Data, It’s Important!

Accurate and updated data are critically important to helping Maine Department of Education provide the support and information Maine schools need.

Synergy is now open for the 2020-2021 school year

Synergy, Maine Department of Education’s state student information system, is now open for entering 2020-2021 student information, including 2020-2021 enrollments. Information on manually entering and uploading 2020-2021 student data can be found here.

Please note: you will be unable to enter 2020-2021 student data if your organization has yet to complete the Maine Schools module for 2020-2021. You may also encounter issues with entering staff data if Maine Schools is not completed. All public, private, and charter schools, as well as regional programs need to complete the NEO Maine Schools module. There are currently over 50 organizations who have not fully completed this task for 2020-2021.

Information on and instructions for Maine Schools can be found here.

Do we know how to contact you? In order for the Maine Department of Education to be able to communicate effectively with schools and districts, staff contact information needs to be updated as quickly possible when there are changes in staffing. At this point in time, this is particularly important for school and district administrators. The Department is sending many communications via email regarding information and resources related to the pandemic and preparations for returning to instruction. If staff contacts are not up to date, you may miss out on important information. If you have questions about updating contacts, please contact the Helpdesk at 207-624-6896 or medms.helpdesk@maine.gov.

Please join us for a webinar on this topic, “Updating and Maintaining Contact Information”–Thursday, August 13, from 1 to 2 pm. Please use this link to register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3350901731697602574

PRIORITY NOTICE: Update for Personal Protective Equipment Ordering

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other materials have been ordered by the Maine Department of Education (DOE) for the purpose of supplementing the supplies of Maine’s public schools and certain other educational organizations that serve publicly funded students. This supplemental supply of materials includes items for the use of both staff in public schools and publicly funded students.

We STRONGLY encourage all eligible organizations to place their orders as soon as possible. In addition, it is important to note that the transport and delivery teams are working expeditiously to get supplies across the state, therefore it is critical that they are able to make contact and deliver at the established times. Please confirm correct contact information and deploy your team to be ready to accept delivery as scheduled.

The table below shows what types of organizations can order PPE and other materials, and the users (student and/or staff) that are included. Please note that the approved amounts are necessarily based on imperfect estimates of need, and for that reason DOE intends to review the use of the materials early in the school year in order to adjust the calculations for potential, additional orders.

Type of Organization	How the Organization Orders and Receives Materials from DOE	Supported PPE Users
Regional School Unit, School Administrative District, Municipal School Unit, Maine Indian Education, Community School District, “Town Academy”, and Charter School	Direct from the state warehouse to the school unit using the online ordering system.	Staff and publicly funded students
Career and Technical Education	Centers: materials should be ordered via the school unit which serves as the fiscal agent. Regions: materials should be ordered directly via the online ordering system.	Staff and publicly funded students
Private Special Purpose and Non-Traditional Limited Purpose schools	Direct from the state warehouse to the school using the online ordering system.	Publicly funded students
Private Non-Sectarian Schools	Direct from the state warehouse to the school using the online ordering system.	Publicly funded students
Child Development Services	CDS staff at DOE will place the order. CDS regional sites will receive the materials. Organizations serving students funded through Child Development Services (CDS) will need to contact CDS to determine amounts and methods of delivery.	Staff and publicly funded students

In order to ensure that the inventory is not depleted before every organization has had a chance to submit an order, it has been necessary to set approved order amounts for the first order of materials. These amounts were based on a limited timeframe (45 school days) and upon student and staff numbers. Allocations can be found here. A guide for when specific supplies should be used and by whom is available here. The use of materials will be monitored from the start of the school year so that the inventory and additional efforts for procurement can be adjusted in line with demonstrated need.

Seeking Innovative Educational Leaders to join Maine’s Leadership Development Program 

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is pleased to announce the opportunity for Maine leaders to participate in the 2020-2021 Maine Leadership Development Program (LDP) cohort!  The Maine LDP is an initiative designed to build and strengthen instructional leadership skills among Maine’s educational leaders at the school, district, and state levels. In our ongoing efforts to support and foster the educational expertise in Maine, educators who aspire to do the same are invited to take advantage of this high impact opportunity!  

During the 2019-2020 school year, The Maine DOE partnered with the National Institute for School Leadership (NISL) to prepare the first cohort of candidates to become certified trainers and facilitators of future cohorts.  The 2020-2021 cohort will be led by Maine leaders committed to excellence in education.    

Maine’s LDP is delivered through a blended learning model including case studies, inquiry, and hands-on activities with practical applications that meet the rigorous expectations for today’s educational leaders.  Successful completion of the LDP may contribute to credit hours for participants pursuing an advanced degree or contact hours for re-certification purposes. 

Benefits for Maine Schools 

Prepares educational leaders to lead for excellence and equity 
Increases student achievement, and fosters a culture of high expectations 
Enhances teacher recruitment, retention, and quality

Program Curriculum 

Nationally researched, evidenced-based, and locally delivered in a cohort model 
Improves the practice of leadership, transforms instruction and student achievement in schools 
Consists of 12 two-day units, delivered in 12 months 
Bridged with online coursework, readings, and job-embedded application of key concepts through action learning

Characteristics of Ideal Candidates 

A belief in and commitment to improving instruction and increasing achievement for all students 
Experience in a leadership role at the school, district, and/or state level with background as a classroom teacher. Ideal candidates include, but are not limited to, teachers, principals, assistant principals, instructional coaches, deans, Title I directors, department leaders, ESEA coordinators, special education directors, English Learner directors, assistant superintendents, instruction and curriculum directors, CTE instructors, CTE directors, and superintendents. Priority will be given to educational leaders from schools identified to receive Tier III support throughout Maine. 
Excellent communications skills; able to effectively facilitate professional development for peers 
Demonstrated skills in mentoring and coaching 
Experience as a successful practitioner who is able to translate concepts to actions, theory to practice, and programs to craft 
Able to participate in the entire Maine LDP Program and deeply engage in action learning  
Likely to live and work in Maine for the next five years

The Department encourages educational leaders to consider applying for this exciting opportunity by September 4, 2020.  

Please visit http://www.maine.gov/doe/educators/maineldp to hear from participants and for more information.

View the program schedule at https://www.maine.gov/doe/educators/maineldp/application and download the application by clicking here.

For more information please email emily.doughty@maine.gov.

Free US ED Webinar: Vetting Apps and Education Technology

The Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO) through the Privacy Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) is planning an event that addresses Vetting Apps and Education Technology.

As technology and online learning has become an ingrained part of education for students at all grade levels and subjects, education leaders have had to learn to interpret vendor claims, identify education technology needs, and communicate those to groups, ranging from parents to teachers to the vendors themselves. Integral to planning is the need to protect students’ privacy.

This webinar will examine strategies educators can use to vet the claims of education technology vendors, with a specific focus on privacy issues around FERPA and PPRA. We will highlight existing PTAC resources on the topic, as well as delve into security best practices in order to facilitate schools’ and agencies’ own analysis of security protections within these new applications.

This event will have limited capacity, and further details will be sent after your registration request has been approved. For those unable to attend, the event will be recorded and made available on the studentprivacy.ed.gov website.

Event: Vetting Apps and Education Technology
When: Wednesday 12 August 2020, 12:00 PM – 04:00 PM
Time Zone: (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US and Canada) (Please note that Daylight Saving Time (+01:00 hr) is in effect during this time)
To register now, please visit the following link: https://aemcorp.adobeconnect.com/ecm7k5n0thql/event/registration.html
To know more about the event, please visit our website: https://aemcorp.adobeconnect.com/ecm7k5n0thql/event/event_info.html

FREE Technical Support to Collaborative Planning Teams and Emergency Operations Planning

Beginning Monday, August 10 and Wednesday, August 12, Department of Education’s Maine School Safety Center will begin offering twice weekly office hours to answer any questions schools may have concerning their emergency operations plans (EOPs). This is a general effort to offer support and guidance for schools and their collaborative planning teams(CPTs) for all issues regarding their EOPs.

Office Hours will be available from 9:00 to 11:00 every Monday and Wednesday through September 9, 2020, and can be scheduled in advance by contacting MSSC’s Emergency Operations Planning Officer, Melissa Condon at 207-446-0862 or Melissa.A.Condon@Maine.gov. The MSSC team will provide a zoom meeting or phone consultation, as requested.

Get to Know the Maine DOE Team: Meet Jaci Holmes

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

What are your roles with DOE?

My position functions as the Federal Liaison of the Legislative section and serves as a member of the Commissioner’s Directors team. My primary focus is to provide specialized expertise on federal statutory and regulatory development and the advocacy of federal legislative activity in coordination with the Congressional staff, and to assist the Director of Policy and Governmental Affairs and the Legislative Director on State statutory and rules development and the advocacy of State legislative activity. I am directly involved with the State Educational Agency’s performance management specifically in reviewing certain Federal Performance reports for the Commissioner. I oversee the US Department of Education Federal Performance Site Reviews, develop the Report of the New Federal Mandates each October, and serve as the rulemaking liaison for all Department rulemaking. During this pandemic period I serve on the ESSER Team reviewing the SAU applications, developing the monitoring protocols for examining the utilization of the CARES Act funding, and reviewing any reporting activities.

What do you like best about your job?

I enjoy working with staff across the department as we look at: refinements in public policy, rule development and refinement, the impacts of proposed federal and state legislation on Maine educators, children and families. Maine is very fortunate to have a strong working relationship with our Congressional delegation who stay in touch with me in my Liaison role to examine the impact of new bills, federal stabilization bills over the years and proposed reauthorizations of federal statutes such as IDEA, Perkins, and ESEA.

How or why did you decide on this career?

My career in education has evolved over time. I began as a kindergarten and first grade teacher, moved on to higher education preparing individuals to become early childhood educators and then to the Maine Department of Education initially to support state level program coordination for early childhood special education. Over time state and then federal advocacy became a large part of my responsibilities. I enjoy the ever changing nature of the work and the opportunity to influence the education policy.

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

I thoroughly enjoy being on the ocean. I have competitively raced with a great sailing crew, and now enjoy meandering around Casco Bay in my power boat watching the eagles, ospreys, seals and occasionally catching a fish! Love to travel as well.

Sarah Bailey Named 2020 Maine History Teacher of the Year

Sarah Bailey, a teacher at South Portland High School, has been named the 2020 Maine State History Teacher of the Year, an award presented annually by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to K-12 American history education.

Inaugurated in 2004, the History Teacher of the Year Award highlights the crucial importance of history education by honoring exceptional American history teachers from elementary school through high school. The award honors one K-12 teacher from each state, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense schools and US Territories. In fall 2020, the National History Teacher of the Year will be selected from the pool of state winners.

Sarah Baily, Social Studies Teacher and Department Chair at South Portland High School, is a most deserving recipient of this prestigious honor. In 2003, she received a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education Social Studies with a double minor in American History and Business from Colby Sawyer College, and in 2004, she completed a one-year intensive program to receive a Master’s of Science in Secondary Education Social Studies from the University of Connecticut. Sarah Bailey’s dedication to learning has been a hallmark of her classroom. She has earned certifications in digital learning and as a National Geographic Certified educator, and her students have received the benefit of teaching that brings many different parts of the globe into her classroom. Sarah Bailey has high expectations for her students and helps them rise to any challenge. She has received many awards during her teaching career, including being chosen as a National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) presenter multiple times. Sarah is also a featured presenter for National Council for Geography. In 2017 Sarah was recognized by the Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine as an outstanding teacher for her teaching on the Holocaust. She was also a member of the Maine DOE Social Studies Teacher Leader Cohort during the 2018-19 school year and led webinars for the Maine DOE during the 2019-20 school year. When not teaching and learning, Sarah enjoys spending time with her family, and is an avid reader, traveler, and beachgoer.

In addition to a $1,000 honorarium, Sarah Bailey’s school will receive a core archive of American history books and Gilder Lehrman educational materials and recognition at a ceremony in Maine.

Nominations for the 2021 History Teacher of the Year awards are now open. Students, parents, colleagues, and supervisors may nominate K-12 teachers for the award by visiting gilderlehrman.org/nhtoy. The deadline for 2021 nominations is March 31, 2021.

Teach in Maine! Specially-designed Webinar for Out-of-State Educators #TeachMaine #LiveAndWorkInMaine

Are you interested in teaching in one of the most healthy, healthful, beautiful, and interesting states in the nation? One that values autonomy, innovation, and creativity in teaching? One that values equity and diversity? Then this is the session for you! Our team is excited to share information with you regarding Maine’s certification process, tips for successful searches for current openings, avenues for completing coursework, supports in place for newly-hired educators, and the benefits of teaching in Maine! #TeachMaine #LiveAndWorkInMaine

Date: August 11, 1:00 PM (EST)

Host: Maine Department of Education: Office of Higher Education and Educator Support Services (Session will be recorded and available on the MDOE web site)

Contact: For more information contact Emily Doughty at Emily.doughty@maine.gov or 207-592-0314

Register now for this webinar

Notification Regarding the Maine Department of Education Accommodations Policy

A policy on Requesting Reasonable Accommodations in dispute resolution matters has been reviewed and approved by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights and adopted by the Maine Department of Education.

The Maine DOE is making this information available by posting it on the Maine DOE’s Special Services website. The link to the policy and procedures is available at https://www.maine.gov/doe/learning/specialed/director

Professional Learning Opportunity: Reopening Maine School Libraries

The Maine Association of School Libraries (MASL) is hosting a webinar on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 from 4:00 – 5:00 pm to explore the issues around the reopening of Maine school libraries.

With Janet McKenney, from the Maine State Library, Jennifer Alvino, Director of the Windham Public Library, along with representatives from Maine’s CDC and the DOE, the webinar will identify solutions to the problems librarians will face as they plan to safely reopen their facilities this fall while continuing to facilitate learning, support curriculum, and promote literacy.

To register for this free event, open to all Maine educators, visit this link: http://www.maslibraries.org/events