Category: Professional Development

Maine Students Join Nearly 70,000 FFA Members in Indianapolis

Maine school representatives and student State Officers participated in the 92nd National FFA (formerly known as “Future Farmers of America”) Convention on October 30-November 2, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Twelve FFA students from Ashland High School, Easton High School, and Presque Isle Regional Career & Technical Center competed in events including Dairy Cattle Evaluation, Employment Skills, Environment & Natural Resources, and Horse Evaluation. 

State FFA Officers Graham Berry (President), Camryn Curtis (Vice President) and Ava Cameron (Secretary-Treasurer) participated alongside their fellow Maine competitors, teachers and chaperones, with Graham and Camryn serving as delegates to committees on Competitions and Member Experiences.  State FFA Advisor Doug Robertson from the Maine Department of Education oversaw student State FFA Officers and participated in educational sessions with fellow staff from other states.

Maine FFA State Secretary-Treasurer Ava Cameron presents the Maine Flag at the Opening Session.
Maine FFA State Secretary-Treasurer Ava Cameron presents the Maine Flag at the Opening Session.

FFA is the largest student leadership organization in the United States, with over 700,000 members grades 7-12 enrolled in courses related to agriculture and natural resources.  Of these members, nearly 70,000 attended the National Convention.  Maine’s delegates helped develop recommendations for changes to the National FFA to benefit members.

The National FFA Convention provided competitions, motivational sessions, leadership workshops, awards and scholarships for student members, as well as the chance to meet peers from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  In addition to competitions and motivational sessions, Maine participants had the opportunity to discover Indianapolis and many local attractions including the Indiana State Museum, the rodeo and the zoo, as well as enjoying a concert featuring Brett Young.

Maine FFA State Secretary-Treasurer Ava Cameron presents the Maine Flag at the Opening Session.
Maine FFA State Secretary-Treasurer Ava Cameron presents the Maine Flag at the Opening Session.

In Maine, secondary schools with technical programs in agriculture and natural resources as well as all schools for students grades 7-12 with relevant agriculture/natural resources courses, including science curriculum infused with agriculture and natural resource topics are eligible to charter FFA chapters.

For more information, please contact:  Doug Robertson, State Advisor, Maine Department of Education, (207) 624-6744, doug.robertson@maine.gov

No Cost Mandated Reporter Training Available to School Personnel

In 2015, Maine revised its mandated reporting law, requiring state-approved training for certain professions every four years. Specifically, it includes school personnel described as the following: teachers, guidance counselors, school officials, school bus drivers and school bus attendants.

Maine’s Network of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Councils is working to ensure that local school districts are aware of the changes and have the necessary resources to maintain compliance with Maine Statute. The local councils are able to provide in-person training at no-cost to the school districts.

As schools know, child abuse and neglect are serious issues, and school personnel often witness the challenges faced by Maine’s children.  In fact, according to the Office of Child and Family Services’ recent child welfare data, school personnel were responsible for over 20% of the total reported cases of suspected child abuse and neglect.  This demonstrates the importance of providing school personnel the most current, state-approved information for recognizing and reporting child abuse and neglect.  It is important that school personnel feel comfortable, confident, and fully understand their role as a mandated reporter. For information on how to access this free training, contact your local Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Council or visit the Maine Children’s Trust website. Click here to read the full law. If you have any additional questions please email Denise Trafton at the Maine Children’s Trust, deniset@mechildrenstrust.org.

MLTI T-shirt Design Competition Accepting Entries Until February 24th, 2020!

The Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) is hosting a T-shirt Design Competition again this year. The theme for the T-shirt design is “Celebrating 200 Years in Maine” or “Maine’s Bicentennial”.

A panel of judges will narrow the submissions down to three designs, and then we will ask Maine students and educators to vote for their top choice as they register for the MLTI Student Conference. The winning T-shirt will be printed for the 1000+ attendees of the 17th Annual MLTI Student Conference, which will be held on Thursday, May 21st, 2020 at the University of Maine in Orono. The three students whose designs become the finalists will be given a free registration to the conference.

Eligibility:

  • Any student who attends an elementary, middle, or high school in Maine during the 2019-2020 school year is eligible to enter the competition may enter the competition.
  • Any student or teacher/chaperone who is registering for the MLTI Student Conference may vote on the final design.

Submission Guidelines:

  • Submissions must only have ONE ink color and ONE background color. The inclusion of shading or gradients of colors will lead to disqualification.
  • All submissions must be an original artwork. Any use of any photo, drawing, images or elements created by any other person (other than the MLTI logo) is strictly prohibited and will result in disqualification.
    • Please adhere to the guidelines for the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards regarding copyright and plagiarism: Even if you have permission to use a work or if the work is in the public domain, the work that you submit to this competition must represent a new, original work. Additionally, changing the medium of an original work is not considered transformative. For example, a painting or drawing of a photograph taken from the Internet or a magazine is not considered original and should not be submitted.
  • Each student may only submit one entry AND the entry must be created by ONE student only.
  • The artwork should be sized to 81/2” x 11”.
  • Students may hand-draw or digitally design their artwork.
  • Digitally designed artwork should be 300 dpi, RGB color, and the fonts must be embedded.
  • Submitted artwork must incorporate the phrase “MLTI Student Conference” and the year “2020” or “’20”.
  • Students must incorporate the MLTI logo into their design: downloadable filesor by copying and pasting this link: http://bit.ly/MLTI_logos.
  • The design should reflect this year’s conference theme and should include some reference to “Celebrating 200 Years in Maine” or “Maine’s Bicentennial”.
  • Students are asked to submit an artist statement (less than 200 words) with their design to help bring clarity to their adherence to the theme.
  • Acceptable file types: PDF or JPEG high resolution.
  • Color: T-shirts are one solid color with one color ink, and the student can suggest the color for each.
  • The t-shirt design must fit on the front of the t-shirt.
  • Signed Release: Each student must sign this release and include it in their submission. If the link above doesn’t work, please copy and paste this link: https://www.maine.gov/doe/learning/ltt/conference/tshirt/release

Judging Criteria

  • Guidelines: Work clearly adheres to the submission guidelines (color, size, file type, etc.)
  • Theme: “Celebrating 200 Years in Maine” or “Maine’s Bicentennial”.
  • Principles of Design:Work incorporated the following elements of art: balance, emphasis, movement, pattern, repetition, proportion, rhythm, variety, and unity.

Important Dates

  • Monday, November 4th, 2019 – Competition begins
  • Monday, February 24th, 2020 – T-shirt designs due
  • Monday, March 2nd, 2020 – T-shirt voting begins (with registration)
  • Friday, April 10th, 2020 – T-shirt winner announced

Ready to enter the competition? Submit your entry with this form or copy and paste this link: http://bit.ly/MLTI-2020-tshirt-entry

For more information or answers to questions, please contact MLTI.Project@maine.gov

“Harvest of Ideas” Brings Together 600 Washington County Educators for Unique Learning Opportunity

The Washington County Consortium, a non-profit collaborative organization formed by school districts in Washington County to provide regional professional development opportunities, recently held its annual “Harvest of Ideas,” a day-long conference featuring workshops focused on high impact practices, academic and behavioral interventions, relevant resources, and research-based practices.

Held at the University of Maine at Machias, the event drew over 600 educators from the Washington County region and offered a wide range of learning opportunities, some of which will be followed up with two additional half-day workshops held throughout the school year, led by conference presenters. Uniquely this year, the conference allowed for 150-minute sessions called learning communities, providing practitioners time and space to think about what the ideas look like in their schools and classrooms, and how and where to start.

Sarah Woog introducing Commissioner Makin who participated via web conferencing to address educators.
Sarah Woog introducing Commissioner Makin who participated via web conferencing to address educators.

Sarah Woog, Executive Director for the Washington County Consortium and the coordinator of conference opened both morning and afternoon auditorium sessions by thanking the many people involved in pulling off such a comprehensive learning opportunity. “Thank you to all who helped put this day together, to the Washington County Leadership Team, the Washington County Consortium Board of Directors, everyone at UMM, from IT to facilities, to the instructors who are sharing in sessions today.” She also gave an important shout out to Culinary Arts Instructor Emily Fitzsimmons from Coastal Washington County Institute of Technology and her students from Machias Memorial High School who provided lunch and snacks that day, in addition to students from Washington Academy, who served as ambassadors for the day.

Representatives from the Maine Department of Education were present, including Emily Gribben who assisted with coordination, Lavinia Rogers who offered a collaborative work session for World Language teachers, and Shari Templeton with an interactive session for science teachers. Maine DOE Coach Darlene Bassett was also present working with Maine educators to host a workshop on Guided Reading. With the help of Woog and Maine DOE representative Mary Herman, Commissioner Makin also joined the conference virtually in two different larger sessions to offer educators her thoughts on teacher voice and its impact on spreading a positive message about education in Maine.

Also featured was a long session about integrating Maine Native American studies into classroom instruction. Geo Neptune, a member of the Passamaquoddy Tribe from Indian Township, hosted the presentation. As an educator, Passamaquoddy activist, and master basket maker, Neptune was able to provide conference participants with valuable and unique first-hand perspective, advice, and tools to aid them in finding resources to teach Native American studies in ways that are contemporary and relevant, while also honoring the long history and culture of Maine’s Native American tribes. As an Educator, Geo has worked not only within Wabanaki communities toward cultural preservation, but statewide within Maine schools to help provide content.

Geo Neptune presenting to conference participants.
Presenter Geo Neptune answering questions after his presentation.

Other sessions focused on a wide variety of pertinent topics including leadership, literacy assessment, engaging students with technology, guided reading, school counseling, Adverse Childhood Experiences, Neurodiversity, and selfcare and mindfulness to name a few. Presenters included several experts in the field including representatives from Maine Principals Association, CAN (Child Abuse and Neglect) Prevention Council of Washington County, University of Maine at Machias, Maine Parent Federation, and TREE (Transforming Rural Experience in Education), in addition to Maine educators from the region speaking to their peers as leading experts in their innovative work in education.

The day was a success on all counts providing educators from the Washington County Region with information and tools to refresh their classroom practices and help with the difficult task of ensuring students in some of the most rural areas of Maine have access to cutting edge curriculum, programming, and resources to help them achieve in today’s world.

“Every year, I just hope to do something that is more meaningful and has a greater impact than the year before,” said Woog. “I am grateful for the numerous people who work with me each year to realize this goal.”

Maine DOE Hosts First School Vegetable Prep-Culinary Training in Culinary Classroom

Last week, the Maine Department of Education’s Child Nutrition Team hosted its very first hands-on training in the newly built Child Nutrition Culinary Classroom.

Maine Schools in attendance had the opportunity to learn from Child Nutrition Chef Michele Bisbee about different steps they could take to prep vegetables more efficiently. During the class, participants learned how to use small equipment that can help speed up kitchen preparation.

The class also worked on developing skills that will help save time in the kitchen, enabling them to focus on providing more meals that have been cooked from scratch.

Count ME In Fall 2019 NEW Training: Transforming School Climate and Culture

The following is a training opportunity offered by Count ME In.

Developing a positive school climate and culture leads to an increase in student attendance, engagement and achievement.

Participants will:

  • learn strategies to build positive climate, improve school culture and decrease chronic absenteeism
  • examine how to build healthy relationships within the school community (staff with student, staff with staff, and staff with families)
  • learn how to differentiate between accidental and intentional culture
  • access a framework (including a staff survey) to support participants’ in assessing their own school climate and culture
  • leave the workshop with tools to help create a more successful school where all students can be successful learners.

We strongly recommend that school teams of 3 to 5 staff attend this session.  Everyone is welcome to attend.

Presenters:  Ansley Newton and Susan Lieberman

Ansley Newton’s experience includes work as a preschool project director; elementary school teacher; elementary, middle and high school counselor; high school substance abuse counselor, and school consultant with the ME DOE. She is a certified trainer of restorative practices through the International Institute of Restorative Practices, helping schools implement Restorative Practices.  Susan Lieberman, M.Ed. is Director of Count ME In.  She has over thirty years of experience in education and mental health as a licensed social worker and certified teacher.  She has taught in the classroom, worked as a community case manager for children and their families, and managed community and state-run programs.

  • Brewer, Jeff’s Catering  – Thursday, November 7
    • Registration: 8:30 am
    • Training: 9:00-3:00
  • Augusta, Bangor Savings Bank  – Friday, November 15
    • Registration:  8:30 am
    • Training: 9:00 – 3:00
  • Saco, People’s Choice Credit Union  – Tuesday, December 3
    • Registration: 8:30 am
    • Training: 9:00 – 3:00

Register here (https://countmeinmaine.org/newsite/attend-upcoming-trainings/)

The cost is $125 for each member of the school team and $155  for an individual registration.  This covers training, materials, coffee, snacks, and lunch.

Cancellation Policy:  Refunds minus $15 administrative fee will be offered up to 2 weeks before the session. Substitutes for registered participants are welcome – please let us know who to expect.

 

Central Aroostook Council on Education (CACE) Hosts Regional Conference

Submitted by Scott Harrison, Executive Director of Central Aroostook Council on Education (CACE), University of Maine at Presque Isle.

Presque Isle High School was the place to be on September 20, as teachers and leaders from surrounding schools came together in full force for a day-long conference called CACE Day.  CACE (Central Aroostook Council on Education) is an educational collaborative that sponsors the annual event.  The conference featured both local and nationally known speakers from education and related fields.

Matt McHatten, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at MMG Insurance and Chair of Aroostook Partnership helped welcome teachers and leaders and shared Aroostook Partnership’s interest in working together to connect students with ‘great local career opportunities.’ Commissioner Makin inspired a standing-room only crowd with her opening remarks, while  Dr. Marc Brackett, founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and author of newly released, Permission to Feel, delivered a stimulating keynote address.  Alex Kajitani, California Teacher of the Year and author of award-winning, Owning It, also inspired the group with his strategies for ‘acing and embracing’ teaching.  More than 25 sessions followed that included professional learning opportunities for every grade level and content area. Local celebrity, Dixie Shaw, made a special appearance to thank attendees for their contributions to the local food bank.  The fundraiser is the first of an annual CACE Day initiative called “Educators Care About The County.” Each year, CACE will select a community organization or group to donate funds raised during the conference.

For more information on CACE and this year’s CACE Day event check out their website here: cacepartnership.org.

MACTE Conference Draws 400+ Educators Statewide, Honors CTE Teacher of the Year

Maine Administrators of Career and Technical Education (MACTE) held its annual conference last week at Lewiston Regional Technical Center (LRTC). The official organization for Maine’s network of 27 career and technical education (CTE) schools, MACTE plans the conference as a place for CTE educators to convene and share ideas, hear from industry professionals, and honor hard-working colleagues.

IMG_2343During the opening presentation of the conference, participants were welcomed by MACTE President and host Rob Callahan, who is also the Director of LRTC. Dr. Donald Cannan, Executive Director of MACTE also addressed the crowd remarking on the utmost importance of CTE educators in the training of Maine’s current and future workforce. Following the welcoming, Maine Department of Education Deputy Commissioner Dan Chuhta presented the CTE Teacher of the Year award to Greg Cushman, an electrical instructor and SkillsUSA advisor at LRTC.

An alumnus and former educator of Westbrook Regional Vocational Center, Greg has a successful 25-year career in electrical trade under his belt. He has since returned to his roots in Career and Technical Education in a different capacity, to serve as an educator to the students in his community. Known for his outstanding student outcomes and many accomplishments, both in his professional career and in education, his nominators, LRTC Director Rob Callahan along with students and colleagues from LRTC, had this to say about Greg:

“Perhaps the most compelling aspect of Greg’s nomination for this award is the quality of his character. He is a highly approachable, thoughtful and genuine person who always looks for the good in any situation. He approaches his responsibilities as an educator, electrician and community member with utmost importance. He sets an example for those around him which is based on hard work, integrity and service to others.”

IMG_2374

After being named CTE Teacher of the year, Greg took the stage, while the excited crowd stood in applause and his family joined him to congratulate him for this well-deserved recognition. The CTE Teacher of the Year award is administered by MACTE as a way to recognize teachers who are providing outstanding career and technical education programs for youth and/or adults in their respective fields and communities.

After hearing from keynote speaker Shawn Moody, who spoke about the Blue Collar CTE scholarship opportunity, participants attended a morning filled with a variety of breakout sessions. In addition to sessions lead by Maine DOE Leaders who provided information about State level updates, data, and funding, there were also sessions led by CTE leaders and industry professionals about various topics including understanding and supporting LGBTQ+ individuals, early college opportunities through the Maine Bridge Academy program and the Community College System, as well as workforce and industry updates from Cianbro, Apple, Inc, and Maine Army National Guard to name a few.

Conference participants also had the opportunity to attend sessions led by Maine education colleagues such as Foster Tech’s Chris MeMarco and Jake Bogar who led a session about how to fit science into any CTE class, and Ruthanne Harrison, an Engineering Teacher from Bath Regional CTE, who led a session about design thinking and 3D Printing.

A delicious lunch was served at LRTC’s well-known Culinary Arts School, The Green Ladle followed by a final session that provided tech updates for CTE educators.

The annual conference came to a close with a positive response from participants, especially for the variety of breakout sessions that provided instructors with information about common best practices. MACTE Executive Director Donald Cannan says they “plan to continue this very successful practice” as they look toward planning future MACTE conferences and events.

Resources for Celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Schools

In recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Maine Department of Education would like to share resources and information that educators and schools can use to teach about Native American history and culture, as part of their classroom and school activities that commemorate this important holiday.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day is celebrated across the United States on the second Monday in October, this year the holiday will be celebrated on October 14th.

The Maine DOE has expanded its Maine Native American Resources webpage section to include robust historical and cultural information that honors Maine Native Americans, as well as resources that will help guide discussions about Indigenous Peoples’ Day, both in and outside of the classroom.

 Professional Learning Opportunity: Lenses on Learning- Leadership for Elementary Mathematics (3-Part Series)

Who is invited?   This professional learning opportunity is specifically designed for a team from K-8 schools consisting of:

  • 1 principal/mathematics coordinator
  • 1 classroom teacher/mathematics coach

Why participate?

  • Strengthen your instructional leadership and supervision practices in mathematics
  • Strengthen your pedagogical and content knowledge in mathematics
  • Explore what it means to develop a stance of inquiry and ongoing learning about mathematics education
  • Examine what it means to engage students in active learning
  • Consider ways to develop a shared school vision of rigorous, accessible, and equitable mathematics teaching and learning
  • Compare assessment practices and ways to use assessment to improve student learning
  • Take away ideas and materials to use in your school and classrooms

What is our key goal? To provide you with experiences, information, and resources to guide you in key areas of school practice, leadership, and instructional strategies that have an impact on students’ mathematical learning.

What is our approach to professional development?

  • Do the math: Use video and hands-on explorations delve into key elementary mathematics concepts using multiple approaches, including manipulatives and visual representations.
  • Connect to research: Discuss readings that connect each topic to research and take away powerful research-based approaches, tools, and resources to use in your school and classrooms.
  • Collaborate: Work together and share ideas with other K-8 teams.
  • Leading change: Set goals and generate a plan for ongoing mathematics improvement for your school and classrooms.

Cost:  $180.00 per team for all 3 sessions (includes continental breakfast, lunch, books, and materials for participants).

Contact hours: 24 hours

Registration: 8:00 am, Session 8:30 am – 3:30 pm

Locations: Dates (Must attend all): Registration Links:
Keeley’s Banquet Center, Portland 11/5/19; 1/7/20; 3/24/20 Register for Portland Event
University of Maine, Farmington 11/6/19; 1/8/20; 3/25/20 Register for Farmington Event
Northeastland Hotel, Presque Isle 11/19/19; 1/21/20; 3/17/20 Register for Presque Isle Event
Jeff’s Catering, Brewer 11/20/19; 1/22/20; 3/18/20 Register for Brewer Event

Space is Limited!  Apply by October 18, 2019

Questions? Contact: Michele Mailhot, Mathematics Specialist: 624-6829, michele.mailhot@maine.gov  or Jen Robitaille, Elementary Mathematics Specialist: 624-6673, jennifer.r.robitaille@maine.gov