The EF-S-05 Part II Special Education Staff Certification report must be verified and certified by the Special Education Director in the Maine Department Of Education’s NEO System. The report is used to verify the full-time equivalency (FTE) and qualification status of special education teachers, paraprofessionals (educational technicians), and related services personnel who were employed or contracted to provide special education services to students with disabilities ages 3 through 20 as of December 1, 2020.
Please note that this will be final year that the EF-S-05 Part II will allow for adjustments of numbers. The 2021-2022 collection will come directly from NEO staff and the EF-S-05 Part II will only be a certification of those numbers. The timeline of the certification will also change to align with the NEO staff certification timeline. More information will be provided in summer and fall of 2021.
Closing out National Public Schools Week this week, School Union 76 (SU76) made up of Brooklin School, Deer Isle-Stonington Elementary School, Deer Isle-Stonington High School, Isle au Haut School and Sedgwick Elementary School created a heartwarming and informative video about how their community has pulled together to ensure that students continue learning through the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a letter to the community recently, SU76 Superintendent Christian Elkington expressed his gratitude:
“The efforts made by all to have learning continue during the pandemic is truly a work of caring, kindness, determination and toughness,”
“More than at any time as your Superintendent of Schools, over this last year I have felt extremely fortunate and honored to be working with each of SU 76’s Public Schools! Throughout the pandemic our Nation’s Public Schools, including our own, have found differing ways to help our young people learn, grow and achieve. I have seen first-hand and so believe strongly that each and every day we in SU 76 are making Lemonade out of Lemons. Through positive efforts we are problem-solving so that our students can move forward and continue to learn, grow and achieve.”
Check out the SU76 National Public Schools Week Video:
Like schools across Maine, SU 76 Schools is continuing to take steps forward in support of their students and community. Their video and story speaks to the hard work of schools across Maine and serves as an inspiring message that celebrates everything that Maine’s communities have accomplished through the past year.
Information for this story was provided by School Union 76 as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. If you have a story or an idea, email it to Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov.
For the second time since January 28 update, all counties remain green
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 25 per 10,000, nearly 70 percent lower than a new case rate of 81 per 10,000 for the general population. This evidence continues to demonstrate that in-person learning in schools that follow public health precautions can be conducted safely, without increased transmission of COVID-19.
DHHS and Maine CDC assessed COVID-19 data and trends for all counties and all counties remain green. In the last two weeks, there was no increase in positivity rate, new case rate, or the number of newly opened outbreaks in any of Maine’s 16 counties.
These designations are provided for the consideration of school administrative units in their decisions to deliver instruction.
The Health Advisory System categorizations are defined as follows:
RED: Categorization as “red” suggests that the county has a high risk of COVID-19 spread and that in-person instruction is not advisable.
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.
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.
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 Health Advisory System reflects ongoing analysis of evolving data, and serves as one piece of information that school and district leaders can use to make decisions about how to deliver education during the school year. 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 can be found on the Maine DOE website in Part I of the Framework for Reopening Schools and Returning to In-Person Classroom Instruction: https://www.maine.gov/doe/framework/part-I.
The next update will be provided on March 12, 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.
A workshop series by Maine Intercultural Communication Consultants (MICC).
“MICC is a women-owned business based in Portland, Maine, with years of experience helping schools, organizations, and individuals develop interculturally and navigate differences effectively. Passionate and engaging facilitators, we ground our interactive and experiential trainings in best practices of adult learning, and build on the strengths you already have. We have lived across the globe, and our work reflects that dexterity, curiosity, and humility.”
Module 1: DEMYSTIFYING ISLAM: CULTURE, COMMUNITY, AND FAITH
Thursday, March 18, 7:00-8:30 PM
Thursday, March 25, 7:00-8:00PM
Presented from both the perspective of a Muslim immigrant in Maine and a non-Muslim Mainer who lived in a Muslim majority country, this training seeks to dispel myths and misunderstandings by asking the questions: What is Islam and what is it NOT?
This training will:
Provide a brief history and context of the religion
Include discussion of Islam’s similarities to Christianity and Judaism
Define important terms
Give participants insight to more effectively reach, serve, educate, and connect with Muslim people
Presented by Reza Jalali and Liz Greason
Module 2: MICROAGGRESSIONS: THEIR IMPACT ON STUDENT LEARNING
Thursday, April 1, 7:00-8:30 PM
Thursday, April 8, 7:00-8:00 PM
As educators, what don’t we know we don’t know? Exploring this question can be a gateway into understanding and interrupting microaggressions.
This training will:
Define microaggression
Differentiate between different types of microaggressions
Identify the impact microaggressions have on marginalized student groups
Discuss what we, as educators, can do to minimize the impact of microaggressions in the classroom and schools settings
Deb Breiting is co-founder of Maine Intercultural Communication Consultants and hails from Vancouver, Canada. Born in Montreal to immigrant parents from Germany and Japan, Deb grew up in a multilingual and multicultural home and is a first generation university graduate. She has a degree in Linguistics and German from the University of British Columbia (UBC) and is a graduate of the UBC Certificate Program in Intercultural Studies. With a professional focus on teaching English as a Second Language, Deb most recently taught at Portland Adult Education for the New Mainers Resource Center and coordinated projects designed to further support the integration of immigrants with professional backgrounds into Maine’s workforce. In addition, Deb has lived in Toronto, Munich, and Tokyo where she has worked for schools and non-profit organizations. Deb is an IDI Qualified Administrator and is currently enrolled in the Master’s program of Adult and Higher Education at University of Southern Maine.
Liz Greason
A Mainer by birth, Liz Greason is co-founder of Maine Intercultural Communication Consultants. She lived in the Middle East for many years, where she taught students from around the world at the American University in Dubai, with a focus on effective cross-cultural communication. Since returning to the United States, Liz has applied her knowledge of the Middle East and Islam, intercultural competency, and intercultural communication to help Mainers effectively recruit and retain a diverse workforce and serve diverse populations equitably. Liz has also served on the faculty of the University of Southern Maine (USM) and Portland Adult Education. Growing up in Bridgton, Liz graduated from, and later taught at, Lake Region High School.
Liz holds degrees in Women and Gender Studies, with focus areas of intersectional feminism, from Mount Holyoke College and Reed College. She is a Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory.
Reza Jalali
Reza Jalali is a noted writer, educator, immigrant advocate and former refugee from Iran. He was recently appointed Executive Director of the Greater Portland Immigrant WELCOME Center, a non-profit organization that serves as a hub for organizations and individuals to collaborate in helping Maine’s thriving immigrant community reach its civic, economic, and social potential. Additionally a prolific author of the immigrant experience, Reza’s forthcoming book Dear Maine: The Trials and Triumphs of Maine’s 21st Century Immigrants will be available in August 2021. Jalali’s other books include New Mainers, Moon Watchers, Homesick Mosque and Other Stories, and The Poets and the Assassin. His children’s book, Moon Watchers, has received the Stepping Stone Multicultural Award. His five-act play, The Poets and the Assassin, which is about women in Iran and Islam, has been staged to rave reviews across New England. Jalali’s storytelling was also featured on National Public Radio’s popular program, The Moth Radio Hour.
Additional information:
This workshop series will require participants to maintain a reflection journal. Participants should come motivated to create change and should be prepared to participate in group discussions based on readings and resources shared prior to the session.
Engaging in this cohort provides an opportunity for participants to earn credit hours. To receive credit, participants must attend all four sessions.
For more information contact Danielle Despins; a volunteer member of Maine DOE’s internal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) sub-committee at (207) 592 -1448.
Time is short and needs are high. As we rapidly progress through the second half of the 20-21 school year, many educators begin to ask, “Have I gotten enough done? Are my kids ready for the next grade? How will I ever meet the needs of those I notice struggling with the time I have left?”
Beginning March 3rd, a new 6-week MicroPD series will focus on strategies for strengthening tier 1 supports for all students by exploring a 4-step problem solving process as it is applied at the tier 1 level. The goal of the series is to develop both understanding and application strategies for improving supports for all students through tier 1 instruction. Participation in this MicroPD series will prepare administrators, interventionists, and other support staff/teams with skills to evaluate the tier 1 setting in their school, application of a four step problem solving process for addressing areas of need, and action planning for initiating the process to better support teachers and students as they round out the school year.
Session dates and topics:
Session 1: March 3: Exploring effective four step problem solving models
Session 2: March 10: Goal/Problem Identification
Session 3: March 17: Problem Analysis
Session 4: March 24: Instructional/Intervention Design
Session 5: March 31: Response to Instruction/Intervention
Session 6: April 7: Implications for leaders/action planning
Sessions will be held on Wednesdays from 1:00-2:00 PM for 6 weeks. Participants will receive a PD companion guide that they can use to facilitate their learning throughout the series. Can’t attend all of the sessions? That’s ok! Sessions will be recorded and registered participants will be able to view the recording and use the companion guide to catch up and stay on track with the series.
You MUST register for this new PD series even if you have registered for MTSS MicroPD in the past. Registration for this PD will close on Tuesday, March 2nd and registered participants will receive the workbook prior to the start of the MicroPD on March 3rd.
The below opportunity is hosted by Educate Maine, the Education Action Forum of Maine, Thomas College’s Center for Innovation in Education, and the Maine State Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation.
Education Innovators: Equity in Education
March 4th from 3pm to 4pm
Attendees will hear from district, teacher, and nonprofit leaders about promising practices used to close opportunity gaps. Attendees will hear about equity initiatives implemented across school districts, examine classroom-based practices, and learn about building community support for equity priorities.
The speakers are:
Dr. Marsha Drake, Chief Equity Officer, Hamilton County Schools, Tennessee
Cindy Soule, Teacher, Gerald A. Talbot School, 2021 Maine State Teacher of the Year
This event is part of the Education Innovators Series supported by Educate Maine, the Education Action Forum of Maine, Thomas College’s Center for Innovation in Education, and the Maine State Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation
Bangor High School Student Council members recorded a selection of the 2020-2021 nominee picture books for the annual Chickadee Awards. This project was completed for Bangor elementary children learning remotely so that they might hear and enjoy the read aloud books from home.
Thank you to the Bangor High School students for sharing the love of reading with younger students!
Information for this article was provided by the Bangor School Department 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.
The Maine Department of Education is performing a regularly scheduled review of the Maine Learning Results for the following areas: Health Education and Physical Education, Visual and Performing Arts, and World Languages. The Department is looking for participants to serve as part of the writing teams this summer. The purpose of the writing teams is to revise the current standards, based on guidance provided from content area steering committees. For more information about the standards review process, check the new Maine DOE standards revision website.
Teams will serve as representative samples of educators in each of the content areas who are actively working across locations throughout Maine that cover PreK-12 grade levels. It is our hope to have participation from all Maine counties, ensuring geographic diversity.
Most of the work will take place in June, July, and August. Drawing from prior experience, most content area writing teams took approximately three days or 21 hours to complete the work. All summer meetings will be held virtually in two- to four-hour blocks of time. Specific schedules will be determined by the content area specialists with input from writing team members.
All interested educators are strongly encouraged to participate. All participants will receive contact hours for their participation.
If you are interested and committed to participating in this important work, please complete this short application by Friday, March 26, 2021 to be considered. Department content area specialists will reach out to interested participants with more information in the coming weeks.
For more information or questions contact the applicable Maine DOE Content Specialist:
Health Education, Susan Berry (207-214-1844) berry@maine.gov
In partnership with the Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation, Volunteer Maine is excited to offer service support grants to groups working with middle and high school students to learn about and tackle issues around hunger and food insecurity in their communities.
The Service Instigator Grant ($750 – $1,000) will be used to assist youth in exploring the root causes of hunger and food insecurity, and design and conduct a service project related to what they discover.
Applications are due by March 5th, and projects are to be completed by May 2nd. To learn more, CLICK HERE.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the way schools and districts have been offering meals to children across the state has changed dramatically. Food service staff have worked tirelessly to adapt and come up with many creative methods for meal service by schools.
The complimentary meals, free of charge to all families, are being offered as part of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) emergency meal program – a response to the pandemic. The emergency meal program ensures compliance with the required law of offering meals on educational days. It is not part of the federal School Lunch Program, but a special program which offers meals to all children during this time of challenge.
Given the underutilization of this program by students and families across Maine, the Department is offering some tips that school/district nutrition teams can use to help increase participation by maximizing nutrition and appeal to students, adding flexibly for families, and by increasing promotion and communication:
Children’s preferences and favorites should be considered when planning menus.
Meals offered should be nutritious and appealing.
Flexible delivery methods are needed to accommodate working parents.
Volunteers from the community can be sourced to supplement food service staff.
Advertise as “complementary meals” or “emergency meals” (not as “School Lunch”).
Maximize communication by using your district’s social media and online platforms. Include photos of menus and featured ingredients.
Include delivery site information and picture of location (or a picture of the delivery vehicle).
Always reiterate that the meals are free for everyone!
If you need more information, support, and/or training, contact Maine DOE Child Nutrition Office at 207-624-6842.
Maine DOE Newsroom 
