Three out of the four Adult Education-based Career Navigators attended the Employer Summit in Augusta in late May.
The Navigators are part of the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan (MJRP) which has committed $6 million dollars to address the workforce development needs of those disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Maine’s Department of Education, Adult Education team is using these funds to help eligible adults and employment sectors recover from the stresses of the pandemic through a variety of academic and job training supports including Career Advancement Navigators and College and Career Success Coordinators.
Kate Points and Karen Morin shared their expertise in connecting with and supporting the re-entry community with employment with employers. Cassie Robichaux shared her expertise in how to create appealing entry-level jobs with flexibility and opportunities to advance.
Here are the four Career Navigators at a meeting in front of the State House in Augusta.
Adult education-based Career Navigators serve primarily in geographic areas of the state with less access to post-secondary and other educational opportunities as well as support services. These areas include the counties of York, Kennebec, Androscoggin, Oxford, Lincoln, Waldo, Knox, and Sagadahoc. Navigators help people in their communities to take the next step in their careers.
To learn more about the Career Navigators and how to contact them click here.
All students MUST be exited from State Synergy with an exit date on or before 6/30/2023. This includes students attending year-round programs.
Finding students who need to be exited can be done in the Attending Student Details Report in NEO Student Data, Student Reports. This report can be filtered using the “Exit Date” column, student with blanks in this column need to be exited.
Exit codes for students who are returning, graduating, moving, etc., can be found on the Synergy Instructions tile of the Helpdesk page. The Student Exit Data Dictionary contains exit codes for varying situations. Proper exit codes will help ensure that graduation and dropout data are accurate in the fall.
Students who have concurrent enrollments will need to be exited from their concurrent enrollment before primary enrollments can be exited.
Synergy ’22-’23 will only be open until Tuesday, August 15th and then will be rolled over to the ’23-’24 school year. This will lock all ’22-’23 data.
If you have any issues exiting your students, please contact MEDMS.Helpdesk@maine.gov or call 207-624-6896.
For training in how to exit students please contact our Data Quality Trainer – Alexandra.Cookson@maine.gov or call 207-446-3897
The Alternative Education Association of Maine has selected six students to receive this year’s Martin Mackey Memorial Scholarship. As they graduate from their respective programs, these six individuals have each been awarded $500. With many trials and triumphs throughout their school experiences, each graduate has an inspirational story and passion for their education that makes them a perfect recipient of this award.
Ericka Dunn
Recipient Ericka Dunn is graduating from Houlton’s Summit Academy and will continue her education at Southern Maine Community College with plans to become an elementary school teacher. As a second-year Early Childhood Education student, Dunn has been praised for the effort and care she puts into teaching her class. “Ericka is an honest, hard-working student who is one of the most responsible seniors I have ever met,” said her nominator.
Delany Adams (right)
Graduating from the Nu Program in Brewer, scholarship awardee Delany Adams has overcome adversity and excelled academically. Through her responsibility with her schoolwork and her impressive attendance record, Adams has been described by her nominator as “a model student for why this program was started.” Adams will be continuing her education at Unity College pursuing studies in animal sciences with hopes of starting an animal rescue one day.
McKayla Geroux
McKayla Geroux is receiving the scholarship after graduating early from Orono High School’s CORE program. While balancing her regular course load, additional college courses, and her job at a local home for developmentally disabled humans, Geroux has been passionate about bringing positivity to her community. “I just want to give as much as I can to others,” said Geroux, who has started a positivity rock garden and created countless fun art projects for her work. After graduation, she plans on attending college to become a dental hygienist.
Leah Hashem
Awardee Leah Hashem is a graduating senior from Noble High School’s Multiple Pathways program. She will be attending the University of Southern Maine and plans on becoming an elementary school art teacher. While working extremely hard to improve her academic skills in her final years of high school, Hashem has been greatly admired by her peers and teachers for her enthusiastic energy and the effort she puts into her schoolwork. “Leah has an ability to experience joy that is one-of-a-kind,” said her nominator. “Her passion and enthusiasm for learning and life is contagious.”
Anna Puckett
Graduating from Brewer High School’s Alpha program, scholarship recipient Anna Puckett has been an honors student and a role model for other alternative education students. Puckett has overcome obstacles in her academics and personal life while still maintaining a high standard of grades and attendance. As described by her nominator, Puckett is “a young lady who comes from very humble beginnings and has a very selfless heart for others.” Puckett will be continuing her education at Eastern Maine Community College pursuing studies in social work, as she hopes to one day become a trauma counselor and work with children overcoming traumatic life events.
Dominic Ramirez
Dominic Ramirez is receiving the scholarship as he graduates from Sanford High School’s alternative education program. After spending many years transferring schools and feeling disengaged from his learning, Ramirez found an excitement and passion for his education when he began his alternative education program, saying it was the best change he has ever made. His time in the program inspired him to consider community college, and he will be attending York County Community College in the fall to study behavioral health.
The Martin Mackey Memorial Scholarship was established by the Alternative Education Association (AEA) of Maine in 2022 after the untimely passing of beloved education colleague and champion Martin Mackey. The scholarship recognizes Mackey’s dedication to education as a career and especially in remembrance of his passion for working with students on Alternative Education pathways. AEA aims to award as many funds as they can raise to as many students as they can each year. In 2022 they awarded $2,000 to one student and this year they decided to split the scholarships among 6 students because of the excellent applicant pool.
To learn more about the Alternative Education Association of Maine visit their website or reach out to Alternative Education Association of Maine President Lenny Holmes at lholmes@bonnyeagle.org.
The Office of Special Services and Inclusive Education at the Maine Department of Education is now accepting applications from school administrative units for the Maine Transition Regional Interagency Collaborative (MeTRIC) grants. The purpose of these grants is to provide students with disabilities the necessary support and resources to seamlessly transition to post-secondary education or employment.
To qualify, applicants must demonstrate innovative and sustainable partnerships among multiple agencies to provide inclusive transition services such as vocational training, job readiness, financial literacy, and advocacy.
The MeTRIC initiative also encourages inclusive transition opportunities like apprenticeships, work based learning, mentoring, and community college partnerships. Applicants must facilitate a forum for sharing best practices and resources with students and agency participants.
The Maine DOE, Office of Special Services and Inclusive Education applied and received a $$750,000.00 ESSA grant award to develop regional transition collaboratives. Each SAU applying and approved will receive a minimum of $100,000.00 each to establish their seamless and sustainable coordinated set of transition program(s) in their region. The number and size of awards will depend on the number of applications received and available funds. The Department reserves the right to eliminate the lowest scoring application(s) and/or make awards for amounts less than requested, whichever is in the best interest of the State.
Eligible schools interested in the Maine Transition Regional Collaboratives (MeTRIC) Grant Program opportunity may access the application through the Grant RFPs and RFAs webpage.
Answers will be posted to the public via Procurement
Wed – 07/26/23
RFA Applications due
All questions related to the Maine Transition Regional Interagency Collaborative (MeTRIC) RFA should be submitted to:
Titus O’Rourke, Transition Specialist, Office of Special Education and Inclusive Education, titus.orourke@maine.gov no later than Friday, June 30, 2023.
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is looking for experienced school leaders to join the ESEA Federal Programs Team as a part-time contracted School Leadership Coach for the 2023-2024 school year. A School Leadership Coach serves as a thought partner to school leadership teams, is a broker of information and resources, builds capacity with school leaders and school leadership teams, and supports school leaders and school leadership teams on their continuous school improvement journey.
What is a School Leadership Coach?
A School Leadership Coach Supports principals and School Leadership Teams in establishing and reinforcing evidence-based processes that will improve teaching and learning in schools and/or across districts. A highly effective School Leadership Coach meets principals where they are through personalized and individualized support. An effective leadership coach also works toward a Problem of Instructional Practice through guidance and conversations during Leadership Team meetings. Helping schools identify strengths and leveraging those to address the growth areas needing improvement. Effective leadership is central to sustainable school and district improvement. Engaging educational leaders – both individually and as members of School Leadership Teams – in the design and implementation of effective change processes is aimed at strengthening the culture and capacity of schools to improve student outcomes.
Manie DOE School Leadership Coaching Requirements
Candidates for the position of Maine DOE School Leadership Coach are required to have a Master’s Degree in Education and experience in school improvement reform and demonstrated experience in data-driven processes and interventions that were significant contributions to a current or past position. Knowledge of state and federal accountability standards, experience in state and local assessment systems, and strong planning and facilitation skills are helpful. Effective written and oral communication skills and a commitment to utilizing our communication and storage platform tools are required. School Leadership Coaches use the following core tenants to guide their work:
Creating Community
Develop positive, trusting relationships
Model effective interpersonal communication
Identify underlying beliefs and assumptions
Work collaboratively rather than being viewed as an “expert”
Foster a professional learning community
Bringing Focus
Promote the development and use of several goals focused on student achievement
Focus the efforts of all members of the school community on goals
Align programs and practices to identified goals
Be familiar with CNA/SAU Consolidated Plan and school-level CNA (if applicable), for the purposes of alignment, consistency, and fidelity
Leading Change
Understand the theory and practice of organizational and individual change
Assess the extent to which the school culture supports planned changes and know how to improve school culture as necessary
Developing Accountability
Encourage skillful use of data to inform decision-making
Share best practices in student assessment
Provide support in the use of data to improve instructional effectiveness
Promote a culture of distributed accountability
Building Capacity
Encourage the development of leadership team staff
Encourage reflective practice within the leadership team
Assess organizational structures
Develop the capacity of the leadership team to align and balance curricula
Growing Professionally
Keep current on educational literature
Continue collaboration to learn from and with peers in similar roles
If you are interested in applying to become a School Leadership Coach, please contact Cheryl Lang, ESEA Federal Programs Director at Cheryl.Lang@maine.gov or 207-441-8059
Are you looking for ways to enhance your instructional practices and transfer your students’ learning to the next level? Look no further. The Interdisciplinary Instruction team has created a monthly newsletter that you can subscribe to. This newsletter will highlight innovative interdisciplinary classroom resources and upcoming professional learning opportunities.
To subscribe, click the link below, fill in your contact information, and click “Interdisciplinary Instruction” in the “Subscribe me to” section. When we publish a new newsletter, it will automatically arrive in your inbox.
(Please note that if you are already subscribed to Maine DOE publications like the Maine DOE Update or other newsletters we publish when you submit your information, you will be redirected to update your preferences.)
This year, the Maine DOE Data Team is bringing back Summer Training! Several locations throughout the state have graciously agreed to host us to provide on-site training. All of the trainings will be held from 8:30 am – 12 pm. This year’s training topics will include new resources from the Helpdesk, staff reporting tools, and Synergy error logs. We look forward to collaborating with you!
L to R: Miela Bui from North Berwick, ME and Laiken Voishnis from Berwick, ME
As part of 2023 National History Day (NHD), 48 student-produced exhibits from across the United States were selected to be featured in a live showcase at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History on Flag Day, June 14, 2023. The exhibits were created by middle and high school students competing in the 2023 NHD National Contest.
One of the featured exhibits is 3D Gaming: A Mind-Blowing Frontier in Neuroscience, created by Miela Bui and Laiken Voishnis from Noble Middle School in Berwick, Maine. The exhibit explores the groundbreaking use of 3D gaming in neuroscience research and its potential to revolutionize the field. The students’ research sheds light on how 3D gaming can be used to treat various neurological disorders and improve brain function. Miela and Laiken are supported by the EXCEL program’s teacher, Christa Boeykens.
The NHD students whose projects were selected for this showcase by NHD affiliate coordinators addressed topics relevant to their own states’ or local communities’ histories. These exhibits also reflect the 2023 NHD theme, Frontiers in History: People, Places, Ideas.
“I’m honored to be here, seeing this amazing constellation of people showing off their talents and passions. I’m constantly reminding myself I’m part of it,” said Miela Bui. “Honestly, after seeing this amazing competition, I’m inspired to do NHD again, and again, and again… And maybe even become a museum curator in the future! Although, I’m pretty committed to neurological sciences.”
The live showcase was held on June 14, 2023, at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. where the students, their supporters, and museum visitors engaged with the student-produced exhibits to learn about the diverse and fascinating stories they tell about American history.
For more information on the NHD National Contest, please visit www.nhd.org.
Reporting of 2022-2023 graduation data will open on July 1st. This report allows districts an opportunity to review and certify their graduation data. All graduation certifications are due on August 30th.
There will be a webinar on Tuesday, August 1st at 10 am regarding this report. No registration is required, the webinar link below will be live at the time of the webinar. This webinar will be recorded for district use.
The Maine PBIS (Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports) team is excited to announce applications are open for our first Advanced Tiers Cohort Training starting in fall 2023!
If your school has been implementing Tier 1 with fidelity and are ready for next steps, this opportunity is for you.
This two-year training sequence will lead school teams through developing the systems and practices to support positive outcomes for students with more intensive (Tier 2 and Tier 3) behavioral needs.
Each year will include four in-person team training days, four virtual coach meetings, and ongoing external coaching support. For more information, including application requirements and a link to our Listen & Learn presentation.
Please contact us at pbis@maine.edu if you have any questions!
The Maine Department of Education partners with the University of Maine System to provide Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS) training and coaching for schools and school administrative units (SAUs) throughout the state. PBIS is a multi-tiered approach to supporting the social, emotional and behavioral development of students in K-12 settings. The purpose of PBIS is to improve the social, emotional and academic outcomes for all students, including students with disabilities and students from underrepresented groups. Learn more about PBIS here.
Maine DOE Newsroom 