MEDIA RELEASE: USDA Approves Waiver from Maine DOE to Allow Schools Flexibility in Meal Services During School Closures

The Maine Department of Education’s Child Nutrition Team today received approval for a waiver from United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Services. The waiver will allow schools the ability to provide meals offsite to students, if the school or community currently has, or qualifies for, a USDA Summer Food Service Program(SFSP). The Department of Education applied for the waiver as they continue to assist Maine schools in the proactive planning for a disruption to schools in the face of the concerns of COVID-19.

“Our schools are often a critical partner of Maine families to ensure that our children receive nutritious and consistent meals” said Department of Education Commissioner Pender Makin. “I am grateful for the advocacy of the Child Nutrition Team and for the response from USDA, allowing our schools to continue with this important work, regardless of any interruption that may occur due to school closings.”

The following information was included in the USDA’s notification approving the waiver:

These USDA supported meals are available at no cost to low-income children, and under the waiver granted today are not required to be served in a group setting (called congregate feeding), to ensure kids receive nutritious meals in the event schools are temporarily closed. Approved meal sponsors can then allow meals to be taken away from the site and consumed elsewhere, thereby allowing for social distancing.

In summary, the statewide waiver is to the National School Lunch Act congregate feeding requirement, it is effective immediately, and will continue through June 30, 2020 or upon expiration of the federally declared public health emergency, whichever is earlier.

Through the USDA’s Summer Food Service Program, Maine schools and communities provide children with access to nutritious meals and snacks at approved off-site locations when school is not in session, typically during the summer months. The waiver will extend those services to allow schools to make food available so that children can eat provided meals at home, increasing social distancing and improving general prevention strategies.

The waiver will provide schools with further flexibility in continuity of educational services to students, in the event they need to close their facilities or opt for remote school days.

Following approval of the waiver, the Maine DOE is working on further guidance to schools and will make that information available as soon as possible.

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MEDIA ADVISORY: Maine DOE to Host Maine Visual and Performing Arts Education Showcase

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is pleased to invite the media to attend a celebration of the Maine Visual and Performing Arts Education Showcase, where the selected artwork of student visual artists and musicians from Mattanawcook Junior High School (RSU #67) will be recognized. Starting this month (February), these students’ works will be on exhibit throughout the Maine DOE, where they will remain until June. RSU #67 teachers, administrators, and families will be in attendance as artists are formally acknowledged by DOE staff, including Deputy Commissioner of Education Daniel Chuhta, and Maine State Board of Education Chairman Wilson Hess.

WHEN:
Friday, February 28, 2020 from 10:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M.

WHERE:
Hall of Flags, Maine State House, 210 State Street, Augusta, Maine 04330

AGENDA:

Welcome: Jason Anderson, Visual & Performing Arts Specialist, Maine DOE
Musical Performance: Mattanawcook Junior High School Grade 4 Chorus
Remarks – Dan Chuhta, Deputy Commissioner of Education, Maine DOE
Musical Performance: Mattanawcook Junior High School Grade 4 Chorus
Recognition of Artists: Wilson Hess, Chair of the Maine State Board of Education; Daniel Chuhta, Deputy Commissioner of Education, Maine DOE; Jason Anderson, Visual & Performing Arts Specialist, Maine DOE
Closing and Group Photo
Guided Tour of Artwork

CONTACT FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Jason Anderson, Visual & Performing Arts Specialist, Maine Department of Education
Jason.anderson@maine.gov; 207.624.6824

MEDIA RELEASE: Maine DOE Launches #LoveTeaching Campaign on Valentine’s Day

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) today kicked off the national #LoveTeaching campaign in Maine. Running February 14th through February 21st, the #LoveTeaching Campaign is observed by educators around the country as an opportunity to celebrate teaching, leading, and learning in a way that unites and invigorates educators and those they inspire all around the world.

Every year, Valentine’s Day marks the beginning of a week-long conversation that aims to illuminate why teachers enter and remain in the field of education, offering a mindset shift from the seemingly singular focus on the challenges of the profession.

Starting today, we encourage educators across Maine to participate by using the #LoveTeaching hashtag on social media to share why they love teaching, either through a story, a moment, a memory, a picture, a quote, a phrase, or a simple explanation. Tag the Maine DOE at @mdoenews on Twitter and at @MaineDepartmentofEducation1 on Facebook so that we can share your teaching inspiration around our state!

To help get the conversation going, we are releasing this two and a half minute video, developed by the Maine Department of Education, starring 20 educators from across the State of Maine who explain why they teach:

In collaboration with the Maine Education Association, the Department is looking forward to hosting educators in Augusta next week to celebrate their profession and engage in meaningful conversations about teaching in Maine.

For further information about the #LoveTeaching campaign, please visit weloveteaching.org. Follow the conversation on Maine DOE’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

MEDIA RELEASE: Maine Launches Innovative Bicentennial Curriculum Initiative; An Opportunity 200 Years in the Making

The Maine Department of Education (DOE), in collaboration with the Maine Bicentennial Commission (maine200.org) and the Maine Historical Society has launched an online resource designed to help Maine teachers integrate Maine’s Bicentennial into their classrooms. The Bicentennial Curriculum 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.
This Initiative is supported by funding from Jane’s Trust and the Maine Bicentennial Commission.

Available through the Maine Memory Network, the statewide digital museum created by the Maine Historical Society features historical items, online exhibits, and stories contributed by 270 organizations across Maine, the Bicentennial Curriculum Initiative is a resource designed to encourage and support Maine’s pre-k through adult educators in sharing ideas and best practices for implementing engaging and effective lessons to commemorate Maine’s Bicentennial with Maine students. Educators are invited to visit the Bicentennial Education Initiative web page to search by grade level, topic, content area, standard, and other fields for incredible ideas on how to commemorate our State’s Bicentennial with students of all ages.

Today’s launch of the Bicentennial Curriculum Initiative opens the site for your contributions. Please consider uploading a lesson plan, browse the initial lesson plans that have been added to the site, and explore extensive Maine history content. Check back frequently: the site will grow throughout the year and become a permanent resource for teachers.

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 Bicentennial Curriculum Initiative web page, 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 in their classrooms. 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 ADVISORY: Commissioner Makin will Kick off Read to ME Challenge Monday, February 3.

WHAT: To kick off the 5^th annual Read to ME Challenge, Maine Department of Education’s Commissioner Pender Makin will read to kindergarten-2 students at Lincoln School in Augusta. Joining the Commissioner will be Senator Matthew Pouliot and Representative Donna Doore. Following her reading of Full, Full, Full of LOVE, Commissioner Makin will issue a challenge to others to participate in the 2020 Read to ME Challenge campaign. This simple but powerful campaign challenges adults to read to children for 15 minutes, and to capture that moment via a photo or a video, and then post it on social media and challenge others to do the same. The Read to ME Challenge will run for the month of February, leading up to Read Across America Day on March 2, 2019.

WHEN: Monday, February 3, 2020 at 8:45 am

WHERE:
Lincoln School
30 Lincoln St, Augusta, ME 04330
Media are asked to check in at the main office upon arrival to sign in, get a badge, and directions to the event.

WHO: Students in Kindergarten through 2^nd Grade (ages 5 – 8 years old), their teachers, school and district administrators, and Commissioner Pender Makin.

For more information, please contact Maine Department of Education’s Director of Communications Kelli Deveaux at kelli.deveaux@maine.gov or (207) 624-6747.

Application Process Open for Student Position on Maine State Board of Education

Student voice is critically important to the Maine State Board of Education, and they are seeking applications for the newest student member to join the Board. Applications are being accepted February 3 – 24, 2020.

The Maine State Board of Education has two nonvoting student members who join the Board as high school juniors and serve for two years, one enrolled in a school in Maine’s First Congressional District; the other enrolled in a school in the Second Congressional District. At all times, the State Board has one high school junior and one senior as members, with staggered appointment.

Applications are currently being accepted from students who attend school in the Second Congressional District (including Androscoggin, Aroostook, Franklin, Hancock, Oxford, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Somerset, Waldo, and Washington counties, and part of Kennebec County) and are currently a high school sophomore. Application materials are available on the State Board of Education web page. The Board has also mailed application materials to all second congressional district high school principals and guidance counselors. Completed applications should be mailed to:

Mary Becker, Maine State Board of Education
23 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0023

After applications close on February 24, 2020, they will be reviewed according to the process described in Maine Education and School Statutes, Title 20-A, Chapter 5, State Board of Education. Semifinalists will be interviewed in March 2020, after which three finalists will be chosen. The names and application materials of the finalists will be sent to the Governor’s office for final selection. The selected student will be appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Maine State Senate.

This is an extraordinary opportunity for Maine students to practice civic engagement while serving as both a representative of Maine students and an active education leader in our state.

For further information please visit the Maine State Board of Education web page or contact Mary Becker, Board Assistant at 624-6616 or email at Mary.Becker@maine.gov.

MEDIA RELEASE: 2019 Report on Census of Community-Based Environmental Learning in Maine Released

Augusta – Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance and Maine Environmental Education Association announced the release of the Census of Community-Based Environmental Learning (CBEL) in Maine 2019 report on Monday, January 13, 2020 at a press conference at the Maine State House.

This exciting, first-of-its-kind report documents the creative and innovative programming that is occurring across our state, both in-school and out-of-school, to connect youth to their environment and communities.

The event featured remarks from Maine DOE Commissioner Pender Makin, Executive Director of Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance Ruth Kermish-Allen, and Executive Director of Maine Environmental Education Association Olivia Griset.

The report also sheds light on how this programming can be supported and sustained across the State of Maine, providing a pathway for advancement for the whole field. Full of stellar examples and stories, like a middle school study of invasive green crabs, a school composting program, collaborations with local land trusts, and more, this report tells the stories of educators designing innovative solutions and overcoming challenges to generate empowering learning experiences for our young people.

You can find the Report and the Case files on the Maine Environmental Education Association Website.

For more information contact the Maine Environmental Education Association.

Media Release: Ever Wonder How You Can Thank That Amazing Teacher? Nominate!

AUGUSTA – As part of the Maine Department of Education’s ongoing efforts to highlight Maine’s outstanding teachers, nominations are now open for the 2020 County Teachers of the Year and 2021 Teacher of the Year. Members of the public are encouraged to nominate educators who demonstrate a commitment to excellence and nurturing the achievement of all students.

Nominations can be made through the Maine Teacher of the Year Website starting today, January 3, 2020 and will be open through 5:00 pm on Feb. 3, 2020.

To be considered for the County and Maine Teacher of the Year award, a person must:

Hold the appropriate professional certification for their position
Be employed by a Maine public school
Be actively teaching students at least 50% of full-time at the time of nomination and during the year of recognition
Have been teaching for a minimum of five years – three of which are in Maine
Remain teaching in the County for which they are selected during year of recognition

The 2020 County Teachers of the Year serve as advocates for teachers, students, and the efforts underway in Maine’s public schools to prepare students for success in college, career and civic life. In addition, County Teachers of the Year will serve as advisors to the Department of Education and to a regional group of students who comprise the Student Cabinet and Student Advisory. The 2020 County Teacher of the Year cohort will be recognized at an event at the Hall of Flags in Maine State Capitol and at an end of the year Teacher of the Year Gala. They will also receive on-going professional learning in addition to other state and county level leadership opportunities.

Maine’s recently named 2020 Teacher of the Year, Heather Whitaker, an Alternative Education teacher at Gorham Middle School was selected from over 300 entries and included recognition as the 2019 Cumberland County Teacher of the Year. In addition to Whitaker, the other 2020 state finalists include Robert Taylor, a Mathematics and Science teacher at Spruce Mountain Middle School and 2019 Franklin County Teacher of the Year, and Tom Gray a Social Studies, English, and Gifted and Talented teacher at Camden Hills Regional High School and the 2019 Knox County Teacher of the Year.

The 2021 Maine Teacher of the Year will be selected from the 16 county honorees. The field will be narrowed to eight semi-finalists, and then three state finalists before the Maine Teacher of the Year is announced by Maine’s Education Commissioner at a surprise school assembly in the fall.

On behalf of, and in partnership with Maine Department of Education, the Maine Teacher of the Year program is administered by Educate Maine, a business-led organization whose mission is to champion college, career readiness, and increased education attainment. Funding is provided by Bangor Savings Bank, Dead River Co., Geiger, Hannaford, the Maine Lottery, and Unum, with support from the State Board of Education and the Maine State Teacher of the Year Association.

Through the generous support of Maine businesses, there is no cost to the local district when the Teacher of the Year is out of the classroom on their official duties, which includes travel throughout the state and nation, a week at NASA Space Camp, and a visit to the White House.

For more information about the Maine Teacher of the Year program, visit the Maine Teacher of the Year website.

MEDIA ADVISORY: STUDENT CABINET MEETING TODAY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:
Kelli Deveaux, DOE Director of Communications, (207) 592-3907

Maine Department of Education to Host Student Cabinet Meeting December 20th

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) has selected 32 Maine students to serve on its new Student Cabinet. The group of students is scheduled to meet quarterly with Commissioner Pender Makin to discuss educational opportunities, improvements, and policy. The group will convene for its first meeting on Friday, December 20, 2019, having been previously postponed due to weather. The Maine DOE would like to invite the media to come to the end of the Dec. 20th meeting from 2:45 pm – 3:00 pm to talk with Commissioner Makin and members of the Student Cabinet. The meeting will be at the Senator Inn in Augusta.

Who: Commissioner Makin and Student Cabinet members from all 16 counties in Maine.
What: An opportunity to talk with students and the commissioner about the Student Cabinet.
When: Friday, December 20, 2019, 2:45 pm – 3:00 pm
Where: Senator Inn, 284 Western Ave, Augusta, ME 04330

More information: The Student Cabinet is comprised of students from all 16 counties in Maine, grades 4 through 1st year of college, from diverse educational experiences. The students were selected through a rigorous team selection process by a committee of students, Maine State Board of Education Representatives, and Maine DOE staff, including experienced Maine educators.

Student Cabinet meetings are intended to allow students from different grade levels, backgrounds, and areas of Maine to share their opinions and offer advice about Maine’s education system with Maine’s Commissioner of Education and other leaders from the Maine Department of Education. The purpose of the Student Cabinet is to provide a forum for Maine students’ voices to be heard.

The Student Cabinet will be co-chaired by Maine State Board of Education Student Representatives, Casey Maddock and Jaylee Rice, who were both instrumental in the formation of the Student Cabinet.

Media questions should be directed to Maine DOE Director of Communications Kelli Deveaux at (207) 592-3907or kelli.deveaux@maine.gov. large group of kids in a circle

MEDIA ADVISORY: Maine DOE to Host Student Arts Showcase Celebration 12/10 at Maine State House

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is pleased to invite the media to attend a celebration of the Maine Arts Showcase, where the selected artwork of 42 young artists from Cape Elizabeth Middle School will be recognized. Since October, these students’ work has been on exhibit throughout the Maine DOE, where it will remain until February 2020. The Arts Showcase is a long standing tradition of the Maine DOE where artwork of students from all over the state is showcased at the Department in a series of exhibits that happen throughout the year.

WHO:

42 student visual artists from Cape Elizabeth Middle School
Visual Arts Educator – Marguerite Lawler-Roher, former Maine Teacher of the Year (2004)
Cape Elizabeth Middle School Principal – Troy Eastman
Cape Elizabeth Superintendent – Donna Wolfrom
Deputy Commissioner Chuhta, Maine Department of Education
Chairman Wilson Hess, State Board of Education
Members of the Maine State Legislature have also been invited.

WHEN: Tuesday, December 10, 2019 from 10:00 A.M.

WHERE: Hall of Flags, Maine State House, 210 State Street, Augusta, Maine 04330

For further information please contact Maine DOE Director of Communications, Kelli Deveaux at kelli.deveaux@maine.gov