Category: Media Releases

Media Release: Maine School Safety Summit Brings Together More than 300 Educators, School Leaders, and Law Enforcement Personnel to Collaborate on School Safety Issues

The Maine Department of Education’s Maine School Safety Center held its annual Maine School Safety Summit this week at Windham High School, with a focus on how educators, school leaders, law enforcement, and communities can increase collaboration and communication around school safety strategies. The three-day summit attracted more than 300 participants from across the state with roles ranging from school principals, social workers, and nurses to school resource officers, first responders, and emergency preparedness professionals.

Nearly 50 workshops were offered on a wide range of school safety topics, including trauma awareness; supporting the safety and well-being of young people; brain science; restorative practices; social media use; emergency operations planning; food security linked to school security; behavioral threat assessment; bus safety; and more. Staff from the Maine Department of Education’s Office of School and Student Supports and Office of School Facilities and Transportation also helped lead several workshops.

The Maine School Safety Center (MSSC) was created two years ago, and codified into law this year, with the mission of developing a safe school infrastructure that will deliver high quality, up-to-date best practices, procedures, training, and technical assistance and support to Maine schools. MSSC offers school supports and services on school emergency management, threat assessment and mental health, restorative practices, training, and school safety and security. MSSC has provided hundreds of trainings, courses, and professional learning experiences to support school staff and school leaders throughout Maine.

MSSC’s approach to school safety is comprehensive and is guided by the beliefs that supporting the well-being of students and a healthy school environment is essential to the reduction of behaviors that threaten the safety of the school community; everyone who comes in contact with students and a school system has a responsibility to help create and sustain a healthy school environment and ensure a student’s well-being; the school environment, culture, approaches to discipline, and interface with the community are crucial to the well-being of all students, and particularly to those students who are alienated from the school program and those with behavioral and/or mental health issues; and schools and communities need to collaborate to create a systematic approach to school safety.

“This summit was planned long before the tragedy in a Texas elementary school last month, but that event, and so many others, certainly underscore the fact that school safety and security, emergency prevention, and emergency response preparedness remain top concerns for students, staff, families, and communities nationwide and here in Maine,” said Education Commissioner Pender Makin in her keynote address. “This three-day event offers a wide variety of professional learning opportunities and technical assistance to help schools and their community partners enhance all aspects of school safety, ranging from culture and climate to hazard planning to crisis response and recovery planning. What is clear throughout all of the sessions, and reinforced by who is here attending the summit, is the overarching message that partnerships, relationships, communication, and collaboration are the keys to this work.”

“We all know that when we put our minds and our hearts together, we can be brilliant. Throughout the last 27 months, we have all worked together to stay safe, to keep our schools open and to make sure that we took care of our students and each other–both professionally and personally,” said Eileen King, Executive Director of the Maine School Superintendents Association. “Keeping our students and staff safe is the priority, change is the reality, and collaboration must be the strategy.”

“School boards across the state engage in and support sound school safety practices for students and staff,” said Steve Bailey, Executive Director of the Maine School Board Association. “Through the leadership of the DOE’s Maine School Safety Center, and the collaboration with other partner agencies and associations, this identified effort to expand and promote safety practices and important inter-agency relationships will be an important next step to helping keep our schools safe, while also knowing what to do and who to turn to should additional resources be needed.”

“Safety is a top priority for students and for school staff, and with safety encompassing so many things, physical and emotional/mental health, security, cyber, food security, and more, we need to do what we can to work collaboratively to address these issues and provide the public education our students deserve,” said Grace Leavitt, President of the Maine Education Association.

“It’s imperative that law enforcement and educators have an open line of communication and a collaborative working relationship,” said Chief Kevin Schofield, Maine Chiefs of Police, Windham Police Department. “It’s incumbent upon all of us to take this issue seriously and work together to make sure our students and schools are as safe as possible.”

The Maine School Safety Summit was sponsored by the Maine Department of Education, Maine Juvenile Justice Advisory Group, Maine School Superintendents Association, Maine Chiefs of Police Association, Maine Sheriff’s Association, Maine Principals Association, Maine Department of Corrections, Maine School Resource Officers Association, Strategies for Youth, and Maine School Board Association.

 

MEDIA RELEASE: Maine DOE Welcomes 9 Interns for the Summer

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) has welcomed nine new summer interns this year, who began their work on May 31st. The interns were selected for positions in the Maine DOE by the University of Maine’s Margaret Chase Smith Policy Institute’s Maine Government Summer Internship Program. Over the course of the summer, the interns will assist in daily operations in the Maine DOE and gain professional experience and perspective. The Maine DOE is delighted to welcome the interns along with their energy and ideas.

woman smiling in green shirt
Alexa Bryant, Communications Team Intern

Alexa Bryant is a rising junior at Middlebury College majoring in political science and minoring in Chinese. She is originally from Parkland, Florida, but now lives in Hartland, Maine. As the Communications Team Intern, Alexa is excited to publish content to the Maine DOE channels this summer. When out of office, she enjoys paddle boarding and cooking.

woman leaning against tree
Erin Frankhauser, Computer Science Education Research Assistant

Erin Frankhauser is from Pittston, Maine. Currently, she is a double major in criminology and psychology at St Thomas University. After completing her undergraduate degree, she hopes to attend graduate school with the long-term goal of being a social science researcher. As a Computer Science Research Assistant this summer, she will be working with the Maine DOE Computer Science Specialist to develop and test a landscape study survey tool that will be used in the Fall of 2022.

woman standing in a field
Grace Harvey, Innovative Education Assistant

Grace Harvey is a rising junior at Colby College from Old Town, Maine. She is double majoring in sociology and science, technology and society. After Colby, she hopes to continue onto law school. This summer, Grace will be working on the Maine Opportunities for Online Sustained Education (MOOSE) team as an Innovative Education Assistant and hopes to aid in creating a more equitable learning option for students around the state.

man in a brown shirt
Chase Holak, Records Management and Operations Intern

Chase Holak is a business economics major at University of Maine Farmington. He is originally from Doylestown, Pennsylvania. This summer he will be working as the Records Management and Operations Intern, assisting in procurement and ensuring that all the Maine DOE’s records are organized.

woman smiling in a white shirt
Carrie Jeffrey, Climate, Culture, and Resiliency Team Intern

Carrie Jeffrey is a George Washington University student from Blue Hill, Maine. She is double majoring in political science and journalism and minoring in graphic design. Outside of the office, she enjoys running, painting, and volunteering at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in the Butterfly Museum and Insect Zoo. This summer, she will be interning with the DOE as the Climate, Culture, and Resiliency Team Intern, and is hoping to meet a wide variety of people and gain more insight into governmental processes.

man playing violin
Gus LaCasse, Computer Science Education Research Assistant

Gus La Casse is from Trenton, Maine. He attends University of Maine Orono for political science and environmental ethics. This summer, he will be working on a survey pertaining to Computer Science Education in Maine schools as a Computer Science Education Research Assistant.

woman in a suit
Cat Merkle, MTSS Framework Content and Web Development Assistant

Cat Merkle is a rising senior from New Jersey studying education and environmental science at Colby College. She was excited to come across this internship opportunity because her experience in Colby’s Education Program has inspired her to pursue a career in educational policy. In her free time, she is involved in Student Government, ultimate frisbee, Colby Cares About Kids, a cappella, and she loves to play music with her band. This summer, she is really looking forward to meeting other student interns interested in education policy and learning more about the Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS) framework as the MTSS Framework Content and Web Development Assistant.

woman in a black dress
Ella Pierce, Learning Through Technology Data and Media Assistant

Ella Pierce is from Camden, Maine. She is a rising junior at Wellesley College where she studies political science and psychology on a pre-law track. This summer, she will be working with the Learning Through Technology team to create a database of Maine schools’ social media presence and highlight the exciting and innovative happenings in Maine schools as the Learning Through Technology Data and Media Assistant.

woman smiling
Piper Strunk, Innovative Education Assistant

Piper Strunk is a rising junior at Bates College. She is an economics major and education minor from Cape Elizabeth, Maine. This summer she will be working with the Office of Innovation as an Innovative Education Assistant, helping to improve the existing MOOSE modules. She is thrilled to be a part of this program and looks forward to helping create meaningful and engaging educational content for all students across Maine.

Media Release: Maine Department of Education Awards $2.5 Million in RREV Funding to Support Education Innovation

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) today awarded $2.5 million in Rethinking Responsive Education Ventures (RREV) funding to support education innovation in twelve school administrative units (SAUs) across Maine. These funds will be used to support educational research and design projects focused on alternative education strategies, interdisciplinary/experiential learning, environmental stewardship, Wabanaki culture and heritage, outdoor education, and internship opportunities, as well as supporting unique approaches to remote learning.

Awardees for this third round of RREV funding include Lee Academy, Brunswick, RSU 21 in Kennebunk, Maine Indian Education, RSU 1 in Bath, Brewer, RSU 71 in Belfast, MSAD 6 in Bonny Eagle, RSU 25 in Bucksport, Falmouth, RSU 20 in Searsport, and Kittery. The first round of RREV investments were made last fall, a second round in March, and total RREV investments now near $6 million.

“RREV investments help fuel educational research and design and the innovation and creativity of Maine educators,” said Education Commissioner Pender Makin. “We’re excited to invest in these educator-led efforts to deepen student engagement through interdisciplinary learning, expand learning beyond the traditional classroom to include the outdoors and environmental stewardship, explore Wabanaki culture and heritage, expand alternative education strategies, and allow students to explore career paths that fuel their passions.”

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.

“RREV has not only helped us to reinvent how we deliver instruction but how we look at changing education as a whole,” said Renita Ward-Downer, Director of Instruction in Brewer.

“Maine Indian Education’s RREV pilot project will allow us to build a connected and immersive, community-based middle school experience that empowers students to always put first their Wabanaki knowledge,” said Beth Clifford, Curriculum Coordinator for Maine Indian Education. “We are eager to develop place-based and project-based educational experiences that connect learning and communities to increase student engagement and academic outcomes, promote partnerships and collaboration, and deepen our understanding of the world around us. Wabanaki history, culture and life will be a core element of programming.”

For more information on how to get involved in RREV and to learn more about the pilots, visit https://www.maine.gov/doe/rrev.  View the map of all RREV recipients.

Media Release: Maine Child Nutrition Programs Continue Feeding Children Beyond School Year with Summer Food Service Program Hot Lunch Summer

As the school year comes to an end, Maine children can access nutritious meals through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program, administered by the Maine Department of Education (DOE). These meals are available at hundreds of sites across Maine and will be listed on the Maine DOE’s Hot Lunch Summer website.

“No child should worry about going hungry when the school year ends,” said Education Commissioner Pender Makin. “Hot Lunch Summer ensures that Maine children continue to receive the healthy, nutritious meals they rely on during the school year and we thank the schools and organizations that have stepped up to make the distribution of these meals possible.”

The Summer Food Service Program 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 where census track data supports the need. Eligible sponsoring organizations include schools, nonprofit residential summer camps, government agencies, and tax-exempt organizations including faith-based organizations.

The Maine DOE launched a statewide ad campaign to raise awareness that the Summer Food Service Program exists and clearly explain the logistics of where, when, and how Maine children and adolescents can access complementary meals. The multi-media campaign includes a fun, original song entitled ‘Hot Lunch Summer’ for broadcast radio, an accompanying sing-along video in several lengths including a 30-second broadcast and streaming television ad, a series of colorful shareable graphics for social media, and a series of printed materials for distribution at schools and meal sites. The campaign, which will run through July, is expected to generate more than 5.25 million impressions.

To find nearby Summer Meal sites, please visit www.hotlunchsummer.com, or text “Summer Meals” to (914)342-7744.  Information will be available mid-June.

For more information about the Maine DOE’s Summer Food Service Program, contact adriane.ackroyd@maine.gov, call 592-1722 or visit https://www.maine.gov/doe/schools/nutrition/programs/sfsp

###

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English.  Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible State or local Agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted 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; or
(2)       fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
(3)       email:
program.intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

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.

MEDIA RELEASE: New Career Exploration Resource for Students Launches

The Maine Department of Labor (DOL) and Maine Department of Education (DOE) have launched a new student career discovery dashboard that presents data on in-demand jobs and wages in a manner that is accessible to students in grades 6-12.

Students can explore these data in a variety of ways, such as by geographic region, career clusters of occupations with similar features, and the typical educational requirement of the career. Students can find information about the role of each career cluster in Maine’s economy with a specific data point, like how many jobs there are today, what Maine workers earn in the career, and how many job openings are projected in the next ten years.

“It is exciting to see the Maine Departments of Labor and Education collaborate to bring the Center for Workforce Research and Information website online,” Maine Legislature Representative Paul Stearns said.  “The site features a wonderful exploration tool to give students, parents and educators the information that they need to make sound, data driven career decisions.”

MDOL’s Center for Workforce Research and Information (CWRI) collaborated with the Maine Department of Education and a group of Maine educators in the design of the student-friendly dashboard. The dashboard includes a video for help navigating the webpage and an introductory guide for counselors, teachers, and students with an overview of available data on jobs and wages in Maine.

“It is never too early to explore your career options and interests,” Labor Commissioner Laura Fortman said. “This new tool gives students and their teachers a user-friendly way to look at potential careers, which jobs are currently in-demand, and what steps they can take to foster the skills they would need to reach their goals.”

“Career exploration tools like this help students see what kinds of careers match their passions and interests, learn valuable insights and information about possible careers, and plan for their futures,” Education Commissioner Pender Makin said. “We’re excited to offer this interactive dashboard to students and teachers and to see the creative ways they utilize this data in their classrooms.”

The dashboard can be interacted with on the Maine Department of Labor’s Center for Workforce Research and Information (CWRI) website: https://www.maine.gov/labor/cwri/student_portal/

The Center for Workforce Research and Information produces data on jobs and wages in Maine, a ten-year job outlook, and a range of other data products pertaining to Maine’s economy and labor market. The student friendly resource has been designed to complement existing online resources such as Get My Future and My Next Move, available to help students find careers that align to their aspirations, interest, and personality.

The 2020 Maine Learning Results Life and Career Ready standards were designed to support the development of key elements of career readiness with career awareness expectations for students in grades K-5 and career exploration and planning expectations for students in grades 6-12.

###

Contacts for Educators/Schools for More Information:
For more information about the CWRI student dashboard, contact Mark McInerney, Director of the Maine Department of Labor’s Center for Workforce Research and Information, at mark.mcinerney@maine.gov. 

For more information about learning experiences that support students’ career exploration, contact Rick Wilson, Maine Department of Education, Career Exploration Specialist at rick.wilson@maine.gov.  

For more information about the integration of the Maine Learning Results Life and Career Standards into the design of learning experiences for students, contact Jason Anderson, Interdisciplinary Instruction Team Coordinator at jason.anderson@maine.gov. 

MEDIA RELEASE: Three New Maine State Board of Education Members Appointed by Governor Mills

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) and the Maine State Board of Education today announced the newest members of the Board and their committee assignments.

The Board consists of nine members appointed by the Governor along with two nonvoting student members also appointed by the Governor. Board members serve staggered, five-year terms and nonvoting student members serve staggered, two-year terms.

New Maine State Board of Education Members:

Mark Balfantz
Mark Balfantz of Portland was appointed to the State Board of Education in February of 2022.  He will fill seat 8 in the first congressional district.  Mr. Balfantz served in the United States Marine Corps for 10 years.  He is a Maine citizen who has served on his local school board in Portland for three years.  He is the Vice President, General Counsel and Lending Compliance Officer at Kennebunk Savings Bank.  Mr. Balfantz has years of experience as an attorney as well as a background in financial investment.  He understands policy and financing in addition to the comprehension of the Department of Education’s goals and challenges having served at the local level.  He holds a BS in Business Administration with focus on Finance and attended Temple University’s Beasley School of Law.  He has been a member of the Maine Bar Association since 2016.

Kristin Bishop
Kristin Bishop of Madison was appointed to the State Board of Education in April of 2022.  She will fill seat 4 in the second congressional district.  Ms. Bishop is not a stranger to serve on the State Board of Education as she served as a student member of the Board from 2012 to 2014.  Currently, she is the Program and Outreach Coordinator for Civic Engagement at Colby College.  Ms. Bishop holds a BA in Education and Government & Legal Studies from Bowdoin College.  She is currently pursuing her graduate studies at Thomas College in Waterville, Maine and expects to complete her MBA the summer of 2022.  Ms. Bishop holds a lifelong dedication to public service and community engagement and has been involved with numerous higher education service and civic organizations.
Committee appointments: Career and Technical Education

Thomas Keller
Thomas “Tom” Keller of Newcastle was appointed to the State Board of Education in March of 2022.  He will fill seat 6 in the first congressional district.  Mr. Keller is a retired educator and has been a classroom teacher, a school administrator, a Scientist and educational researcher.  He’s worked in education policy, and is the Founding President of STEM Education Strategies, LLC, an organization in which he works collaboratively with educators and institutions to streamline the system of science education.  He believes that there is value in interconnecting various sectors of education, that good assessment facilitates good instruction, that teacher competence breeds confidence, and that policies must support high-quality learning.  Dr. Keller has served as an Executive Director of the Maine STEM Council, he is a member of the University of Maine at Augusta Board of Visitors and serves in many other educationally formulated organizations.  Dr. Keller holds a BS in Zoology from Texas A&M University and his Ed.D. from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Committee appointments: Certification and Higher Education Committee

Fern Desjardins, Chair of the Maine State Board of Education, stated that the new members have brought knowledge and experiences that already benefit the work of the Board in carrying out its duties and responsibilities.

“Their energy and enthusiasm in getting appointed to the board’s committees and in being of service in any way needed to help the board accomplish its goals is greatly appreciated. Their contributions will help advance the work of the State Board in carrying out its policy-making, administrative and advisory functions,” said Desjardins.

For more information about the State Board of Education, visit their website https://www.maine.gov/doe/about/leadership/stateboard.

MEDIA RELEASE: Maine Adult Education Launches HiSET Completion Campaign

The Maine Department of Education’s Office of Adult Education launched a campaign today to encourage adult learners to complete the HiSET, Maine’s high school equivalency test. Those who complete the HiSET are eligible for two years of free community college in Maine. As part of the campaign, ‘It’s time for HiSET’ yard signs will be displayed throughout Maine and local programs will use social media with hashtag #HiSET4ME, mail postcards, and sponsor community events to promote HiSET completion.

Students who live in Maine, graduate high school or receive a HiSET between 2020 and 2023, and enroll in a Maine community college full time are eligible for two years of free community college.

The HiSET has been Maine’s high school equivalency test since 2014, when it took the place of the GED. Adult learners without a high school credential can receive a Maine High School Equivalency Diploma by successfully completing HiSET’s five subject tests in Language Arts Reading, Language Arts Writing, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. There is no cost to Maine residents for HiSET testing or HiSET prep classes. In addition, past HiSET subject tests are still valid, and learners who have taken some of the HiSET subject tests in the past are encouraged to return to their local adult education program to complete their HiSET testing.

“We want adult learners to know that HiSET is a free, easily accessible pathway to get your high school credential, and that by completing your HiSET you can unlock the opportunity to attend two years of community college at no cost,” said Education Commissioner Pender Makin. “If you’ve taken one or more of the HiSET subject tests, but then life got in the way, now is the time to come back and complete your HiSET. If you’ve been thinking about HiSET, but just haven’t gotten around to making that appointment, now is the time to call your local adult education program. It’s time for HiSET!”

More than 60 adult education programs throughout Maine provide a range of instructional services to help adults develop the skills for further educational opportunities, job training, and better employment.

Brandon Codrey started his HiSET process in 2017, but work became a priority and he had to stop attending the program. After several years, he returned to his local adult education program and completed his HiSET in April. Brandon is now enrolled in an applied math class for the summer through On Course for College and looks to enroll in his local community college’s plumbing certification program in the fall. Blythe Gowen, a single mother, completed her HiSET in January and is now looking to enroll in college in the fall to study pharmacology. And Michael Sowards restarted his HiSET process after a several year pause and graduated last September. His local adult education program worked with him to enroll in a free computer applications college course, and this fall he will enter into an accounting program. They are just a handful of the 1,700 adult learners who have received their high school diploma through Maine adult education since 2020.

MEDIA RELEASE: Maine’s 2022 County Teachers of the Year Announced

Governor Janet Mills, Education Commissioner Pender Makin, Education Leaders Honored the Teachers at the State Capitol

Augusta, ME—Sixteen Maine teachers were announced as 2022 County Teachers of the Year today at a ceremony in the Hall of Flags at the Maine State Capitol Building. Governor Janet Mills joined Education Commissioner Pender Makin, Educate Maine Executive Director Jason Judd, State Board of Education Chair Fern Desjardins, 2022 Maine Teacher of the Year Kelsey Stoyanova, and Maine County and State Teachers of the Year Association Co-President Shana Goodall to announce the new class of County Teachers of the Year.

As part of the Maine Teacher of the Year Program, hundreds of teachers across Maine are nominated by a member of their school community. Through a rigorous application process, one teacher from each county is selected as a County Teacher of the Year by a panel of teachers, principals, and business community members within the county.

“It is a privilege to congratulate Maine’s 2022 County Teachers of the Year,” said Governor Janet Mills. “As the daughter of a long-time public school teacher, I know how hard each of these teachers works every day to make sure our kids have the best shot at success. I am so grateful for all they do for our students, our communities, and our state, and I promise that my Administration will do all we can to support them.”

“It’s such an honor to celebrate these extraordinary teachers and elevate them as true ambassadors for all Maine teachers and the teaching profession,” said Education Commissioner Pender Makin. “These teachers were nominated by students, colleagues, and parents for the difference they make every day in the lives of their students, for their innovation and leadership, and for their commitment to their schools and communities. You are all true heroes, and the Maine Department of Education is so grateful for all you do.”

“We are so proud of the 2022 County Teacher of the Year cohort. They are truly remarkable teachers and we look forward to working with them throughout their year of recognition,” said Educate Maine Executive Director Jason Judd.

2022 County Teachers of the Year:

Maine County Teachers of the Year serve as ambassadors for teachers, students, and quality education state-wide throughout the year. The Maine County Teachers of the Year are available to make presentations to local and regional organizations. Throughout the summer, they will continue to participate in an intensive Maine State Teacher of the Year selection process.

The Maine Department of Education’s Teacher of the Year Program is administered through a collaborative partnership with Educate Maine. To learn more about the Teacher of the Year Program visit: https://www.mainetoy.org/. The event was also broadcast live on the Maine Department of Education’s YouTube page.

###

MEDIA RELEASE: Maine Department of Education Releases Teach Maine Plan to Develop, Support, and Sustain a Robust Education Workforce

The Maine Department of Education released the Teach Maine Plan, a comprehensive roadmap to develop, support, and sustain a robust educator workforce in the state. Unveiled during Teacher Appreciation Week, the Teach Maine Plan and new website provide a set of strategies and actions to inspire a talented and diverse future educator workforce, and to support and develop Maine’s current educator workforce.

The Teach Maine Plan is organized around four key themes: incentivize recruitment and retention efforts; expand and diversify educator workforce efforts; support educator development, growth, and leadership; and elevate educators and the education profession. While the Teach Maine Plan has multiple themes, strategies, and actions, they are interdependent and not designed to be implemented in isolation.

“The Maine Department of Education is committed to developing, supporting, and sustaining a vibrant and diverse education workforce, and honoring the expertise and leadership of Maine’s education professionals,” said Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin. “Maine’s educators give it their all each and every day to teach, inspire, and nurture their students, and the Teach Maine Plan provides the resources and supports they need to keep doing what they do best while also attracting more amazing educators into our schools. I want to thank the many educators and stakeholders who contributed to this effort and we look forward to collaborating on moving this plan into action.”

The report is the result of contributions by education stakeholders throughout Maine, who provided feedback via multiple channels, including regional Think Tanks, focus groups, surveys, organizational meetings, and informal conversations. Additionally, the Department of Education convened an Educator Talent Committee, a core group of internal and external stakeholders, to share their experiences, look at research and trends, and to make recommendations on how to address Maine’s educator shortage.

“Teach Maine provides a blueprint that will help to develop, attract, and retain quality educators that the children in Maine deserve. The future of Maine’s economy is grounded in providing our students with a diverse and rigorous educational experience. Teach Maine will provide the foundation to ensure that Maine students graduate with the passion, knowledge, and skills to be productive members of the world they will lead,” said Maine School Superintendents Association Executive Director Eileen King.

“The themes of the Teach Maine Plan hit upon key issues to ensure that our system of public education in Maine will continue to be strong. Recognizing, respecting, and rewarding our educators for the vital work they do every day is critical to providing the education our students deserve,” said Maine Education Association President Grace Leavitt.

“We are very excited to see the impact that Teach Maine will have on our profession. By having a stronger emphasis on recruitment, and then providing mentoring and ongoing support that educators and educational leaders need, will only help keep high quality professionals in education. This is what our students deserve,” said Maine Principals’ Association Executive Director Dr. Holly Blair.  

“Teachers are the most important element in ensuring Maine has a well-educated citizenry that is essential for our future workforce and democracy. These strategies will help strengthen the teaching profession in Maine,” said Educator Talent Committee member and University of Southern Maine Chair and Associate Professor of Teacher Education Dr. Flynn Ross. 

The first theme of the Teach Maine Plan, incentivize recruitment and retention efforts, focuses on compensating educators competitively; providing financial incentives for high-needs subjects and locations; providing financial incentives for teacher expertise and teacher leadership; encouraging alternative compensation strategies, including housing, transportation, childcare, creative use of time, and sabbaticals; increasing scholarship and loan forgiveness programs; expanding service loan forgiveness and tax incentive programs; and increasing awareness of funding sources.

Research shows that low salary scales continue to negatively impact the educator pipeline, as well as the retention of practicing teachers. Compared to college-educated professionals in other fields, beginning teachers earn about 20 percent less, with the gap widening to 30 percent by mid-career. While the Mills administration made a significant step in addressing overall teacher compensation to guarantee a minimum salary of $40,000, more must be done to make working in education a financially sustainable career.

The second theme, diversify and expand educator workforce efforts, includes strategies to recruit, prepare, and hire racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse educators; retain diverse educators by addressing the policies and practices of structural racism; increase educator recruitment efforts; reduce costs; increase marketing for active recruitment of educators; increase high retention pathways into teaching such as teacher residencies, grow your own, and education career pathways starting in high school; promote teacher residencies for high-need School Administrative Units (SAUs) and content areas; promote additional dual certification programs for high-needs content areas; grow your own education technician and community college partnerships; and education career pathways in high school/CTE schools.

Building an educator workforce that reflects the racial, ethnic, and linguistic diversity of the student population has been shown to have positive impacts on student achievement. Research has shown that matching teacher racial identity with student identity can improve academic achievement, high school graduation rates, and college enrollment rates. And all students who have had teachers of diverse races or cultural backgrounds are better prepared for success in a global world.

The report finds that to make progress towards recruitment and retention initiatives, Maine needs a comprehensive and transparent data collection and management system. The strategy to expand data systems includes actions to characterize the current educator population in greater detail; determine educator needs geographically in Maine; create a statewide job board; and collect SAU-level data such as exit interviews and surveys.

Theme three, support educator development, growth, and leadership, includes strategies to expand induction and mentoring for new educators; strengthen state and SAU supports for mentoring and induction; scaffolded induction with time to learn, including not just orientation and access to mentors but also access to coaches, common planning time with mentors, and resource allocation to support success; establish a network of new educators for peer support; strengthen ongoing professional support through professional learning opportunities at the school, SAU, regional, and state level; develop and support high-quality teacher leadership; and develop and support well-qualified school and SAU leaders.

The support that new educators are given throughout their pre-service career and first few years of teaching has a direct impact on their retention as career educators. Key elements of high-quality induction strongly associated with reduced rates of teacher turnover include assigning mentors from the same field, common planning time and opportunities to collaborate with teachers in the same subject area, and being part of an external network of teachers.

Theme four, elevate educators and the education profession, includes strategies and actions to promote the positive public perception of public education and the education workforce, and expand and diversify educator recognition programs. To recruit and retain a vibrant educator workforce and make teaching an attractive profession also requires strengthening public perception and confidence in Maine schools and demonstrating appreciation for educators not just during teacher appreciation week, but every week of the year.

Maine Educators Embark on North Star Journey: FableVision Learning & Maine DOE Launch Year-Long Initiative to Foster Creativity with Educators and Students

Maine’s Department of Education’s State Agency Program Team set sail on a creativity journey to transform teaching practice and classroom outcomes through a unique partnership with Boston-based educational company FableVision Learning, founded by Peter H. Reynolds.

“We were eager to provide equitable access to quality instruction to Maine’s vulnerable youth in therapeutic education settings to enhance special education programming after the difficult times caused by the pandemic, when emotional and social issues have been heightened,” explained Dr. Mary Adley, Coordinator of State Agency Programs. “We wanted to provide staff and students a sense of excitement and creativity to view their world with optimism and we knew FableVision Learning would help us achieve that.”

Adley and her team provide oversight to educational programming for state wards and state agency clients. This includes the General Supervision System of Monitoring for Maine’s approved Special Purpose Private Schools. Her team also offers special education technical assistance, professional development, and support to Maine educators, students, and families for Maine children in the care or custody of the Department of Health and Human Services or the Department of Corrections, educated in all settings, both in public and private settings and within Maine and placed in out of state settings.

“Our team is delighted that FableVision is embedding the Department’s Maine MOOSE (Maine Online Opportunities for Sustained Education) modules as curricular/content to guide educators in developing creative and specially designed instruction needed to meet each student’s Individual Education Program,” shared Dr. Tracy Whitlock, Coordinator for Special Projects.

This multi-level program of support integrates evidence-based instructional strategies, such as elements of  Dr. John Medina’s “Brain Rules,” with intentional focus on social-emotional welfare for both staff and students. Every month, educators from 9 agencies representing 25 schools meet virtually for the Creative Maine workshop and the FableVision Learning team guides discussions and activities around creative instructional design and inspiration to enhance teaching practice. A community of practice is provided on FableVision’s collaborative learning platform The Creativity Circle.

“We are exploring with teachers ways to expand the pathways for students to demonstrate their knowledge and to engage in deep and creative thinking,” explained Sara Smith, FableVision Learning’s creative curriculum developer. “Creativity in the classroom empowers both teachers and students to maximize their talents and make meaning.”

In addition to student projects highlighted in the Creative Maine course, educators are utilizing the FableVision Learning’s The North Star Program to further develop student voice and creativity.

“The essential outcome of education is for students to know who they are and what they can give to the world,” Jane Reynolds, president of FableVision Learning said. “The classroom is where they should be able to explore their strengths, learn resilience, and discover their power to create in a safe and supportive environment.”

Based on the themes in the book “The North Star,” by FableVision founder and New York Times bestselling-author/illustrator Peter H. Reynolds, The North Star Program is a guide to creating a classroom where students uncover their true potential.

“I have found The North Star Program to be very adaptable. I can integrate it with the existing social skills curriculum as well as adjust lessons to fit the variety of learning levels in my classroom,” explained Teresa Dickson, participating educator from NFI Sidney River Bend.

The program includes best practices for setting up the classroom and establishing a positive, creative climate as well as 18+ weeks of activities and projects that help students develop their strengths, values, and goals that will start laying the path to the future selves they want to be. Activities include teamwork challenges, problem solving projects, social-emotional games and experiences, literature exploration and discussions, and personal reflection writing pieces.

“Since I have begun using The North Star Program, I have watched my students become more confident in their learning and more accepting of themselves and others,” Dickson said. “The lessons can be taught in sequence or be pulled out to target a specific concept or skill. I was able to easily integrate The North Star Program with the Common Core Standards. The North Star Program hits many content areas such as music, art, writing, reading, and poetry.”

In 2022, Maine Department of Education’s State Agency Programs and FableVision Learning will continue the Creative Maine journey as educators continue to explore creative problem solving and creative classroom management.

***

About FableVision Learning

FableVision Learning is a Boston-based company founded by Peter H. Reynolds, New York Times best-selling author/Illustrator who has been inspiring teachers for over three decades with his message books for all ages, animated films and creativity software. FableVision Learning’s tools, curricula and programs are informed by the philosophy in Reynolds’ books, which encourages teachers to create bravely on their own creative journeys as they lead the way for their students. Along with its award-winning suite of research-backed learning games and animation software, FableVision Learning also develops custom, in-class/hybrid remote programs for educator/leader PD, after school, CTE, and summer learning, with a focus on storytelling, creativity and SEL.

About Maine Department of Education Office of Special Services

The Maine Department of Education – Office of Special Education is dedicated to improving results for students with disabilities by providing leadership, support and oversight to local education agencies. The Office of Special Services is committed to ensuring the provision of a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment for children with disabilities (ages 3 to 22) as well as early intervention services to infants and toddlers (birth through age 2). Our work is accomplished through collaboration with families, school districts, public and private agencies, and other programs.