MEDIA RELEASE: MDI and Camden Hills High Schools Named Green Ribbon Schools by U.S. DOE

Green Ribbon Schools are honored for reducing environmental impact and costs, improving health and wellness, and offering effective sustainability education.

The U.S. Department of Education today released the names of the 2020 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools, District Sustainability Awardees, and Postsecondary Sustainability Awardees. Camden Hills Regional High School in Rockport and Mount Desert Island High School in Bar Harbor are among the 2020 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS).

Camden Hills Regional High School and Mount Desert Island High School were nominated by the Maine Department of Education based on their accomplishments in the three pillars of the ED-GRS program: 1) reducing environmental impacts, such as waste, water, energy, greenhouse gases, and transportation in the areas of facilities, grounds, and operations; 2) improving health and wellness through coordinated school health, with consideration to air quality, contaminant control, acoustics, daylighting, thermal comfort, school nutrition, and outdoors physical activity; and 3) offering effective environmental and sustainability education that emphasizes hands-on, real-world learning, civic engagement, STEM connections, and green career preparation.

“With a deep appreciation for the beautiful natural resources of our great state, environmental sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint are priorities of Governor Mills and her administration, including the Department of Education,” said Maine Department of Education Commissioner Pender Makin. “Our schools are leading the way by providing their students with opportunities for environmental education and innovation. These students will be the future leaders and stewards of our planet, and are learning about their role, responsibilities and impact as global citizens.”

Camden Hills Regional High School (CHRHS) is a public high school located in coastal Rockport, Maine, serving 720 students in grades 9 through 12. CHRHS policies, budgeting, and its people all focus on ensuring systems that will promote and support healthy students, a healthy school, and a healthy planet. Over 77 percent of teachers incorporate sustainability education in courses.

A student sustainability group, Windplanners, with overwhelming support from district administration and the community, has worked to reduce the environmental impact of the school. Their initiatives include a major study and capital campaign to install the 100-kw wind turbine, working through one of the first power purchase agreements for high school installations in the state for a 159-kw solar array. These two installations provide 30 percent of electricity needs from on-site renewables. Working with the facilities director, students helped initiate several energy-efficiency projects that have reduced demand by another 20 percent.

CHRHS’ newest initiative involves several staff members and the Windplanners in building an organic waste management system. CHRHS installed a terraced garden on some marginal land that was considered a mowing hazard. Each year, the school designs and plants the school garden with the goal of the harvest maturing when school begins in the fall. The school is also home to an orchard and asparagus patch that produce when school is in session. Both of these initiatives have been focused on helping increase the amount of local produce that supplies the school cafeteria. Whenever possible food is locally sourced, or even comes from the school garden.

Students have access to people and resources that support their emotional growth and well-being. Camden Hills actively works to create a safe and open space for its students. The library has become a wellness area providing resources like massage chairs, therapy dogs, animal cams to view nature in action, adult coloring pages, and board games. A nature trails follows the circumference of the CHRHS campus and allows students and staff to go on walks and enjoy the beautiful woods on the campus while unplugging from the stress of school and getting exercise.

Mount Desert Island High School (MDIHS) is a rural public high school in Maine that draws 542 students from 10 K–8 schools in and around the Mt. Desert/Bar Harbor. Green and sustainability efforts are supported by school and district administrators, school board members, the school’s Environmental Concerns (Eco) team, teachers across departments, and staff, including counselors, custodians, and cafeteria staff. There is widely shared interest in the health and wellness of students and staff, support for educational experiences that prepare students to be active informed citizens interested in the changing world, and an increasing emphasis on environmental sustainability.

Decisions for the past decade have been made with environmental health and efficiency in mind. Most obvious are the 1400+ solar panels on the roof of the high school. MDI High School was the first high school in Maine to generate all of its electricity needs from on-site solar in the fall of 2019. Soon, everyone will be able to see the new electric bus parked outside with its diesel counterparts. There is an electric vehicle charging station in the parking lot for staff and students to use.

In 2011, energy efficient boilers were installed when replacement of the old boilers was necessary. Two years ago, the school completed a conversion to LED lights inside school and LED “night-sky” compliant lighting in parking areas. Composting in the cafeteria started at the end of 2018–19. The school contracted with Agri-Cycle to efficiently convert food waste into electricity, fuel, fertilizer, and other beneficial products. Cafeteria staff participated in the Smarter Lunchroom program to learn additional ways to cut down on food waste. During the building renovation in 2017, filtered water bottle filling stations were installed throughout the school to reduce plastic waste and promote hydration.

An active staff wellness program is led by two teachers who challenge their colleagues each month to improve their physical and mental health through water challenges, movement challenges, morale boosters, and other activities. For many years, the nurse at MDI High School coordinated a small Wellness Fair once a year for high school staff. This has turned into a districtwide biennial Health and Wellness Professional half day held at MDIHS in March to build community, emphasize wellness, and help staff relax and rejuvenate.

During the 2019–20 school year, more than 50 percent of MDIHS students will be in at least one course that includes a focus on climate change, human impacts on the environment, and/or proposing and designing solutions for problems they identify and research.

Across the country, 39 schools, 11 districts, and five postsecondary institutions are being honored for their innovative efforts to reduce environmental impact and utility costs, improve health and wellness, and ensure effective sustainability education.
The honorees were named from a pool of candidates nominated by 27 states. The selectees include 28 public schools, including three magnet schools and four charter schools, as well as 11 nonpublic schools. Forty-five percent of the 2020 honorees serve a disadvantaged student body.

The list of all selected schools, districts, colleges, and universities, as well as their nomination packages, can be found here. A report with highlights on the 55 honorees can be found here. More information on the federal recognition award can be found here. Resources for all schools to move toward the three Pillars can be found here.

MEDIA RELEASE: Reminder – April is Month of the Military Child

April is designated nationwide as Month of the Military Child. Maine honors the sacrifices made by military families statewide by encouraging school districts to engage in a variety of activities of their own choosing to celebrate Month of the Military Child.

As schools utilize remote learning to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, school districts are encouraged to engage in activities via social media. The Maine State Council of the Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission (MIC3) has created the following alternatives for districts to participate in a virtual Purple Up! Month:

Wear purple to an online classroom via Zoom, Skype, and/or Teams.
Purple Up Selfie! School staff, students, family members, and legislators are encouraged to wear purple, take selfies, and post them on social media.
Encourage your social community to participate in Purple Up! Month

Persons posting materials are encouraged to tag Maine DOE and MIC3 and to use the hashtags #PurpleUp and #MOTMC. Families can post pictures about their experiences as a military family to Facebook, Twitter and tag the Maine Department of Education at @mdoenews (Twitter) and at @MaineDepartmentofEducation1 (Facebook) as well as the Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission (MIC3) at @MIC3.Compact (Facebook) and @MIC3Compact (Twitter).

MEDIA RELEASE: Maine Educators Win $400 Each in First Drawings of Bicentennial Curriculum Sharing Initiative

Narragansett Elementary School 2nd grade teacher Stephanie Nichols and Brooksville Elementary School PK-8 art teacher Nick Patterson are the first two to win prizes.

Stephanie Nichols, a 2nd grade teacher at Narragansett Elementary School in Gorham School District is the first to win a $400 cash prize as the February drawing winner. There will be drawings held every month until December 2020 as part of Maine’s Bicentennial Curriculum Sharing Initiative.

The Maine Department of Education (DOE), in collaboration with the Maine Bicentennial Commission (maine200.org) and the Maine Historical Society launched the online resource in February as a way to help Maine teachers integrate Maine’s Bicentennial into their lessons.

Stephanie is one of several educators who have shared their lesson plans through the curriculum sharing initiative by uploading it into the curriculum tool since its launch. Stephanie’s lesson plan is called “How Communities Represent Themselves” and helps students learn to identify the historical and current flags of Maine, and understand the concept of “community” representation through the symbols on the flags. The lesson includes an activity where students work in small groups to create flags to represent their classroom/school communities.

Nick Patterson

Nick Patterson is the drawing winner for the month of March. A PK-8 art teacher for Brooksville Elementary School, he says his lesson plan first started as an interest in silhouettes and blob painting which prompted him to start having his middle school art students work with images from the internet including sea creatures, an interest of theirs.

“This lesson plan will give students an overview of the creatures in the Gulf of Maine,” said Patterson describing the lesson plan he uploaded for other educators to use. “Students will be able to describe the creatures they learn about, first learning simple art skills, and then combining these simple skills to make an Oceanscape picture that is complex.”
The Initiative enables educators to share their own lesson plans, download lesson plans created by other Maine teachers, and access new curriculum resources and primary documents related to Maine, its history, and culture.

“Now more than ever is it imperative that we embrace the online resources we have in place to share ideas and lesson plans, and that we continue to celebrate the 200th anniversary of our amazing state,” said Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin. “I encourage all Maine educators to use this tool to share their curriculum resources related to Maine with other educators around the state so that we can encapsulate and celebrate our land, culture, history, and community for generations to come.”

To submit a lesson plan, educators can visit mainememory.net/lessons/submit to complete a simple submission template, and then upload additional resources. Once uploaded, lesson submissions will be reviewed for completeness and then placed on the, where other educators from across the state can access them.

Educators who participate by sharing resources will have their names entered into a random monthly drawing (February 2020 – December 2020) for $400 in cash for use for lesson planning and teaching. Participants for this program are intended to be public and private school educators for grades pre-k to 12, Career and Technical Educators, Adult Education Instructors, and Post-Secondary Instructors.

By participating in this unique collaboration, not only are you are setting the stage for present and future Mainers to learn more about our great state, you can also share and learn from the collective brain of educators around Maine.

For more information or to ask questions about the process, please contact Kathleen Neumann kneumann@mainehistory.org.

MEDIA RELEASE: College Board Releases Free Parent Resources for Upcoming AP Exams

The College Board has released the new AP® Exam (Advanced Placement) schedule, which includes optional free, online AP classes and take-at-home AP Exams to support the challenges that students and families are facing because of the coronavirus pandemic. In addition, the Collage Board is also offering the opportunity for families to apply for help securing an internet connection and a device in order to take the exams.

Advanced Placement (AP), a program implemented by the College Board, allows high schoolers to take high school courses that can earn them college credit and/or qualify them for more advanced classes when they begin college. Many of Maine’s high schoolers were amid AP classes when they transitioned to remote learning. In a response to this drastic change in learning, the College Board has released additional resources for families and educators.

It is recommended by the College Board that parents and teachers whose students are planning on taking any of the AP exams take the weeks of April 13 and April 20th to help students work through the remaining course content and/or encourage them to participate in the live online classes and review sessions. Find them here: FREE AP Online Classes and Review Sessions

In addition, the College Board has also asked parents to let students know about the technology they’ll need to take the AP tests and to contact the College Board by April 24 if they need devices or connectivity. Here is where you can find information about getting internet connection and devices for AP exams: Information about getting Internet or a Device for AP Classes and Exams

You can find more information about the AP exams and the College Board’s response to the coronavirus on their website. In addition to the parent resources, College Board is also offering a listing of webinars among other resources for AP educators to help answer questions about the upcoming tests.

MEDIA RELEASE: Rural Aspirations Launches Website to Support Teachers & Families in Community-Based Learning

Rural Aspirations, in collaboration with many other cross-sector organizations, has developed a tool for teachers and families to support and highlight community-based learning opportunities in Maine.

This resource is designed to connect teachers and families with the amazing work of educational and social service organizations across the State. With the onset of COVID-19, teaching and learning have entered our homes and virtual platforms in unprecedented ways, and with that comes an expanded opportunity to connect and support students together, utilizing Maine resources to support Maine teachers and families.

Access the website here: www.communitylearningforme.org

The site launched today, April 10, 2020, and will be in a beta phase for the next three weeks. We are asking parents and teachers to engage with the site, participate in sessions, connect students to opportunities and join us in developing the final touches to best meet the needs of teachers, parents, and students.

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS: Department of Education, Maine Environmental Education Association, Island Readers & Writers, Schoodic Institute, UMaine College of Education & Human Development, Island Institute, and Rural Aspirations

The Maine Department of Education also has an array of continuity of learning resources regularly updated by content experts at the Department:

· For educators and schools

· For parents and families

For more information about Rural Aspirations’ Community Learning Website contact them.

MEDIA RELEASE: Statement Regarding Recommendations for Extended Remote Learning

On Tuesday evening, April 7, 2020, Commissioner of Education Pender Makin, with the support of Governor Mills, made the recommendation to Maine schools to extend their remote learning plans until the end of the current school year.

“School classrooms are closed, but schools are not,” said Commissioner Makin. “The dedicated educators and staff are still providing educational continuity, nutrition services, and even emotional support and counseling services through remote/distance learning and teleservices. During this state of emergency, many familiar systems and supports in our society have been upended, leaving people feeling disoriented. Maine’s schools are providing deeply necessary connections, reliable services, and are – in fact – holding the fabric of our communities together.”

Commissioner Makin acknowledged closing school buildings was a difficult decision made only after consultation with the experts, including guidance from the national and local CDC. She confirmed that the Maine Department of Education has been in daily consultation with Maine CDC and with Dr. Shah regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are looking forward to the eventual development of a process for determining when it might be safe to resume in-person classroom instruction. Because we continue to see double-digit increases each day in the number of new cases in our state, the metrics for determining this have not yet been developed,” Makin said.

Commissioner Makin said she announced her recommendation now in order to give families and schools time to plan and provide alternative ways to celebrate and conduct end-of-year events.

“School administrators, staff, students, and communities deserve as accurate a picture as we can provide with respect to this evolving situation, and it will require a longer term continuation of remote instruction,” she said.

Makin said Maine has joined the other states who have either mandated or recommended schools not return to in-class instruction for the year. “This is difficult on everyone, but necessary to protect the health and safety of students, school staff, and community members,” she said.

MEDIA RELEASE: Maine DOE Delivers Donated Devices to Piscataquis County Schools

The Maine Department of Education delivered wifi enabled Samsung Tab A’s with a 12 month Verizon service to Piscataquis county schools yesterday afternoon, in a effort that is helping students in the area with their school work while they are engaged in remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 500 devices were procured through a collection of donations, and are being offered in Piscataquis County first because data shows they have the highest percentage of students without connectivity. Yesterday’s deployment will cover all of the need for students in the county, and remaining devices will be quickly deployed to the county/school district with the next highest percentage of students without internet.

“We are so grateful to the Department of Education for the research they did and realizing that Piscataquis county has the least connectivity of any county,” said RSU 68 Superintendent Stacy Shorey. “These devices will allow all of our students to connect not only with their teachers but with each other.”

As part of this pilot program, the Maine DOE surveyed building principals across Maine to identify needs, and are working to procure device and hotspots for all students that need them as quickly as possible. Maine DOE Coordinator of Secondary Education and Integrated Instruction Beth Lambert, who delivered the devices yesterday, has been working with Maine DOE Chief Innovation Officer Page Nichols and a team at the DOE to research, procure, and deploy the devices.

Jessica Dunton, SAD 4 Assistant Principal and Tech Director and Matthew Larrabee, IT Director for SeDoMoCha were both on hand to receive the devices yesterday at two drop off locations. From there, arrangements will be made to get the devices into the hands of students who need them.

“My favorite moment during this remote learning experience was being in Mr. Miller’s 4th grade classroom the first time they participated in a Google Meet last week. He had scheduled 30 minutes and was experienced enough to realize that they needed 26 minutes just to say hi to each other. He used his last four minutes to clearly articlulate three things he wanted his students to know,” added Shorey. “We are so excited here at SeDoMoCha to now be able to give all of our students this common experience.”

For further information about this pilot program Beth Lambert can be reached at beth.lambert@maine.gov and Page Nichols can be reached at page.nichols@maine.gov.

PRIORITY NOTICE: Virtual Meeting Schedule – Tuesday 4/7

Virtual office hour schedule for Tuesday, April 7, 2020

The Maine Department of Education continues to schedule virtual office hours with Department Specialist to support educators and administrators during extended remote learning. During these meetings, our specialists will be available to provide support and guidance regarding distance learning and school supports, as well as to facilitate networking and resource sharing between educators.

As a reminder, virtual meeting schedules are regularly updated on this web page: https://www.maine.gov/doe/covid-19/contentmeetings. The Department will continue scheduling content specific office hours as needed.

Please note that Department staff hosting the virtual meetings have ramped up security measures to keep out participants that are attempting to hack into the meetings for reasons other than to participate in education related conversations.

Virtual Office Hours:

(Please note: some meetings have a 100 person max capacity.)

TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2020

FOCUS AREA	SPECIALIST	TIME	MEETING INFO	CONTACT INFO
Brain Centered Emotional Support	Kellie Bailey	8:30	https://zoom.us/j/689251005	kellie.bailey@maine.gov
Health Education	Susan Berry and Jean Zimmerman	8:30	https://zoom.us/j/387550607 See email from Susan Berry for password or request password from Susan	susan.berry@maine.gov
A Teacher Perspective on Teaching About Maine Native Americans	Joe Schmidt w/ Melanie Brown/Ellsworth MS	9:00	Contact Joe Schmidt for meeting link and password	joe.schmidt@maine.gov
VISUAL ART K-12 Office Hour	Jason Anderson	10:00	Links and passwords are emailed nightly through the VPA Listserv	jason.anderson@maine.gov
School Counseling: Open Office Hours	Bear Shea	10:00	https://zoom.us/j/598318140	w.bear.shea@maine.gov
Special Education: Updates/K-12	Special Ed Consultants	10:00	https://networkmaine.zoom.us/j/961272533	roberta.lucas@maine.gov
Adult Education Office Hours	Megan Dichter	10:00	https://zoom.us/j/475000964	megan.dichter@maine.gov
Elementary Literacy	Danielle Saucier	10:00	Please email Danielle (Dee) for a link and passcode.	danielle.m.saucier@maine.gov
SPPS/SAC	Mary Adley	10:00	https://networkmaine.zoom.us/j/461510694	tracy.w.whitlock@maine.gov
MUSIC, 9-12 Office Hour	Jason Anderson	11:00	Links and passwords are emailed nightly through the VPA Listserv	jason.anderson@maine.gov
Meet & Learn with the Maine Secretary of State	Joe Schmidt/ w/ Secretary Dunlap	11:00	Contact Joe Schmidt for meeting link and password	joe.schmidt@maine.gov
Digital Learning – Best Practices Around Video Conferencing	Jon Graham & Emma Banks	11:00	https://zoom.us/j/830817204	jonathan.m.graham@maine.gov
School Nursing	Emily Poland	11:00	https://networkmaine.zoom.us/j/615139238 Password required, please email Emily.	emily.poland@maine.gov
Resources for Teaching Personal Finance & Economics	Joe Schmidt w/ Mary Dyer/FAME & Maine Jump$tart	1:00	Contact Joe Schmidt for meeting link and password	joe.schmidt@maine.gov
Google Classroom Support (using the “classwork” tab)	Jason Anderson, VPA Specialist	1:00 (90 minute session)	https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEtduqvpz4rbLb0OxW-SFPygzCp4FWgBw	jason.anderson@maine.gov
PK-12 Social Studies Office Hour	Joe Schmidt	2:00	Contact Joe Schmidt for meeting link and password	joe.schmidt@maine.gov
Physical Education	Jean Zimmerman and Susan Berry	2:30	https://zoom.us/j/411897271 See email from Susan Berry for password or request password from Susan	susan.berry@maine.gov
Brain Centered Emotional Support	Bear Shea	3:30	https://zoom.us/j/689251005	bear.shea@maine.gov
Google Classroom Support (using the “classwork” tab)	Jason Anderson, VPA Specialist	3:00 (90 minute session)	https://zoom.us/meeting/register/v5UsfumsrjwriKFIpB-H1v3uJDMCzSUDkA	jason.anderson@maine.gov
Digital Learning – Best Practices in Video Tutorials and Self-Recording	Jon Graham & Emma Banks	3:00	https://zoom.us/j/830817204	jonathan.m.graham@maine.gov
Grades 6-12 ELA Professional Learning: Text-Based Questions and Feedback	Morgan Dunton	3:00	Contact Morgan for link and password	morgan.dunton@maine.gov

MEDIA RELEASE: Maine DOE Increases Flexibility to School Meal Programs Feeding Children in Need

Maine –With the approval of yet another waiver to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and additional bulk packaging options, the Maine Department of Education has been able to add significant flexibility to its school food service programs, enabling schools to provide meals to students all over Maine, increasing the potential to reach even more hungry children in a more meaningful way.

The first waiver obtained by the Maine DOE expanded the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) allowing school districts and community partners to provide meals to students during extended remote learning due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Today Maine DOE received approval for a waiver to the requirement that National School Lunch Program participants must have a population of at least 50% who receive free or reduced- meals. Maine DOE requested flexibility to locate meal distribution sites in areas that do not meet the 50% criteria to ensure that any child can receive the meals they normally would on a regular school day during unanticipated school closures related to COVID-19. To maintain children’s access to meals, and to support families experiencing financial hardship, Maine DOE requested to waive the area eligibility requirements under 7 CFR 225.6(c)(2)(i)(G). This was approved by the federal Food and Nutrition Service (FNS).

The Maine DOE has also been granted flexibility to the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), Summer Food Service Program, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program, allowing schools and community partners to prepare meals in bulk – multiple meals for several days in one package for children up to the age of 18.

Advanced planning of bulk meals is required to ensure that the meal pattern is met, and food will be stored and prepared in a safe manner. Bulk provisions would be provided for in home meal preparation.

Schools and community partners can now request approval from the Maine Child Nutrition team at the Maine Department of Education. For more information or to submit a request for an approval. Child.nutrition@maine.gov

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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: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, 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.

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: Gorham High School Students Create Social Distancing PSA

In collaboration with the Maine Department of Education, Gorham High School students have created a Public Service Announcement (PSA) for at their peers, encouraging them to adhere to the Governor’s guidance to stay home during the COVID-19 emergency and help prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

The students worked virtually to create the video, which is now available on the Gorham School Department’s Facebook page and the Maine Department of Education’s YouTube Channel with closed captioning: GSH Student Social Distancing PSA (https://youtu.be/XY1fA6uRN8Q). A special thank you to GHS teacher Adam Parvanta, Maine’s 2019 Milken Award winner, for his help with this effort.

News media outlets can download the videos for distribution as public service announcements by using the following two links: