MEDIA RELEASE: Former superintendent, Fern Desjardins to serve on Maine State Board of Education

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) has announced that Dr. Fern Desjardins of Aroostook County will serve on the Maine State Board of Education. Desjardins was sworn into office at the Department of the Secretary of State in Augusta on May 1, 2018. She is a life-long resident of St. Agatha, and will serve as a representative of Congressional District 2 on the State Board.

Desjardins is a former Superintendent of Schools in MSAD #33 and has spent a 43-year career in the school system. She 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.

Since her retirement in June 2017, Desjardins continues to be active in education by serving as a facilitator for the regionalization efforts of five northern Penobscot County school systems, a member of the English Learners Advisory Council at the Maine DOE, and is involved in Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) programs and other initiatives of the Maine DOE.

“My work in education has always been, and continues to be, my real passion in life. Being a member of the State Board of Education is truly an honor, and it is in perfect harmony with what I most enjoy doing – providing the students of all our communities with the best education that taxpayers can afford. I am blessed to be given the opportunity to be a voice for the students and citizens of Maine by serving on the State Board.”

Desjardins has accepted appointments to work on the Construction Committee and the Maine Charter School Commission as a member of the State Board. “I believe that my educational background and varied experiences will enable me to positively contribute to discussions and decision-making processes of the State Board and the committees to which I am appointed.”

Desjardins replaces former State Board of Education member, the Honorable Nichi Farnham of Bangor.

###

MEDIA ADVISORY: Maine County Teachers of the Year to be announced 5/10 at 2pm

What:
16 Maine teachers will be announced and honored as part of the Maine Department of Education’s annual Maine County Teachers of the Year awards. The teachers were nominated by a member of their community and chosen by a panel of teachers, principals and business community members.

Maine county teachers of the year serve as ambassadors for teachers, students, and quality education state-wide. The Maine County Teachers of the Year are available to make presentations to local and regional organizations. Into the summer, they will continue to participate in an intensive State Teacher of the Year selection process.

Who:
16 Maine teachers (one from each county), Department of Education Deputy Suzan Beaudoin; Executive Director of Educate Maine, Ed Cervone; State Board of Education, Martha Harris; and 2018 Teacher of the Year, Kaitlin Young.

Where:
Hall of Flags, Maine State Capitol

When:
Thursday, May 10, 2018 from 2:00pm – 4:00pm

For more information contact Maine DOE Director of Communications, Rachel Paling at rachel.paling@maine.gov or call 624-6747.

Computer Science Day: Save the date and invitation to present

The Maine Department of Education, Maine State Library, and Project Login are partnering to host Computer Science Day this summer. The event will be open to the public, applications for presentations are now being accepted.

Date: Monday, August 13th from 9am – 4pm

Location: Maine State House (Hall of Flags), Maine State Library (Atrium), and Various Committee Rooms in the Maine State House

Attendees: Open to the public

Activities: Attendees can join presentations, hear from panelists from multiple industries, and visit booths with hands-on learning opportunities

Topics that will be explored include: What is Computer Science? What is it not? Where do we see it both in Maine and in our everyday lives? What is the skill set our students need to be successful in an evolving workforce that is coming to rely more and more on Computer Science? How can we foster more partnerships, collaboration, and access to resources between educators, non-profits and businesses? What resources exist to help educators integrate computer science into their teaching and learning practice?

Presenters: K-12 schools, Higher Education, Businesses with Employees Engaged in Computer Science Work, Non-Profits, Informal Learning Providers, Companies that have Computer Science Education Products, etc.

If you are interested in presenting at Computer Science Day, please submit the following application by June 4th, 2018!

Application to present: http://bit.ly/csday2018presenters

For more information or questions, contact any of the following event organizers:

Amanda Nguyen, Maine Department of Education, Digital Learning Specialist (Amanda.Nguyen@maine.gov)
Jamie Ritter, Maine State Library, Maine State Librarian, (James.Ritter@maine.gov)
Jason Judd, Educate Maine, Program Director, Project>Login (jason@educatemaine.org)

ADMINISTRATIVE LETTER: Guidance on multiple disabilities eligibility category under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

Administrative Letter: 14
Policy Code: BGC
To: Public School Administrators and Special Education Directors
From: Robert G. Hasson, Jr., Ed. D. Commissioner
Date: May 7, 2018
Subject: Guidance on multiple disabilities eligibility category under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

The Maine Department of Education’s Office of Special Services is providing the following information regarding the identification of “multiple disabilities” as an eligibility category for students with disabilities. This guidance is intended to help Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams correctly identify students with multiple disabilities consistent with the definition in federal law.

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part B, for a child to qualify under the category of “multiple disabilities,” the following criteria must be met:

The child has impairments that occur concomitantly (two or more disabilities that occur at the same time); and
the result of the combination of the impairments causes such severe educational needs that the child cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for one of the impairments.

Based on these criteria, the category of multiple disabilities requires the presence of severe educational needs, not solely the presence of two or more disabilities. For example, a child who has an intellectual disability and blindness or a child who has an intellectual disability and orthopedic impairment would be categorized as multiply disabled. An example of a child that should not be classified as having multiple disabilities could be child who has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and has a speech language disability.

Data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that Maine has much higher identification rates of children in the category of multiple disabilities than the national average. In 2016-17, for ages 6–21, the national multiple disabilities rate (pooling across all states and territories for which data were available) was 2.34 percent while Maine’s rate was 10.77 percent. There are very few states/territories with higher rates than Maine’s.

Maine Multiple Disabilities Identification Rate Compared to National Average

National	2.34%
Maine	10.77%
These values represent the percentages of multiple disabilities out of all children with disabilities, not out of all children both with and without disabilities.

Maine Multiple Disabilities Identification Rate 2014 – 2016

2016-17	10.46%
2015-16	10.04%
2014-15	9.68%
These values represent the percentages of multiple disabilities out of all children with disabilities, not out of all children both with and without disabilities.

Given the significant difference between Maine’s identification rate and the national average, the Department will be working on supportive efforts to ensure that students are being correctly identified in this category. As such, the Maine Department of Education Office of Special Services’ monitoring team will be working with school districts with high identification rates in multiple disabilities as part of the general supervision system of monitoring and supports. It is recommended that this information be shared with anyone who is a part of identification and/or triennial evaluations.

For more information about this topic, please contact the Maine Department of Education Office of Special Services by phone at (207) 624-6713 or via email to Jan Breton, Director of Special Services at janice.breton@maine.gov.

Concussion training program to be held June 22

Concussion training for school staff has been a requirement since 2012 pursuant to 20-A MRS § 1001. The Department of Education has partnered with the Maine Concussion Management Initiative (MCMI) as well as the Maine Principals’ Association to promote policy development, trainings for staff, and increased awareness and improved management of concussions.

MCMI will be holding a training program on June 22 in Waterville at Colby College. It is appropriate for athletic administrators/directors, school nurses, coaches, athletic trainers, physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. More information and instructions for registration can be found at: https://mcmi-colby.org/page-18087

For more information contact MCMI – Membership and Education Committee – Chair Jan Salis at jsalis@aol.com (207) 577-201.

Registration for 2018 School Nurse Summer Institute is now open

Registration for 2018 School Nurse Summer Institute is now open. This year’s theme is, “The 21^st Century School Nurse: Making a Difference Today & Preparing for the Future” and provides Maine School Nurses with increased knowledge of evidence-based best practices of current complex medical, social, and emotional needs of children from preschool through 12th grade.

Location: Bates College

Dates: Tuesday July 24 – Thursday July 26, 2018

For more information visit: http://www.maine.gov/doe/schoolhealth/professional/index.html or you may contact Emily Poland, School Nurse Consultant at Emily.Poland@Maine.gov, 207- 624-6688.

Register Here

MEDIA RELEASE: Students to perform at 5/8 launch of “Maine Kids Rock!” initiative to expand music education in Maine

Governor Paul R. LePage will join students from 10 Maine schools for a May 8th concert as they celebrate a multi-year, multi-million dollar investment in music education in Maine schools.

On May 8, 2018, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) and Governor Paul R. LePage are holding a kickoff concert to celebrate the official launch of, “Maine Kids Rock!”, a multi-year initiative supported by national nonprofit, Little Kids Rock. The partnership will help ensure that schools across Maine have access to high quality, culturally responsive music education as well as musical instruments and cutting edge curriculum.

The pilot phase of Maine Kids Rock started in August 2017 with support through free music instruments for 10 Maine public schools, and free professional development for over 30 Maine schools. The success of the pilot program has generated the interest of other schools, and prompted Maine DOE and Little Kids Rock to expand the program.

The concert will celebrate an initial investment of approximately $450,000 worth of instruments, training and curriculum which will expand music education in 30 Maine school districts. Funding for Maine Kids Rock is being provided by the Maine Department of Education and Little Kids Rock.

“The goals of Maine Kids Rock are quite ambitious,” says Dave Wish, CEO and Founder of Little Kids Rock. “ Our ultimate goal is to supply over $2,000,000 worth of support that will benefit up to four hundred Maine public schools. The Maine DOE and Little Kids Rock are working together to identify other partners to help us reach hundreds more schools across the state.”

WHAT: The Concert at the Capitol is a free concert that is open to the public and features student performances by Little Kids Rock bands from 10 the Maine Public Schools that have been participating in the Maine Kids Rock pilot program thus far. During the concert, Governor LePage will be presented with a student-signed guitar as a thank you for his commitment to music education.

WHO: Governor Paul R. LePage, Maine DOE staff, parents and supporters, in addition to students, teachers and administrators from the 10 Maine Kids Rock pilot schools:

Central Community Elementary School, RSU 64
Crescent Park and Woodstock Elementary Schools, RSU 44
East End Community School, Portland Public Schools
Hitchborn Middle School and Penobscot Valley High School, RSU31
Houlton Middle/High School, RSU 29
Katahdin Elementary, Middle and High Schools, RSU 50
Medway Middle School, Medway School Department
Meroby and Rumford Elementary Schools, RSU 10
Troy Howard Middle School, RSU 71
Waterville Senior High School, AOS 92

WHERE: Governor Hill Mansion, 136 State Street, Augusta, ME 04330

WHEN: Tuesday, May 8th from 1:00pm – 3:00pm

Media are encouraged to attend. Interview and photo opportunities will be available at the event. For further information, please contact Maine DOE Director of Communications, Rachel Paling at rachel.paling@maine.gov or (207) 624-6747.

Maine DOE celebrates “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day”

The Maine Department of Education celebrated “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day” on April 26 this year with a theme of, “Agents of Positive Change”. The Department celebrates this annual, nationally celebrated day as a way to inspire and prepare Maine students as they start to think about their future careers.

As part of that day’s activities, 16 Maine students between the ages of 8 and 18 spent the day with Department staff at the Burton M. Cross State Office building and the Maine State Capitol complex learning that being a part of a workplace team means providing support both within the Department on a team level, and to those throughout our State in the education field. The students learned that by doing the best you can and looking for ways to be agents of positive change, you help make the workplace more successful.

Our Agents of Positive change took advantage of the many opportunities that come their way that day, including digital learning, yoga, learning about the different career paths at the Department and participated in word and math puzzles provided by Department specialists. In addition, the students also toured the Blaine House, the Maine State House and the Maine State Museum.

[robo-gallery id=”125176″]

Changes to graduation reporting

Due to the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015, Maine has been refining a new accountability model moving towards a more purposeful and meaningful approach to supporting Maine’s schools experiencing challenges. A component of the high school accountability model is graduation. In order to reduce the burden on school districts and refine graduation reporting to align with the accountability model data requirements, the Department is instituting the following changes.

May 2018 – Validation of the first three years of the student’s enrollments for those students that are part of the 2017/18 cohort. Additional guidance is available for reporting.

June 30, 2018 – Validating all enrollments for the 2017/18 school year pre-K through 12.

All students will need to be exited with the appropriate exit code before June 30, 2018. There will be an end-of-year certification process. Details will be discussed in the May webinar trainings. A description of the appropriate exit code and their descriptions can be found here: http://maine.gov/doe/data/student/Synergy_upload.html

Districts will report in Synergy State Edition the exit status for each student as of June 30, 2018. We understand that often times plans change over the summer for students however it is important that the exit status for every student is recorded with the latest information you have at the time.

August 15, 2018 Reporting Deadline for high school graduation

District will report in the NEO Graduation module the final graduation status of students who may have taken credit recovery classes over the summer in order to graduate within the 4-year cohort and were not included in the June 30, 2018 reporting. Only the summer graduate data will be able to be modified at this time and students will need to have successfully completed their summer recovery classes in order to be considered an on time graduate.

Next steps

Beginning early May, schools will be asked to validate the enrollments of students who are part of the 2017/18 cohort.
At the end of the 2017/18 school year, schools will be asked to end all Synergy State Edition enrollments for every student in all grades with their appropriate end status, prior to July 1.
Beginning in early to mid-August, the NEO Graduation module will be open for the purpose of updating only summer graduates. All other enrollment validations were covered in steps one and two above.
The dropout validation is being separated from the graduation validation. Dropouts will be validated in the September/October time period as usual.

Questions regarding new graduation process should be directed to: Travis Wood 207-624-6742

Questions regarding access to Synergy State Edition or NEO should be directed to: DOE Helpdesk at 207-624-6896.

Stand up to Bullying and Youth Violence Survey being sent to superintendents and school leaders

The Maine Department of Education is collaborating with the University of Minnesota, in partnership with Columbia University, the University of Iowa, and Temple University, on an Anti-bullying Policy Research Study to understand how Maine’s anti-bullying law and the Department’s model policy are implemented and their effectiveness in addressing bullying behavior in Maine’s public schools.

Within the next week, superintendents, school administrators, counselors, and teachers will receive an email from Sarah Ricker, Student Assistance Coordinator at the Maine DOE, asking for participation in this research study by completing an online survey. The anonymous results from the survey will provide information to researchers on how Maine’s public schools are utilizing the Department’s model policy.

The input from these educational stakeholders is incredibly important as Maine continues to ensure that all students have the rights to attend public schools that are safe, secure and peaceful environments.

For additional information about this research study, contact Sarah Ricker at sarah.ricker@maine.gov or the UMN research staff at maine-study@umn.edu