Category: Newsroom Articles

EMCC, MCCS, and Maine DOE Celebrate 88 “Badguates” in Inaugural Cohort of Learning Facilitator Program

Eastern Maine Community College (EMCC), in partnership with the Maine Community College System (MCCS) and the Maine Department of Education (DOE), held a “Badguation” ceremony on June 23rd for the first class of Learning Facilitator Program completers, or “Badguates.”

In a response to critical staff shortages in Maine schools as a result of the pandemic, Governor Mills created additional flexibilities and opportunities for educators in Executive Order #7, which enabled the Maine DOE, MCCS, and EMCC to collaborate on a high quality, fast-track training program for paraprofessional level educators to expand, strengthen, and support our excellent educator workforce.

“This is emergency response at its finest, but this is also innovation at its finest where a real problem, a critical issue was presented, and everybody came to the fore to make it happen,” said Commissioner Makin during her remarks at the ceremony.

The Badguation ceremony honored the Learning Facilitators, many of whom were present during the virtual event, and featured a video message from Governor Janet Mills and remarks from EMCC faculty, EMCC President Dr. Lisa Larson, MCCS President David Daigler, Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin, and DOE Representatives.

“You participated in a new model, a new way of thinking, and learning, and leading together,” said EMCC President Lisa Larson during her opening remarks. “You’ve earned credits and credentials, and along the way you also gained some new friends and colleagues.”

“You’re not only the first, you’re also a part of building the future of our economy and you’re core to families being able to find new successes as opportunities unveil themselves through this new, ever-changing economy,” MCCS President David Daigler said to the graduates in his remarks.

“While many people were reeling and pulling inward and saying, ‘I’m just going to try to stay safe and ride this out,’ you ran into the fire like first responders. You said, ‘yep, sign me up! I’m going to go take those courses, I am going to get into this credentialing program, and I’m going to help our schools,’” added Commissioner Makin in her remarks.

The event also featured a short video showcasing written messages from program participants who shared sentiments on how they changed in positive ways throughout the program. Here are a few:

“I am happy to say I learned that if I put my mind to it then I will do it. I really wanted to learn how to write a lesson plan for my students and I did. It took a few tries before I got there, but I did.”

“I am excited to take what I have learned and apply it to the areas of my teaching. I can observe a student and know what I am looking for, I can be a better co-teacher.”

“I don’t think you will ever be able to measure the success of this program as it will continue to have a positive impact for many, many years to come.”

Offered at no cost to the participants, the Learning Facilitator Program is completed in two phases in one academic year with the ongoing support of Eastern Maine Community College faculty. Upon completion of a 3-credit “boot camp” course in phase one of the program, participants have the foundational skills necessary to fill short-and long-term substitute educator roles, as well as all paraprofessional positions. In phase two, participants engage in a combination of online work and professional learning community meetings, as well as a 315-hour structured teaching apprenticeship. When they complete the program, participants are eligible for an emergency Education Technician authorization which allows them to be employed as an Education Technician III.

For more information related to the program, please visit the EMCC website, here.

Watch the 34 minute virtual ceremony on EMCC’s YouTube Channel:

Invitation to Education Leaders to Apply NOW for Maine’s Leadership Development Program  

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) invites educators to apply for a year-long professional learning opportunity. The Maine Leadership Development Program (LDP) is an initiative designed to build and strengthen leadership skills among Maine’s educational leaders. In our ongoing efforts to support and foster impactful leadership in Maine, educators who aspire to do the same are invited to take advantage of this high-impact opportunity! 

Who should apply?   

  • Current and aspiring leaders within schools, School Administrative Units (SAUs), or at the state level;  
  • Some examples of past and current participants are teachers, principals, assistant principals, department leaders, school board members, school counselors, assistant superintendents, instruction and curriculum directors, CTE directors, DOE staff, transition coordinators, school improvement coaches, and superintendents; 
  • Instructional coaches, K-12 deans of students, heads of schools, Title I directors, special education directors, English learner directors, CTE instructors and ESEA coordinators are encouraged to apply as well. 
  • If you are a leader in education in Maine, this program may be a great fit for you! 

What is the commitment? 

  • Participants will attend a fall orientation on September 30, 2021, followed by 12 two full day units (virtual and in-person). Pre-work is required for each unit;   
  • Each participant will design and develop a job-embedded action learning plan over the course  of the year. 

How is the program designed?  

  • The LDP is a nationally researched (NISL), evidenced-based, locally delivered cohort model of learning that improves the practice of leadership, transforms instruction, and focuses on increasing equity and student achievement in schools; 
  • The program is a blended learning model that includes inquiry (using research-based texts and case studies), action learning, and engaging activities and simulations with practical applications that meet the needs of leaders. Cohort members experience deep learning not only through the materials and program design, but also through lively and fulfilling content and context-based conversations with fellow participants. 
  • Upon completion of the Maine LDP, participants will be nationally NISL certified and receive a certificate for corresponding contact hours.  

I’m interested… What next? 

  • The Maine DOE encourages educational leaders to apply today for this exciting opportunity! Prior to making the commitment, please be sure to review the schedule for the 2021-2022 Maine LDP cohort, found here; 
  • To access more information, hear from past participants, and review application materials please visit: http://www.maine.gov/doe/educators/maineldp;  
  • Applications are due by August 24, 2021 and require the support of a supervisor; 
  • Half hour interviews will be scheduled after applications are reviewed; 
  • Selected participants are expected to attend a virtual half-day orientation on September 30, 2021; 
  • For more information please email emily.doughty@maine.gov.  

What other opportunities are available to current or aspiring leaders?  

Maine DOE Data Management Systems Summer Training 2021-2022

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Data Team will be holding their annual summer trainings during the last two weeks of July. The focus this year will be on tips and resources to assist School Administrative Units (SAUs) with data reporting and with viewing/certifying reports.

  • Training sessions this year will be held remotely utilizing the Microsoft Teams application.
  • All training sessions will begin with a presentation and conclude with a topical Q&A. Please feel free to register for as many sessions as you would like.
  • Most sessions are duplicated to ensure as much availability as possible.
  • All sessions will be recorded and posted to the Helpdesk’s Webinar Page .

These training sessions are a refresher; more extensive training will be provided for individuals who are brand new to state required reporting.

The MEDMS helpdesk is now offering one on one onboard training for SAU and school staff that are new to state required reporting. To request this training, simply email the MEDMS helpdesk at MEDMS.Helpdesk@Maine.gov and request our new user training. Please note that these trainings will be held as helpdesk availability allows.

Training Sessions, Dates and Times

*Please note that you do not need to have or install Microsoft Teams to attend any of these trainings, simply use the “Watch on the web instead” button.

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What’s New for 2022 & Online Resources – A presentation of all of the new staff and student data requirements for the 2021-2022 school year. We will also review the helpful online resources available to SAU and school staff charged with required state reporting.

Student Data– This session will focus on submitting required student data to the state utilizing both manual data entry and file uploads.

NEO Staff– A refresher of the NEO Staff module including data entry, associated reports and helpful resources.

  • July 21st , 2021 @ 10AM – 11AM – Join Here
  • July 27th, 2021 @ 1PM – 2PM – Join Here

NEO Student Reports – This session will cover all of the various reports in the NEO Student Reports module.

  • July 21st, 2021 @ 1PM – 2PM – Join Here
  • July 29th, 2021 @ 10AM – 11AM – Join Here

Data Quality Best Practices –A discussion of data quality best practices that are employed by various school administrative units across the state.

  • July 29th, 2021 @ 1PM – 3PM – Join Here

If you have any questions, comments or concerns regarding these trainings please contact the MEDMS Helpdesk at (207) 624-6896 or MEDMS.Helpdesk@Maine.gov .

Invitation to Apply: Application Open for Maine’s Transformational Leaders’ Network

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) invites school principals to apply for an inspiring professional learning opportunity. The Transformational Leaders’ Network (TLN) offers Maine principals an opportunity to deepen their leadership skills while they are leading transformational efforts in their schools. This “learner-centered” program has a ten-year history of success and is open to ALL Maine principals rather than only those previously-identified as in need of additional support. The primary requirement for joining the TLN is the ambition to improve your leadership and your school!

Who should apply?

  • School Principals (PreK-12)

What is the commitment?

  • The program consists of three types of sessions throughout the year:  in-person full days, two-hour Network sessions, and 1.5-hour Learning Leader Team sessions.  The three full-day in-person sessions (aligned to CDC safety guidelines) will be in October, February, and mid-May at a site(s) to be determined based on participation.  The majority of your time will be in Zoom-based Learning Leader Teams(LLTs) of 5-8 principals, facilitated by experienced educators. Alternating with LLT sessions will be larger group Zoom-based Network sessions designed to assist your understanding of leadership and your own strengths and challenges.

How is the program designed?

  • The TLN experience revolves around each principal’s efforts to improve their school’s success with students. In Network sessions, principals examine the leadership challenges inherent in making progress on improvement goals.  In a small group led by a facilitator, each principal will design an action plan and an accompanying “learning plan.”
  • Colleagues and resources from facilitators provide on-going consultation and advice focused on the principal’s, “continuous improvement” as a leader for the, “continuous improvement” of the school.  In this fashion, each principal’s learning goal(s) drives the curriculum of the Network.
  • Successful completion of the TLN will result in contact hours for re-certification purposes.

I’m interested… what next?

  • Applying now for this exciting opportunity is encouraged by the Department.
  • An online application can be found here.
  • Applicants are accepted on a rolling basis until the cohort is full or August 24,2021, whichever comes first. Please note, applications require the approval of the superintendent before submittal.

Where can I find more information?

What other opportunities are available to current or aspiring leaders?

To explore other leadership development opportunities please visit: https://www.maine.gov/doe/educators/leader

RSU 40 Teachers Find Connection with Students Through Poetry – a Podcast by 2020 Lincoln County Teacher of the Year

In the spring semester of 2021, RSU 40 English teacher Heather Webster embarked on a project to encourage her students to utilize their creative side. She guided students through completing an “I am” poem following a standard structure- each line begins with a statement about oneself. She chose this creative writing journey for her students because “I am” poems give space for students to be open, honest, and vulnerable with their teacher and classmates, a deep connection that has been missing for many students and teachers throughout the rollercoaster of changes brought on by the pandemic.

One day, walking down the hall shortly after starting the poetry unit, Webster noticed a wall of self-portrait. She went to take a closer look and realized that Brooke Holland, RSU 40 art teacher, had beat her to the “I am” poems with her students (many of which overlapped with Webster’s students). Webster was immediately impressed with the work of the students. “I realized that the poems demonstrated wonderful common threads from our students’ experiences,” Webster stated. More specifically, Webster was awed at the commonality between each students’ pandemic experience, which they shared in their poems.

Reflecting on the start of the COVID19 pandemic, Webster remembers how hard it was to get students to participate and also reflects on how silent students became. She met with her colleague Holland and discussed how impressed they were with their students. After a year and a half of silent students, seeing the students’ creative sides and hearing personal reflections on the pandemic was so enlightening for both teachers. The “I am” poem project gave both teachers insight into their students’ lives over the past year. Both teachers had been feeling distant from their students over the course of the pandemic, but this project allowed them to know their students on a personal level once again. Webster notes that after a year of non-stop discussion of learning loss, “[The students] will be okay. It will be okay.”

Heather Webster was the 2020 Lincoln County Teacher of the Year and a Maine teacher of the Year Finalist. Her podcast on the experience of the “I am” poem can be listened to below.

Non Fiction Final Project

This article was written by Maine DOE Intern Clio Bersani in collaboration with RSU 40 as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. To submit a story or an idea email it to Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov

Maine DOE Child Nutrition Launches CNPWeb for School Year 2022

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Child Nutrition is excited to announce that we are moving over to a new program, CNPWeb, which will replace NEO for all School Nutrition functions.

CNPWeb will streamline the claiming, ordering, annual application and review process for all of our child nutrition programs. The system will go live in July 2021 at which time each district will need to submit their annual Sponsor Application and Site Information Sheets for approval.

Superintendents will have permissions to approve the monthly claim for reimbursement. However, if you wish to delegate another person as the Approving Officer, the Superintendent must email Pamela.Partridge@maine.gov to make this request.

For technical assistance and questions please contact Pam Partridge at Pamela.Partridge@maine.gov or (207) 624-6843 the Child Nutrition Team at child.nutrition@maine.gov, or (207) 624-6842.

Opportunity for Aspiring Mentors: Mentor Training Registration Opens Today

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is committed to supporting the growth and development of educators aspiring to be mentors.  Over the past three years, the Maine DOE has collaborated with teacher leaders, administrators, and higher education partners to customize Maine’s mentor resources. These resources are available to School Administrative Units (SAUs) who wish to provide local support and training to new mentors.  We extend our sincere thanks to educators who continue to offer this training throughout the state.    

Mentors serve a critical role within their schools, and we are appreciative of their ongoing dedication to supporting and growing the profession.  Current mentors have been crucial to the educational environment—each individual mentor has made an impact.  We are encouraged by and thankful for those educators who are enthusiastically stepping up to become mentors.   

This summer, the Maine DOE will be offering virtual mentor trainings. These interactive sessions will serve as a foundation for aspiring mentors and a refresher for current mentors.  Participants will have the opportunity to learn about the principles of mentoring, reflect deeply on the role of mentors, apply practices into real-world situations, and engage in lively discussion with peers from across the state.   

Details: Educators are welcome to select either session below that works best with their schedule. The sessions will take place via Zoom, a link will be sent to participants following registration. Sessions are offered at no cost, all materials will be available electronically.

Choose from two sessions:

July 22, 2021
8:30am – 3:30pm (with a built-in lunch break)
Registration Form

August 10, 2021
8:30am – 3:30pm (with a built-in lunch break)
Registration Form

Contact Hours: Educators will receive contact hours for participation 

Educators are welcome to discuss the opportunity, along with local training requirements, with their mentor chairperson prior to registering.    

Interested in learning about future offerings, discussing customizable resources, or sharing promising practices?  

Please reach out to Emily Doughty at Emily.doughty@maine.gov or at 207-592-0314.  

Adult Education Determination Leads to a Diploma

Struggling in high school because she was a teen mom with no childcare, Michelle B. dropped out her junior year.  She first came to RSU #54 Adult Education in 2005. Initially, Michelle pursued her GED.  Because she is not a strong test taker, however, she found the high-stakes high school equivalency exams an insurmountable obstacle.

In 2010, Michelle followed the advice of the Adult Ed director and opted to pursue an SAHS diploma.  Despite her struggles in high school, Michelle had made good progress and was only a few classes shy of graduating, so she began the long process of earning her missing credits.

An English and history class were first in 2010. The pressures of marriage and raising children forced her to put academics on hold for a long while, but Michelle eventually returned to class in 2018, earning another English credit in 2019, American Government in 2020, and, lastly, science in 2021.

Despite working full time, raising two daughters as a single mom, grappling with the unexpected death of her own mother, and dealing with the disruption of a global pandemic, Michelle found time for her education.  She proudly joined many other Adult Education graduates for our June 9 ceremony.

Michelle did it for herself, but—even more importantly—she did it for her daughters.  In an essay written for her most recent English class, she explained that she wanted to show her children that if they are willing to work hard, anything is possible.  She wrote:

“Even if their dreams change ten times, as their mother I’ll always tell them they can be anything they want. Always, forever, I believe in my kids.”

Congratulations, Michelle!  Your experience testifies to the importance of diligence and determination as we pursue our goals.

This article was provided by RSU 54 as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. To submit a story or an idea email it to Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov

Get to know the Maine DOE Team: Meet Barbara Pineau

Maine DOE team member Barbara (Barb) Pineau is being highlighted this week as part of the Get to know the Maine DOE Team Campaign. Learn a little more about Barb in the question and answer below.

What are your roles with DOE?

I am the Special Education Director for the State’s Unorganized Territories.  In my position, I work directly with 86 schools that we tuition students to across the State of Maine and 3 “State Schools,” which are our own.  I cover the entire state and we encompass 53% of the State!  In a non Covid year, I travel to all of these schools to attend IEP Team meetings, averaging about 35,000 miles a school year.  There are currently 206 kids from PreK – 12 either in special education or with a 504 plan who live in the Unorganized Territories and my role is to work collaboratively with the school’s staff to ensure each of these kids have appropriate programs while being fiscally responsible to the EUT tax payers.   I also am the 504 coordinator, the Homeless Liaison, the Title 1 Coordinator and the Federal Grant Coordinator.  I manage programs for all students with 504 plans as well as those who are homeless.  I write the grants for ESEA and all COVID related monies.

What do you like best about your job?

I enjoy working with the professionals at the schools in Maine.  Each time I visit a school district I feel I come away with new information, at times having left them with new information and always a renewed respect for the role schools are expected to play in the lives of children above and beyond educating them.  We have some phenomenal educators in Maine!

How or why did you decide on this career?

I don’t think I decided on a career in Special Education…. It decided on me. My first degree is in Parks and Recreation Management.  In the position as a recreation director, I realized how many kids with disabilities were left out of sports and how I could help to change that.  From there, I went back to school to get my degree in teaching and became a special education teacher.  As a teacher, I felt like I could not always get my point across to the general education population, teachers and students alike.  So, I was encouraged by my mentor, Roland Caron, to earn my Masters in Special Education and become a director; which I did.  I found it allowed me to not only share information that would support kids with disabilities, but to provide in service opportunities to all staff as to what the best practices were to include them in all areas of their education; academically and functionally.  I feel good about that and will always be a child advocate first and foremost.

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

When I’m not at work you can find me spending time in the woods with my family.  I am a Master Maine Recreation Guide since 1989 and guide family trips on the Allagash River.  I enjoy canoe camping, fishing, camper camping in Bar Harbor, hiking (I’m actually doing the 100 Mile Wilderness this summer with my daughter Grace), snowmobiling, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and spending every spare moment I have with my grandkids sharing all of my adventures.

 

Down Syndrome Does Not Hold Back Portland Photographer Caleb Dunlap

Caleb Dunlap was born with down syndrome, but he did not let it get in the way of pursuing his passion for photography. Caleb was enrolled in the Maine Department of Education (DOE) led Child Development Services (CDS) when he was six days old. CDS along with the support of his family and friends enabled Caleb to follow his dreams. Caleb was gifted a camera after his high school graduation which began his passion for taking photos.

One day, a professional photographer looked at Caleb’s photos and remarked that he had a good eye- he could see things other people could not and turn it into a beautiful picture from then on, what began as a hobby turned into a business for Caleb.

Caleb now runs “Good Eye Photography” out of Portland where he hopes to inspire people with his photos. “When I take pictures of a cloud, I feel like a cloud,” Caleb stated in a presentation. He hopes other people can feel the transformative properties of art through his work. Caleb is inspired by the city of Portland and the nature surrounding the city. He aspires to have his work displayed in magazines and museums in the future.

Watch Caleb’s presentation below and view his photography on his website.

This article was written by Maine DOE Intern Clio Bersani as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. To submit a story or an idea email it to Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov