Category: Professional Development

See Innovative PreK-8 Career and Technical Education (CTE) in Action!

Are you a PreK-8 educator interested in providing more hands-on, minds-on learning that is focused on offering your students a look into possible careers and connecting them to their community? If so, check out a Learning Tour at St. George Municipal School on Friday, Oct. 25 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

In August of 2020, the Maine DOE was awarded $16.9 million from the U.S. Department of Education’s Rethink K-12 Education Models Funding. Maine was one of 11 states to receive funding and used it to launch the Rethinking Responsive Education Ventures (RREV) project, a multi-pronged solution with a primary goal of generating innovative remote learning models to provide equitable access to high-quality remote learning opportunities for all students. The RREV Research & Design (R&D) team is continuing the momentum of this work by offering Learning Tours and fostering peer-to-peer professional learning.

St. George Municipal School (PreK-8) was a RREV awardee. Through its innovative pilot, the school has been exploring the benefits of career and technical education for the last few years. CTE is typically only available at the high school level, so those involved have been creating their curriculum along the way! On Oct. 25 at the Learning Tour, you will get the opportunity to see their new Makerspace building, observe the learning in action, and talk to teachers and students.

This Learning Tour space is limited to 10 additional Maine educators. If you are interested in joining us on this tour, please reach out to Elaine Bartley, the RREV R&D Director, at elaine.bartley@maine.gov.

To learn more about the RREV awarded innovative pilots, please click here. There will be other Learning Tours available throughout this school year.  You can find the list of upcoming tours on our website.

Information Session: Using MOOSE Applied Ethics Modules to Support your Classroom

Looking for ways to use Maine’s Online Open-Source Education (MOOSE) modules in your classroom? Would you like support in incorporating personal development and interpersonal skills into your learning environment? The MOOSE platform offers a PreK-12 learning progression of modules focused on Applied Ethics that might be just what you need.

Created by Maine educators for Maine students, these modules aim to help learners of all ages cultivate self-awareness, relationship-building skills, and empathy, while also becoming responsible decision-makers.

In this one-hour session, you’ll explore how the principles of Applied Ethics are integrated into the MOOSE modules and how you can foster a learning environment where rich, engaging, and respectful questioning and dialogue thrive. You’ll have the opportunity to experiment with how to use the modules with your learners and discover additional educator resources.

The session will be on Tuesday, October 15, from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM via Zoom. You can register for this event by clicking here.  The session will be recorded and sent to anyone who registers, even if they can’t attend in person.

For more information, you can contact MOOSE Team Leader Stephanie Connors (stephanie.connors@maine.gov) or MOOSE Project Manager Jennifer Page (jennifer.page@maine.gov).

Maine DOE Awarded Funding for Interdisciplinary Civic Inquiry Projects

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) has received $99,149 from the Library of Congress’ Teaching with Primary Sources program to support the “Celebrating Rural Maine: Civic Inquiry Place-Based” project. This initiative, in partnership with the National Council for History Education (NCHE), aims to empower rural teachers to explore Maine’s history through an interdisciplinary approach.

The Celebrating Rural Maine project aims to engage rural teachers in a deep examination of Maine’s history using an interdisciplinary lens by:

  • Connecting teachers with the Library of Congress’s rural collections to place local narratives within broader historical contexts,
  • Assisting teachers in creating community-focused public projects that engage rural students and
  • Offering no-cost professional development opportunities, including online and site-based sessions.

Who can attend?

  • Eligibility: Any PreK-12 educator in Maine is welcome.
  • Content Areas: All subjects are encouraged to participate.

Program Structure

This program is modeled after NCHE’s successful Rural Experience in America project. Past projects include:

For Year 1, the theme is “The Geography of Maine.” The three-part professional development series will include:

Part A: Using Primary Sources & Questions

  • Focus on primary sources and questioning techniques.
  • Includes optional after-school virtual workshops.
  • Format: Asynchronous Virtual.
  • Contact Hours: 12.
  • Timeline: December-February

Part B: Connecting Experts & Educators

  • 3-part virtual synchronous series with experts and master teachers discussing Maine geography from various perspectives.
  • Format: Synchronous Virtual
  • Contact Hours: 15
  • Timeline: March-May

Part C: Civic Place-Based Inquiry Projects

  • A summer institute for teachers and community partners to design civic inquiry projects, with coaching for implementation in Fall 2025.
  • Stipends available for time and materials
  • Format: In-person & virtual coaching
  • Contact Hours: 17
  • Timeline: Summer & Fall 2025

Register here.

About the Teaching with Primary Sources Program

Since 2006, the Library of Congress has funded Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) grants to enhance educational programming based on its digitized primary sources. The TPS Consortium fosters critical thinking and engagement among thousands of learners each year.

For more details about the Celebrating Rural Maine project or to register, please visit the Maine DOE website or contact Maine DOE Interdisciplinary Instruction Specialist Jaime Beal at jaime.beal@maine.gov.

Reminder: Register NOW for the 14th Annual Maine PBIS Conference!

Join the Maine Department of Education (DOE) Office of Special Services and Inclusive Education for the 14th Annual Maine PBIS Conference!

Thursday, November 7, 2024
8:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Augusta Civic Center

The conference is a chance for Maine Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) leaders and implementers across Maine and beyond to come together to celebrate, learn, and network.

Dr. Ruthie Payno-Simmons (1)
Dr. Ruthie Payno-Simmons

This year’s keynote speaker is Dr. Ruthie Payno-Simmons, the founder of RPS Educational Impact and serves as the Associate Director at the Midwest and Plains Equity Assistance Center (MAP Center). She leads the coordination, design, and delivery of universal, targeted, and systemic equity-focused professional learning experiences and technical assistance to state and local agencies throughout the MAP Center’s 13-state region. Her keynote address is on, “Enhancing Positive and Supportive School Climate Through Storytelling and Rightful Presence.”

Conference Fees:

  • General (individual)- $195
  • Group (groups of 3 or more attendees)- $165
  • Student (full-time undergraduate or graduate student enrolled in 6 credits per semester for at minimum two semesters per year)- $85
  • Lead Presenter (those accepted to present; only lead presenters are at no charge; co-presenters will be charged the individual rate)- $0

Visit the PBIS Conference website for more information about the conference, to submit a proposal, sign up for a school showcase, and/or register to attend.

Join the Maine DOE Learning Through Technology Team at the ACTEM Fall Conference!

The Maine Department of Education Office of Teaching and Learning’s Learning Through Technology (LTT) Team hopes to see you at the ACTEM Fall Conference.

The LTT Team will have a booth and playground on the main floor, and we hope attendees stop by to connect, join our mailing list, and check out what resources are available to support technology education in your school.

Maine DOE’s short playground sessions will focus on the Computer Science Mobile Lab technologies (Lego, Sphero, and Merge), Animation, Green Screening, VR with Meta Quest, Bloxels Game Design, and more.  Check out the listing and schedule.

The LTT team is presenting eight sessions over the two days of ACTEM, covering a variety of topics in addition to our playground offerings. You can find more information about the sessions below.

The Association of Computer Technology Educators of Maine’s (ACTEM) annual Fall Conference is held at the Augusta Civic Center on October 10-11th. ACTEM’s mission is to influence and enhance education in Maine through the use of technology. Our conference offers workshops, keynotes and exhibitors centered around this mission. The conference is a popular event for Maine educators each fall.

We hope to see you there!

LTT Team Session Descriptions

AI for Accessibility
with Jeff Ireland, Janice Medenica, and Stephanie McGruder

We will learn and practice using various AI tools to make your general curriculum more accessible for students. AI tools can increase the efficiency with which we generate, level, or translate text and make content more relevant for our students. AI can also help with scaffolding, assessment creation, high-interest content creation, and so much more. Bring some of your content with you and see how you might make your content more accessible for your students.

Bored Class? No, Board Games! Gamification With Tabletopia
with Chris Beckwith and Janice Medenica

Educators have long been in competition with digital entertainment for student attention at school. The tabletop board game simulator, Tabletopia, can be leveraged to engage students and reinforce what they are learning in the classroom. Building on the success of the last MLTI virtual student conference, the Maine Winter Classic, we will introduce this platform and share best practices for implementing the features available via the free version of Tabletopia.

Future Minds: Cultivating a Culture of AI Investigation
with Nicole Karod and Ashley Carroll

This session introduces elementary education to artificial intelligence, emphasizing its enhancement of teaching and productivity. Discover how AI can support differentiated instruction, foster creativity, and streamline administrative tasks. Gain practice strategies for integrating AI, boosting productivity, and inspiring students with future-ready skills.

Future-Proofing Technology Education in the Age of AI and Emerging Technologies
with the Maine DOE’s LTT Team

Join the Learning Through Technology (LTT) team from the Maine DOE for this engaging discussion-based panel on future-proofing education to help prepare students for emerging technologies. In this session, we’ll discuss the importance of foundational skills for success in an increasingly changing, technologically based society. Come to this session to explore these questions and learn more about how the LTT team can support your work.

Integrate Coding to Go Beyond Just the CS
with Allison Braley and AJ Rog

This session will show you how to embrace Scratch as a tool for students to show their knowledge, no matter what class they are in. Scratch can give students a creative outlet to what they are learning in your class. Go beyond Google Slides, Canva, and Google docs as a way to show understanding. Give your students the chance to show their learning by creating games, adventures, interactive stories, and much more.

It’s Elementary, My Dear Miltie: MLTI in Grades 1-5
with Jon Graham, Amy McInerney, Ashley Carroll and Donna Netzer

This year elementary schools have become part of MLTI like never before. The program has been tracking toward more focused support and inclusion of elementary educators, but we can do more. In this session, we will look at some recent elementary successes from our team. We will also look at what the program is planning, but we want to hear from you! If you are an elementary educator, please come, share and advocate how MLTI can best serve you and your students.

License to Drive: Developing Digital Wisdom & Leadership
by Jonathan R. Werner & Gwyneth Maguire

We know that the Digital Native is a myth, yet we often expect our students to navigate tech independently.  In this session, we will look at how to support students as they move toward independent navigation of the complexities of their online lives.   We’ll also explore ways to support their journey toward gaining greater digital wisdom including media balance and well-being. We will conclude by crowd sourcing strategies to create independent digital leaders.

Tech Integration VS Tech Use: Enhancing Learning
with Donna Netzer

Using technology is fun and engaging for students but it can often be seen as a toy not a tool. Technology integration isn’t just bringing in technology to the classroom, it is incorporating it in a way that enhances learning. We will explore the difference between just using tech with learning and integrating technology in a way that enhances learning in the classroom.

Maine DOE Early Learning Team Support and Professional Development Offerings

The Maine Department of Education’s Early Learning Team, in the Office of Teaching and Learning, supports educators (teachers, administrators, and community providers) across the birth through early elementary years, with technical assistance, online tools, and professional learning opportunities.

During the 2024-25 school year, in addition to ongoing technical assistance, the team will be offering online professional development opportunities, a monthly newsletter, and monthly office hours. See below for details:

Challenging Behavior and Early Childhood Environments Learning Modules: Utilizing the IRIS Center Early Childhood Environments and Early Childhood Behavior Management Modules, the Early Learning Team is offering the field a learning opportunity through the Maine Department of Education’s EnGine platform.  This 6-week module will take a deeper dive into Early Childhood Environments and Early Childhood Behavior Management: Developing and Teaching Rules offered by the IRIS Center.  The sessions will meet in person on 10/29/2024 and again for the final session on 12/10/2024 at 3:30-4:30pm via zoom.  There will be weekly asynchronous learning activities in-between the week 1 and week 6 in-person sessions. A limited number of participants will be allowed in each session with hopes of offering the learning opportunity again in Winter 2024. – Register for this opportunity here.

Monthly Virtual Newsletters:  Delivered to your inbox each month, the World of Early Learning newsletter will spotlight topics in early childhood education to support your work through a birth to third grade focus. The newsletter highlights communities, schools, and partnerships, and shares an ongoing list of upcoming events and professional development opportunities across our state.  Subscribe to the World of Early Learning Newsletter and/or update your Maine DOE subscriptions here.

Early Learning Team Office Hours:  Online office hours will be held on the second Thursday of each month.  Each monthly topic will correspond to the prior month’s newsletter (see schedule below). Attendees are also encouraged to bring questions and needs for discussion and guidance.  Save this zoom link – it will be used each month (Meeting ID: 851 6655 0471).

Office Hour Date

3:30-4:30pm

Topics for Focus Newsletter
10/10/24 Classroom Environment September
11/14/2024 Challenging behaviors October
12/12/2024 Inclusion in Early Learning November
01/09/2025 Kindergarten Entry Inventory December
02/13/25 Maine Instructional Programs/Purposeful play January
03/13/25 Data and Assessment February
04/10/25 Supporting Allied Arts March
05/08/25 Transitions through grades April
06/12/2025 First 10/community schools May

We are looking forward to supporting the field with these offerings and other future professional development opportunities.

For more information and questions, please reach out to Nicole Madore, Early Childhood Specialist, at nicole.madore@maine.gov or Marcy Whitcomb, Public Pre-K Consultant at marcy.r.whitcomb@maine.gov

Maine DOE to Host Variety of Virtual Office Hours to Support Educators and Administrators for 24/25 School Year

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is hosting a wide variety of office hours this school year to support school and district educators/staff with everything from technical assistance to professional learning, as well as opportunities to connect and share with colleagues across the state.

Please find a selection of virtual office hours hosted by Maine DOE staff below:

  • Assessment Team Office Hours – Second Wednesday of the month, 12:00 – 1:00 pm
  • ESEA Federal Programs Fiscal Office Hours – Second Tuesday of the month, 9:00 – 10:00 am
  • Federal Relief Program Office Hours – First Thursday of the month, 9:00 – 10:00 am
  • Federal Fiscal Office Hours – Last Thursday of the month, 10:00 – 11:00 am
  • Federal Relief, No agenda Walk-In Fiscal Office Hour – Tuesdays, 9:00 am through October 1st
  • Home Instruction Office Hours – Wednesdays, 1:00 – 2:00 pm
  • Multi-tiered System of Supports Office Hours – First Friday of the month 10:00 am
  • Early Learning Office Hours – Second Thursday of the month, 3:30 – 4:30 pm
  • School Finance & Compliance Office Hours – Third Tuesday of the month, 10:00 am
  • School Safety & Emergency Office Hours – Thursdays, 12:00 – 1:00 pm
  • School Nurse Office Hours – First Wednesday of the month, 3:30 – 4:30 pm
  • Wabanaki Studies Office Hours – First Tuesday of the month, 3:00 – 4:00 pm
  • Special Services Office Hours – Second and fourth Wednesday of the month, 3:00 – 4:00 pm
  • Integrated Literacy – Every Tuesday and Thursday of the month, 3:30 to 4:30 pm
  • Multilingual Networking Office Hours – Monthly, 3:30 – 4:30 pm
  • Innovative Research and Design Office Hours – Third Wednesday of the month, 1:00 -2:00 pm (starting in October)
  • Engine – Collaborative Platform for Educators Office Hours – First Wednesday of the month, 1:00 – 2:00 pm (starting in November)
  • Making Connections – HE & PE Community of Practice – Monthly on varying dates, 3:15 – 4:15 pm
  • Wellness Community of Practice – Fourth Wednesday of the month, 3:15 – 4:15 pm

To find additional information and registration links for any of the opportunities above, search for them in the Maine DOE Events Calendar by date, event type, and/or host topic.

 

Professional Development Conference for Rural Maine Educators

Registration is open for the Island Readers & Writers (IRW) for the Dear Teacher 2024 professional development conference, which will be held at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor on October 10 and 11, 2024.

This year’s keynote speaker is Anna Crowley Redding, a children’s book author and Emmy-award-winning journalist. The conference will span two full days and allow participants to register for intensive (three-hour) workshops. Workshop content focuses on three major themes: writing and narrative, arts and humanities, and rural, place-based education.

This conference is designed for educators, principals, support staff, and school librarians working with students in grades pre–K through 8 in rural Maine schools, tiny schools, geographically isolated schools, and schools with multigrade classrooms.

Last year’s debut Dear Teacher conference, held at the Collins Center for the Arts in Orono, ME, was hugely successful, with more than 100 attendees from Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, and New Brunswick.

“The Dear Teacher conference is an opportunity to uplift and celebrate educators and librarians in rural communities. We are delighted to bring them together to listen and learn.” —Jan Coates, Island Readers & Writers Executive Director

The Maine Humanities Council and others support the Dear Teacher conference. Visit their website for more information or to register.

 

Transition to Kindergarten Planning and Mini-Grant Opportunity

Transitioning into kindergarten is a very exciting but often overwhelming time for young learners and their families.  Building strong transition plans that include community partnerships enables schools and educators to be ready to meet children and families where they are in many aspects of this transition period.  The opportunity described below will focus on working with school administrative units (SAUs) and community partners to build kindergarten transition teams and plans. Participants will engage in a technical assistance program that guides the strengthening of community partnerships, equitable practices for families, and a universal understanding of what it means to be ready for children and families to succeed in kindergarten. The goal of implementing kindergarten transition plans is to increase family engagement, encourage school attendance, and build strong partnerships to support kindergarten transitions for children, families, and school communities.

The Early Learning Team in the Office of Teaching and Learning at the Maine Department of Education (DOE), together with the Office of Child and Family Services at the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, is pleased to extend this mini-grant opportunity to build high-quality transition to kindergarten teams and plans. This project will require SAUs to partner with their community early care and education providers.  We encourage all providers who may be interested to reach to their local school administrative units to express interest in being part of their SAU’s (or school’s) transition team.  This opportunity is funded by Maine’s Preschool Development Grant (PDG).

Participants will attend monthly technical assistance meetings and take advantage of focused individual sessions as needed. Participants will work to form a transition team for their SAU and will build out a year-long transition plan to support children and families before, during, and after the transition to kindergarten.  Once the transition plans are finalized in February 2025, participants will be eligible for mini-grants to support the implementation of the plans leading up to and continuing into the 2025-2026 school year.  To complete the series, there will also be follow-up technical assistance (TA) sessions, one in September 2025 and one in October 2025.

We invite all interested representatives from SAUs and community early care and education providers to join us for an informational and Q&A session to learn more about this opportunity on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, from 4:30-5:00 p.m., using the following session link:

Join Zoom Meeting here
Meeting ID: 830 9860 1555

Participants interested in the opportunity will complete a registration form.  The registration form requires identification of preliminary team members (at a minimum, representation of one SAU or school leader, one school educator/staff member, and one community early childhood provider) and assurances for building community partnerships and engaging in the technical assistance meetings. If you need assistance in locating early care and education providers in your area, visit www.childcarechoices.me.  The registration form should be completed by a representative of the SAU. The form will be open through October 25, 2024.

Initial TA meetings will be held on October 29, 2024, from 4:00-5:00 p.m., November 19, 2024, from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m., and December 17, 2024, from 3:30 -4:30 p.m. We will work together to schedule the remainder of the meetings at a mutually agreed-upon time and date.

Please reach out to Marcy Whitcomb, Public Pre-K Consultant with the Early Learning Team at the Maine DOE, at marcy.r.whitcomb@maine.gov , with any questions and for more information.

Integrating Literacy through the Dispositions with Cris Tovani

The Interdisciplinary Instruction team from the Maine Department of Education’s Office of Teaching and Learning is excited to bring educator and author Cris Tovani to Maine on October 7th for an all-day workshop that explores ways to engage, excite, and “hook” reluctant learners in building their literacy skills and mastery.

Through the lens of student dispositions, Tovani has discovered ways around the various “masks” some students wear and created opportunities for those students to engage with their own learning in vibrant and authentic ways.

At the conclusion of this workshop, participants will be able to:

  • describe what full engagement looks like and discuss the importance of engagement in literacy competence,
  • provide reasons for students to read, write, and discuss,
  • model for students how to monitor and repair meaning when reading complex text, and
  • state how these discrete tasks, methods, and skills build literacy proficiency.

The workshop will run from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM at Camp Chamberlain in Augusta, Maine, and is free to all Maine educators. Limited in-person spots are available and will be filled as people sign up. Participants can also participate virtually through Zoom, and the workshop will be recorded and shared with educators. Contact hours are available to participants.

To register for this event, please use this registration link.

If you have any questions about this workshop, please contact Kathy Bertini at Kathy.Bertini@maine.gov or  Heather Martin at Heather.Martin@maine.gov

This workshop is one of four (4) presented by the Interdisciplinary Team on the topic of Integrating Literacy through Applied Learning. All events are available in person and virtually.

November 8, 2024, 9 AM – 3 PM: “Integrating Literacy through Mapmaking” with David Sobel at The Steele House, 639 Main St., Rockland.  Use this registration link to spend the day learning with David Sobel.

December 12, 2024, 8:00 AM—12:00 PM: “Integrating Literacy through Background Knowledge” with Josie Cameron. Wells Conference Center, 169 Hilltop Road, Orono Use this registration link to spend the day learning with Josie Cameron

January 15, 2025,  8 am – 12 noon: “Integrating Literacy through Applied Science with Katie Coppens at the Curtis Memorial Library, 23 Pleasant St., Brunswick. Use this registration link to spend the day learning with Katie Coppens