Category: Professional Development

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 instructional programs for early elementary grades based on the Boston Public School’s evidence-based Focus Curricula.  Pre-K for ME was launched in 2019,  K for ME was launched in 2021, and 1st Grade for ME was launched in 2023. 2nd Grade for ME is being piloted in Maine classrooms next year and will be made available for the 2025-2026 school year. These developmentally appropriate learning programs are interdisciplinary and align with Maine’s learning standards. While Maine schools are responsible for the purchase of classroom materials that support the use of these programs, lesson plans, outlines and other supporting documents can be accessed at no cost via the Maine DOE’s website.

An informational overview of the programs will be provided on March 7 from 3:30-4:30. The overview session will be recorded and posted for anyone unable to attend the live session. The overview session will share the basic program structures and review the materials needed to implement the programs.  If unfamiliar with the programs, attending the overview (or watching the recording) is highly recommended.

Overview Session on March 7th,  3:30-4:30 – Register here.

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 initial trainings scheduled 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. There is no cost to attend summer trainings.

This year’s training opportunities will be held in person from approximately 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 2-day trainings are provided for each program.

  • Pre-K for ME– During the week of 7/29-8/2 (exact dates and location TBD)
  • K for ME– July 29th and 30th in the Augusta/Waterville area (exact location TBD)
  • 1st Grade for ME– July 31st and August 1st in the Augusta/Waterville area (exact location TBD)

For teachers learning the K for ME and 1st Grade for ME programs, an additional training day will occur on Wednesday, June 26th from 8:30 to 3:30 (location TBD).  Registration for these trainings should be completed by principals/educators with one registration on behalf of their school/program per grade.  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 24, 2024.

The Summer Training Registration Link is now open. Please submit a separate response for each grade level in which you are registering educators: Pre-K for ME, K for ME, and/or 1st Grade for ME.

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

Learning Series for Supporting Children, Families, and Communities to Thrive: Promoting Positive Childhood Experiences and Resilience

The Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) Early Learning Team and Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of Child and Family Services, in partnership with The Maine Resilience Building Network, are excited to announce a professional learning opportunity for childcare and public-school educators working with children from birth to 8 years old. Supporting Children, Families, and Communities to Thrive: Promoting Positive Childhood Experiences and Resilience will bring together early care and education practitioners working across the birth to grade 3 span to participate in professional learning programs during 2024-2025. These free virtual (via Zoom) opportunities are funded through Maine’s Preschool Development Renewal Grant.  Two contact hours are available for each session.

Review these descriptions of each session’s content:

The Impact of Experience: How Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) Impact Healthy Child Development (Part I)

Join this training to gain a comprehensive understanding of how both adverse and positive childhood experiences sculpt the foundation of individual development and uncover the transformative potential of PCEs in nurturing the children with whom you work.

Learning Objectives:

  • Grasp the nuances of early brain development influenced by ACEs and PCEs
  • Gain insights into ACEs and PCEs and how PCEs can nurture healthy development
  • Learn cognitive reframing techniques to focus on protective factors and strengths

A Framework for Implementing Positive Childhood Experiences to Support Healthy Child Development (Part II)

Join this training to learn the framework for promoting positive childhood experiences and support healthy childhood development through the lens of relationships, environment, engagement, and emotional growth. Attendance at Part 1 is strongly encouraged but not required to attend this training.

Learning Objectives:

  • Summarize the way positive and negative experiences impact brain development
  • Employ practical strategies for fostering positive environments in educational and caregiving settings
  • Gain insights into creating safe, stimulating, and inclusive spaces that encourage exploration, creativity, and positive interactions

Addressing Compassion Fatigue and Resilience Strategies in Educators and Caregivers

Join this training to explore stress impact and address compassion fatigue by developing strategies that promote resilience and reconnect you with the “why ” of your work.

Learning Objectives:

  • Help participants identify how stress presents to them
  • Understand the signs and symptoms of compassion fatigue
  • Develop 5 personal and professional resilience strategies that address compassion fatigue and foster wellbeing

Participants may choose to register for one, two or all three trainings in any order between March-August 2024. It is recommended, but not required, that participants register for Part I and Part II in sequence.

Session Title Dates Offered Registration Link
 

The Impact of Experience: How Adverse Childhood Experiences and Positive Childhood Experiences Impact Healthy Child Development (Part I)

 Monday, 3/04/24
3:00-5:00 PM		 https://maineresilience.org/event-5616732
Tuesday, 4/9/24
6:00-8:00 PM		 https://maineresilience.org/event-5616738
Wednesday, 5/08/24
3:00-5:00 PM		 https://maineresilience.org/event-5616745
Monday, 6/03/24
6:00-8:00 PM		  https://maineresilience.org/event-5616755
Monday, 8/05/24
9:00-11:00 AM		 https://maineresilience.org/event-5616800
 

A Framework for Implementing Positive Childhood Experiences to Support Healthy Child Development (Part II)

 Monday, 3/11/24
3:00-5:00 PM		 https://maineresilience.org/event-5617531
Tuesday, 4/23/24
6:00-8:00 PM		 https://maineresilience.org/event-5617532
Wednesday, 5/15/24
3:00-5:00 PM		 https://maineresilience.org/event-5617534
Monday, 6/10/24
6:00-8:00 PM		 https://maineresilience.org/event-5617536
Monday, 8/12/24
9:00-11:00 AM		 https://maineresilience.org/event-5617537
 

Addressing Compassion Fatigue and Resilience Strategies in Educators and Caregivers

 Monday, 3/18/24
3:00-5:00 PM		 https://maineresilience.org/event-5617542
Tuesday, 4/30/24
6:00-8:00 PM		 https://maineresilience.org/event-5583415
Wednesday, 5/22/24
3:00-5:00 PM		 https://maineresilience.org/event-5617548
Monday, 6/24/24
6:00-8:00 PM		 https://maineresilience.org/event-5617550
Monday, 8/19/24
9:00-11:00 AM		 https://maineresilience.org/event-5617551

Register for InnovatED: Igniting Innovation in Education

The Maine Department of Education DOE’s MOOSE and Interdisciplinary Instruction teams are hosting a FREE virtual workshop day with John Spencer, Katie Novak, and Lynn Cuccaro on March 28th. This day-long workshop features morning keynotes from all three speakers and your choice of a two-hour afternoon breakout session with either John, Katie, or Lynn.

Limited spots are available for in-person workshops at the Senator Inn in Augusta. The Maine DOE will pay for mileage for in-person participants and, if you live more than 50 miles from Augusta, lodging for the night of March 27th. In-person attendees will be notified on March 7th. Anyone registering after the 7th will fill open in-person spaces on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Sign up here to be part of the virtual workshop and indicate whether you would be interested in participating in person in Augusta if the opportunity were available. Descriptions of keynotes and workshops are available on the workshop web page.

This opportunity is a collaboration between the Maine Online Open-Source Education (MOOSE) project and the Interdisciplinary Instruction Team. The MOOSE project is funded entirely (100%) through Federal money under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA) and American Rescue Plan (ARP), totaling $4,598,000 for the current 2023-2024 funding cycle.

Register Now for Alternative Education Association of Maine Spring Conference

Information about the Alternative Education Association of Maine’s Spring Conference is now available. The theme of this year’s conference is Better Understanding the Alternative Education Learner.

Highlights and details for the conference include:

  • Conference Details– March 8th, 8:30-2:30, Thomas College, Waterville
  • Registration Process– Please note some of you registered and paid in the Fall for both dates, so you do not owe any money but PLEASE STILL use the Registration Link here for online registration. AEA of Maine Online Registration Form– ALL INDIVIDUALS need to register separately, even if you are from the same school. (Contact Dawn Matthews if you need to check on your payment)
  • Invoice and Conference Information– If you still need to submit a payment for the conference then please fill out the Invoice Registration Form here and submit it to the address on the form with your payment. The cost of the conference information is on this form.
  • Call for Presenters– We are asking Association members to volunteer to present a session of their choice. We will be accepting presentation proposals through February 29th, preference will be given to presentations that align with our theme of better understanding and working with the students in Alternative Ed. programs. However, please do not hesitate to submit any proposal, as we want to have some diverse opportunities for all members. Finally, if selected for a presentation, registration fees will be waived upon request (can be used in 2024/25 as well). You can submit proposals on the Conference Online Registration Form here.
  • Keynote Speaker – This year’s conference will include a Keynote Address by Debrajean Scheibel. Details are below but the crux of Debrajean’s address will be on alternate approaches to understanding how under-resourced learners learn and reach skill acquisition.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to Lenny Holmes at lholmes@bonnyeagle.org with any questions you might have. If you click on the Invoice and Conference Information Form and scroll down one page you will find a Complete Overview of the Conference. We are so excited to be able to offer this opportunity to all of you again this year.

Inclusive Education Webinar Series: Dispelling Myths about Assistive Technology (AT) Devices and Services

Want to learn more about assistive technology use in the classroom to benefit all learners? Recent guidance on the myths and facts surrounding assistive technology was released from the federal government which supports reducing barriers that often lead to a lack of utilization of AT. This webinar, hosted by Maine CITE and the Maine Department of Education’s Office of Special Services & Inclusive Education, will guide educators, administrators, and ed techs through the latest AT information and provide insights on moving toward a more inclusive education environment.

This will be a two-session event:

  • March 12th from 4:00 – 5:00 pm will include the overview of the myths.
  • March 19th from 4:00 – 5:00 pm will be an open forum for the public to come for conversations about the use of assistive technology in schools.

Register here.  (Same link for both sessions.)

For more information or questions, contact Tracy Whitlock at tracy.w.whitlock@maine.gov

Seeking Maine Science and Social Studies Educators to Design and Deliver Professional Development on Updated Standards (Stipends Available)

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is seeking dynamic, creative, and collaborative science and social studies educators to design and deliver professional development on the updated standards.

We are looking for Maine educators including, but not limited to, teachers, curriculum leaders, and administrators with a strong background and understanding of the revised science and/or social studies standards. These cohorts of educators will work with Maine DOE content area experts as well as community partners to support their work.

Work will begin in March 2024 and run through February 2025. We will work to design, create, and deliver high-impact asynchronous, live/virtual, and live/in-person professional development. Selected educators will meet with their design teams once a month and be expected to complete work between meetings. We are looking for 40 educators to work with us. Educators will earn stipends of $900 to create professional learning and selected teacher-leaders can earn an additional $300 to take on a leadership role in the design teams. Interested educators should submit an application via this form. Please submit your application by March 6th, 2024. Selected applicants will be notified by March 15th, 2024.

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Beth Lambert, Maine DOE Chief Teaching and Learning Officer, beth.lamber@maine.gov.

Making Math Meaningful For All: Math4ME is Accepting Applications for Newest Cohort

Math4ME is a free, three-year, whole-school project designed to support all educators (classroom teachers, special educators, ed techs, and interventionists) to strengthen math proficiency for all learners with a specific focus on increased math proficiency for students with math IEP goals.  The project will focus on building positive math school communities and classrooms, mathematical content and pedagogical skills, supporting inclusionary practices, increased family engagement, and formative assessment including the Early Mathematics Diagnostic Interview (EMDI).

For more details about the Math4ME project check out the informational video.

We are accepting applications for the 2024-2025 cohort until April 5, 2024.  Math4ME Application

We will hold a virtual informational meeting on Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at 4:00 PM. Register here in advance for this meeting.

For questions or more information contact Susan Hogan, susan.hogan@maine.gov or Jen Robitaille, jennifer.r.robitaille@maine.gov.

Regional Conversations for McKinney-Vento Liaisons and Organizations

Join the Maine Department of Education for in-person Spring 2024 regional conversations for McKinney-Vento liaisons and organizations. During these meetings, participants will:

  • Hear updates on federal, state, and local policies and resources for students and families who are homeless or have unstable
  • Learn how to increase your school and district’s capacity to support
  • Hear strategies to address human trafficking impacting Maine students and families from Hailey Virusso and Celine Guedj, Preble Street.
  • Brainstorm solution-oriented strategies affecting youth in your school and
  • Network with colleagues from other schools and organizations in your

Dates and times for schools and organizations in your region!

  • Androscoggin, Franklin, & Oxford Counties
    University of Southern Maine-Lewiston Auburn – 51 Westminster St, Lewiston
    Tuesday, March 12 – 9:00 – 11:30 am
  • Aroostook County
    ME Department of Labor – 66 Spruce Street, Presque Isle
    Thursday, March 21 – 9:00 -11:30 am
  • Mid Coast, Kennebec & Somerset Counties
    Burton M. Cross Office Building – 111 Sewall Street, Augusta – Room 103 A&B
    Thursday, April 25 – 9:00 -11:30 am
  • Penobscot & Piscataquis Counties
    Wings for Children and Families, 900 Hammond St, #915, Bangor
    Wednesday, March 20 – 8:05 – 10:30 am
  • Washington & Hancock Counties
    Maine DHHS Regional Office – 38 Prescott Drive, Machias
    Wednesday, March 20 – 1:00 – 3:30 pm
  • Washington & Hancock Counties
    Maine DHHS Regional Office – 38 Prescott Drive, Machias
    Wednesday, March 20 – 1:00 – 3:30 pm
  • York & Cumberland Counties
    People’s Choice Credit Union – 23 Industrial Park Road, Saco
    Tuesday, April 30 – 9:30 am -12:00 pm

No cost to participants ~ Registration is required.  Click here to register here for the regional meeting you want to attend!

For More Information Contact:
Signe Lynch, Interim McKinney-Vento State Coordinator at signe.lynch@maine.gov or Susan Lieberman, ARP Homeless Children and Youth Consultant at susan.lieberman88@gmail.com.

ARP funds received from the USDOE support the implementation of this project. The project has an award totaling $795,000 dollars of which 100% is federally funded and directly attributed to project implementation. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by the USDOE or the U.S. Government.

 

Seeking Educators to Join the Maine Solutionaries Project

Students currently in Maine classrooms will graduate into a world filled with complex, interrelated challenges. Maine educators need access to innovative tools to foster students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills and equip learners with the skills needed to analyze and address multifaceted issues. To ensure that Maine educators have what they need, the Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) Office of Innovative Teaching and Learning is collaborating with the Institute of Humane Education (IHE). Together, both teams are excited to offer Maine’s educators a unique opportunity to delve into professional learning centered around IHE’s Solutionary Framework and Solutionary Micro-credential Program, as well as access to other customized instructional resources.  

The partnership between IHE and the Maine DOE seeks to inspire and support educators to cultivate a generation of Solutionaries, change makers capable of effectively addressing and resolving real-world problems. The expanded Maine Solutionaries Project will provide high quality cohort-based professional learning opportunities for teachers to learn how to facilitate inquiry-to-action projects with their students and make available resources to support real-world, transdisciplinary, project-based learning. 

“I am so delighted that we have this opportunity to partner with the Maine Department of Education to bring the Solutionary Framework to teachers and students throughout Maine” says Zoe Weil, IHE’s co-founder and president and author of the book used in the course, The World Becomes What We Teach.  

The Maine DOE believes it is important for students to develop the agency, optimism, and skills they need to address problems they care about in their schools and communities. Solutionary teaching and learning is a highly engaging flexible approach to improving students’ knowledge, skills, and confidence. 

Use this Maine Solutionaries Project registration link to sign up for this exciting project.

Interested in learning more? The Maine DOE and IHE are scheduling two informational webinars for educators. 

Wed March 6 3:30-4:30  https://mainestate.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_jBR-2FQzRS6TchfaCdsEZQ 

Tuesday March 12 3:30-4:30  https://mainestate.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6zCY94ZNTGCjhBQBS6Tdjg 

 During the webinars you will be able to:

  • Learn more about the Maine Solutionaries Project 
  • Preview the Solutionary Framework, a flexible process to guide inquiry to action projects 
  • Find out how you can participate in one of the cohorts focused on topics like Climate Change, Food Waste, Plastics Pollution and Water Quality. 
  • Discover the ability to earn educator stipends and additional funding to support Solutionary student projects 

The Maine DOE utilized federal emergency relief funding to offer this program to Maine educators. 

For questions related to the Maine Solutionaries Project, please contact Kathy Bertini, Interdisciplinary Instruction Team Coordinator, Office of Teaching and Learning/Innovation, at kathy.bertini@maine.gov.  

AmeriCorps NCCC’s Summer of Service Program

Volunteer Maine (Maine Commissioner for Community Service) shares that AmeriCorps NCCC has announced that its “Summer of Service” program is returning this year. This shorter summer session returns with projects focused on climate mitigation, affordable housing, and the option to serve where the need is greatest.

Deploy to Aurora, Colo., or Vinton, Iowa, for three months of training and service. Program benefits include food, lodging, a modest living allowance, uniforms, and program-related travel expenses are all covered by AmeriCorps NCCC. In addition, members will receive a post-service education award.

Explore Summer of Service opportunities here (PDF) or visit the AmeriCorps Summer of Service website.

For more information about volunteer opportunities in Maine visit Volunteer Maine’s website.