The Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) team at the Maine Department of Education (DOE) is pleased to offer Open Office Hours focusing on technical assistance for all educators currently implementing, exploring implementing or looking to make changes to their MTSS implementation. Sessions are meant to be a time for educators and administrators across the learning continuum, from special education to gifted and talented to come together to ask questions, celebrate successes, and/or work through problems of practice in MTSS implementation. These sessions are not content-specific and are offered as a space for educators to bring their voices to the table.
Office hours are offered as part of the Maine DOE’s MTSS Technical Assistance program and are meant for your use and discussion; you can join for the full hour, r just a part; for each session, or only when you have a question. For more information, contact Andrea Logan, MTSS Specialist, at andrea.logan@maine.gov or by calling (207) 592-2011.
As a part of the regular review cycle schedule, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) is performing a review of the Maine Learning Results for Social Studies and Science and Engineering and is looking for educators to serve as the writing teams for each content area. The purpose of each writing team is to revise the current standards based on guidance from a steering committee. For more information about the standards review process, check the new Maine DOE standards revision website.
The Maine DOE will be convening two writing teams, one for each content area under review. The writing teams will serve as a representative sample of Maine K-12 educators covering K-12 grade levels, geographic locations, and content area strengths. While specific dates are still to be determined, most of the work will take place in late June, July, and early August, and will include at least one face-to-face meeting in Augusta.
All interested educators are encouraged to participate. Participants will receive contact hours for time worked, be reimbursed for travel costs, and be provided lunch at face-to-face meetings.
If you are interested in participating as a member of one of these writing teams, please complete the survey by 8:00am on Monday, May 15th to be considered. We will reach out to interested participants with more information in the coming weeks.
This event is open to all school personnel as it does not just apply to HE & PE.
This is the second offering of the Heath Education (HE) & Physical Education (PE) Inclusive Teaching Practices Professional Learning Opportunity. Here is a little more about the workshop:
Have you taken a look at your curriculum and teaching practices with the lens of inclusion?
Are your materials representative of all students and their families?
Are your practices and the language you use inclusive of all your students and their families?
Do you know what to look for?
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Health Education & Physical Education Program is hosting a second training opportunity focused on learning about diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and the impact better understanding what it means has on teaching practices within HE & PE…or any discipline! This 2-day interactive training will focus on understanding foundational concepts in DEI then review a tool and process for conducting a deep dive into curriculum, instructional strategies and classroom management practices. Following the 2-days of training, virtual Community of Practice sessions for conversations and technical assistance will be held. Please note, educators outside of the HE & PE disciplines are more than welcome to attend and all will find great benefit!
We are excited to again have the fabulous Dr. Sarah Benes (she, her, hers), as our trainer and consultant on this initiative. Sarah is an assistant professor at Southern Connecticut State University in health education and physical education, co-owner of Lighthouse Wellness and Health Education Consulting, and SHAPE America President. We are pleased to also have Maine HE & PE Teacher Leaders co-training with us this spring.
Event Details: Friday, May 5 and Thursday, May 11 at Thomas College in Waterville from 8:00 a.m. – 3 p.m. each day. The fee for this training is ONLY $45* to assist in covering the cost of food and facility. All other expenses are funded by the Maine DOE.
Register Now – Attendees must commit to both days of this training.
Email susan.berry@maine.gov with questions or before registering if using a PO for the discount code to bypass the credit card payment.
Required to Report: All school administrative units and private schools with publicly funded students should ensure that their enrollment data is current, including Charter Schools and Education in Unorganized Territories.
Quarter 3 Reports: Attendance, Truancy, Behavior, Bullying – Reporting is due by April 15th.
Superintendent certification is required for all quarterly reporting, with the exception of Attendance data, which is only validated for Quarters 1, 2, and 3 then certified for Quarter 4.
Check out the latest issue of The Torch: Civil Rights Team Project Newsletter, which features highlights from civil rights teams at Skowhegan Area High School, Middle School of the Kennebunks, Bowdoinham Community School, Great Falls Elementary School in Gorham, Mt. Blue High School in Farmington, Saccarappa School in Westbrook, Winthrop High School, Woodland Jr.-Sr. High School in Baileyville, and Yarmouth High School.
Administered by the Office of the Maine Attorney General, the mission of the Civil Rights Team Project is to increase the safety of elementary, middle-level, and high school students by reducing bias-motivated behaviors and harassment in our schools. For further information about the Civil Rights Team Project including how to get involved, reach out to Kathryn Caulfield, Project Assistant, kathryn.caulfield@maine.gov, or visit the Civil Rights Team Project Website.
(Pictured: These SLAM Showcase events could not happen without Kern Kelley’s talented students from Nokomis.)
Benton Elementary School’s Lynn Hamlin providing support for students at this year’s third SLAM Showcase.
SLAM (Student Leadership Ambassadors of Maine) ran two successful SLAM Showcase events at two schools, Benton Elementary School (MSAD 49) on March 2nd and Pittston-Randolph Consolidated School (MSAD 11) on March 31st. The event in Benton, the third SLAM Showcase this school year, was a long time coming. The event was postponed due to weather in February, but luckily the weather was on this day was manageable. This event happening was particularly exciting for MLTI SLAM Coordinator Kern Kelley and teacher Tonya Therrien, who had planned a similar event in the fall of 2019, but weather and the pandemic delayed a reschedule. The event in Pittston came through coordination with Patsy Adams, who attended a training at Nokomis this past summer. When Ms. Adams realized the SLAM Showcase had the capacity for more students, she reached out to nearby River View Community School and invited their students to join in the learning. Over two hundred students across these three elementary schools were able to participate in the two events.
SLAM Show host Mia interviews MSAD11 students about their favorite parts of the day.
Kern Kelley and his SLAM students from Nokomis along with MLTI Ambassadors spent the day presenting to elementary students and teachers on topics such as 3D design, coding, virtual reality (VR) and graphic design. The students were divided into four groups with each group rotating through the four sessions. All the students who attended were engaged and enthusiastic throughout each 55-minute session. At the end of each session, they were given 5-10 minutes to submit examples of their work, which they were eager to share. Both days concluded with a recording of the SLAM Show with interviews, games, and prizes. Participating students received VR headsets, so they could show their creations from CoSpaces with their families and friends. The school also received a drone following a group photo from the drone.
Students are interviewed for the SLAM Show that will air on the MLTI Youtube channel the following week
The SLAM show empowers MLTI students to use their devices and technology tools by providing a platform where students can give back and share their innovative work in their schools. The live, in-person SLAM Showcase events have been designed to directly align with MLTI’s vision that all Maine students engage in authentic, relevant, technology-rich, learning experiences that prepare them for a fulfilling future. “It was so much fun to see the students engaged; they were being challenged and being exposed to different technologies, many of them new to the students,” said Benton technology teacher Lynn Hamlin.
Historically, MLTI has been targeted to seventh and eighth grade students, but this year, districts had the option to expand up into nineth grade or down to sixth grade. MSAD49 opted to add sixth graders and became one of several districts who added multiple K-6 elementary schools to the MLTI program. These SLAM Showcase events are an ideal environment for older students, like those from Nokomis, to share their knowledge with younger elementary students.
MLTI Ambassador Joshua Schmidt commented, “I’ve been involved in the MLTI SLAM Showcase events at my own school, and also as a part of MLTI, and the positive energy among teachers and students is my favorite part. Everyone is so excited to learn! I would highly recommend creating a SLAM club at your own school and seeing how this type of event can be an energizing experience for your school and community as well.”
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is seeking applications to provide funding to local education providers to encourage the facilitation of innovative instruction and tutoring programs that address learning loss or unfinished learning through the use of project-based learning and other interdisciplinary approaches.
Applicants must be local education providers as defined in Title 20-A M.R.S.A Chapter 320 which is a school administrative unit as described in 20-A M.R.S.A §1, 26, a school in the unorganized territory under 20-A M.R.S.A Chapter 119, a public charter school under 20-A M.R.S.A Chapter 112, or a school/program established under 20-A M.R.S.A. Part 4, Subpart 2 (Applied Technology Education). Additionally, applicants must either have a poverty certification rating of 40 percent or greater or be identified as “rural” through Title V status (federal or state).
The Maine DOE plans to award up to ten grants, each with a value of up to $40,000. Programming must be completed by Friday, September 1, 2024.
State of Maine
Department of Education
RFA# 202304073
Proposals must be submitted to the State of Maine Division of Procurement Services, via e-mail, at: Proposals@maine.gov. Any questions must be submitted by e-mail to the RFA Coordinator, Beth Lambert, beth.lambert@maine.gov, by April 13th, 2023, no later than 11:59 p.m., local time. Application submissions must be received no later than May 3rd, 2023 no later than 11:59 p.m., local time. Proposals will be opened the following business day. Proposals not submitted to the Division of Procurement Services’ aforementioned e-mail address by the aforementioned deadline will not be considered for contract award.
Has your elementary school and its community partners been interested in collaborating to support children and families in your community? Have you wondered about the positive outcomes such partnerships can afford? If so, the First 10 Community School model may be just such an opportunity to consider. Join the Maine Department of Education for an informational session to:
learn more about the First 10 Community School model,
consider being part of an upcoming First 10 Community School pilot, and
obtain answers to questions you have about the model.
Informational sessions will be held on April 13 from 9:00-10:00 a.m. and on April 27 from 3:00-4:00 p.m. Links to register for the sessions (same content in each) can be found below. One of the sessions will be recorded and shared if you are unable to attend the live sessions.
Developed by Education Development Center, First 10 Community Schools bring together school systems, early childhood programs, and community partners/agencies to improve care and education for young children and their families throughout the first 10 years of children’s lives. This model works to improve teaching and learning, deepen partnerships with families, and provide comprehensive services for children and families. Typical First 10 practices include, but are not limited to:·
fostering engagement of families with schools and community partners,
providing play and learn groups linked to elementary schools,
coordinating connections to health and social services,
connecting child care providers with elementary schools,
improving the quality of early childhood programs,
coordinating the transition to kindergarten,
conducting joint professional learning among early childhood, pre-k and elementary teachers, and
aligning and improving elementary grade curriculum and instruction.
The Maine Department of Education in collaboration with Maine educators, is excited to announce the L.I.F.E. Readiness Program Career Exploration Fair. This opportunity is for ALL our scholars with I.E.P.s to engage with hands-on career exploration activities designed to help students experience, learn, and develop an interest in their future career choices. Students can explore up to 10 career clusters at the career fair and complete transition-aligned activities and record self-directed assessments in their event “Passport.”
In turn, the “Passport” support case managers in developing their scholars’ transition portfolio, thus informing the development of their transition services and plans, specifically section 9 and section 4 of the I.E.P.
RSVP: Lorraine Hall lorraine.hall@fivetowns.net with total number of students attending. There is only capacity for 300 students. So RSVP soon to claim your spot(s)!
This opportunity is part of the Maine Department of Education’s 2022 – 2023 Transition Tuesday Power Hour Series, a best practices forum to provide opportunities for our state educators and transition leaders to grapple with and actuate strategies and support for our scholars’ diverse needs and pathways to post-secondary opportunities. for more information about the Transition Tuesday Power Hour Series, contact Titus titus.orourke@maine.gov.
The MLTI 2.0 team has a new podcast called Teaching with Tech. Twice a month, the MLTI Ambassadors create episodes around a specific theme impacting education. Current episodes include gamification in the classroom, STEAM-based learning, and digital citizenship. Not only do the Ambassadors discuss how they view the topics, but they also bring authentic voices from the field to describe their own experiences. The team believes these personal discussions in the podcast make the content accessible for all educators across Maine as well as provide an additional format for educators looking for professional development opportunities.
In addition to the regularly scheduled episodes around a specific theme, Teaching with Tech offers short Community Corner episodes which contain a variety of topics. These topics could include a relevant or current issue educators face, additional voices from the field, or highlighting educator events that have happened across the state. So far these Community Corner episodes have spotlighted the Educate Maine Symposium and a game-based learning activity in elementary physical education class.
Plus, don’t miss out on the monthly giveaways which are available to any Maine educator to bring new resources to their classroom or school. This month’s drawing is for a free BreakoutEDU kit!
The Teaching with Tech podcast is now streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts,andYoutube Music. If you would be interested in joining the conversation, reach out to the MLTI 2.0 Team at DOE-MLTI2.0@maine.gov with feedback, suggestions for future episodes, or questions on the topics outlined in an episode.
MLTI Ambassador Joshua Schmidt commented, “I’ve been involved in the MLTI SLAM Showcase events at my own school, and also as a part of MLTI, and the positive energy among teachers and students is my favorite part. Everyone is so excited to learn! I would highly recommend creating a SLAM club at your own school and seeing how this type of event can be an energizing experience for your school and community as well.”
Maine DOE Newsroom 