Register for Second Annual Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO) Conference

The Maine Department of Education is proud to partner with Jobs for Maine Grads (JMG) on the Second Annual Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO) Conference. This is a 2-night, 3-day intensive designed to equip educators with the skills and facilitated planning time to build or expand quality ELO programming for Maine students. Come and go as needed.

August 14-16
University of Maine at Orono

Session Leaders from all over Maine and New Hampshire will focus on topics such as:

Maine DOE Listening Session
Supporting ESOL Students
ELOs & Special Education
Apprenticeships
Marketing Strategies
Strategies for Engaging School-Based Colleagues in the Administration of ELOs
Leveraging ELOs to Attain Industry-Recognized Credentials
Various Sessions on Community Partnerships
ELO Data & Building presentations for School Boards
Aligning ELOs to college credit
Administrators and ELO
School Counselors and ELO
Teachers and ELO
Establishing a Program
LMS session: What the LMS can do for you?
Designing a Group ELO
Skill-Builders and Scaffolding
Examples Sessions on Passion Projects, Core Credit ELOs
Statewide Capacity/Structure
Maine DOE: Recognizing Credit-Bearing ELOs
Mini-ELOs: Stackable Learning
Can We? Project
The ELO Approach: Redefining How We Think About Curriculum Delivery
Maine DOE: ELOs & The Whole Student Approach

Learn more and register here.

Download the flyer (PDF)

For more information and contacts visit: https://jmg.org/extended-learning-opportunities

Civil War Cooking in Damariscotta

(Pictured: South Bristol students with the Farms at the Y director, Leslie Wicks)

What do you get when you combine a nutrition program, a historical society, and a middle school ELA/Social Studies class? A four-course Civil War meal of course! In March, a group of middle school students from the South Bristol School came to the Central Lincoln County YMCA to cook a Civil War meal. Volunteers from the Lincoln County Historical Association came to help students chop and cook, as well as share interesting historical facts. This was part of a Civil War unit that teacher Kayla Wright and her students were learning about.

On this particular afternoon, the students huddled around the kitchen island as Leslie Wicks, the FARMS at the Y director, explained the four recipes the students would be working on. The students would be cooking navy bean soup, vegetable hash, fried apples, and gingerbread. Before sending them off, Leslie talked about cooking safety and techniques and the differences between cooking at home and cooking in a commercial kitchen. For example, there would be a lot more hand washing involved. Louise from the historical society explained why these recipes were appropriate for that time. In fact, the gingerbread didn’t have any ginger in it!

In short order, the students were chopping, stirring, and whisking their way to a meal that people during the Civil War might have eaten. Historical society volunteers were there to guide students and to talk to them about what life might have looked like in the mid-1800s. To wrap the class up, the teams set tables and everyone sat down to enjoy their well-cooked meal. Gauging from the empty plates, their fellow students did a great job cooking the meal. The class was an example of the power of interdisciplinary experiences since the students learned about history, literacy, math, career readiness, and health.

The FARMS at the Y program provides nutrition education with a focus on nutrient-dense, Maine-grown vegetables with the aim to broaden program access and reach through expanded collaboration with local public schools and local farmers. They offer hands-on experiences for people of all ages in cooking, gardening, and a passion for healthier living. The hands-on food programs developed by FARMS at the Y have reached students in every grade from childcare to K-8 public & private schools in Lincoln County. Currently, this program serves all 3^rd (and some 4th) graders in the AOS93 district and is free to schools through grant funding. In addition to working with school groups, the FARMS staff also provides professional development workshops for teachers. For more about the FARMS at the Y program, contact Leslie Wicks at lwicks@clcymca.org

The Maine DOE encourages all schools and districts across the State of Maine to learn more about interdisciplinary instruction on our website or by contacting our Interdisciplinary Instruction Team Coordinator at Kathy.bertini@maine.gov

Registration Opens June 5th for Maine’s 2023 Statewide Early Childhood Education Conference

Save the Date for Maine’s 2023 Statewide Early Childhood Education Conference! The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is proud to collaborate with the Maine Association for the Education of Young Children to provide this professional learning opportunity geared to educators working across the birth to grade 3 spans. This year’s conference has an incredible lineup of keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities planned for participants gathering in Portland on October 27 & 28. Keynote speakers will be Denisha Jones, Executive Director of Defending the Early Years, and Angela Hanscom, author, and founder of TimberNook. 

The call for proposals is currently open through May 31st at 5:30pm. Those interested in offering a breakout session can learn more and submit their ideas at https://maineaeyc.org/conference

A link to register will be available on Monday, June 5th

How to Register on June 5th: 

Step 1: Go to https://maineaeyc.org/conference
Step 2: Click the BIG PINK BUTTON at the top of the page that says “REGISTER”
STEP 3: Follow the directions on the registration page

We can’t wait to see you in October! If you have any questions about the conference or registration, please contact MaineAEYC at conference@maineaeyc.org.

End of Year Reports Open

End of school year reports are open for review and certification. All reports must be reviewed by district personnel and superintendents are required to certify all reports. The following reports are open for review and certification.

Maine School Approval – Due: Mid Summer
ESEA Demographics – Due: June 15^th
Bullying – Due: June 30^th
Behavior – Due: June 30^th
Truancy – Due: June 30^th
Daily Attendance – Due: July 15^th
Special Education Exit – Due: July 30^th
Restraint & Seclusion – Opens: June 15^th Due: September 15^th

Resources including reporting instructions, guidelines, and webinars for each report can be found on the Helpdesk Website.

If you experience any issues with these reports or reporting systems, please contact MEDMS.Helpdesk@maine.gov

For training regarding navigation of reporting systems and/or reporting instructions, please contact our Data Quality Trainer – Alexandra.Cookson@maine.gov

Webinar: The Role of Special Educators in School Safety Efforts

The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Safe and Supportive Schools and its Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance (TA) Center will host a Webinar on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET. This Webinar will highlight the role of special educators in school safety, security, emergency management, and preparedness activities, including emergency operations plan (EOP) development.

The objectives of this 60-minute Webinar are to:

Demonstrate the importance of a collaborative planning team, as outlined in Step 1 of the six-step planning process detailed in the Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans.
Discuss the role that special educators play in implementing the National Preparedness System mission areas before, during, and after an emergency.
Reinforce how special educators can enhance EOP development and serve as key stewards in the behavioral threat assessments, continuity of operations, recovery, and more.
Share relevant resources to be used by special educators and core planning teams.

Register on the REMS TA Center Website to participate in the Webinar!

Presenters

Maryland Department of Health
- Dr. Toni Beckett, School Administrative Coordinator
REMS TA Center
- Janelle Hughes, Project Director

Questions

Contact the REMS TA Center Help Desk at 1-855-781-REMS [7367] or info@remstacenter.org from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday. Can’t make the live event? This Webinar will be archived on the REMS TA Center’s Website within 7 business days.

Webinar: Special Education Exit Report – June 6, 2023

Join the Maine Department of Education (DOE) Data Team and the Office of Special Services and Inclusive Education (OSSIE) for an interactive webinar about the special education exit report. The Join Live event link below will be active on the date and time of the webinar.

We will be joined by Brandi Giguere and Shawn Collier from the Maine DOE’s OSSIE team to review reporting requirements for this data set. The webinar will be recorded and posted to the Webinars and Presentations page on the Helpdesk Website. It may take a few days to get the recording posted, however, they will be available as soon as possible. If this webinar is canceled, there will be a notice posted on the Helpdesk Website at the top of the page.

Special Education Exit Report Webinar:

June 6th at 10:00 am
Join the Live event here on June 6th – no need to register in advance.

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

Career and Technical Education Students of the Year Honored at Annual Awards Ceremony

(Pictured: Student Jiaying (Carmen) Zhong [left] displays an award for CTE Student of the Year for her exemplary work in the Engineering & Architectural Design program at Oxford Hills Tech in Norway. Standing next to her is MACTE Executive Director Dave Keaton [right])

The Maine Association of Career and Technical Education (MACTE) held its annual Career and Technical Education (CTE) Student of the Year Award Ceremony recently at Lewiston’s Regional Technical Center’s The Green Ladle restaurant.

The event featured a keynote address from Shawn Moody, founder and owner of Moody’s Collision Centers in Maine and long-time advocate for career and technical education in Maine. Emceed by Westbrook Regional Vocational Center Director Todd, the event’s main highlight was the recognition of a student from each of Maine’s 27 CTE Schools who were selected and honored for their exemplary work in their respective programs.

Students were in attendance with their friends and family members. They were honored by Executive Director Dave Keaton during the presentation.

The Maine Department of Education joins our partners at MACTE and CTE schools across Maine in congratulating these students and thanking the CTE schools and instructors who provided them the opportunities to strive.

2023 Maine Career and Technical Students of the Year

Alexander Hassell St. John Valley Tech. Automotive Technology	Taylor Mason Hancock County Tech, Ellsworth Hospitality Travel and Tourism	Noah Rousseau Mid Coast Tech, Rockland Outdoor Leadership and Firefighting	Alecssander Freitas Lake Region Tech, Naples Law Enforcement II
Addion Davis Van Buren Tech Business Technology	Andrew Doughty Tri County Tech, Dexter Firefighting/EMT	London Putnam Capital Area Tech, Augusta Culinary Arts	Jocelyn Coombs Region 10, Brunswick Metal Fabrication Welding
Chase Hobbs Caribou Tech Commercial Driver’s License & Large Equipment Maintenance & Operation	Braden Richard St. Croix Tech, Calais Welding	Abigayle Reed Bath Tech, Bath Cosmetology	Emerson Roy PATHS, Portland Careers in Education
Parker Sawyer Presque Isle Tech Industrial & Farm Mechanics	Estrella Paredes-Vazquez Coastal Wash Tech, Machias Health Occupations	Mckella Ford Foster Tech, Farmington Early Childhood Occupations	Joseph A Lopes Westbrook Tech, Westbrook Electrical
Braden White Region Two, Houlton Auto Collision	Kricket Thompson Waldo County Tech, Waldo Culinary Arts	Jiaying (Carmen) Zhong Oxford Hills Tech, Norway Engineering & Architectural Design	Pichrithylen (Sreylen) Thor Biddeford Tech, Biddeford Computer Technology
Esmae Stockley Region Three – Lincoln Registered Medical Assistant	Riley Enright Somerset Tech – Skowhegan Outdoor Leadership	Titus Billings Region 9 – Mexico Outdoor Skills and Leadership & Building Construction	Eli Bartlett Sanford Tech, Sanford Landscape and Horticulture
Maggie Lincoln United Technologies – Bangor Insurance Producer & Business Management	Adam Brann Mid Maine Tech – Waterville Culinary Arts	Hannah Dube Lewiston Tech – Lewiston Medical Science & Certified Nursing Assistant

To learn more about MACTE visit their website: http://mainecte.org/. To learn more about Career and Technical Education in Maine visit: https://www.maine.gov/doe/learning/cte

LifeChanger of the Year Award Accepting Nominations

Nominations are now open for the LifeChanger of the Year Award, a national program sponsored by National Life Group that recognizes and rewards K-12 educators and school employees across the country. The program celebrates those who are making a significant difference in the lives of students by exemplifying excellence, positive influence, and leadership.

Click here to learn more about the criteria and to submit a nomination. Anyone can make a nomination (by name or anonymously).

To learn more about the program, visit www.lifechangeroftheyear.com.

Nokomis High School Creates Authentic and Engaging Community Learning Experiences

As the Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO) Coordinator at Nokomis High School, Kristine Eisenhour describes her job as organizing and cultivating learning experiences in the community for students and classes to engage in. “These opportunities could be field trips, job shadows, paid or unpaid apprenticeships, on-the-job training, and any other educational opportunities beyond the school walls,” she said. Eisenhour adds that the best part of the job is, “creating authentic, rich, learning opportunities that engage students in a whole new way.”

Nokomis High School is one of 26 schools that were awarded funding from a Maine Jobs and Recovery (MJRP) grant to help get an ELO program started at their school. “This funding provides students the opportunity to not only experience what the community has to offer but also to get involved within the community,” said Eisenhour.

Students, too, have been pleased with the new opportunities they have been afforded because of the Nokomis ELO program. “It helped me open new doors to careers that I did not know even existed previously,” said Nokomis senior Zachary Raymond.

“It allows them the ability to network and make connections that can last a lifetime,” said Eisenhour, adding, “Collectively, it shows them what the great state of Maine has to offer right in their backyard.”

More recently, Eisenhour has been spearheading a few new ventures for the Nokomis ELO program, the All Trades Pre Apprenticeship program opportunity, which allows students to explore careers in the trades providing hands-on learning experiences as well as OSHA30 training to prepare them to go into trades occupations. In addition, they are also working with the Cianbro Craft Exploration Program, which allows students to explore the many careers the construction field has to offer through hands-on learning experiences.

Eisenhour extends a heartfelt thank you to the following businesses and organizations for their time and generosity in assisting Nokomis High School students with extended learning opportunities: Augusta Electrical JATC, Cianbro, Foxcroft Veterinary Services, Northern Light, Bangor Humane Society, & Casella Waste.

Extended Learning Opportunities (ELOs) are hands-on, credit-bearing courses outside of the traditional classroom with an emphasis on community-based career exploration. These opportunities are personalized for students and help them explore options for their professional lives. They help students engage in learning through instruction, assignments, and experiential learning. The Maine Department of Education (DOE), along with state-wide partner Jobs for Maine Graduates (JMG), have made a concerted effort to provide working models, support, and funding opportunities for Maine schools to set up ELO programs within their school communities. To learn more about Maine’s initiatives with extended learning opportunities, visit: https://www.maine.gov/doe/index.php/learning/elo or reach out to Maine DOE ELO Coordinator Rick Wilson at rick.wilson@maine.gov.

Registration Opens June 1st for the 2023 Maine DOE Educator Summit!

The countdown is on for the start of the 2023 Educator Summit being held August 7-10 at the Augusta Civic Center. Registration will be open from June 1 – July 7! With 143 presentations being offered this year, now is the time to check out the sessions and pick out your favorites so that when registration opens you can be one of the first to register!

2023 Educator Summit Schedule and Sessions

The fee for the 2023 Educator Summit event is $95.00 payable upon registration via credit card (once registration opens on June 1st). As a reminder, the Maine Department of Education will reimburse school administrative units (SAUs) for travel and lodging for attendees once the SAU has reimbursed the participants.

Registration includes:

8 meals
6 contact hours per day attended
Access to 143 presentations
Keynote speakers: Maine’s 2023 Teacher of the Year, Matt Bernstein, Maine DOE Commissioner Pender Makin, and Dr. Shanna Peeples
Over 30 information tables set up throughout the Civic Center for you to visit during the Summit
Ample time to collaborate with other educators across Maine

Other special activities during the 2023 Educator Summit that we are excited to share with you are:

Job Fair and open office hours for people who want to become part of Maine’s education workforce: On Thursday, August 10th from 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm we will be hosting a modified job fair and open office hours for those interested in becoming part of Maine’s education workforce. Maine Department of Education’s State Education Representative, Diana Doiron, along with school representatives from across our great State, and Maine DOE’s Certification Team will be available to engage with anyone interested in school job openings or more information about starting the process of a background check or being certified. Help spread the word to anyone who is interested in becoming employed to work in Maine schools!
Why I Love My School Community Poster Contest: Everyone is invited to bring a fully laminated poster board to be hung in the Augusta Civic Center during the Summit. The theme of the Poster Contest is “Why I Love My School Community.” That wording should be highly visible on the poster and then we encourage you to let your creativity shine. Please place the contact person’s name and cell number on the back of the poster. We will announce the winner and award the prize to the top three during lunch on Thursday, August 10th, the last day of the Summit.
Transformational Leaders’ Network (TLN) Kick-off Event: The TLN is a leadership professional development specifically designed for Maine principals and school building leaders that will hold its kick-off event for the 2023/2024 school year alongside the Educator Summit event in August. The TLN alleviates the stress and isolation principals experience as they provide instructional leadership, engage in school improvement initiatives, and foster a collegial culture–among all the other things they do! TLN creates an intimate environment of like-minded practitioners (facilitators and participants) who build a community of support for sharing issues of practice, getting feedback and insight on how they are managing school improvement initiatives, and, most importantly, engaging in learning about themselves and their leadership. Please note that becoming part of the TLN (which includes an additional 9 meetings over the course of the 2023/2024 school year, both in-person and virtual, along with an array of resources, coaching, and networking) comes with an additional $200 cost beyond the $95.00 Educator Registration fee. To learn more about the TLN visit Maine DOE’s TLN Webpage.
2nd Annual Maine School Safety Summit – The Maine School Safety Center welcomes over 40 presenters offering sessions on safety-related topics. The second annual School Safety Summit will be held in conjunction with the Educator Summit on August 7-10, 2023. We welcome educators, administrators, school resource officers, all law enforcement working with schools and school personnel, school transportation providers, school nurses and counselors, school social workers, juvenile community corrections officers, local emergency management providers, first responders, and all stakeholders involved in school safety to participate. The Maine School Safety Center, Department of Corrections, and School Resource Officers Association are proud to present this high-quality, diverse training opportunity. Sessions being offered are listed on the Educator Summit website, but you must register through the Educator Summit process to ensure your spot at the various presentations being offered. Please note that the $95.00 registration fee for the 2023 Educator Summit covers the cost of attending all Maine Schools Safety Summit sessions.

For more information about the 2023 Educator Summit, contact Maine DOE Educator Summit Coordinator Teri Peaslee at teri.peaslee@maine.gov or visit the Maine Department of Education’s 2023 Educator Summit Website.