The Maine DOE is inviting educators to its 2015 Comprehensive School Health Education Spring Conference, which will focus on transitioning health education curriculum to a proficiency-based system of learning.
Continue reading “Comprehensive School Health Education Spring Conference to focus on proficiency”
The Maine DOE is releasing additional new resources to support the development and implementation of Performance Evaluation and Professional Growth (PEPG) systems. The new resources build upon those released last month and include Leader Evaluation and Professional Growth (LEPG) modules and a presentation specifically for special educators.
Among the previously released resources were educator training modules produced in collaboration with American Institutes of Research and the Department has now additionally added the last three modules in the State LEPG module series. Though each of the modules is aligned with the details of the State PEPG model for teachers or the State PEPG model for principals, they can be adapted by local districts as needed. The modules are located on the State Teacher PEPG and State Principal PEPG pages of the Educator Effectiveness website.
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The Department has published 30 lesson plans that support hands-on, applied learning for Maine’s middle school students. | More
The Maine DOE is inviting math educators to one of the six workshops the Department will host across the state next month focused on connecting the classroom to the new online Maine Education Assessment developed by Smarter Balanced. | More
The Commission to Strengthen the Adequacy and Equity of Certain Cost Components of the School Funding Formula has released its final report. | More
The Maine DOE is hosting a one-day workshop next month focused on supporting the development and implementation of successful school-based health promotion programs. | More
The Maine DOE will host a webinar on Jan. 23 to overview the features and accommodations that will be available with the new online Maine Educational Assessment for Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy developed by Smarter Balanced. | More
The Maine DOE is encouraging review of new guidance released by the U.S. Office of Civil Rights on the obligations to English learner students. | More
The Maine DOE is reminding all schools serving K-12 students that they are required to appoint a staff member to be the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Coordinator. | More
The Department is asking districts that have not yet completed their 2013-14 EDFacts Annual Academic Staff Survey to do so before the statewide data is uploaded to the U.S. Department of Education. | More
The Maine DOE is aware that the secure browser application that will be used for the administration of the Maine Educational Assessment for Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy developed by Smarter Balanced is currently not compatible with iOS 8. | More
Schools are encouraged to invite legislators to visit classrooms and meet with teachers, administrators and students this month. | More
Two Maine students will travel to Washington, D.C. for a week in March to serve as delegates to the United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP). | More
Bucksport High School has been honored as a National BARR School of Academic Excellence. | More
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, Preserve America and the History Channel annually recognize outstanding American history teachers at the state and national levels. | More
College For Every Student (CFES) has received funding to provide five low-income middle or high schools with Closing the Gap awards. | More
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The Maine DOE is hosting a one-day workshop next month in Augusta focused on supporting the development and implementation of successful school-based health promotion programs for staff and students that ultimately improve student achievement.
Continue reading “Educators invited to winter wellness workshop”
The Maine DOE is reminding all schools serving K-12 students that they are required to appoint a staff member to be the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Coordinator responsible for oversight of pest prevention, management and monitoring activities. Schools must report the name and e-mail address of the IPM Coordinator in MEDMS or by email to the Maine Board of Pesticides Control at pesticides@maine.gov.
In light of several high profile incidents in Maine involving threats to schools, the Department is reminding districts of the many resources it has already available to support schools in their ongoing efforts to keep students safe. Continue reading “Maine DOE provides resources to help schools keep students safe”
As the implementation of the new 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. Continue reading “Educator training on teaching suicide awareness, prevention offered in December”
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) recently released a safety bulletin, Key Lessons for Preventing Incidents from Flammable Chemicals in Educational Demonstrations, based on three recent serious incidents in Nevada, Colorado and Illinois where children were burned while observing school laboratory demonstrations involving flammable liquid methanol.
Continue reading “Guidance provided on preventing school laboratory incidents”
Two HIV prevention educator trainings are scheduled in December as a result of funding provided by the passage of LD1699.
Continue reading “Maine DOE offers HIV prevention educator trainings”
The Maine DOE, in collaboration with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, is encouraging public schools to register for the 2015 Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey (MIYHS).
Continue reading “Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey registration open”
Earlier this year, the Department released six options by which districts could apply for extensions to fully implementing systems to support the awarding of proficiency-based diplomas starting in 2018.
I continue to be appreciative of the positive feedback we regularly receive in response to offering that flexibility. Many educators and district leaders have commented that while they had initially been uncertain about the extension application process, it ended up being a valuable opportunity for reflection that helped focus local efforts moving forward to best ensure quality implementation.
But nothing has been more encouraging than seeing the high number of extension applications and confirmations of readiness that the Department received by the Oct. 18 final deadline. To date, 95 applications/confirmations representing 99 high schools have been submitted and we have been contacted by superintendents representing seven other high schools that their applications are forthcoming following local school board approval. This overwhelming response reflects the statewide commitment to better preparing our students for college and career success.
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Though the March 16 through May 29, 2015 window schools have for administering this new Maine Educational Assessment (MEA) for Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy is months away, there is already significant work underway across the state to ensure staff and students are prepared for success. | More
Charlene Tucker and Nancy Godfrey have joined Maine DOE as members of the assessment and accountability team. | More
The Maine Suicide Prevention Program is offering a series of workshops for school personnel to create and strengthen protocols around suicide prevention, intervention and postvention. | More
The Maine DOE is proposing rules pertaining to public preschool programs. | More
The Maine DOE has been notified of the requirement to submit Maine teacher shortage areas by Dec. 11 for designation by the U.S. Department of Education (U.S. DOE) for the 2015-2016 school year. | More
The Maine DOE has reissued a request for proposals (RFP) seeking bids to develop and implement programs providing educational and related services under the McKinney-Vento Act. | More
The Maine DOE and Maine School Nutrition Association recently honored several local school food service staff members for their 20 years or more of service at their fall conference. | More
Hyde School in Bath will be hosting its second annual Maine Youth Leadership Day on Nov. 6. | More
A series of new learning guides for families that outline what students in kindergarten through grade five are expected to know and be able to master in mathematics and English language arts has been developed by Portland Public Schools. | More
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