Ed Techs Featured in New Promo Video from Greater Sebago Education Alliance

The Greater Sebago Education Alliance has collaborated on a video that showcases the benefits and joys of working on as an education technician (ed tech) in Maine schools. The video features current ed techs in the Greater Sebago region talking about why they enjoy working as a support staff person at school, and why it’s a job that works for their lifestyle.

If you or someone you know is looking for a change of pace in employment, try contacting your local school to find out what positions are available! For more information about Maine education credentials visit our Certification & Credentialing webpage.

Vaccination Promotion Materials for Maine Schools

The Mills Administration is distributing printable 4×6 cards and 8.5×11 posters encouraging Maine people to get vaccinated this season in order to protect their health and the health of their communities. Maine Schools are important partners in this effort, which is why we wanted to provide you with these materials to post in your spaces to help spread the word about the importance of getting vaccinated. Helping reinforce the importance of vaccinations is even more important right now during this sustained surge of COVID-19.

We hope you will join us in this effort to spread the word. Thank you for your partnership and all you do to keep Maine safe and moving forward.

WEBINAR: Averting Targeted School Violence – January 12, 2022

Due to an increase in requests for training, the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) will host an encore presentation of their latest study, Averting Targeted School Violence: A U.S. Secret Service Analysis of Plots Against Schools.

Event date: January 12, 2022
Event time: 12:00 – 3:30 pm ET
Register here.

As part of its mission to prevent targeted violence, NTAC has long maintained a particular focus on the safety of children in schools. The following NTAC resources are available to assist community partners in developing behavioral threat assessment programs and to inform the decisions for when and how to initiate a threat assessment.

Additional resources:

Enhancing School Safety Using a Threat Assessment Model: An Operational Guide for Preventing Targeted School Violence provides eight actionable steps for establishing multidisciplinary behavioral threat assessment teams. Behavioral threat assessment is a proactive approach to identify, assess, and appropriately intervene with students who display a behavior that elicits concern for the safety of themselves or others. – Enhancing School Safety
Protecting America’s Schools: A U.S. Secret Service Analysis of Targeted School Violence is the most comprehensive analysis of targeted school violence ever produced by the federal government. The study offers unparalleled insight into the motives, behaviors, and other situational factors that ultimately led to school violence. – Protecting America’s Schools
Averting Targeted School Violence: A U.S. Secret Service Analysis of Plots Against Schools examines instances when a student advanced a plan to attack their school, but was stopped before violence occurred. The report affirms the importance of bystander reporting and intervention before a student’s behavior escalates to violence. – Averting Targeted School Violence

Yarmouth High School Black Student Union Club Takes Experiential Learning Trip to Boston

The Black Student Union (BSU) is a club at Yarmouth High School composed of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) students and their allies. The mission of BSU is to bring awareness to topics that African Americans and Black People face by having safe discussions on ways to eliminate racism, prejudice, inequality, discrimination and more.

One of BSU’s goals is to help students and staff reexamine our community’s history to better understand racism and its origins. As a first step, the BSU applied for a grant from the Yarmouth Educational Foundation to take a trip to Boston and spend the day specifically dedicated to exploring African American and Black history and culture. The day was an opportunity to celebrate the many contributions of the Black community as well as look back at history in New England from the perspective of a person of color. The students participated in a walking tour of the Black Heritage Trail (Beacon Hill), attended a guided visit to the Museum of African American History and enjoyed Ethiopian food at a local restaurant.

“I learned so many things that I didn’t know before. I learned about important African-American people who helped others and shaped this country. This field trip made me realize how much this information and knowledge needs to be taught in school. This benefited me a lot and helped me better understand our history. I think that this information is too valuable to be just shared with BSU. It should be shared with everyone,” said sophomore Neena Panozzo.

After the field trip, the BSU created a short video presentation for faculty about their experience. The students are currently working to help provide recommendations to faculty and administration about how our curricula, particularly those focused on history and culture, can be more inclusive. This field trip helped students in their objective to better educate others in the community about possible discrepancies and gaps in our retelling of history.

“Field trips and experiences like this make such a positive impact on learning for students and you are able to learn so much in only a day,” said ninth grader Madison Beaudoin.

For more information about this initiative, contact Justine Carlisle, BSU Club Advisor at justine_carlisle@yarmouthschools.org.

Maine State Board Member Elected as Secretary-Treasurer of National Board

The National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) has announced the election of Fern Desjardins, chair of the Maine State Board of Education, as secretary-treasurer for a two-year term on its board of directors. Desjardins previously served a two-year term as new member representative on the NASBE and was also chair of NASBE’s Public Education Positions Committee.

Janet Cannon, a member of the Utah State Board of Education, became NASBE’s board chair at the close of the organization’s virtual Annual Conference and business meeting this year and Christine Benson, a member of the Illinois State Board of Education, was voted NASBE’s chair-elect also.

A former Superintendent of Schools in MSAD #33, Desjardins has spent a 43-year career in public education in Maine and has served on Maine’s State Board of Education since 2018. She has taught graduate level courses for UMaine as an adjunct faculty member in their outreach programs in Aroostook County for almost a decade. She holds a Doctoral Degree in Educational Leadership and a Master’s Degree in Language Arts from UMaine, a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Educational Leadership from USM, and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from UMFK.

“NASBE’s board of directors plays an important role in helping the organization achieve its mission of developing, supporting, and empowering state boards to fully embrace their role as citizen leaders,” said NASBE President and CEO Robert Hull. “This board is primed to work closely with incoming President and CEO Paolo DeMaria to expand the robust work of developing state boards’ capacity to lead in these important times of high needs and unprecedented resources.”

NASBE serves as the only membership organization for state boards of education. A nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, NASBE elevates state board members’ voices in national and state policymaking, facilitates the exchange of informed ideas, and supports members in advancing equity and excellence in public education for students of all races, genders, and circumstances. Learn more at www.nasbe.org.

Translations for Updated COVID-19 Pre-Screening Tool Now Available

The Maine Department of Education updated its Pre-Screening Tool this fall for School Attendance – translations of this document are now available in the 10 most spoken languages in Maine schools. Changes to the prescreening tool included only clarifying language and the addition of common and less common symptoms of COVID-19 (which are unchanged from when they were previously listed on the pre-screening tool).

Access the translated versions of the updated COVID-19 Prescreening Tool here.

(This link can also be found on the Maine DOE COVID-19 Toolkit under the “School Health Resources” dropdown).

For feedback or questions about the pre-screening tool email – Emily.poland@maine.gov

Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) Showcased on National Stage

Maine Department of Education (DOE) Director of Innovative Teaching and Learning Beth Lambert, was invited to present at the 2021 National Edtech & Innovation Conference and Expo in Las Vegas, NV, this fall. The presentation showcased Maine’s MLTI (Maine Learning Through Technology Initiative) and its recent evolution from the nation’s first statewide 1:1 technology initiative in 2002 to its current iteration, MLTI 2.0.

The presentation featured Maine’s success in sustaining the 1:1 technology initiative for the past 20 years and the process for re-imagining the program to continue to be relevant in 2021, which included the creation of an advisory board of current Maine educators and stakeholders.

Participants got the chance to learn the details of how the newly designed program emphasizes individualized and local level support through the MLTI Ambassador program, which provides a technology integration coach in each school; providing a state infrastructure specialist to work with districts to update infrastructure for learning needs in 2021 and beyond; and, creating local, regional, and statewide professional learning communities, all while still providing 1:1 laptops for students.

Maine is incredibly proud of the work that has gone into sustaining and expanding the MLTI program, both within the Department and through the critical input we have received and partnerships we have made with educators, students, and stakeholders that have been working with us to make this program the very best it can be. Thank you!

To learn more about MLTI 2.0 visit the Maine Department of Education website or contact Brandi Cota MLTI Project Manager Brandi.M.Cota@Maine.Gov

Greater Sebago Education Alliance Features New Video to Promote Jobs in School Nutrition

To showcase the benefits and joys of working on their school nutrition team, the Greater Sebago Education Alliance has created a video that features staff on the job, talking about why they enjoy working in school nutrition and why it’s a job that works for them.

Check out the video below, and if you or someone you know is looking for a change of pace in employment, try contacting your local school nutrition program to find out more information!

Jobs in the School Nutrition Program from Gorham Community Access Media on Vimeo.

ACTEM Honors Amanda Nguyen with ACHIEVE Award

Amanda Nguyen, the Program Director for the Centers of Innovation at Thomas College has been recognized by the Association of Computer Technology Educators of Maine (ACTEM) with their ACHIEVE award.

ACTEM’s ACHIEVE Award recognizes professionals who effectively apply available technology now. They move forward utilizing current best practices and cutting edge approaches. They see students as real people by activating student voice and choice in education. They teach through relationships- inspiring, encouraging, and nurturing. These professionals also recognize that further change is necessary, but understand that it is a process for all stakeholders. They realize that teacher and student empowerment is the key element to technology integration. ACHIEVE Educators expect success and motivate through awareness and access to information.

At Thomas College, Amanda has the opportunity to connect with students and educators across the state through various programs (such as the college’s virtual Thomas Cup) — but has also embraced a new opportunity to lead innovative projects designed to increase the employability of Thomas students, as well as the career aspirations of future students. One colleague said, “Amanda has reimagined our whole professional and career development experience. Students have opportunities to tackle real world problems, work with employers, and build strong resumes for the future. She is doing this by working with colleagues across departments and with employer partners across the State. Her work really exemplifies what is possible at Thomas College.”

Additionally, Amanda has served on the ACTEM Conference Committee and is excited to co-chair the committee in the coming year. She also serves as an ISTE Community Leader, and enjoys the opportunity to collaborate with educators across Maine (and the globe) to support learning and teaching with technology.

At a small gathering at Thomas College in early November, the ACHIEVE Award Committee Co-chairs, Jamie Ela and Deb White, along with Executive Director Gary Lanoie and ACTEM President Will Backman, presented Amanda with the award. Bette Manchester and Jim Moulton, along with several of Amanda’s colleagues from Thomas, were able to join the celebration as well.

At the event, Thomas College President Laurie Lachance, said: “We’re so proud of the work that you do. You’ve worked with everyone in this room, and you’ve set a new standard for us, and are taking us to a level that we’ve only dreamed of. Thank you for your work – very well deserved.”

ACTEM’s ACHIEVE winners receive a personal cash award of $2,000 along with a $1,000 gift certificate to be used by their school for technology related purchases. They are also awarded the Making IT Happen award from ISTE. The Making IT Happen award honors outstanding educators and leaders who demonstrate extraordinary commitment, leadership, courage and persistence in improving digital learning opportunities for students.

Lewiston Culinary Class Set to Sharpen Workforce Skills

Photo caption: Pastry Instructor Rebecca Levesque shows off dinner rolls before getting them ready for a meal at Lewiston Regional Technical Center’s Restaurant, The Green Ladle.

A hands-on culinary training program can provide the recipe for adults looking for a successful transition to restaurant careers.

The Culinary Training with Kitchen Manager ServSafe Training is scheduled to begin on Jan. 17 at the Green Ladle in Lewiston. Chef Dan Caron of the Green Ladle said it is the second one offered to help restaurants and food service establishments in need of skilled workers. It will be free for eligible participants.

The program is being funded through federal job training funds as well as the Green Ladle’s “Community Serving Community” food truck. The Green Ladle is the culinary arts program for Lewiston Regional Technical Center.

During the previous training that ended on Nov. 17, representatives of seven local restaurants met with students to recruit them.

“It was really quite amazing,” Caron said.

He said of the 11 students in that session, seven had already been hired for jobs before the end of the training.

Students in the new session will learn about basic kitchen safety, knife skills and baking in the five-week class. The class will run Monday and Wednesday afternoons.

“It’s a win-win situation for the student,” Caron said. “This is a good way to get into the culinary field and to support our local restaurants and other food service establishments.”

In order to enroll, interested students must sign up to attend an informational session that is scheduled for December 16th. CASAS testing is also required. At the end of the training, students will receive a certificate of completion, will take the ServSafe manager exam, and will have the opportunity to meet with local employers.

The class is a partnership between the Green Ladle, Lewiston Adult Education, Eastern Maine Development Corporation/Community Concepts, Inc. with the support of the Lewiston-Auburn culinary community, including Bates College, DaVinci’s Italian Eatery, Fish Bones Grill, Gippers Sports Grill, and Campus Cuisine. Additional partners may join the program before the January start, Caron said.

To register for the informational session and to schedule testing, contact Lewiston Adult Education at 207-795-4141.