Category: Health & Physical Ed

Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey 2023 Data Highlights

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) and the Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) jointly released the 2023 Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey (MIYHS) results on Friday, December 15, 2023. The MIYHS data provides schools with up-to-date trends around health behaviors and experiences for Maine middle school and high school students. Results of the survey also give educators an important snapshot of adolescent well-being connected to key health topics.

Maine schools play a critical role in shaping mental, physical, and social growth among our youth. The MIYHS results highlight an increasing need for quality, comprehensive health education and the implementation of proven strategies to educate the whole child. Questions on the survey address behaviors connected to substance use, nutrition, physical activity, sexual behavior, health status, and protective factors, to name a few. The MIYHS highlights trending topics in the areas of mental health, suicide ideation, depression, specific health conditions (diabetes, asthma, obesity), housing stability, and school connectedness.

Building on our understanding of young people’s environments can only expand our opportunities to improve the world around them. The MIYHS results serve as a mechanism to help guide our work in education, to provide resources for students around healthy decision-making, and to deliver tools to young people for the navigation of their pre-teen and teenage years. In 2023, 77% of high schoolers reported having a connection to a teacher who cares about them and supports them (up from 73% in 2021).  Maine high schools can utilize this data to make connections with their students and provide programming to connect with a higher percentage of students.  Additionally, vaping use decreased significantly with students who indicated they had vaped at least one time (29% in 2021 to 16% in 2023).  The messaging being shared around the dangers of vaping is growing and could impact strategies for the reduction of other harmful behaviors.

Findings from the MIYHS data continue to expose concern for marginalized populations (gender, race, ethnicity, and sexual identity). Students continue to experience varying levels of trauma and distress with substance use and abuse, mental health, access to essential services, and protective factors. An understanding of what Maine students encounter in their daily lives can assist adults in furnishing the resources necessary to improve all areas of health and wellness for young people.

The Maine Department of Education and Office of School and Student Supports have multiple resources for making connections between youth and adults.  The materials are centered on supporting mental health, strengthening relationships, and improving overall health.  Helping our students develop skills and connections that can protect them from unhealthy behaviors is essential now more than ever.

To find out more about MIYHS and view 2023 results, please visit: https://www.maine.gov/miyhs/

Other Resources:

Contact DOESchoolandStudentSupports@Maine.gov with any questions.

Two-Day Workshop: Inclusive Teaching Practices and Learning

This event is open to all school personnel.

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is hosting its third training opportunity focused on learning around diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ), and the impact that increasing understanding of DEIJ can have on teaching practices, instructional strategies, and classroom management in every discipline area.

Think about the following:

  • Have you looked at your curriculum and teaching practices with a lens of inclusion?
  • Are your materials representative of all students and their families?
  • Are your practices and use of language inclusive of all students and families?
  • Is there any evidence of diversity, inclusion, equity and justice?

If you answered not sure or no to any of the questions, this training is a great place to start.  The 2-day interactive training will focus on understanding foundational concepts in DEIJ, along with reviewing a process to conduct a deep dive into curriculum, instructional strategies, and classroom management processes.  Following the 2-day training, we will hold Community of Practice virtual sessions during the school year to reflect on DEIJ implementation in your classroom.  Access to technical assistance from our trainers and Maine DOE specialists will also be available during this time.

Dr. Sarah Benes (she, her, hers) will return to lead the training and is our consultant for this initiative.  Sarah is an assistant professor at Southern Connecticut State University in health education and physical education.  In addition, she is the co-owner of Lighthouse Wellness & Health Education Consulting and the current president of SHAPE America.  We are also pleased to have a cadre of Maine physical education and health education teacher leaders co-training for the workshop.

Event Details: 

  • Capital Area Technical Center, Augusta
  • Wednesday, February 7, and Thursday, February 8
  • 8:00 am-3:00 pm each day
  • The fee for this training is ONLY $50 (the fee assists with the cost of food).  All other expenses are covered by the Maine DOE.

Register by clicking on this link or going to the Maine DOE Professional Event Calendar at this link.

Financial Assistance: There are five-$150 scholarships available to help with substitute pay, mileage and lodging to support attendance.  The form to apply for a scholarship is here.

Email susan.berry@maine.gov or carolyn.gross@maine.gov with questions or before registering if using a PO for payment.

Registration is Now Open for the 2024 Maine School Winter Wellness Summit, Give Roots to Wellness!

By mid-school year school personnel are ready for a pick me up that provides information, experiences, resources, and tools to care for one’s self and others. The Maine Department of Education, Office of School and Student Supports, Employee Health Promotion and Wellness Program is pleased to be able to offer the 2024 Maine School Winter Wellness Summit, Give Roots to Wellness! School leaders and employees from across the State are invited to register for this event.

Thursday, January 25 and Friday, January 26
The Samoset Resort in Rockport

This event is open to individuals and teams in schools interested in worksite health promotion and wellness as well as community members supporting schools.

The goal of the Winter Wellness Summit is to inspire and empower participants to take care of their personal health, and to create healthier, more supportive, and safer school environments for all. The Summit agenda supports the promotion of health improvement to enhance well-being and academic achievement.

This year’s agenda includes three educational and inspirational keynote presentations, engaging workshops on personal wellness practices and positive and healthier school environments, worksite wellness program planning, and network opportunities with colleagues and professionals from across the State who value health promotion and wellness.

The cost of the two-day event is $150/person for early bird (through December 22nd) and $175/person for standard registration (after December 22nd) inclusive of five meals. Accommodations are on your own, but we have secured a block of rooms at an excellent rate below the State per diem rates! All the details can be found on the Winter Wellness Summit webpage.

See the agenda.

Register for the Summit and get more info here.

Direct questions to susan.berry@maine.gov.

Maine Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance Announces 2023 Teachers of the Year and Honor Award Winners 

Every November outstanding professionals in the fields of health education, physical education, adapted physical education, and recreation are recognized during the Maine Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (Maine AHPERD) Annual Conference. This year the following four educators were named as the 2023 Maine AHPERD Teachers of the Year and honored during the Award Banquet at the Samoset Resort.

Awards were presented to a community partner and two individuals who are recognized as strong supporters of the mission of Maine AHPERD and the field. This year’s awardees were:

Additionally, six students were recognized as the 2023 Outstanding Future Professionals in health and physical education hailing from five Maine institutes of higher education.

Pictured L to R: Sarah Wentworth - University of Maine at Orono, Zachery Creekmore - St. Joseph's College, Brecken Sargent - University of Maine at Presque Isle,(Maine AHPERD President Kayla McGee), Tyler Calhoun - University of New England, Jonah Sautter - University of Maine at Farmington, Jacob Mulligan - University of Maine at Orono
Pictured L to R: Sarah Wentworth – University of Maine at Orono, Zachery Creekmore – St. Joseph’s College, Brecken Sargent – University of Maine at Presque Isle, (Maine AHPERD President Kayla McGee), Tyler Calhoun – University of New England, Jonah Sautter – University of Maine at Farmington, Jacob Mulligan – University of Maine at Orono

Check out the MaineAHPERD website for highlights and resources from the conference.

 

2-Day Workshop: Health Ed. and Physical Ed. Inclusive Teaching Practices and Learning – May 5 & 11

This event is open to all school personnel as it does not just apply to HE & PE.

This is the second offering of the Heath Education (HE) & Physical Education (PE) Inclusive Teaching Practices Professional Learning Opportunity. Here is a little more about the workshop:

  • Have you taken a look at your curriculum and teaching practices with the lens of inclusion?
  • Are your materials representative of all students and their families?
  • Are your practices and the language you use inclusive of all your students and their families?
  • Do you know what to look for?

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Health Education & Physical Education Program is hosting a second training opportunity focused on learning about diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and the impact better understanding what it means has on teaching practices within HE & PE…or any discipline! This 2-day interactive training will focus on understanding foundational concepts in DEI then review a tool and process for conducting a deep dive into curriculum, instructional strategies and classroom management practices. Following the 2-days of training, virtual Community of Practice sessions for conversations and technical assistance will be held. Please note, educators outside of the HE & PE disciplines are more than welcome to attend and all will find great benefit!

We are excited to again have the fabulous Dr. Sarah Benes (she, her, hers), as our trainer and consultant on this initiative. Sarah is an assistant professor at Southern Connecticut State University in health education and physical education, co-owner of Lighthouse Wellness and Health Education Consulting, and SHAPE America President. We are pleased to also have Maine HE & PE Teacher Leaders co-training with us this spring.

Event Details: Friday, May 5 and Thursday, May 11 at Thomas College in Waterville from 8:00 a.m. – 3 p.m. each day. The fee for this training is ONLY $45* to assist in covering the cost of food and facility. All other expenses are funded by the Maine DOE.

Register Now – Attendees must commit to both days of this training.

Email susan.berry@maine.gov with questions or before registering if using a PO for the discount code to bypass the credit card payment.