Lincoln Academy Students are Building a Greenhouse to Support Their Free Summer Program

(The Lincoln Academy edLab students who built the greenhouse deck and foundation to support their outdoor learning space.)

The greenhouse will be a part of Lincoln Academy’s Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative program, LA Launch.

Lincoln Academy’s edLab students have been building a greenhouse to support the school’s new LA Launch Program. This free summer program, funded by the Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative, will support rising 9th graders preparing to enter high school.

The Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative is a statewide effort to increase access to engaging, hands-on outdoor experiences and career exploration for middle and high school students throughout the state. The initiative, created by the Maine Department of Education, was born from a promise made during Governor Mills’ 2022 State of the State Address to provide children with more opportunities to get outside and engage with Maine’s natural beauty following the pandemic.

Students in edLab, Lincoln’s alternative education program, took the lead on the construction project with the help of edLab Director Jody Matta and their teachers. As part of the project, edLab teachers and students researched the town of Newcastle zoning process and received guidance from Town Planner Michael Martone. Students prepared and applied for the building permit. With assistance from the facilities department at Lincoln Academy, edLab students wrestled with the many rocks at the site and dug the foundation area. Along with the base for the Maine Garden Products greenhouse, they also built a deck to be used as an outdoor education space.

“It was a great opportunity for us to learn about the process involved in constructing a new building,” said edLab student Ariel Cowan. “It is information that we will be able to use in the future.”

“Our students worked hard on the greenhouse project, and I am proud of their work,” said Matta. “We look forward to utilizing the greenhouse as a learning space in the future.”

High school students sit at a metal table covered in oyster shells, paper, clipboards, pens and plastic gloves. Some students are inspecting the oysters while others write on their clipboards. — As part of the LA Launch program, students will learn about oyster aquaculture at the University of Maine’s Darling Marine Center.

The LA Launch program is designed to support students as they transition to high school and help them connect with Lincoln Academy while they learn more about their community and the importance of connection in a marine ecosystem.

“The greenhouse is a great resource that will allow LA Launch participants to explore and experiment, which will supplement our field trips to meet with community members and learn more about fishing, aquaculture, boatbuilding, and outdoor recreation,” said Lincoln Academy’s Director of Applied Learning Maya Crosby.

Crosby worked with Heather D’Ippolito, Lincoln Academy’s Director of Community Engagement and Development, to build the LA Launch program and apply for the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative funding. Lincoln Academy was one of more than 60 organizations that received funding through the Maine DOE grant, thanks to an expansion of the program announced by the governor.

The Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative grant covers participants’ transportation and the school is providing lunch. Families interested in enrolling their rising ninth graders in LA Launch should reach out to the program director, Andrew Jonash, at jonash@lincolnacademy.org or visit the Summer at Lincoln Academy page.

Sign Up for the Free Summer Launch Program Here

Maine Garden Products will deliver the greenhouse in mid-July and place it on the prepared base. The project will be completed by the end of July, before the LA Launch program starts in August.

If you live outside the Lincoln Academy district or want an alternative summer program, check out the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative’s search program table. Over a hundred free summer programs are happening all over the state!

The Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative was created with Federal Emergency Relief Funding and is a part of Maine’s Whole Student Pandemic Response. Please visit the Maine DOE Website to learn more about Whole Student Pandemic Response and the many other programs that make it up.

‘Community Day’ Connects Lisbon Community School with Local Businesses

Schools across Maine have begun to implement more career field exposure and post-grad planning. Professional Development sessions (for students), community integration, and activity fairs have been successful ways to pique students’ interests in different career fields.

At Lisbon Community School, teachers and administrators designed a Community Day to help students reflect on what they’ve learned during the school year, build leadership skills, and learn how to become healthy, collaborative, and productive citizens within their community.

Lisbon Community School teachers have implemented the trend into their curriculum with the help of curriculum team leaders. The school has hosted a Community Day, bringing together students in grades Pre-K through 5thfor the past two school years with great success.

The event brings local professionals ranging from brewers, artists, restaurant owners, town credit union members, fire department workers, emergency medical technicians, doctors, and bakers to the school for one day. Professionals did presentations and demos to educate students on their job and business, and students visited their places of business. Not only is this a great way for students to connect with non-school community members, but exposure to potential career opportunities gives them motivation to continue growing as learners and has inspired them to think about future careers.

It’s safe to say that Community Day has been a success over the past two years. During Community Day, students of all grade levels created individual and group standards of behavior. These group conversations allowed students to reflect on which sills and habits they would like to improve on. Having these conversations with different grade levels in the same space allowed for bonding of students of different grade levels. Teachers also made sure to incorporate the importance of social and emotional wellbeing.

Knowing it will be a while until the next annual Community Day, teachers and students created tangible reminders. Grade 4 students and teachers, led by Angel Tibbetts, created a Kindness Quilt, which hangs in the school for all to see. Additionally, Grade 3 students recorded their PSA of shared values and behaviors for when in the school cafeteria. Community Day serves as a reminder for students that there is so much more going on than what is just in their school and provides role models to inspire students to work hard and achieve their goals. The Lisbon community is grateful for this new tradition and is excited to see how Community Day continues to evolve.

Cedar Worster Welcomed as Newest State Board of Education Student Member

The Maine State Board of Education is very pleased to welcome its newest student member. Cedar Worster from Harrison is entering her junior year at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School in South Paris. Cedar is involved in a number of school and community activities including Student Council, the Interact Club, high school athletics, performing with school bands and those focusing on civil rights and diversity, equity and inclusion.

Each year the State Board of Education seeks applications from interested public school sophomores to serve two-year terms during their junior and senior years as non-voting members. The two students, one from each congressional district, are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the legislature. They join nine adult SBE members who truly value what their younger colleagues bring to the table through awareness of what is going on in their schools and other networking activities. In addition, the student members are, with the assistance of the Maine Department of Education, Facilitators and Co-Chairs of the DOE’s Student Cabinet which brings together students from across the state to share topics which are important to them and their fellow students.

Also serving as a student SBE member during the upcoming year is Deering High School Senior Phat Thai.

What Makes a Great School in Maine? Join a Measure What Matters Community Conversation

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is excited to host community meetings across Maine to bring educators, parents, students, and business leaders together to discuss a shared vision for our schools. These in-person conversations will take place in August and September across the state.

We need your voice!

We’re interested in developing relevant ways to recognize and acknowledge what schools are doing to prepare students for success in their lives, a rapidly changing global economy, their careers, and as engaged and productive citizens of Maine. It’s time to measure what matters.

Join us at a community conversation near you to share your thoughts about what makes a great school in Maine, how we can best prepare all of our students to thrive, and how we measure the great things happening in Maine schools. Your thoughts and ideas will be used to develop a portrait of a great school in Maine based on what the people of Maine value for our schools.

Sign up here to join a community conversation near you. See the full list of Measure What Matters Community Conversations below.

Tuesday, August 13, 2024, 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Westbrook High School
Wednesday, August 14, 2024, 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Mt. Ararat High School
Thursday, August 15, 2024, 5:30pm – 7:30pm
York County Community College
Monday, August 19, 2024, 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Penquis Valley High School
Tuesday, August 20, 2024, 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Maranacook High School
Wednesday, August 21, 2024, 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Central Maine Community College
Thursday, August 22, 2024, 5:00pm – 7:00pm
Skowhegan High School
Monday, August 26, 2024, 5:00pm – 7:00pm
Lamoine Consolidated School
Wednesday, August 28, 2024, 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Camden Hills Regional High School
Tuesday, September 10, 2024, 5:30pm – 7:30pm
UMaine Machias
Wednesday, September 11, 2024, 5:00pm – 7:00pm
Bangor High School
Thursday, September 12, 2024, 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Caribou Community School

We look forward to seeing you at a Measure What Matters conversation soon!

No Cost Educational Trip Leader Permit Training Available at Maine DOE Annual Summit

Does your school unit sponsor outdoor learning opportunities in one of the following categories?

Overnight trips away from potable water
Use of non-motorized watercraft on Maine’s waterways

Answering yes to either statement indicates that your school unit requires a school employee or approved volunteer to hold an Educational Trip Leader (ETL) permit to lead outdoor educational trips. Per the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, an educational institution conducting an outdoor educational trip that would normally require a registered Maine guide (trips overnight away from potable water and/or trips that occur on Maine’s waterways) shall provide for every 12 trip participants at least one educational trip leader who holds a valid educational trip leader permit and who is associated with the educational institution. If the person who is conducting the trip holds a valid Maine Guide’s license, then the educational trip leader permit is not required.

On August 6-8, during the 2024 Maine DOE Annual Summit, 18 educators in Maine have the opportunity to receive free Education Trip Leader (ETL) training. The course, Educational Trip Leader Permit and Wilderness First Aid (WFA), is being taught by Sarah Hubert, Registered Maine Guide, and Jeremy Hargreaves, owner of Northeast Whitewater.

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is partnering with Teens to Trails, Northeast Whitewater, and Camp Mechuwana to provide this hands-on training and certification.

Registration for the course is a 3-day commitment, as participants will be immersed in integrating the curriculum and training over the three days. Participants will need to provide their own overnight camping and personal gear and can sleep in their own tent or in a lean-to on the shores of Camp Mechuwana on the nights of Tuesday, August 6^th, and Wednesday, August 7^th.

For more information about the Educational Trip Leader Permits, please visit the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (ETL Permits) or call (207) 287-8000.

For questions regarding the Educational Trip Leader Permit/Wilderness First Aid course for the 2024 Educator Summit, contact Dr. Carolyn Gross (carolyn.gross@maine.gov /207-441-9043).

For general information about the 2024 Educator Summit, please visit the 2024 Maine DOE Annual Summit Event website.

In 2021, Chapter 927: Guides, Youth Camp Trip Leaders and Education Trip Leaders guidance was established by the Maine Legislature and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. An Educational Trip Leader Permit is required for schools and postsecondary institutions in the state of Maine that sponsor trips on waterways and lack of potable water. Read more about this legislation at Chapter 927: Guides, Youth Camp Trip Leaders and Educational Trip Leaders.

Information and Recommendations Regarding the ‘School Health Advisor Role’ Defined in Maine Statue

Under Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 6402-A, each school board shall appoint one or more physicians or family or pediatric nurse practitioners. Some of Maine’s medical providers and school health staff have requested clarification from the Maine Department of Education (DOE) about the law and the role of the school health advisor, which is defined under this law.

While each school administrative district is unique and will create a contract based on its needs, the Maine DOE Coordinated School Health team has collaborated with the Maine Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (MAAP) School Health Committee and Maine Association of School Nurses (MASN) to create a new resource, Maine School Health Advisor Role Template. This document provides a framework and recommendations around Maine school health advisor roles and responsibilities. This template is intended to provide information about the Maine Law as it defines the roles and responsibilities of a school health advisor and offers guidance to the school administrator and school health advisor as they further define the role for their specific school district and student population.

Schools play a critical role in promoting the health and safety of young people and helping them establish lifelong healthy behaviors. A strong partnership with a school health advisor can help create a healthy school environment.

For further information or questions, please get in touch with Maine DOE Coordinated School Health Staff at DOESchoolandStudentSupports@maine.gov . Questions and further information can also be found with the Maine Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (MAAP) School Health Committee and the Maine Association of School Nurses .

New Resources Available to Support PK-12 Literacy and Neuroscience Integration

The Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) Interdisciplinary Instruction Team has created new resources for supporting PK-12 literacy instruction. The Integration of Literacy and Neuroscience suite of resources reflects current research-based practices through a combination of asynchronous professional learning modules, strategies, and additional resources to support student engagement and reading comprehension through the lens of neuroscience. These modules focus on multiple aspects of literacy, including:

Active self-regulation includes engagement and motivation, executive functioning skills, and strategy use in literacy, with the goal of developing engaged, motivated, independent readers.
Word Recognition includes literacy foundational skills such as phonological awareness, alphabetic principles, phonics, decoding, and sight words.
Language Comprehension focuses on Cultural and Other Content Knowledge, including work on the role of students’ prior and background knowledge in improving reading and Theory of Mind, which refers to a reader’s ability to empathize with characters or people in books.
Bridging processes are the tools that readers use to move between word recognition and language comprehension with increasing fluency. Bridging processes are how readers begin to weave together word recognition and language comprehension skills to become more fluent readers.

Access the PK-12 Literacy and Neuroscience Integration Resources here.

To learn more about this exciting resource, please contact Kathy Bertini at Kathy.Bertini@maine.gov.

Maine Participates in First Annual Seal of Biliteracy Summit in DC

The first national Seal of Biliteracy Summit took place in Washington, DC, recently, and representatives from the Maine Department of Education (DOE) attended. The event brought together educators, policymakers, and language advocates to celebrate and promote multilingual education. It highlighted the achievements of students who earned the Seal of Biliteracy, an award recognizing proficiency in English and an additional language.

Left to Right: Ayesha Hall, Maine DOE Director of Strategic Partnerships, and Beth Lambert, Maine's Chief Officer of Teaching and Learning — Left to Right: Ayesha Hall, Maine DOE Director of Strategic Partnerships, and Beth Lambert, Maine’s Chief Officer of Teaching and Learning.

Among the attendees were Beth Lambert, Maine’s Chief Officer of Teaching and Learning, and Ayesha Hall, Maine DOE Director of Strategic Partnerships. The Maine DOE plans to use this celebratory platform to continue promoting equitable access to global engagement opportunities for all Maine students. The Maine DOE’s Office of Innovation and Office of Teaching and Learning are working together to create a more inclusive experience for all students by presenting Maine’s multilingual learning and world languages programs as collaborative efforts at the state level.

The Seal of Biliteracy, endorsed by the Maine DOE and awarded to students in many Maine schools, acknowledges students who have demonstrated high proficiency levels in both English and another language through rigorous assessments. The Seal, which appears on students’ transcripts, enhances their post-secondary and career opportunities by showcasing their bilingual skills.

In Maine, the program includes various languages, such as Mandarin, Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish, and Somali. The recent awarding process has been streamlined, allowing schools to confer the Seal of Biliteracy directly, making the recognition more accessible to students across the state.

The summit aimed to expand the Seal of Biliteracy’s reach and impact, encouraging more states and districts to adopt similar programs and highlighting the importance of multilingualism in an increasingly globalized world.

For more information about the Seal of Biliteracy in Maine, visit the Maine DOE website.

July Reporting Due Dates and Upcoming Data Reports

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) would like to remind school administrative units (SAUs) of the following data reports and due dates that are coming up.

Truancy and Daily Attendance Certifications

The final certifications for Truancy and Daily Attendance for the 2023-2024 school year are due on July 15th. Superintendents must certify these reports once data specialists and SAU data teams have reviewed and updated them.

Resources:

NEO Staff Rollover to 2024-2025

NEO Staff was rolled to the 2024-2025 school year on July 1. All staff were updated to “pending” status during this rollover. All staff must be updated to reflect their current position. Please review all staff positions in NEO, add new staff if necessary, and update salary, contact, and position information to reflect each staff member’s position for this school year.

Resources:

NEO Staff Data Entry Webinar 9/3 at 12 pm Register Here

Graduation Report

This report allows SAUs to validate graduation counts for the school year. Students still working toward finishing their graduation requirements have until August 15th to complete them for this reporting cycle. Students who finish their requirements over the summer can be exited from State Synergy on the date of the graduation ceremony. The graduation date must be prior to 6/30.

Open Date: 7/1
Due Date: 8/15
Resources:

Graduation Report Webinar 8/6 at 10am Register Here
Graduation Certification Report Instructions

Questions about these reports should be directed to MEDMS.Helpdesk@maine.gov or call 207-624-6896.

Summer Asynchronous Book Study Opportunities

Starting this July, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) Interdisciplinary Instruction Team will offer two asynchronous book studies.

The first book is “Dispositions” by Arthur Costa and Bena Kallick. It discusses how educators can nurture and develop positive student dispositions. It emphasizes the importance of attitudes, habits of mind, and character traits that contribute to successful learning.

The second book is “Assessing Student Learning by Design” by Jay McTighe and Steve Ferrara. This book explores the methods for aligning assessment with learning and designing assessments that provide meaningful feedback to students. It covers key concepts such as formative and summative assessments, performance tasks, and using assessment data to inform instruction.

Both asynchronous book studies include a free copy of the book, which will be mailed to you, and discussions on integrating the concepts into instruction, reflection, and collaboration through the EnGiNE learning management system. You can sign up for one or both book studies, and since they are asynchronous, you can work on them at your own pace.

Any questions about these book studies can be sent to Erik Wade at erik.wade@maine.gov.