Maine Teachers Share Why They #LoveTeaching as Part of a National Campaign to Promote Educator Voices

Maine DOE Partners with News Center Maine to Highlight Stories From Teachers Across Maine

Augusta, ME—The Maine Department of Education (DOE) partnered with News Center Maine this week to highlight the voices of teachers and school staff sharing why they #LoveTeaching during a weeklong national campaign.

#LoveTeaching week is a national campaign started by educators in 2015 and takes place every year around Valentine’s Day. All week, News Center Maine featured videos from Maine’s 2023 County Teachers of the Year and other educators sharing their joy and love of teaching.

Here’s what some teachers shared in their video messages about why they #LoveTeaching:

“I love to teach because every single day I get to make good memories for kids. It’s a great day when kids leave my class and can be overheard saying, ‘this is the best day of my life.’ In my class, that’s where the magic happens,” said Dawn McLaughlin, physical education teacher at Milo Elementary and Brownville Elementary and 2023 Piscataquis County Teacher of the Year.

“I enjoy building rapport with my students. When I see smiles on the faces of students in the classroom and in the halls, on stage, or on the competition fields, I know I’ve made a difference. There are few professions where you get to help our future take steps towards attaining their goals and aspirations. That’s why I love teaching,” said Rob Messier, math teacher at Mt. Ararat High School and 2023 Sagadahoc County Teacher of the Year.

“My favorite thing about being a teacher is that learning occurs beyond the four walls of the classroom and it’s boots on the beach to collect authentic data that connects learning to our community. I also love that my students, colleagues, and community partners are like family, and I find them truly inspired,” said Colleen Maker, biology and marine biology teacher at Washington Academy and 2023 Washington County Teacher of the Year.

“I love teaching because the future of the world is literally in my classroom today. I get to see the amazing working minds of my students in action every single day. They come up with new ideas and creative and wonderful views on the world that they see around them, and it just fills my heart with so much hope for a beautiful and amazing future,” said Lisa Tripp, science teacher at Bonny Eagle Middle School and 2023 York County Teacher of the Year.

“I love teaching in Maine schools because I get to teach the next generation of Maine educators,” said Meghan Stubbs, Hancock County Technical Center’s early childhood education instructor and Maine’s 2023 Milken Educator.

The video messages aired on News Center Maine all week and can be found here. Educators can participate in the campaign by posting their videos to social media and using the hashtags #LoveTeaching and #LoveSchoolStaff.

Commissioner Makin Kicks Off Read to ME Challenge at Jameson Elementary School in Old Orchard Beach

The Read to ME Challenge Promotes Literacy by Encouraging Adults to Read to Children for At Least 15 Minutes, Challenge Others

Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin kicked off Maine’s Read to ME Challenge today by reading Manolo & the Unicorn to second graders at Jameson Elementary School in Old Orchard Beach. The students enthusiastically responded to Makin’s call for them to join the Read to ME challenge themselves and read to an adult or younger child in their lives. They also discussed their favorite books and who the students plan to read to.

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. This is the ninth year that the Maine Department of Education (DOE) 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 DOE will highlight Read to ME Challenge events throughout February through Read Across America Day.

“This is about sharing the love and joy of reading. When you’re able to read together, it creates shared human experiences that transcend everything else that is happening in our electronic world. When you hear the words, and those words create the colors and the shapes in your mind, you can create a whole different world and it’s a very magical and beautiful thing for kids. Reading just 15 minutes a day can help create a lifelong habit for children,” said Commissioner Makin.

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.

The Maine DOE recently launched $10 million in literacy grants for schools to build the capacity of year-long, core literacy instruction for all students and support core literacy instructional components based on the science of reading, including phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

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 @MaineDepartmentofEducation1 on Facebook, and @mainedepted on Instagram.

Media Release: New Maine DOE Student Cabinet Holds Inaugural Session

Student Discussions Centered Around Mental Health, School Safety, Diversity, and Supporting All Students and Educators

This year’s Maine Department of Education (DOE) Student Cabinet convened its inaugural session this week, hosting 25 Maine students spanning from 4th grade to their first year of college and representing all Maine counties.

Established in 2019, the Maine DOE created the Student Cabinet to give Maine students a voice in education policy. Addressing the Student Cabinet, Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin underscored the significance of the initiative. “You have a very important role in Maine’s education system,” the Commissioner explained, “because you’re going to be our ears on the ground. You’ll let us know how education is working for you, and the young people you represent.”

Students spent the day meeting with Maine officials, including Governor Mills, legislators, State Treasurer Henry Beck, and representatives from the Secretary of State’s office.

“Meeting with the governor gave us a chance to speak out on what we really think about different school systems,” commented India Veilleux, an eighth grader at York Middle School.

Throughout the day, students collaborated to outline their priorities for the upcoming 2023-2024 Cabinet session. Meilan Martine, a Cape Elizabeth High School student, advocated for increased diversity, emphasizing that “it’s important to show perspectives of different types of people to prepare students for the real world. “

Cody Leighton of Jonesport-Beals High School in Washington County highlighted the importance of bolstering support for educators, citing “a lack of resources the educators receive is a lack of education students receive.”

The Cabinet will convene virtually on a monthly basis to continue their discussions and work, and will meet again at the State Capitol in May.

Student Cabinet Members

Student Cabinet Member	School
Ahnalese Elizabeth Higgins	University of Maine at Farmington
Ava Rosser	Caribou Community School
Alissa Witham	Calais Middle-High School
Blake Corey Dodge	Ridge View Community School
Chase Weaver	Belfast Area High School
Cody Leighton	Jonesport-Beals High School
Dawson C. Whitten	University of Maine at Presque Isle
Dorsa Tajvidi	Orono High School
Elza Cahn	Lamoine Consolidated School
Fadumo Hussein	Lewiston Public Schools
Grace Dunton	Skowhegan Area Middle School
India Veilleux	York Middle School
Keelie M. Dunphy	Samuel L. Wagner Middle School
Kyle Andrew Petrovic	Winslow High School
Lochlan Aldrich	Morse High School
Lucas Ayden James Fortier	Oxford hills middle school
Maden Oliver Jovin	Oceanside Middle School
Makenzie Burton-Wing	Albert S. Hall School
Margaret McCarthy	Hope Elementary School
Mary Evelyn Gallagher	Nobleboro Central School
Meilan Martínez	Cape Elizabeth High School
Phat Thai (State Board Member)	Deering High School
Robert Christopher Pollard Junior	Kennebunk High School
Ronan Drage	Boothbay Region Elementary School
Rosalyn L.J. Cote	Oak Hill Middle School
Ryan Hafener (State Board Member)	Hampden Academy
Shelby Tracy	Mountain Valley High School
Taggart Chung	The Adams School
Winter Adams	University of Maine at Farmington
Xariah Jayne MacDonald	Mount Ararat Middle School

Media Release: Mills Administration Releases Plan to Transform CDS and Improve Special Education Services for Young Children

The Plan Presented to the Legislature by the Maine DOE Would Transition Oversight of Educational Services for Young Children With Disabilities From CDS to Local School Systems over a 3-Year Phase-In

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) delivered a report today to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs of the Maine Legislature detailing recommendations to solve decades-long structural challenges that have limited Maine’s ability to successfully provide special education services to preschool-aged children. The recommendations include a proposal to transition oversight of educational plans for preschool-aged children with disabilities from the Child Developmental Services (CDS) agency to local public school systems.

Today’s recommendations were previewed by Governor Mills in part one of her State of the State Address earlier this week. She declared that Maine’s use of a quasi-governmental organization to provide special education services to preschool-aged children “just isn’t working for Maine kids,” and that “every other state in the nation educates pre-k children with disabilities through their public school systems. Maine should do the same.” Mills urged the Legislature to work with her Administration to fix Child Development Services.

“The Department of Education is proud to offer a plan that, if implemented by the Legislature, will dramatically improve the services and education that Maine provides to our youngest learners with disabilities. This plan reflects best practices and the priorities expressed by educators and school leaders, parents, CDS staff, experts, private providers, and advocates, and it’s the right thing to do. We look forward to working with the Legislature to transform the structures that have held a failed system in place for decades and do right by some of the most vulnerable children in our state,” said Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin.

Since CDS was established more than 30 years ago, there have been dozens of statutory revisions and proposed bills to transition oversight of services to public schools, but the laws driving insufficient services have remained in place. Maine is the only state that requires an independent organization, separate and apart from public schools, to oversee the state’s obligation to ensure special educational services for preschool children who require these supports and services. Most other states designate local public schools as responsible for overseeing the provision of educational services for young students with disabilities, either directly or through contracts with local private providers and regional sites.

The Maine DOE’s report recommends a three-year phase-in of the responsibility of educational services for preschool-age children with disabilities from the CDS agency to local school administrative units (SAUs). A pilot year would begin July 1, with several willing SAUs receiving both the funding and the responsibility for the provision of services to preschoolers with disabilities. All SAUs would assume these responsibilities by the fall of 2026. Under this plan, students may be served directly in local public pre-K classrooms or may continue in current placements, with the goal always leading toward full inclusion in the general education setting.

The proposal does not require the establishment or expansion of pre-K programs in local schools, nor does it displace CDS workers or private providers, as all service providers are important partners in ensuring services are available to every child who is eligible. CDS regional service hubs and private community providers who are willing to work with the public schools to ensure services in accordance with federal laws will be critically needed partners to support a successful education system for pre-K students with disabilities.

The State is committed to providing funding to support the transition and to sustain special education services for young children. The Department’s recommended funding model is informed by the Essential Programs and Services (EPS) formula, with allocations for student subsidy counts flowing through the formula, but with the special education and related services funding remaining outside of the formula, paid upfront in quarterly payments requiring no local share. During the pilot for fiscal year 2025, the funding generated by the formula would be provided outside of the formula at 100 percent state share, since the mill rate and total cost of education have already been established and local budgets are in process. $10 million will be included in the supplemental budget request to cover the costs for special education and related services for these children. The State’s budget will also include $4 million for renovation projects for schools looking to start up or expand pre-k programs.

The Maine DOE developed the proposal after engaging in multiple meetings, focus groups, and individual interviews with stakeholder representatives, including parent advocacy groups, superintendents, school board members, educators, public school service providers, private schools and community-based providers, special education directors, and other state experts. It was also developed based on the recommendations from a Public Consulting Group, Inc. (PCG) report commissioned by the Legislature, findings and priorities from the legislated LD 255 and LD 386 advisory groups that met in 2022, U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) guidance, existing data, national experts, and a thorough examination of the current needs and capacities in our state.

Intensive training and technical support will be provided for schools in developmentally appropriate practices for working with young children and their families and in inclusive educational practices that allow all children to learn together and to receive necessary supports.

The proposal would ensure that Maine is in line with recent guidance from the US Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs which reiterates and clarifies the expectation that children with disabilities be educated in the least restrictive environment, alongside their typically developing peers. Under current Maine statutes, public schools are responsible for children with and without disabilities in grades K-12 and for nondisabled pre-K students. Pre-K students with disabilities, however, must enter special education through a separate system for evaluations, individualized educational program (IEP) development, and educational programming – 80 percent of which is currently provided outside of the public school setting.

Maine’s pre-K system is second only to Arkansas in the percentage of students with disabilities who are excluded from the general education settings in local public schools. 12.5 percent of pre-K students in Maine receive education in private, special purpose programs, the most restrictive environment, according to the federal government. The national average for these most restrictive placements is between 1 to 2 percent.

The proposal would also expand the availability of services to children. The current structure makes it difficult for CDS staff members to meet growing needs and find placements in pre-school education classrooms and related special education services due to the overreliance on private providers, pervasive shortages of childcare settings in Maine and nationwide, and the fact that providers are able to choose which students they serve, leaving some children without access to education.

The Maine DOE’s proposal to the Legislature today builds on unprecedented efforts by the Department to improve the services provided by CDS despite current legal constraints. Recent achievements include:

In just three years, the Department has supported public schools in serving preschoolers with disabilities so that now more than 20 percent of these children, who were previously excluded from the general education classrooms, are educated in their local schools, in the least restrictive environment, alongside their typically developing peers.
The Department has used grant funding to support community readiness assessments and to foster partnerships between local public schools and community-based service providers, childcare settings, and private schools.
Trainings and technical assistance in best practices for working with very young students and their families have been provided statewide, with ongoing opportunities for educators, school leaders, and CDS staff to build greater capacities.

Preschool startup and expansion grants have been provided to schools statewide, funding plans that implement inclusive practices and strong community partnerships.
The Department has supported CDS by increasing staffing, offering workers free college courses toward teacher certification, and increasing wages and benefits.
CDS leadership has been provided with a comprehensive organizational improvement plan to bring their student data, accounting systems, and other operations in line with state expectations.

The Maine DOE provided this report to the Legislature as a result of LD 1528 directing the Department to submit a report to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs regarding services provided by the CDS System to include a plan for oversight of a free, appropriate public education for eligible children from 3 years of age to under 6 years of age in SAUs. Read the full report here.

Media Release: Organizations Needed to Provide Complementary Meals to Children This Summer

Augusta, ME — 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, the Maine Department of Education Child Nutrition (Maine DOE) is seeking organizations to participate in the federally funded Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), which provides children healthy free meals when school is not in session.

“By participating in this program, community groups and organizations can have a tremendous impact on the health and wellbeing of children in their communities,” said Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin. “The Maine Department of Education is thankful to those organizations that join this program to ensure our children get the meals they depend on this summer”

During summer 2023, 107 sponsors were approved to operate 415 summer meal sites across Maine. Although there are sponsors operating in every county in Maine, there is still a long way to go towards feeding all eligible children during the summer. Community partners are working to maximize the number of sponsors utilizing the availability of funds under the SFSP.

SFSP may be offered statewide in areas or at sites where more than 50 percent of the children are eligible for free or reduced meal benefits under the National School Lunch Program or census track data supports the need. Organizations that provide services in rural communities or near migrant farm workers and tribal populations are urged to participate, including those able to provide grab and go or home delivered meals in approved rural locations. Eligible sponsoring organizations include schools, nonprofit residential summer camps, government agencies, and tax-exempt organizations including faith-based organizations. SFSP sponsors are also needed to provide grab and go or home delivered meals in eligible rural areas of Maine.

The Maine DOE encourages any eligible organization to consider providing this much-needed service to Maine children and will begin accepting applications to participate in February. Approved sponsors will be reimbursed for eligible meals served to children during 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 in person in Augusta and DOE staff will assist in the onboarding process. The 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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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.

Media Release: Maine DOE Awards $1.5 Million in Cyber Performance Grants to 61 School Administrative Units

Augusta, ME—The Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) awarded a total of $1.5 million in Cyber Performance Grants to 61 Maine school administrative units (SAUs). These grants fund SAU projects to upgrade end-of-service infrastructure, strengthen managed detection and response for network security, firewalls, and cloud backup services, and to provide professional learning.

The grants were in response to the federal Cybersecurity Act and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) report on K12 education Protecting Our Future, which provides schools with recommendations. These include implementing multifactor authentication, security awareness training, professional development, system backups, patch management, minimizing threat exposure, incident response plans, and investments in CISA’s Cyber Performance Goals. Maine Schools continue to learn and progress through the implementation of CISA’s recommendations.

“Getting a Managed Detection and Response (MDR) with our grant is helping us be a lot more proactive in monitoring our endpoints. It was like hiring a cybersecurity professional to watch over our staff devices and servers,” said Mike Arsenault, Yarmouth IT Director.

“The Cyber Performance Grant provided a firewall as an additional layer of defense against cyber threats, offering redundancy to enhance our overall security resilience, ensuring continuous protection, and minimizing the risk of unauthorized access or malicious activities on a network,” said Dr. Dave Fournier, RSU71 Belfast IT Director.

The cyber performance grant is a part of the Maine Learning Technology Initiative’s comprehensive set of supports that include software, broadband and wireless network support, technical support, professional learning, and cyber safety, which together aid all local school units to effectively use technology for teaching and learning.

Have questions? Want to learn more? Reach out to MLTI’s Infrastructure Specialist, Jim Chasse at james.chasse@maine.gov.

Maine SAUs Receiving Cyber Performance Grants

1	Acton Public Schools	22	Nobleboro Public Schools	43	RSU 61
2	Auburn Public Schools	23	RSU 01	44	RSU 68
3	Bangor Public Schools	24	RSU 04	45	RSU 71
4	Bar Harbor Public Schools	25	RSU 06	46	RSU 75
5	Biddeford Public Schools	26	RSU 09	47	RSU 83/MSAD 13
6	Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor CSD	27	RSU 11	48	Scarborough Public Schools
7	Bristol Public Schools	28	RSU 14	49	South Bristol Public Schools
8	Brunswick Public Schools	29	RSU 15	50	South Portland Public Schools
9	Cranberry Isles Public Schools	30	RSU 16	51	Southwest Harbor CSD
10	Ellsworth Public Schools	31	RSU 17	52	St. George Public Schools
11	Falmouth Public Schools	32	RSU 18	53	Tremont Public Schools
12	Glenburn Public Schools	33	RSU 20	54	Trenton Public Schools
13	Great Salt Bay CSD	34	RSU 25	55	Vassalboro Public Schools
14	Kittery Public Schools	35	RSU 29	56	Waterville Public Schools
15	Lisbon Public Schools	36	RSU 33	57	Wells-Ogunquit CSD
16	Madawaska Public Schools	37	RSU 35	58	Westbrook Public Schools
17	Millinocket Public Schools	38	RSU 40	59	Winslow Schools
18	Mount Desert Public Schools	39	RSU 52	60	Yarmouth Public Schools
19	MSAD 27	40	RSU 56	61	York Public Schools
20	MSAD 76	41	RSU 57
21	Mt. Desert CSD	42	RSU 60

Media Release: Nokomis Computer Science Teachers Featured on Maine DOE Podcast What Holds Us Together

Commissioner Makin Speaks With Kern and Keith Kelley About How They Integrate Hands-On Computer Science Education Across Grade Levels and Content Areas

In the latest episode of her What Holds Us Together podcast, Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin speaks with Keith and Kern Kelley, brothers and computer science teachers at Nokomis Regional Middle and High School, about Maine’s efforts to integrate computer science education at all grade levels and with all content areas. They talk about how hands-on, real-world computer science education teaches students about technology and computer science as well as strengthening their ability to work in teams, troubleshoot, communicate effectively, lead, and pursue creative passions. You can listen here.

“These are two brothers who are educators integrating really exciting hands-on, real-world computer science education, innovation, and technology with their students. I’ve been to visit their classrooms and have seen the work that they’ve been doing with their students and how much engagement there is. I was so impressed, I wanted to share some of what they’re doing with all of you,” said Makin in the podcast opening.

The three discussed how computer science education has real-world applications across all content areas and areas of life.

“I was a librarian and a language arts teacher, so I’ve come from a different way to get to this. It’s not separate, it’s part of. Language arts teachers are doing coding. When you’re teaching kids you have to use a period, you have to use a comma, you have to be grammatical, and there’s a reason and structure to it, then you get into building a game or a sequence of coding and there’s structure, it’s the same thing. If you’re doing computer science and learning coding, you’re learning a language,” said Keith Kelley, Innovative Technology Teacher at Nokomis Regional Middle School.

He continued, “We do asynchronous grouping, so one kid is building code and he or she has 2 other groupmates and they have to communicate digitally with each other through screen captures and stuff like that. That’s what you do in the real world, we’re virtually meeting all the time. When my kids are doing basic coding they’re learning pre-algebra, they’re learning sequencing, but also they’re learning troubleshooting which translates to everything. It’s not a separate thing, it’s part of what’s already out there. If you’re in math you’re doing numbers, but you are doing language. You’re in science and doing labs and troubleshooting, but you’re doing language.”

Kern Kelley, Director of Technology Integration for the district, described how he began integrating computer science education with different content areas across the high school.

“I’d ask the kids what they’re doing [for a specific teacher] and say ok, for me you’re going to do that same project but you’re going to do it this way—we’re going to do a virtual reality world for that book project you have to do. The kids would do it and bring it to the teachers and almost 100 percent of the time [the teachers] say that’s great, next time let’s make that as an offering,” said Kern Kelley.

Makin described how that approach is setting Maine apart as a computer science education leader.

“That really sets this apart from what I see across the nation in terms of really rote programmatic learning coding for the sake of learning coding. You both take it to that next level where it’s really learning coding to do an important thing that is relevant, whatever that might be,” said Makin.

“There’s elegant coding. Just like in writing you have basic writing then you get to the point where now I’m not writing for writing sake or to get information across I’m trying to make something prose or poetry. The same thing happens with technology and the coding. You go from writing basic coding to make it function to making it function efficiently or elegantly through elegant design,” said Keith Kelley.

They also discussed how this continuum of computer science education that students experience through their school careers develops the leadership and teaching skills of students. High school students can participate in SLAM, developing weekly live shows to teach other students how to create something using a free online tool. Once a month the students also go on the road for a SLAM Show and teach sessions to younger students to get them engaged and excited about computer science.

“As much as we can have students as part of the solution and include them in that process of learning and get opportunities to teach and learn from that experience…and then the idea is those kids get so excited about learning from high school kids about these cool tech topics, that’s usually enough impetus where we can now talk to the teachers afterward [about doing more]. Now we’ve broken the ice and they know how to use these things and have all these ideas,” said Kern Kelley.

Through the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) provided every Maine public school with a free mobile computer science lab to ensure that every student, pre-K through grade 12, has access to interdisciplinary, project-based computer science education with real-world applications.

The DOE has a comprehensive computer science education plan guided by seven key principles: authentic and project-based instruction, computer science as a prek-12 learning continuum, equitable and inclusive access, educator-produced professional learning and statewide sharing, integrated applied learning, educator-informed policy and state planning, and computational thinking as a foundation. You can read more about Maine’s computer science education framework here.

What Holds Us Together is a monthly podcast produced by the Maine DOE and hosted by Makin to highlight the voices of educators, students, and school employees across Maine. Listen to this and all the episodes of What Holds Us Together on Apple and Spotify.

Media Release: One Week Left to Nominate a Teacher for Maine Teacher of the Year

Nominate Someone Today at mainetoy.org/nominate

Current County Teachers of the Year Release Video Encouraging Nominations

Maine communities have one week left to nominate a teacher for 2024 County Teacher of the Year and 2025 State Teacher of the Year. Maine’s County and State Teachers of the Year serve as advocates for teachers, students, and public education in Maine.

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) and Educate Maine announced that nominations were open at the start of the month and have already received hundreds of nominations from across the state. Maine’s current County Teachers of the Year released a new video on social media encouraging people to nominate an outstanding teacher today. You can view the video here.

“Maine is home to amazing teachers who educate, inspire, innovate, nurture, and go above and beyond each and every day for their students, schools, and communities. The Maine Teacher of the Year program recognizes the extraordinary contributions of educators across our state and gives them a megaphone to share the great things happening in Maine public schools. Please nominate an outstanding teacher in your life today,” said Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin.

Nominations can be made through a form on the Maine Teacher of the Year Website through 5:00 pm on January 31, 2021. Nominations will be accepted from students, parents, caregivers, community members, school administrators, colleagues, college faculty members, and associations/organizations (self-nominations, and nominations from family members are not accepted).

Requirements:

Hold the appropriate professional certification for their teaching position;
Be a certified, in good standing, PK-12 teacher in a state-accredited public school, including a career and technical education and adult education center, a public charter school, or a publicly supported secondary school (a private school that enrolls 60 percent or more publicly funded students, sometimes referred to as “town academies”);
Be actively teaching students at least fifty percent of the workday at the time of nomination and during their year of recognition.
Maintain their teaching position and remain in the county for which they are selected throughout the year of recognition.
Have a minimum of five years of teaching – three of which are in Maine.

“I can’t begin to tell you what an incredible journey this has been for me. More than once I’ve said, ‘Every educator should have this experience.’ Everyone knows an outstanding teacher. Nominate them and change their lives,” said Sharon Gallant, teacher at Gardiner Area High School and 2023 Kennebec County Teacher of the Year.

“Being nominated for Lincoln County Teacher of the Year began a journey that changed my life and celebrated my school and my district. There are so many astoundingly wonderful teachers in Maine. Nominate one and start the journey afresh,” said Edith Berger, a teacher at Miller School in RSU 40/MSAD 40 and 2023 Lincoln County Teacher of the Year.

“This process has been one of the most unimaginable ones I’ve ever had the opportunity to be a part of. I’m endlessly thankful to be a part of this outstanding family since May 10th, 2023. These people are extraordinary in every way possible. I’m sure you know a wonderful educator–nominate them today! Help recognize the stellar work happening in Maine classrooms,” said Miranda Engstrom, a teacher at Lamoine Consolidated School and 2023 Hancock County Teacher of the Year.

“This experience has completely changed the way I think about myself as a teacher. It forced me to step out of my comfort zone, helped me find my voice, and introduced me to some of the most amazing educators and friends that I have ever met. I’m so excited to meet, support, and learn from the 2024 cohort of Maine County Teachers of the Year,” said Lacey Todd, a teacher at Mountain Valley Middle School and 2023 Oxford County Teacher of the Year.

“Life changing. Seriously life changing. Nominate an amazing teacher today,” said Joshua Chard, a teacher at East End Community School in Portland and Maine’s 2024 Teacher of the Year.

Beyond serving as advocates for education, Maine’s County and State Teachers serve as advisors to the Maine DOE and state-level education stakeholders across Maine. Additionally, County and State Teachers of the Year join a cohort of teacher leaders who actively work together for the betterment of education in Maine. They also receive ongoing professional learning and participate in many state and county leadership opportunities.

The 2024 County Teachers of the Year will be announced in May. The 2025 Maine Teacher of the Year will be selected from the 16 county honorees. Through a selection process designed by educators, the field will be narrowed to semi-finalists and then state finalists before the Maine Teacher of the Year is announced by Maine’s Education Commissioner at a school assembly in the fall. Each year, State and County Teachers of the Year are honored at the annual Teacher of the Year Gala also held 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 educational attainment. Funding is provided by Bangor Savings Bank, Dead River Co., Geiger, Hannaford, the Maine Lottery, the Silvernail Family, and Unum, with support from the State Board of Education and the Maine State and County Teacher of the Year Association.

“Educate Maine is proud to administer the Maine Teacher of the Year program in partnership with the Maine Department of Education,” said Dr. Jason Judd, Educate Maine Executive Director. “Our County and State Teachers of the Year represent the outstanding work taking place in classrooms across our state. This program is dedicated to celebrating educators, enhancing their recognition, cultivating a network of teacher leaders, and amplifying their voices to strengthen the teaching profession in Maine.”

The Maine Teacher of the Year program is committed to a nomination and selection process that ensures people of all backgrounds are represented. Educate Maine and the Maine Department of Education champion that commitment by encouraging the nomination of educators from all culturally diverse experiences and backgrounds.

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 representing educators state-wide and nationally through safely distanced in-person and virtual events that highlight the important work of Maine schools, communities, and educators.

For more information about the Maine Teacher of the Year program, visit the Maine Teacher of the Year website. Help us promote the Teacher of the Year Program by using the promotional materials on our website!

Media Release: Mills Administration Announces $10 Million in Literacy Grants for Maine Schools

Grants Support the Development, Expansion, and Enhancement of Evidence-Based Core Literacy Instruction and Targeted Interventions for Maine Students

The Mills Administration announced a $10 million literacy grant opportunity for schools to support the development, expansion, and enhancement of evidence-based core literacy instruction and targeted interventions for Maine students. These literacy grants through the Maine Department of Education (DOE) are intended to build the capacity of year-long, core literacy instruction for all students and support core literacy instructional components, including phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

Grant funds can be used by schools to compensate educators for participating in evidence-based literacy professional learning opportunities and internal instruction and program review processes, for professional learning opportunities on evidence-based literacy practices, to train instructional coaches, and to purchase evidence-based literacy materials.

“Literacy is a foundational skill that enables students to thrive in school, work, life, and as citizens in our democracy. This investment in literacy will help schools and educators provide all students in Maine with evidence-based core literacy instruction and interventions. It’s an investment in the future of our state,” said Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin.

The grants were developed following the work by a Maine DOE workgroup of literacy specialists to analyze early literacy programs in Maine to understand better which assessment measures, programs, resources, evidence-based practices, and educator supports have yielded strong student growth. The Maine DOE workgroup created recommendations, which were provided to the Maine Legislature in December 2022. This $10 million grant initiative was designed out of LD 1526, which was passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor, to increase student reading proficiency in Maine.

“The literacy grant the DOE is providing is giving schools the opportunity to participate in the much needed and requested professional development around the science of reading. These funds will allow us to provide vital training in this area and the opportunity to purchase classroom materials for literacy instruction. In RSU14, this means we can train more staff than we budgeted for using local funds. We are grateful to have this opportunity to support our staff,” said Christine Hesler, Director of Curriculum for RSU14.

“The Maine DOE literacy grant is a great opportunity for many districts to reach their goal of all students becoming readers. Through providing professional development, purchasing additional resources and materials that are focused on research-based literacy strategies, this goal is attainable. These funds will supplement the financial investment districts already commit to literacy instruction,” said Deb McIntyre, Executive Director of the Maine Curriculum Leaders Association.

The grants also build off extensive efforts by the Mills Administration to strengthen child literacy skills in Maine, including investing $10 million through the Governor’s Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan to create and expand pre-k programs across Maine. In 2022, the Maine DOE released, Literacy for ME 2.0, a revamped state literacy plan grounded in research-based literacy practices and organized around key components central to building comprehensive literacy programs.

Recognizing the vital importance of foundational literacy development and in response to school system inquiries related to early literacy program development, the Maine DOE and a team of Maine educators and educational partners, developed guidance to support School Administrative Units in designing and implementing systematic and explicit early literacy instruction. This guidance is designed as a supportive tool for early elementary educators, administrators, and literacy leadership teams to reflect on current practices and to potentially adjust educational design to support high-quality and evidence-based early literacy learning for all PreK to Grade 3 students. The Maine DOE also provides interdisciplinary instructional programming and resources around literacy for pre-K, kindergarten, and first grade.

The Maine DOE has obtained a preschool development grant through the federal government to support professional learning in birth through grade three literacy practices grounded in science and the Department is working to secure access to on-demand literacy modules that cover a wide variety of literacy content grounded in science for elementary educators, including content related to brain development, instructional practices connected to the essential components of reading and writing, dyslexia, and multilingual learners.

Last month, the Mills administration expanded the state’s partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, with 4,500 eligible Maine children currently receiving free, high-quality, age-appropriate books through the program. The Maine DOE recently announced a partnership with I’m Your Neighbor Books to provide Welcoming Libraries to 16 schools across Maine, with each library containing 60 books featuring stories of immigrant families and the diversity of America. The Maine DOE also hosts the Read to ME Challenge every February to encourage adults to read aloud to children and Read to Ride Summer, a contest that qualifies students who read at least 500 minutes over the summer a chance to win one of 48 donated bikes and helmets.

The DOE has also created several literacy-related educator groups, for educators and education organizations across Maine to share and develop resources and guide the state’s literacy work, including the State Literacy Team, Maine Association for Improving Literacy (MAIL) Network, State Dyslexia Advisory Group, Screening Project & Dyslexia Plan, and the Higher Education Pre-Service Literacy Faculty Group. These groups also share information, facilitate text studies, and offer training related to dyslexia awareness, the Science of Reading, the neuroscience of the reading brain, systematic and evidence-based Tier I instruction to lower special education referral rates, support for striving readers, alignment and collaboration between general and special education for IDEA, and inclusive literacy instruction for students identified as having specific learning disabilities.

Literacy grants will be allocated to school administrative units (SAUS) and Education in Unorganized Territory (EUT) schools based on a formula model and the Maine DOE will be contacting SAUs & EUT directly through the Grants4ME platform with more information about their participation in the literacy grant program. Federal emergency relief funding was used to support these grants.

Media Release: Maine DOE Awards $300,000 in Climate Education Professional Development Grants

Grants Allow Maine Schools to Partner with Climate and Environmental Community Organizations to Strengthen Climate Education for Students

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) awarded $300,000 in climate education professional development grants to support partnerships between 14 school administrative units (SAUs), schools, and community organizations to strengthen climate education opportunities for students across Maine.

Grant funding will allow educators to learn from experts and organizations that have created, sustained, and grown outdoor and environmental education opportunities and programs that are tailored to their local region’s assets and needs. Educators will be able to bring what they’ve learned back to their classrooms and schools to expand innovative and engaging climate education opportunities to more Maine students.

“These grants provide Maine educators and schools with the tools, resources, and partnerships they need to provide students with engaging, hands-on climate and environmental education. From the mountains to the coast, Maine has enormous natural resources for students to explore and learn from so they can be effective environmental stewards and leaders,” said Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin.

School Union 93, Central High School in Corinth, Fryeburg Academy, Greenville Consolidated School, Saco, Biddeford and Dayton Schools, RSU 12, and Vinalhaven and North Haven Schools all received grants in this first round of funding. They plan to engage in the following programming:

All five schools in School Union 93 will partner with Maine TREE and the Woodlawn Museum this spring on interdisciplinary climate education instruction, a district-wide climate education plan, and professional learning about Project Learning Tree for Pre-K through 8th grade students.
Central High School will partner with Hirundo Wildlife Refuge to run professional development programming on Pushaw Stream. Teachers will learn about forest ecology, macroinvertebrate sampling, as well as receiving Educational Trip Leaders and Wilderness First Aid certifications. These will all be combined to enable Central High School teachers to guide students on and around the Pushaw Stream waterways.
Fryeburg Academy will partner with a wide range of community-based organizations throughout the Western Maine Region and New Hampshire, with teachers working with partners individually and in small groups to design projects and curriculum for students in and out of the classroom.
Greenville Consolidated School will partner with the Rural Aspirations Project to create elementary and middle school place-based science maps, align their curriculum, and design middle school climate intensive units.
Saco, Biddeford, and Dayton Schools will collaborate with the Ecology School, with one cohort of teachers meeting virtually during the spring to cover climate change-specific content areas and align them with the curriculum and a teacher institute in June that will bring together teachers from all three schools to cover climate change content and design curriculum for the fall.
Sheepscot Valley RSU 12 educators will participate in a three-day professional development workshop with community partner Friends of Cobbossee Watershed. Educators will adapt and align existing watershed-specific curriculum with school standards and develop a rich foundation of region- and lake-specific environmental and climate content knowledge for use in the classroom.
Teaching Resilience: Professional Development for Climate Curricula is a program Vinalhaven and North Haven Schools have designed with community partner Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership. This program will build teacher capacity and curriculum for both schools to engage meaningfully with local community partners on student projects.

“Teachers of School Union 93 are excited to collaborate with community partners to develop and deliver a professional development program to educate teachers on climate change, its impact on the environment and surrounding peninsula, and how to instruct students to explore climate-related topics. This work will result in a Union-wide climate education plan that will serve as an everlasting resource for the schools on the peninsula,” said Dawn McLaughlin, Assistant Superintendent of School Union 93.

“Maine (TREE) is ecstatic to work with School Union 93 to bring climate and forest-based education to schools on the Blue Hill Peninsula. This collaboration between the School Union, Maine TREE, and Woodlawn Museum will provide a long-lasting impact on the students in the region and provide a model for how to develop regionally designed climate education programming for students in rural parts of Maine,” said Logan Johnson, Executive Director of the Maine Timber Research & Environmental Education Foundation (Maine TREE).

“Although educational research shows that an interdisciplinary and project-based approach offers many advantages, especially when it comes to the study of global issues such as climate change, there are significant challenges to meaningful implementation in the classroom, coordination across the faculty, and engagement with the community. At Fryeburg Academy we immediately recognized the value of this grant for closing some of those gaps,” said Dylan Harry, Director of Outdoor Learning and Research Center at Fryeburg Academy.

“Teaching students about the environment that they live in is vital. Part of that teaching comes in the form of climate education.  Climate changes greatly impact each and every one of us in one way or another. Having the opportunity for hands-on, experiential learning brings these issues to the forefront for students. I am excited to work with a team of local experts, both environmental and educational, on designing a curriculum that brings more awareness of Climate Change and its impact on our lakes, ponds, and rivers to the students,” said Jana Diket, Middle School Teacher at Windsor Middle School.

“The Friends of the Cobbossee Watershed is really pleased to be partnering with RSU 12 and the Maine State YMCA Camp on this Climate Education Professional Development.  With the challenges we are experiencing due to the effects of climate change, we are excited to bring together educators from across the region to form a network for ideas and best practices. Utilizing the watershed lands and waters as the classroom brings the power of experiential and hands-on teaching pedagogy into the hands of the teachers on the front lines,” said Tom Mullin, Executive Director of Friends of Cobbossee Watershed.

“RSU 64 in Corinth is excited and grateful to have received funding to provide professional development to our staff through the Climate Change Grant offered by Maine DOE. We will be holding training in Wilderness First Aid and for the certification as an Educational Trip Leader for up to 20 of our staff and from RSU 34 as well. This is a critical need for us because we have a very active outdoor community in our towns and we want to capitalize on those interests by opening the door to water-based activities for students,” said Dr. Rad Mayfield, Principal of Central High School.

“The Climate Education Professional Development Partnership offers our schools an amazing opportunity for teacher collaboration and student learning.  Vinalhaven School, North Haven School, and the Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership will all work together, thanks to the financial support from the [Maine DOE] Office of Innovation. I look forward to seeing the project implementation in the coming months,” said Monte Selby, Superintendent of Vinalhaven School.

Maine continues to be a leader in outdoor learning and climate education. The Maine DOE’s Rethinking Responsive Education Ventures (RREV) initiative, funded through a $16.9 million federal grant, has supported the expansion of outdoor education classrooms, programs, professional learning, partnerships, and spaces across the state. Schools across Maine utilized federal relief funding to expand outdoor learning spaces and programs. Governor Mills’ Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative has provided thousands of Maine middle and high school students with coastal and inland forestry learning and career exploration opportunities during the summer. The Maine DOE recently hired a Climate Education Specialist to support and expand this work with educators, schools, and community partners across the state. You can learn more about the Maine DOE’s climate and outdoor education work here.

The grant initiative was designed out of LD 1902, which was passed by the Legislature in 2022 and signed by the Governor to establish a pilot program to encourage climate education in Maine public schools. Priority was given to communities historically underserved by climate education, socioeconomically disadvantaged communities, and interdisciplinary, place-based, and project-based learning activities. A second climate education RFA will be announced early in 2024.