The Maine Department of Education (DOE) announced the availability of new Maine Learning Through Technology Initiative (MLTI) #TeachWithTech grants to support school administrative unit (SAU) efforts to meaningfully integrate technology into teaching and learning. The grants provide funding to MLTI educators who want to bring technology into their MLTI schools in a way that is innovative, impactful, and intriguing and will be used to provide supplemental technology to schools.
The supplemental technology available to schools through these grants includes, but is not limited to, 3D printers, laser cutters, video production equipment, specialized cameras, drones, robotics & coding kits, digital microscopes & doc cameras, and audio/podcasting equipment.
“Meaningfully integrating technology into teaching and learning allows teachers to harness the power of technology in a way that deeply engages students, and these tools and resources can be used across content areas and for all grade levels,” said Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin. “Through these grants, Maine students will be able to access cutting-edge technology tools and build the skills they need to lead and thrive in a high-tech, digital world.”
Maine continues to lead the way with technology learning through innovation and meaningful integration. By focusing on ensuring that students have access to high quality technology-infused learning experiences and incorporating real-world topics and skills, Maine students are better prepared for post-secondary education, their careers, and beyond. From providing ongoing professional learning in technology integration, increasing student leadership opportunities in technology, and providing mobile computer science labs to all Maine public schools, these are just a few of the many ways that Maine is building capacity for and expanding critical access to technology learning for all students.
This grant is designed to offer supplemental technology that is not already provided through the MLTI program; device applications will not be considered. Instead, SAUs are encouraged to think about innovative learning through technology and to submit an application to invest in technology that will create transformative learning experiences for students and supplement the devices already provided. Eligible districts can submit an application for technology supplies and associated professional learning. This will include a plan and narrative that describes and clearly outlines the relationship between the technology and the teaching and learning that it’s being integrated into.
Priority will be given to applicants who:
Focus on greatest student impact
Serve socioeconomically disadvantaged school districts
Prioritize student populations traditionally underrepresented in technology
Demonstrate a commitment to pursuing high-quality teaching and learning through technology.
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) has partnered with the Department of Educational and School Psychology at the University of Southern Maine as they implement a new a 5-year, $1.6 million grant sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education to help increase the number of school psychologists in rural areas of the state.
The project, Maine School Psychology: Collaborative Affiliations in Rural Education (Maine School Psychology CAREs), also aims to increase the number of credentialed school psychologists who reflect the diverse backgrounds of students within those communities.
“We are excited about the opportunity to collaborate with rural schools across the state in this endeavor, and we look forward to delivering a low residency specialist-level school psychology training program that is accessible to educators across the state,” said Jamie Pratt, chair of the Department of Educational and School Psychology at the University of Southern Maine.
School psychologists help design, implement, and monitor mental and behavioral health services within schools. However, the ratio of students-to-school psychologists in Maine far exceeds national recommendations: Maine averaged one school psychologist per 1,501 students last year compared to the recommended ratio of 1-to-500. The shortage is particularly acute in Maine’s rural, high-need schools.
“The Maine Department of Education Office of Special Services and Inclusive Education is working diligently to increase the number of school psychologists in Maine,” said Erin Frazier, Director of Special Services Birth to 22 at the Maine Department of Education. “This work is crucial, especially to support our rural areas. Given the lack of school psychologists in remote areas of Maine, many of our students and families must travel great distances and wait for long periods of time to access these services. The CAREs project will begin to remediate this issue and support expansion of access to school psychologists in Maine.”
The Maine School Psychology CAREs project will offer tuition reimbursement and stipends to support 22 graduate students for state credentialing as school psychologists. In partnership with the Maine Department of Education and the Maine Association of School Psychologists, the Department of Educational and School Psychology at the University of Southern Maine will:
Develop and implement a low residency, specialist-level school psychology training program designed for current educators in rural Maine;
Enhance school psychology students’ training in comprehensive, culturally responsive school-based mental and behavioral health services;
Coordinate opportunities for school psychology graduate students to complete field-based training and deliver comprehensive mental and behavioral health services in rural, high-need schools across the state; and
Facilitate professional support systems and trainings to promote effective school psychology practice in rural schools.
“The Maine Association of School Psychologists (MASP) recognizes the critical shortage of school psychologists in Maine and nationally. The high ratio of students to school psychologists directly affects the well-being of PK-12th grade students and schools. Addressing this shortage and fostering mental and behavioral health have and continues to be two of our association’s strategic goals,” said Lisa Backman, President of the Maine Association of School Psychologists. “MASP supported USM in their pursuit of the Maine School Psychology CAREs grant that will assist graduate students and practitioners committed to advancing the mental health of the school-aged population in rural, high-need Maine schools. We look forward to future collaboration and supporting the growth of Maine’s school psychology profession.”
This grant will allow USM to continue its many efforts to help Maine schools and students by providing school workforce development, comprehensive and supportive educator training, and professional preparation focused on student needs.
Anyone interested in learning more about the Maine School Psychology CAREs project is encouraged to contact Pratt at jamie.pratt1@maine.edu.
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) launched Maine’s Teacher Leader Fellows today with an inaugural class of five extraordinary educators from across the state. Waterville Senior High School social studies teacher Jessica Graham, Fryeburg Academy national-board certified teacher James St. Pierre, Nokomis Regional Middle School Integrated Technology teacher Keith Kelley, Mattanawcook Academy mathematics teacher Sarah Krause, and national-board certified music teacher Dorie Tripp will work with Maine DOE staff to support Maine’s educators in cross-cutting, interdisciplinary concepts of civics, STEAM, and humanities.
The Teacher Leader Fellows will provide educators across Maine with weekly updates on resources and materials, host monthly professional learning opportunities, and maintain webpages with rich and informative content. To receive weekly communications and monthly professional learning around civics, STEAM, and/or humanities concepts, click here.
“Taking on this new position offers so many opportunities to engage with exactly what I love about teaching—meeting other educators, making connections with community partners, and celebrating community centered student learning. I truly believe that building strong communities and educating engaged citizens is the core mission of schools, and that civic learning happens in every grade and every content area. I am so excited to help connect, celebrate, and create with educators and learners around Maine,” said Waterville Senior High School social studies teacher Jessica Graham.
“Being a teacher leader means connecting and helping others connect. It means gathering the ideas and experiences of the teachers in the state and sharing them in manageable, practical, and efficient ways. We have such a great array of professionals whose knowledge can elevate all students, so to be one of the leaders bringing them together is a privilege,” said Fryeburg Academy national-board certified teacher James St. Pierre.
“To be a teacher you need to know the material and your students. A great teacher never stops learning and the best learning is done by teaching others. I hope, with the other Teacher Leader Fellows, to help educate others and myself until STEAM pours out of all of our classrooms,” said Nokomis Regional Middle School Integrated Technology teacher Keith Kelley.
“As a STEAM Teacher Leader Fellow, I hope to help spread important information and opportunities to the other STEAM educators in Maine. I plan to regularly provide teachers with some meaningful STEAM lessons and activities that can be incorporated into their classrooms. Additionally, as a teacher of mathematics and a fan of the arts, I would like to help others see the beauty in the world of STEAM,” said Mattanawcook Academy mathematics teacher Sarah Krause.
“I’m delighted to be working with the DOE to support Maine teachers! I look forward to working with other educators to learn, collaborate, and to create unique learning opportunities for our students,” said national-board certified music teacher Dorie Tripp.
Meet Maine’s Teacher Leader Fellows
Jessica Graham
Jessica Graham is a high school social studies teacher at Waterville Senior High School. She serves as the National Honor Society advisor and Trivia Club advisor and on the district curriculum committee. After working in museum education around the state of Maine for a decade, Jessica transitioned to classroom teaching six years ago and relishes the opportunity to build lasting relationships with students. She is passionate about civics education conceived broadly: helping students practice community in the classroom and in the wider world through conversation, action, and applied knowledge of decision-making processes. Her background in museum work leads her to approach content in an interdisciplinary and experiential way. Her greatest honor as a teacher was receiving Waterville’s annual staff Renaissance Award, a recognition bestowed by the student body.
In her free time Jessica is pursuing a PhD in history from the University of Maine, volunteers as a Girl Scout leader, and enjoys slowly converting her suburban yard into a garden retreat full of native plants and pollinator habitat.
James St. Pierre
James St. Pierre is a national board-certified teacher with thirty years of teaching experience at Fryeburg Academy where he has taught courses in English and biology and served as English department chair. In addition to his work at the secondary level, he also holds the position of Lecturer at both Granite State College and White Mountains Community College, where he has taught as an adjunct for two decades. He holds a master’s degree in English Literature from Middlebury College and has presented at state and regional conferences regarding the medium of comics. He is married with two sons and enjoys making comics in his free time.
Keith Kelley
A Maine educator for more than 33 years, Keith Kelley is currently teaching Integrated Technology. Having taught Language Arts, Social Studies and serving as the School Librarian, he is now teaching IT at Nokomis Regional Middle School. His students make Robots, Skateboards, 3D print, and build Guitars. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Education at UMaine. He has coached soccer, track, and various tech camps. In his free time, he enjoys riding around in his classic mustang with his wife and dogs.
Sarah Krause
Sarah Krause is a graduate from the University of Maine with a B.S. in Secondary Education, a B.A. in Mathematics & Statistics, and a Minor in Zoology.
Currently, she is in her twelfth year of classroom experience with AP Calculus, Precalculus, and AP Computer Science Principles as the bulk of her teaching schedule over the years. Other teaching experiences include: Algebra 1 & 2, Geometry, Math Problem Solving, Linear Algebra, Advanced Topics in Mathematics (and elective that explored advanced precalculus topics). Next year she will be adding Intro to Digital Art & Design into her course load.
Sarah is currently teaching at Mattanawcook Academy in Lincoln, Maine, where she also juggles a handful of other roles in the building. Some of those other positions include Math Team Coach, National Honor Society Advisor, Senior Class Advisor, Mentor Teacher, Mathematics Department Head, Technology Team Member, and Cohort/PLC Leader.
Sarah, is in the beginning stages of being part of the #MaineTeachesCS program as a Computer Science Integration (CSI) Educator, and back in 2019, she was a member of the Maine DOE: Mathematics Standards Writing Team.
Moving forward, Sarah is excited to be part of the Maine DOE in this new role as a Teacher Leadership STEAM Fellow with her other teammates in the Office of Innovation.
Dorie Tripp
Dorie Tripp is a national board-certified music teacher with 14 years’ experience teaching elementary music in Maine public schools. Over the years, it has been her mission to promote music instruction that is developmentally appropriate, inclusive, diverse, and engaging. In her quest to do this, she has taken on many roles as a learner and leader. Dorie spent two terms as Vice President of the Maine Music Educators Association, contributed to the Maine Arts Leadership Initiative as a Design Team member, was an active member of the Maine Learning Results writing team for the Visual and Performing Arts, and co-hosted a series of PD sessions for educators during the Covid 19 pandemic. In 2021, she was awarded the MMEA Music Educator of the Year Award. In this next step of her journey, Dorie is looking forward to working with the Maine DOE. She’s excited to practice, share, and support unique learning opportunities for Maine students and educators!
To receive weekly communications and monthly professional learning around civics, STEAM, and/or humanities concepts, click here.
For more information about this or other innovative programs at the Maine Department of Education, contact, Beth Lambert, Acting Chief Innovation Officer and Director of Innovative Teaching and Learning, at beth.lambert@maine.gov.
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) today awarded an additional $900,000 in Rethinking Responsive Education Ventures (RREV) funding to support education innovation at Rose M Gaffney Elementary School in Machias, Upper Kennebec Valley Jr/Sr High School, North Haven Community School, RSU 10 schools, Union 103 schools, and Trenton Elementary School. These federal funds will be used to invest in strategies to engage students through outdoor learning, extended learning opportunities, and creating multiple education pathways.
RREV investments now total $8.5 million to 45 awardees. The Maine DOE was awarded $16.9 million from the U.S. Department of Education’s Rethink K-12 Education Models Funding. As one of 11 States to receive funding, Maine created RREV to support the work of visionary educators to develop innovative pilot programs around remote and outside of the classroom learning, including professional development and pilot design classes. Courses in innovative design process are available through several of Maine’s public and private universities at no cost to Maine educators who wish to participate. In addition to the innovative pilot development classes, the Department is also offering asynchronous, innovative principles webinars which are available to all educators in self-paced, independent modules.
“We are going to be creating kits that teachers can grab and go and take to their outdoor learning space. The kits provide engaging activities to supplement classroom learning. Our goal is to increase the amount of outdoor learning happening at school so that we will see happier kids, kids who are more focused and engaged, and kids who appreciate and respect the environment around us. We’re eager to build a large collection of kits that will be fun and engaging,” said Rose M Gaffney Elementary School5th Grade Teacher Kelly Woodward.
“Caring for honeybees has the potential to deepen our students’ connection with nature and drive their passion for making positive changes for their future and the future of our planet. It also has the potential to build a unique partnership with the community that will help build engagement. We believe that this pilot program, using an apiary and partnering with the Western Maine Beekeepers Association, will have a positive impact on attendance, engagement, and wellbeing for our 4th and 5th graders,” said RSU 10 teacher Maggie Corlett.
“We are using our RREV pilot to step up our programming on outdoor education, wildlife studies, and agricultural studies. We will use these funds to heat our greenhouse so that our egg studies can continue in the greenhouse year-round, we’re establishing a property use agreement with a local nonprofit ski mountain so that our outdoor studies class will have access to a satellite campus and 50 acres of wilderness to explore, and we will purchase boats and equipment for our wildlife studies program,” said Upper Kennebec Valley Jr/Sr High School Principal James Tyler.
“Our purpose was to spark innovation with our students and provide engaging and inspirational opportunities where they can take ownership of their learning. We built off a lot of programs we already have going and wanted to make them even more engaging and available to all of our students. Students will get to see a new greenhouse where they can watch their projects literally grow from seed to product and be able to work them into recipes in a kitchen and sell to their own community members. We will also have a trail built around the school where students can create products and have opportunities for community members to come and participate as part of the school,” said Jonesport-Beals High School Co-Teacher Leader & English Teacher Becky Coffin.
“We have a makerspace building on our school’s campus and we want to transform that into a lifelong learning hub for our k-12 students to use during the day and bring in adults from our community for classes at night. We have an hour and fifteen-minute ferry ride to get here so we have to do a lot for ourselves. We have to train and uplift from within at the grassroots level. Our RREV grant is going to support this lifelong learning hub to work with our town administration to diversify our workforce and help prepare young people and adults for the different kinds of work and professions that we need,” said North Haven Community School Principal Shaun Johnson.
“We named our initiative TREE—Trenton Rethinking Experiential Education—and it’s a k-8 initiative to get our kids outside learning in the community, not just on our school property. We want to think about how all of our students get their needs met want to increase independence, peer relationships, self-awareness, and kids overall mental health,” said Trenton Elementary School teacher Snow Ross.
Schools will use this funding in a variety of innovative ways, including:
Rose M Gaffney Elementary School in Machias will create and implement pre-k through 8th grade outdoor education lessons. These lessons will provide learners with the opportunity to use the trail system behind the school and materials to continue their classroom learning in an outdoor setting. The school’s team observed that academic work in an outdoor setting helped learners to be more engaged, happy and focused. By increasing the amount of outdoor learning, students will be supported in their social and emotional growth. RREV funding will be used to create kits with engaging activities for educators to use in an outdoor learning environment and the school will work alongside community partners such as Downeast Coastal Conservancy to implement the lessons.
Upper Kennebec Valley Jr/Sr High School will grow their innovative outdoor-based education program to increase student engagement and better prepare students for their lives after high school. By participating in the program, students will develop and exercise a host of skills including problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration, marketing, salesmanship, and financial management. Valley Outdoors will partner with Baker Mountain, a community non-profit, to ensure all students in grades 5-12 have access to nature-based learning opportunities. Under the guidance of teaching staff, students will be able to use the base lodge and over 50 acres of trails and wooded land at Baker Mountain to engage in project-based learning activities. In addition, the school will scale up current greenhouse operations, expand hands-on project offerings, and develop water exploration and research activities for our wildlife studies program. The SAU anticipates 100% of the student body will be able to engage in at least one integrated unit of study.
North Haven Community School will partner with their town administration to support their efforts of economic diversification and workforce development, chiefly in response to the impending impacts of climate change and sea level rise on the long-term viability of the fishing and lobstering industry. In coordination with the community, North Haven Community School will develop programming to support lifelong learning outcomes for both K-12 and adult learners, housed in their auxiliary classroom space dubbed the “Projects Building.”
RSU 10 will pilot a program to support students struggling with adverse childhood experiences. The work will provide strategies to enhance engagement, improve attendance, foster resilience skills, and promote positive behaviors. Meroby Elementary and Mountain Valley Middle School will team up to develop and expand The MV Bee Academy in the RSU#10 School District. A bee apiary and storage facility will be built to provide the infrastructure needed for beekeeping experiences. 4th and 5th-grade students will work closely with a local bee club. As their knowledge base grows, these children will mentor other grade levels and share their knowledge with community members. To maintain the sustainability of this program, students will develop a small business. In it, they will sell queen bees, honey, wax products, and other bee-related items.
Union 103 schools will support creative opportunities and innovative practices for students and teachers at all of their schools. All students and staff will have access to a new greenhouse which will foster creativity and learning through aquaponics and aquaculture. With an outdoor lab, students will also take part in a space dedicated to learning in ways not yet offered inside the four walls of a classroom, such as a native pollinator garden, raised beds, and fruit trees. A new learning lab with access to a multipurpose classroom will provide a much-needed creative and innovative space for students. This space will provide students and teachers with flexibility to help spark creativity and experiential learning as they continue to foster initiatives throughout the year with involvement in marine science activities with Downeast Institute and author visits each year. All students will also have the opportunity to explore a new walking path and outdoor learning trail around Beals Elementary School.
Trenton Elementary School’s TREE-Trenton’s Rethinking Experiential Education is a K-8 initiative that embeds outdoor learning into a child’s school experience that increases independence, peer relationships, self-awareness, and overall mental health. The school will integrate therapeutic services, STEM based learning, and outdoor collaborative experiential learning into the student experiences. They will use field work and place-based learning in the living world in each child’s school day. Students will participate in engaging, outdoor experiences that will help them to build social connections and increase their self-esteem while reconnecting with our natural world. The aim is to increase student attendance, engagement, and self-regulatory skills.
The RREV initiative was also granted a no-cost-extension year, meaning that all 45 pilots will have an extra year to utilize their available funding for their innovative pilots.
Interviews are available with RREV grant recipients upon request as well as the recording of the announcement featuring RREV grant recipients discussing their projects.
The Maine Department of Education has identified a barrier to its obligation pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Maine Unified Special Education Regulation (MUSER) to ensure the provision of a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) to all eligible students, including the availability of a continuum of educational placements. The current funding structure outlined in Section XVIII.3.C(2) of MUSER for private schools that serve exclusively students with disabilities (referred to throughout as “special purpose private schools”) is causing those schools to limit or cease operations, leaving some of Maine’s most significantlyimpacted children without the educational placements they are entitled to by law. Further breakdown of this critical component of the continuum of educational placements will leave the State unable to maintain compliance with IDEA and MUSER.
The Department has determined that a rule change is necessary on an emergency basis in order to protect the public health, safety and general welfare by ensuring that there is a continuum of placements available for all students with individualized education programs (IEPs) in accordance with federal and state law as follows:
Change #1: Section XVIII.3.C(2) is amended to change the required number of instructional days to the “sum of the days on which instruction was provided in accordance with the school’s calendar” rather than the actual days of student attendance for the year. Rationale: The current funding formula penalizes the private school when a student is unable to attend, even if the lack of attendance is due to a disability-related reason, despite the obligation of the private school to have staff and supports available for the student every day of the school year.
Change #2: adds a section (2A) to allow the Department to “recalculate the number of student days for the remainder of the fiscal year 2023 and the entirety of fiscal year 2024 using the number of days on which instruction was provided in accordance with the school’s fiscal year 2022 calendar and recalculate each school’s allowable expenditures and 2023 tuition rate using the revised number of student days. The Department shall notify each special purpose private school of its revised tuition rate, which shall be effective immediately and applies to the remainder of fiscal year 2023 and the entirety of fiscal year 2024.” Rationale: The current funding formula operates on a one-year delay – this change ensures that additional monies will flow to the impacted schools now, to prevent closures or cutbacks.
Change #3: adds a section (4A) which provides that “nothing in subparagraph (4) shall limit any increase in the tuition rate resulting from the change in calculating the number of student days in subparagraph (2) from the actual days of student attendance to the days on which instruction was provided in accordance with the school’s calendar.” Rationale: This change ensures that any increase in tuition resulting from the change in 2023 does not get reduced by the cap on the percentage of increase from year to year.
A period of public comment opens today, March 24, 2023. Due to the need to prevent imminent harm to the students who depend on these educational placements and the emergency status of this rule change, the public comment period has been reduced to 10 days.
Written comments may be submitted to DOE Legislative Team member Laura Cyr, State House Station #23, Augusta, Maine 04333; 207-446-8791 or laura.cyr@maine.gov until 5:00 p.m. on April 3, 2023.
In addition, a public hearing for the proposed new rule will be suspended due to the emergency nature of this change. As an emergency filing, the proposed changes become active upon filing and are in effect for a period of one year from the filing date.
Timeline for Rulemaking for Chapter 101 – Emergency, Major Substantive
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is seeking applications to provide funding for a second year of the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative. Through this application process, the DOE, will provide funding to Maine nonprofit organizations specializing in forest ecology and sustainability, wildlife habitat protection, and/or associated career experiences for Maine youth during summer, 2023. Programming must provide students with opportunities to engage in authentic, interdisciplinary wildlife/forest ecology experiences in the Maine woods and be held outside as much as practical. Incorporating innovative design processes, leadership opportunities, and career development are strongly encouraged.
Proposals must be submitted to the State of Maine Division of Procurement Services, via e-mail, at: Proposals@maine.gov. Any questions must be submitted by e-mail to the Grant Coordinator (identified on website above) by Wednesday, 03/22/23 at 11:59 p.m. local time. Application submissions must be received no later than 11:59 p.m., local time, on Friday, 04/07/23. Proposals will be opened the following business day. Proposals not submitted to the Division of Procurement Services’ aforementioned e-mail address by the aforementioned deadline will not be considered for contract award.
State of Maine Department of Education RFA# 202302033
Governor Janet Mills today announced that four Career and Technical Education (CTEs) schools in Maine will receive $15 million in grant funding through her Maine Jobs & Recovery plan for program, equipment, and facility upgrades.
The grant funding will allow the CTEs to build new facilities or add to existing facilities to expand hands on, real-world programs for Maine students in plumbing, electrical, building construction, culinary and hospitality, EMT, welding, and more.
The Governor announced the funding alongside educators and students at Oxford Hills Technical School in Norway, which will receive more than $2 million for a new free-standing building to expand their plumbing, electrician, and building construction tech programs.
Under Governor Mills, CTE enrollment has grown by nearly 11 percent, with an almost 300 percent increase in exploratory program enrollment that allows freshman and sophomores to sample multiple programs to follow their interests.
“I have always been a strong believer in the power of CTEs because they equip students with the skills and hands-on experience needed to take good-paying jobs and have rewarding, lifelong careers in the trades,” said Governor Janet Mills. “That is why I am also so proud of this announcement. We all know that Maine desperately needs more electricians, plumbers, welders, and other skilled workers, and investments like this one through my Jobs Plan will help deliver them. I look forward to watching these CTEs grow and having more students benefit from them.”
“At Maine’s CTEs, students use their hands and their minds to immerse themselves in programs ranging from plumbing and building construction to culinary arts and healthcare,” said Education Commissioner Pender Makin. “CTE students learn real-world skills, gain industry accreditation, take college courses, and build connections with local employers. These grants will allow several of our CTEs to expand to serve growing student interest in the engaging, hands-on programs that Maine’s CTEs offer.”
“This will be a gamechanger for our students. The grant funds will be used to construct a 6000 square foot, free-standing building on campus that will have three classrooms and shop space for our plumbing program and the new electrical technology program. Our building construction program will also use the new building for some aspects of their classes, making this new building a hub for the building trades here at Oxford Hills Technical School,” said Oxford Hills Technical School Director Randy Crockett.
In addition to Oxford Hills Technical School, the following CTEs also received grant awards:
Biddeford Regional Center of Technology in Biddeford: More than $7 million to build a two-story addition to the existing high school to create a culinary arts and hospitality program as well as an athletic training program and to expand existing plumbing and emergency medical technician programs.
Northern Penobscot Tech Region III in Lincoln: Nearly $570,000 to expand the welding program by building an addition to the existing school that will add five welding booth ventilators, ten welding booths, and ten welders.
Region 9 School of Applied Technology in Mexico: Nearly $5.5 million to expand and enhance CTE facilities for four programs, including establishing a four-season outdoor education center, creating new classroom and lab space for the welding program, and expanding the culinary arts program to include an outdoor education space with a greenhouse, store, outdoor kitchen, and classroom.
“In Biddeford, we will finally be able to offer three new programs: culinary arts, travel, tourism and hospitality program, and athletic training/sports medicine. Additionally, we are adding expanded space for our plumbing, heating, and EMT program. Through these grants, we’re able to offer more workforce training programs and give students more choice and opportunity,” said Biddeford Center of Technology Director Paulette Bonneau.
“Region 9 is a small rural CTE school located in the foothills of Western Maine. Our grant-funded projects will expand and enhance instructional opportunities for our students leading to further skill development and chances to earn industry credentials. These skills and credentials will support our students in being successful in obtaining good-paying jobs or participating in post-secondary training and educational opportunities. Our voters, in all sixteen communities, overwhelmingly supported our school receiving these funds during a recent referendum vote. We are excited to move forward in this process and can’t wait to see the amazing impact this opportunity will have on our school and the surrounding area,” said Region 9 School of Applied Technology Director Brenda Gammon.
“The grant will provide a much-needed expansion to Northern Penobscot Tech Region III’s welding shop. Our welding program provides our students opportunities to receive several certifications, up to and including pipe welding. Many graduates of the Region III welding program leave high school and go right to work building the critical infrastructure Maine needs for now and into our future. This is money well spent,” said Northern Penobscot Tech Region III Director Curt Ring.
This $15 million grant funding is part of a larger $20 million investment from the Governor’s Jobs Plan to expand CTEs in Maine, including following $4.5 million in awards to 23 CTE programs to purchase and upgrade equipment to enhance student learning experiences and career preparation for high-skilled, in-demand industries.
In addition to the Jobs Plan funding, the Governor and the Legislature have increased funding for CTEs by nearly $10 million over the past four years, including a $1.6 million to assist in the increased costs of supplies and $100,000 to expand CTE early childhood education programs. The Governor’s biennial budget also proposes $500,000 to expand middle school CTE programs.
As then-Attorney General, Governor Mills also used funds she obtained through a settlement with Bath Fitter to create plumbing programs at four CTEs in Maine, including Oxford Hills Technical School in Norway, Foster Career and Technical Education Center in Farmington, Lewiston Regional Technical Center in Lewiston, and Biddeford Regional Center of Technology in Biddeford.
Maine’s 27 Career and Technical Education regions and centers enroll more than 9,800 students in 85 programs. Students learn skills and gain real-world experiences in programs ranging from plumbing and welding to culinary arts and early childhood education while completing high school. Many students are able to receive industry accreditation, earn college credits through dual-enrollment opportunities, and they graduate with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the job market and higher education.
The Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan is the Governor’s plan, approved by the Legislature, to invest nearly $1 billion in Federal American Rescue Plan funds to improve the lives of Maine people and families, help businesses, create good-paying jobs, and build an economy poised for future prosperity.
Since the Jobs Plan took effect in October 2021, the Mills Administration has delivered direct economic relief to nearly 1,000 Maine small businesses, supported more than 100 infrastructure projects around the state to create jobs and revitalize communities, and invested in workforce programs estimated to offer apprenticeship, career and education advancement, and job training opportunities to 22,000 Maine people.
Earlier in the day, Governor Mills also read to second grade students at Guy E. Rowe Elementary School in Norway as part of the Maine Department of Education’s Read to ME Challenge. The annual challenge promotes literacy by encouraging adults to read aloud to children for at least 15 minutes.
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) has partnered with News Center Maine for the third year in a row to highlight the voices of teachers and school staff sharing why they #LoveTeaching during a weeklong national campaign.
#LoveTeaching week is a national campaign started by educators in 2015 and takes place every year around Valentine’s Day. All week, News Center Maine will feature videos from Maine’s 2022 County Teachers of the Year and other members of Maine’s education workforce.
“Love Teaching week gives Maine’s teachers and school staff a megaphone to share what they love about teaching and working in our schools. We want to thank News Center Maine for providing teachers and school staff an opportunity to share the extraordinary things happening with their students,” said Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin.
Here’s what teachers have shared about why they #LoveTeaching:
“I love teaching because it’s a great privilege to get to work with Maine students as they’re learning about the world around them and all of the different ways that they can make it better. I’ve never had the same day twice and I love my job,” said Emily Albee, a social studies teacher at Hampden Academy and the 2022 Penobscot County Teacher of the Year.
“I love teaching art because it gives kids an opportunity to express themselves and use their voice in unexpected ways,” said Kelsey Boucher, an art teacher at Robert Connors Elementary School in Lewiston and the 2022 Androscoggin County Teacher of the Year.
“This is my 17th year teaching and I love this job because I get to work with curious, kind, and hard-working students,” said Ashley Bryant, a 4th grade teacher at Sacopee Valley Middle School and the 2022 Oxford County Teacher of the Year.
The video messages will air on News Center Maine’s morning and evening news shows from February 13th – 17th. Educators and school staff can also participate in the campaign by posting their videos to social media and using the hashtags #LoveTeaching and #LoveSchoolStaff. Tune in to News Center Maine, WCSH 6/WLBZ 2 to see the faces and messages of the amazing people working to educate, inspire, and support young people in our state.
Get to know Matt Bernstein, Maine’s 2023 Teacher of the Year and a 9th grade Social Studies teacher at Casco Bay High School in Portland. Matt sat down for this Q&A as he begins his year of service.
How long have you been a teacher and how long have you taught at Casco Bay High School? This is my 10th year teaching. I did my student teaching at Casco Bay, which I don’t count in those years. I taught in Rhode Island for my first year of teaching and then came to Casco Bay.
What made you want to enter the teaching profession? Students made me want to enter the profession. I went to a 4th grade classroom in Brunswick during an Ed 101 class my freshman year in college and I was hooked. I remember thinking, “this is unbelievable, I can do this every day?” I love being around kids and working with them and seeing them grow.
How did you end up becoming a high school social studies teacher? I knew I loved the kids, so then I thought about what content I’m most fired up about. What do I love? And it’s history. I have a fascination with connecting bullet points from the past that seem to be different and unrelated, and understanding the through line that goes between them.
I have a passion for working with young people and a passion for history, and that almost naturally steered me towards secondary school. I love connecting with teenagers. It’s both super exciting and super challenging to be a teenager, and I like sitting down with them and really getting to the core of who they are, who they want to be, and what they need from us to get there.
What does it mean to you that a student nominated you for Teacher of the Year? It’s hard to put words to it because it means everything to me. It validates what I believe about education and what I prioritize about education, which is human connection and building relationships. It’s about seeing students for who they are as young people and being a support for young people.
In that nomination, the student talked about learning things, and I valued that, but for the most part they talked about me being someone who they felt they could go to. I believe that all young people deserve to know that there are people in their school who they feel they can turn to. To hear that I was that for one kid is everything. And it’s been motivating to me to know that this is something as a school that we are capable of, so we need to do it for everyone.
What do you love about Casco Bay High School and what makes your school special? How community driven it is. It genuinely feels like family here—with my colleagues, with the school leaders, and with the students. It really is such a supportive place and place where everyone seems invested in one another. Everyone is bought into and building upon the idea that one’s success is a collective success and collective win. And when one person is having a hard time, it’s all of our responsibility to help them out. And it comes from the top, with school leaders setting the tone and establishing a culture of community, collaboration, support, and teamwork.
There are good days and bad days. There are things that are really difficult and tough for kids and families and us, so it’s helpful to fall back on the feeling that we are all on the same team. We may be having a moment, but we’re in this together.
Your crew has come up a lot in your nominating process. What is your crew and why is your crew meaningful? My crew is meaningful because I love them so much. Crew is basically our equivalent of what others might call advisory. But it’s on steroids. I have a crew of 13 ninth grade students. I see them every day and we eat lunch together on Wednesdays.
The idea of it is that we want every student to feel that there is at least one adult in the building who knows them and who can be a resource for them. It’s beyond knowing how they are doing in Social Studies, but how they are, who they are, and who they want to be. It’s helpful for families too because I become the point person for them in the school. The crew is establishing connections, and they stay together through all four years with a new advisor each year. When they graduate, they graduate not by alphabetical order but by crew.
Crew is like family in school and that’s where I get fired up. The place that speaks to me the most and gets to my heart as a teacher is: who are you? how are you doing? where are you going? how can I help you get there? And I feel like crew enables that connection.
What are you planning to focus on as Maine’s 2023 Teacher of the Year? The first thing is telling positive stories about teachers and students. We all as humans need positivity and there’s a lot of challenge right now. The challenges are real and I’m not advocating for toxic positivity or pretending that everything is perfect. But it’s so important long term to highlight the amazing work that is happening and the greatness that exists in each school in the state.
Students for sure are impacted by a whole variety of factors, and the pandemic was really challenging for students and continues to be difficult for students and teachers. But they’re not irreparably harmed and broken. Students are super resilient and doing amazing things. We need to tell the world that and tell them that so that they hear that we really believe in them.
The second thing is about building relationships. How can we use the positive stories and the great work going on to highlight opportunities where students, teachers, and families can build relationships?
I also want to just listen to people. It’s so important to listen to each other, and in particular listening to students. Engaging with students, getting their feedback, and inviting them to have a seat at the table and shape their educational experience is really valuable.
What is your message to someone thinking about becoming a teacher? My message would be that being a teacher is the greatest gift that has happened to me. I can’t imagine not being a teacher. The experiences I’ve had and the connections I’ve been able to make and the personal growth I’ve been able to make has been invaluable.
Spend enough time in classrooms with kids before deciding if teaching is or is not for you. Try not to make a snap judgement because every single day has not been amazing, but the whole journey has been. I want people to sit with it for some time and engage. The beauty of teaching is when you start to form these connections with kids, and they take time to form.
So my message would be to get in the classroom, keep working at it, commit to trying it for a good amount of time, and practice a lot of self-compassion. Understand that it’s going to take you time to get better at it as you go along. I believe that the more people spend time with young folks, and the more they engage with the practice of teaching the more they’ll fall in love with it.
What are the biggest misperceptions people have about teachers and schools right now? There are two. The first one is this concept that teachers are interested in indoctrinating students and that teachers are interested in telling students what to think. What we’re trying to do is teach students how to think and how to be critical thinkers and be open minded. We want to empower students with information, but at no point are we telling students this is what you need to think, and this is what you need to believe. That’s counterintuitive to our entire goal.
What we’re trying to do is activate students’ minds. And also, what we know about kids is that they don’t want to be told what to do and they’re not going to respond to that. We’re just trying to create opportunities for kids. And by teaching kids how to read, write, analyze images, engage in scientific experiments, and understand math, all of these are unlocking doors for them so they can access the world around them. I want my students to leave this building and feel like they have enough agency in their life because they are educated enough to know how to make their own choices.
The second misperception is that students are worse than ever before. Of course there are students who exhibit big behaviors. I believe students have always exhibited big behaviors. Before the pandemic students exhibited big behaviors. Kids have always pushed against authority and tested boundaries, its almost what they’re supposed to do. I don’t think that things are different from the way things were before.
Students are not getting credit for the work they are doing, for the resilience they show, and for being the youngest generations of activists we’ve ever seen. I see 9th graders out there taking action for things they care about and being incredibly caring. I think they are very empathetic and very community oriented. I think students are doing a lot better than we give them credit for.
Anything else you want to share? I’m super grateful for this opportunity. I never in my wildest dreams expected this. I wish every teacher was being recognized because they deserve it. What I’m hoping is that this year is an opportunity for me to share that I’m not some super teacher and I’m not a superhero. I’m just someone who loves it, is trying to get better every day, and trying to do right by kids every day. I want to highlight how awesome it is to be a teacher, how fortunate I am to be one, and how much I love doing it.
With the assistance of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Maine public schools have long offered a nutritious breakfast and lunch meal program to thousands of income eligible children in Maine during the school year. To extend this program, Maine Department of Education Child Nutrition (Maine DOE) is seeking organizations that would like to participate in the federally funded Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), which provides children healthy, free meals when school is not in session.
“By participating in this program, community groups and organizations can have a tremendous impact on the health and wellbeing of children in their communities,” said Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin. “The Maine Department of Education is thankful to those organizations that join this program to ensure our children get the meals they depend on this summer”
In summer 2022, 119 sponsors were approved to operate 452 Summer meal sites across Maine. Although there are sponsors operating in every county in Maine, there is still a long way to go towards feeding all eligible children during the summer. Community partners are working to maximize the number of sponsors utilizing the availability of funds under the SFSP.
SFSP may be offered statewide in areas or at sites where more than 50 percent of the children are eligible for free or reduced meal benefits under the National School Lunch Program or census track data supports the need. Organizations that provide services in rural communities or near migrant farm workers and tribal populations are urged to participate. Eligible sponsoring organizations include schools, nonprofit residential summer camps, government agencies, and tax-exempt organizations including faith-based organizations.
Maine DOE encourages any eligible organization to consider providing this much-needed service to Maine children. The agency will begin accepting applications to participate in February. Approved sponsors will be reimbursed for eligible meals served to children during the long summer break.
Interested organizations should begin planning now for a successful summer. Potential sponsors are required to receive training from Maine DOE. Training will occur virtually, and DOE staff will assist in the onboarding process. Maine DOE is available to consult by phone and email to answer questions regarding summer meals.
Federal
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: https://www.usda.gov/oascr/how-to-file-a-program-discrimination-complaint, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:
(1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
(2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or
(3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
State
The Maine Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination because of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, religion, ancestry or national origin.
Complaints of discrimination must be filed at the office of the Maine Human Rights Commission, 51 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0051. If you wish to file a discrimination complaint electronically, visit the Human Rights Commission website at https://www.maine.gov/mhrc/file/instructions and complete an intake questionnaire. Maine is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
As then-Attorney General, Governor Mills also used funds she obtained through 
What does it mean to you that a student nominated you for Teacher of the Year?
Maine DOE Newsroom 