The 6th Annual Maine Partners in Emergency Preparedness Conference will be held April 22-23 at the Augusta Civic Center, and include a strong focus on school security. More than 40 workshops and demonstrations are scheduled during the free two-day event with statewide, national and international preparedness partners.
Continue reading “Educators invited to emergency preparedness conference”
The Department will be accepting applications for the Federal Qualified School Construction Bond (QSCB) Program through March 14. Continue reading “School construction tax credit bond applications due”
The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry is offering six free Comprehensive School Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Training workshops in early 2014. Continue reading “Free trainings on school integrated pest management”
On Saturday, many of us paused to remember the courage of so many in the face of the evil of one on the anniversary of the senseless school shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary. Just one day before, a 17-year-old senior was critically injured by a classmate, who later shot himself, in a shooting at Arapahoe High School in Centennial, Colorado, just 10 miles away from Columbine, another tragic reminder of our need to always be prepared even for the most unthinkable.
Here in Maine, schools have always taken the safety and security of their students and staff seriously, but even more so since Newtown. Continue reading “School security strengthened since Sandy Hook”
The Maine Legislature recently passed L.D. 905, a resolve directing the Maine DOE to examine school security and work with security experts. As part of our efforts, we have developed a short survey and request that each superintendent offer feedback on this important topic by completing it at http://tinyurl.com/meschoolsecuritysurvey. Your response is requested no later than Friday, Dec. 13 so a nationally-recognized security consultant can analyze the results for a report to the Legislature. Continue reading “Superintendent feedback needed on school security”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The President has ordered flags to half-staff in honor of President John F. Kennedy, who died 50 years ago today. In a proclamation signed Thursday afternoon, the President directs that flags be lowered to half-staff Nov. 22 for the entire day.
Monitoring by the Maine Charter School Commission of the two charter schools that served students during the 2012-13 academic year show the state’s first charters are meeting their missions
AUGUSTA – The State’s Acting Education Commissioner is applauding the state’s first two public charters after their inaugural monitoring reports show the central Maine schools are engaging students and adapting quickly to meet emerging needs.
Cornville Regional Charter School in Cornville, which served approximately 60 grade K-6 students, and the Maine Academy of Natural Sciences (MeANS) in Hinckley, which served 52 students grades 9-12, opened in the fall of 2012 after Maine, under the leadership of Governor Paul R. LePage, became the 41st state to allow public charter schools.
Continue reading “Commissioner applauds strong start of charter schools”
The Maine DOE has completed its review of fiscal year 2014 instructional leased space applications and posted the results online. School administrative units that submitted applications may learn the status of their applications by visiting the web page. Approvals are indicated in the yellow column labeled “Approved by Department of Education for FY ’14.”
The revised Rules for Major Capital School Construction Projects, Chapter 61, have been filed with the Secretary of State and will go into effect on Aug. 17.
Chapter 61 governs the expenditure of millions of Maine taxpayers’ dollars in support of safe and effective schools that support the demands of 21st century education. Extensive needs for improved education facilities across the State make it imperative that the rules be kept clear, current and supportive of the State’s education goals. Continue reading “Rule Change Adoption: Chapter 61, Rules for Major Capital School Construction Projects”
Department of Labor responds to federal mandate with free online training video
AUGUSTA – All employees in the state of Maine—in both the private and public sectors—must be trained in the federal Occupation Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) new Global Harmonization System Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) by Dec. 1. As part of this federal mandate, schools and districts are responsible for training their staff on GHS and must be able to demonstrate compliance upon inspection.
Continue reading “All districts and schools must train staff in Global Harmonization System”
Maine DOE Newsroom 