Monthly School Safety and Security Bulletin- April 2019

Throughout the 2018- 2019 school year, the Maine Department of Education, State Fire Marshal’s Office, Department of Health and Human Services, Maine State Police, Maine Sheriffs Association, Maine Chiefs of Police Association, and the Maine Emergency Management Agency will provide tips and resource information to Maine schools to help provide some guidance for identifying signs and preventing school violence.

School Safety and Security Bulletin – March 2019

Crisis Communications

Further questions and inquiries can be send to Pat Hinckley, Maine DOE Transportation and Facilities Administrator at207-624-6886 or pat.hinckley@maine.gov.

New Info-graphics for Schools and Communities on Electronic Nicotine Devices

At the Department of Education we recognize that schools across Maine are challenged on a daily basis with how to effectively address adolescent use of electronic nicotine devices. Data from the National Youth Tobacco Survey indicated that use of electronic cigarettes, including products such as JUUL and Blu, by High School students increased by 78% between 2017 and 2018. Our partners at the MaineHealth Center for Tobacco Independence (CTI) developed a series of info-graphics to help Maine schools and communities understand what these products are, the dangers associated with youth use, and prevention and treatment resources available. Check out these new resources, and also reach out to CTI for more information and to be connected with local resources at TobaccoPreventionServices@mainehealth.org.

Important federal grants for local communities on school safety and security just opened, apply soon!

The Department of Education is committed to providing timely information and support to school communities, including federal grant opportunities, in the ongoing efforts to ensure safe schools in the State of Maine. Please see below for new grant information; further questions about the grants and requirements should be directed to the grant providers.

Community Policing Development (CPD) Program

The 2019 Community Policing Development Program is a competitive grant program designed to advance the practice of community policing by providing guidance on promising practices through the development and testing of innovative strategies; building knowledge about effective practices and outcomes; and supporting new, creative approaches to preventing crime and promoting safe communities. The CPD solicitation is open to all public governmental agencies, for-profit and nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, community groups, and faith-based organizations.

Applications are due by May 28, 2019 at 7:59 PM EDT.

Please click here for more information on the 2019 Community Policing Development Program.

Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act (LEMHWA) Program

The 2019 Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act Program is a competitive grant program that provides funding to improve the delivery of and access to mental health and wellness services for law enforcement through training and technical assistance, demonstration projects, and implementation of promising practices related to peer mentoring programs that are national in scope. The LEMHWA solicitation is open to all public governmental agencies, for-profit and nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, community groups, and faith-based organizations. This grant may be of interest to school districts with a dedicated police force.

Applications are due by May 28, 2019 at 7:59 PM EDT.

Please click here for more information on the 2019 Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act Program.

School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP)

The 2019 School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) is a competitive grant program that provides funding directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies (including school districts and local law enforcement agencies) to be used to improve security at schools and on school grounds. Awards may include funding for coordination with local law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent school violence against others and self; placement and use of metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures; acquisition and installation of technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and/or any other measure that may provide a significant improvement in security. Special eligibility notice for school districts: Applications for SVPP must be submitted by a state, tribe, or local unit of ‘general government (city, county, township, etc.), or public agencies (school districts, police departments, sheriff’s departments).

Applications are due by May 31, 2019 at 7:59 PM EDT.

Please click here for more information on the 2019 School Violence Prevention Program.

MEDIA ADVISORY: Maine DOE to Host 2019 Farm to School Cook-Off

What: The Farm to School Cook-off showcases the culinary skills of school food service staff and students, while promoting locally grown products in school meals. Each volunteer team, consisting of one school food service staff and one student, will prepare a breakfast and lunch meal within a specific time frame using at least two ingredients that are grown, raised, caught, or manufactured in the State of Maine and meet National School Breakfast and Lunch Program requirements as well as one USDA food. Local apples and dried black beans will be used as “challenge” ingredients in the competition.

Who: School food service staff and students, representatives from Maine DOE’s Child Nutrition Program.

Where/When:

Thursday, March 21
Lake Region Vocational Center, Naples, ME
10:00am start time (cooking begins promptly at 10:30am)
Teams are representing Auburn, South Portland, Falmouth

Friday, March 22
Bath Regional Career and Technical Center, Bath, ME
10:00am start time (cooking begins promptly at 10:30am)
Teams are representing RSU 38, Yarmouth and RSU 12

Tuesday, March 26
Eastern Maine Community College, Bangor, ME
1:00pm start time (cooking begins promptly at 1:30pm)
Teams are representing RSU 54, RSU 22 and Cherryfield

A final cook-off will be held at Kennebec Valley Community College- Alfond Campus on April 23.

Members of the media are welcome to attend the competition. For further questions, please contact Maine Department of Education by contacting Rachel Paling at rachel.paling@maine.gov or call 624-6747.

School Safety and Security Bulletin: Fire Alarm Changes and Codes

School Safety and Security Bulletin – March 2019

Fire Alarm Changes and Codes (PDF)

Further questions and inquiries can be send to Pat Hinckley, Maine DOE Transportation and Facilities Administrator at pat.hinckley@maine.gov.

Seeking Additional Maine Schools for Social Emotional Learning Pilot Program

The Tobacco and Substance Use Prevention and Control Program with the Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (MECDC), in partnership with the Maine Department of Education (Maine DOE), is seeking additional schools that would like to implement the social emotional learning (SEL) program, Second Step, funded by a grant through MECDC.

The MECDC received a portion of the State Opioid Response grant to provide community-based substance use prevention as part of the grant’s larger goal to reduce the prevalence of non-medical use of opioids. The Second Step Curriculum is research-based and available for grades PreK through 8th grade. Many of the skills within the Maine Learning Results for health education in elementary school align with goals of Second Step, such as nurturing skill building and preventing problematic developmental behaviors that are part of the trajectory toward later substance use.

If you are interested in adding Second Step to your school’s curriculum and you are not already part of the MECDC pilot and have not already been contacted by the Maine CDC from your application from the last round, please complete this brief 5 minute application survey.

Please note: If you applied in the last round and have not heard from the Maine DOE or CDC, please feel free to apply again. We may not have had enough information from you in the last application to proceed.

For more information, contact Cheryl.Cichowski@maine.gov at Maine CDC or Emily.Poland@maine.gov at the Department of Education.

The Maine Association of School Nurses (MASN) is Seeking Nominations for School Nurse of the Year 2019

The purpose of this award is to recognize the contributions of Maine School Nurses by honoring one school nurse who has demonstrated leadership and excellence in the practice of school nursing. This title recognizes a nurse who has demonstrated excellence and leadership in the following: care provision, program management, health education, professional development, community involvement, and research.

Please consider honoring the excellence of your school nurse. Nomination packets are due April 1. Instructions for nominations and more information can be found on the MASN website, or you may contact Deb Braxton, the coordinator for School Nurse of the Year for MASN: dbraxton@capeelizabethschools.org

Resources to Help Schools Eliminate Browntail Moth Nests

The Maine Department of of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry has put together the resources and information below to help Maine schools eliminate Browntail Moth nests

Browntail caterpillars cause a severe poison ivy-like rash and can cause breathing problems in some people. If this insect is present on your school properties you should take action to destroy it now to protect the health of students, staff and visitors in the future. Unmanaged infestations can cause health risks for years because the caterpillars’ barbed and toxic hairs can remain in the environment for up to three years.

Browntail moth caterpillars overwinter in fist-sized silken nests on branch TIPS in oaks, birch, apples, cherries, crabapples and other hardwoods. Now is the time to remove these nests from trees on school grounds.

Clip webs BEFORE the caterpillars emerge in mid April
Burn them or soak them in a bucket of soapy water to kill the caterpillars inside
Don’t leave webs on the ground, the caterpillars will still emerge
Each web can have between 25-400 caterpillars inside so each web counts
If time or funding is an issue focus on trees with webs in high traffic areas

Browntail caterpillar webs can be found from the New Hampshire border to Deer Isle, and inland to Raymond, Turner, Rome, Smithfield, Burnham and Eddington. They are worst along the coast from Falmouth to Bristol and up the Kennebec River to Richmond. It has also been found in Belgrade, Burnham, Eddington, Liberty, Lincolnville, Turner and Whitefield. More information, a video showing how to clip the webs, a list of arborists willing to do prune webs and a list of licensed pesticide applicators can be found here: https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs/forest_health/invasive_threats/browntail_moth_info.htm

If you think you’ve found webs but aren’t sure, contact the Maine Forest Service at (207) 827-1813.

PRIORITY NOTICE: Maine Department of Education’s Position on School Mascots and Logos

Because our schools must provide safe, inclusive, and respectful learning environments, and because schools teach many lessons by example, DOE urges schools to refrain from using mascots and logos that depict Native American tribes, individuals, customs, or traditions. For information about the negative impact of using such mascots/logos:

https://www.apa.org/pi/oema/resources/indian-mascots

http://www.changethemascot.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/DrFriedmanReport.pdf

While we recognize that DOE does not have jurisdiction over local decisions like these, we encourage schools and communities to consider the impact of promoting symbols and stereotypes that marginalize individuals or groups of people.

The DOE is working to enhance our office of Student Supports with additional staff and resources to assist Maine schools and districts in the development and strengthening of practices that promote cultural competence and reduce bias and inequity.

Seeking Schools to Participate in “Youth Mindfulness” Opportunity

The Maine DOE has teamed up with OmKids and Radiant Beginnings to offer a 2-hour, in-person training on a video-based mindfulness and stress relief curriculum to support students’ and teachers’ emotional health. This opportunity is available to a small number of Maine schools that include PreK through grade 5 and are available to implement youth mindfulness during the spring of 2018-19 school year. Youth mindfulness has been shown to improve attention stability, compassion, and emotional balance when practiced regularly.

In a southern Maine pilot, OmKids and Radiant Beginnings found that implementing program activities for as little as 5 minutes a day for 8 weeks led to:

Overall stress reduction (decreased for 94% of students)
Emotional distress reduction (decreased for 44% of students)
Fewer behavioral difficulties (decreased for 31% of students)
Fewer hyperactivity and concentration difficulties (decreased for 63% of students)
Fewer difficulties getting along with other children (decreased for 63% of students)

If your school is interested in an opportunity to bring youth mindfulness to your teachers and students, please complete this interest survey for the Maine DOE to review. The survey will close on March 1. You will be notified if your school has been chosen to implement youth mindfulness by March 8.

For more information, please contact Sarah Adkins, Student Assistance Coordinator, at sarah.adkins@maine.gov or 624-6685.