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 (DOE) Child Nutrition is seeking organizations who 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.

“For many children, their school provides the only reliable, nutritious meal that they can count on and we need to make sure those meals are there for Maine children during the summer break,” said Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin. “By participating in this program, community groups and organizations can have a tremendous impact on the health and well-being of children in their communities. The Department of Education is thankful for those organizations that continue to be a part of this vital summer program and we welcome those joining this year to extend our reach and help feed additional children in Maine.”

In July 2021, 131 sponsors participated in the program, serving meals at 861 sites throughout the state. 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.

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.

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Disclosures
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.

Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin kicked off the state’s Read to ME Challenge at Solon Elementary School today by reading Mel Fell to Mrs. Currie’s second grade class. This is the seventh year that the Maine Department of Education is collaborating with community organizations and schools on this month-long public awareness campaign to promote the importance of literacy for all of Maine’s students, regardless of age.

The Read to ME Challenge encourages adults to read to children for 15 minutes, capture that moment via a photo or a video, and then post it to social media and challenge others to do the same using the hashtag #ReadtoME. The Department of Education will be highlighting Read to ME Challenge events throughout the month, including with Deputy Commissioner Dan Chuhta and Maine Department of Inland Wildlife and Fisheries Commissioner Judy Camuso.

“Read to ME is a simple yet powerful challenge that promotes literacy and a lifelong love of reading for children—and it’s fun,” said Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin. “When you read aloud to a child it helps them build their own reading and vocabulary skills, exposes them to the world, establishes reading as an enjoyable and valuable activity, strengthens their bonds with trusted adults, and provides a foundation for future success as adults. I encourage everyone to join educators, parents and others across the state by completing the Read to ME challenge and making a difference for Maine children.”

The simple act of reading aloud to a child 15 minutes a day for five years results in 27,375 minutes of language exposure, which can put children on the path to high literacy achievement and helps them build knowledge and vocabulary. Research demonstrates a number of benefits to reading to children, from birth through their childhoods and even teenage years, including modeling reading as an enjoyable lifelong activity, stimulating brain development, reducing stress and anxiety, building knowledge of the world, and helping develop the skills necessary to succeed in their lives.

Schools and community organizations can find a toolkit and resources on the Department of Education website and the Department will be sharing videos, photos, and updates from the challenge all month long on social media. Participants in the challenge are reminded to use the hashtag #ReadtoME and to tag the Maine DOE at @mdoenews on Twitter, @MaineDepartmentofEducation1 on Facebook, and @mainedepted on Instagram.

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) has announced that 21 Maine students have been selected to join its Student Cabinet for the 2021/2022 school year. The newest members will join 14 students serving their 2nd year as Student Cabinet members, along with the Maine State Board of Education’s two Student Representatives who also serve on the Cabinet each year.

This is the third year the Maine DOE has appointed students to a Student Cabinet with the goal of integrating student voice into decision-making on education issues that impact their journey, and those of their peers, through Maine’s education system. In past years students have helped in highlighting mental health needs at school, raised issues of racial equity, and helped brainstorm ways to individualize learning.

“I’m thrilled to welcome our newest members of our Student Cabinet and to welcome back our returning members. Student Cabinet members come from every part of our state and reflect the full diversity of our student population, bringing their ideas, voice and experiences to the table to strengthen our schools,” said Commissioner of Education Pender Makin. “Their perspectives and their power to innovate, problem solve, and bring fresh ideas are critically important to our work at the Department of Education, and I look forward to working with this group of leaders.”

The Student Cabinet convenes virtually each month starting in December to provide regular input to Maine DOE. This year is a special opportunity for Cabinet members to design pilot projects that reflect on the past two school years, and reinvent how schools think about remote and responsive learning as part of the Reinventing Responsive Education Ventures (RREV) initiative.  RREV is the product of a $16.9 million award from U.S. DOE to support systemic investments which will strengthen a culture of innovation in PK-12 education and enhance learning experiences for all students. As part of this year’s program, the students are currently using design thinking processes to help identify and develop solutions to complex problems in education.

Comprised of 37 students in grades 5 – 12 and first year of college from all 16 counties in Maine, Maine DOE Student Cabinet members serve as representatives and advocates for the unique educational challenges in their region, as well as for underrepresented student groups who may face challenges in education.

To learn more about the Maine DOE Student Cabinet visit: The Maine DOE Student Cabinet Webpage.