Category: Health and Safety

Educator training on teaching suicide awareness and prevention

NAMI Maine, the Maine Suicide Prevention Program’s training contractor, is offering a Combination Lifelines and Middle School Lessons training session on Wednesday, Sept. 30 at the University of New England in Portland at 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.  This full-day training is available at no cost and is designed for health educators and others who are qualified to implement suicide prevention lessons in the classroom as part of a comprehensive school health education curriculum.

Continue reading “Educator training on teaching suicide awareness and prevention” →

Suicide prevention trainings for school staff and administrators offered this fall

As the implementation of the Maine suicide prevention law requiring suicide awareness and prevention education for all school personnel moves forward, many schools are also considering what is being taught to students. As part of that implementation, each school is required to have at least two Gatekeeper trained staff and it is recommended each district have two Training of the Trainer (TOT) staff to offer these awareness trainings each year for new staff and as needed in order to maintain compliance.

Continue reading “Suicide prevention trainings for school staff and administrators offered this fall” →

Reminder to districts: Suicide awareness and prevention training

The following priority notice was sent today to superintendents as a reminder all school personnel must complete suicide awareness and prevention training by the start of the 2015-16 school year.

Dear Superintendents,

Ensuring the safety of our students is a priority and a shared responsibility. Suicide awareness and prevention efforts are a part of safeguarding schools. To increase the potential of recognizing a student (or colleague) is in need of assistance, Maine passed the school-based suicide awareness and prevention law (LD 609, PL 53, DOE Rule Chapter 38) in April 2013.

Continue reading “Reminder to districts: Suicide awareness and prevention training” →

Free school-based emergency course for rural districts and law enforcement

A free course on school-based emergencies for rural Maine districts and law enforcement will be offered on Aug. 20 in Belfast at the Waldo County Public Safety Building (Emergency Operations Center).

Continue reading “Free school-based emergency course for rural districts and law enforcement” →

School Nurses aim to improve the health of our kids

Eight school nurses from Maine were among the more than 1,300 school nurses from around the country that met in Philadelphia last month at the National Association of School Nurses Annual Conference, aimed at improving the health of school-age children.

Continue reading “School Nurses aim to improve the health of our kids” →

Summer health review needed

The Maine DOE reminds district administrators that health care plans developed for students who require services during the school year must be reviewed if those students are attending extended school year (ESY) programming. The plans must be reviewed and revised by the school nurse, parent and primary care provider as needed for these summer learning opportunities. If the students required nursing services during the school year, the same is true for ESY.

Continue reading “Summer health review needed” →

Commissioner’s Conference

In case you missed the 104th Annual Commissioner’s Conference, here is a recap with valuable links.

Acting Commissioner of Education, Thomas Desjardin opened and closed the conference at Sunday River with timely updates on the ongoing FY16 budget discussions and voting at the State House at the time. He also acknowledged the ever changing educational climate and the hard work and successes of school leaders and Maine DOE’s support through its multi-faceted services.

Continue reading “Commissioner’s Conference” →