Get to Know the DOE Team: Meet Karen Kusiak

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

What are your roles with DOE?

During, before, and after the Legislative session I support the policy team with analyses of bills that relate to education. I follow hearings, testimony, amendments, work sessions, voting in the chambers of the Legislature, and the Governor’s actions on bills. In all seasons, I organize responses for, or respond to, formal inquiries about education that are submitted to the Governor’s Office or that come from members of the Legislature. During pandemic times, I have been working on a team to review and coordinate school districts’ applications for federal relief through ESSER and through the second round of funding in the state’s Coronavirus Relief Fund.

What do you like best about your job?

I learn something new about at least one federal or state law, rule, policy, practice – or a nuance of law, rule, policy, or practice – practically every day.

How or why did you decide on this career?

Education found me over 40 years ago; I didn’t think I wanted to be a teacher. However, after I stumbled into a Title One aide position (before Maine used the term “Ed Tech”) I quickly became a certified teacher (via alternate route) then special educator, special education administrator, and teacher educator who prepared future teachers to be critically aware of practices and policies that marginalized some students or undermined public schools and the practice of education. I was and continue to be particularly dismayed about neoliberal education policies of the last decade or more, and worked to change them. I’m delighted today to be part of a team that is focusing on education equity from inside government.

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

I enjoy independent cinema, cooking, travel (when I can…), reading, time with my two daughter who moved “away,” and keeping up with the news. This summer and fall I have made a point to find new places to put my kayak in the water and new Maine Trails to walk. Before the pandemic, I enjoyed rowing Cornish pilot gigs in Belfast Harbor.

Maine DOE to Host Virtual Briefing for Legislators on 10/15 at 11am

Maine Department of Education Commissioner Pender Makin and Deputy Commissioner Dan Chuhta will host a virtual briefing for legislators on Thursday, October 15, 2020 from 11 am – 12 pm.

Maine school leaders have successfully welcomed back students from Kittery to Madawaska while facing multiple challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers and school staff are working tirelessly to provide education and support services to children statewide. Commissioner Makin will provide an update on the ongoing work occurring in schools, recent initiatives that the department has undertaken as part of our continued provision of resources and support for students and educators, and answer questions.

The update will occur for one hour and can be viewed live via YouTube.

Resilience Strategies for Educators: Techniques for Self-Care and Peer Support

Created in partnership with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Supportive Schools (OSSS), the Resilience Strategies for Educators: Techniques for Self-Care and Peer Support (RSE) Train-the-Educator (TtE) Virtual Training by Request (VTBR) is a virtual learning opportunity for caregivers in schools and school districts to better understand, and teach others, resilience strategies following emergency events.

TRAINING DETAILS
When: Monday, October 26, 2020
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET
Training Link: https://remstacenter.adobeconnect.com/rse-tte-augusta-maine-school-safety-center/
Cost: NO CHARGE

Register for this virtual training session online at: https://www.remstacenter.org/TBR/TrainingRegistration.aspx?trainingsid=4349

Registration for this event closes on Friday, October 23, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. (ET).

For more information, download this flyer (PDF).

This class kicks off the Maine Department of Education (DOE) Maine School Safety Center’s 2020-2021 training series. MSSC will be hosting a different class every month for the next 5 months:

Resilience Strategies for Educators: Techniques for Self-Care and Peer Support Train-the-Educator
Developing Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs) K-12 101 Train-the-Trainer
Developing Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs) K-12 101 Train-the-Educator
School Behavioral Threat Assessments: An Introduction
Conducting K-12 Site Assessments with SITE ASSESS

For more information contact the Maine School Safety Center.

Outdoor Learning Grants up to $1500 available to Maine PreK-12 Schools – Apply by 10/19

The Maine Environmental Education Association (MEEA) is pleased to be offering mini-grants to Maine educators and schools to support outdoor learning during the 2020/21 school year. Teachers and schools from across Maine who need support to build and expand their classes outdoors are encouraged to apply.

Eligibility Criteria: All Maine Public (Pre-K -12) teachers and schools are invited to apply but preference will be given to schools with a high need (determined using most recent Maine DOE % Eligible Free & Reduced Lunch data)

Applicants can submit a request for up to $1,500

Other Important Information for your consideration before applying:

Only one grant made per school
We have limited funding we aim to distribute funds across the state
All funds must be spent by April 15, 2021
Reporting must be completed by April 30, 2021

How can this funding be used to advance outdoor learning in your school?

Purchasing gear for outdoor learning (like buckets, nets, individual learning kits etc)
Mud suits/protective outerwear
Professional development for outdoor classrooms
Training for outdoor education for staff
Outdoor classroom infrastructure (picnic benches, tents, etc.)
Other ideas will be considered (with explanation)

Application Due: October 19th 11:59 pm. Please note: You need to complete and submit the grant application using this google form. This document helps you see all the questions ahead of time so you can prepare your answers before you submit them in the google online form. More info here.

Other Resources to Support You!:

The Maine Environmental Education Association is also part of the Nature Based Education Consortium (NBEC) where we work with organizations, schools and educators across the state to build policy and structures to advance outdoor learning for ALL Maine youth. At NBEC we have built an outdoor learning online portal that has training videos, funding opportunities and resources to help you implement outdoor learning and to assist you in making the case for expanded outdoor and environmental learning in your school. https://www.nbeconsortium.com/outdoor-learning-schools

MEDIA RELEASE: Maine DOE and DHHS Release Dashboard of COVID-19 Cases in Maine Schools

Maine DOE and DHHS Release Dashboard of COVID-19 Cases in Maine Schools

AUGUSTA — Today, the Maine Department of Education (DOE), in collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), released an online dashboard of COVID-19 cases in Maine schools, complementing the information provided by schools to help parents, students, and staff make informed decisions about their health and safety.

The dashboard lists pre-K through Grade 12 public and private schools that have one or more COVID-19 cases among Maine residents, including those that have had an outbreak of COVID-19 that remains open, within the last 30 days. Cases are included if the infected individual lives in Maine and is associated with the school (as either a staff member or student) and was physically present on campus, including participating in group school activities such as sports. The number of cases is suppressed to protect privacy in any school with fewer than 5 cases.

The Departments will update this dashboard, which is posted on the DOE website, every Tuesday and Thursday.

In the last 30 days, four pre-K through 12 schools have had COVID-19 outbreaks: Sanford High School, Massabesic Middle School in East Waterboro, Community Regional Charter School in Cornville and Skowhegan, and Coastal Ridge Elementary School in York. During the same period, 55 other schools had at least one case of COVID-19, including out-of-state schools with Maine residents. Including both confirmed and probable cases, 112 cases have been associated with schools to date this school year.

The rate of COVID-19 in schools in line with the overall prevalence of COVID-19 in Maine. With 223,813 students and staff in Maine schools, the number of cases represents a case rate of 5.0 per 10,000 over the past 30 days. The rate for the entire state over the same period was 6.7 per 10,000. The demographics of people in schools differ from that of the state, accounting for some of this difference.

Maine CDC works with DOE to respond to cases of COVID-19 associated with schools, including contact tracing, as outlined under a standard operating procedure. Additionally, DHHS has deployed on-site testing at Sanford High School and Massabesic Middle School in partnership with the schools’ administrative units. The Mills Administration has worked with schools on procedures to prevent and limit school-based spread of the coronavirus. It issued guidance in July through the Framework for Reopening Schools and Returning to In-Person Instruction that has been periodically updated. It has also provided technical assistance and up to $329 million in Coronavirus Relief Funds to support implementation of health and safety protocols during the pandemic.

This new dashboard is part of the Mills Administration’s approach to COVID-19, which is to provide information, support, and policies to balance safety with re-opening Maine’s economy and schools.

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Maine DOE Update – October 9, 2020

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

Important Reminder and Webinar Assistance: Due Date Approaches for Quarter 1 (Q1) Attendance, Behavior, Bullying, and Truancy Data Review

In order to assist SAUs with their legislatively mandated data reporting, the Maine Department of Education Data Team is offering a free webinar to review the requirements and new features. The webinar is strongly encouraged for those responsible for the compilation and entry of the required data. | More

| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |

News & Updates

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

The Mills Administration released its regularly scheduled update to its color-coded Health Advisory System that classifies counties’ relative risk of COVID-19 transmission by color. It is provided to assist schools as they continue with their plans to deliver instruction and support students safely this fall. | More

MEDIA RELEASE: Portland 4th Grade Teacher Named 2021 Maine Teacher of the Year

In a unique, limited audience outdoor event held at the Gerald E. Talbot Community School in Portland, the Maine Department of Education and Educate Maine named fourth grade teacher Cindy Soule Maine’s 2021 Teacher of the Year. Students and colleagues at the school were able to watch the event via a live broadcast from their classrooms. | More

Resources for Schools to Address Tobacco Use, Vaping

The MaineHealth Center for Tobacco Independence and local District Tobacco Prevention Partners have free resources to support Maine schools in addressing tobacco use and vaping. | More

Resources for Celebrating Indigenous People in Schools

In recognition of Indigenous People and the upcoming Indigenous Peoples’ Day holiday, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) is sharing resources and information that educators and schools can use to integrate Native American history and culture into classrooms and school activities to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day and to teach and honor our native culture year round. | More

Maine Schools Join Others Around the Nation to Recognize 2020 National School Bus Safety Week October 19-23

2020 National School Bus Safety Week theme: Red Lights Mean Stop! The theme is derived from the Poster Contest the year before. The 2019 winning poster, depicted above, was drawn by Bryan Torres-Tavarez, a 12th Grader at Stars Academy in Paterson, NJ. | More

MEDIA RELEASE: Maine Department of Education Opens Applications for 2020/2021 Student Cabinet

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) today announced that it is opening applications for the 2020/2021 Student Cabinet, a group of students that meet regularly with Commissioner Makin and other leaders at the Maine DOE to discuss educational opportunities, improvements, and policy. The purpose of the Student Cabinet is to provide a forum for Maine students’ voices to be heard. | More

MEDIA RELEASE: Maine FrontLine WarmLine Now Available to Support Maine School Staff

The “Maine FrontLine WarmLine” is now expanding its services to include Maine’s educators and school staff. The Maine FrontLine WarmLine is a phone support service that provides Maine’s essential health care workers, first responders, and now school staff with help in managing the stress of providing essential services during our fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The volunteers help callers address concerns with anxiety, irritability, poor sleep, grief or worry and, if needed, connect them with additional supports. | More

Maine Career Development Association Hosts Art & Poetry Contest for Maine Students

In celebration of National Career Development Month in November, the Maine Career Development Association is sponsoring a statewide Poetry & Art contest, that is open to students and adults state-wide. | More

Get to Know the Maine DOE Team: Meet Emily Doughty

Maine DOE Team member Emily Doughty is being highlighted this week as part of the Get to Know the Maine DOE Team. Learn a little more about Emily. | More

Maine Schools Sharing Success Stories

How Ashland District School has Adapted to Make Music Education a Priority
RSU 16 Gets Creative to Offer In-Person Adult Ed Graduation

| Submit your Maine School Success Story |

Professional Development & Training Opportunities

Register Now for the ACTEM 2020 Virtual Fall Conference!

The Association of Computer Technology Educators of Maine’s (ACTEM) annual Fall 2020 conference will be held virtual online this year and is coming up in a couple of weeks on Oct. 20-21st. | More

Attendance Matters: Transforming School Climate and Culture During COVID

This upcoming training offers wo half-day interactive sessions that are relevant for staff working remotely, in-school or hybrid plan. It is offered on Wednesdays, October 28th and November 4th from 12:00-2:45 pm OR Fridays: November 6th and November 13th, 8:15- 11:00 am. | More

FREE Resilience Strategies Training- Save the Date!

SAVE THE DATE! Monday, October 26, 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM – The National Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) in partnership with the Maine Department of Education’s School Safety Center (MSSC) presents Resilience Strategies for Educators and Community Partners: Techniques for Self-Care and Peer Support Train-the Educator | More

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities

View current Maine Department of Education employment opportunities here

FREE Resilience Strategies Training- Save the Date!

SAVE THE DATE! Monday, October 26, 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM

The National Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) in partnership with the Maine Department of Education’s School Safety Center (MSSC) presents!

Resilience Strategies for Educators and Community Partners: Techniques for Self-Care and Peer Support Train-the Educator

This session is designed to provide a learning opportunity for school and district caregivers to better understand, and teach others, resilience strategies following emergency events. (COVID-19 certainly qualifies!) The intended audiences for this training include but are not limited to: school counselors, school psychologists, school social workers, school and district administrators, educators and support staff, and community partners such as local mental/ behavioral health practitioners and SROs/police.

Free participation is limited to 475 attendees.

The registration link will be posted next week. For more information view this flyer (PDF)

The staff at the MSSC hope to see you there, virtually of course!

Important Reminder and Webinar Assistance: Due Date Approaches for Quarter 1 (Q1) Attendance, Behavior, Bullying, and Truancy Data Review

The Quarter 1 Reporting and Certification Webinar will be held on Wednesday, October 14th from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm.

Click here to register

The certification period for Quarter 1 (Q1), which includes attendance, behavior, bullying, and truancy opens October 1st. Review and certification are required by October 15th.

Quarter 1 attendance will be used for the average daily attendance (ADA) reporting requirements for Title V. There will not be a separate Title V ADA collection.

Why? Each year the US Department of Education begins the process for determining Title V eligibility for both the State and Federal grants, starting in late November. Part of that eligibility is asking each state to provide several pieces of data on all their districts, including average daily attendance (ADA). Without this data, no district would be eligible for the Federal (Small Rural Schools Achievement or SRSA) grant, and districts that are eligible for the State (Rural Low-Income Schools or RLIS) grant would get a reduced allocation, as 30% of the allocation formula is based on ADA from all eligible districts.

Attendance data certification can be found here, and guidance on reporting attendance can be found here.
Behavior data certification can be found here, and guidance on reporting behavior can be found here.
Bullying data certification can be found here and guidance on reporting bullying can be found here.
Truancy data certification can be found here, and guidance on reporting truancy can be found here.

If you have difficulties navigating to Synergy or NEO, please call the Helpdesk at 624-6896 or email at medms.helpdesk@maine.gov .

All due dates for reports are listed on the MDOE reporting calendar. All quarterly reports are based on the following months, not on a school’s scheduled quarters:

Quarter One (Q1)– As of Oct 1 (to include July, August, Sept) – due Oct 30
Quarter Two (Q2) – As of Jan 1 (to include Oct through Dec) – due Jan 15
Quarter Three (Q3) – As of April 1 (to include Jan through March) – due April 15
Quarter Four (Q4) – As of July 1 (to include Apr through June) – due July 15

Register Now for the ACTEM 2020 Virtual Fall Conference!

The Association of Computer Technology Educators of Maine’s (ACTEM) annual Fall 2020 conference will be held virtual online this year and is coming up in a couple of weeks on Oct. 20-21st. ACTEM’s mission is to influence and enhance education in Maine through the use of technology. Our conference offers workshops, keynotes and exhibitors centered around this mission. The conference is a popular event for Maine educators each fall.

ACTEM is offering our conference this year for FREE to all current members. If you are not a member of ACTEM you can join for the $20 annual individual membership fee and attend. We know school budgets have been impacted in these difficult times, so we want to provide this valuable PD experience for a very modest cost to Maine educators.

Workshop schedule and information:

This year’s schedule has been changed to an afternoon & evening format so no subs would be necessary. We have also shortened the online workshop sessions to 45-minutes as we all spend more time online. ACTEM has a great lineup of over 60 workshop sessions plus two outstanding keynote speakers. Click the links below for detailed schedule and workshop session descriptions:

Tuesday, Oct. 20th Program

Wednesday, Oct 21st Program

Feature Keynote Speakers:

Anthony Johnson, Jr. — Tuesday, Oct. 20th at 6:30 PM

Currently an Apple executive and formerly a North Carolina teacher that transformed his science and social studies classrooms into “Johnsonville,” a world where each student must find a job, pay the bills, pay mortgage and taxes, and learn by doing projects.

Keynote: My Journey from High School Dropout to Teacher of the Year
In my school years, I was a terrible student and a teacher’s nightmare who stayed in trouble. During that time, I failed 4th, 7th, 8th, and 9th grades before dropping out of high school at the age of 16. I received my G.E.D. and moved from job to job for nearly a decade. In 1998, I lost both my parents six months apart and spent time reflecting on my life and decided to make a change. A year later, I enrolled at Livingstone College and graduated in 4 years with a degree in Elementary Education. My goal is to teach with enthusiasm and give my students a different experience from my own in grade school. Teaching is my passion, and my desire to help young people succeed has allowed me to travel the world as an educator.

Kerry Gallagher — Wednesday, Oct. 21st at 6:30 PM

Assistant Principal for Teaching and Learning at St. John’s Prep in Danvers, MA. She is also the Director of K-12 Education for ConnectSafely.org

Keynote: The People in Your School are the Key to Cybersecurity
How do we keep our students safer in the digital age and in the virtual classroom? Cybersecurity and student data privacy are increasingly important as more of our educational, social and work environments move online during this time. How can we incorporate these best practices in the virtual classroom and how will we work with both parents and students to increase awareness?

Registration for ACTEM 2020 is open at the following link: http://www.actem.org/event-3932165

Attendance Matters: Transforming School Climate and Culture During COVID

You and your team CAN create a positive climate and culture during a pandemic!

Participants will learn:

strategies to build positive climate, improve school culture and decrease chronic absenteeism whether remote, in-person and 6 feet apart
examine how to build healthy relationships within the school community even when behind the screen (staff with students, staff with staff, and staff with families)
explore strategies for difficult conversations among staff, students, and/or families
access a framework (including staff survey) to assess your own school climate and culture through consensus decision-making
leave the workshop with tools to help create a thriving school where all students and staff can feel welcome and be successful

Everyone is welcome. We strongly encourage schools to register teams of 3 – 5 staff. During the training, you will work closely with your team-whether you are in-person or working remotely.

The cost is $80 for each member of the school team (minimum of 3 team members) and $105 for an individual registration. The same team should attend both sessions. The cost covers training and materials. Zoom link will be forwarded after registration.

To register and for more information: Click here or go to https://countmeinmaine.org/newsite/attend-upcoming-trainings/ If you have any questions, contact Susan Lieberman at slieberman@countmeinmaine.org