Category: News & Views

Letter for Families: Importance of Completing the Meal Benefit Application for SY 2022

The Maine Department of Education Child Nutrition team has created a letter geared to Maine parents and families to express the importance of completing the meal benefit application. The letter can be downloaded and sent out to your district’s family mailing list. This letter can serve as a first step to get families thinking about the meal benefit application as we go into summer and can be sent out along with any other end of school year materials/reminders.

School and district administrators are encouraged to utilize their avenues of communication with families to share this resource.

Here is the link to this letter: https://www.maine.gov/doe/sites/maine.gov.doe/files/inline-files/Meal%20Benefit%20Application%20Promotion%20Letter%20to%20Families.pdf

There will be many promotional efforts coming this summer to ensure higher application return rates and meal participation!

For further questions, please contact Caroline Bennett, Ending Hunger in Maine AmeriCorps VISTA, Maine Department of Education at Caroline.Bennett@maine.gov

Governor Mills Signs into Law a Bill Focused on Life and Career Readiness for All Students

Public Law, Chapter 190, An Act To Support Life and Career Readiness Education in Maine was signed by Governor Mills on June 14, 2021.

Public Law, Chapter 190 was born out of a deep commitment to ensure Maine students are taught the knowledge and skills needed to make informed career choices in a complex world where exponential increases in computing power, the agility and power of digital technologies, and the creativity of human beings to innovate are fueling rapid rates of change in the workplace and in daily life.

Recognizing that students will choose to enter the workforce in different ways, the newly enacted law preserves local control over curricula, courses of study, resources, materials, and multiple pathways for learning. It also honors the impact that well-designed work-based learning experiences can have in developing student aspirations and employability skills by encouraging direct exposure of adolescents to a variety of career options.

Aligned tightly with the 2020 Maine Learning Results Life and Career Ready Standards, the newly enacted law updates language in Maine’s Education Laws by replacing the former title of the standards (career and education development) with the new title (life and career readiness), thereby highlighting the developmental progression of learning from career awareness in elementary school to career exploration and planning in grades 6-12.

To support educators throughout the summer, the Maine DOE will continue to develop and collect resources aligned with the 2020 Maine Learning Results Life and Career Ready Standards and upload them to the Life and Career Ready Resources page.

For more information, please contact Maine DOE Life and Career Ready Education Specialist, Diana Doiron at diana.doiron@maine.gov.

Maine FFA Association Completes Project on Homelessness and Food Insecurity

Maine FFA Association, representing nearly 400 students grades 7-12 enrolled in courses related to agriculture and natural resources, recently completed a valuable statewide community project addressing issues of homelessness and food insecurity in Maine. Four target areas, associated with nearby FFA chapters, were identified: Bangor (partnering with the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter), Waterville (partnering with the Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter), Cherryfield (partnering with Maine Seacoast Mission Food Pantry), and Presque Isle (partnering with the Aroostook County Action Program, the Sister Mary O’Donnell Homeless Shelter, Dahlgren Skidgel Farm of Hope in Caribou, Perham Food Cupboard and Washburn Food Pantry).

The goals of the project included purchasing materials to support the shelters and food pantry, sorting, packaging and distributing materials as well as learning more about the challenges and resources available to address homelessness and food insecurity. Highlights of the educational component of the project included FFA members at Narraguagus High School learning more about the services and volunteer needs of the food pantry in Cherryfield, the Aroostoock County Action Program (ACAP) preparing a YouTube video on homelessness and hosting a live Zoom panel on homelessness that included a question and answer session with FFA students.

The project was originally planned and funded in 2020, slated for implementation in March, which coincided with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, many priority items, including some food staples and cleaning products were no longer available. Once items returned to store shelves, completion of the project became possible this spring, with items purchased, donated, sorted, packed and delivered to appreciative recipients. Project work was overseen by local FFA chapter advisors and students. As a result of the project, FFA student members came to a better understanding of social issues in their communities and outreach organizations gained many much-needed food, paper products, cleaning supplies and other staples for their facilities as well as clothing, toiletries, linens and other essentials to distribute directly to their clients.

We would like to thank the primary sponsor of this project, the National FFA Organization’s “State Day of Service” with their $8,000 contribution. We would also like to thank Wal-Mart Community Grants for their $3,000 in support with $2,000 coming from Wal-Mart Supercenter in Presque Isle and $1,000 coming from Wal-Mart Supercenter in Waterville. We would like to thank Willie Sawyer Grenier of Maine Agriculture in the Classroom for handling all shelter purchases in the Waterville area and for delivering items with her son, Jared.  Maine FFA Chapters of Ashland, Bangor, Caribou, Harrington, Mars Hill, Presque Isle and Washburn were particularly involved in the project and are all to be commended. There were also several additional local businesses and individuals in each community that contributed to this very rewarding project: thank you to all of them as well!

Washburn FFA students with donated food collection
Presque Isle Regional Career & Technical Center students oversee homeless shelter delivery
FFA Advisors and students at Narraguagus High School
Mars Hill FFA student officer crew
Willie and Jared Grenier of Maine Agriculture in the Classroom deliver items to the Waterville Homeless Shelter
Caribou Technical Center FFA students ready to deliver
United Technologies Region 4 Bangor Horticulture FFA students sorting homeless shelter items
Ashland FFA students assemble homeless client backpacks

For more information on starting an FFA chapter in your community, please contact: Doug Robertson, State FFA Advisor, Maine Department of Education, doug.robertson@maine.gov, 207-62406744.

School Nutrition Staff Go Above and Beyond at Whitefield Elementary

Vicki Dill pictured with student Kiara Luce- 2021 Farm to School Cook-off Champions
Vicki Dill pictured with student Kiara Luce- 2021 Farm to School Cook-off Champions

What are the Whitefield Wildcats, 2021 Farm to School Cook-off Champions, up to right now? They are making an impact on students in their school. This school year has presented many challenges for all school staff and students. With challenges there are also opportunities. At Whitefield Elementary, the school nutrition staff Vicki Dill and Ashley Burdick went above and beyond to work with grades K-2 to make the end of school year experience a memorable one. The K-2 classrooms have been doing an “ABC Countdown to Summer”, and over the last 26 days of school used a theme based on the letter of the day.

On B day (Bubbles and Balls) their breakfast was served in bags with bubbles. On F day (Forest Day) students were provided lunches in bindles to eat in the forest. On S day (Scavenger Hunt Day) they took the time to create a scavenger hunt for students to find their lunches. According to Sarah Brewer, grade 2 teacher, “the kids absolutely loved everything they did. It’s been a very hard and stressful year for both teachers and students and these two lovely ladies went above and beyond what was expected of them to make the kid’s year a memorable one”.

Kudos to Vicki and Ashley for their partnership with the classrooms at Whitefield Elementary! This is one example of how school nutrition staff have made a positive impact in student’s lives during a challenging and ever-changing year. We thank all nutrition staff for their dedication and efforts over the past year and wish everyone a safe and healthy summer!

New Memorandum of Understanding will Promote German Language and Cultural Education in Maine

On May 27th the Maine Department of Education hosted a virtual signing ceremony to celebrate a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Goethe-Institut Boston. Deputy Commissioner of Education, Dan Chuhta, and World Languages & ESOL/Bilingual Programs Specialist, April Perkins, welcomed guests from the German Consulate and the Goethe-Institut, as well as Maine educators, to mark the occasion by sharing their thoughts and reflections on German programs in Maine and the new partnership established under the MOU.

Through this MOU, the Department will collaborate with the Goethe-Institut to promote German language and cultural education across the state through a variety of resources, programs, and activities, including:

In her remarks, Consul General Nicole Menzenbach highlighted the global importance of the German language, which is spoken by 130 million people. “German-speaking countries are economic centers within Europe and can provide a wide range of economic opportunities to those who speak the language,” she said. “Language and cultural understanding serve as a means of communication between individuals and as a link between nations. In this sense, we can view this memorandum as an important component of the transatlantic friendship that exists between the US and Germany.”

There are currently German programs in 12 public and private schools across Maine, and the Goethe-Institut has been a long-time resource and partner to them. Deb Backman, German teacher at Cony Middle and High School, expressed her appreciation for their support. “Goethe does a great job bringing the world into the classroom, but also to bring the classroom into the world,” Backman said. Melanie Kyer, German teacher at York High School, and Dr. Arne Koch, professor of German at Colby College, also expressed their enthusiasm about the MOU and the potential of the new partnership between the Goethe-Institut and the Maine Department of Education.

The Department wishes to share its heartfelt thanks to its partners at the German Consulate and Goethe-Institut Boston, as well as the remarkable teachers and students of German across Maine.

If your school or district is interested in participating in any of the opportunities listed above, developing a new German program, or expanding an existing one, please contact April Perkins at april.perkins@maine.gov.

Maine DOE to Host Focus Group for New Educators on June 23

Are you a first or second year educator (teacher, administrator, education technician)?  If so, thank you–AND we would love to hear from you!

Please join us for a virtual New Educator Focus Group on June 23, 9:00 – 10:00 am.  Upon registration, participants will receive a Zoom link.

This will be an opportunity for you to connect with other new educators throughout Maine, to share challenges and successes, and for us to celebrate you! As a new educator during these unprecedented school years, your experiences are invaluable and will help inform our ongoing educator recruitment and retention efforts! If you plan to attend, please complete and submit the registration form below.

June 23rd Focus Group
9:00 – 10:00 am
Register here
Upon registration, participants will receive a zoom link.

If you are unable to attend, but would like to provide feedback, please contact Tamara Ranger: Tamara.Ranger@Maine.Gov or Emily Doughty at Emily.Doughty@Maine.Gov

Registration for Early Childhood Education Conference Opens June 15th

This year’s annual statewide Early Childhood Education Conference, Connecting Early Childhood Education: Birth through Eight Across the State, has been organized through a collaboration of early childhood partners, including the Maine DOE.  The conference will be held on October 22nd and 23rd at the Cross Center in Bangor.

Speakers and presenters will focus on best practices in early childhood education for all those working with children from birth through elementary school. Sessions will focus on early learning, social and emotional skills, leadership, equity and diversity, policy, meeting the needs of diverse learners, and more!  Workshops will be organized in categories so that every preschool to 3rd grade professional can find their best fit, from those working in child care and Head Start to out-of-school-time programs and elementary schools, from principals and administrators to special education and classroom teachers.

Come for one day or come for both!  Cost of attendance is $70.00 per person for one day or $140.00 per person for both days.

How to register beginning June 15th:

  1. Please visit the Conference website: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/maine-early-childhood-education-conference-tickets-140011555331
  2. Click on the green button that says Tickets and a pop up window will open.
  3. This registration process will secure you a ticket to one day of the 2021 Statewide ECE Conference. Participants will select breakout sessions for the conference at a later date.
  4. To register for the other day, click on the website link again, and repeat the process.

Please contact the Maine Association for the Education of Young Children with any questions or concerns related to registration by emailing info@maineaeyc.org  or by calling 207-747-2490.

For other questions, contact Maine DOE’s Early Childhood Specialist, Nicole Madore at nicole.madore@maine.gov.

 

Priority Notice: Extension of Emergency Certification Options Coming Soon

Since May of 2020, a group of education stakeholders has been involved in a consensus-based rulemaking process, which involved reviewing and proposing revisions to Chapter 115, the State Board rule related to the credentialing of educational personnel in Maine.As part of this process, the Maine Department of Education (MDOE) worked with Representative Brennan on LD 1189, a bill to make the necessary changes in law to allow for some of the proposals introduced by the rulemaking committee.  The Education and Cultural Affairs Committee of the Legislature appended an emergency preamble to the bill, which left the Committee with a unanimous ought-to-pass vote, enabling the changes to occur immediately upon signing by Governor Mills.Included in LD 1189 are provisions which will extend emergency certification options currently possible due to Executive Order 7-A.

  • The MDOE will be able issue an emergency teacher certificate to an eligible applicant up to three times.  Currently, these certificates would have expired on September 1, 2021.
  • Applicants with a comparable professional certificate from outside of Maine may be issued a Maine reciprocal professional certificate after obtaining a Criminal History Record Check (CHRC) in Maine.
  • Applicants who have participated in a Maine program approved for the purpose of preparing educational technicians in an expedited manner, such as the Learning Facilitator program at Eastern Maine Community College, may be eligible for an Emergency Educational Technician certificate.

While the Legislature has passed LD 1189, and the bill awaits the Governor’s consideration, the State Board of Education continues to work expeditiously to finalize revisions to Chapter 115.  The Board’s plan is to meet at the end of this month in a special meeting to consider emergency rule making, further enabling the aforementioned changes, and many others, to become effective.  The MDOE will then continue its work to make changes in the Maine Education Information System, the online certification system, allowing these new provisions to be processed for applicants.

If you have any questions about the status of your current emergency certificate or would like to learn more about how to obtain one in the near future, please contact the certificate team at the Department at cert.doe@maine.gov or (207) 624-6603.

Maine DOE Proudly Shares Summer Learning Opportunities for Education Workforce

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) already has many exciting and engaging professional learning opportunities, trainings, office hours, Q&A sessions and more planned this summer to help support, rejuvenate and inspire Maine’s education workforce. Below are events and asynchronous options that are already planned and ready for registration.

Keep an eye on our Professional Development Calendar as more opportunities will be added, subscribe to the Maine DOE Newsroom to keep up with summer announcements and opportunities, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter to stay connected!

Maine DOE Summer Schedule:
Professional Learning, Training, & Office Hours

 Asynchronous Options:

In the Works:

PRIORITY NOTICE: Governor Ending State of Civil Emergency June 30, Requirements move to Recommendation

Today Governor Mills announced that Maine’s State of Civil Emergency will end on June 30, 2021. The State’s last remaining face covering requirement, which only applies to indoor preK-12 schools and childcare settings, will also end on June 30.

Maine Center Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will continue to strongly recommend, but not require, that unvaccinated people – including those under 12 years of age who are not yet eligible for a COVID vaccine – wear face coverings indoors.

The required health and safety measures within the Framework for Schools will become recommendations on July 1, 2021. The guidance continues to reflect best practice for keeping students and staff safe, and while the emergency will be over, the presence of COVID-19 remains. School administrative units and childcare settings may choose to adopt their own mask or other health and safety requirements, as some businesses have done.

The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Responding to a Positive Case in Schools remains in effect, and therefore all eligible staff and students are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Vaccinated people who are deemed a close contact to a positive case and who are asymptomatic are not required to quarantine.

Additionally, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) continues to encourage schools to participate in its free pooled testing program. Those individuals who participate in pooled testing are also exempt from quarantining as a close contact, thereby reducing education disruptions and exclusion from extracurricular activities.

As always, Maine DOE team will remain available to support with updated information and resources as these become available.