Category: Newsroom Articles

First 10 Community School Informational Session

Has your elementary school and its community partners been interested in collaborating to support children and families in your community? Have you wondered about the positive outcomes such partnerships can afford? If so, the First 10 Community School model may be just such an opportunity to consider.  Join the Maine Department of Education for an informational session to:

  • learn more about the First 10 Community School model,
  • consider being part of an ongoing First 10 Community School pilot, and
  • obtain answers to questions you have about the model.

An informational session will be held on December 14 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. A link to register for the session can be found below. The session will be recorded and shared if you are unable to attend the live presentation.

Developed by Education Development Center, First 10 Community Schools bring together school systems, early childhood programs, and community partners/agencies to improve care and education for young children and their families throughout the first 10 years of children’s lives.  This model works to improve teaching and learning, deepen partnerships with families, and provide comprehensive services for children and families.  Typical First 10 practices include, but are not limited to:

  • fostering engagement of families with schools and community partners,
  • providing play and learn groups linked to elementary schools,
  • coordinating connections to health and social services,
  • connecting child care providers with elementary schools,
  • improving the quality of early childhood programs,
  • coordinating the transition to kindergarten,
  • conducting joint professional learning among early childhood, pre-k and elementary teachers, and
  • aligning and improving elementary grade curriculum and instruction.

Information about First 10 Community Schools can be found on the Maine Department of Education’s First 10 webpage and on Education Development Center’s First 10 webpage.  For more information, reach out to Lee Anne Larsen, Director of Early Learning, at leeann.larsen@maine.gov or Sue Gallant, First 10 Community School Consultant, at Sue.Gallant@maine.gov.

Registration is Now Open for the 2024 Maine School Winter Wellness Summit, Give Roots to Wellness!

By mid-school year school personnel are ready for a pick me up that provides information, experiences, resources, and tools to care for one’s self and others. The Maine Department of Education, Office of School and Student Supports, Employee Health Promotion and Wellness Program is pleased to be able to offer the 2024 Maine School Winter Wellness Summit, Give Roots to Wellness! School leaders and employees from across the State are invited to register for this event.

Thursday, January 25 and Friday, January 26
The Samoset Resort in Rockport

This event is open to individuals and teams in schools interested in worksite health promotion and wellness as well as community members supporting schools.

The goal of the Winter Wellness Summit is to inspire and empower participants to take care of their personal health, and to create healthier, more supportive, and safer school environments for all. The Summit agenda supports the promotion of health improvement to enhance well-being and academic achievement.

This year’s agenda includes three educational and inspirational keynote presentations, engaging workshops on personal wellness practices and positive and healthier school environments, worksite wellness program planning, and network opportunities with colleagues and professionals from across the State who value health promotion and wellness.

The cost of the two-day event is $150/person for early bird (through December 22nd) and $175/person for standard registration (after December 22nd) inclusive of five meals. Accommodations are on your own, but we have secured a block of rooms at an excellent rate below the State per diem rates! All the details can be found on the Winter Wellness Summit webpage.

See the agenda.

Register for the Summit and get more info here.

Direct questions to susan.berry@maine.gov.

Maine Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance Announces 2023 Teachers of the Year and Honor Award Winners 

Every November outstanding professionals in the fields of health education, physical education, adapted physical education, and recreation are recognized during the Maine Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (Maine AHPERD) Annual Conference. This year the following four educators were named as the 2023 Maine AHPERD Teachers of the Year and honored during the Award Banquet at the Samoset Resort.

Awards were presented to a community partner and two individuals who are recognized as strong supporters of the mission of Maine AHPERD and the field. This year’s awardees were:

Additionally, six students were recognized as the 2023 Outstanding Future Professionals in health and physical education hailing from five Maine institutes of higher education.

Pictured L to R: Sarah Wentworth - University of Maine at Orono, Zachery Creekmore - St. Joseph's College, Brecken Sargent - University of Maine at Presque Isle,(Maine AHPERD President Kayla McGee), Tyler Calhoun - University of New England, Jonah Sautter - University of Maine at Farmington, Jacob Mulligan - University of Maine at Orono
Pictured L to R: Sarah Wentworth – University of Maine at Orono, Zachery Creekmore – St. Joseph’s College, Brecken Sargent – University of Maine at Presque Isle, (Maine AHPERD President Kayla McGee), Tyler Calhoun – University of New England, Jonah Sautter – University of Maine at Farmington, Jacob Mulligan – University of Maine at Orono

Check out the MaineAHPERD website for highlights and resources from the conference.

 

Two Maine Educators Explore How Artificial Intelligence (AI) can Benefit Adult Learners on their Career Journey

(Pictured: Sierra Melanson, Turner Adult Education Program; Dr. Thea Ducrow, AI Expert; and Kate Points, York County Adult Education Program)

Sierra Melanson (College and Career Success Coordinator at Central Maine Community College) and Kate Points (York County Career Advancement and Navigation Specialist) attended a Maine Development Career Association (MCDA) conference about Artificial Intelligence (AI) hosted at BerryDunn early this month. Sierra and Kate work for two Adult Education programs that help adults on their career journeys; the College and Career Success Coordinators and Career Advancement and Navigation Specialists. As part of the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan, the College and Career Success Coordinators are placed at each Maine Community College and help learners achieve their career goals related to workforce, certificate, and associate programs at the colleges. The Career Navigators help people in their communities to take the next step in their careers and they work with local employers.

Thea Ducrow, Ph.D., an expert in AI, presented Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Work. She shared that the world is a fundamentally different place than it was in November, 2022. There were diverse opinions concerning AI in the room; some educators and professionals were concerned and worried about how AI would impact the workforce while others felt neutral or excited. What Dr. Ducrow shared was informative and practical for educators, career development professionals, as well as workers.

“There will be a critical point in time where the accumulation of AI capabilities will make certain roles obsolete while creating new ones,” said Dr. Ducrow. She encouraged the audience to take a “Creative AI Leadership Approach” by being proactive rather than reactive, to combine ideation and the science of data, and that AI can help career development professionals understand patterns and insights to drive innovation.

A few of the key points of guidance that Dr. Ducrow offered job seekers included “embrace digital proficiency –be an early adopter, understand data – learn data analytics regardless of one’s field, and gain practical real-world experience – anyway one can volunteer, pursue an internship, part-time jobs, etc.” Dr. Ducrow emphasized the importance of hands-on work experiences as they are foundationally relational and AI will not change the importance of relationships.

Fortunately, in Maine there are myriad opportunities for workers to gain meaningful work experiences; a few include workforce programs at Adult Education, Maine Department of Labor apprenticeships, and paid work experiences for young people through the Maine Career Exploration program. Resource experts like Sierra and Kate are available to help make those connections. The CMCC Success Coordinator, Sierra Melanson, notes that she plans to try ChatGPT to help learners in creating personalized career and academic plans based on what the student is studying or looking to study.

“The piece that struck me most from the conference was how ubiquitous AI will become in the next few years,” said Kate Points, York County Adult Education Career Navigator. “For my work with participants, it’s important to start addressing AI as a digital literacy skill as ‘regular folks’ will need proficiency with it, just like they currently need proficiency with word processing or spreadsheets.  For my own work, helping adults take the next step in their career, I think it will be helpful in learning about career fields I might not be familiar with.  I’m really interested in the possibilities!”

Across Maine, there are digital literacy classes available for learners looking to increase their digital knowledge and skills. Please contact your local Adult Education if you’d like to learn more.

Since the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan took effect in October 2021, the Mills Administration has delivered direct economic relief to nearly 1,000 Maine small businesses, supported more than 100 infrastructure projects around the state to create jobs and revitalize communities, and invested in workforce programs estimated to offer apprenticeship, career and education advancement, and job training opportunities to 22,000 Maine people. For more about Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan, visit maine.gov/jobsplan.

To read the bios of Maine’s College and Career Success Coordinators, and learn more about the programs.

 

Mt. View High School Educators are Leveraging Maine DOE’s ConCEPT Pilot Program to Help Meet their Academic Needs

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Interdisciplinary Instruction Team is offering a pilot program developed by listening to educators’ needs and creating the opportunity for them to choose their professional learning adventure. In an effort to make this program available to more schools and educators across Maine, we are sharing some examples of the ways that Mt. View High School educators are using ConCEPT to meet their unique needs:

  • Using Executive Functioning for the SAT – SAT prep courses tend to focus on filling in gaps in learning and practicing how to take the test, but educators at Mt. View High School are taking a different approach. Along with filling in conceptual gaps in math and English, students will be working to understand how to take a test from an executive functioning perspective. By teaching students how to utilize working memory, plan and prioritize the test, organize their time, and reflect, educators can prepare students academically and cognitively for the test.
  • Developing Student Disposition – Another team will be working to support student engagement and social development through student dispositions. All students can use practice with dispositions like responsibility, communication, or self-reflection, but this program aims to create groups of students that can focus on dispositions that need improvement.
  • Ownership and Place-based Learning – A group of educators is looking to help students see a connection between taking ownership of their classroom space and the environment. By focusing on empathy, a sense of place, student voice, and reflection, these educators want to support students to see how the skills they use to take care of the small space they use every day can be transferred to the outside world, specifically Maine’s environment.
  • Applying Academic Concepts to Real-world Problems – A group of math, science, and English teachers are working to create an interdisciplinary, dual-credit engineering class. Through student-focused inquiry in the form of genius hours, students will apply academic concepts to real-world problems. This interdisciplinary class will be designed to cover high school credit requirements in multiple subject areas and as a college credit through the University of Maine.

These programs are supported through the ConCEPT pilot program through the Maine Department of Education. Mt. View educators are excited about this program because it allows them to meet with educators they rarely work with, the professional learning “caters to the needs of educators and students,” and they “feel the support of the DOE.”

If you are interested in learning more about ConCEPT, please visit the ConCEPT web page or e-mail Maine DOE Interdisciplinary Instruction Team Coordinator Kathy Bertini at Kathy.bertini@maine.org

 

 

 

 

Portland High Internship Program Continues to Expand

(Pictured: Portland High School students Ricardo Mbucu and Chadai Gatembo at an internship opportunity)

Halfway through its second decade, the Portland High School (PHS) internship program is setting a record for the number of students participating in internships. The program also has several new business partners.

Nearly 50 students are participating this year, an increase of 16 students or 47 percent compared to last year. On any given day, a PHS student might be conducting biological research, fixing computers, helping do graphic design for a nonprofit, assisting with screen printing, or sewing in a professional theater’s costume shop.

Portland High School Student dissecting a pig heart as part of an internship opportunity.
Portland High School Student dissecting a pig heart as part of an internship opportunity.

This is all thanks to the PHS internship program, now in its 16th year. Students complete 40-hour internships over the school year, going to their host sites two to four hours per week. They earn high school elective credit for completing the internship. This year, they also can earn a $500 stipend, thanks to a partnership with JMG (Jobs for Maine’s Graduates).

New partnerships this year include internship opportunities with Bigelow Labs, Irwin Morris Law Firm, Bailey Renee Fashion, and the University of Southern Maine Computer Science Department.

A wide variety of students complete internships. Participants mirror the school’s demographic data in terms of multilingual status, special education status, and race.

Internships are part of the school’s Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO) program, which provides career exploration programming and opportunities for learning outside of the traditional classroom, including job shadows, field trips, guest speakers, and after-school programs. For example, medical students from the University of New England recently presented to classes about cardiology, and students were able to try out stethoscopes and even got to examine a pig’s heart!

One example of a student who has taken full advantage of the ELO program is Ricardo Mbucu, a driven and multi-talented Portland High student. When he lived in Brazil, he was a professional model and graphic designer, and he wanted to continue that when he came to the United States.

Ricardo was able to shadow a professional model during a photo shoot for the L.L. Bean catalog. After connecting with WCKD Collective, Ricardo participated in several photoshoots to build his portfolio and connect with several local photographers and designers. Ricardo was then signed by a local modeling agency. He participated in his first professional fashion show with Char McGee of The Pink Dollhouse after being connected to her by ELO Coordinator Andrea Levinsky.

McGee told Levinsky: “I wanted to thank you for the opportunity to work with Ricardo. He has been absolutely amazing and I look forward to working with him in the future on his endeavors.” Ricardo is also doing a graphic design internship with the Greater Portland Community Land Trust, combining his interest in graphic design and building.

For more information about Portland High School’s Internship Program and to connect with students, contact Andrea Levinsky, PHS Extended Learning Opportunities Coordinator, at levina@portlandschools.org.

Apply Today for the 2024 Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative. Applications Due By January 12

Apply Now! Schools and community-based organizations can now apply for the 2024 Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative grants through the Maine Department of Education (DOE). These grants support hands-on, engaging, interdisciplinary outdoor learning and career exploration opportunities that connect students with Maine’s amazing natural environments and landscapes.

Created by Governor Mills, the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative has included thousands of students throughout the state in its Coastal Ecology and Inland Forestry Programs over the last two years. Read about past programs here: Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative: Past Programs | Department of Education.

The Maine DOE is excited to build on these successes to reach more students in this expanded program. The 2024 Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative Request for Applications (RFA, also known as grants) is available here: Grant RFPs and RFAs | Division of Procurement Services (maine.gov).  See RFA 202311223. 

Schools, private and nonprofit organizations, municipal Parks and Recreation Departments that are current members of the Maine Recreation and Park Association, and public libraries can apply.  In this sense, “schools” include school administrative Units (SAUs), Career and Technical Education (CTE) Centers or Regions, Education in Unorganized Territories (EUTs), charter schools, and approved private schools located in Maine.  See the RFA for explicit information and definitions on eligibility and allowable uses of funding. 

Grant awards will range from $25,000 to $999,999 with a total of $2,000,000 available. The 2024 Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative grant requires a marketing and outreach plan for reaching students from disadvantaged backgrounds as well as an emphasis on Maine DOE’s Whole Student Framework.  

This funding can potentially be used to facilitate outdoor learning programs before, during, or after school; on weekends; during school breaks and/or over the summer. Applications will also be considered for schools and organizations who wish to use the funding to enhance or expand existing outdoor programming. Grants are expected to be awarded in the early spring. All programing must be completed by September 1, 2024. 

This 2024 Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative opportunity is funded in its entirety by the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) fund. Learn more about the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative.  

Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) Maine DOE Assistance Webinar

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) will be preparing some elements of the federal Civil Rights Data Collection to assist school administrative units (SAUs) and schools with the completion of reporting requirements. This report opens on December 11, 2023. The Maine DOE Data team will be hosting a webinar on Tuesday, December 5th at 10 am which will provide information about the elements we will be loading, the timeframe of the data input, and resources for CRDC reporting.

Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) Webinar

December 5th at 10:00 am

Registration Required

For questions about data reporting webinars please contact Alexandra.Cookson@maine.gov

EF-M-39B Adult Education Subsidy Report Open

The EF-M-39B Adult Education report is open as of December 1, 2023 and will be due on December 15, 2023. All public school administrative units (SAUs), excluding Public Charter Schools, must report even if there are no pupils to report. Data entered into this report is based on the number of Resident Students from SAUs who are attending Regional Adult Education Programs. This report is only intended to include students who have exited regular education and are alternatively taking Adult Education courses. This report covers the reporting range from July 1st to December 30th of adult education students, courses, and credits/hours.

  • Reporting Period: 7/1-12/31
  • Open Date: 12/1
  • Due Date: 12/15

If you have questions about this report please contact MEDMS.Helpdesk@maine.gov or call 207-624-6896

Hancock County Technical Center Teacher Meghan Stubbs Surprised with National Recognition

Meghan Stubbs, a career and technical education (CTE) teacher at Hancock County Technical Center, found herself at the center of a heartwarming surprise during a schoolwide assembly earlier today. The visit by Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin to commend the school’s CTE programs also honored Stubbs’ individual contributions with a Milken Educator Award, a distinguished recognition bestowed by the Milken Family Foundation. The Award honors outstanding educators across the country for their innovation, achievements and exemplary leadership, and it includes $25,000 that the recipients may use however they choose.

Hailed as the “Oscars of Teaching,” the Awards will honor up to 75 recipients across the country in 2023-24 as part of the Milken Family Foundation’s Journey to the 3,000th Milken Educator. 2023-24 will reach $75 million in individual financial prizes spanning the length of the initiative and more than $144 million invested in the Milken Educator Award national network overall, empowering recipients to “Celebrate, Elevate, and Activate” the K-12 profession and inspiring young, capable people to pursue teaching as a career.

“Dedicated, an advocate, a leader, and an all-in educator: That’s how Meghan Stubbs is known at Hancock County Technical Center,” said Commissioner Makin. “Meghan is constantly seeking ways to support her students, lift up her colleagues, and foster connections with the community. Being one of her students means not just gaining the skills and knowledge needed to be an early childhood educator but also getting real-world experience through the childcare center she established at the school, competing in state and national competitions, and developing a strong civic voice through visits with legislators at the State Capitol. We are proud to join the entire Ellsworth community to honor and celebrate Meghan Stubbs for her extraordinary contributions to her students, colleagues, and public education in Maine.”

The Milken Educator Award is not a lifetime achievement honor. Recipients are sought out while early to mid-career for what they have achieved – and for the promise of what they will accomplish given the resources and opportunities afforded by the Award. The Maine DOE led the selection committee process for the Award.

More About Meghan Stubbs

Enrichment Through Civic Responsibility: Stubbs cultivates a welcoming, safe atmosphere for students in her highly regarded Career and Technical Education program, focusing on early childhood education. This program not only equips students with the knowledge and skills needed for leadership roles in their school and community, but also emphasizes the importance of civic involvement. For example, Stubbs organizes field trips to the state capital where her students advocate for early childhood education and positive changes in childcare practices.

Hands-On, Early Childhood Instruction: Leading by example, Stubbs established the “Caterpillar Clubhouse,” an on-site, part-time childcare center at the school. Under her guidance, students have the unique opportunity to mentor 3- and 4-year-olds, creating a rich learning experience that extends beyond textbooks. Collaborating with the local elementary school and YMCA, Stubbs provides her students with hands-on experiences across different age groups, and most of her students go on to earn their Certified Early Childhood Assistant certification each year.

Fostering Pathways to Success: Stubbs leads one of Maine’s most active chapters of SkillsUSA, a student-led organization that connects young adults to trade industries for career opportunities. Stubbs serves as a SkillsUSA advisor at both the state and national levels and volunteers on the SkillsUSA Maine Board of Directors. Her students have excelled at SkillsUSA competitions, with some earning gold medals and serving as state officers. Stubbs is active on Hancock’s MELMAC committee that works with students to make informed decisions about their futures, starting with advancing successfully to college or post-secondary training. New teachers look to Stubbs’ guidance and support to instill these values in their own students.

A Role Model Beyond the School: Stubbs’ generosity extends to the community, where she spearheads initiatives such as food and clothing drives. She is also engaged in Comfort Cases, a project that assembles backpacks with essential personal care items for youth entering the foster care system.

Education: Stubbs earned her Bachelor of Arts in early childhood education and child and family studies from Lesley University in 2012.