PRIORITY NOTICE: Virtual Meeting Schedule for Next Week; PL for Ed Techs Now Available

Virtual Meeting Schedule May 4 – May 8, 2020

The Maine Department of Education continues to schedule virtual office hours with Department Specialists to support educators and administrators during extended remote learning. During these meetings, our specialists are available to provide support and guidance regarding distance learning and school supports, as well as to facilitate networking and resource sharing between educators.

***NEW – Professional Learning for Education Technicians: Through ongoing efforts to support the needs of Maine schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Maine Department of Education is responding to requests for professional learning for Education Technicians with a series of online opportunities, scheduled through the month of May and early June. Learn more here

Please note: many of the virtual meetings now require pre-registration and password protection to prevent inappropriate interruptions, so be sure to check the schedule ahead of time, and make sure you can register or obtain a password ahead of the meetings you wish to attend.

Virtual Office Hours:

(Some meetings have a 100 person max capacity.)

The virtual meeting schedule for educators is regularly updated on the Maine DOE website: See the schedule

See the professional learning schedule for Education Technicians here!

Early Child Care and Public Preschool Providers Caring for Children Birth-5 – No Cost Professional Development Training

Maine Resilience Building Network (MRBN) will once again offer free professional learning opportunities focused on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) and resilience building. MRBN offered this training in the fall of 2019 and is now offering 6 more sessions virtually between April 21-June 2, 2020. This learning opportunity is funded through the Preschool Development Grant, a collaboration between Maine Departments of Education and Health and Human Services. These new sessions are open for Pre-K and child care educators, as well as other staff working with this population, to strengthen their role in supporting children and families.

Strong Kids, Strong Families, Strong Communities: The Impact of ACEs and Resilience Building will bring together childcare and public Pre-K professionals to learn about Adverse Childhood Experiences research, early brain development science, the effects of toxic stress on social emotional learning and protective factors including positive relationships. This training will provide an understanding of how adverse experiences at a young age can affect a person’s emotional and behavioral development. Participants will also hear suggestions for how to support the individual and family and learn classroom strategies including the practices of mindfulness, compassion and co-regulation.

In the fall of 2019, the training was offered in 12 sites across the state to early childhood educators working with children up through Pre-K. Through the evaluation, participants shared that they learned strategies to build stronger connections and relationships with children and families, to be more compassionate and less judgmental, and to be better prepared for stressful situations. They felt they had a better understanding and awareness of where children are “coming from” and to think about what happened to the child as opposed to what is wrong with the child. One participant commented that “All professionals who work with children should attend.”

Registration is required

Date/Time	Registration Link
April 23, 2020 6-8pm	https://maineresilience.org/event-3790527
April 28, 2020 9-11am	https://maineresilience.org/event-3799333
May 4, 2020 2-4pm	https://maineresilience.org/event-3799347
May 12, 2020 9-11am	https://maineresilience.org/event-3799366
May 21, 2020 6-8pm	https://maineresilience.org/event-3799397
June 2, 2020 6-8pm	https://maineresilience.org/event-3799412

For more information, contact Karen Bergeron, PDG Director, Maine Department of Education

Karen.j.bergeron@maine.gov 207-446-3754 or Info@maineresilience.org

PRIORITY NOTICE: Second Day of Content Specific Virtual Meetings Available to Support Continued Learning

Good morning,

The Maine Department of Education has scheduled a second day of content specific virtual office hours to support educators during extended school closures. During these meetings, our specialists will be available to provide support and guidance regarding distance learning, as well as to facilitate networking and resource sharing between educators.

Please note that Office Hour Schedules will be regularly updated on this web page: https://www.maine.gov/doe/covid-19/contentmeetings and the Department will continue scheduling content specific office hours as needed by educators.

DAY TWO: Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Content Specific Office Hours Available to Maine Educators
(Please note: each of these meetings as a 100 person max capacity.)

Content Area/Grade Span	Facilitator	Date	Time	Link
Social Studies 6-8	Joe Schmidt	3/17	9:00am	https://zoom.us/j/169146685
Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports	Andrea Logan	3/17	9:00am	https://zoom.us/j/276009316
Digital Learning – General Discussion	Jon Graham	3/17	9:00am	https://zoom.us/j/830817204
Music Educators, K-12	Jason Anderson	3/17	10:00am	https://zoom.us/j/701080295
Health Education	Susan Berry	3/17	10:00am	https://zoom.us/j/218784074
Mathematics K-5	Jen and Michele	3/17	10:00am	https://zoom.us/j/122353475
Social Studies 9-12	Joe Schmidt	3/17	10:00am	https://zoom.us/j/138884087
World Language	Lavinia	3/17	10:00am	https://zoom.us/j/504161923
Physical Education	Jean Zimmerman	3/17	11:00am	https://zoom.us/j/218784074
Social Studies PK-5	Joe Schmidt	3/17	11:00am	https://zoom.us/j/572643303
Visual Art Educators, K-12	Jason Anderson	3/17	11:00am	https://zoom.us/j/780977350
Mathematics 6-8	Jen and Michele	3/17	12:00pm	https://zoom.us/j/576208163
pK-5 Science	Shari Templeton	3/17	12:00pm	https://zoom.us/j/860243437
		3/17	12:00pm	https://zoom.us/j/945481019
Theatre Educators, K-12	Jason Anderson	3/17	12:30pm	https://zoom.us/j/270033318
Literacy K-5	Danielle Saucier	3/17	1:00pm	https://zoom.us/j/605841732
Public Pre-K	Nicole Madore	3/17	1:00pm	https://zoom.us/j/230023813
Dance Educators, K-12	Jason Anderson	3/17	2:00pm	https://zoom.us/j/927873579
ELA 6-12	Morgan Dunton	3/17	2:00pm	https://zoom.us/j/692586787
Career and Education Development	Diana Doiron	3/17	2:00pm	https://zoom.us/j/393949234
Mathematics 9-12	Jen and Michele	3/17	2:00pm	https://zoom.us/j/453773957
6-12 Science Distance Learning	Shari Templeton	3/17	2:00pm	https://zoom.us/j/428290865
World Language	Lavinia Rogers	3/17	3:00pm	https://zoom.us/j/558995276
Digital Learning – Early Elementary (PreK-2)	Jon Graham	3/17	3:00pm	https://zoom.us/j/554219857
Social Studies K-12	Joe Schmidt	3/17	3:00pm	https://zoom.us/j/719815036
Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports	Andrea Logan	3/17	4:00pm	https://zoom.us/j/4525406402 (link corrected!)

Recordings of previous sessions will be available as soon as we can process them and upload them to the following content specific webpages:

Maine DOE Seeks Applicants for Paid Professional Learning Opportunity

The Maine Department of Education is seeking applications from qualified individuals interested in learning more about the competitive grant process. Selected applicants will be trained to serve as peer reviewers who assist the Department in to reviewing, assessing, and scoring competitive grant proposals for the 21st Century Community Leaning Centers (21st CCLC) Program. The 21^st CCLC program is a federally-funded education program that provides competitive funding for schools and communities to develop before-school, after-school, and summer educational programs that support students and their families.

This year’s Request for Proposals (RFP) for the 21st CCLC program was released to the public on January 2 and is available online at: https://www.4pcamaine.org/century21/FY2020/. The Department anticipates receiving proposals from local education agencies, community-based organizations, and other eligible entities seeking awards under this RFP.

Qualifications:

Applicants will be selected based on their experience in providing effective academic support, enrichment, youth development, and related support services for children and youth. The most qualified candidates will be individuals who have experience in the administration of high-quality youth development programs within schools and communities. Examples of the experienced individuals sought include, but are not limited to:

21st CCLC program directors and site coordinators
Teachers and principals
College and university staff
Youth development workers
Community resource providers

Please note that an applicant or member of an applicant’s organization will not be selected to serve as a member of the Department’s peer review team.

Required Tasks:

Selected applicants will work individually to read each assigned application and create detailed, objective, constructive, and well-written comments on approximately 10-12 applications based on the criteria established in the RFP. These comments will be turned in to the Department prior to participating in on-site consensus scoring sessions. Applicants must be able to participate in an online training webinar and review grant applications through a web-based system. It is anticipated that selected candidates will have a three (3) week window in which to complete the individual review of assigned proposals. Following the individual review of proposals, each successful applicant will be required to travel to the Maine Department of Education for two scheduled scoring days. It is during these consensus scoring sessions that the peer review team to score each application.

Selected candidates must complete the following tasks during the following date(s):

Task	Date(s)	Time(s)
Participate in an online training webinar	April 3, 2020	1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Review grant applications through a web-based system and provide individual, written comments on each application (which MUST be turned in to the Department)	April 6, 2020 – April 28, 2020	Any Time
Participate in on-site consensus scoring sessions which will be located at the Maine Department of Education in Augusta, ME	April 30, 2020; May 1, 2020	9:00 AM – 4:00 PM; 9:00 AM – Finished

Compensation for Services:

Selected reviewers who complete the required tasks will be reimbursed for travel costs to and from the consensus scoring sessions as well as provided a $85 honorarium per assigned application.

Previous participants have also found that serving as a member of the peer review team is an excellent opportunity for professional development and growth. It is likely that, if selected, applicants will be exposed to new program models, strategies, and practices. These new concepts may provide ideas and support for ongoing work as well as future grant writing efforts. Most importantly, the time given to this effort will help ensure the funding of quality education programs for the children and families of Maine.

How to Apply:

Interested parties must contact Travis Doughty at travis.w.doughty@maine.gov to obtain a copy of the 2020 peer reviewer application and then return the completed application along with a current resume or CV.

Pursuant to Title IV, Part B of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, peer reviewers may not include any applicant, or representative of an applicant, that has or will submit a proposal in response to the current competition.

Deadline:

The Maine Department of Education will continue accepting peer reviewer applications through March 12, 2020 or until the needed positions are filled. Interested parties are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Contact:

For more information, contact State Coordinator, Travis Doughty at travis.w.doughty@maine.gov or 624-6709.

Thru the EYES of INNOVATION Conference 2020

Department of Education is providing this information to educators, students and parents as a resource. This is not a Maine DOE sponsored event.

Thru the EYES of INNOVATION Conference 2020

Hosted by Camden Hills Regional High School
25 Keelson Dr, Rockport, ME
Wednesday and Thursday, July 1 & 2, 2020
Website: eyesofinnovation.com

This exciting two-day conference in the cozy seaside town of Rockport, Maine focuses on the intersection of education and innovation. Here, you can mix it up… and, yes, collide…with leading educators, students, entrepreneurs, and industry thought leaders.

The days are jam-packed, too. Participants can choose from more than a dozen fast-paced and lively sessions, a Design Sprint Challenge, roundtable discussions, and a young entrepreneurs panel, with plenty of networking opportunities along the way.

We guarantee a one-of-a-kind experience. So come ‘on. Let the sparks fly!

Visit our website eyesofinnovation.com to register and for up-to-date information. *space is limited to 200 participants*

Follow us on Twitter @SchoolsCamden or Facebook page is Thru the Eyes of Innovation Conference or LinkedIn Five Towns CSD/MSAD #28

G.E.A.R. Parent Network & Maine Parent Federation Peer Support Conference: It Takes A Village

Department of Education is providing this information to educators, students and parents as a resource. This is not a Maine DOE sponsored event.

Peer Support: It Takes A Village

This event is sponsored by G.E.A.R. Parent Network (a program of Crisis and Counseling Centers) & Maine Parent Federation.

Saturday March 14, 2020
9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
The Governor Hill Mansion
136 State St Augusta ME, 04330

Come and learn about parent and youth peer supports and how you can benefit from receiving these free services available in our state! Also learn how parents and youth can become peer mentors themselves.

There will be a special guest speaker, 21 year old Self-Advocate Jake Shumbo. Jake’s
message of “Different Ability” versus “Disability” inspires his audiences to look beyond
labels and how despite your ability you can be the leader of your own destiny.

Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided.

Learn more & register:

For more information about the event including and agenda, contact information and registration information please visit https://crisisandcounseling.org/peersupportconf/.

Suicide Prevention Trainings Posted for School Staff this Spring

The Maine Suicide Prevention Program (MSSP) and NAMI Maine are offering a series of training opportunities for the school community over the next two months. If you have not developed or revised your suicide prevention and management protocols for your district, this may be the last chance to train a team from your school district before the deadline of June 2020. These trainings are all funded through the MSSP and offered at no or little costs.

The trainings offered during March and April include:

Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training: Multiple Dates and Locations

This day-long training prepares school personnel for their role as a suicide prevention resource for their school community. Though a non-clinical training, it provides the basic information and resources to identify risk and engage in an intervention to connect a student to appropriate help. Each district is required to maintain a minimum number of Gatekeepers based on the size of their student body. The requirement is at least 2 Gatekeepers, and for districts with more than 1,000 students, an additional person for every 500 students. It is recommended to have a Gatekeeper in each school building.

Advanced Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training for School Personnel: Multiple Dates and Locations

The Suicide Prevention Gatekeepers must renew their training at least every 5 years. Those who were trained in the foundational Gatekeeper Training 5+ years ago are due for renewal. This session offers an opportunity to deepen your knowledge and skills in suicide prevention for school personnel renewing their training.

Suicide Prevention Protocol Development Training: Multiple Dates and Locations

The process of developing a school or district protocol managing suicide prevention, intervention and postvention requires several conversations with personnel across a district. This 5-hour workshop offers an opportunity for a small team from the district to get started on the process. Training includes templates, model forms and added resources to support your efforts.

Non-Suicidal Self Injury management in a school setting: March 10, 2020

Non-suicidal self-injury is the direct, deliberate destruction of body tissue in the absence of suicidal intent. It has been on the rise over the past decade There is significant connection between self-injury and suicide risk that must be understood and addressed. This training will review demographics, risk factors and warning signs of self-injury as well as recommendations for assessment, intervention and management of self-injury in a school setting.

Collaborative Safety Planning in a school setting: March 24, 2020

Best practice recommendations for addressing and managing suicide risk include use of a good assessment tool for determining risk and guiding intervention. A vital next step is the collaborative development and use of a Safety Plan to help an individual to manage themselves during and following periods of crisis. A Safety Plan is a tool and a process for working with a student and family to identify and increase the use of coping skills, social and family support and professional resources. It is an excellent tool for use with anyone at risk for escalating crisis. This session will provide the tools and process for implementing safety planning for supporting students at risk in Maine schools

Suicide Prevention Training of Trainers (to learn to present the required suicide prevention staff training):

All school staff across the district are required to attend a 1-2 hour Suicide Prevention Awareness Session. The TOT session is for school staff who are Gatekeepers and offers them the support and access to the materials to support their delivery of the staff awareness sessions for their school or district. Plan to send at least 2 staff!

The full range of training dates and registration links are available through the suicide prevention Training Calendar at NAMI Maine.

MEDIA RELEASE: Maine Launches Innovative Bicentennial Curriculum Initiative; An Opportunity 200 Years in the Making

The Maine Department of Education (DOE), in collaboration with the Maine Bicentennial Commission (maine200.org) and the Maine Historical Society has launched an online resource designed to help Maine teachers integrate Maine’s Bicentennial into their classrooms. The Bicentennial Curriculum Initiative enables educators to share their own lesson plans, download lesson plans created by other Maine teachers, and access new curriculum resources and primary documents related to Maine, its history, and culture.
This Initiative is supported by funding from Jane’s Trust and the Maine Bicentennial Commission.

Available through the Maine Memory Network, the statewide digital museum created by the Maine Historical Society features historical items, online exhibits, and stories contributed by 270 organizations across Maine, the Bicentennial Curriculum Initiative is a resource designed to encourage and support Maine’s pre-k through adult educators in sharing ideas and best practices for implementing engaging and effective lessons to commemorate Maine’s Bicentennial with Maine students. Educators are invited to visit the Bicentennial Education Initiative web page to search by grade level, topic, content area, standard, and other fields for incredible ideas on how to commemorate our State’s Bicentennial with students of all ages.

Today’s launch of the Bicentennial Curriculum Initiative opens the site for your contributions. Please consider uploading a lesson plan, browse the initial lesson plans that have been added to the site, and explore extensive Maine history content. Check back frequently: the site will grow throughout the year and become a permanent resource for teachers.

To submit a lesson plan, educators can visit mainememory.net/lessons/submit to complete a simple submission template, and then upload additional resources. Once uploaded, lesson submissions will be reviewed for completeness and then placed on the Bicentennial Curriculum Initiative web page, where other educators from across the state can access them.

Educators who participate by sharing resources will have their names entered into a random monthly drawing (February 2020 – December 2020) for $400 in cash for use in their classrooms. Participants for this program are intended to be public and private school educators for grades pre-k to 12, Career and Technical Educators, Adult Education Instructors, and Post-Secondary Instructors.

By participating in this unique collaboration, not only are you are setting the stage for present and future Mainers to learn more about our great state, you can also share and learn from the collective brain of educators around Maine.

For more information or to ask questions about the process, please contact Kathleen Neumann kneumann@mainehistory.org.

Maine FFA State Officers Attend Maine Agricultural Trades Show

Pictured: Maine FFA State Officers Ava Cameron (Secretary-Treasurer), Graham Berry (President) and Camryn Curtis (Vice President) stand above the many agricultural organization displays for the 2020 Maine Agricultural Trades Show.

Student State Officers of the Maine FFA Association—formerly known as “Future Farmers of America,” with name changed simply to “FFA” to reflect increased diversity in agriculture including horticulture, natural resource management and other areas—participated in the 2020 Maine Agricultural Trades Show at the Augusta Civic Center on January 14^th & 15^th.

Maine FFA State President, Graham Berry, State Vice President, Camryn Curtis, and State Secretary-Treasurer, Ava Cameron, toured the many displays showcasing organizations and growers involved in Maine agriculture. Accompanied by their State FFA Advisor, Doug Robertson, from the Maine Department of Education, student Officers were impressed by the extent of agricultural entities and opportunities. They also attended the Commissioner of Agriculture’s Luncheon, with guest speaker Governor Mills, as well as a legislative reception hosted by the Maine Potato Board, and held a meeting for interested students from prospective Maine FFA chapter Maine Academy of Natural Sciences, Hinckley.

Maine’s State FFA Officer team was pleased to see in attendance at the Trades Show representatives from so many of their active sponsors including the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Maine Agriculture in the Classroom, Farm Credit East, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, Maine State Grange, Hammond Tractor, Maine Beef Producer’s Association, and many others.

Maine FFA provides leadership trainings, competitions and awards to students grades 7 to 12 enrolled in courses related to agriculture and natural resources, including science courses with practical applications through school gardens and greenhouses. Maine FFA is affiliated with the National FFA Organization, the largest youth leadership organization in the United States.

For more information on establishing a local FFA chapter, please contact: Doug Robertson, Maine Department of Education, doug.robertson@maine.gov (207) 624-6744.

Maine FFA State Officers visit grant supporting organization, Maine Agriculture in the Classroom (Program Assistant Kelsey Fortin in center)

Maine FFA State Officers visit with Jameson Little, Credit Analyst at Farm Credit East, a major Maine FFA sponsor

Governor Mills speaks on importance of Maine agriculture at the luncheon hosted by Maine Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry, Amanda Beal

Maine FFA State Officers meet Craig Flood, Research Technician and Amy LeClair, Charitable Giving / Outreach Coordinator, at display for Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Maine DOE Launches Culinary Video Series to Support School Nutrition Programs

The Maine Department of Education (DOE), in collaboration with the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry, recently launched two sets of videos to help support Maine school nutrition programs around the state. Links to the two sets of videos are available below:

Farm to School Videos – showcase the partnerships between farms and schools in an effort to grow the Farm to School movement.
Culinary Videos – assist school nutrition professionals in scratch cooking and utilizing local products. The videos can help build culinary skills in a variety of areas such as fruit and vegetable preparation, food safety, time management, and using local ingredients in school recipes.

The Team plans to continue building the video series by incorporating Maine dairy and seafood, among other proteins, in school recipes as well as other educational videos in the near future.

The Department would like to extend a special thank you to the people who made these videos a success:

Chef Samantha Gasbarro (Consultant)
Mike Flynn (School Nutrition Director for RSU 12)
Alisa Roman (School Nutrition Director for Lewiston Public Schools)
Chef Heidi Parent (Culinary Arts Instructor from Capital Area Technical Center)
Josh Girard (Girard Farm)
Kelby Young (Olde Haven Farm)
Trent Emery (Emery Farm)
Ryan Roderick (Chef and Wellness Coordinator for RSU 14)
Justin Deri (School Garden and Greenhouse Manager from Falmouth Schools)
Martha Poliquin (School Nutrition Director, Falmouth Schools)

In addition to the videos, the Child Nutrition Team also offers in-person and webinar trainings. The next culinary training will be on February 21^st and will be geared towards new and trending school breakfast ideas. Check out all their training opportunities in the Child Nutrition calendar, you can also stay up-to-date on child Nutrition news by joining the Child Nutrition email list.

All of the the videos are available on the Maine DOE’s website here: www.maine.gov/farmtoschool. For more information about the Farm-to-School Program, please visit this website.