Category: Newsroom Articles

Reminder: Registration Open for Inclusive Education Conference on April 10

Join the Maine Department of Education (DOE) for the state’s first Inclusive Education Conference on Thursday, April 10, 2025, at the Augusta Civic Center. The conference theme is “Reimagining Education: Empowering All Learners, Embracing All Abilities.” It will provide school communities (educators, administrators, families, and students) with the tools necessary to empower every student, particularly those with disabilities, by embracing diverse abilities and ensuring that all students have the support they need to build inclusive, meaningful futures.

The Maine DOE Office of Special Services and Inclusive Education and the University of Maine at Farmington are hosting this conference. The keynote speaker will be Katie Novak, an internationally renowned education consultant, author, graduate instructor at the University of Pennsylvania, and a former Assistant Superintendent of Schools in Massachusetts. Dr. Novak’s keynote address will focus on an introduction to inclusive education practices and structures in schools. She will also hold three sessions on Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

The conference will feature students, families, educators, administrators, university faculty, and Maine DOE staff from across the state, as well, who will share their expertise and experiences with inclusion in schools and communities.

Please gather a team of your school colleagues and meet us in Augusta this spring! The cost of the daylong conference (8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.) is $175 and includes lunch, as well as a wealth of information and resources.

Register here. (Please note that technical issues with the event registration website have been resolved.)

For more information, please reach out to Maine DOE Special Projects for Inclusion Coordinator Tracy Whitlock at tracy.w.whitlock@maine.gov. Click here to learn more about the conference and other inclusive programming.

Five Maine Teachers Honored with Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching

On January 13, 2025, President Biden announced 336 teachers and mentors from across the nation as recipients of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) and the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM). These awards honor the vital role that America’s teachers and mentors play in shaping the next generation of technical leaders, including scientists, engineers, explorers, and innovators.

The recently-announced honorees were recognized from 2021 through 2023 and included five Maine educators.

Maine’s 2021-2023 PAEMST Awardees:

Nominees complete a rigorous application process to demonstrate deep content knowledge and an ability to adapt to a broad range of learners and teaching environments. A panel of distinguished mathematicians, scientists, and educators at the state and national levels assesses nominations before recommending awardees to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). Teachers are selected based on their distinction in the classroom and dedication to improving STEM education.

A national selection committee assesses the nominations before recommending awardees to the National Science Foundation and OSTP. The National Science Foundation, which manages PAEMST and PAESMEM on behalf of OSTP, provides each recipient $10,000.

Established in 1983, the PAEMST is the highest award K-12 math and science teachers can receive from the U.S. government. Award recipients represent schools and organizations from all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) schools, and the U.S. territories (American Samoa, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and U.S. Virgin Islands).

Nominations are currently open for the 2024-2025 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science (PAEMST). Please consider nominating an excellent grade 7-12 educator or applying on the PAEMST website. The deadline to nominate/apply is Thursday, February 6, 2025.

For more information, please visit PAEMST (www.paemst.org) and PAESMEM (www.paesmem.net) online.

 

 

WEBINAR: Lights, Stage, Learn – The Transformative Power of Theater in Education

Join Maine Department of Education (DOE) Arts Integration Teacher Leader Fellow Joshua Chard and special guests Reba Askari, Emily Dixon, and Allison McCall from the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine for an engaging and interactive webinar that explores how theater can enrich classroom learning and foster creativity, empathy, and critical thinking in students.

Educators will gain practical strategies for integrating theatrical techniques into lessons to make subjects more dynamic and relatable. Additionally, the session will highlight the lasting impact of exposing students to live theater performances, from sparking curiosity to deepening cultural awareness.

The Children’s Theatre of Maine was established in 1924 and continues to offer professional theater for young audiences at Maddy’s Theater, located at the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine at Thompson’s Point in Portland. Join us to inspire your students through the magic of storytelling and performance!

The webinar will take place on Wednesday, February 5, from 3:15- 4:15 p.m. via Zoom.

Join the webinar here. (There is no need to register in advance).

The Maine DOE Teacher Leader Fellow program is part of the Maine DOE Office of Teaching and Learning. For additional information, please contact Joshua Chard at joshua.chard@maine.gov.

Maine Surplus Property – January Update for Educational Institutions

If you missed the Maine Department of Education (DOE) Newsroom article with details about the Maine Surplus Property Donee Program, you can read it here.

Does your school need desks, filing cabinets, or other furniture? Could your custodial crew use additional cleaning/maintenance supplies or equipment? Is your career and technical education program looking for used computers, vehicles, or machinery as a refurbishing project?

Maine Surplus Property has these and other items available! Open this PDF to view some of the current inventory.

Approved donees may stop by Maine Surplus Property at 85 Leighton Road in Augusta on Mondays through Fridays between 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to purchase items from the warehouse.

Not an approved donee yet? Members of the general public may purchase items during the Maine Surplus Property public sale on the second Friday of each month.

For more information, please visit Maine Surplus Property. You can also sign up here to receive automatic updates!

Registration Open for 2025 Extended Learning Opportunity (ELO) Winter Workshop

Maine educators are invited to register for the 2025 Extended Learning Opportunity (ELO) Winter Workshop, hosted by Jobs for Maine Graduates (JMG). This event will take place on February 25 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Bangor and is appropriate for a range of backgrounds – from experienced ELO facilitators who are seeking to refine their approach to educators new to this innovative curriculum delivery method who are interested in learning more.

ELOs are recognized in Maine statute as an educational pathway offering students personalized and hands-on learning experiences that connect academic standards with real-world opportunities. The Winter Workshop is designed to equip participants with the knowledge and tools needed to create or enhance ELOs to better support student success.

Highlights of this workshop include:

  • Interactive Sessions: Dive into microlearning, application activities, and guided work sessions tailored to specific needs.
  • Peer Collaboration: Connect with fellow educators and ELO experts to share best practices and strategies.
  • Practical Takeaways: Learn how to align ELOs with state learning standards, integrate group-based approaches, and leverage the ELO Learning Management System on Canvas.
  • Student Voices: Hear firsthand from Maine students about the transformative impact of ELOs on their learning journeys.

Thanks to funding provided by the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development’s Maine Career Exploration Program, registration and food costs for participants are fully covered by JMG. Attendees will also receive a certificate for five contact hours, applicable toward educator recertification.

With spaces filling quickly, now is the time for educators to secure a spot. Please register here.

For more information, check out the official event flyer. Please contact JMG’s ELO Coach Shayna Webber at swebber@jmg.org with any questions.

Maine DOE and DHHS to Host Annual Foster Care Points of Contact Training on January 30

The Annual Foster Care Points of Contact (POC) training for school administrative units (SAUs) is scheduled for Thursday, January 30, at 3:30 p.m. via Zoom. Hosted by the Maine Department of Education (DOE) and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS), this event will bring together the foster care POCs from individual SAUs, as well as regional foster care POCs from the OCFS.

The purpose of this yearly training is to review foster care provisions, to review the State of Maine Transportation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Maine DOE and DHHS, and to provide those working most closely with youth in foster care an opportunity to network with counterparts across the state who support students in foster care.

The training will include a formal presentation, followed by an opportunity for SAU foster care POCs to connect with OCFS foster care POCs (listed below) in small breakout groups where participants will engage in regional-level conversations to share updates, successes, and concerns.

DHHS POC Regions in Maine

OCFS Foster Care Points of Contact for Education​

More Information About Educational Protections for Children in Foster Care  

The federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed on December 10, 2015, and amended the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). ESSA contains provisions related to protections for children in foster care and requires the Maine DOE and SAUs to collaborate with the OCFS to ensure educational stability for children in foster care. The goal of ESSA’s provisions is for children in foster care to experience minimal disruption in their education as a result of being placed in foster care and to receive the same opportunities to develop the necessary skills to be successful as children who are not in foster care.

Under ESSA, the Maine DOE and OCFS must work together to ensure that:

  • A child in foster care will enroll or remain enrolled in the child’s school of origin, unless a determination is made that it is not in the child’s best interest to attend that school.
  • If a determination is made that is not in the child’s best interest to remain in the school of origin, the child will immediately be enrolled in a new school, even if the child and/or his or her guardians are unable to produce records normally required for enrollment.
  • The child’s new school must immediately contact the school of origin to obtain relevant records.

Please consider joining the Director of the Maine DOE Office of School and Student Supports, Julie Smyth, and DHHS Manager of Field Operations, Jill Hunter, for the ’24-’25 Foster Care Points of Contact Meeting on Thursday, January 30. You may register in advance for this meeting here. Upon registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

For questions, please contact Julie Smyth at julie.a.smyth@maine.gov or 207-592-0949.

 

2025 MLTI Student Conference: Call for Session Proposals

The Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) Office of Teaching and Learning (OTL) is issuing a call for session proposals for the 2025 MLTI Student Conference. This annual event is organized by the OTL’s Learning Through Technology team and is a part of the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI). This year’s conference will be held in-person on Thursday, May 22, 2025, at the University of Maine campus in Orono. It is open to grades 5 through 10 in all MLTI school administrative units (SAUs).

The 2025 MLTI Student Conference theme is travel, and the event will use the hashtag #LetsDiriGo. Ideally, sessions will be tailored to that theme, but it’s not a requirement. There are endless possibilities for session topics; however, the focus should be technology-centered and may include traditional technology use, computer science, or even unplugged activities.

Session Proposal Requirements

  • Platform Agnostic: Sessions should not be device-specific.
  • Free Tools and Apps: Sessions should use only free apps and tools that are accessible to all participants.
  • Age Appropriate: Sessions must be suitable for 5th- through 10th-grade MLTI students.
  • Interactive: Sessions should actively engage students in exploration, creation, and collaboration.

Sessions may be led entirely by educators, or students can co-lead with educators. The Maine DOE will also consider session proposals from educational organizations, higher education institutes, and other interested parties directly related to education. For inspiration, session descriptions for the 2024 MLTI Student Conference can be found here.

This year, sessions will be 60 minutes long and should actively engage students in exploration, creation, and collaboration through technology and/or computer science. Presenters should plan to deliver their session twice, unless their schedule prohibits them from doing so.

To submit a session proposal, please complete the 2025 MLTI Student Conference Presentation Proposal Form.

Updated Schedule for the 2025 MLTI Student Conference

8:15 – 9:00 a.m.: Check-in (45 minutes)

9:00 – 9:30 a.m.: Welcome and Opening (30 minutes)

9:45 – 10:45 a.m.: Session 1 for everyone (60 minutes)

11:00 a.m. – noon: Lunch OR Session 2A (60 minutes)

  • Half of students go to lunch at Hilltop or York.
  • Half of students go to Session 2A.
  • Session 2B presenters go to lunch at Bear’s Den.
  • Includes 15 minutes of passing time

12:15 – 1:15 p.m.: Lunch OR Session 2B (60 minutes)

  • Students who attended Session 2A go to lunch at Hilltop or York.
  • Students who attended lunch go to Session 2B.
  • Session 2A presenters go to lunch at Bear’s Den.
  • Includes 15 minutes of passing time

1:30 – 2:30 p.m.: Uber Session and Closing (60 minutes)

Important Dates:

  • Presenters must register to present at the 2025 MLTI Student Conference before March 21.
  • Student registration opens February 3. Upon receipt of all registration materials, a session sign-up link will be provided.
  • The window for student session registration is April 14 through May 2.

If you have questions, please contact the Maine DOE Learning Through Technology team at doe-ltt@maine.gov.

Submit a T-Shirt Design to Represent the 2025 MLTI Student Conference (#LetsDiriGo!)

The Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) is excited to announce a T-shirt design competition for the 22nd annual MLTI Student Conference on May 22, 2025. All students in MLTI schools are invited to unleash their creativity and design the official T-shirt for this in-person event, which will be held at the University of Maine. The theme for this conference is #LetsDiriGo!

Every year, this competition gives student designers a unique opportunity to see their work come to life beyond a computer screen. Last year’s winning designs came from Maranacook Community Middle School in Readfield (for the MLTI Student Conference) and the Samuel L. Wagner Middle School in Winterport (for the MLTI Maine Winter Classic). Other recent winners have included students from Gray-New Gloucester High School, Waterville Junior High School, and Southern Aroostook Community School.

The Maine DOE is, once again, looking forward to selecting a student design for these T-shirts, which will also be available in youth sizes this year. Please review eligibility and submission guidelines for the 2025 MLTI Student Conference T-shirt design competition here. You may submit your entry using this submission form.

Upcoming Competition Dates:

  • March 16, 2025: T-shirt designs due (no late entries accepted)
  • April 4, 2025: finalists selected/winner notified

If you have questions about this contest or need assistance, please contact MLTI Project Manager Bethany Billinger at bethany.billinger@maine.gov.

The Maine Learning Through Technology Initiative (MLTI) is part of the Maine DOE Office of Teaching and Learning. For more information about the MLTI Student Conference, please email doe-ltt@maine.gov.

Maine DOE Tackles Chronic Absenteeism Through State Collaboration; Launches Attendance Toolkit for Maine Schools

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is forging a path to address chronic absenteeism through a transformative collaboration called the Maine Engagement and Attendance Center (MEAC). The group consists of representatives from across Maine DOE offices and teams, as well as members from Count ME In and the Maine Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) collaboration. MEAC has been convening since January of 2024 as a progression of its related work with the U.S. Department of Education’s Student Engagement and Attendance Center (SEAC). This initiative represents a pivotal step in aligning data, policy, and engagement efforts to improve student attendance and outcomes across Maine.

A Unified Approach to Addressing Chronic Absence

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is committed to addressing chronic absenteeism through a systemic approach that leverages collaboration, data-driven strategies, and the expertise of both Maine’s education workforce and national thought leaders. At the core of this work is the understanding that improving attendance requires cohesive efforts across schools, communities, and state agencies.

Guided by input from educators and constituents, the Maine Engagement and Attendance Center (MEAC) is addressing critical questions to advance its efforts, such as:

  • How can data be used to inform policy and support schools more effectively?
  • What tools and guidance can help educators to understand and combat chronic absenteeism?
  • How can messaging be streamlined to create awareness and foster community partnerships?

MEAC’s efforts include creating resources like attendance literacy guides, exploring root causes of chronic absenteeism through data analysis, and fostering statewide engagement to share best practices.

Why Does Attendance Matter?

Like other schools across the nation, Maine schools have experienced increasing percentages of students being chronically absent between 2018 and 2022 (Attendance Works/John Hopkins University, 2025). Students who miss more than 10% of their school days – whether absences are excused, unexcused, or disciplinary – are experiencing chronic absenteeism. These students are at a higher risk of reduced academic achievement, dropping out of school, and delayed graduation.

Improving attendance requires a comprehensive approach that considers various factors, such as physical health, mental wellbeing, school climate, and family circumstances. The integration of support services and collaboration among educational organizations and programs are essential components of efforts to improve student attendance and, consequently, their overall educational outcomes.

Attendance Toolkit for Maine Schools

In August of 2024, the Maine Engagement and Attendance Center (MEAC) launched the Maine Department of Education (DOE) Attendance Toolkit for Maine schools. It provides subject area content, resources, and strategies to help school staff understand how attendance can impact a variety of health factors for students as it relates to health services, school climate, family engagement, and community involvement.

Toolkit Deep Dive: A 4-Part Series

To further empower schools and educators, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) is launching a 4-part series to deeply explore the Maine DOE Attendance Toolkit. Each month, participants will delve into specific sections of the toolkit, examining resources and strategies designed to increase student attendance. The sessions will also feature specialists, offering a unique opportunity for schools to ask questions and develop actionable plans for implementation.

Session details:

  • January 27, 2025: Introduction to the Toolkit and Exploring the Basics
  • February 24, 2025: Examine School Climate and Student Supports
  • March 24, 2025: Investigate Comprehensive Health Education and Employee Wellness
  • April 28, 2025: Explore Health Services and Begin Developing Your Action Plan

This series is designed to provide targeted guidance for schools, ensuring the tools and strategies are integrated effectively into their systems to address attendance challenges. Please use this link to register.

Impact Beyond the Maine DOE

The work within the Maine Engagement and Attendance Center (MEAC) has the potential to resonate far beyond internal meetings. By strengthening its systems, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) is setting the stage to empower schools, engage families, and ensure that every student has the support they need to thrive. As MEAC continues to build on its strategies, this work will inspire solutions for educators and policymakers across the state and beyond.

With plans to expand its reach and share its progress, the Maine DOE invites the education community to join its work in addressing chronic absenteeism. Together, these efforts reaffirm the department’s commitment to fostering equity and excellence for all Maine learners.

For more information, please contact Sarah Nelson, Maine DOE Student Engagement Specialist, at sarah.nelson@maine.gov.

Maine DOE Seeking Educators to Develop the Next Round of MOOSE Modules

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is seeking educators to develop interdisciplinary MOOSE modules that align with, and provide real-world context for, Maine Learning Results standards and existing Maine DOE resources.

The Maine Online Open-Source Education (MOOSE) platform, which is managed by the Maine DOE Office of Teaching and Learning, provides free, interdisciplinary, project-based learning materials created by Maine teachers for Maine pre-K through grade 12 students. The MOOSE Team is constantly expanding its content to meet educator needs and provide resources that highlight ongoing and emerging initiatives of the Maine DOE.

The Maine DOE is currently looking for Maine educators to bring a variety of perspectives and skills to the development of MOOSE modules. Modules in this round will emphasize the real-world application of math concepts within a highly-interdisciplinary context. Educators from all disciplines are encouraged to apply, as a mix of expertise is critical to creating rich, meaningful learning experiences that integrate multiple subject areas.

Applicants must be available for weekly meetings on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 4-5 p.m. beginning in March and must be able to dedicate three to six hours outside of that time per week to creating materials. Interdisciplinary cohorts will be formed for educators who want to work in an elementary, middle, or high school context. Within cohorts, teams of three to four people will create individual modules over the course of 16 weeks (with an end date of June 15) under the guidance of the Maine DOE MOOSE specialists.

The MOOSE Team will hold a recorded information session on Monday, February 3 at 4 p.m. That recording will be directly mailed to all registrants and will be posted on the Maine DOE website. Registration for the Zoom meeting can be found here.

Please apply for this opportunity here. Applications are due by Sunday, February 16. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance to the program by Friday, February 21, and will attend their first meeting on Monday, March 3. Compensation for a fully-developed, approved, and published module by June 15 is $3,000, with no partial or late payments available.

For further questions, please reach out to Maine DOE MOOSE Project Manager Jennifer Page at jennifer.page@maine.gov.