NASBE Honors Maine State Board of Education Chair Fern Desjardins with Distinguished Service Award

The National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) has awarded Maine State Board of Education Chair Fern Desjardins the 2023 Distinguished Service Award. This national award honors current and former state board members who have made exceptional contributions to education. It represents one of the highest awards NASBE can bestow on a state board of education member.

Fern Desjardins currently chairs the Maine State Board of Education. She came to the state board in 2018 after a more than 40-year career in public education, first as a classroom teacher and then as a principal and superintendent in a rural school system. The U.S. Department of Education named Dr. Levesque Elementary a Blue Ribbon School during her tenure as its principal. Desjardins taught graduate courses at the University of Maine as an adjunct faculty member for almost a decade, was a member of the Maine Small Schools Coalition and the Maine Department of Education’s Multilingual Learner Advisory Council, and was a grant reader for Maine’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program.

“Beyond Fern’s formal titles and responsibilities, she is simply a person of great character who cares deeply about students, educators, and our state,” said fellow board member Kristin Bishop. “She models a genuine commitment to public service and a desire to contribute to the common good, one that is central to her identity and the work she holds dear; it is clear that education is her calling.”

A thoughtful, purposeful board leader, Desjardins has represented the board and its strategic plan in legislative testimony and has participated in at least five educator preparation program reviews. She also chairs the School Construction Committee and has been involved in other standing and ad hoc committees, including Certification and Higher Education, Legislative Action, and Student Membership. She previously served four years as board representative to the Maine Charter School Commission.

Desjardins is also an engaged member of NASBE. She was elected to be the new member representative on NASBE’s Board of Directors and served in this role for two years before becoming secretary-treasurer in 2021. In that same year, her keen interest in formulating policy and the governance of education led to her chairing the organization’s Public Education Positions Committee. She has participated in NASBE conferences and events and presented to fellow members about state board strategic planning and school building maintenance and construction.

“Fern exemplifies what it means to be the citizen’s voice in education,” said NASBE President and CEO Paolo DeMaria. “She is a passionate, dedicated public servant and her impact on public education in Maine will be felt for years to come. We are delighted to honor her with the 2023 Distinguished Service Award.”

NASBE’s full slate of annual awards will be presented during its Annual Conference in San Diego, California, October 25-28, 2023.

Upcoming Data Reporting Webinars for October & November

October data reporting webinars require registration. Additional information about these webinars can be found on the Webinars page of the Maine DOE Helpdesk Website.

Error Log Troubleshooting & Data Dictionaries
October 10th at 10am – Register Here
Staff Reporting Resources
October 17th at 10am – Register Here
Data Security
October 24th at 10am – Register Here
Accuracy & Validity
October 31st at 10am – Register Here
Immigrant Data Entry
November 14th at 10am – Register Here

For questions about data reporting webinars please contact Alexandra.Cookson@maine.gov

Augusta Adult and Community Education Engages in Vital Refugee Education Initiatives

Augusta Adult and Community Education’s Director, Dr. Kayla Sikora, and Career Navigator, Karin Morin, participated in the State Refugee Advisory Council meeting recently. Hosted at the UMA Bangor campus, this participation demonstrates Augusta Adult and Community Education’s commitment to refugee education and integration.

In addition, Augusta Adult and Community Education has announced that they are a recipient of the Refugee Adult Education grant, generously awarded by the Office of Maine Refugee Services, Catholic Charities of Maine to provide essential educational support to refugees in the Augusta community.

“We intend to allocate additional capacity and staff hours to enhance the services we offer and to expand our Career Navigation services,” said Sikora. “In addition to expanding our Career Navigators schedule, AACE feels that it is important to hire an interpreter,” Sikora explained that hiring an interpreter for 10 hours a week will have several benefits for their organization as well as for the multilingual learners and the Career Navigator. By increasing the instructional hours provided for multilingual services, they will be able to provide learners with 45 instructional hours each semester, including career navigation services and interpreter services.

At the meeting, Dr. Sikora and Mrs. Morin received crucial updates from various stakeholders in refugee services, including the state refugee coordinator, healthcare coordinator, and resettlement agencies. This collaborative effort ensures that Augusta Adult and Community Education remains at the forefront of refugee education, responding effectively to the evolving needs of the refugee population.

In a show of solidarity and commitment, Dr. Sikora and Mrs. Morin posed for a photograph alongside members of the Maine Catholic Charities team and the Refugee Advisory Council. This partnership reinforces Augusta Adult and Community Education’s unwavering commitment to fostering a welcoming environment and providing educational opportunities for refugees in Maine.

Dr. Sikora expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “We are honored to be recipients of the Refugee Adult Education grant and remain dedicated to empowering refugees through education. This meeting strengthens our resolve to continue serving our diverse community.”

Augusta Adult and Community Education is looking forward to an ongoing partnership with the State Refugee Advisory Council and related agencies as they work together to create pathways to success for refugees in the Augusta area.

Maine DOE and BMV to Offer Joint Open Office Hours on School Bus Transportation and Licensing

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) and Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) are pleased to offer joint Open Office Hours focused on school bus transportation and licensing. Information on how a school administrative unit (SAU) can train new bus drivers will be reviewed. The shortage of school bus drivers is at a critical point. Being able to train in-house is an advantage in recruiting candidates.

The first Office Hours on October 11 will feature Cheryl Brackett, Maine DOE Transportation Coordinator, as well as Christopher Ireland, Maine BMV Director of License Services. Sessions are meant to be a time for transportation directors to come together to ask questions, work together to problem solve, share best practices, and network.

Office hours are offered as part of the Maine DOE’s School Safety Center and are intended to meaningfully support addressing questions and needs. Participants can join for the full hour, for just a part, or only to obtain an answer to a question.

Transportation Office Hour Sessions will be held the second Wednesday quarterly, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m., on the following schedule:

Month	Day	Topic
October	11th	Preparing Candidates for a CDL Endorsement
January	10th	Emergency Preparedness – Introduction to Maine DOE Guidelines
April	10th	NEO Transportation Reporting
June	12th	Alternative Transportation

Please use the following Microsoft Teams link to join the meeting on October 11:

Click here to join the October 11th Meeting via Microsoft Teams

Meeting ID: 267 027 044 018
Passcode: sA7sbW

Download Teams | Join on the web

To submit a topic or question prior to a session and/or for more information please email Cheryl Brackett at 207-446-3019: cheryl.brackett@maine.gov.

Resources for Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Many have learned the phrase, “In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue”. But Columbus was not the first foreign explorer to land in the Americas, and neither he nor those who came before him discovered America—because Indigenous Peoples have populated the Western Hemisphere for tens of thousands of years.

Celebrating Columbus and other explorers like him dismisses the devastating losses experienced by Indigenous Peoples of the Western Hemisphere in the past and the ongoing effects of colonialism today.

In 2019, joined by Wabanaki tribal leaders and representatives, Governor Janet Mills signed legislation to establish Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Maine. It is now celebrated on the second Monday of October recognizing the resilience and diversity of Indigenous Peoples instead of honoring Columbus.

Now we ask ourselves, what does it mean to honor Indigenous People? See below for resources for educators, parents, and those in the education community.

Local Impact (Dawnland specific)

Resource Type	Title/Link
Statement	Maine Memo — The importance of Indigenous People’s Day (Office of the UMO President)
Statement	Indigenous Peoples’ Day statement (City of Lewiston)
Statement/article	Celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day (Maine Audubon)
Article	Indigenous Peoples’ Day in the Dawnland (Freeport Historical Society)
Statement/article	Indigenous Peoples’ Day/Native American Day Eradicate Columbus Day October 9, 2023 (USET)
Article	Multiple Events Planned in Celebration of Indigenous Peoples’ Day (Healthy Acadia)

Global Impact (all Indigenous)

Resource Type	Title/Link
Fact sheet/article	Who are indigenous peoples?
Statement/declaration	United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Publication	The Role of Indigenous Peoples in Biodiversity Conservation
Lesson Plan	Indigenous Peoples’ Day (IllumiNative)
Article	Indigenous storytellers share scary stories and the wisdom they hold (CBC)
Video	Indigenous Peoples’ Day \| All About the Holidays (PBS)
Video	The word Indigenous — explained l CBC Kids News
Sample lesson plans	Lesson Plans (Whose Land)	3 lesson plans: k-5, middle, high school
Article	Cultural Appropriation: What’s an Educator’s Role? (PBS Teachers Lounge)

Why not Columbus Day?

Resource Type	Title/Link
Collection/case study	Abolish Columbus Day: Solidarity with Indigenous Peoples (Zinn Education Project)
Article/lesson preview	The People vs. Columbus, et al. (Zinn Education Project)
Handout	Unlearning Columbus Day Myths: Celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Article	Why more people are celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day \| PBS NewsHour

RISE Award Nominations Open. Nominate an Extraordinary Classified School Employee Today!

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) invites students, friends, families, community members, educational organizations or associations, co-workers, and supervisors to nominate school employees for the RISE Award.  Anyone can nominate!

In collaboration with Maine Governor Janet T. Mills and the U.S. Department of Education, Maine DOE is now accepting nominations for the Recognizing Inspirational School Employees (RISE) Award. This federal award, passed by Congress and overseen by the U.S. Department of Education, is intended to honor and promote classified school employees who provide exemplary service. Nominees must demonstrate excellence in: Work performance; School and community involvement; Leadership and commitment; Local support (from co-workers, school administrators, community members, etc., who speak to the nominee’s exemplary work); and Enhancement of classified school employees’ image in the community and in schools.

A classified school employee is defined as an employee who works in any of the following occupational specialties: paraprofessional (ed tech), clerical and administrative services, transportation services, food and nutrition services, custodial and maintenance services, security services, health and student services, technical services, and skilled trades (pre-kindergarten through high school).

The Maine Department of Education will put forth up to two finalists to the U.S. Department of Education.  The U.S. Department of Education will select one finalist from across the United States to inspire excellence among classified school employees around the nation.

The deadline to submit a nomination is October 20, 2023. Nominate today by clicking here.

Healthy Acadia ELO Coordinator Creating Opportunities for Rural Washington County Students

As an Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO) Coordinator, Healthy Acadia’s Corrie Hunkler has led a pilot to expand the organization’s youth employment and career exploration programs while creating ELO opportunities for students in the coastal Washington County region. The project aims to create and promote ELO opportunities by developing new and existing partnerships with community-based organizations and local high schools.

As part of this initiative, Hunkler has worked with several high schools to support and develop their ELO programs and offerings. At Narraguagus High School, Hunkler assisted with the creation of a Learning Korean and Photography ELO for alternative education students. She collaborated with students at Jonesport-Beals High School and community mentors to create Sports Management and Dental Hygienist ELOs. Students at Jonesport-Beals are also offered several formal ELO courses including Career Exploration, Cultural Explorations, Community Service Learning, and Fishing Industry Exploration and Innovations.

Through Community Service Learning at Jonesport-Beals, high school juniors and seniors got the opportunity to mentor students at a local elementary school. This experience allowed the student mentors to build relationships with the younger students while also learning about goal setting and community service.

Under Hunkler’s leadership, this pilot has expanded and brought awareness to local ELO programs and opportunities. “I love working with kids, helping them develop deeper, more meaningful ways to expand their education,” said Hunkler. “I love that ELOs help connect schools to communities and use these connections to enrich and expand the learning opportunities for small, rural schools.”

Hunkler would like to thank the students and school leaders she has partnered with throughout this project.

Extended Learning Opportunities (ELOs) are hands-on, credit-bearing courses outside of the traditional classroom, emphasizing community-based career exploration. These opportunities are personalized for students and help them explore options for their professional lives. They help students engage in learning through instruction, assignments, and experiential learning. The Maine Department of Education (DOE), along with state-wide partner Jobs for Maine Graduates (JMG), have made a concerted effort to provide working models, support, and funding opportunities for Maine schools to set up ELO programs within their school communities. To learn more about Maine’s initiatives with extended learning opportunities, visit: https://www.maine.gov/doe/index.php/learning/elo or reach out to Maine DOE ELO Coordinator Rick Wilson at rick.wilson@maine.gov.

Maine DOE MLTI Ambassador Program Welcomes Five New Distinguished Educators

The Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) Ambassador program is expanding to include five additional distinguished educators.

MLTI Ambassadors are distinguished educators, on loan from their school for two years, to bring their expertise and experience as a resource and partner with MLTI.

The Ambassador program is a signature program of MLTI 2.0. The full team of ten Ambassadors will deliver professional learning experiences and provide instructional coaching to MLTI-participating schools.

Chris Beckwith

Chris Beckwith comes to the MLTI Team from Reeds Brook Middle School, where he served as a technology integrator. A 30-year veteran with a Masters in Instructional Technology, Chris has taught technology, computer science, science, mathematics and health. Prior to his time in RSU22, Chris worked at the James Doughty School and Ellsworth Middle/High School. He has also run summer camp classes at the Maine School of Mathematics and Science (MSSM) for ten years. He is currently part of the DOE’s CSI program and has participated in both CS Ed Showcases. Chris is passionate about robotics, 3D design, drones, and AR/VR and has shared these topics and others at state and regional conferences. Chris is an avid Star Wars fan and lives in Hampden.

Jeff Ireland

Jeff Ireland comes to the MLTI Team from Oak Hill Middle School in Sabattus, where he served as a 5th/6th grade STEM teacher. A 27-year veteran with a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership, Jeff worked for 10 years as a late elementary level teacher followed by 10 years as a building assistant principal and principal before returning the classroom to teach fifth grade. He has spent his entire career in the same school system, RSU4 (formerly School Union 44). Jeff is also a Registered Maine Guide and Professional Fly Casting Instructor. He is married to an elementary school teacher, is the proud grandfather of two, and lives in Wayne.

Gwyneth Maguire

Gwyneth Maguire comes to the MLTI Team from Old Orchard Beach High School, where she served as a library/media specialist and technology integrator. She holds a Master of Education in Educational Technology from Boston College and a Library Media Endorsement from Central Washington University. A 25-year veteran, Gwyneth has taught in both public schools, including Cape Elizabeth and MSAD60, as well as Department of Defense Schools. She was previously the ACTEM Conference Co-Chair and continues to serve on the Conference Committee. Gwyneth was called the district’s “MVP” by her superintendent for her ability to connect staff to appropriate tech, produce useful tutorials, and help with systematic organization of tech during COVID. She has worked with adults of all skill levels and backgrounds through positions at the Department of Defense, The Cape Courier, and the Portland Dioceses, as well as EdTech professional learning contractors. Gwyneth lives in Cape Elizabeth.

Donna Netzer

Donna Netzer comes to the MLTI Team from Princeton Elementary School, where she served as the math teacher for grades 6-8. A 15-year veteran, Donna holds a Masters of Education with focus on Special Populations (Trauma-informed). In her small school, Donna has worn many hats – math instructional coach, trauma coach, local teacher’s association president and running a PK-8 tech club. Princeton Elementary was the school she attended and it is where she has worked for her entire career and she is particularly proud of the national Pegasus Award for Princeton’s work on positive school culture. Donna is well respected in her school and in the Washington county region as someone who makes technology happen through writing grants, organizing training and building carts. She recently participated in the DOE’s CSI program. She lives in Princeton.

Aaron “AJ” Rog

Aaron “AJ” Rog comes to the MLTI Team from the Lyman Moore School in Portland, where he serves as Computer Science teacher and technology instructional coach. A 27-year veteran with a Masters of Education in Technology, AJ has spent most of his career working in Portland Schools. In addition to computer science and technology integration, AJ spearheaded an iPad initiative at elementary level. Prior to teaching in Maine, AJ taught in Las Vegas for 12 years, working in grades 3-5 and later grades 6-8. He has done a lot of computer science training of other educators through CSTA Maine and Project>Login. Outside of school, AJ is a longtime swimming coach and is currently the Head Coach of Seacoast Swim Club in Cumberland. AJ lives in Cumberland with his wife Alexis.

The Maine DOE’s Learning Through Technology Team works hand-in-hand with the MLTI Ambassadors to support the MLTI professional learning plan in addition to the many other components of MLTI. For more information about MLTI 2.0, please contact Project Manager Bethany Billinger (bethany.billinger@maine.gov). To work with the MLTI Ambassadors, please contact MLTI Ambassador Program Facilitator Jonathan R. Werner (jonathan.werner@maine.gov).

Maine Association of School Libraries (MASL) to Host New Library Staff Affinity Session on 10/5

School librarians are leaving the profession, nationwide and in Maine. Yet we know the impact of school librarians on student learning and growth, particularly during the pandemic — and how a certified school librarian prepares students for their post-secondary success.

The Maine Association of School Libraries (MASL) is a professional community for all school library staff whose members access free, ongoing professional development, scholarship opportunities for continued learning, members-only resources, mentoring, and support. With a modest annual membership fee of $25, MASL connects, uplifts, and supports school library staff across our state.

MASL is hosting a “Newbie” Affinity Session on October 5th at 7:00 pm via Zoom, suitable for new hires in libraries, new school librarians or library ed techs, anyone who has transitioned from the classroom to a library, or a staff member who is juggling multiple roles (including a library assignment), or just anyone who still feels “new” at their job in a Maine school library!

“Send all the new school library folks our way,” says Iris Eichenlaub, chair of MASL’s Mentoring Committee, “as the lonely-onlies in our buildings (or district), connecting with the Maine school librarian professional community is how we keep more librarians in Maine schools.”

For more information or further questions, reach out to maslibraries@gmail.com.

Applications Open for Comprehensive Electronic Health Record Pilot Grant Program – Request for Applications (RFA #202305111)

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is accepting applications from school administrative units (SAUs), publicly supported secondary schools, and Education in the Unorganized Territory (EUT) that meet eligibility requirements stated in RFA# 202305111 as an ongoing open application period.

Using American Rescue Plan, and state reservation funds, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) will cover the costs of implementing a comprehensive electronic health record of up to $6000 which includes a nominal stipend for an SAU designated EHR champion. This widespread pilot aims to show that maintaining an electronic health record is beneficial to both local schools and the State of Maine as it will increase the efficiency of services provided, decrease the burden of reporting health data, allow for data-informed decisions and policy, and increase revenue possibilities with MaineCare.

Proposals submitted that meet the requirements will be accepted on a first-come, first served basis until funds are no longer available or by May 31, 2024.

Eligible school administrative units that are interested in the Comprehensive Electronic Health Record Pilot Grant Program opportunity may access the application and the previously released question/answer document through the Grant RFPs and RFAs webpage.

All questions about the Comprehensive Electronic Health Record Pilot RFA should be submitted to the Grant Coordinator: Emily Poland, Office of School and Student Supports, Emily.Poland@Maine.gov