Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT’s) Scheller Teacher Education Program and Education Arcade were recently awarded a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to develop an immersive virtual learning environment to support high school math and biology instruction. The resulting Radix Endeavor, a multi-player online game, will be available for pilot during the 2013-14 academic year. Continue reading “MIT seeks math, science teachers to pilot STEM learning game”
Category: Professional Development
New tools help teachers navigate ELA standards
New implementation resources focused on central elements of the new English language arts and literacy standards are now available to Maine educators.
They include a new set of online tools to guide teachers in analyzing texts for complexity and using them in instructional units. These resources, developed by a dozen states including Maine in collaboration with the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and Achieve the Core, include text complexity roadmaps, model text sets for instruction, tools for analyzing texts, recommended text-dependent questions and sample lesson videos.
Continue reading “New tools help teachers navigate ELA standards”
Reminder of English learner supports
Maine school districts are continuously expanding their capacity to identify and teach English learners (ELs)—and the Maine DOE has developed materials to help educators with this task.
Online training available for reporting abuse, neglect
Teachers, guidance counselors, administrators, bus drivers and others responsible for student welfare in schools are required by Maine law to report to their supervisors or to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services whenever they have reasonable cause to suspect child abuse or neglect has occurred.
Continue reading “Online training available for reporting abuse, neglect”
One of Time’s “2012 Most Influential People” speaks to Maine’s STEM educators
Freeman Hrabowski III, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), was the keynote speaker at the Maine School of Science and Mathematics’ (MSSM’s) second annual STEM—also known as science, technology, engineering and mathematics—Collaborative Educators’ Camp. Continue reading “One of Time’s “2012 Most Influential People” speaks to Maine’s STEM educators”
Update: Introduction of school nutrition programs canceled
Update 9/10/13: The introduction/overview of the Maine DOE school nutrition programs has been canceled. Department staff will contact registrants to make other arrangements.
Maine DOE School Nutrition Programs staff will be offering a four-hour introduction/overview of the team’s nutrition-related programs, including the School Breakfast Program, Lunch Program, Afterschool Snack Program, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, Summer Food Service Program and U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Program.
Continue reading “Update: Introduction of school nutrition programs canceled”
Educators encouraged to attend Common Core and IEP goal-writing training
The Maine DOE Office of Special Services is offering regional professional development sessions in evidence-based practices this fall. In addition to ongoing technical assistance, the Department will be providing professional development to each of the nine superintendent regions regarding the instructional usage and Individualized Education Program (IEP) goal alignment of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in English language arts and mathematics for children with disabilities. General and special educators are invited to attend.
Continue reading “Educators encouraged to attend Common Core and IEP goal-writing training”
Request funding for National Board Certified Teacher Scholarship
A school administrative unit or a publicly-supported secondary school may request funding from the National Board Certification Scholarship Fund on behalf of teachers who meet the requirements. This fund encourages teachers to apply to and enroll in the certification program offered by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards or its successor organization.
Continue reading “Request funding for National Board Certified Teacher Scholarship”
All districts and schools must train staff in Global Harmonization System
Department of Labor responds to federal mandate with free online training video
AUGUSTA – All employees in the state of Maine—in both the private and public sectors—must be trained in the federal Occupation Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) new Global Harmonization System Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) by Dec. 1. As part of this federal mandate, schools and districts are responsible for training their staff on GHS and must be able to demonstrate compliance upon inspection.
Continue reading “All districts and schools must train staff in Global Harmonization System”
State Ed Board members complete national policy training
Arlington, VA — The newest members of the Maine State Board of Education are back from two days of intensive training from the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) to help board members become highly effective state education policymakers.
William H. Beardsley, of Ellsworth, Nichi Farnham, of Bangor, Peter Geiger, of Lewiston, and Ande A. Smith, of North Yarmouth, joined state board members from 17 states and territories in sessions that covered basic boardsmanship issues such as the responsibilities of boards and their members, the sequence of policy development and using Robert’s Rules of Order, as well as more advanced subjects such as how to provide effective state leadership through board actions.
Continue reading “State Ed Board members complete national policy training”
Maine DOE Newsroom 