Caribou Middle School Innovation Center Highlighted in Local News

Submitted by Timothy Doak, Superintendent of Eastern Aroostook Regional School Unit #39. Article is from The County newspaper, written by Chris Bouchard.

Caribou Middle School in RSU 39 was recently highlighted for their Innovation Center, an initiative led by Maureen Connell, Innovation Center Director. Below is a news article from The County newspaper.

Innovation Center a hit with Caribou Middle School students

Chris Bouchard | The County

CARIBOU, Maine — Caribou Middle School students are now learning about math, coding, technology, and creative design as part of the school’s new Innovation Center, located in the former shop area in the heart of the building.

In its current incarnation, the innovation center is somewhat of a prototype of what will be offered in Caribou’s new PreK-8 school, scheduled for completion in mid-2020. The building is set to have its own space dedicated to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) activities, and RSU 39 has already hired Maureen Connell as their Innovation Center director.

At first, Connell said she wasn’t asked to start doing classes and activities with students, but soon found herself working with teachers and middle schoolers integrating technology such as 3D printing, LEGO robotics, and programmable mobile spheres into their curriculum.

She said the experience so far has been immensely positive.

“It’s been awesome to be able to learn new things myself,” she said, “and to see kids having a lot of fun with technology and apply their skills in different ways.”

The Innovation Center is not a separate class period like gym or library time, but a resource that all educators can use to augment their classes. For example, CMS fifth graders are learning about the westward expansion in this country, and at the end of the unit they will build their own wagons and create supplies that pioneers would typically bring along for the arduous journey.

Read the full story

National Indian Education Study (NIES) WebEx Event: Wednesday, June 5 from 2 – 3 pm EDT.

The National Center for Education Statistics released a follow-up report on Tuesday, May 7, 2019 to the 2015 National Indian Education Study (NIES). A post-release webinar will be held on Wednesday, June 5th from 2 to 3 pm, EDT. Sharing highlights from the new report will be:

Dr. Peggy G. Carr, Associate Commissioner, Assessments Division, National Center for Education Statistics
Dr. Susan C. Faircloth, NIES Technical Review Panel Chair and Professor and Director of Colorado State University’s School of Education

This WebEX event with Dr. Carr and Dr. Faircloth is a terrific opportunity to hear from the experts, and is open to those with an interest in Indian Education, education research, equity or to simply learn more.

To RSVP for the webinar, please contact Emily Martin at emartin@hagersharp.com.

The new NIES report can be accessed via: https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2019048

For a perspective on this report and the importance of the study as a whole, please see: National Indian Education Study 2015: Setting the Context, or https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oese/oas/nies-setting-the-context.pdf.

This document was written by members of the NIES Technical Review Panel. This panel is made up of individuals with expertise in matters related to the education of American Indian and Alaska Native students. For more information, please contact Maine Department of Education Coordinator of NAEP and International Assessments, Regina Lewis at regina.lewis@maine.gov or (207) 624-6715.

Maine School Garden Day Brings Educators Around the State to Trenton Elementary School

(Whitney Ciancetta of Trenton Elementary School, describes their school’s greenhouse and gardens.)

The Maine School Garden Network recently convened 65 teachers from around the state at its annual “Maine School Garden Day” at Trenton Elementary School. The purpose of the event was to provide preK-12 teachers currently or potentially involved with school gardens a day of workshops and networking.

The day included presentations, workshops, a lunch of local produce, and a tour of Trenton Elementary School’s greenhouse, gardens and outdoor education center and nature trails. Guest presenters included Erika Verrier, Program Director of Maine School Garden Network, Willie Sayer Grenier of Maine Agriculture in the Classroom (MAITC), 2019 MAITC Teacher of the Year, Lynn Snow, Maine FFA (formerly known as “Future Farmers of America”) State President Graham Berry, and many others. Presentations also included information on establishing school orchards by ReTreeUS, seed saving techcniques, information on bees, and on native plants, as well as other subjects. Afternoon workshops covered an array of topics of interest to teachers with school gardens.

The day provided participating teachers with valuable information and resources related to ensuring the success of their school gardens. Erik Verrier of Maine School Garden Network (MSGN) urged all teachers to complete the MSGN online School Garden Survey so that they could continue to network with each other and additional interested teachers, and so that MSGN would be know how to best serve their needs.

IMG_8404_Photo_2_Lynn_Snow_MAITC_Teacher_of_Year — Lynn Snow, 2019 MAITC Teacher of the Year, discusses in her keynote address the range of academics that may be achieved through school gardens.

MAITC 2019 Teacher of the Year, Lynn Snow, a 5^th grade Science and English teacher at Thomaston Grammar School, described ways in which their school garden helped students acquire skills across numerous academic areas, as well as areas related to important life skills such as taking initiative and perseverance.

Graham Berry, Maine FFA State President, let teachers know that Maine FFA represented many other areas beyond farming relevant to the field of agriculture and natural resources. He informed the group that any of them with students grades 7-12 would qualify to have an FFA chapter at their school, helping students to access numerous opportunities encompassing competitions, leadership skills, travel, scholarships, and an overall greater appreciation of agriculture and natural resources.

IMG_8420_Photo_1_Graham_Berry_ME_FFA_State_President — Graham Berry, Maine FFA State President, describes the advantages associated with FFA chapter membership for students grades 7-12.

For more information on Maine School Garden Network, please contact Erika Verrier, Program Director: msgncoordinator@gmail.com (207) 612-8911 or email info@msgn.org

For more information on starting an FFA chapter for students grades 7-12, please contact: Doug Robertson, Maine FFA State Advisor, Maine Department of Education, doug.robertson@maine.gov (207) 624-6744

Accountability Certification Validation Due Date and Details

The Accountability Assessment Detail Report is currently available in NEO to allow districts to validate the detail student enrollment and demographic data that will provide the foundation for future Assessment and Accountability reporting for the 18-19 school year. The report lists student details which will be used to produce student groups for school support determinations and ESEA Dashboards. The report also identifies which assessments the students should have taken, full academic year enrollment for all students, and whether or not a student will be included for accountability measures or only for assessment reporting.

The Accountability Certification will need to be validated by each school/district and certified and submitted by each Superintendent by June 14, 2019.

Once validated, the data will be used for ESEA Data Dashboards and other assessment and accountability reporting on the 18-19 academic year. The due date is important, as the Department cannot release assessment data in the Maine Assessment and Accountability Reporting System (MAARS) until these student demographic data are certified to be matched up with the assessment results.

The Data Team will be hosting a May 29^th 1:00 PM webinar about the Accountability Report. Please use the following link, here, to register for the webinar https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7759757532334082317

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS

If something is not right, who do we contact?

Please first validate that the information is correct in Synergy. If the data is correct in Synergy, or if it is not located in Synergy, please report your question to the Helpdesk – MEDMS.Helpdesk@maine.gov 207-624-6896.

ASSESSMENTS – What were the asterisks vs the blanks for on the Student Detail?

Asterisks indicate the assessment(s) that the student should have taken. A blank indicates that the student did not need to take any of the assessments.

TITLE 1 – Can you explain the Title 1 information?

Title 1 numbers have two sources:

If the school has a Schoolwide Title 1 program, then all of the students are flagged with Title1 ELA and Title1 Math.

If the school does not have a school wide Title 1 program, but rather a targeted assistance program, then the flags come from data entered into Synergy.

What is a school wide program?

School wide program is a type of Title 1 program. For further information, please contact Jackie Godbout at Jackie.Godbout@maine.gov or 624-6712.

SPPS – Are Special Purpose Private Schools responsible for entering and checking this data for their students or is this a requirement for the public schools only?

SPPS should review the data (if the report has been fixed so you can see it) to validate that student grade levels and enrollments are entered correctly.

Full Academic Year – We have a student that was enrolled the entire year, but is showing N in both District and School Full Year columns.

Students are considered to be school full year if they are enrolled on October 1 and May 3 at the same school.

Students are considered to be district full year if the same district is responsible for the student on October 1 and May 3.

October EPS enrollment data is utilized to determine the October 1 status, if enrollments were entered after October EPS was closed (even if they cover the October 1 date), then the student isn’t counted as Full Academic Year.

AOS – Our schools are each their own district because we are an AOS. I have some kids who are marked N for full year district and a Y for full year school?

Please review the enrollment data in Synergy. It is possible for a student to attend one of your schools for the full year, but whose resident district has changed, so the district full academic year would not be Y, but the school full academic year would be Y

EL Assessment – What does the E mean in the ELA Assessment column?

The “E” indicates Exempt.

EL students who arrived at a US school between April 1, 2018 and March 1, 2019 and who took the ACCESS for ELLs assessment are exempt from having to take the ELA assessment

EL students who arrive at a US school, or have an EL start date, between March 1, 2019 and May 3, 2019 are exempt from having to take the ELA assessment

WAIVERS – We have students with “waivers” who shouldn’t be on the list

The only “waivers” that the Department recognizes are

the EL exemption
special considerations – these students will have an S in the column for the assessment(s) for which the special consideration was granted

Students whose parents requested that the student not test will be counted as Non-Participants – there is no waiver for these students.

Building School Capacity Through Community Collaboration

On June 12, the Maine Department of Education (Maine DOE) is joining the Maine Resilience Building Network (MRBN) to provide a free, full-day opportunity for school and community prevention partners to learn and think about ways to collaborate to address challenging topics such as mental health, substance use, and student health.

Participants will learn about resources and funding that is available to develop, implement and evaluate comprehensive activities and programs that are focused on supporting safe and healthy students.

All school personnel who are familiar with their school district’s Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA) and are knowledgeable of their school’s goals to provide students with access to a well-rounded education and to improve school conditions for student learning are encouraged to participate.

All community prevention partners who have the tools and resources to address safe, healthy, supportive and drug-free environments and are wanting to work with schools to address problems that relate to mental health and substance use are encouraged to participate.

In addition, pediatrician Dr. Ken Ginsburg, via Zoom from Philadelphia, will engage with participants to discuss strength based approaches to reaching teens through school and community engagement efforts.

The day’s agenda will also include: school and community prevention partners’ success stories; a panel presentation with representation from Maine DOE, programs within Maine DHHS, MRBN, and the CAN (Child Abuse and Neglect) Council; an overview of Dr. Ginsburg’s Building Blocks of Resilience (the 7Cs); and facilitated discussion.

This learning opportunity will be held in the Bangor Savings Bank in Augusta on June 12, 2019, beginning at 8:30am and ending by 4:00pm. Lunch will be provided.

Registration and an agenda for the day can be found here. Registration closes June 4, 2019

For more information or to ask questions, please contact Sarah Adkins, Student Assistance Coordinator at the Maine DOE at sarah.adkins@maine.gov, 624-6685, or Kini-Ana Tinkham, Interim Executive Director, Maine Resilience Building Network at kini.tinkham@gmail.com.

Falmouth Elementary Students Practice Math and Service Learning Through World of Change Activity

Third, fourth, and fifth graders from Falmouth Elementary school got to practice their math skills and give back to the community all at once during a worldly event that took place earlier this month outside the school.

Parent, World of Change Founder, and Chief Change Maker, Matt Hoidal brought a change truck to the Falmouth Elementary School so that students could come out and donate couch change to some local causes of their choosing. The truck, designed locally, was equipped with six slots entitled, Education, Animals and Nature, Health, Play, Housing, and Food where loose coins and dollar bills could be deposited by students and then weighed for an estimated amount. The activity provided them with a chance to give back to the community with a service learning activity, in addition to providing an opportunity to practice using monetary amounts and measurements.

“This is an incredible opportunity for our children to come together and our community to come together,” said Falmouth Elementary School Principal, Gloria Noyes.

100% of all funds collected will be disbursed according to student choice. Below is a breakdown by focus area (according to how the students decided), and the amount donated:

Play: $227.94 (to fund swim lessons for four kids)
Housing: $332.41 (to fund three-four beds for kids who are sleeping on the floor)
Food: $477.09 (to fund 1,908 meals for kids in need)
Education: $273.21 (to fund 12 backpacks filled with books for kids in need)
Animals & Nature: $454.79 (to fund pet therapy programs and summer camperships for kids in need)
Health: $492.74 (to fund groceries and fuel assistance for families of kids with cancer)

“With nearly 20,000 coins collected, this is true testament to the power of change,” said Matt Hoidal.

Below is a video of the event, done by Bull Dog Media of Maine, which features comments from Falmouth Elementary School Principal,Gloria Noyes.

Below are some images from the coin drop:

Maine School of Science and Mathematics Ranked #2 Best High School in the Nation by U.S. News and World Report

Submitted by Ryan McDonald, Summer Programs Director and Public Relations Coordinator at Maine School of Science and Mathematics.

Maine School of Science and Mathematics (MSSM) has been ranked #2 Best High School in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. MSSM received a 99.99% overall score out of a possible 100 points. Ranking factors included #1 in College Readiness Index Rank, #1 in Math and Reading Proficiency Rank, #1 in Math and Reading Performance Rank. MSSM was also ranked #1 in Maine and #2 Magnet School in the nation. This is the highest rank MSSM has received from U.S. News and World Report and has been ranked 8 times in the past 12 years. In recent years, MSSM has recorded rankings in the top 20.

Executive Director, David Pearson, said, “The MSSM family is rightly thrilled about the marvelous U.S. News and World Report educational rankings that places the school top in Maine, second in the United States, and nationally second as a magnet high school. But as in all things, there is no singular responsibility for such impressive results. These rankings are consequent upon what is, and always will be, a team effort at the school. As such, we are deeply grateful for the tireless efforts of our staff who teach, coach, advise, and nurture our extraordinary students; but also to the continuous support of their parents, and the many school districts throughout the State who educated them through their formative elementary and middle school years. We also owe very special gratitude to the Maine Legislature for providing the financial support for our academic and extracurricular programming. Quite simply, this is not just an MSSM success story, but one for our entire great State of Maine.”

Dean of Enrollment Management, Alan Whittemore, said, “Although we have received such prestigious recognition from the likes of U.S. News & World Report in the past, it is truly rewarding to reach #2 in the nation. We are happy for all involved here at Limestone, the students, staff, and faculty all of whom are working together to provide an education second only to one!”

MSSM’s College Counselor, Erica Jortberg, enjoys the privilege of working with some of the most motivated students in the state. She noted, “They are what makes MSSM what it is. When they choose to come to MSSM, it is because they are seeking a challenge and the opportunity to push themselves academically. It is exciting to work with them through the college process and see them off on their post-secondary endeavors.”

To produce the 2019 Best High Schools rankings, U.S. News teamed up with North Carolina-based RTI International, a global nonprofit social science research firm. RTI implemented the U.S. News comprehensive rankings methodology which reflects how well high schools serve all of their students, not just those who are planning to go to college. According to the U.S. News Best High Schools methodology, schools were rated on the following six measures and the weights used for each indicator are in parentheses. College readiness (30% of the ranking), College curriculum breadth (10%), Reading and math proficiency (20%), Reading and math performance (20%), Underserved student performance (10%), Graduation rate (10%).

The six indicators were first normalized using standardized scores and then weighted. Those weighed scores are then summed and transformed so that each eligible school receives an overall percentile score between zero and 100 at two decimal places, with the top performer scoring 100. The overall score as a percentile score indicates the percentile position a school is in out of the 17,245 ranked schools. A school with a score of 90 means that 10% of the schools are ranked higher and 90% of the schools are ranked lower. Finally, high schools are ranked against their peers in descending order of their overall scores. High schools placing in the top 75% display their individual rank on usnews.com.

Bonny Eagle Students Participate in Educator Workshop about Assessment for Learning

On Monday, May 6, ten students from the Bonny Eagle School District made a trip to the University of Southern Maine to participate in a session at the 4th Annual Assessment for Learning & Leading Conference.

The session, “Assessment for Learning: Student Involvement and Voice” provided participants with explanations and examples of high-impact instructional strategies, and an opportunity to talk with instructional coaches and students about their experiences related to the research-based practices.

The session, led by Kirsten Gould and Kate Dumont, Assessment for Learning Coaches from MSAD 6, focused on student perspectives related to the new practices and encouraged participants to think about how teacher clarity and formative assessment can support students’ academic and emotional growth.

During the panel portion of the session, teachers mingled with students to have conversations and ask questions about student experiences and perspectives with the practice. The students, ranging from first through twelfth grade, shared concrete examples that illustrate how their teachers clarify the learning expectations and help students build self-efficacy through tracking progress, self-assessment, and goal-setting.

Employee of the Week: Mary Becker

Mary Becker, Secretary Associate for the Maine State Board of Education is being highlighted this week as the Maine DOE’s Employee of the Week! Learn a little more about Mary in this brief question and answer:

What are your roles?

I provide administrative and executive support to the eleven-member State Board of Education. On any given day my duties can range from providing liaison with the Commissioner’s Office, the Legislature’s Education & Cultural Affairs Committee, and the National Association of State Boards of Education, to handling inquiries from the public, managing accounts, processing appeals, updating the Board’s strategic plan, and generally keeping the business of the State Board’s twenty-three mandated duties and responsibilities moving forward in a timely and efficient manner.

What do you like best about your job?

I like the day to day challenges of various responsibilities.

How or why did you decide on this career?

I came to the Department of Education, Commissioner’s Office, as temporary staff filling in for an individual out on medical leave. After two years here, enjoying working with such a wonderful group of people at the DOE, I took a position with the State Board of Education. I have such a love for children of all ages and this position gives me the opportunity to see up front what wonderful things the State Board Members and the DOE staff do every day for the kids throughout the State of Maine.

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

I enjoy reading, walking, listening to music, attending concerts, any theater production, travel, and I am always up for a good road trip! Most of all, I enjoy spending time with my family, especially my grandchildren!

Maine School of Science and Mathematics Sends Two Robotics Teams to World Championship Competition in Louisville, Kentucky

Submitted by Ryan McDonald, Summer Programs Director and Public Relations Coordinator at Maine School of Science and Mathematics.

Maine School of Science and Mathematics (MSSM) is pleased to announce two teams have qualified for the VEX Robotics World Championship sponsored by the Northrop Grumman Foundation in Louisville, Ky., April 24 – April 27. The teams, 4393Z led by Ethan Kelley (a junior from Yarmouth) and 4393S led by Madison McCarthy (a sophomore from Cape Elizabeth), secured spots at the world’s largest robotics competition through their success at the VEX Robotics Maine State Championship, where they received the Robot Skills Challenge Champion award (4393Z) and the Robot Design Award (4394S).

The State Championship, held in South Portland, attracted 50 teams with students from middle and high schools competing. The VEX Robotics World Championships 2019 will be held at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky and 584 teams from around the world will attend.

MSSM’s VEX Robotics’ School Team Number is 4393 and each team chooses a letter. Team 4393S consists of Madison McCarthy; Wesley Chalmers, a sophomore from Scarborough; and Chandler Pike, a freshman from Jay. Team 4393Z is composed of Ethan Kelley; James Lau, a junior from Buxton; Ryan Oh, a junior from the Republic of Korea; Harrison Ma, a senior from the People’s Republic of China; Alex Nikanov, a junior from Ukraine; and Federico Galbiati, a junior from Italy.

When asked about being a VEX team captain, Madison McCarty said it, “allows me to learn what it’s like to apply robotics in the real world. Building the robot is only a small part of the larger design process. I have to keep track of what all of the team members are doing in a detailed engineer notebook and I’m also responsible for making sure they stay on track with our goals and deadlines for the robot. Being a captain is not an easy job and I have learned a lot of leadership skills as well as patience and organization skills.”