Category: News & Views

Regional Conversations Regarding Serving Children with Disabilities from Birth to 5 Years of Age

As most of you are aware, L.D. 1715, “An Act to Reorganize the Provision of Services for Children with Disabilities from Birth to 5 Years of Age” has been carried over to the next Legislative session. This bill proposes the transition of responsibility for special education services for preschool-age children from Child Development Services to the public schools.

The Department recognizes that there are many questions and issues involved with the proposed transition, and that they may vary significantly by region. Because of this, and in preparation for the Committee for Education and Cultural Affairs’ continued consideration of L.D. 1715, the Department of Education feels that it is critical to receive input from regional stakeholders. We have established regional stakeholder meetings, based on the established Superintendent Regions.

Each of these regional stakeholder meetings will include all Superintendents and Directors of Special Education who are available to attend, and the department will be inviting representatives who meet the following criteria:

  • A designee of the Commissioner of Education
  • A representative of a Special Purpose Preschool who is contracted with CDS to provide services
  • An individual who, as a sole proprietor, is contacted with CDS to provide services
  • A representative of a Head Start agency or program
  • An early childhood teacher from a public 4-year old program that includes eligible children
  • A principal of a public elementary school that includes eligible children in its public 4-year-old program
  • A representative of a statewide association of speech, language and hearing therapists
  • A representative of a statewide association of occupational therapists
  • A representative of a statewide association of physical therapists
  • A parent of a child with a disability between 3 and 5 years of age who is currently receiving services from CDS
  • A representative of a childcare program

Due to the limited space available, additional representatives from the above list may be accommodated depending on the response received from Superintendents and Directors of Special Education.

Regional Stakeholder meetings are scheduled for the following dates and locations. All meetings will be from 10:00 to 3:00:

Midcoast
September 16th at the Senator Inn, Augusta

Western
September 16th at the Senator Inn, Augusta

Kennebec
September 17th at the Senator Inn, Augusta

Washington and Hancock
September 17th at the Black Bear Lodge, Orono

Penquis
September 18th at Jeff’s Catering, Brewer

Aroostook
September 18th at Caribou Inn and Convention Center, Caribou

Cumberland and York
September 19th at the Westbrook Armory, Westbrook

Please respond to Jonathan.Madden@maine.gov with your availability to attend as soon as possible.

Thank you and we look forward to hearing your valuable input.

Back to School Backpack for Administrators!

As the students and staff arrive with their new, back to school items, we want to make sure that our administrators have what they need for a great new year, too!  The Department of Education has created a special “Back to School Backpack” for building and district leaders. In it, you will find resources that will help you with the climate, culture, inclusiveness and wellness of your schools and students, and a number of documents and ideas to consider for the new school year.  We encourage you to look through, and let us know how we can help you and your schools throughout the year!  Please be sure to sign up for our weekly updates, follow us on Facebook or Twitter, check out our expanding professional development offerings, send good news to us, and encourage your staff to join the content specific listservs by contacting the content specialist.

Grab your backpack, and have a great school year!

Maine Care Billing, What We Know

A number of schools have contacted us to ask for an update on the requirement that IEPs list Maine Care paid, medically necessary services for children with disabilities. Because the requirements for billing for Maine Care exceed what is required and typically included on the IEP, we will need to work with DHHS to find a mutually acceptable solution.  Please see our website (bottom right of page- recently changed forms) for our updated IEP form.  We are in contact with DHHS and the Maine Care School Liaison to assist in providing details to our colleagues in the field. At this time, we do not anticipate any further clarification or decisions until October, when we will be pursuing a discussion with federal contacts at the annual National Alliance for Medicaid and Education conference. We are advocating for a simplification of the process and documentation, and a narrowing of requirements.

We will keep you informed as we pursue information and answers, appreciate your patience, and welcome your feedback. For more information, please contact Jan Breton at janice.breton@maine.gov.

CDC Releases New Resources: Talking to Youth About the Risks of E-Cigarettes

The Office on Smoking and Health, CDC released a new feature for a new school year, aimed at helping people who work with youth to open a discussion about the risks of e-cigarettes.

E-cigarettes are now the most common type of tobacco product used by youth in the United States. More and more youth report trying and regularly using e-cigarettes. The rising numbers threaten decades of progress in controlling youth tobacco product use.

Nicotine in e-cigarettes can harm developing brains, and may make it more likely that young people will start using regular cigarettes. This feature gives important facts about the risks of e-cigarettes, plus tips for talking to young people and resources for both adults and youth.

Everyone—teachers, coaches, health care providers, and parents—has a part to play in educating youth about the risks of e-cigarettes.

Be sure to follow CDC Tobacco Free on Facebook and Twitter for social media posts to share with partners, friends, and family.

For more information and resources in Maine go to Prevention for ME.

Maine DOE Update – August 23, 2019

From the Maine Department of Education

 

Reporting Items

| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |

News & Updates

Back to School Backpack for Administrators!

As the students and staff arrive with their new, back to school items, we want to make sure that our administrators have what they need for a great new year, too! The Department of Education has created a special “Back to School Backpack” for building and district leaders.| More

Reminder Regarding Conditionally Certified Special Education Teachers

As districts are finishing their hiring for the year, please remember that new, conditionally certified special education teachers who are beginning their first year of teaching with this status are required to contact Valerie Smith Valerie.smith@maine.edu (207) 581-2419 to participate in Maine’s Alternative Certification and Mentoring Program.| More

MEDIA ADVISORY: Open House of NEW Maine Department of Education Culinary Classroom

We are excited to announce and to show off the Maine Department of Education Child Nutrition Team’s first culinary classroom for the School Lunch and Breakfast program, and invite members of the child nutrition/school communities and media outlets to an open house of our new kitchen. | More

Maine Care Billing, What We Know

A number of schools have contacted us to ask for an update on the requirement that IEPs list Maine Care paid, medically necessary services for children with disabilities. The latest guidance we have received is that the reimbursement will need to submitted on a separate form to DHHS. | More

Simplified Gifted and Talented Program Application Available

The Gifted and Talented Program Application has been simplified, digitized, and is now available for the 2019-20 school year. | More

CDC Releases New Resources: Talking to Youth About the Risks of E-Cigarettes

The Office on Smoking and Health, CDC released a new feature for a new school year, aimed at helping people who work with youth to open a discussion about the risks of e-cigarettes.| More

Maine Teachers Gather to Revise Learning Standards in ELA, Mathematics, and Career and Education Development 

In July and August this summer, writing teams comprised of dozens of educators from across the State assembled at the Capitol complex to begin the revision of the Maine Learning Results content standards for mathematics, career and education development, and English language arts. | More

The State of Maine Announces the Second Round of Competitive Funding Under the VW Environmental Mitigation Settlement Funds 

Some public and private schools may have school buses eligible for Maine’s Volkswagen (VW) settlement allocation. The U.S. District Court in Northern California approved a partial consent decree to settle allegations that VW had installed defective devices on 2.0 and 3.0-liter diesel vehicles sold or leased in the United States. | More

Growth Celebrated and Knowledge Shared as MoMEntum Literacy Pilot Wraps Up

Seventy-three educators from across the state convened at the University of Maine Farmington on Friday, August 16th for the Powered by Teach to Lead Summit.  | More

School Leaders and Teachers Collaborate at 2nd Annual Teach to Lead Summit

Kindergarten through 3rd grade teachers from across the state gathered this month for a final event that served as the culmination of two and a half years of work by 1500 students, 100 teachers, 9 schools, and 6 literacy coaches | More

Get to Know the Maine DOE Team: Meet Valerie Chiang

Valerie Chiang, Maine DOE School Construction Coordinator is being highlighted this week as the part of a Get to Know the DOE Team campaign! Learn a little more about Valerie. | More

Maine Schools Sharing Success Stories

| Submit your Maine School Success Story |

Professional Development & Training Opportunities

The Transformational Leaders’ Network (TLN): Learn More!

Twenty-four Maine administrators came together this summer for the first 3-day Transformational Leaders’ Network (TLN) retreat held at the Senator Inn in Augusta. Fully sponsored by the Maine Department of Education, districts made a meaningful commitment to support their leaders in building their capacity. THERE IS STILL ROOM TO JOIN, Read All About It! | More

Maine DOE Summer Literacy Conference Provides Professional Learning on Small Group Strategies

Maine DOE’s Elementary Literacy Specialist Dee Saucier and School Turnaround Literacy Coach Darlene Bassett led a two-day summer professional learning event earlier this week in Augusta for Maine educators. | More

Maine Teachers Engage in “K for ME” Curriculum Pilot Training

In Augusta, kindergarten teachers and their administrators from five Maine school districts participated in three days of training for the K for ME pilot, a research-based, discipline integrated, whole child curriculum for kindergarten. | More

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities

Growth Celebrated and Knowledge Shared as MoMEntum Literacy Pilot Wraps Up

Kindergarten through 3rd grade teachers from across the state gathered this month for a final event that served as the culmination of two and a half years of work by 1500 students, 100 teachers, 9 schools, and 6 literacy coaches. Momentum, a K-3 literacy pilot program designed to improve the literacy achievement of students, came to a close with a professional learning event and an opportunity to reflect on the knowledge and growth experienced by its participants.

Deployed in January 2018, the MoMEntum pilot program provided 9 schools with iPad devices from Apple, Inc. and research-based curriculum resources along with targeted professional learning and coaching to help them improve not only the reading levels of their young students, but also to engage them in a meaningful integration of literacy across other content areas using technology. Additionally, and somewhat uniquely, the pilot also provided schools with the tools to measure how well students were responding to the new learning style.

Teachers received intensive professional learning on specific software applications that individualized student learning, and provided a platform to share student progress with their parents or guardians. Trained literacy coaches worked within each school along with locally grown professional learning communities (PLC) that met monthly (or more) to share practices, evaluate their work and progress, and seek ways to improve.

room of educators sitting at tables listening to speakerAt the closing event were an array of teacher-lead professional learning sessions about classroom management and curriculum practice. For example, Lindsey Davis, a 1st Grade Teacher from Leroy H. Smith School in RSU 22, lead a session about how to engage students in Close Reading lessons that utilize integrated and relevant content. Heather Gray and Danielle Afari, teachers from Dirigo Elementary School in RSU 56, lead an informative and entertaining session about ways to glean student progress based on data and assessment in the classroom.

Teachers and administrators also had the opportunity to work on sustainability plans to keep their work from the MoMEntum pilot going in their schools by establishing school level and individual goals to help continue their integrated literacy work.

Kathy Jacobs, a 1st grade teacher who is moving into a special education role at China Primary School, a participating school from the pilot, said that she has definitely, “seen growth in the students” during the pilot program and that no matter what happens now that the program has come to a close, she will apply some of the things she has learned into her teaching practices going forward.

Wonders & wows posterThere was also an opportunity for teachers and administrators to share their “Wonders & Wows” as a way to evaluate the work and progress and highlight areas for future collaborative work.

“I learned as much from the teachers as I hope they learned from me,” said Literacy Coach Heidi Goodwin, a Distinguished Educator on loan from MSAD 54 who worked directly with the Maine DOE on the pilot program. “They [teachers] were great thinking partners,” she reflected. There were 6 educators total that served as coaches for the program. Along with Heidi were, Kayanne Nadeau, on loan from MSAD 27; Liz Wakem, on loan from RSU 71; Lisa Sleight, a retired Maine educator; Li Gowell, a retired Maine educator; and Dee Saucier, a Maine DOE staff member.

“This was not just a great learning opportunity for the schools involved but for the Department as well,” said Lee Anne Larsen, Maine DOE Early Learning Team Coordinator who has been involved in the administration of the MoMEntum pilot from its inception.  Reflecting on the valuable lessons learned during the pilot, Lee Anne remarked that the most notable were about ways to effectively use technology in the classroom, and methods of meaningfully integrating literacy into other content areas. “It will definitely inform our future work at the Department,” she added.

While the full pilot program and everything that came along with it was only deployed in 9 schools initially, the professional learning resources are available, completely free, to all schools on the Maine DOE Website, along with help and support from Maine DOE staff members Lee Anne Larson and Dee Saucier who both helped administer the pilot program. For further information please reach out to them at Leeann.Larsen@maine.gov and/or Danielle.M.Saucier@maine.gov.

 

 

 

 

School Leaders and Teachers Collaborate at 2nd Annual Teach to Lead Summit

room full of educators sitting at tablesSeventy-three educators from across the state convened at the University of Maine Farmington on Friday, August 16th for the Powered by Teach to Lead Summit.  The summit, in its’ second year, brought together teams of teachers and school administrators to work on a specific identified problem of practice.

Last Friday, teams from Caribou, Gorham Schools, Maine Arts Commission, Academy Hill, Skowhegan Area Middle School, SeDoMoCha, Mill Stream and Kennebunk convened to collaborate and problem-solve. They were guided through a logic model which helped to frame the problem of practice, identify root causes, identify key stakeholders, and challenged teams to develop action steps moving forward.  Each team was paired with a Critical Friend who facilitated the conversation.

Problems of practice included scheduling; school culture; creating a culture of success: leadership teams; family engagement; Maine Arts Leadership Initiative; diversity, equity, and inclusion; trauma informed and restorative practices; and chronic absenteeism.

Committee Members: Chris Coleman, AOS 93; Jennifer Wright-Greg, AOS 93; Kasie Giallombardo, Nokomis; and Talya Edlund, RSU 5
Committee Members Chris Coleman, AOS 93; Jennifer Wright-Greg, AOS 93; Kasie Giallombardo, Nokomis; and Talya Edlund, RSU 5

Event attendees stressed the value of structured time for the development of tangible action steps, the importance of time to collaborate with colleagues, and the value in having a ‘critical friend’ to guide their process.

Teach to Lead Maine believes that every Maine student will benefit from the purposeful involvement of teacher leaders who collaborate in guiding the continuous improvement of schools and the teaching profession.  The organization, led by educators (Kaitlin Young, Chris Coleman, and Jennifer Wright), is a collaboration between teachers, the Maine Principal’s Association, the Maine Education Association, University of Maine Farmington, Maine State Teachers of the Year Association, and the Maine Department of Education.  Stakeholders work collaboratively throughout the year to plan the summit, present on the benefits of teacher leadership, and share resources to support districts in bolstering teacher leadership initiatives.

This event was offered to teams at no cost and was made possible Maine Department of Education, the University of Maine Farmington, The Maine State Teachers of the Year Association, Unum, University Credit Union, and Lee Auto Malls.  For more information about Teach to Lead, how to get involved, or to become a sponsor please visit the website.

School leaders from Caribou working with Holly Couturier, Executive Director of Maine Principals Association.
Skowhegan Area Middle School Professional Learning Community Members Stacey Edgar, Robin Esty, Debora Tanner, Doug McEwen, Zach Longyear, and Jennifer Dorman working with “Critical Friends,” Tom Desjardins from Carrabec Community School and James Black from Mt. Blue Middle School.
Committee Members Chris Coleman, AOS 93; Jennifer Wright-Greg, AOS 93; Kasie Giallombardo, Nokomis; and Talya Edlund, RSU 5
Stephanie Hendrix, Renee Doucette, Susan Donaher, Greg Smith, William Putnam, and Kalynda Beal
Kimberly Barnes, Susan Keaton, Emily Rosser, Pam Giberson from Eastern Aroostook RSU 39
Deputy Commissioner Dan Chuhta addresses the group
Kaitlin Young and Karen McDonald, Teach to Lead Committee Members
RSU 9 School Leaders working with “Critical Friend” Heidi Goodwin. Group members include: Courtney Bailey, Morgan Badeau, Luanda Dreschler, Haley Teacutter, Jenny MacIssac, and Nancy Ellis
Leaders from Gorham School Department working with “Critical Friend” Suzen Polk-Hoffses. Group members include: Heather Whitaker, Stacey Sawyer, Meghan O’Neil, Brooke Proulx, and Jamie Tardiff.
Mill Stream Elementary School leaders working with “Critical Friend” Talya Edlund. Group members include: Donna Hautala, Kathleen Houston, Julie Kimball, Barbara Welch, Patty Moody, Eileen Crowley, Mary Swindells
SeDoMoCha School leaders working with “Critical Friend” Kaili Phillips. Group members include: Adam Gudroe, Emma Shea, Brittany Munson, Andrea Cooper, Carolyn Newhouse, Carolyn Clark, Andrew Shaw, Cecelia Dube, and Jeff Dale

The Transformational Leaders’ Network (TLN): Learn More!

THERE IS STILL ROOM TO JOIN, Read All About It!

Twenty-four Maine administrators came together this summer for the first 3-day Transformational Leaders’ Network (TLN) retreat held at the Senator Inn in Augusta.  Fully sponsored by the Maine Department of Education, districts made a meaningful commitment to support their leaders in building their capacity. Led by several facilitators with expertise in designing and coordinating educational leadership graduate programs at the University of Maine, as well as school coaching and mentoring, the retreat was structured to help these leaders further their skills to realize the goals of their school improvement plans.

During a conversation about the growing demands on school leaders, Marie Robinson, PreK-12 principal of Katahdin’s Schools and superintendent of Medway, said, “At what point do you say ‘Stop–I need to come up with a better way’.”  Marie had been a participant in a previous TLN cohort. During the retreat, participants had the opportunity to hear from other school leaders who, like Marie, had been part of that TLN cohort.

“I didn’t think of the [TLN] meetings as another thing I was going to have to do.  I looked forward to my meetings, knowing that I would come out refreshed and ready to problem solve,” Marie shared as she sat in a roundtable discussion with other principals from around the state. She went on to explain that the TLN didn’t tell her what to do about any one specific issue she was experiencing, but rather that her TLN experience gave her the resources and know-how to approach a situation with a new perspective and a toolbox of ideas.

Ainslee Riley, principal of Thomaston Grammar School, a first-time participant in the program, commented on her experience at the retreat, “I wasn’t sure what to expect from the conference, it sounded interesting on paper,” she said in an email following the conference. “I am so happy that I decided to attend.  It was an excellent opportunity for me to focus on my school goals and my personal goals as an educational leader.

“It is not often that administrators have an opportunity to get together outside of their own district for the purpose of helping one another to grow,” she added. “I would recommend this experience to any administrator, whether they are brand new to the profession or a veteran.”

At the beginning of the retreat, participants went around the room introducing themselves, including information about where they were a school leader, and for how many years. There was a range of expertise in the room, everywhere from,  “I just finished my first year as a principal and before that I was a teacher,” a response met with knowing smiles and head nods from around the room, to others with 15 to 25 years of experience in school leadership. All participants brought to the table a unique set of experiences, circumstances, and challenges to share and reflect upon.

In addition to providing school leaders an opportunity to connect with one another, celebrate successes, and address challenges, the retreat goal was for them to develop two action plans for the coming year: one to include continued and on-going professional learning and growth for their schools as a whole, and one for transformational leadership, professional self-growth, and self-care as leaders.

The range in growth plans was broad, focusing on RTI and data, visioning and collaboration, addressing difficult issues, and providing meaningful leadership to staff in order to raise students’ success.

The TLN is not a new program of the Department of Education.  It was originally designed over six years ago to support school leaders of struggling schools.  However, the TLN for 2019-2020 kicks off an opportunity for any and all Maine principals, assistant principals and curriculum coordinators to join the network. The yearlong TLN experience will bring school leaders together to support leadership growth and to improve schools. The program will include regional meetings, leadership training, coaching, networking, and professional development for school level leaders who are interested in joining.

To learn more information and register to join the TLN, please visit the TLN webpage (https://www.maine.gov/doe/Testing_Accountability/model/turnaround ).

For further questions or information about the Transformational Leaders’ Network (TLN), contact Chelsey Fortin-Trimble, ESEA Federal Programs and School Turnaround Director at Chelsey.A.Fortin@maine.gov.

MEDIA ADVISORY: Open House of NEW Maine Department of Education Culinary Classroom

What: Open House and Introduction to NEW Child Nutrition Culinary Classroom
When: Sept 10, 2019 1pm – 4pm
Where: 90 Blossom Lane, 1st floor Deering Building

We are excited to announce and to show off the Maine Department of Education Child Nutrition Team’s first culinary classroom for the School Lunch and Breakfast program, and invite members of the child nutrition/school communities and media outlets to an open house of our new kitchen.  The classroom replicates the kitchens found in our schools, with commercial ovens,  cook tops and other commercial equipment used in school meal preparation.  The modern classroom will have the ability to stream, record and host live audiences for demonstrations, and the Child Nutrition program will use resident chefs to provide additional training to local food service staff.  The kitchen will be able to rotate 30 cooks at time, with both hands-on experience and paperwork management.  Some examples of upcoming classes are: knife skills and maintenance, preparing summer squash, measuring techniques, using USDA foods effectively, and vegan options.  The kitchen will be the host of the annual school cook off contest as well. We are excited by the possibilities and grateful for the amazing space in which we can support our school nutrition programs as they provide healthy meals to Maine’s students.

More information, please contact Walter Beesley at walter.beesley@maine.gov

Maine DOE Summer Literacy Conference Provides Professional Learning on Small Group Strategies

Maine DOE’s Elementary Literacy Specialist Dee Saucier and School Turnaround Literacy Coach Darlene Bassett led a two-day summer professional learning event earlier this week in Augusta for Maine educators.

Conference Participants had the opportunity to learn how to implement the Assess-Decide-Guide framework in balanced literacy, learn the elements of text complexity and how it impacts instructional decisions, understand the foundations of guided reading as a small group, learn the components and purposes for today’s guided reading, and learn how to take elements of the Assess-Decide-Guide framework and apply them to other forms of small group instruction.

The conference enabled educators to walk away with a plan of action to begin implementing small groups.