Category: Professional Development

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

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 and several Maine educational organizations (listed below) have collaborated to design an exciting professional learning series to address identified needs and support professional growth.  To date, the Leading Early Learning Fellowship series has supported three cohorts, one each year since 2021-22.  We are pleased to announce that applications for the fourth cohort, 2024-25 school year, are now being accepted.

The fellowship provides participants with opportunities to deepen their knowledge of early learning pedagogy and best practices related to supporting students and teachers across Pre-K-3.  Participants engage in a variety of modes of learning, from asynchronous modules to facilitated online professional learning communities to in-person gatherings.

“I really enjoyed the variety of materials and activities in which we were engaged–videos, utilizing the observation and reflection tools, and the readings. Also, it was a great group of people to interact with both online and in person,” said a participant from Cohort 3.

“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,” said a participant from Cohort 1.

If this opportunity interests you, please review the fellowship details 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 14, 2024. 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

No Cost Professional Learning Course: Visual Access to Mathematics Focused on Multilingual Learners

Visual Access to Mathematics (VAM) – Free professional learning course with a focus on English learners/multilingual learners for grades 6 and 7 mathematics teachers:

Grade 6 and 7 mathematics teachers in Maine are invited to register for a FREE professional learning course focused on visual representations to support mathematical problem solving and communication and led by Pam Buffington and Johannah Nikula from Education Development Center.

Teachers will learn evidence-based strategies that they can integrate with their current mathematics curriculum to benefit English learners/multilingual learners and all students.

The course starts with an in-person summer institute (August 13th-15th in Cheshire, CT with hotel/mileage/meal costs covered) and continues during the school year with flexible online sessions. If enough teachers from Maine sign up, then a second summer institute option location in Maine will be added for August 21st-23rd.

Benefits include an $850 stipend for teachers and the option to sign up for graduate credit for a fee.

Check out the VAM flyer for additional information about this opportunity. Share the flyer with mathematics teachers in grades 6 and 7 who may be interested. They can register here for an information session to learn more directly from course developers.

This opportunity is part of a project the Regional Educational Laboratory

Northeast & Islands (funded by the U.S. Department of Education) is conducted in partnership with the Connecticut State Department of Education. Teachers from Maine are being invited to participate in coordination with the Maine Department of Education.

If you have any questions, please contact vam@edc.org

Using Genealogy to Teach Inclusive History Workshops

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) has opened registration for the second year of the American Ancestors genealogical inquiry workshop for grade 4-8 teachers and administrators.  This program trains teachers to use inquiry-based lessons incorporating authentic methodologies professional genealogists use.  Lessons guide students through conducting family history research, thinking like a historian, honing their research skills using primary sources, and exploring case studies of important local and national people.  Go beyond family trees and help students make real-world personal connections to history.  In addition to the genealogy inquiry curriculum, there will be a focus on providing resources to support African American studies.

Two one-day workshops are available with an optional virtual professional learning community throughout the 2024-2025 school year.

  • Option 1: August 5th – in-person or virtual (no cost)
  • Option 2: August 6th – in-person at the Educators Summit (Educators Summit registration required)

To learn more and register, click this link. https://www.maine.gov/doe/learning/II/genealogy

For more information about this program, please get in touch with Jaime Beal, Maine DOE Interdisciplinary Instruction Specialist, at jaime.beal@maine.gov

Exciting Early Childhood Summer Summit Opportunity

Are you interested in exploring critical issues impacting early care and education? Are you wondering how you could work more collaboratively within your community to connect early childhood partners (e.g., childcare, schools, community-based organizations, etc.)? Are you eager to connect with other early childhood educators and consider ways of strengthening the early care and education mixed-delivery system in your community?

Consider attending the Early Childhood Summer Summit on Thursday, July 11, 2024, at Keeley’s Banquet Center, 178 Warren Avenue, Portland, Maine.  The summit will run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  Lunch will be provided. Attending is no cost, and up to 60 individuals can be accommodated.  CEUs will be made available to anyone attending the summit.

The goals of the Early Childhood Summit include:

  • To improve alignment and transitions for children and families, foster community-level coordination and collaboration across the mixed-delivery early care and education system, which includes childcare programs, Head Start, and elementary schools.
  • Strengthen understanding of evidence-based practices that are critical to leverage across the birth-grade 3 span to promote whole child development.
  • Supporting community-based planning and implementation efforts through mini-grants and ongoing technical assistance support.

What will the summit structure be like? 

The summit is funded through Maine’s Preschool Development Renewal Grant. It is jointly sponsored by the Maine Department of Education and the Office of Child and Family Services in Maine’s Department of Human Services.  Individuals may register to attend independently but are encouraged to come with a colleague interested in building community collaborations. The summit’s content will include various keynote addresses and workshop sessions connected to the goals outlined previously.  Topics will include promoting inclusionary practices, addressing challenging behaviors, promoting play as a foundational learning strategy, and promoting smooth transitions from early childhood education programs into public schools for children and families.  Time will also be provided for attendees to work with each other and presenters to develop plans for building collaborative early childhood community teams.

What are the next steps for attendees after attending the Early Childhood Summer Summit?

Individual 2024 Early Childhood Summer Summit attendees will be encouraged to build a community team during the 2024-25 school year. They will be given preference for attending the 2025 ECE Summer Summit.  Teams that attend the 2025 summit will receive $800 mini-grants to implement action plans.  Details about team building will be shared at the summit.

To apply: Complete the application by June 14, 2024. Each individual who plans to attend should complete the registration form. A field is included in the application to note if you plan to attend with a colleague so that we can group you at the summit.

For additional information, please contact Renee Reilly, Maine DOE PDG Manager, at Renee.A.Reilly@maine.gov or Andrea Faurot, OCFS PDG Manager, at Andrea.Faurot@maine.gov.

State Reporting Summer Training

Mark your calendars! Registration for the Data Summer Training is currently open! Trainings are scheduled at varying locations across the state from July 29th to August 1st and August 12th to August 15th. This year’s training will focus on reporting resource updates, guidance for data reporting best practices, and assistance with student enrollment. We look forward to providing this opportunity to meet with school administrative units to network and collaborate.

Dates and Locations:

  • July 29th – Presque Isle
  • July 30th – Old Town
  • July 31st – Perry
  • August 1st – Farmington
  • August 12th – Union
  • August 13th – Auburn
  • August 14th – Buxton
  • August 15th – Remote

Register Here!

Please Save a Seat for a specific location after initial registration is complete.

Registration will close on Friday, July 26th. If you have any questions about this year’s Summer Training, please get in touch with Alexandra.Cookson@maine.gov or call 207-446-3897

Save the Date: 2024 Maine DOE Annual Summit Scheduled for August 6-8

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is excited to announce that its Annual Summit is scheduled for August 6th through 8th at Augusta Civic Center. This year’s theme is Supporting the Whole Student & Community.

The event features keynote speakers Pender Makin, Maine Education Commissioner; Jared Cooney Horvath, a Neuroscientist and Educator; Kim Strobel, a motivational speaker and Happiness Coach; and Catherine Ann Wilson, the founder of Stop Trafficking US, along with over 150 presentations and professional learning opportunities for everyone working in Maine’s school communities.

Build your knowledge base on a host of topics related to education and school safety, connect with colleagues, and get the high-quality professional learning, tools, and resources you need from the 2024 Maine DOE Annual Summit.

Registration is expected to open in early June! While we are busy preparing an exciting agenda and activities for this event, find updated information and more to come on the Maine DOE Annual Summit event page.

Applications Open for ‘First 10 Community Schools’ Pilot Project

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 Develop Center (EDC), 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 17, 2024–-RFA released
  • May 23, 2024—RFA question submission deadline
  • June 6, 2024—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, Maine Department of Education Director of Early Learning, leeann.larsen@maine.gov.

RSU 18 Assistant Superintendent Improves, Expands District Safety Procedures with Help from School Safety Specialist Course

Keith Morin loves watching students grow academically and socially; it’s one of the perks of his very busy job as RSU 18 Assistant Superintendent and Chief Academic Officer. He also loves watching the impact that RSU 18 staff make on students beyond academics, serving as mentors, role models, and sources of guidance and support.

That is why many people find the field of education as fulfilling as they do. And to nurture academic aspirations and cultivate a positive school community, everyone needs to feel safe.

As a school administrator serving the communities of Belgrade, China, Oakland, Rome, and Sidney, Morin knows how incredibly important it is to be knowledgeable and experienced in all aspects of education, especially in today’s fast-paced and ever-changing society. That includes school safety.

“My goals in participating in the school safety specialist program are simple; to enhance my skill set in providing guidance to a platform and culture where students and staff feel safe to attend school,” explains Morin.

Morin finished the Maine Department of Education (DOE) School Safety Specialist course in February of 2023 to help him better understand school safety and its complexities. Maine DOE’s Maine School Safety Center offers the 8-week course every month. It is provided asynchronously through Eastern Maine Community College (EMCC) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Since taking the course, RSU 18 has been hosting annual tabletop exercises for its staff, which include scenarios of real events, where they discuss their emergency plans and responses. They are also implementing student support resources such as the Second Step Program, a social emotional learning program, and Netsmartz, an online safety education program, delivered by RSU 18 district social workers and school resource officers.

RSU 18 is also implementing quarterly school safety committee meetings that include staff members from all departments and stakeholder groups, and they are hosting after-action meetings where RSU 18 staff can refine its safety practices.

Morin has also led RSU 18 efforts to expand partnerships with local law enforcement by hiring a third resource officer to build relationships with students and families. He also states that his district has hired a district safety officer to align safety practices before, during, and after school.

“In addition to making safety improvements identified throughout our consistent school safety review, we are now working on enhancing our already strengthened cybersecurity system,” added Morin. “We continue looking to build on our successes and improve areas to provide an academic environment that is safe and enjoyable.”

The School Safety Specialist course is a program of the Maine DOE’s Maine School Safety Center and is available at no cost to Maine schools. Cohorts start at the beginning of every month and complete in 8 weeks. All work is done asynchronously through Eastern Maine Community College (EMCC) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and takes approximately 20-25 hours to complete. 

For more information, visit the Maine DOE website, fill out an interest form, or reach out to Maine DOE School Safety Training Coordinator Wendy Robichaud at Wendy.Robichaud@maine.gov.

The Well-Being for Educators Summer Institute Offered by St. Joseph College

Members of the Maine Department of Education Office of School and Student Supports serve on St. Joseph College’s advisory board for the Well-Being for Educators Summer Institute and will be present at the Summit to offer information and professional learning.

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The Wellbeing for Educators Summer Institute is designed to engage educators and school administrators in active learning about wellbeing and healthy living, including self-care and professional growth constructed around the multiple dimensions of well-being. The Institute will be held at the lakeside campus of St. Joseph College on Sebago Lake in Standish, Maine. Participants are invited to enjoy the many opportunities to engage with the outdoors on our lakefront and beach as well as walk our woodland trails on campus throughout the week’s scheduled activities!

The content of the workshops are relevant and customized for educators and administrators of all levels, from early elementary through college. If you are looking for ways to explore personal wellbeing and cultivate lessons and curriculum materials guided by trauma-informed research and healing-centered engagement, explore these themes during this Summer Institute. Or if you are a school leader looking for ways to support your school staff in promoting a culture of wellbeing, this week-long institute will actively explore what that can look like in one’s personal and professional life.

The scheduled program allows time for self-care, outdoor activities, and self-selected activities for physical movement, along with a series of focused 15-minute, 75-minute, and intensive 2-hour workshop presentations. Each day has a focused theme therefore participants can enjoy the full five-day experience or choose specific days.

  • Monday, July 15 – Personal Wellbeing and Self-Care Indoors and Outside (focused theme)
  • Tuesday, July 16 – Planning for Wellbeing: Curriculum and Leadership (focused theme)
  • Wednesday, July 17 – Wellbeing in the Classroom and School Culture (focused theme)
  • Thursday, July 18 –  Pondering the Wellbeing of the Education Profession and Developing a Plan for Wellness (focused theme)
  • Friday, July 19 – Emerging Technologies and Imaginative Learning: Social Emotional Wellbeing as Learners and Educators (focused theme)

Visit the St. Joseph College website for the Wellbeing for Educators Summer Institute for all the details and the register link.

Webinar: Fabulous Field Trips in Maine

Some of the most memorable experiences students have occur outside the classroom on field trips. This webinar hosted by Civics Teacher Leader Fellow Jessica Graham and Humanities Teacher Leader Fellows Dorie Tripp and Jim St. Pierre, will cover an array of beneficial field trips around Maine. This webinar will cover not only the field trips, but how to organize them and how to find grants that will pay for them. We hope you will attend and offer your own ideas for meaningful field trips.

For further information, reach our to Maine DOE Humanities Teacher Fellows – James St. Pierre James.St.Pierre.@maine.gov, Dorie Tripp Dorie.Tripp@maine.gov, or Jessica Graham Jessica.Graham@maine.gov.