Northern Maine FFA Service/Leadership Workshop Addresses Hunger, Community Service & Leadership Skills

Group Photo of FFA Workshop Trainees and Trainers

On Friday, January 11, 2019 at the Northeastland Hotel, student State Officers of FFA (formerly known as “Future Farmers of America”) and their assistants conducted a workshop on topics of community service and leadership for Aroostook County FFA chapters. The one-day workshop, featuring topic overviews and hands-on activities, was held for nearly 100 high school and middle school students from Ashland, Easton, Hodgdon, Mars Hill, and Presque Isle. Implementing the theme of community service, student FFA member participants brought food items to be donated to the Aroostook County Action Program, with Ashland High School winning the award for the greatest number of donated goods.

In addition to Community Service, FFA members learned about areas of leadership related to goal setting, values, taking initiative, and teamwork. Students commented that the workshop was “fun” and helped them think more about leadership. Many indicated hoping to implement community service activities at their local FFA chapters. In the past, such community service activities have included teaching elementary school students about agriculture, conducting landscaping for public areas, holding food drives, and many other endeavors.

One of the student trainers, Jack Reuthier of Ashland, noted that defining goals well was an “important step to accomplishing any activity.” Another, James Hotham, State Vice President, addressed the topic of “taking initiative,” and congratulated some veteran FFA members for all of the accomplishments they have already attained through the FFA. State President, Graham Berry, encouraged FFA members to pursue other upcoming FFA opportunities, including the State Convention in May and positions as State FFA Officers. Guest speaker, Kaley Norsworthy of Fort Fairfield, past State FFA President, addressed her experience with post-secondary transitions, “made so much easier by FFA,” and likewise strongly encouraged members to consider State Office.

FFA Members Brainstorm Leadership Concepts

The Maine FFA Association is supported by the Career & Technical Education division of the Maine Department of Education and by the Maine Department of Agriculture, as well as by additional sponsors, and costs for the workshop were supported by a “State Day of Service” grant from the National FFA Organization. Through this grant, additional events will also be conducted in Maine locations of Auburn and Hampden. The FFA Organization is one of the largest student leadership organizations in the United States, providing recognition, awards, travel opportunities, competitions and scholarships for over 650,000 high school and middle school students enrolled in courses related to agriculture and natural resources. Not all FFA members are “farmers,” though many do come from agricultural families who recognize the many benefits and connections FFA membership bestows. In addition to providing organizational and leadership skills valuable to any profession, active involvement in FFA is often one of the first things looked for by agricultural organizations across the country when hiring new employees.

For more information, please contact State FFA Advisor, Doug Robertson, doug.robertson@maine.gov

School Safety and Security Bulletin: Family Reunification

Throughout the 2018- 2019 school year, the Maine Department of Education, State Fire Marshal’s Office, Department of Health and Human Services, Maine State Police, Maine Sheriffs Association, Maine Chiefs of Police Association, and the Maine Emergency Management Agency will provide tips and resource information to Maine schools to help provide some guidance for identifying signs and preventing school violence.

School Safety and Security Bulletin – January 2019

Family Reunification (PDF)

Further questions and inquiries can be send to Pat Hinckley, Maine DOE Transportation and Facilities Administrator at pat.hinckley@maine.gov.

Enrollment Data Deadlines for Spring 2019 MEA Registration

The Maine Department of Education would like to remind district personnel that are tasked with maintaining enrollment data that eMPowerME, SAT, and MEA Science reports need to be reviewed for accuracy and completeness. These reports will be used to electronically complete student registration for the spring 2019 administration of the Maine Education Assessments. Accuracy in these reports will minimize the amount of manual registrations that need to be done by the district during test administration.

The reports can be found in NEO under Student Data/Student Reports. Please update your Student Information Systems and push to Synergy State Edition by or before the following deadlines.

Below are the dates that state-wide enrollment will be captured and uploaded into the respective assessments for spring 2019 administration. It is critical that your enrollments are current and complete in Synergy by these dates. Please note: it is extremely important to unenroll your students as soon as they transfer so that the receiving school can enroll them in a timely manner.

eMPowerME 1/18/19
This is the first upload of student enrollment data into the portal via Synergy/NEO reports. This is the only assessment that has daily change file updates, which will occur daily after 12pm beginning on 2/11/19 and running through 4/12/19. Please have your grade 3-8 students updated in your SIS prior to 1/18/19, and pushed to Synergy State Edition. Daily school/district enrollment updates are highly recommended. Data must be uploaded or manually entered in to Synergy by 12pm in order to be loaded in to the assessment portal for that day.
MEA Science 1/28/19
This is the upload of student enrollment data for test pre-ID labels via Synergy/NEO reports. Please have your students updated in your SIS prior to 1/28/19 and pushed to Synergy State Edition. Any students who move into your district/school after 1/28/19 will not receive pre-ID labels and will need to pencil/bubble in their information on the answer sheet cover pages.
SAT 1/31/19
This is the bulk registration enrollment data for test pre-ID labels via Synergy/NEO reports. Please have your high school students updated in your SIS prior to 1/28/19 and pushed to Synergy State Edition. Any students who move into your district/school after 1/31/19 will not receive pre-ID labels and will need to complete a paper registration by penciling in their information on the answer sheet cover pages.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns in regards to accessing the NEO eMPowerME, SAT, and MEA Science reports please contact the Helpdesk at MEDMS.Helpdesk@Maine.gov or (207) 624-6896.

Online Bullying Reporting Program Available to Maine Schools Through Optania

Optania has created an online bullying reporting program that is aligned with Maine DOE’s model bullying policy and procedures.

This online program allows students, parents, and others to report allegations of bullying 24/7, with the allegation report (JICK-E1) being sent to pre-determined school staff (ie. principal, assistant principal, school guidance counselor, social worker, superintendent) who will then initiate the investigation procedure using an electronic form (JICK-E2). The program also includes the remediation form (JICK-E3). In addition, using artificial intelligence, students can create their own Safety Plan in the moments after reporting an allegation of bullying so they don’t have to wait until the next school day when they can meet with a school staff member.

To learn more about Optania:

Sessions are 30 minutes in length and will give an in-depth overview of Optania and allow time for questions and comments. Click on the calendar link on a day and time that works for your schedule.

Further questions or information about future webinars and trainings can be sent to Sarah Adkins, Student Assistance Coordinator atsarah.adkins@maine.gov or by calling her at 207-624-6685

Server Outage Delays 1% Support Webinar

The 1% Support Webinar for Districts over the 1% identification of students participating in alternate assessments was canceled yesterday, January 9, 2019, due to a server outage in the video conferencing tool, Zoom, that is used by the Department.

This webinar has been rescheduled for Wednesday, January 16th at 2:00pm. All districts are welcome to join. The “Join ZOOM” meeting information to participate in the meeting remains the same:

Jan 16, 2019 2:00 PM – Join Zoom Meeting

Further questions can be sent to Sue Nay, Alternate Assessment & WIDA ACCESS Coordinator for the Maine Department of Education at (207-624-6774)

Read to ME Challenge Set to Kick-off in February

Year 4 of the Read to ME Challenge is scheduled to begin at the beginning of February. This simple but powerful campaign challenges adults to read to children for 15 minutes, to capture that reading episode via a photo, and then post it on social media to challenge others to do the same. The Read to ME Challenge will run for the month leading up to Read Across America Day on March 2, 2019.

If your organization is willing and able to promote the Read to ME Challenge, please follow this link to provide us with your contact information: Read to ME Challenge Partner 2019. Read to ME Challenge resources, including a guidance document, public service announcements in a variety of languages, fliers and a list of engaging ways to incorporate the challenge are available on the Read to ME webpage.

Reading aloud to children is one of the most cost effective and highly beneficial methods of building children’s literate abilities. The simple act of reading aloud to a child 15 minutes a day for five years results in 27,375 minutes of language exposure which can put children on the path to high literacy achievement. Reading aloud exposes children to the world around them, helps them see reading as an enjoyable and valuable activity and often strengthens bonds with trusted adults.

Schools and organizations are invited to join the challenge and to encourage community members to do the same. The collective voice of many key partners, leaders and those in respected positions will send a clear message about the vital importance reading to children plays in the social and economic well-being of Maine. Maine DOE also encourages partners to be creative and to use this opportunity to enhance ongoing literacy education outreach efforts.

Thanks for your consideration of this opportunity, and don’t hesitate to contact danielle.m.saucier@maine.gov (624-6702) with any questions.

Priority Notice: School Nutrition Benefits for Families Impacted by Federal Shutdown

With the federal shutdown impacting numerous Mainers, the Maine Department of Education wants to remind school districts that applications for free and reduced-price meals may be submitted at any time throughout the school year, even during a federal shutdown. If federal employees impacted by the shutdown would like to apply for school meal benefits for their children, they may so do through their local school district.

To apply – A special application can be downloaded from the Maine Department of Education’s website (linked below) and submitted to your local school’s food service program.

Download printable meal benefit application (PDF)

School administrators should be aware that this is a federal application so it may look unfamiliar but please accept and process it as you would your current meal benefit applications. Please also be aware that Maine DOE’s Child Nutrition office is also releasing information to remind food service staff that parents can apply for meal benefits for their children at any time.

For more information, contact Walter Beesley, Child Nutrition Director, Maine Department of Education at Walter.Beesley@maine.gov or 624-6875.

Maine DOE Seeks Proposals for 21st Century Community Learning Center 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 Center (21st CCLC) programs in 2019-2020. It is anticipated that an estimated $1.75M will be available to issue grant awards later this year.

21st Century Community Learning Center Programs RFP (PDF)

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 school and community partnerships with funding to establish or expand programs that provide students in high-need, economically-disadvantaged communities with academic enrichment opportunities designed to complement their traditional school day curriculum. 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 17, 2018. It is strongly encouraged that interested parties view this presentation prior to completing an application for 21st CCLC program funding.

Below is the anticipated timeline for the Department’s 2019 21^st CCLC grant competition:

Date	Task
January 8, 2019	Grant Application Released to Public
January 17, 2019	Informational Webinar Posted Online
January 31, 2019	Deadline for Submission of Questions in Response to RFP
February 14, 2019	Interested Parties Submit Letter of Intent to Apply
April 4, 2019	Application Deadline
April 2019 – May 2019	Peer Review of Applications
May 2019	Grant Award Notifications
July 1, 2019	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 Center (21^st CCLC) Program, contact Federal Grant Coordinator, Travis Doughty, at travis.w.doughty@maine.gov.

Priority Notice: Report Card Release to be Delayed

The Maine Department of Education will be delaying the public release of the Report Cards. It was originally anticipated that the Report Cards would be released to the public on January 7, 2019. After receiving feedback following a soft release to superintendents on December 28, 2018, the Department has decided to delay the public release in order to continue working with school and district administrators to ensure the information in the Report Cards is both accurate and clear.

The Department would like to thank the field for their critical feedback during the Report Card preview. Your prompt and thorough responses have been extremely beneficial. We would like to assure you that the Department will continue working through your questions and inquires prior to the public release.

Thank you for your patience.

Media Release: Nominations Sought for 2020 Teacher of the Year

AUGUSTA – As part of the Maine Department of Education’s ongoing efforts to highlight Maine’s outstanding teachers, nominations are now open for the 2019 County Teachers of the Year and 2020 Teacher of the Year. Members of the public are encouraged to nominate educators who demonstrate a commitment to excellence and nurturing the achievement of all students.

Nominations can be made through the Maine Teacher of the Year Website starting today, January 4, 2019 and will be open through Feb. 4, 2019.

To be considered, a teacher must:

hold the appropriate professional certification for the position,
be employed by a Maine public school – including a public charter school or publicly-supported secondary school,
be actively teaching students at least 50% of full-time at the time of nomination and during the year of recognition, and
have a minimum of five years teaching, three of which are in Maine.

The eventual winner serves as an advocate for teachers, students, and the efforts underway in Maine’s public schools to prepare students for success in college, career and civic life.

Maine’s recently named 2019 Teacher of the Year, Joseph Hennessey, an English teacher at Piscataquis Community High School in Guilford, was selected from over 300 entries and included recognition as the 2018 Piscataquis County Teacher of the Year. In addition to Hennessey, the other 2019 state finalists include Connie Russell, a teacher at Mabel I. Wilson School and 2018 Cumberland County Teacher of the Year, and Shana Goodall, a teacher at Orono High School and the 2018 Penobscot County Teacher of the Year.

The 2020 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 ultimate winner is announced by Maine’s Education Commissioner at a surprise school assembly in the fall.

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, and Pratt & Whitney with support from the State Board of Education and the Maine State Teacher of the Year Association.

The Teacher of the Year program is no cost to taxpayers. Bangor Savings Bank reimburses the winning educator’s school district for the cost of substitutes while the Teacher of the Year is out of the classroom on their official duties, which includes travel throughout the state, a week at NASA Space Camp and a visit to the White House.

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

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Media Contact: Rachel Paling, Maine DOE Director of Communications, r achel.paling@maine.gov