Category: News & Views

MEDIA RELEASE: Maine’s Teacher of the Year Journey Starts with Your Nomination

Help Honor and Elevate Maine Teachers. Nominations Now Open for County and State Teacher of the Year Program

MAINE – Nominations are now open for the 2022 County Teachers of the Year and 2023 Teacher of the Year. Members of the public are encouraged to nominate educators who demonstrate a commitment to excellence and who inspire the achievement of all students.

“Our educators have continued to inspire, educate and care for their students during dynamic and difficult times,” said Commissioner of Education Pender Makin. “We encourage education colleagues, students, and community members to nominate an educator who exemplifies the committed heroes in our classrooms and schools.”

Nominations can be made through a nomination form on the Maine Teacher of the Year Website now through 5:00 pm on Feb. 4, 2022. Nominations will be accepted from students, parents, caregivers, community members, school administrators, colleagues, college faculty members, and associations/organizations (self-nominations, and nominations from family members are not accepted).

To be considered for the County and Maine Teacher of the Year award, a person must:

Maine’s County and State Teachers of the Year serve as advocates for teachers, students, and public education in Maine. They serve as advisors to the Department of Education and state-level education stakeholders across Maine.  Additionally, County and State Teachers of the Year join a cohort of teacher leaders that actively work together for the betterment of education in Maine. They also receive on-going professional learning and participate in many state and county leadership opportunities.

The 2022 County Teachers of the Year will be announced in May. The 2023 Maine Teacher of the Year will be selected from the 16 county honorees. The field will be narrowed to eight semi-finalists, and then three state finalists before the Maine Teacher of the Year is announced by Maine’s Education Commissioner at a school assembly in the fall. Each year, State and County Teachers of the Year are honored at the annual Teacher of the Year Gala also held in the fall.

MEDIA TOOLKIT
Help us promote the Teacher of the Year Program! Our goal is to expand and diversify our nomination pool!

About the Program:

Graphics:

Video Testimonials:

On behalf of, and in partnership with Maine Department of Education, the Maine Teacher of the Year program is administered by Educate Maine, a business-led organization whose mission is to champion college, career readiness, and increased education attainment. Funding is provided by Bangor Savings Bank, Dead River Co., Geiger, Hannaford, the Maine Lottery, the Silvernail Family, and Unum, with support from the State Board of Education and the Maine State Teacher of the Year Association.

The Maine Teacher of the Year program is committed to a nomination and selection process that ensures people of all backgrounds are represented.  Educate Maine and the Maine Department of Education champion that commitment by encouraging the nomination of educators from all culturally diverse experiences and backgrounds.

“We are proud to administer the Maine Teacher of the Year program in collaboration with the Maine Department of Education,” said Dr. Jason Judd, Educate Maine Executive Director. “Our unique program is a partnership between business and education designed to honor the good work of teachers, elevate the profession, provide professional growth opportunities and amplify the voice of classroom teachers.  The network of State and County Teachers of the Year is a valuable resource for our state and we often call upon their expertise to guide and inform our work.”

“We are grateful for our partnership with Educate Maine and for their commitment to a program that elevates the voice and role of Maine educators,” said Commissioner Makin. “We are also grateful for our sponsors and the network of Maine’s County and State Teachers of the Year for their ongoing advocacy and leadership.”

Through the generous support of Maine businesses, there is no cost to the local district when the Teacher of the Year is out of the classroom on their official duties, which includes representing educators state-wide and nationally through safely distanced in-person and virtual events that highlight the important work of Maine schools, communities, and educators.

For more information about the Maine Teacher of the Year program, visit the Maine Teacher of the Year website.

Media Contact: Dolly Sullivan, Educate Maine at dolly@educatemaine.org

 

School Civil Rights Teams Across Maine Celebrate Inclusion and Belonging on Annual ‘Day of Welcome’

Civil rights teams across Maine were invited to participate in the Civil Rights Team Project’s annual “Day of Welcome” held on November 5, 2021. The event was a chance for students to celebrate and promote the idea that their school community is for everyone.

The Day of Welcome is coordinated by the Civil Rights Team Project in the Maine Office of the Attorney General. The Project, now in its 26th year, is a school-based preventative program that aims to increase the safety of students by reducing bias-motivated behaviors and harassment in schools. There are currently 207 participating schools with student-led civil rights teams.

The Day of Welcome has been celebrated for the past three years and invites civil rights teams to create an inclusively welcoming sign, banner, or display stating: We welcome everyone. All races and skin colors, all national origins and ancestries, all religions, all disabilities, all genders (identity and expression), and all sexual orientations. Students were challenged to create the display using imagination, innovation, creativity, and teamwork.

“For 25 years, the Civil Rights Team Project has been working with school communities to foster an environment of inclusion and respect based on their or their loved ones’ identities,” said Attorney General Aaron M. Frey. “I celebrate their work and congratulate them and every Civil Rights Team in the state for making their school communities a better place, and I applaud their work on this year’s Day of Welcome.”

Participating teams also organized welcoming activities for the event, displaying and promoting their signs and inviting others to connect, participate, and celebrate their school community’s commitment to inclusivity and belonging.

Here are a few things students from the MSAD 60 Civil Rights Team had to say about the Day of Welcome and the work of school Civil Rights Teams:

“For some people, small gestures can make them feel more comfortable.” — Ella

“It’s important to show that we care, so that those who don’t usually feel welcome feel welcome.” — Griffin

“A Civil Rights Team is important to shed light on what is happening in school.” — Caelum

“People know that other people support them. We’re bringing together people who have gone through the same things.” — Ariana

Check out the creativity and passion in these Day of Welcome signs created by Maine students:

Wells High
Yarmouth High
Reeds Brook Middle
Wiscasset Middle/High
Richmond High
Mountain Valley Middle
Windham Middle
Falmouth High
Sumner Memorial High
Deer Isle Stonington Elementary
St. George
Skowhegan Area High
Sherwood Heights Elementary
Sanford High
Robert V. Connors Elementary
Presumpscot Elementary
Portland High
Philip W. Sugg Middle
Noble Middle
Noble Middle
Mt. Blue High
Mast Landing
Madison Junior High
Madison Area Memorial High
Leroy H. Smith
Leonard Middle
Lee Academy
Kingfield Elementary
Kennebunkport Consolidated
Houlton Middle High
Hall-Dale High
Freeport High
Frank H. Harrison Middle
Eastport Elementary
Eastport Elementary
Connors Emerson
Brunswick High
Ames Elementary

“All of us, working together, can make a powerful statement and enlist school and statewide support for our work,” said Brandon Baldwin, Director of the Civil Rights Team Project in a message to civil rights teams about the Day of Welcome.

Thank you to Maine News Media Outlets who reported on the Day of Welcome activities:

A HUGE thank you to all the Maine schools who are currently participating in the Civil Rights Team Project:

Alton Elementary School Madison Elementary School
Amanda C. Rowe Elementary School Madison Junior High School
Ames Elementary School Manchester School
Auburn Middle School Maranacook Community High School
Bangor High School Maranacook Middle School
Bath Middle School Margaret Chase Smith School
Belfast Area High School Marshwood Great Works School
Biddeford High School Marshwood High School
Biddeford Intermediate School Marshwood Middle School
Biddeford Middle School Mast Landing School
Bloomfield Elementary School Mattanawcook Academy
Bonny Eagle High School Memorial Middle School
Bonny Eagle Middle School Messalonskee Middle School
Bowdoinham Community School Middle School of the Kennebunks
Brewer High School Minot Consolidated School
Bristol Consolidated School Molly Ockett Middle School
Brooklin School Morse High School
Brooksville Elementary School Mount Desert Island High School
Brownville Elementary School Mount View Elementary School
Bruce M. Whittier Middle School Mount View High School
Brunswick High School Mountain Valley High School
Brunswick Jr. High School Mountain Valley Middle School
Buckfield Jr.-Sr. High School Mt. Ararat High School
Bucksport Middle School Mt. Ararat Middle School
Buxton Center Elementary School Mt. Blue High School
Camden Hills Regional High School Mt. Blue Middle School
Cape Elizabeth Middle School Narragansett Elementary School
Captain Albert W. Stevens School Narraguagus Jr/Sr High School
Caravel Middle School Noble High School
Central High School Noble Middle School
Central School Nokomis Regional High School
Cheverus High School Oak Hill High School
China Middle School Oak Hill Middle School
Coastal Ridge Elementary School Oceanside High School
Congin Elementary School Old Orchard Beach High School
Conners Emerson School Old Town Elementary School
Cony Middle/High School Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School
Deer Isle-Stonington Elementary School Palermo Consolidated School
Deer Isle-Stonington High School Park Avenue School
Deering High School Penquis Valley Middle School
Dirigo High School Philip W. Sugg Middle School
Dora L. Small Elementary School Piscataquis Community Secondary School
Durham Community School Poland Regional High School
East Auburn Community School Pond Cove Elementary
East End Community School Portland High School
Eastport Elementary School Pownal Elementary School
Eliot Elementary School Presque Isle High School
Elm Street Elementary School Presumpscot Elementary School
Etna Dixmont School (ES) Raymond A. Geiger Elementary School
Falmouth Elementary School Reeds Brook Middle School
Falmouth High School Richmond High School
Falmouth Middle School Richmond Middle School
Farwell Elementary School Robert V. Connors Elementary School
Foxcroft Academy Robert W. Traip Academy
Frank H. Harrison Middle School Sacopee Valley High School
Frank I. Brown Elementary School Sacopee Valley Middle School
Freeport High School Samuel L. Wagner Middle School
Freeport Middle School Sanford High School
Gardiner Area High School Sanford Middle School
Gardiner Regional Middle School Scarborough Middle School
George B. Weatherbee School Searsport District High School
Gerald E. Talbot School Searsport District Middle School
Glenburn School Searsport Elementary School
Gorham High School Sedgwick Elementary School
Gorham Middle School SeDoMoCha Middle School
Gray-New Gloucester High School Shapleigh School
Gray-New Gloucester Middle School Shead High School
Great Falls Elementary School Sherwood Heights Elementary School
Greely High School Skowhegan Area High School
Greely Middle School (4-5) Skowhegan Area Middle School
Greely Middle School (6-8) South Bristol Elementary School
Hall-Dale High School Spruce Mountain High School
Hall-Dale Middle School St. George School
Hampden Academy Stevens Brook Elementary School
Harpswell Coastal Academy, Division 1 Sumner Memorial High School
Harrison Lyseth Elementary School T.W. Kelly Dirigo Middle School
Helena Dyer Elementary School Telstar High School
Hermon High School Thomas J. McMahon Elementary School
Hodgdon Middle/High School Thornton Academy
Holbrook Middle School Thornton Academy Middle School
Holden Elementary School Troy Howard Middle School
Hope Elementary School Valley Rivers Middle School/FKCHS
Horace Mitchell Primary School Veazie Community School
Houlton Middle/High School Village Elementary School
Howard C. Reiche Community School Walton School
James F. Doughty School Warsaw Middle School
John Bapst Memorial High School Washburn District High School
Jordan-Small Middle School Washburn Elementary School
Kennebunk High School Washington Academy
Kennebunkport Consolidated School Wells High School
Kermit S. Nickerson School Westbrook High School
Kingfield Elementary School Westbrook Middle School
Lake Region High School William S. Cohen School
Lake Region Middle School Windham High School
Lawrence High School Windham Middle School
Lebanon Elementary School Winslow High School
Lee Academy Winslow Junior High School
Leonard Middle School Winthrop High School
Leroy H. Smith School Winthrop Middle School
Lewiston Middle School Wiscasset Middle School
Lisbon Community School Woodland Jr.-Sr. High School
Loranger Memorial School Yarmouth High School
Madawaska Elementary School York High School
Madison Area Memorial High School

Any school in Maine with students in grades 3-12 can start a civil rights team with free resources, structure, and support through the Maine Office of the Attorney General. For more information visit their website or contact Brandon Baldwin, Director of the
Civil Rights Team Project at Brandon.Baldwin@maine.gov.

Tips to Improve How Your Mask Protects You

As we all work together to fight the Omicron variant of COVID-19, effective mask wearing continues to be one of the best strategies.

Find important information, graphics, and translated resources on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website to share with your school community about how individuals can improve how their mask protects them:

Improve How Your Mask Protects You >

 

Maine School Nutrition Teams Invited to Register for Farm to School Cook-off by Jan 14

Photo Caption: Student Sam Messana from the Kaler Kooks, South Portland team.

Registration is open for the annual Maine Department of Education (DOE), Child Nutrition Farm to School Cook-off!

Held in the Spring of 2022, the cook-off is a statewide culinary competition for teams of school nutrition professionals and students to promote local foods in school meals. This voluntary competition is made available to all school districts in Maine.

The cook-off involves three regional competitions that take place in locations across the state (including Career and Technical Education [CTE] culinary arts centers), and a finals competition in the Maine DOE Child Nutrition Culinary Classroom located in its Augusta offices. All necessary precautions will be taken due to COVID-19, including face coverings and social distancing of teams.

2021 Cook-off Champions- Whitefield Wildcats Kiara Luce & Vicki Dill
2021 Cook-off Champions- Whitefield Wildcats Kiara Luce & Vicki Dill

Each team will prepare a breakfast and lunch meal within a specific time frame using at least three ingredients that are grown, raised, caught, or manufactured in the State of Maine and meet National School Lunch Program (NSLP) meal requirements, as well as one US Department of Agriculture (USDA) food. Local buckwheat flour and local beets will be used as “challenge” ingredients in the competition this year. All recipes will later be shared in a Maine farm to school cookbook to be used in future school meals programs.

TIMELINE AT A GLANCE

  • January 14, 2022 – Team Registration Due (click here for registration link)
  • February 18, 2022 – Recipes Due to Child Nutrition State Office
  • March 23, 29 & 31, 2022- Regional Competitions take place!
    • March 23: Westbrook Regional Vocational Center
    • March 29: Lake Region Vocational Center
    • March 31: Augusta (location to be announced in early March)
  • April 8, 2022 – Finalists Announced
  • April 26, 2022 – Cook-Off Finals at the Child Nutrition DOE Culinary Classroom!

New to the Farm-to-School Cook-off in 2022 is a sample student reflection option to support students making connections that may inform their individual career development.

Interested school districts can find more information and the link to register on the Maine Child Nutrition website. The registration deadline is January 14, 2022. For more information on Maine’s Farm and Sea to School program, visit https://www.maine.gov/doe/farmtoschool.

For questions about the Maine Learning Results Life and Career Ready standards or Extended Learning Opportunities, contact Maine DOE Life and Career Ready Education Specialist, Diana Doiron, at diana.doiron@maine.gov or Rick Wilson, Maine DOE Extended Learning Specialist,  at rick.wilson@maine.gov.

For questions about the Farm-to-School Cook-off Competition, contact Maine DOE Child Nutrition Consultant, Stephanie Stambach at stephanie.stambach@maine.gov.

PRIORITY NOTICE: Seeking Proposals for Afterschool and Summer Learning Programs

The Maine Department of Education is pleased to announce the release of a request for proposals (RFP) seeking bids from interested parties to implement comprehensive 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) programming in 2022-2023.  It is anticipated that roughly $2M will be available to issue grant awards later this year.

Authorized under Title IV, Part B of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Act of 2015, the 21st CCLC program provides competitive grant funding to support before school, after school, and summer learning programs that focus on improving the academic performance of students in Pre-Kindergarten through grade 12.

The primary purpose of Maine’s 21st CCLC program is to provide funding for school and community partnerships to establish or expand community learning center programs.  These programs provide students in high-need, economically-disadvantaged communities with academic tutoring and enrichment opportunities designed to complement their school-day academic program.  In addition, these programs can provide a broad array of additional support services related to overall student health and well-being.

Local 21st CCLC programs – which can be located in elementary schools, secondary schools or similarly accessible community facilities – provide high quality support services to students during non-school hours.  As such, these programs also support working parents and families by providing safe, supportive learning environments for students at times when school is not in session.

The request for proposal (RFP), which includes information regarding eligibility, program requirements, and more, is available here. An informational webinar for this RFP will be posted to the Department’s application website on January 25, 2022.  It is strongly recommended that interested parties view this presentation, in its entirety, prior to submitting a proposal for 21st CCLC program funding.

Below is the anticipated timeline for the Department’s current 21st CCLC grant competition:

Date Task
January 5, 2022 RFP Released to Public
January 25, 2022 Informational Webinar Posted Online
February 15, 2022 Deadline for Submission of Questions in Response to RFP
March 1, 2022 Interested Parties Submit Letter of Intent to Apply
April 14, 2022 Proposal Deadline
April 2022 Formal Peer Review of Proposals
May 2022 Grant Award Notifications
July 1, 2022 Grant Award Start Date

Please be advised that the dates above are subject to change.  Interested parties must consult the RFP document for the most accurate dates and deadlines regarding this opportunity.

For more information on the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) Program, contact State Coordinator, Travis Doughty, at travis.w.doughty@maine.gov.

U.S. DOE Announces Joint Temporary Action with U.S. DOT to Help Address School Bus Driver Labor Shortage

The U.S. Department of Transportation in coordination with the U.S. Department of Education has announced that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is giving states the option of waiving the portion of the commercial driver’s license (CDL) skills test that requires applicants to identify the “under the hood” engine components. All other components of the written and road test will remain.

This announcement aims to alleviate some of the labor shortage challenges schools are facing and is one of many resources the U.S. Department of Education continues to provide to safely keep schools open for full-time, in-person learning.

“This Administration is listening to the needs of school communities and remains committed to making sure schools are open safely for in-person learning full time,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “We’ve heard from educators and parents that labor shortages, particularly of bus drivers, are a roadblock to keeping kids in schools. Today’s announcement will give states the flexibility they need to help increase the pool of drivers, who are a key part of the school community, and get kids to school safely each day where students learn best. And American Rescue Plan funds can be used to hire these critical staff, including offering increased compensation or other incentives to recruit and retain staff.”

“This federal waiver will help states that are short on bus drivers,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “By allowing states to focus on the testing requirements that are critical to safety, we will get additional, qualified drivers behind the wheel to get kids to school safely.”

Drivers receiving a CDL under this temporary waiver are permitted to operate intrastate school buses only; they are not authorized to operate trucks, motorcoaches, or any other type of commercial motor vehicle requiring a CDL.

The FMCSA waiver, which became effective Jan. 3, 2022, expires March 31, 2022. Read the full release from the U.S. Department of Education here.

Prepare to Become a School Bus Driver in Maine:

  1. Contact your local school district, Career and Technical Sites/Center, Adult Education Programs, or all to ask when the next School Bus Driver class begins. Some local classes are free.
  2. Study Section 10, School Buses, of the Maine Commercial Driver License Manual: https://www.maine.gov/sos/bmv/licenses/cdlmanual.pdf
  3. Call Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles about commercial driver license (CDL) requirements, application, exam schedules, or extent of the Federal waiver. The direct contact for Maine BMV’s CDL Examination Section is 207-624-9000 ext, 52122. Between January 3, 2022 and March 31, 2022, the Federal waiver impacts a portion, not all, of the overall pre-trip inspection exam requirement.

Beginning February 7, 2022, Maine residents can search the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Training Provider Registry to find local CDL school bus trainers in Maine and your community.

Maine CDC & DOE Update Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Schools; Plan to Engage with School Administrators to Consider Additional Changes

For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Robert Long at Maine CDC

AUGUSTA – The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) and the Maine Department of Education (DOE) announced today further revisions to the Maine CDC’s public health guidance for responding to a positive case of COVID-19 in schools.

These revisions come in advance of students returning from winter break and, among other changes, reflect recently updated guidance from the U.S. CDC on quarantine and isolation periods. The revisions are intended to help keep students in-classroom while protecting their health and safety and that of staff.

Additionally, the Maine Department of Education, along with the Maine CDC, will continue to engage with school administrators from across the state to gather operational input on further potential changes to the guidance in light of the Omicron variant. These potential changes would continue to prioritize in-person learning and help keep children safely in the classroom.

Today’s changes to the School Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) are as follows:

  • Isolation and quarantine periods for students and staff are shortened consistent with recently updated guidance from the U.S. CDC,
  • The Maine CDC is aligning its definition of what constitutes a COVID-19 outbreak in schools with the State’s longstanding definition of an outbreak of other infectious diseases in schools. Effective immediately, the Maine CDC will open an outbreak investigation if a school reports that more than 15 percent of a school population is absent, which is the standard currently utilized to define an outbreak from other infectious diseases, such as influenza.
  • The Maine CDC will no longer consider exposure to COVID-19 in an outdoor setting or on a school bus, where the Federal government requires masks be worn, as a “close contact.”
  • The Maine CDC is updating its “test to stay” pooled testing program to enable more students to stay in the classroom. Previously, students and staff participating in pooled testing who were exposed to COVID-19 outside of a school setting were required to quarantine and not attend school. If they were exposed to COVID-19 in a school setting and participating in pooled testing, then they were not required to quarantine from school. Now, regardless of where the exposure occurs, if a student or staff member is participating in pooled testing, then they will not be required to quarantine from school.

Consistent with U.S. CDC guidance, the Maine CDC continues to recommend universal indoor masking by students, staff members, faculty, and visitors in K–12 schools, regardless of vaccination status. Local school boards are charged with the responsibility of implementing masking requirements for their school systems.

The Mills Administration has prioritized in-classroom learning and has provided school administrative units will several options to ensure that students can remain in school, including vaccination, universal masking, and pooled testing.

Maine has become a leader in pooled testing in schools. Pooled testing involves combining samples from individuals in a common group setting, such as a school, and has emerged as one of the most important tools in keeping preK-12 schools open and ensuring that Maine children can learn in person. Pooled testing allows schools to perform wide-scale testing of school communities efficiently and to easily identify positive cases in individuals who may be asymptomatic, notify close contacts, and reduce the number of children and staff who need to quarantine.

As of the week of December 20, 416 K-12 schools with 61,879 staff and students were participating in pooled testing statewide. This represents nearly 30 percent of all Maine staff and students. The Department of Health and Human Services’ pooled-testing contractor, Concentric, has reported that Maine’s participation rate for schools enrolling in the program is one of the highest they’ve observed across the country. Concentric works with Maine and eight other states to provide pooled testing in schools. Additional schools, students, and staff are encouraged to participate in this program, which the Department of Health and Human Services provides at no cost.

According to Maine’s Vaccination Dashboard, as of December 29, 2021, 49.3 percent of children ages 5 to 19 were fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Data from the U.S. CDC tracker show that Maine ranks fourth highest among states in the percent of 5 to 17 year olds fully vaccinated. As of the end of October, 83 percent of school staff were fully vaccinated. More than 500 vaccine clinics have been held at or coordinated with schools this fall, with more scheduled for the new year.

Since the fall of 2020, all Maine pre-K-12 schools have been providing in-person instruction to students.

The updated public health guidance for responding to a positive case of COVID-19 in schools can be viewed HERE.

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Maine FIRST Lego League Championship Event Highlights Maine Students’ STEM Skills

The 22nd annual Maine FIRST Lego League Championship on December 18th was a hybrid event that offered teams from across the state an opportunity to compete in-person or remotely.  Messalonskee High School in Oakland hosted the in-person part of the event with a half dozen teams in attendance.  The virtual part of the event included another seven teams that connected over Zoom.  This also allowed judges to connect from as far away as California and Israel.  The streamlined day ended with a fifteen minute Awards Ceremony over Zoom.

The Champion’s Award went to the “Smart Fun Engineers” for the fourth consecutive year with a high score of 335 points, of the possible 670, for their robot’s performance.  The team from Farmington was certainly ecstatic to learn about their win this year.

The Champion’s Finalist Award went to the Lego Legends from the Brewer Community School.  This diverse team with members ranging from eight to thirteen even includes a member from nearby Orrington (who does not have a Lego Robotics team) who showed up with personalized team t-shirts and matching hats.  Their coach, Joarly Arnold, received the Mentor Award.  Joarly, who works for General Electric and is part of their corporate team of GE Girls, said she is passionate about getting children engaged with STEM, including robotics.  She has been working with the team for four years, and due to her background in information engineering, she believes kids “should have an early introduction to STEM, as it teaches them not only science and mathematics, but increases their critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making skills; skills that they will use regardless of their future career path.”

FIRST LEGO League Team 32423 from Brewer Community School.
FIRST LEGO League Team 32423 from Brewer Community School.

The Robot Design Award went to the Fort Fairfield RoboTigers, which had to overcome many challenges around team members quarantining throughout the season.  They were among the teams connecting virtually, and found the experience of interacting with the judges to be highly beneficial.

The Innovation Project Award went to the Veazie Viking Robotics team who proposed carbon fiber shipping containers.  The team researched the material and its potential for making shipping of goods more fuel efficient due to the lighter weight, and more cost effective due to improving manufacturing processes.  Other teams designed ways of transporting goods and medication to rural parts of the state.  The team from Fort Fairfield focused on a way to prevent the region’s favorite product, the potato, from bouncing out of trucks as they travel down the road.

The Core Values Award went to the Lego Coop Kids from the Berwick area.  This group of seven included five sixth graders and two fourth graders who were competing in the FIRST Lego League for the first time, after recently forming.  The judges were highly impressed by their ability to work together and have fun, which are key aspects of the Core Values.

RSU #52 teacher Geoff Cyr, who has been involved in the FIRST Lego League for eight years in numerous capacities, received an Outstanding Volunteer Award.  Geoff, who serves as the Volunteer Coordinator, is always looking for individuals to get involved in the FIRST Lego League in Maine.  While experienced referees and judges are always needed, there is always a need for more.

Members of the Leeds Central School team present their projects to judges Jon Graham (Maine Department of Education) and Dr. Laura Gurney (Husson University).
Members of the Leeds Central School team present their projects to judges Jon Graham (Maine Department of Education) and Dr. Laura Gurney (Husson University).

The Maine FIRST Lego League did have a different look and feel than previous events held at the Augusta Civic Center, but dedicated volunteers, judges, coaches and teams have been able to keep the spirit alive through a difficult and unpredictable period.  The opportunities for students to come together as a team, work through multiple challenges and present their projects is vitally important to their success in school and beyond.  Hopefully the success of this season will encourage others to form or revive robotics teams at their school.

Real Estate Internship Trending Hot With Portland High School Students

The Portland High School internship program is going strong, and a real estate internship has become its most popular offering this year. PHS students are partnering with an experienced realtor to learn about the local real estate market and why it’s burgeoning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

One student in the internship said, “The real estate agent internship is a great way for me to learn about a new and fascinating career choice. I like learning about everything that goes into being an agent and the process of buying houses.”

Despite the ongoing challenges in keeping schools open due to the pandemic, the PHS internship is thriving. Dozens of students each year participate in the program, which was founded more than a decade ago. The program is open to all students and serves all types of students, as evidenced by demographic data on class rank, GPA, race, special education status and multilingual status.

Each year, one career pathway emerges as the most popular among students. Past popular internships have included veterinary medicine, nursing, and photography.

This year, many students are interested in real estate. Seven PHS students meet weekly with Heidi Nottonson, a seasoned realtor with Keller Williams Realty. Students learn about buying and selling homes, covering topics such as property disclosures, financing, inspections, and finding the right property. Nottonson has also arranged for field trips to properties to give students a hands-on feel of what it is like to work in real estate.

Nottonson offered this internship last year to one student and enjoyed it so much, she is now offering it to a group. Given the students’ interest, Nottonson hopes to expand her offering again next year. She wants to help students understand a way to create income for themselves.

Nottonson says, “The dedication of each student to learn at a fast and intense pace is astounding.  They inspire me to teach them!”

Other current student internship sites include the Portland Jetport, Baird Financial, Avesta Housing, Boys and Girls Club, Food Fuels Learning, Portland Public Library art gallery, Mechanics Hall library, Rwanda Bean, Taylor Stitch, the Portland Chamber of Commerce, Tandem Bakery, The Cedars, and the University of Southern Maine engineering department.

To learn more about internships and extended learning opportunities, contact Maine Department of Education’s Extended Learning Coordinator Rick Wilson at rick.wilson@maine.gov.

For more information about Portland’s Program and to connect with Portland students, contact Andrea Levinsky, PHS Extended Learning Opportunities Coordinator, at levina@portlandschools.org.

Get to Know the Maine DOE Team: Meet Emma-Marie Banks

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

What are your roles with DOE?

As the Secondary Digital Learning Specialist and the Computer Science Specialist, I support computer science education and all things digital learning.

What do you like best about your job?

While there are many things that I love about this role, working with the field to expand access to and participation in computer science education is one of the things that I like best. I also really love supporting the field in their remote and digital learning efforts, as well as collaborating on different tasks with the absolutely fantastic members of my team here at DOE.

How or why did you decide on this career?

I’ve always known that I wanted to work in education, particularly at a statewide level. Combining my love for education with my appreciation for technology made this career path a very easy decision. 😊

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

When I am not working, I enjoy hiking, bicycling, camping, and other outdoor activities, as well as cooking and baking, spending time with my family, and exploring emerging technology trends and advancements.