Category: Newsroom Articles

Supporting All Students: How the PBIS Framework is Inclusive for All

During this presentation hosted by the Maine Department of Education’s Office of Special Services and Inclusive Education (OSSIE), Heather George, PhD will focus on how to support all students with a PBIS  (Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports) framework in schools:

  • PBIS has been shown through research to be effective for a wide range of student outcomes
  • The whole school intervention approach used by PBIS has been shown to establish a safe and predictable environment that increases success for all students including those with disabilities.
  • During the webinar, free resources will be shared to help schools build systems that are inclusive, robust, and supportive of all students.

Date/Time: April 26, 2023 – 3:30-4:30 pm

Audience: General & Special Educators, Administrators, Parents, Caregivers and Community Members Interested in Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) and inclusive classrooms

Cost: FREE Register for Zoom Link Here

Contact Hours: Each attendee will be awarded a certificate for 1 contact hour

About the Presenter: Heather Peshak George, Ph.D. is a Research Professor in the Department of Child & Family Studies at the University of South Florida. She co-directs the National Technical Assistance Center on PBIS, the state-wide Florida PBIS Project, the federally-funded Florida Connect model demonstration grant, and is Past-President of the international Association for Positive Behavioral Support (APBS). ). Over the past two decades, she has secured over $42 million in external funding, published over 30 peer reviewed articles and chapters, including over 100 practice briefs and evaluation reports, and has delivered over 400 invited presentations on PBISShe has extensive experience in providing training and technical assistance in PBIS at the national and international levels and thanks her two teenagers for the daily reminders on the need to bridge the research-to-practice gap. You can learn more about Dr. George at https://www.usf.edu/cbcs/cfs/faculty-staff/peshak-george-h.aspx and follow her on Twitter at @HeatherPGeorge. Shared resources may be available at www.pbis.org and www.flpbis.org.

Get to Know the Maine DOE Team: Meet Selena Brown

(Pictured: Selena Brown and Azura, one of her 3 horses)

Maine DOE team member Selena Brown is being highlighted as part of the Get to Know the Maine DOE Team Campaign. Learn a little more about Selena in the question and answer below.

What are your roles with the Maine DOE?

Office Specialist I for the Certification team. I am responsible for helping educators with Chapter 115, answering calls from educators, and responding to educator and staff questions regarding initial applications, fees, and renewal application requirements. I assist and provide customer service to Maine’s education field, and direct them to additional information.

What do you like best about your job?

The best thing I like about my job is helping educators and staff by providing them with the knowledge they are looking for and providing a positive experience with the Maine Department of Education.

How or why did you decide on this career?

I had not planned on this as a career.  When the opportunity arose, I knew it was a wonderful fit for me to be able to work with an amazing group of people and continue to grow.  Working in the education field prior, I felt this was a perfect way to support education in a positive way.

What do you like to do outside of work for fun?

I absolutely love being with my grandchildren/family and my animals.  I love cooking, being in nature, hiking, camping, gardening or just doing any kind of an adventure.  If it is outside, then I want to be involved.

Seeking Five Distinguished Educators for MLTI Ambassador Positions

Are you passionate about professional growth and technology? Do you want to make a difference in Maine schools? Do you want to join a team of likeminded educators? Are you currently teaching in a Maine public school? This might be the opportunity you’ve been looking for!

The Maine Department of Education is hiring five distinguished educators, known as “MLTI Ambassadors,” to join our team in supporting MLTI professional learning. These are full-time, two-year, contracted, remote positions. The MLTI Ambassador team comprises of both second-year and first-year distinguished educators. They work both collaboratively and individually to provide professional learning offerings and work with MLTI schools and educators to implement the MLTI program.

Ideal candidates will be excited about instructional coaching and innovative technology practices in education, eager to work with other teachers, have outstanding communication skills, and experience with upper elementary, middle, and/or high school pedagogy.

Distinguished educator positions are set up as an exchange agreement between the Department of Education and your local school district. Through the agreement, the Department pays your local school for the duration of your contract as a distinguished educator, allowing your school to temporarily fill your vacant position and continue to pay you your current rate while you work as a distinguished educator. Once the two-year contract is complete, you will be able to return to your position within that district.

Still have questions? Contact either our Digital Learning Specialist Jonathan Graham at jonathan.m.graham@maine.gov or (Acting) Learning Through Technology Team Coordinator Emma-Marie Banks at emma-marie.banks@maine.gov.

Maine Department of Education Defines Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE)

The Office of English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Programs and Bilingual Programs has released a state definition of a Student with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE). This is a student who meets the following criteria:

  1. Is a multilingual learner;
  2. Has an English language proficiency level (as measured by WIDA assessments) of level 2.0 or below for students in grades 2-3 or level 2.5 or below for students in grades 4-12;
  3. Is at least eight years old; and
  4. Has experienced at least one of the following:
    1. No formal schooling
    2. Interruptions in formal schooling (defined as two or more re-enrollments or two years or more less schooling than typical peers)
    3. Consistent but limited formal schooling outside the United States; and/or
    4. Functions at two or more years below expected grade level in native language literacy and/or math skills relative to typical peers

For the past two and a half years, members of the Maine Department of Education (DOE), the Multilingual Learner Advisory Committee (MLAC), Support Ed, and Agora Learning, have been developing this definition to be specific and easily applied and understood.

Support Ed provided four webinars on SLIFE characteristics and general needs, resources and strategies for serving SLIFE, graduation and post-secondary education guidance and opportunities, and a wealth of resources for educators to refer to. Recordings of webinars are archived here: https://www.maine.gov/doe/learning/multilinguallearner/p

A padlet of SLIFE resources can be found here: https://padlet.com/diane30/maine-department-of-education-supporting-students-with-limit-a2eouyixynryahtm?utm_source=Padlet.

Agora Learning and Support Ed are continuing their work to develop a SLIFE screener to be used by our Maine school districts. Maine DOE will be developing a SLIFE guidance manual and additional professional learning opportunities that will support districts to identify SLIFE and develop SLIFE programming.

If you have questions regarding the Maine DOE SLIFE definition, please contact:

Rebecca Carey: rebecca.carey@maine.gov

Robin Fleck: robin.fleck@maine.gov

Nutrition & Economic Disadvantaged Data Collection Webinar

Join the Maine Department of Education (DOE) as we discuss alternative methods for collecting economic disadvantage data for the EPS formula that do not involve free and reduced lunch forms.

The Maine DOE’s Data, Nutrition, and Finance teams will be collaborating to provide guidance about Special Provision II procedures and how to collect data to inform the EPS School Funding formula to mark economically disadvantaged students. Special Provision II schools and Community Eligibility Provisions (CEP) require that free and reduced lunch form are not sent out to families, however those forms are used to inform the EPS School funding formula.

Are you a Special Provision School? What does that mean for Child Nutrition and for EPS School Funding? Join Jane McLucas from Child Nutrition, Paula Gravelle from School Finance, and a member from the Data Team as they talk about what changes will be coming, and best practices to have in place to be ready for next year!

Monday, March 20th @ 1:30pm – Register Here
(this webinar will be recorded)

For questions about this webinar or collection of economic disadvantaged data please contact our data quality trainer by email Alexandra.Cookson@maine.gov or call 207-446-3897.

April 1 Enrollment Reporting Webinar Rescheduled for March 21

The Maine Department of Education’s Data Team will be hosting a webinar on Tuesday, March 21st from 10-11am. This webinar will review April 1 Enrollment which collects data used to calculate tuition rates.

Use this link to join the April 1 Enrollment Webinar on March 21st at 10:00 am. Registration is NOT required for this webinar.

Report information:

  • Reporting Period: 4/1
  • Report Opens: 4/1
  • Report Due: 4/15

Required to Report: All school administrative units (SAUs) and private schools with publicly funded students should ensure that their enrollment data is current – this includes Charter Schools and Education in Unorganized Territories.

For questions about this webinar or April 1 Enrollment reporting please contact MEDMS.Helpdesk@maine.gov or call 207-624-6896.

Regional Conversations for McKinney-Vento Liaisons and Organizations

Join the Maine Department of Education for In Person Spring Regional Meetings:

  • Hear updates on federal, state, and local policies and resources for students and families who are homeless or have unstable housing
  • Learn how to increase your school and district’s capacity to support students
  • Hear strategies to improve student engagement and support from Jessa Wyman with New Beginnings
  • Brainstorm solution-oriented strategies affecting youth in your school and community
  • Network with colleagues from other schools and organizations in your region

Dates and Times for Schools and Organizations in Your Region!

York & Cumberland Counties
People’s Choice Bank
23 Industrial Park Road, Saco
Thursday, March 30
9:30 am -12:00 pm

Mid Coast, Kennebec & Somerset Counties
Burton M. Cross Office Building
111 Sewall Street, Augusta
Room 103 A&B
Wednesday, April 5
9:00-11:30 am

Androscoggin, Franklin, & Oxford Counties
Lewiston Central Office, Dingley Conference Room
36 Oak Street, Lewiston
Tuesday, April 11 9:00 – 11:30 am

Penobscot & Piscataquis Counties
Wings for Children and Families, 900 Hammond St, #915, Bangor
Thursday, April 27
8:15– 10:30 am

Washington & Hancock Counties
Department of Labor
53 Prescott Drive, Machias
Thursday, April 27
1:00- 3:20pm

Aroostook County
Department of Labor
66 Spruce Street
Presque Isle
Friday, April 28 9:00-11:30am

No cost to participants ~ Registration is required. REGISTER HERE.

For More Information Contact:

Amelia Lyons at amelia.lyons@maine.gov or Susan Lieberman at susan.lieberman88@gmail.com

Paid Professional Learning Opportunity Provided by Maine DOE

The Maine Department of Education is accepting applications from individuals interested in learning more about the competitive grant process. Selected applicants will be trained to serve as peer reviewers who assist the Department in reviewing, assessing, and scoring competitive grant proposals for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st  CCLC) Program. The 21st CCLC program is a federally funded education program that helps schools and communities develop before-school, after-school, and summer educational programs that support students and their families.

This year’s Request for Proposals (RFP) for the 21st CCLC program was released to the public on January 10, 2023 and is available online here. The Department anticipates receiving proposals from local education agencies, community-based organizations, and other eligible entities seeking awards under this RFP.

Qualifications:

Peer Review applicants will be selected based on their experience in providing effective academic support, enrichment, youth development, and related support services for children and youth. The most qualified candidates will be individuals who have experience in the administration of high-quality youth development programs within schools and communities. Examples of the experienced individuals sought include, but are not limited to:

  • 21st CCLC program directors and site coordinators
  • Teachers and principals
  • College and university staff
  • Youth development workers
  • Community resource providers

Required Tasks:

Selected applicants must be able to participate in an online training and review grant proposals through a web-based system. Applicants will work individually to read each assigned proposal and create detailed, objective, constructive, and well-written comments on approximately 8 proposals based on the criteria established in the RFP. These comments will be submitted to the Department prior to participating in the scheduled consensus scoring sessions. It is anticipated that peer reviewers will have a three (3) week window in which to complete their individual review of assigned proposals.  Following the individual review of proposals, each successful applicant will be required to participate in a series of two (2) online/virtual consensus scoring sessions hosted by the Department. It is during these consensus scoring sessions that the peer review team will score each application.

Selected applicants must complete the following tasks during the following date(s):

Task Date(s) Time(s)
Participate in an online training webinar April 5, 2023 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Review grant applications through a web-based system and provide individual, written comments on each application (which must be submitted to the Department) April 17, 2023 – May 5, 2023 Any Time
Participate in online/virtual consensus scoring sessions with other members of the peer review team May 8, 2023 – May 9, 2023 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Compensation for Services:

Selected reviewers who complete the required tasks will be provided an honorarium of $100 per assigned application.

Previous participants have also found that serving as a member of the peer review team is an excellent opportunity for professional development and growth. It is likely that, if selected, applicants will be exposed to new program models, strategies, and practices. These new concepts may provide ideas and support for ongoing work as well as future grant writing efforts. Most importantly, the time given to this effort will help ensure the funding of quality education programs for the children and families of Maine.

How to Apply:

Interested parties must contact Travis Doughty at travis.w.doughty@maine.gov to obtain a copy of the 2023 peer reviewer application and then return the completed application along with a current resume or CV.

Pursuant to Title IV, Part B of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, peer reviewers may not include any applicant, or representative of an applicant, who has or will submit a proposal in response to the current grant competition.

Deadline:

The Maine Department of Education will continue accepting peer reviewer applications through March 29, 2023, or until the needed positions are filled. Interested parties are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Contact:

For more information, contact State Coordinator, Travis Doughty at travis.w.doughty@maine.gov or 624-6709.

Student Opportunity: Data Science Exploration Night

Educate Maine’s Maine Career Catalyst  and Project Login are excited to partner with IDEXX on Tuesday, March 28th, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm, to host a Data Science Exploration Night at their Westbrook campus!

This FREE networking event is open to current high school or college students, interns, and young professionals who are interested in learning more about a career in data science in a variety of sectors. The evening includes appetizers, networking opportunities, and a short panel with data science professionals.

Register here by Thursday, March 23rd.

FFA Members Convene for Student-Led Workshop 

More than 120 students and staff gathered at the University of Maine at Presque Isle for an FFA member workshop on March 1, 2023.  The Maine FFA Association (formerly known as “Future Farmers of America”) convened for a student-led event focused on developing leadership skills and exploring opportunities within the FFA.  

The workshop was organized and facilitated by Maine’s FFA President Nickie Deschaine and Vice President Lane McCrum, with support from chapter officers.  Chapters in attendance included Ashland High School, Ashland Middle School, Central Aroostook High School, Central Aroostook Junior High School, Presque Isle Regional Career & Technical Center, and Caribou Regional Technical Center.  

Throughout the day members engaged in interactive sessions where they gained new knowledge, reflected, and connected with peers. State President Nickie Deschaine shared, “We had a successful workshop where students learned how to discover their why, learned how to think more positively, and were even exposed to interesting FFA opportunities. Lane and I were so excited to have so many members in attendance.”   

In addition to the sessions offered by state officers, chapter officers presented sessions where they shared a variety of leadership opportunities offered through the FFA organization at the local, state, and national level.   Highlights included travel to state and national conferences, competitions, awards, scholarships, supervised agricultural opportunities, and a number of specific events available to members.  Abram McCrum, a prospective state officer and presenter reflected on his experience leading a section of the day, “It was great to have the opportunity to create a workshop and practice things I will be doing in my state office year if I get elected this May.” 

The afternoon concluded with FFA karaoke, which provided lots of laughs and entertainment! Participants and advisors left the workshop with information and resources, new connections, and a better understanding of ways to get involved in FFA.  

The FFA is a national organization focused on premier leadership, personal growth, and career success.  Today, there are 850,823 FFA members, aged 12-21, in 8,995 chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  To learn more about starting an FFA chapter or to become involved in upcoming events, including state convention, please contact Emily Doughty at Emily.doughty@maine.gov.