Maine DOE welcomes Jim Chasse as MLTI Technology Infrastructure Specialist

The Learning Through Technology team welcomes Jim Chasse as the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) Technology Infrastructure Specialist. Jim has served many roles in public education, including teacher, coach, technology coordinator, curriculum leader, principal, and superintendent of schools, where he has led initiatives to advance technology.

As Superintendent in Hermon, Jim worked with the school committee to leverage COVID relief funds to advance the K-12 district to a 1:1 technology platform as a response to deliver remote instruction during the pandemic. As the Orono High School Principal, he implemented the high school’s first 1:1 laptop program, worked with Network Maine to enhance connectivity, and transitioned the district’s antiquated email system to Google Suite. He planned and supported a local student “Geek/Tech Squad” to work with students and staff. Earlier in his career, Mr. Chasse served as the Technology Coordinator for MSAD23/38 (Carmel and Levant), supporting learning through the first year of MLTI, new school construction, web-based student information systems, and 1:1 teacher device integration. He served as principal in Guilford, one of Maine’s nationally recognized school systems for 1:1 technology. He was the Headmaster at Bangor Christian School, a teacher in Hermon, and tennis coach at Bangor High School.

In this role, Jim will work with MLTI school administrators and educators to ensure that their technology infrastructure is robust enough to support the needs of technology integrated classrooms and 21st century learning. He will be available to provide leadership and expertise to SAUs and educators statewide around building and maintaining highly effective technology infrastructure in school buildings. Jim will work with SAUs to leverage funding opportunities for infrastructure improvements and help to build local capacity around school connectivity needs.

Besides being excited about this new job, Jim also enjoys the Maine outdoors, athletics, theater and playing guitar. He and his wife, Charlene (a special education teacher in Belfast), love to spend time with their grandchildren, five and counting!

LRTC Student, Olivia Servidio, Chosen for a Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity in Nashville, TN.

Pictured: Pam Abzan the instructor of Lewiston Regional Technical Center’s Medical Science Program, left, stands with her student Olivia Servidio who has been selected for the AspirnautTM Summer Research Internship.

One of Lewiston Regional Technical Center’s very own students, Olivia Servidio, has been chosen for a spot at AspirnautTM Summer Research Internship. This internship is hands-on and a mentored laboratory experience for high school students interested in a career in the fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM).

Participants reside for six weeks on the campus of Vanderbilt University and conduct biomedical research at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN. Interns are paid a stipend for the time they work in the lab, provided room and board, and given the opportunity to interact with university faculty and administrators.

Students in the past have been involved in research ranging from understanding diabetic kidney disease and breast cancer to designing microfluidic devices with engineers.

Only 20-25 students, from all over the country who apply, are accepted into the program. Students applying need to achieve excellent test scores in science and math and are committed to pursuing a career in the STEM field. The right candidate needs to be curious, resourceful, highly engaged, and resilient.

Olivia Servidio is a bright and driven student and was nominated by her Medical Science teacher, Pam Abzan, to participate in this internship.

RSU 9 Second Graders Win Northeast Toshiba ExploraVision Science Competition

Pictured: Team members Lucinda Perry, Ronnie Yau, and Claire Kiger.

A team of 2nd graders at the W.G. Mallett School in Farmington was recently named a winner of the Northeast Toshiba ExploraVision Science Competition.

The team, coached by teacher Sue Boyce-Cormier, created the ‘Spider Plant CO2 Collector’. Based on their concerns for the future of the environment and their understanding of how plants can utilize C02, the students invented a device that would potentially attach to the exhaust pipe of cars.

The team will be awarded, virtually, by a Toshiba representative at a school assembly on April 8th and each of them will receive a chrome book. Their design is in the running for the national award as one of just five K-2 teams across the United States. Each winner on the national winning team will be awarded a $10,000 bond.

Additionally, a second team of 2nd graders from Mallett (Della Kangas and Chandler Clark) received Honorable mention, for their invention of ‘The Hive Tracker’.

Maine PBIS 2022-2023 Cohort Applications Now Open

Maine Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a state-wide effort designed to help school teams form a proactive, school-wide, systems approach to improving social and academic competence for all students. Schools in Maine are engaging in the implementation of PBIS through a variety of training and coaching opportunities offered by the Maine Department of Education in strong partnership with the University of Maine System. PBIS has documented outcomes for schools who implement PBIS with fidelity and integrity related to dramatic decreases in the number of behavior problems experienced in their schools. Additionally, students and staff in these schools report higher ratings of school climate scores than those in comparative schools who do not use a system of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports.

Maine DOE is now accepting new applications for schools and SAUs interested in joining a 3-year professional development cohort to establish a strong PBIS Tier One System.

To receive the application, please go to https://forms.office.com/g/P8k2wy3veW.

For more information, please contact Anne-Marie.Adamson@maine.gov.

Get to Know the Maine DOE Team: Meet Julie Smyth

Maine DOE team member Julie Smyth is being highlighted this week as part of the Get to Know the Maine DOE Team Campaign. Learn a little more about Julie in the question and answer below.

What are your roles with DOE?

I am the Director of the Office of School and Student Supports. This office oversees three teams – the Climate, Culture, Resilience Team; the Coordinated School Health Team; and the School Approval/Enrollment Team. We refer to ourselves as the O-Triple-S (or O3S).

What do you like best about your job?

I work with amazing professionals and feel so supported across the department. I love to introduce ideas and to brainstorm, and my ideas and energy have been met with enthusiasm and appreciation. It’s a wonderful feeling to work with others who love Maine and the field of education as much as I do. I am so proud of our educators and school personnel in the field, and anything I can do to provide them support and to show my appreciation for all that they do is an incredible feeling. It drives me daily and fills me with immense purpose.

Julie Smyth Cross Cafe — I’m a huge fan of the Spicy Dill Pickle Chips in the Cross Cafe (shout out to Matt and Matt), so my first day at the Maine DOE in November 2021 would not have been complete without a selfie for my former co-host at Maine Ed. Matters podcast.

How or why did you decide on this career?

I like to think that education chose me. My family had limited college experience, and I walked on the Bates campus in 1989 thinking I’d study pre-law. I gravitated toward English courses, and in the spring of my first year, an opening was available for a class titled Introduction to Teaching. The rest is history! I knew immediately that I belonged on this track, and I have never regretted my decision. I taught high school English in Windham for thirteen years and then moved into the administrative route, where I spent time in the Old Orchard Beach and Saco systems. Although I miss the daily interactions with staff and students, I LOVE working for the Maine Department of Education and could not be more proud of the work of the O3S!

What do you like to do outside of work for fun?

I surround myself with amazing family and friends! My husband Curt and I enjoy spending time on the beaches in Biddeford and cheering on our two teenagers from the sidelines as they participate in soccer, basketball, track and baseball. Our two Biddeford Tigers fill us with a lot of pride! We also have quite a fierce tennis rivalry going – mom and son vs. dad and daughter! The more active we are the better!

There is Still Time to Nominate for Maine School Nurse of the Year

The Maine Association of School Nurses has opened nominations for the Maine School Nurse of the Year (SNOY) 2022-23.

This award recognizes an outstanding school nurse for their contributions to the school and community they serve. The award provides recognition to an individual who demonstrates leadership in six areas of practice: care provision, program management, health education, professional development, community involvement, and research.

The individual selected will receive a $500 cash award and be recognized at the July 2022 Maine School Nurse Summer Institute.

The application deadline is April 25, 2022. The completed nomination packet must include: Nomination Form, reference letters (3-5) with at least one from administration, curriculum vitae, and a written report addressing the six content areas. Submit the original and 3 copies by April 25, 2022 to SNOY Coordinator Erin Taylor at etaylor@capeelizabethschools.org.

If you know a school nurse who inspires you with their dedication to their school community, please consider nominating them for this prestigious award!

For more information, please visit the MASN website.

Registration for Math4ME is Now Open

The Maine Department of Education Office of Special Services, in collaboration with the Maine Math and Science Alliance (MMSA), is pleased to announce a new Math4ME cohort for the 2022-2023 school year. Math4ME is designed to increase access to mathematics for all learners through teacher professional development. This year, participants will register as a team – an administrator, general educator, special educator and ed tech for hands on in person learning and remote synchronous interactive sessions. To learn more about this math learning opportunity, please view the Math4ME Informational video found here:

To receive an application for the 2022-2023 Math4ME cohort please go to https://forms.office.com/g/PUizY0fmF2.

If you have questions, contact Anne-Marie Adamson at anne-marie.adamson@maine.gov.

Week of the Young Child: Artsy Thursday

Every year, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) hosts Week of the Young Child. This year, the celebration will occur from April 2nd through April 8th. Members of the Early Learning Team at the Department of Education plan to share a video each day highlighting early childhood educators across Maine enhancing high-quality experiences for young children ages birth through eight. Each day’s video will focus on NAEYC’s theme of the day. Today is Artsy Thursday!

Today’s video highlighting music in early childhood settings can be found here:

The resources linked within the video are below:

You can find the daily videos and resources posted on our Early Childhood Professional Learning and Resources page here.

Thank you to those who have contributed to the videos and photos. We enjoy highlighting your work and sharing your commitment to young children with our colleagues throughout Maine.

Throughout the week, be sure to share additional photos and ideas using #WOYC2022 and #MEWOYC2022. Tomorrow, we’ll share another video for Family Friday.

Any questions regarding the Week of the Young Child can be directed to our Early Childhood Specialist, Nicole.Madore@maine.gov.

Celebrating National Poetry Month (Updated): Digital Resources, Events, and Great Poets!

As part of National Poetry Month, we’ve compiled some fantastic digital resources, events, and great poets to help with integrating poetry into teaching and learning throughout the month.

Digital Resources:

Digital Resources for Poetry Month (download PDF version of infographic above with links!)

Click the image to download PDF version with links!

Events:

Dear Poet 2022 – invites students in grades 5 – 12 to write letters in response to poems.
Digital Poetry Workshop with MLTI Ambassador Kate Meyer on April 7th – Register Here
The 19th annual Poetry & the Creative Mind event will be exclusively presented online on April 28th.

Sample Lesson Structures (NEW)

Great Poets:

The Maine Department of Education will be highlighting great poets with Maine ties all month long on our social media sites, follow us to learn more and continue the celebration:

WEBINAR: Resilience Strategies for Educators: Techniques for Self-Care and Peer Support

Resilience Strategies for Educators (RSE): Techniques for Self-Care and Peer Support Train-the-Educator (TtE) Virtual Training by Request (VTBR) is a virtual learning opportunity coming up for caregivers in schools and school districts to better understand, and teach others, resilience strategies following emergency events.

The REMS TA Center is excited to offer the NEW Resilience Strategies for Educators: Techniques for Self-Care and Peer Support (RSE) Train-the-Educator (TtE) Virtual Training by Request (VTBR) created in partnership with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Supportive Schools (OSSS). This dynamic and interactive half-day-long training is designed to assist caregivers in schools and school districts to better understand resilience and self-care strategies following natural disasters and other emergency events.

Participants will gain the knowledge and hands-on skills needed to implement the five components of Psychological First Aid — listen, protect, connect, model, and teach, as well as awareness about compassion fatigue, and how to build a self-care plan.

Pre- and -post training activities will provide guidance on how this training is relevant to emergency operations planning and assist with the implementation of what is learned.

TRAINING DETAILS
When: Tuesday, April 26, 2022
Time: 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET
Cost: NO CHARGE
Register here. (Registration for this event closes on Friday, April 22, 2022 at 5:00 p.m.)

TRAINING DESCRIPTION
As part of a comprehensive school emergency operations plan, it is important for schools and school districts to understand how to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from critical incidents, including social, emotional, and behavioral recovery. The training is designed to provide educators and school staff with a better understanding of resilience strategies that can be used to increase their ability to work more effectively with individuals impacted by stress, loss, and trauma brought on by community or family violence, natural and man-made disasters and economic hardship.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
The training is applicable in areas that have been impacted by traumatic events and/or natural disasters, as well as those that have not recently experienced a traumatic event(s). The intended audiences for this training include, but are not limited to:

• School counselors and psychologists
• School social workers and nurses
• Administrators, educators, and support staff
• School Resource Officers
• Community partners such as local mental/behavioral health practitioners

For more information and questions reach out to REMS directly at info@remstacenter.org or contact Maine School Safety Center (MSSC) staff Melissa Condon at melissa.a.condon@maine.gov.