Maine Curriculum Leaders Association Offers Professional Learning Opportunities for Educators

The Maine Curriculum Leaders Association (MCLA) is offering two professional learning opportunities in early 2025: Differentiation for Leaders and Crucial Conversations. You can find more information about these opportunities below:

Differentiation for Leaders

Participate in this online learning opportunity to sustain differentiation within your school district. These meetings will take place virtually for four sessions with Cheryl Dobbertin, a leader in professional development, proficiency-based learning, and differentiation.

Descriptions of each session are as follows:

January 15: Differentiation that Makes a Difference – What is high-quality differentiated instruction This session will explore a comprehensive model of differentiated instruction and include discussions about common misconceptions.
February 12: Structures that Support Sustainable Differentiation – This session will help leaders to understand the communication, professional development, and coaching plans necessary to implement quality differentiated instructional plans.
March 12: Barriers to Quality Differentiation – This session will dive into the sometimes-invisible barriers that keep differentiated instruction from becoming a way of life in a school and/or district.
April 2: Integrating Differentiated Instruction into Other Structures – How does differentiation work for students who need intervention or enrichment? How might it be part of your Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) plan or Social Emotional Learning work? This session will review how differentiation can fit into all plans and structures when it’s well understood, helping leaders to create classrooms that allow all learners to thrive.

The cost for Differentiation for Leaders is $200 for MCLA members and $300 for non-members.

Register here.

The Maine Curriculum Leaders Association will reach out to those who register to determine the best time for sessions for the majority of registrants. For more information, please contact MCLA at director@mainecla.org.

Crucial Conversations

A Crucial Conversation is a discussion between two or more people where the stakes are high, opinions vary, and emotions run strong. When conversations turn crucial, people tend to follow one of two ineffective paths: They either speak directly and abrasively to get the results they want but harm relationships, or they remain silent with the hope of preserving relationships only to sacrifice results. Crucial Conversations® for Mastering Dialogue gives people the skills to step into disagreement—rather than over or around it—and turn disagreement into dialogue for improved relationships and results.

“The health of any relationship, team, or organization can be measured by the lag between identifying and discussing problems,” Joseph Grenny, coauthor of Crucial Conversations said.

Crucial Conversations® for Mastering Dialogue teaches nine powerful skillsets grounded in decades of social science research. The course helps learners develop these vital skills through instruction, application, practice, group discussion, and self-reflection all based on educational scenarios. This opportunity will include 12 hours of professional development, a digital copy of the learner guide, model cards, cue cards, and a digital copy of the book Crucial Conversations.

MCLA Executive Director Deb McIntyre will lead the training sessions and has previously delivered this professional development. Sessions are scheduled from 12:30-2:30 p.m. via Zoom on the following dates:

January 28
February 4
February 11
February 25
March 4
March 11

This course is appropriate for all school district leaders and is more powerful if you have a team that attends. The cost is $400 for MCLA members and $500 for non-members.

Register here.

To provide this excellent learning opportunity, MCLA must have at least 25 participants to run this offering. For more information, please contact MCLA at director@mainecla.org.

RESCHEDULED: Integrating Literacy through Background Knowledge Workshop with Josie Cameron

The Interdisciplinary Instruction team at the Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) Office of Teaching and Learning is excited to present a half-day workshop with educator and author Josie Cameron.

The Integrating Literacy through Background Knowledge workshop has been rescheduled for April 7, 8:00 a.m. to noon, at the Wells Conference Center at the University of Maine at Orono.

A 2020 study published in Reading Psychology found that preexisting knowledge is “foundational to increasing competency in reading” and that teaching from a foundation of what students already know is key to advancing their learning.

In this workshop, participants will explore, discuss, and engage with:

The role of preexisting or background knowledge in literacy development.
How background knowledge supports comprehension and meaning making.
How background knowledge facilitates the transfer of new information.
Practical strategies for incorporating background knowledge into classroom instruction.

This workshop is free to all Maine educators. In-person spots are limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Participants can also join virtually via Zoom. This session will be recorded and shared with educators following the event, and four contact hours will be available to participants. To register for this event, please use this registration link.

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

This workshop is the third of four workshops presented by the Maine DOE Interdisciplinary Team on the topic of Integrating Literacy through Applied Learning. All events are available in-person and virtually.

Registration Open for 2025 Maine Council for English Language Arts Conference

The Maine Council for English Language Arts (MCELA) has announced its 2025 annual conference, which will take place on Friday, March 21 at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland.

With the theme “Cultivating Possibilities in Ecosystems of Learning”, this year’s conference will explore how English language arts educators can nurture possibilities for themselves and their students through dynamic, evolving classroom environments.

This year’s theme emphasizes four essential “seeds” of growth: social responsibility, leadership, empowerment, and collaboration. The MCELA believes these are vital for fostering a thriving learning ecosystem. Through these core values, the conference will support educators in cultivating the skills and mindsets that empower students to become engaged learners and active community members.

Acclaimed author and educator Kate Roberts will deliver the keynote address, sharing insights from her latest work, The Heart of Fiction. Known for her books The Novel Approach and Falling in Love with Close Reading, Roberts brings a fresh perspective on literacy and student engagement. Her keynote promises to inspire attendees with practical strategies to cultivate meaningful connections with their students, transforming reading into an empowering tool for personal and academic growth.

Following last year’s conference, which welcomed more than 350 educators and featured 40 workshops by Maine educators, this year’s event will offer an equally-engaging lineup. Educators can look forward to a wide range of sessions that address how to build classroom ecosystems that value inclusion, creativity, and student-centered learning—while honoring the conference’s focus on responsibility, leadership, empowerment, and collaboration.

A special pre-conference event, “Poetry Night at Portland Stage,” will be held on Thursday, March 20 in partnership with Portland Stage. It will feature a reading by Somali-born poet Abdi Ali, whose work delves into themes of resilience and identity. Attendees who purchase a ticket for this event will also receive a bonus ticket following the poetry reading to Portland Stage’s production of “Madeleines,” an evocative play exploring memory and identity. For more information on “Madeleines”, please visit Portland Stage’s website.

A special conference room rate is available for those staying at the Holiday Inn by the Bay, and early registration is encouraged, as space is limited. Portland’s vibrant cultural and culinary scene makes it an ideal location for educators to connect, learn, and relax together.

For more information about registration, hotel accommodations, and session details, please visit the MCELA website or contact MCELA at maine.ela@gmail.com.

Virtual Text Study: Spotlight on Young Children – Challenging Behaviors

Join specialists from the Maine Department of Education (DOE) Office of Teaching and Learning’s Early Learning Team for a free, web-based professional development opportunity designed for early childhood educators working with children in pre-K through grade 2.

This series will utilize the 2024 National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) publication Spotlight on Young Children: Challenging Behavior, edited by Charis L. Wahman and Janice K. Lee. (“Children engage in challenging behavior for many different reasons: preventing and responding to that behavior begins with understanding why it occurs” [Wahman, C. & Lee, J. 2024].) Participants will read the chapters independently between sessions.

The book includes curated articles from NAEYC’s Young Children and Teaching Young Children magazines, offering insights and strategies from a variety of early childhood education professionals. The text is organized around the Pyramid Model, with strategies grouped into three levels: preventative, targeted, and intensive and individualized. Throughout the book, there is an emphasis on creating relationally-safe and culturally-responsive environments. Reflective questions and self-care practices are woven into the content, making it an ideal resource for both new and veteran early childhood educators.

The text study will begin on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, from 3:30-4:30 p.m. and will continue the following Wednesdays:

January 29
February 5
February 12
February 26
March 5

Registration is open through December 10, 2024, with space limited to 25 participants on a first-come, first-served basis. Those who register will receive a free copy of the book and earn up to 12 contact hours upon completion of the text study.

We encourage early registration to secure a spot! You may register here.

For more information, please reach out to Maine DOE Pre-K Consultant Sue Gallant at sue.gallant@maine.gov.

Webinar: Civics Education and Community Connections with the League of Women Voters

How can civics educators inspire students to engage in real civic action? How can we make civic involvement feel relevant and accessible in our students’ daily lives and local communities?

Join Breanna Bellefontaine-Krupski, Maine Department of Education Civics Teacher Leader Fellow in the Office of Teaching and Learning, and Allyson Gardner, Director of Maine Students Vote and League of Women Voters member, for a dynamic conversation on November 19. Together, they will explore the work of the League of Women Voters, Maine Students Vote, and new community ally programs that connect schools with civically-active community members.

Participants can expect to leave the webinar with valuable resources, including website links, newsletters, and practical insight on how these organizations are empowering young people to become active citizens.

Don’t miss this opportunity! Join us on Tuesday, November 19, at 3:45 p.m.

Join here. (There is no need to register for the webinar in advance.)

For further information or questions, please reach out to Maine DOE Civics Teacher Leader Fellow Breanna Bellefontaine-Krupski at breanna.krupski@maine.gov.

Save the Dates for 2025 The Regulated Classroom Train-the-Trainer Sessions

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is continuing its collaboration with Emily Read Daniels, M.Ed., MBA, NCC, SEP™, owner and founder of The Regulated Classroom™ (TRC™), to provide a third phase of train-the-trainer professional learning experiences at no cost to Maine educators.

In the fall of 2023, the Maine DOE launched the first phase of these trainings to respond to requests from educators for classroom resources to support building positive classroom culture and addressing dysregulated student behavior. All 600 spaces for the first phase of TRC trainings were booked within weeks. In the spring of 2024, a second phase of TRC trainings for 600 more educators from across the state was announced, and, like the first round, those sessions also filled up quickly. With a considerable number of emails coming from educators seeking opportunities for professional development—and a waitlist of more than 100 participants—this project has been expanded to create more training opportunities for another 600 educators, starting in March of 2025.

Through a somatosensory and Polyvagal-informed approach to cultivating conditions for “felt safety” in the classroom, TRC equips educators with a framework that consists of four core practices, two essential educator capacities, and sensory tools, establishing a safe and connected classroom environment. TRC offers highly-effective tools and practices to incorporate into routines, along with self-awareness and self-care resources that enable educators to recognize and bring regulation to the classroom, supporting engagement, connection, and learning.

To develop leadership capacity and promote project sustainability, the Maine DOE Office of School and Student Supports secured funding from Title II and hired Lead Co-Regulators from each of Maine’s nine Superintendent Regions. These Lead Co-Regulators are facilitating a series of three events this school year, specifically designed to support the implementation and sustainability efforts of educators trained in the framework of TRC. These in-person opportunities will allow participants to share successes and brainstorm strategies to meet any challenges, developing a vibrant community with a strong sense of mattering and belonging for educators. Click here to be included.

Here is what some participants have said about The Regulated Classroom:

“[We’re] feeling much more connected as a school community. Students feel safe within their settings when TRC is implemented.”
“[The implementation of TRC] is creating more interactive experiences between teachers and students.”
“[TRC is] 100% positive [and brings about a] culture of positive change, [plus] lower discipline referrals.”
“[TRC is] supportive of our shift toward embracing an integrated trauma-responsive approach. Kids and staff enjoy the practices.”

With more than 94% of Maine educators rating their experience with TRC as “Very Good” or “Excellent”—and many remarking that this is the best training they have ever attended—the Maine DOE is delighted to announce this new series of additional trainings, with an intent to open registrations in early January and then again in mid-July. Proposed dates and times are as follows:

The Regulated Classroom registrations (open week of January 6, 2025):

Locale	Previous Trainings Info	Dates	Max. # of Trainees
1. Kittery (York County)	Participants thus far from York County: 126	3/11, 3/12	50
2. South Paris (Oxford County)	Participants thus far from Oxford County: 64	3/27, 3/28	50
3. Scarborough (Cumberland County)	Participants thus far from Cumberland County: 141	4/10, 4/11	50
4. Auburn (Androscoggin County)	Participants thus far from Androscoggin County: 64	5/8, 5/9	50
5. Damariscotta/ Jefferson (Lincoln County)	Participants thus far from Lincoln County: 25	5/21, 5/22	50
6. Skowhegan (Somerset County)	Participants thus far from Somerset County: 51	6/3, 6/4	50

The Regulated Classroom registrations (open week of July 7, 2025):

7. South Portland (Cumberland County)	Participants thus far from Cumberland County: 141	9/9, 9/10	60
8. Northern Maine locale (Aroostook County)	Participants thus far from Aroostook County: 30	9/25, 9/26	40
9. Belfast (Waldo County)	Participants thus far from Waldo County: 41	10/1, 10/2	50
10. Ellsworth/Bar Harbor (Hancock County)	Participants thus far from Hancock County: 36	10/23, 10/24	50
11. Orono (Penobscot County)	Participants thus far from Penobscot County: 58	11/4, 11/5	50
12. Portland (Cumberland County)	Participants thus far from Cumberland County: 141	11/18, 11/19	50

To learn more about TRC, click here. If you have additional questions regarding the third phase of TRC trainings, please contact the Maine DOE. Administrators are encouraged to reach out to Kellie Bailey, Maine DOE Social Emotional Learning Specialist, at kellie.bailey@maine.gov. School personnel are encouraged to reach out to Sarah Nelson, Maine DOE Student Engagement Specialist, at sarah.nelson@maine.gov.

This opportunity for Maine educators is made possible through Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funding.

Boosting Content Knowledge with Readers’ Theater: Creating Engaging, Leveled Texts Using AI

Join Maine Department of Education (DOE) Arts Integration Teacher Leader Fellow Joshua Chard for an insightful webinar on leveraging readers’ theater to build reading fluency and increase content knowledge in the classroom. This session is perfect for educators looking to incorporate expressive reading to improve students’ oral fluency, comprehension, and confidence.

This session will also highlight how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to create scripts tailored to various reading levels, ensuring that all students are engaged and challenged appropriately. Teachers will gain practical tips for implementing readers’ theater and utilizing AI tools to customize materials. By the end of the session, attendees will be equipped with dynamic strategies to support diverse learners through engaging, leveled texts.

Date: Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024
Time: 3:15-4:15 p.m.
Join the webinar here (no registration required).

This webinar is ideal for educators who are new to using AI in the classroom. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your teaching toolkit!

For further information or questions, please contact Maine DOE Arts Integration Teacher Leader Fellow Joshua Chard at joshua.chard@maine.gov.

Informational Webinar About the Celebrating Rural Maine Project

Join the Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) Office of Teaching and Learning Interdisciplinary Instruction team for a 60-minute informational webinar about the Celebrating Rural Maine project. It’s scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 13 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. via Zoom. Educators from grades pre-K-12 are welcome to attend.

The Celebrating Rural Maine project aims to engage rural teachers in a deep examination of Maine’s history with an interdisciplinary place-based approach. The goals of this three-part professional learning series are to:

Connect teachers with the Library of Congress’ rural interdisciplinary collections and other supporting organizations to situate local narratives in the larger human experience.
Support teachers in the design and implementation of works of public value that connect rural students to their community.

The theme for the first year of this project, slated to run from December of 2024 through the fall of 2025, is “The Geography of the Place We Now Call Maine”. Educators who participate will have an opportunity to connect with content experts, master teachers, and colleagues to explore Wabanaki and African American studies, outdoor learning and innovative teaching models, and climate education. Regina Holland, project manager at the National Council for History Education, will be a guest speaker.

Please click here to register for the Nov. 13 webinar. If you cannot make the live webinar, it will be recorded and posted to the Celebrating Rural Maine project webpage.

This series is hosted by the Maine DOE in partnership with the National Council for History Education. It is funded through the Library of Congress’ Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) program.

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

About the Teaching with Primary Sources Program

Since 2006, the Library of Congress has awarded Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) grants to build a nationwide network of organizations that deliver educational programming and create teaching materials and tools based on the Library’s digitized primary sources and other online resources. Each year, members of this network, called the TPS Consortium, support tens of thousands of learners to build knowledge, engagement, and critical thinking skills with items from the Library’s collections.

Maine DOE Launches New Project to Expand the Impact of the Rethinking Responsive Education Ventures (RREV) Initiative

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) recently launched a new project, designed to continue the work of the Rethinking Responsive Education Ventures (RREV) initiative. The ongoing goal is to promote systemic change in Maine schools through innovative solutions to various educational challenges.

This new project, RREV Research & Design (R&D), will expand the impact of the original RREV project, which began when the Maine DOE was awarded $16.9 million from the U.S. Department of Education’s Rethink K-12 Education Models Grant. Maine was one of 11 states to receive funding and used it to provide equitable access to high-quality remote learning opportunities for all Maine students through innovative learning models.

RREV R&D will provide the resources, tools, and processes developed during the original grant period to help schools identify challenges and design meaningful and unique solutions at the local level. This might include anything from creating an outdoor learning environment on school grounds to offering new subjects to students to helping students explore future work opportunities and connect more deeply with the greater community.

State Statute allows schools to design and implement innovative systems, and the Maine DOE’s RREV R&D team is available to support schools throughout that process. The RREV R&D team can help current RREV awardees who are still championing the innovative work at their schools, as well as schools that are new to the process and looking to explore it for the first time.

Please visit the RREV – Innovation Research and Design webpage for more information about how to collaborate with the RREV R&D team. You may also reach out to Elaine Bartley, RREV R&D Project Director, at elaine.bartley@maine.gov.

Reminder: Deadlines Approaching for Early Learning Mini-Grant and Other Professional Learning Opportunities

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Early Learning Team is sending a reminder of the following opportunities with deadlines approaching soon:

Kindergarten Transition Mini-Grant Opportunity: This technical assistance program focuses on bringing students, families, schools, and communities together through high-quality transition to kindergarten plans. See the original newsroom article for more information about this mini-grant opportunity and/or watch the recorded information session. Register for the opportunity here.

Maine DOE Early Learning Team office hours are offered on the first Thursday of every month. Find more information about the schedule and the link to join office hours here.

For more information or questions regarding any of these opportunities, you may email Marcy Whitcomb, Maine DOE Public Pre-K Consultant, at marcy.r.whitcomb@maine.gov.