Maine DOE reminds districts of new military identifier for fall reporting

The Maine DOE is reminding superintendents, Infinite Campus (IC) data managers, building administrators and school office personnel of the state-wide implementation of the military-dependent child identifier responses in Infinite Campus expected in the upcoming October upload.

Continue reading “Maine DOE reminds districts of new military identifier for fall reporting”

Maine DOE announces 2014-15 Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program recipients

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently awarded 170 Maine schools $2,022,150 for distribution during the 2014-15 school year to provide fresh fruits and vegetables at no cost to students. The USDA’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program provides funds to school districts where 50 percent or more of their student population in grades pre-k through eight are eligible for free and reduced price meals.

Continue reading “Maine DOE announces 2014-15 Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program recipients”

Subsidy checks reflect MaineCare Seed adjustments

Dear Superintendents and Business Managers,

I am writing to let you know that the remaining 2013-14 subsidy checks for General Purpose Aid for Local Schools will reflect additional adjustments for MaineCare Seed payments paid by the Maine DOE on behalf of school administrative units (SAUs) for the following:

  • 2014 Quarter 1 and 2 MaineCare Payment adjustments
  • Corrections to 2013 Quarter 4 MaineCare Payment adjustments

Continue reading “Subsidy checks reflect MaineCare Seed adjustments”

Maine DOE offers webinar on maintenance of effort and excess cost

A webinar training provided by the Maine DOE’s Office of Special Services earlier this month is now available online as a tool for districts.

The training, led by the Department’s Director of Special Services Jan Breton and Fiscal Analyst Tyler Backus, focused on the Local Entitlement Application for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) funds for the 2014-15 school year.

Continue reading “Maine DOE offers webinar on maintenance of effort and excess cost”

Simple strategies for safer, more effective schools

Next week, I have the honor of speaking about school security at the Maine Partners in Emergency Preparedness Conference. I am excited to share all the advancements we’ve made here in recent years to strengthen the safety and security of our schools, especially since the shootings at Sandy Hook.

Most notably, thanks to two security reports commissioned by the Legislature and our Department and produced by Safe Havens International and PDT Architects, Maine schools now better understand their vulnerabilities and opportunities to better ensure student and staff safety.

Knowing how important this work is can often make it daunting for districts and schools boards to figure out where to best begin. That’s why as a follow-up to those assessments and in partnership with Safe Havens International, we are pleased to provide a free school security guide entitled 20 Simple Strategies to Safer and More Effective Schools.

Continue reading “Simple strategies for safer, more effective schools”

School Facility Management System to go offline June 30

In an effort to reduce the burden of unfunded education mandates, the Legislature recently accepted the Department’s recommendation to repeal the requirement that the Maine DOE provide a facilities maintenance template and capital planning software to school units. Therefore, the School Facility Management System (SFMS) will no longer be available after June 30, the end date of the current contract with VFA, Inc., the software provider.
Continue reading “School Facility Management System to go offline June 30”

Notice to superintendents on 2014 Commissioner’s Conference

Dear Superintendents,

I wanted to personally invite you to save the date for our 103rd Annual Commissioner’s Conference for Superintendents, scheduled to run from noon on Monday, June 23 through noon on Wednesday, June 25 at Point Lookout in Northport (please note the Monday start).

Continue reading “Notice to superintendents on 2014 Commissioner’s Conference”