanding pre-k programs being funding through this opportunity, the Maine DOE is seeking a Distinguished Educator to be part of its Early Learning Team.  Under the Distinguished Educator program, the Maine DOE contracts with a public school system or community agency to borrow an educator for a designated period, in this case the 2023-24 school year.  Following service in the program, the Distinguished Educator returns to their sending school system/community agency.

Maine educators who meet the qualifications described below are strongly encouraged to consider applying for this opportunity. Distinguished educators share their expertise with the Maine DOE and other Maine educators while also growing as professionals through a range of new and exciting experiences. The application period for this position will remain open until April 25, 2023.  Interested applicants should submit a letter of interest and resume to Lee Anne Larsen, Director of Early Learning (leeann.larsen@maine.gov).  Candidates selected for interviews will be notified by May 5, 2023.

Questions may be directed to Leeann.Larsen@maine.gov.

Maine Department of Education Distinguished Educator Public Pre-K Expansion Technical Assistance Provider

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Public Pre-K Technical Assistance Provider engages in professional work related to planning and providing technical assistance and professional learning for public preschool programs, including programs in partnership with Head Start and private providers.  The position conducts technical assistance visits, including observations of classrooms, and reviews data to help support program improvement.  The position is part of the Early Learning Team within the Maine Department of Education’s Office of Innovation.  The position coordinates regularly with the DOE’s Early Childhood Specialist and Public Pre-K Consultant.  Statewide travel is required.

REPRESENTATIVE TASKS of this position include but are not limited to:

  • Delivering appropriate technical assistance and professional learning to enhance program implementation — may specifically address evidence-based early childhood curriculum, learner-centered instruction, differential learning, assessment, developmental education and/or experiential learning, developing and implementing MOUs with community providers, etc.
  • Providing interpretation and explanations of statutory provisions to local school authorities, CDS contracted providers, and the public.
  • Supporting SAU compliance with the Chapter 124 Public Preschool Program Standards and providing technical assistance related to program improvement.
  • Analyzing data contained in SAU annual reports of pre-k programming.
  • Other duties applicable to support of public pre-k expansion efforts, as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED to successfully perform the work assigned:

  • Experience with the early childhood general education and special education communities in Maine and with public school education in Maine.
  • Knowledge of current learning research and exemplary early childhood educational instructional strategies in all early learning domains.
  • Knowledge of current and emerging state and federal legislation, rules and regulations impacting early childhood education, including Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) childcare licensing and Child Development Services (CDS).
  • Knowledge of exemplary evidence-based early childhood curriculum, learner-centered instruction, differential learning, assessment, developmental education, and experiential learning, and understanding of the relationships among these areas.
  • Knowledge of and experience with Maine’s College and career Ready Learning Results and Maine’s Early Learning and Development Standards.
  • Knowledge and experience with developing and implementing public pre-k programs in partnership with community providers (e.g. Head Start, Child Care, etc.).
  • Knowledge of community involvement issues in education policy decisions and operations.
  • Ability to interpret and explain statutory provisions to local school authorities, community providers, and the public.
  • Ability to effectively provide information, technical assistance, professional development and program development support and expertise.
  • Ability to use technology-based communications (i.e., Internet, Web) and e-mail systems and both laptop and desktop computer systems, word processing and data applications.
  • Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
  • Ability to effectively facilitate meetings, organize and manage multiple projects.
  • Ability to apply and facilitate group dynamics and to use exemplary interpersonal skills in order to work collaboratively, develop positive working relationships, and involve stakeholders at the local and state level.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:  A Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education or a related field and two (2) years of professional level experience in public pre-k programming is required.  A Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and five years of early childhood teaching and/or administrative experience is preferred. CLASS Observer certification at the pre-k level is also preferred.

Reminder: Pre-K for ME, K for ME, and 1st Grade for ME Program Overviews and Summer Training Opportunities

Since 2018, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) has adapted and piloted open-source Pre-k and Kindergarten instructional programs based on the Boston Public School’s evidence-based Focus on K1 and Focus on K2 curricula.  Pre-K for ME was launched in 2019.  K for ME was launched in 2021.  1st Grade for ME is being piloted in Maine classrooms this year and will be made available for the 2023-2024 school year. These programs focus on the whole child, are interdisciplinary, and are developmentally appropriate.  They are also aligned to Maine’s learning standards.  While Maine schools are responsible for the purchase of the materials that support use of the programs, the programs can be accessed at no cost via the Maine DOE’s website. 

Informational overviews of each of program will be provided in the coming weeks.  The overview sessions will be recorded and posted for anyone unable to attend the live sessions. The overview sessions will share the basic program structure and review the materials needed to implement the program.  If unfamiliar with the programs, attending the overview (or watching the recording) is highly recommended. 

Overview Session Registration Links: 

Educators/schools/programs interested in utilizing Pre-K for ME, K for ME and/or 1st Grade for ME in the coming year may take advantage of 2-day initial trainings scheduled for this summer.  These trainings are provided at no cost to promote understanding of program design and to support successful program implementation.  School administrators are strongly encouraged to attend the trainings with their Pre-K, Kindergarten and/or first grade teachers.  Special educators, education technicians, and instructional coaches/curriculum leaders who work with pre-k, kindergarten and first grade teachers are also encouraged to attend. 

This year’s training opportunities will be held in person from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. during the week of July 31st-August 4th. The locations and break down of dates for the specific programs are being finalized and will be available soon. For teachers learning the K for ME and 1st Grade for ME programs, an additional training day will occur on June 28 from 8:30-3:30 (location TBD).  Registration for these trainings should be completed by principals/educators with one registration on behalf of their school/program.  Details about how to prepare for the trainings and the training locations will be provided via email after registrations are received. Registrations for the 2-day training for each instructional program should be received by May 26, 2023. 

Summer Training Registration Links: 

For additional information about Pre-K for ME, contact Nicole.Madore@maine.gov, and for K for ME and 1st Grade for ME, contact Leeann.Larsen@maine.gov. 

Calling all Maine Early Childcare Educators: Celebrate the Week of the Young Child with Maine DOE and MAEYC

The Week of the Young Child is a national event promoting the importance of high-quality early learning sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).  This year the Maine Department of Education and Maine’s local NAEYC affiliate, Maine AEYC, are teaming up to support early childhood educators across the state to join the celebration and promote the vital work they do every day in their early childhood programs and Pre-K through third grade classrooms.

The event takes place the Week of April 1st – 7th with a Kickoff on Saturday and interdisciplinary daily themes for the following week:

Music Monday
Tasty Tuesday
Work Together Wednesday
Artsy Thursday
Family Friday

We hope that you will join us in celebrating the Week of the Young Child! Today more than ever we need to help our communities understand the importance and value of high-quality early care and learning.  To spread the word and highlight the critical role that early childhood educators play, please share photos through social media to show how you celebrate the Week of the Young Child.   Tag the Maine DOE @MaineDepartmentofEducation1 Facebook, @mdoenews on Twitter, and @mainedepted on Twitter. Be sure to use the hashtags: #WOYCMaine and #WOYC23.

There are many ways to promote the event and celebrate the daily themes in your program, school, or classroom. To support your planning, we have put together a collection of resources which can be found on the DOE’s Week of the Young Child web page.  Be sure to explore the many ideas for interdisciplinary activities included there.  You will also find links to NAEYC’s and MAEYC’s websites with information about the daily themes, sponsored events, and a planning guide.  We have also included videos related to each daily theme that share ways to incorporate the theme into your celebration and daily practice.

We can’t wait to see the creative way Maine’s early childcare educators celebrate the themes with the children and families in your program or classroom! To celebrate your efforts, we will be offering the opportunity to earn a free registration to Maine’s Statewide Early Childhood Education Conference which will be held October 27th & 28th at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland.  To enter the drawing please send an email that includes photos of your celebration with the name of your program to Nicole Madore at nicole.madore@maine.gov. Please use WOYC followed by the daily theme in the subject line.

Don’t forget to mark your calendar for ECE Day at the State House on Wednesday, April 5, 2023.  This is an opportunity for early childhood educators, families, and supporters to work together to call attention to the need for high-quality early care and education opportunities, and support for the ECE workforce.  Join us to celebrate the successes and call attention to the ongoing needs.  For more information visit the events section of the MAEYC website.

The Maine DOE plans on celebrating the week by highlighting the many career roles in the early childhood field through daily videos.  Each day we will present videos on our YouTube channel that highlight Maine professionals who make a difference in the lives of young children in roles relate to that day’s theme.  If you know an individual who works with young children and/or their families who you feel deserves the spotlight, please reach out to Sue Gallant, Pre-K Expansion Consultant at sue.gallant@maine.gov. Please check out the videos on our YouTube channel during the week of April 3rd through 7th.

If you have questions or would like more information on the Week of the Young Child, please reach out to one of the members of the Early Learning Team listed below.

If you have questions or would like more information on the Week of the Young Child, please reach out to one of the members of the Early Learning Team listed below.  

 

Register Now for Public Pre-K Technical Assistance Sessions Available March – July 2023 

Members of the Early Learning Team will be providing an opportunity for new and expanding Pre-K programs to come together to learn about and discuss the components of high-quality programming. 

These sessions will be offered virtually on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month, March 30th through July 13th, 2023, from 3:30-4:30 pm. You may register once to have access to all sessions. Each session will be recorded and links to the recordings will be shared. 

Please feel free to share the registration link with others in your school system who may be interested. 

The sessions are scheduled as follows: 

  • March 30, 2023: Rule Chapter 124, Pre-K Guidebook & the Technical Assistance Process 
  • April 13, 2023: Public School & Community Partnerships 
  • April 27, 2023: Student Recruitment, Enrollment & Screening 
  • May 11, 2023: High-Quality Environments, Curriculum & Assessment 
  • May 25, 2023: Early Childhood Teacher Training & Maine Roads to Quality 
  • June 8, 2023: Child Development Services: Working Relationships 
  • June 22, 2023: Student Inclusion, SEL & Challenging Behaviors  
  • July 13, 2023: Family Engagement & Transitions 

Register here. For questions and clarifications, please contact Early Childhood Specialist Nicole Madore at nicole.madore@maine.gov.