Media Release: Lewiston Students Create Ornaments for Maine’s Tree as Part of the National Christmas Tree Display in Washington, D.C.

(Photo from National Park Service)

Students at Robert V. Connors Elementary School in Lewiston created one-of-a-kind ornaments now adorning Maine’s tree as part of the 2022 National Christmas Tree display on the Ellipse in President’s Park outside of the White House.

Students and educators from Connors Elementary School’s Civil Rights Team led the effort and designed ornaments featuring familiar Maine scenes including the outline of the state, moose, lobsters, and pine trees filled with messages celebrating the themes of belonging, inclusivity, and feeling welcome. They wanted to ensure that those who don’t celebrate the holiday were also represented and highlight how Maine welcomes all.

“The students were really excited to be part of this, and we are really honored to have this opportunity,” said Kelsey Boucher, an art teacher at Connors Elementary and the 2022 Androscoggin County teacher of the year. “Students were already working on a Day of Welcome project and wanted to make ornaments about what makes them feel welcome at school. They got creative by filling in outlines of iconic Maine shapes with diverse images and messages around belonging, inclusivity, and welcoming all.”

Boucher joined her Civil Rights Team Co-Advisor Nesrene Griffin and Assistant Principal Travis Jalbert in Washington, D.C. today to represent Maine for the National Christmas Tree lighting this evening. The school will host a watch party for students, educators, and family members when the ceremony is aired on December 11.

The America Celebrates ornament program is an annual collaboration of the National Park Service, the U.S. Department of Education and the National Park Foundation (NPF). These ornaments adorn 58 smaller trees that surround the National Christmas Tree. The trees represent states, territories, and schools managed by the Bureau of Indian Education and the Department of Defense Education Activity. This year, more than 2,600 students participated in the America Celebrates ornament program. Click here for more information.

New STEAM Lab at Glenburn School Making a Big Impact

(Pictured: A Glenburn student looks through the telescope at the Star Party.)

Establishing a culture of creation, innovation and hands-on learning is becoming a focal point at Glenburn School. The driving forces toward that goal are a couple of long-time educators – Technology Integrator, David Davis, and Technology Director, Ken Worster. Last year the administration implemented a plan to repurpose a science lab to house materials for a new STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) Lab. Worster advocated for functional space for technology creation since the one-to-one devices had made the traditional computer lab unnecessary. Davis credits his administrative team at Glenburn for its support of this initiative and feels “fortunate that [his] administration had the vision of technology integration” in order to bring this plan to life.

The STEAM Lab consists of several technology tools including a laser cutter, green screen, a fleet of iPads, a recordable microscope, over a dozen 3-D printers, codable robots, and more. Davis and Worster’s hope is to establish the lab as an integral part of the curriculum for educators. Worster mentioned that the immediate goal is to have teachers “looking at their content and bringing it to David in a way where they can have that conversation about how they can integrate our technology.”

Even in the Lab’s infancy, Davis is already seeing its impact in the classrooms, most notably in the sixth and seventh grade English Language Arts classes. In those classes, students have been able to dive deeper into their reading by designing and printing 3-D objects or characters from their books, by recreating scenes with green-screen video, and by etching “plaques” with the laser cutter that outline the author’s biography.

Additionally, Davis and Worster envision enhanced student engagement through the STEAM Lab by incorporating it into science classes across the school. Davis integrated an astronomy theme and tiered the work for the various grade levels. Students in kindergarten through second grade used the online platform Wixie to design constellations that were then etched with the laser cutter, students in third through fifth grade also used the laser cutter to design the phases of the moon, and finally, sixth through eighth grade students created a 3-D model of a footprint that incorporating each student’s constructed quote acting as if they were to be the first ones stepping onto Mars.

Glenburn Engraving — (Left to Right) Constellations designed in grades K-2, moon phases etched in grades 3-5, 3-D printed footprint in grades 6-8.

Davis and Worster concluded the unit by coordinating with the Challenger Learning Center and the Versant Power Astronomy Center at the University of Maine to host a “star party” outside at the school. The night was a huge success with over 200 family members attending. It allowed students the chance to stargaze with a telescope which Worster noted was the first time for most of them.

Even with the initial success of the STEAM Lab, Davis and Worster know that it will take time for the innovative culture to spread throughout the school. While they admit the program is not without its wrinkles, they are hopeful that a steadfast dedication to technology integration will create breakthroughs for their staff. Davis knows that it pays off to start small and have it build from there, “If I could just get [the teachers] there once or twice, it will take on a life of its own.”

Glenburn Printers — Sets of 3-D printers at Glenburn School

This story was written and coordinated by MLTI Ambassador Rob Dominick as part of the Maine Schools Sharing the Success Campaign. To learn more, or to submit a story or an idea for a story, email rachel.paling@maine.gov.

Regional Connection Events for Extended Learning Opportunity (ELO) Coordinators

Jobs for Maine Graduates (JMG) is hosting Regional Connection Events throughout Maine for ELO (Extended Learning Opportunity) Coordinators. Each event is held in-person where a light breakfast and lunch will be provided, as will opportunities to spend time sharing, connecting, and being inspired. Find a detailed schedule/program here.

The December schedule is as follows:

North Region – University of Maine at Orono on Dec 6th, 9am – 3pm
Central Region – Thomas College on Dec. 13th, 9am – 3pm
Southern Region – University of New England, Biddeford on Dec. 15th, 9am – 3pm

If you have a scheduling issue please feel free to join a region that is a different location from your school/organization.

For more information reach out to JMG’s Extended Learning Opportunities Team.

What Are the MLTI Ambassadors Cooking Up? Daily Asynchronous Professional Learning Offerings Starting 11/28

Student Engagement, Blended Learning, Project Based Learning, Supporting All Learners and Computer Science & Computational Thinking Pedagogies are the main topics for a four-week professional learning series being offer by the MLTI Ambassadors starting on November 28. These daily offerings will go live on the MLTI Youtube channel and are open to all interested educators and will include useful resources and contact hours. These are also available as a professional learning calendar with links to the video and slides going live every day!

Student Engagement
Lead by Joshua Schmidt on Mondays

The student engagement series will extend last year’s videos from Erik Wade to four additional topics to help teachers create more authentic engagement in their classrooms. We will cover the similarities and differences in game-based learning and gamification, creating breakouts and escape rooms, leveraging group work to increase classroom discussions, and strategies to make those discussions more authentic and valuable. We will also discuss tools to help with each of these strategies and speak to other MLTI Ambassadors to hear examples of what has worked in their schools.

To find the previous professional development sessions in this series, and receive contact hours for them, please visit our YouTube playlist.

Topic 1: Comparing Game-Based Learning and Gamification
Topic 2: Creating Escape Rooms and Breakouts to Increase Student Engagement and Critical Thinking
Topic 3: Leveraging Group Work and Technological Resources to Increase Classroom Engagement and Discussions
Topic 4: Making Classroom Discussions Authentic and Using Tools to Support Authentic Discussions

Computer Science & Computer Technology Integration Pedagogies
Lead by Yuhong Sun by Tuesdays

Over the past decade, there has been increasing research on computer science pedagogies. The data shows that certain teaching methods are more effective than others in computer science education. The series of Computer Science & Computer Technology Integration Pedagogies will explore the popular pedagogies for Computer Science and Computer Technology Integration, such as computational thinking, contextualized learning, collaborative learning and learning away from the computer. The series will use examples from Computer Science teachers, math and science teachers and discuss how the teaching methods are effectively used in the classrooms to support the learning process, to develop students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills and prepare them for the 21st century job market.

Topic 1: Computational Thinking Skills Development
Topic 2: Engaging Students Through Contextualized Learning
Topic 3: Building Critical Thinking and Problem-solving Skills Through Collaborative Learning
Topic 4: Cultivating Computer Science Skills by Teaching Away from the Computer

Blended Learning
Lead by Martha Thibodeau on Wednesdays

The Blended Learning Series will explore an introduction of this pedagogical strategy and tools to enhance student learning. Included in this series will be an overview of blended learning models, techniques to support student choice and pacing, and developing teacher workflows. If you like the idea of blended learning, but are overwhelmed by the details, this is the series for you. Join the MLTI Ambassadors as we discuss ways to maximize student learning and efficiently manage your role in the blended learning environment.

Topic 1: Introduction to Blended Learning Models.
Topic 2: Student Experience in Blended Learning
Topic 3: Teacher Workflow within Blended Learning
Topic 4: Tools to Enhance Blended Learning

Recipes for Project Based Learning
Lead by Tracy Williamson on Thursdays

The Project Based Learning series will offer creative ideas to help students learn to think critically, collaborate and communicate on real-world projects. We’ll share tips, digital tools and resources to help you implement engaging team-based activities aligned with content area standards like creating a student news team, a student podcast series and STEAM projects that support the Sustainable Development Goals. We’ll also share digital tools and techniques for curating resources and data for long-term projects and creating effective and aesthetic presentations to share work with the community.

Topic 1: Student News Team Projects
Topic 2: Student Podcast Series
Topic 3: STEAM Projects around the Sustainable Development Goals
Topic 4: Presenting Projects: Taking PBL to the Community

Support for ALL
Lead by Nicole Karod on Fridays

This professional development series will share tools and methods for supporting all learners. As we all know our classroom are filled with a variety of needs, both academically and behavioral. In this series you’ll discover ways to meet students’ needs through differentiation, be a trauma informed educator, create and design with all students in mind, as well as fill your toolbox with tools for modification and accommodations. I will also be joined by other MLTI Ambassadors to discuss how these strategies can look different in different classrooms. Join me on Friday each week to develop your toolbox toward supporting all students in the classroom.

Topic 1: Differentiation in the classroom
Topic 2: Trauma informed classroom
Topic 3: UDL (Universal Design for Learning)
Topic 4: Tools for modification and accommodations

Inclusion for All: How to Support All Learners through Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)

The Office of Special services and Inclusive Education at the Maine Department of Education is pleased to announce our next speaker in our Special Topics Series – Dr. Katie Novak on January 4, 2023 from 3:30-4:30 pm.

Audience: General & Special Educators, Administrators, Parents, Caregivers and Community Members Interested in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Muti-Tiered Systems of Support(MTSS)

Cost: FREE Please register for the Zoom link here

While rocking out to a co-created playlist by DJ Swiff, attendees will understand:

A big picture of UDL, how it fits within a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS),
How we can proactively design learning experiences that plan for variability and help all students reach rigorous, grade-level standards.
Be inspired as you learn about variability and barriers, firm goals and flexible means, and the power of expert learning.
How to be better prepared to design lessons and instruction that impact learners from preschool to adulthood in ways that are innovative, inclusive, and impactful (and fabulous!).

About the Presenter:

Katie Novak, Ed.D., is an internationally renowned education consultant, author, graduate instructor at the University of Pennsylvania, and a former Assistant Superintendent of Schools in Massachusetts. With 20 years of experience in teaching and administration, an earned doctorate in curriculum and teaching, and eleven published books, Dr. Novak designs and presents workshops both nationally and internationally focusing on the implementation of inclusive practices, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), multi-tiered systems of support, and universally designed leadership.

Dr. Novak is the author of the best-selling books, UDL Now! A Teacher’s Guide to Applying Universal Design for Learning in Today’s Classrooms, Innovate Inside the Box, with George Couros, Equity by Design, with Mirko Chardin, and The Shift to Student-Led with Catlin Tucker.

Be sure to be watching for announcements in the Maine DOE Newsroom of future featured guests in our series!

If there are additional questions about this webinar or the series, please email Tracy (Tracy.W.Whitlock@maine.gov), Anne-Marie Adamson (anne-marie.adamson@maine.gov ) or Dee Saucier (danielle.m.saucier@maine.gov).

RFA- Restorative Practices for System Involved Youth in Maine Schools

The State of Maine is seeking applications to provide funding to Maine Schools in need of establishing or expanding support for System Involved Youth.

A copy of the RFA, as well as the Question & Answer Summary and all amendments related to the RFA, can be obtained at: https://www.maine.gov/dafs/bbm/procurementservices/vendors/grants

An Informational Meeting will be held on November 28, 2022 at 4:00 PM at the following location: https://mainestate.zoom.us/j/81803613490

Applications must be submitted to the State of Maine Division of Procurement Services, via e-mail, at: proposals@maine.gov. Applications must be received no later than 11:59 p.m., local time, on December 15, 2022. Applications will be opened the following business day. Applications not submitted to the Division of Procurement Services’ aforementioned e-mail address by the aforementioned deadline will not be considered for award.

State of Maine

Department of Education

RFA# 202211180

Restorative Practices for System Involved Youth in Maine Schools

How Morse High School is Bringing Career Exploration, Experience, and Learning to Its Students

“My role is to provide students at Morse High School with meaningful, real-life work/career exploration experiences to better prepare them for Maine’s workforce,” said Morse High School Extended Learning Coordinator Scott Stinchcomb.

Stinchcomb is one of a growing number of Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO) Coordinators working in schools and districts across Maine who all aim to set up intentional career/work experiences and coordinate efforts for students’ to experience and learn about different jobs, career paths, and work opportunities available here in Maine and beyond.

“The best part of my day is supporting students and listening to their workplace experiences and to see them growing and developing in real time,” he added.

As part of the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan (MJRP), Governor Mills recently announced $25 million toward paid work experiences for Maine students during a visit to Morse High school. “The energy and positive enthusiasm surrounding this event was amazing,” said Stinchcomb. “It also brought much attention to the value and importance of our Extended Learning Opportunities Program.”

Morse High School has only recently gotten its extended learning program up and running but they have already placed 10 students into career exploration. So far, Stinchcomb has really enjoyed working to set up placements for his students within the local business community – he says the support has exceeded his expectations. He explains that these employee related experiences allow Morse High School students the opportunity to acquire and develop crucial career ready skills to ensure their success.

“This experience is helping me by giving me a better idea of where my future career opportunities stand,” said Libbi Wallace, a senior at Morse High School and participant in the ELO Program. “I am able to test the waters and see if this is something I could do for the rest of my life,” added Wallace who hopes to one day open and operate an early childhood education program.

In addition to placing students, Morse High School is also planning bus tours for students to visit multiple businesses and they are also in the process of planning a Career Fair, Financial Fitness Fair, and Hiring Fair for the Spring. They are also planning on inviting in potential speakers and exploring many more career exploration experiences for students this year.

According to Stinchcomb however, they definitely couldn’t do it all alone. Morse High School is working with a collaborative including Mt. Ararat, Brunswick High School, the Southern Mid Coast Chamber, Mid Coast Youth Center, Retail Association of Maine, the Maine Department of Education, Maine Tourism Association, Jobs for Maine Grads (JMG), and the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development.

“It has been a very effective and productive model to support these ELO Programs,” added Stinchcomb who also wants to thank Bath area business/community partners Terri Crocker of the Creative Play Childcare, Hair Creations, Riverview Physical Therapy, Mid Coast Youth Center, Darlings (Brunswick), and Bath Animal Hospital to name a few businesses. He is also grateful to a number of individuals such as Patrick Manual (RSU1), Eric Varney (Morse HS), Maria Morris (JMG), Rick Wilson (Maine DOE), Doug Ware (Mt. Ararat), Cory King (Southern Mid Coast Chamber) and the entire Regional Collaboration Group. Along with state-level leaders who have helped secure funding for the ELO Program.

“The benefits emerging is the undeniable strengthening of our future Maine workforce and ensuring the success of our students, our local businesses, and the State of Maine economy,” said Stinchcomb.

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) has 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.

Nominations Open for 2023 Claudette and John Brassil Distinguished Educator Award

The Maine Council for English Language Arts (MCELA), an affiliate of the National Council of Teachers of English, is accepting nominations for the 2023 Claudette and John Brassil Distinguished Educator Award.

The purpose of this award is to recognize exceptional English language arts and literacy teachers who have demonstrated excellence in teaching, contributions to the profession, and commitment to the community.

For more information about the award, including how to submit a nomination, please visit: https://www.mainecela.org/brassil-award.html

Nominations are due by December 10, 2022.

For more information, contact MCELA.

Oxbow Outdoor RREV Pilot Creates New Spaces and Opportunities for RSU 9 Students

Mount Blue Campus Instructors Jake Bogar and Travis Tierney were awarded funding for a RREV Pilot in August 2021 for an outdoor education project that aims to get students off screens and outside of traditional school building walls for a revolutionary new way of learning.

RREV stands for Rethinking Responsive Education Ventures and is an ongoing initiative of the Maine Department of Education (DOE) to fund innovative and responsive education pilots that allow educators to think outside the box, and outside Maine’s traditional education systems to respond to the unique needs of their students.

It was through this partnership with RREV, that the Oxbow Outdoor Pilot was born. It came about as a pushback toward the abundance and reliance on digital screens. “Research and other nationwide studies showed a need for outdoor and experiential learning to promote social and emotional wellbeing. This need, coupled with our uniquely situated geography/landscape of woods, waters, and mountains will seek to positively influence student and community outcomes,” as explained in the pilot’s description.

Serving students in grades 9-12 on the Mount Blue Campus, which houses Mount Blue High School and Foster Career and Technical Education Center, part of Regional School Unit (RSU) 9, the pilot will provide an interdisciplinary outdoor education program that supports student wellness and achievement. The goals of the program are to expand student-centered learning opportunities in a variety of outdoor settings; increase student engagement, motivation, and voice; provide flexible time frames based on students’ needs; collaborate with students to develop and monitor learning plans; and implement a challenging, meaningful, proficiency-based education system that transcends from the classroom into the community and the world.

“There are so many socio-economic barriers for students when it comes to participating in and accessing outdoor learning, leadership, and experiences. Our current system of traditional learning, traditional assessment, reliance on digital technology, has left many students wanting outdoor and experiential learning,” the pilot description explains.

Although the project aims to mainly serve students on the Mount Blue Campus, Bogar and Tierney expect it will reach further across their district by creating mentoring, educational, and outdoor learning experiences for younger students in the 6 other schools that RSU 9 serves.

One year into their project the team is well out of the planning stages and are beginning implementation with the help of their students. Seen in these pictures, Pre-Engineering students and Outdoor Leadership students collaborate on building and setting beams for the new yurt on the campus.

“New skills and ownership in the project have been a joy to watch,” said Tierney.

students working on a structure outdoors

Like with any plan that bucks the traditional system and sets a new course (especially for a future generation of leaders), it’s not all smooth and seamless success for the Oxbow Outdoor Pilot team. Bogar and Tierney have jumped their fair share of hurdles and taken on a lot of extra work to see this project through. They report, however, that in the end it will all be worth it when they’ve set up a sustainable program that gets students learning outside and experiencing the dimensional and rich outdoor landscape of their region.

Once they are fully operational, the program will allow for two cohorts to move through the program each school year with the opportunity to earn certification in Industry Safety, Wilderness First Aid, Canoeing, and working toward their Maine Guide certification.

Bogar and Tierney tell us that there will be more to come and that things are moving fast, so stay tuned!

RREV is an initiative of the Maine Department of Education, funded by the Education Stabilization Funds through the US Department of Education’s Rethink K-12 Education Models, that bolsters Maine educators’ innovative efforts to support their students with agile, effective, and resilient learning experiences that improve learning outcomes for all students.

Martin Mackey, the former RREV Project Director who tragically passed away in April of 2022, embodied the RREV spirit: to think and act boldly to meet the needs of students. His passion was to “change lives.” As such, he challenged each and every RREV participant to do just that as they designed pilot ideas that would ultimately have a lasting systemic impact on students.  After 18 months of leading RREV, Martin’s passion had been passed on to over 200 educators who had participated in innovation professional development. From those educators, over 40 Pilot ideas were brought to fruition and have received over $8 million in RREV awards. Through their pilot ideas, these educators have pledged to commit themselves to innovation.

The Maine DOE encourages all schools and districts across the State of Maine to learn more about these innovative educators and their RREV pilots through the RREV website and the online RREV collaborative platform known as EnGiNE. It is through EnGiNE that we all hope to continue the Martin Momentum to change students’ lives through innovative and responsive educational programs.

Corinth’s Central Middle School Hosts First MLTI SLAM Showcase

Pictured: MLTI 2.0 SLAM [Student Leadership Ambassadors of Maine] posing in front of Central Middle School in Corinth with a welcome sign organized by the school.)

The Maine Department of Education’s Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) kicked off the first of six live, in-person, all-day SLAM (Student Leadership Ambassadors of Maine) showcases at Central Middle School in Corinth on October 21st. MLTI will be hosting six all-day SLAM Showcases at six different participating MLTI schools throughout the school year! One of MLTI’s goals is to provide equitable access to technology to prepare students to be critical thinkers and better global citizens. The Student Leadership Ambassadors of Maine (SLAM) directly supports this work by facilitating students’ new skill acquisition and problem solving, as well as their demonstration of technology integration through the creation of a student led community. SLAM empowers MLTI students to use their provided devices and technology tools by providing a platform where students can give back and share their innovative work with technology in their schools. The live SLAM in-person showcases have been designed to directly align with MLTI’s vision that all Maine students engage in authentic, relevant, technology-rich, learning experiences that prepare them for a fulfilling future.

To prepare for the all-day SLAM events, MLTI hosted three professional developments events led by master-educator, Kern Kelley. During these summer events educators learned how to develop classroom environments that use teamwork, technology design, prototyping, and production. Each attendee received a $2,000 kit with power tools, 3D printers, robotics, and virtual workspaces to bring back to their district and support technology integration, as well as the opportunity to apply to host one of these all-day SLAM events at their school during the 2022-2023 school year.

Central Middle School’s 8th grade math teacher, Michael Roman, attended the SLAM summer professional learning and applied to host a SLAM Showcase at his school and was the lucky successful applicant who was picked to host the first show.

Kelley began the day demonstrating to the 8th graders some of the innovative solutions that have been created using technology including the use of prosthetics that respond to muscle movement. Like with most of his presentations, Kelley included information on the cost and how to access the technology pieces that are used to put together advanced prosthetics, among other technology solutions. Kelley subscribes to the mindset that technology tools are available and at your fingertips, you just may not know they are there and how to access them.

Before sending students off to concurrent sessions for the morning, Kelley encouraged the students to think of their own ways to innovate and create using technology in ways that may not even be thought of yet.

The sessions were taught by Nokomis student SLAM club members (SLAMmers) and MLTI Ambassadors on topics such as bot coding, virtual reality, multimedia, and animation creation.

SLAMmers Katelyn, Mia, and Abby were also at the showcase taking photos and capturing video. Each aspiring to pursue photography, journalism, and videography, many of the pictures and images in this article and the video below were taken by them.

Katelyn, Mia, and Abby

Corinth Students being interviewed by SLAM

Mr. Roman with a Drone provided to the school.

The day ended with a live stream of the SLAM Show broadcast from Central Middle School. Students had the opportunity to highlight some of their favorite parts of the day with viewers. They took a group picture with a drone, which was an exciting part of the day for everyone.

Mia and other SLAMmers also produced a video which is a re-cap from the showcase with student interviews. Check it out here:

To learn more about the MLTI 2.0 SLAM program visit: http://MLTI.me. View the latest SLAM episode on the MLTI 2.0 Youtube Channel. To sign your school or classroom up to take part in this awesome opportunity, fill out this form. Follow the Maine Department of Education on Facebook and Twitter to see a posting of the latest virtual SLAM show each week. Subscribe to the Maine DOE Newsroom to see a recap of the in-person SLAM shows each month.