MaineCare Seed adjustments to be made, review Q2’21 reports by April 15, 2021

The recovery of Q2 ’21 MaineCare Seed will occur in the April 2021 subsidy payment. The Maine Department of Education is asking Student Administrative Units(SAUs) to review their reports by April 15, 2021 to ensure accurate adjustments to subsidy. SAU staff must review, submit disputes, and student by student claims on both the public and private MaineCare reports for Q2’21 by April 15, 2021.

To access the MaineCare Seed reports, please follow the instructions below.

Log into NEO using this: https://neo.maine.gov/DOE/neo/Dashboard
Click on the Student Data tab
Click on the Student Report tab
Select MaineCare in the Reporting Area drop-down
Report Button

Choose the quarterly Seed report and the report type (private/public)
Click view report button
Once the report appears on the screen, choose the export button.

You may export the reports to Excel but, please be aware that there may be multiple worksheet tabs within the workbook. Save the file to your computer.

To dispute a claim:

If you disagree that a particular student or time period should be on the report, please provide the reason that you disagree along with the following to stephanie.clark@maine.gov.

Identify the type of report (public or private) and the quarter in which the claims are located.
State Student ID
Service provided dates (From and To)
Total amount of Seed being disputed

Summer services:

Students must be enrolled for the time period they are receiving educational services. This means that students that are receiving extended school year services in district or extended school year services in an out of district placement must have a primary enrollment for that time period in order for the MDOE to have the most accurate enrollment data to determine SAU responsibility for MaineCare Seed.

If you have difficulty logging into NEO:

Anyone who currently has Special Education Director permissions to the Special Education module, will automatically have permissions to access MaineCare reports.

As in the past, if a new staff member needs permission to access this module, a request from the Superintendent to the Maine DOE helpdesk will be necessary. The helpdesk contact information is medms.helpdesk@maine.gov or 207-624-6896.

Please contact stephanie.clark@maine.gov

for more information or technical assistance related to MaineCare Seed.

SAVE THE DATE: 18th Annual MLTI Student Conference

SAVE THE DATE for the 18th Annual Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) Student Conference on May 20th, 2021! This year’s conference will be held virtually and free of charge to all 4th through 12th grade students.

Registration opens on April 5th.

For more information please check out our website: https://www.maine.gov/doe/learning/ltt/conference.

Designed in collaboration with the students and educators of the MLTI Student Conference Advisory Board.

Get to Know the Maine DOE Team: Meet Nicole Madore

Maine DOE Team member Nicole Madore is being highlighted this week as part of the Get to Know the Maine DOE Team Campaign. Learn a little more about Nicole in the question and answer below.

What are your roles with DOE?

As the Early Childhood Specialist, I assist districts in the operation of their high-quality early child programs in Pre-K-grade 3. I work to offer professional learning opportunities, resources and technical assistance to the field. I am also a part of the Early Learning Team at the department where I work with my team to continue our own professional education and offer expertise to the field.

What do you like best about your job?

The best part of my job is interacting with teachers! I love being a thought partner with them as well as their “go-to” for anything and everything early childhood. They’re walking the walk and I love hearing directly from them about their experiences…good and bad! We all learn from listening to those in the field doing the work every day and applying to the experience of others.

How or why did you decide on this career?

I wanted to work with young children from an early age. I thought I wanted to be a 3^rd grade classroom teacher after having a wonderful experience in my own life, but after a few years of that I decided to move to a different role, one where I could interact with more teachers, students and their families. I never stop learning about child development and best practices in the classroom setting, so getting to learn and share that with others is very rewarding.

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

I’m not going to lie, I love a random lazy weekend! Otherwise, my husband and I stay busy with our two children. If we’re not driving to dance rehearsal or basket/base/football practice, then we’re probably at home planning our next getaway to the lakes in Western Maine. We live for Maine spring and summer and enjoy boating, fishing and more recently have begun hiking up mountains with our dog, Echo. Really any excuse to unplug and reset.

Maine Association of School Libraries’ Spring Symposium to be Held Virtually April 6-15

The Maine Association of School Libraries’ Spring Symposium, “Reaching All Learners” will be held virtually April 6th – 15th with sessions designed to engage and reach all educators, whether you’re an administrator, a teacher, or school library staff member.

Visit the event’s website for the detailed schedule, which includes keynote sessions on April 6, with Ellen Oh, and April 15, with Pender Makin, as well as a special author event on April 7 at noon, featuring Maria Padian, Josephine Cameron, and Samara Cole Doyon. For more information about the author event and to order books at a 20% discount, please visit our partner, Print: A Bookstore HERE.

Additional sessions include a “Native American-Wabanaki Roundtable” with Joe Schmidt, Social Studies Content Specialist at Maine DOE and friends, and “Building Cultural Competency and Allyship in Maine Students” with Deqa Dhalac, Kirsten Cappy, and Krista Aronson.

With 6 other sessions to engage you in the work of “Reaching All Learners,” and at only $25 for members, $35 for non members, the MASL Spring Symposium is the best bargain for professional development you will find all year! All sessions will be recorded and available to registrants, so regardless of your schedule you will have access to all of them.

Register HERE today and don’t miss this opportunity to connect with school librarians and educators from around the state. Please note that beginning March 22, all payments must be made online at the time of registration.

For further information contact the Maine Association of School Libraries at maslibraries@gmail.com.

School Registration Now Open: ME Virtual Career Fair for High School Students

The Maine Community Coordinators Collaborative (Maine C3) in partnership with ACTEM and Educate Maine are excited to offer all Maine students in grades 9-12, a statewide virtual career fair from May 17-21, 2021.The primary focus of the virtual career fair is to introduce students in grades 9-12 to Maine businesses and organizations from a variety of industry clusters across Maine. The intent of the virtual career fair is to expand access to more students and to continue the tradition of in person career fairs that have become signature events for many Maine high schools.

During the ME Virtual Career Fair,numerous thirty-minute sessions will be offered on the secure, online conference platform Hopin. Each session will be moderated by a school-based education professional and feature a live speaker followed by a question and answer period. Students will not be on video during the sessions and can ask questions via a monitored live chat. Sessions will run during the school day and into the evening.

The registration deadline is April 30, 2021. Schools are encouraged to register early and registration codes for accessing the ME Virtual Career Fair will be sent to the school contact once payment is received. Purchase orders will be accepted as confirmations and payments can be made by check or credit card. School staff can decide how they would like their students to participate (e.g., whole student body, select grade levels, select classes, or individual students). Tickets are $1 per registrant/student and are only available in bundles of 50. One registration gives access to any and all sessions held throughout the event. Interested schools that provide instruction to Maine students in grades 9-12, will need to complete the school interest form. Upon receipt of a completed registration, an invoice requesting payment will be emailed to the school contact. If a school requires financial assistance to participate, please indicate when registering and fill out the Financial Assistance Form for scholarship options through event partners.

For more information about the virtual career fair or to contact a Maine C3 Planning Team member, go to the ME Virtual Career Fair website.

Career exploration and fostering student aspirations are key cornerstones in the Maine Learning Results Life and Career Ready standards.

For more information about the Life and Career Ready standards, contact Diana Doiron, Maine Department of Education, Life and Career Ready Content Specialist at diana.doiron@maine.gov or 207-592-2128.

Maine School of Science and Mathematics’ Student Appointed to State Board of Education as Student Member

Greyson Orne, a junior at Maine School of Science and Mathematics (MSSM), the state’s first tuition-free, public, residential high school, has been selected as one of two student members on the Maine State Board of Education. The board advises the Commissioner of Education in Maine’s education laws and policies. Orne will also co-chair the Maine Department of Education’s Student Cabinet along with the other State Board Student Member Casey Maddock.

Orne, from Camden, said, “I’m honored to have been selected by Governor Mills for this position, and I’m excited to represent the students of Maine’s second district.”

The Maine Department of Education website explains the Maine State Board of Education has had two student members in non voting positions since 2008. The application process includes a short essay, letters of recommendation from teachers, and a balance of extracurricular activities. Apart from voting, student members have full privileges of the 9 other adult board members. Student members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Maine Senate. In February of 2021, Orne testified in front of the Joint Standing Committee on Education before his final confirmation.

Orne believes in student involvement in the education system of Maine and plans to advocate for “advanced education in public schools, especially rural areas with little access to other schooling options.” After high school, Orne plans to apply to the three major U.S. Service Academies to become a commissioned officer in the United States Military. Orne said, “This leadership on the board will allow me to better understand how to lead, work collaboratively with others, and use my presence and voice to advocate for others.”

Although this is the first student from MSSM to be appointed to the board, David Pearson, Executive Director of MSSM, noted “in Greyson’s appointment to the Maine State Board of Education, we see not only a successful individual accomplishment, but a reflection of our wider student population who universally are imbued with a driving desire to make a positive difference in the lives and experiences of those around them.”

MEDIA RELEASE: Mills Administration Updates COVID-19 School Health Advisory System

All counties remain green; Piscataquis County closely monitored

AUGUSTA — The Mills Administration today released an update to its color-coded Health Advisory System that classifies counties’ relative risk of COVID-19 transmission to assist schools as they continue with their plans to deliver instruction and support to students safely.

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) continue to review evidence that indicates lower transmission of COVID-19 in schools compared to the general population. Over the last 30 days, the rate of new cases for school staff or students is 22 per 10,000, 35 percent lower than a new case rate of 34 per 10,000 for the general population. This continues to demonstrate that in-person learning in schools that follow public health precautions can be conducted safely, without increased transmission of COVID-19, and supports schools’ adherence to the six requirements for returning to in-person instruction, regardless of their county’s designation.

DHHS and Maine CDC assessed COVID-19 data and trends by county and all counties remain green, however trends in Piscataquis County will be closely monitored. The positivity rate in Piscataquis County has been above 5% each of the past two weeks, and the new case rate is two times higher than the next highest county.

These designations are provided for the consideration of school administrative units in their decisions to deliver instruction.

The county-level assessments are based on both quantitative and qualitative data, including but not limited to recent case rates, positivity rates, and syndromic data (e.g., symptoms of influenza or COVID-19). Those data are publicly posted every week on the Maine CDC website. DHHS and Maine CDC also consider qualitative factors, such as the presence of outbreaks that may potentially affect school-age children. The qualitative and quantitative considerations and data used by the CDC in determining community transmission risk levels for schools can be located here: How County Risk Levels for Maine Schools are Determined

The Health Advisory System categorizations are defined as follows:

GREEN: Categorization as “green” suggests that the county has a relatively low risk of COVID-19 spread and that schools may consider in-person instruction, as long as they are able to implement the required health and safety measures. Schools in a “green” county may need to use hybrid instruction models if there is insufficient capacity or other factors (facilities, staffing, geography/transportation, etc.) that may prevent full implementation of the health and safety requirements.
YELLOW: Categorization as “yellow” suggests that that the county has an elevated risk of COVID-19 spread and that schools may consider additional precautions and/or hybrid instructional models to reduce the number of people in schools and classrooms at any one time.
RED: Categorization as “red” suggests that the county has a high risk of COVID-19 spread and that in-person instruction is not advisable.

The next update will be provided on March 26, 2021. Updating this advisory on a two-week basis aligns with the incubation period for COVID-19 and allows for greater stability in the trend data for small counties.

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Virtual Learning Sessions 3/18 & 3/31: Adaptive and Innovative use of Technology in Arts and Theater

Join Maine Department of Education (DOE) specialists and a panel of Maine educators in two professional learning sessions that focus on the adaptive and innovative use of technology in arts and theater. These sessions are designed to be conversational, with educators from across the state sharing their challenges, successes, and takeaways. The first session focuses on theater and tech; the second session focuses on makerspaces and the arts. These sessions are being held in recognition of “Arts Education in Our Schools Month,” celebrated statewide and recognized by Governor Janet T. Mills.

Session Descriptions and Details:

Theater & Tech – Performances
March 18^th, 2021 at 3pm

Description: Join MDOE specialists and Maine theater and tech educators in a panel discussion on virtual theater performances. This session will include reflections on theater education over the past year, looking at successes, challenges, and innovative solutions. We will also talk a bit about the technology that aided in successful solutions to explore how the role of tech in theater changes in a virtual space.

To register for this session, click here or go to: https://www.maine.gov/doe/calendar/theater-tech-performances

Arts & Tech – Makerspaces
March 31^st, 2021 at 2pm

Description: Join MDOE specialists and Maine arts and tech educators in a session on makerspaces. Whether you’re new to makerspaces or well-versed, this session has something to offer you. We’ll cover the basics of what a makerspace is, look at a few ways that local schools have integrated them into their building, and talk a bit about how makerspaces can be used in collaborative and innovative ways.

To register for this session, click here or go to: https://www.maine.gov/doe/calendar/arts-tech-makerspaces

For further information contact Maine DOE Visual and Performing Arts Specialist Jason Anderson at jason.anderson@maine.gov.

Mt. Ararat High School French Teacher Given International Recognition

An impressive honor has been bestowed upon deserving Maine educator Nathalie Gorey, a French teacher at Mt. Ararat High School in Topsham. For her many years of leadership and commitment to promoting French language and culture through education, Nathalie has been named a Chevalier-Knight- in the Ordre des Palmes Académiques (French for “Order of Academic Palms”).

“It really came as a surprise,” said Nathalie after finding out that she had been recommended for the award by the French Consul’s staff in Boston, who know her work as an advocate and a teacher of French language and culture.

The Ordre des Palmes Académiques, originally established in 1808 by Emperor Napoleon, is an Order of Chivalry of France bestowed by the French Republic to academics and cultural and educational figures. The recognition honors major contributions to French national education and culture by French expatriates who expand French culture throughout the rest of the world.

Born and raised in Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa, and France, Nathalie’s heritage is one of the most influential factors in her desire to share the French language and culture with students. She got her first taste for teaching French during the last year of earning her Master’s degree, when she travelled abroad from the University of Angers, France to the University of Limerick, Ireland and worked a part-time job at the local Alliance Française, an after-school program where she taught French to Irish kids.

“I love sharing my native language with students, a language which makes up a third of the English language,” said Nathalie. “I went to school studying three foreign languages, so I know how valuable it is to learn and communicate in a second language and discover other cultures.”

After returning to France and graduating, she took a rare opportunity through a partnership between her university in France and the University of Maine System to travel to Maine and spend a year as a teaching assistant at the University of Maine at Machias (UMM), where she helped start and grow a vibrant French program while immersing herself in American and Maine life.

What started out as a one-year assignment turned into a successful professional choice that developed into a long-term teaching career, and prompted her to start a family and relocate to Maine permanently.

“I am passionate about teaching about the Francophone world, opening students’ minds to other lands and cultures,” said Nathalie. “That is what is great about teaching a language – you get to also teach geography, history, art, literature, music, literature, and cooking,” she added.

Nathalie has nearly three decades of French teaching under her belt at both UMM and UMA, and through other secondary French teaching positions in Maine, including her current position at Mt. Ararat High School.

“Some rewarding aspects have been seeing students go on with French studies in college, even become a French teacher as a career,” explained Nathalie. “ Or teaching about the Acadian history in Maine and seeing my students understand the background of their own ancestors!”. And she added, “Taking students on trips to Quebec or France is also very rewarding, seeing the kids applying their skills and making those connections to what they have been learning in class, with the language and culture”.

Outside of school, she is the Maine chapter president of the AATF (American Association of Teachers of French), representing Maine teachers through their professional organization. She also serves on the Advisory Board of the Alliance Française du Maine as their pedagogical coordinator, and advises them on their cultural events among other things. Nathalie has also been very active in the arrival and settling of French-speaking African immigrants in Maine over the past four years, serving as the French translator for the Maine-based African newspaper Amjambo Africa!.

“I feel like Maine is the perfect place to also make connections, with the Franco-American heritage and the renaissance of French thanks to the African immigrants,” said Nathalie.

Plans for a formal recognition event and ceremony are in the works for this coming fall, following COVID-19 safety measures. In the meantime, Nathalie has received an official letter of recognition from the French Embassy and a medal honoring her lifetime efforts to promote French culture and language all over the world.

The Maine Department of Education congratulates Nathalie Gorey for her tireless efforts as a world language educator, as an advocate for French culture, language and teachers, and for this well-deserved, prestigious award honoring her hard work and continued advocacy.

Adapting to COVID: Portland Community Squash Develops Advisee Program to Stay Connected to Students

In its ninth year, Portland Community Squash (PCS) has come a long was as a community organization aimed at both bringing people and communities together to play the sport squash and supporting Maine youth through their journey as a student, adolescent, and community member of the greater Portland area.

Starting in 2013 as an organization committed to closing the opportunity gap, PCS learned the needs of local families. They eventually opened a location at 66 Noyes Street in Portland in 2017 and expanded their programs to address wellness for both students and community members, along with a robust program that supports youth through academics.

With a mission that seeks to unite neighbors of all ages and backgrounds and to fully support youth on their journey from elementary school into adulthood, the PCS moto is committed to access, equity, and integration to make every community stronger.

The organization and its unique squash based mission was highlighted in November 2020 on News Center Maine showcasing the positive impact the program has on the community. PCS has been successful in bringing together people from the area, and from many different culturally diverse background. Their youth programs put students on-track in their academics while also engaging them in fun and exciting activities that bring them together with their peers and teach them about wellness, character, and community.

However, along with schools and organizations throughout Maine, PCS has had to adapt to keep their program relevant and effective through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Knowing that staying connected to the students that rely on academic support PCS provides was essential, they developed an “Advisee Program” to keep in touch with students. The Advisee Program splits up the 150 students they serve in a way that pairs each staff member with 10-12 kids with whom they check in on a regular basis, even visiting the students at their homes to ensure they stay connected and feel supported through this time of crisis.

Through the end of the previous school year and throughout the current school year, PCS has had their fair share of innovative adaptations to help reduce the risk of COVID-19 in their facility and continue serving students, including one-on-one tutoring, keeping students in smaller cohorts in hybrid learning styles, and even shifting to full remote for the holiday season.

Now that they are serving students more regularly in-person again through the spring, they have kept the advisee program in place, remarking that it has really helped them increase their student connections by providing a higher level of individualized support to students.

“The silver lining of the advisee program is that we’ve been able to serve as a support system to students and have also had the chance to connect in a deeper way with students’ families. This program will continue post-COVID,” said PCS Operations Director Sarah Stickney.

What started out as a group of Portland squash players has turned into an innovative, thriving organization with strong partnerships to other organizations, including local school systems and educators, administrators and community members. Along-side school and district partners around the state, PCS has pivoted with the challenges of COVID-19 adapting and learning from the new ways that we serve students.

Adding to their innovative approach to serving students and the greater community, PSC also has a unique concept for sharing their models of success with others. With an open-source idea in mind, PCS harnessed five years of community squash innovation into a collection of slides and documents that they openly share with anyone who wants to use them. View the Community Squash Package here.

Information for this article was provided by Portland Community Squash (PCS) 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.