Digital Forum on Prevention: Digital Ecosystems for Student Security, Safety, and Well-Being

Co-hosted with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) School Safety Task Force and the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Educational Technology (OET).

When:

Tuesday, January 25: 11:00 a.m. ET to 3:30 p.m. ET and;
Wednesday, January 26: 11:00 a.m. ET to 3:30 p.m. ET.

Where: Zoom

This forum will feature two days of online panels and workshops of experts, researchers, technology experts and practitioners. Attendees will learn about a public health-informed strategy to prevention, online safety, multidisciplinary approaches to student and educator well-being, and learn about solutions that support prevention, including how to improve digital literacy and critical thinking skills and cybersecurity resources to build resilience.

School administrators, educators, school safety stakeholders, prevention practitioners, including threat assessment and management professionals, state and local agencies, law enforcement, mental and behavioral health services, social services, technology companies, civil society organizations, cybersecurity experts, and all federal and international partners that have an interest and benefit in learning more about navigating student safety online are encouraged to register.

Full agenda and link to registration

Professional Development Series with Liz Kleinrock, nationally-recognized author with Teaching Tolerance on Anti-racist and Anti-bias Education.

Are you interested in learning about anti-racist and anti-bias education? If so, register for this no-cost training with Liz Kleinrock, the anti-racist and anti-bias educator who won the 2018 Teaching Tolerance Award for Excellence in Equity. She will share her expertise about having difficult conversations in the classroom about race and ethnicity. Don’t miss this three-part professional development series, to how “Education is Everywhere” (2019 Ted Talk).

Sponsored by the Maine County and State Teachers of the Year Association, this series is offered at no cost.

When:

Session 1: February 8, 2022, 7-8:15 pm
Session 2: March 15, 2022, 7-8:15 pm
Session 3: April 5th, 2022, 7-8 pm.

Where: Zoom (a link will be sent to registrants prior to sessions).

To receive four contact hours, please commit to all three sessions.

Register here

Register Now: Maine Collaborative Child Abuse Prevention Online Conference February 2-4

This event is co-sponsored by Cumberland County Children’s Advocacy Center, Maine Department of Education’s Office of School and Student Supports, Trauma-informed Prosecutor Project (TiPP), and Portland Pump Company.

Trainings are designed to provide cross disciplinary education, advocacy for systemic legal change, guidance for survivor support and leadership on emerging technologies, education and training around how to recognize and address the intersecting forms of child maltreatment in connection with child sexual abuse is the focus of all.

FEBRUARY 2-4, 2022 – 8:30AM TO 4PM

Day 1:

Essentials of Trauma-Informed Care
Essentials of Adverse Childhood Experiences
Empowering Survivors To Understand The Impact of Childhood Trauma… Getting Through, Not Over
Vicarious Trauma & Self-Care Strategies

Day 2:

Understanding the Impact Of Trauma On Boys
Strategies, Tips, & Activities for The Classroom: Building Connections & Developing Empathy
Personal Safety Building Blocks: Consent, & Empathy for Parents
Personal Safety Building Blocks: Consent, & Empathy for Professionals

Day 3:

Trauma-Informed Approaches to Victims of Technology-Facilitated
Abuse No Perfect Victim: Combating Issues & Overcoming Jury Bias in Cases with Difficult Kids
Smoke & Fire: Trauma, ACEs, How They Impact Child Abuse Investigation & Prosecution
Creating Trauma-Informed Spaces for Victims & Families Throughout the Justice System

REGISTER HERE.

Help promote this event – Download the flyer.

Input Sought Related to Bus Routing Software Needs

The Maine Department of Education (Maine DOE) is in the process of drafting an RFP to seek proposals to provide interested SAUs with comprehensive school bus routing and transportation management systems, including system implementation, software licensing, hosting, maintenance, support, and training.

Maine DOE is seeking SAU input on features and functionality that are needed in this system to make it most usable and productive for SAUs. Thank you for providing us with input, through this brief survey. Responses requested by January 30, 2022.

For questions regarding this survey, please contact Charlotte Ellis charlotte.ellis@maine.gov

MEDIA RELEASE: Maine Honors 11 Inspirational School Employees Through RISE Award

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) today announced the state finalists for the Recognizing Inspiring School Employees (RISE) Award.

In two special outdoor gatherings held today at East End Community School (Portland Public Schools) and Marcia Buker Elementary School (RSU 2), Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin presented Maine’s two State-level Honorees each with certificates and flowers and thanked them for their service. Award nominators and members of their school community were also present to show their gratitude and share inspirational messages about how these individuals have impacted their community.

Created by Congress in 2019 and overseen by the U.S. Department of Education, the RISE Award honors classified employees in the education workforce who provide exemplary service. The Maine DOE in coordination with the Office of Governor Janet T. Mills has selected 11 finalists from a pool of over eighty exceptional nominees submitted from across Maine by local educational agencies, school administrators, professional associations, nonprofits, parents/caregivers, students, and community members.

“As the daughter of a longtime public school teacher, I know how hard our teachers work every day to provide a quality education. These last few years have brought even greater challenges, and I am grateful to teachers across Maine who have risen to the occasion to educate our children and keep them safe,” said Governor Mills. “On behalf of all Maine people, I sincerely congratulate our RISE award winners on this well-deserved honor, and I thank them for all they do for our state.”

“Today I have been privileged to honor and recognize two of the thousands of heroes who are ensuring that Maine children have access to safe and successful schools,” said Commissioner of Education Pender Makin. “These dedicated staff members support teachers and families, and ensure that the health, safety, nutritional and academic needs of students are met day after day. Without their dedication and hard work, our schools, our communities, would falter. I urge all Maine people to join me in recognizing these two individuals, and in thanking our entire education workforce, who continues to rise above and deliver on behalf of their students.”

RISE nominees demonstrate excellence in the following areas: (A) Work performance; (B) School and community involvement; (C) Leadership and commitment; (D) Local support (from co-workers, school administrators, community members, etc., who speak to the nominee’s exemplary work); (E) Enhancement of classified school employees’ image in the community and schools.

Of the 11 finalists, two state-level honorees have been selected and submitted to the U.S. Department of Education to represent Maine for consideration in the national RISE Award. The U.S. Department of Education will announce one national honoree and present the individual with an award in the spring. Each of Maine’s finalists will be honored with a letter from the Commissioner of Education and receive spotlights on the Maine Department of Education website.

Maine’s RISE State-Level Honorees:

Deb Bodge
Administrative Assistant/Secretary
Marcia Buker Elementary School, RSU 2

“Mrs. Bodge has been a foundation for Marcia Buker School for many years. Not only has she been resilient during the COVID crisis, but she continues, each day to know about each child and how their worlds work. She also does it all with a smile. She is a rock for our little school and is completely deserving of such an honor,” said one of her nominators, Julie York.

Betsy Paz-Gyimesi
Spanish Family and Community Engagement Specialist
Multilingual and Multicultural Center, Portland Public Schools (PPS)

“Betsy bridges the home/school divide for our families, is a fierce advocate in ensuring that students access programs and services that would nurture and advance their academic performance and social/emotional well-being,” said nominator Maureen Clancy, PPS Language Access Coordinator.

Maine’s RISE Finalists:

Kelly Brown
School Nurse
Kennebunk Elementary School, RSU 21

Vicki Dill
Head Cook, Food Services
Whitefield Elementary School, RSU 12

Jessie Eastman
School Nurse
Lincoln Elementary School, Augusta School District

Leland Gamache
Bus Driver/Custodial Staff
Libson Community School, Lisbon School Department

Ellen Kimball
Food Service Staff
T.W. Kelly Dirigo Middle School, RSU 56

Brittany Layman
Health and Wellness Coordinator/School Nurse
Earl C. McGraw Elementary School, RSU 22

Martha Thompson
Education Technician- Carpentry
Portland Arts and Technology High School
.
Melinda Williams
Special Education-Education Technician
Sanford School Department

Paula Quirk
Main Office Clerk
Waldo T. Skillin Elementary School, South Portland Public Schools

For a full description and picture of each of the nominees and finalists, visit the Maine Department of Education’s RISE webpages.

For more information about the RISE award including a description of a classified employee, visit the U.S. Department of Education Website. To learn more about Maine’s process including criteria and frequently asked questions, visit the Maine Department of Education Website.

MLTI Virtual Student Conference Slated for May 26th

The Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) team is excited to announce that the 19th annual MLTI Student Conference will take place virtually on Thursday, May 26, 2022. Though this is our third year holding the MLTI Student Conference virtually, we are dedicated to making this year an innovative virtual conference experience like never before! The conference will be open to all MLTI 7th and 8th grade students and their teachers and will include interactive and hands on workshops where participants will be engaging and creating both digitally and in-person with provided materials.

This year the MLTI team is partnering with the University of Maine System and their Maine College of Engineering, Computing, and Information Science (MCECIS). By the time today’s middle schoolers are ready to enter college, they will have access through the University of Maine system to expanded educational opportunities and state of the art classrooms and labs for engineering, computing, and information science.

Please save the date for the 2022 MLTI Student Conference and check our website for more announcements coming soon, including a call for proposals, t-shirt design contest, a surprise guest announcement, presenters, and session information.

We look forward to seeing all of you on Thursday, May 26, 2022 and sharing an exciting and innovative day with you and MLTI students!

Download the Flyer

For more information reach out to Brandi Cota, Maine DOE MLTI Project Manager at Brandi.M.Cota@Maine.Gov

Maine DOE Child Nutrition’s First VISTA Member Paves the Way for Future Work

Caroline Bennett, a Volunteer In Service to America (VISTA) member of AmeriCorps joined the Maine Department of Education (DOE) Child Nutrition team in January 2021 to build capacity and resources related to alleviating food insecurity among Maine students, with a focus on school meal programs.

As Caroline’s one-year stay with the Maine DOE comes to a conclusion this month, we are celebrating the impact she has made as one of the first VISTA members to join our team. She is the first of a cohort that is focused on ending hunger in Maine by 2030.

Caroline’s projects supported the overall goal of improving access to healthy food, through the federal school meals programs. Her projects focused on three main areas:

Determining barriers and best practices of increasing student participation in federal school meal programs by surveying both food service directors and parents. As a result of her work, a toolkit of information, tips, and social media templates has been created for school nutrition programs across the State to use. The toolkit can be found on the Maine DOE Student Eligibility & Applications webpage under the “Free and Reduced Applications” tab, then Resource Materials.
Developing a foundation of resources to move towards all meals at no charge for Maine students. As a result of LD 1679, “An Act to Address Student Hunger through Expanding Access to Free School Meals,” she assisted with the cost analysis of the bill and collaborating with other partners such as Full Plates Full Potential.
Creating a positive media campaign for completing the student meal benefit application. A toolkit was created to educate families on the importance of completing the confidential meal benefit application, including translated materials to help reach all Maine communities. Find the toolkit here.

Other focus areas included promoting the meal benefit application for families who are eligible for pandemic EBT benefits, and building resources for cultural diversity in school menus that can be used by school nutrition professionals. As a result of her work, 218 school districts that participate in the school meals programs have access to these resources, and 91,413 new pandemic EBT issuances were made.

Caroline’s work laid a great foundation for the Department’s future work to continue providing meals at no charge for public schools in School Year 2023. School districts are urged to educate families on the importance of completing the confidential meal benefit application as it informs key funding for schools, as well as connects families to important resources and benefits.

This important work will continue in future years as Child Nutrition looks to host another VISTA member in SY 2023.

Caroline’s future plans include attending the University of New England Master of Science in Applied Nutrition. We wish her the best in her future endeavors!

For further information contact the Maine DOE Child Nutrition Team.

WEBINAR: Resources to Address the Mental Health Impact on Students, Families, and Staff

Please join the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse on January 20 at 3:00 PM EST for an informational webinar on the latest resources to address the mental health impact on students, parents, teachers, and school personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The session will feature guest speakers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network, which is funded by the Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Presenters will provide an overview of national COVID-19 guidance for K-12 schools and share resources to address the mental health impact on students, parents, teachers, and school personnel.

The discussion will feature additional school safety-related resources available through SchoolSafety.gov, as well as a Q&A session.

When: January 20, 2022, 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM EST
Where: Adobe Connect (access link to be provided one day in advance of the event)
For: K-12 School Superintendents and Principals; School and District Administrators; Teachers and School Staff; School Counselors and School Psychologists; Emergency Management; Parents and Guardians; and Students
Registration: https://schoolsafetycovidandmentalhealthwebinar.eventbrite.com

If you have any questions, please contact the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse School Safety team at SchoolSafety@hq.dhs.gov.

Regional School Calendars Due June 1, 2022

This is a reminder that Regional School Calendars are due by June 1, 2022 for school administrative units (SAU) and private schools approved for tuition purposes, in coordination with their local secondary career and technical education (CTE) school. This requirement is part of Public Law 2011, Chapter 686 to promote collaboration among local school administrative units that may benefit from inter-administrative unit collaboration beyond CTE.

For school year 2022-23, both regional school calendars and individual calendars for each school administrative unit must be submitted by the director of the local CTE Center/Region to the Department of Education (DOE) no later than June 1, 2021 for a decision on approval by July 12, 2022. Guidance and templates can be accessed electronically at www.maine.gov/doe/regionalcalendar/.

Given the coordination required for fulfillment of this law, the Maine DOE recommends that SAUs initiate discussions as soon as feasible, including representatives from all affected secondary schools and their associated career and technical education center or region.

For more information, including guidance, instructions, templates, a waiver process, and a link to the complete law, please visit www.maine.gov/doe/regionalcalendar/. Further questions should be directed to Doug Robertson doug.robertson@maine.gov / 624-6744 or Dwight Littlefield dwight.a.littlefield@maine.gov / 624-6721.

Bath Middle School Takes Hands-on Approach to Learning About Ocean Sustainability

Inspired by the Expeditionary Learning model, Bath Middle School has taken a hands-on approach to examining the issue of ocean sustainability. As part of this project, as citizen scientists, the 7th-grade students took to the local waterfront to collect data on the invasive green crab species and graphed their results.

Students also visited the Maine Maritime Museum in downtown Bath to learn about the history of Maine’s fishing and shipping industry. Working with Museum educators, they generated timelines through the examination of the museum’s artifacts.

The culminating activity was for students to design and build a product that would address an issue that threatens the sustainability of our oceans such as pollution, climate change, or invasive species. On Thursday, December 16th, parents, and the community were invited to attend an event that displayed the students’ work.

In a “Shark Tank” format, the top five projects were pitched to a panel of judges to determine a winning product. Students created videos, websites, and prototypes to convince the judges of their product’s ability to impact and help solve an issue that puts the sustainability of our oceans at risk.

After much deliberation, the judges determined that the winning product was Compostable Condiments designed by Sadie C. and Laura K. This product proposed using an invasive seaweed to make a biodegradable substitute for the plastic used in takeout packets like ketchup.

Bath middle ocean sustainability project

Congratulations to all the 7th graders for their innovative ideas that could help to preserve one of Maine’s most essential natural resources.

This story was written and coordinated by MLTI Ambassador Holly Graffam 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.