Category: News & Views

Updates to Rule Chapter 180: Performance Evaluation and Professional Growth Systems (Effective June 3, 2018)

As part of the Maine Department of Education’s efforts to ensure that new and conditionally certified teachers have access to high quality peer support, some changes were made to Chapter 180: Performance Evaluation and Professional Growth Systems.

These changes are contained in a new Section (11) of Chapter 180: Peer Support and Mentoring, and accomplish the following:

  1. Retain a level of peer support and feedback for all teachers and principals.
  2. Establish a mentor/coach component for all newly hired and conditionally certified teachers.
  3. Differentiate peer support requirements to provide greater support for new and conditionally certified teachers.
  4. Provide greater, more structured support for conditionally certified special education teachers.
  5. Provide the SAU with flexibility in establishing mentor and coach qualifications as well as assigning mentors and coaches to better target educator needs.
  6. Sharpen the line between peer support components and evaluation components

The revised Chapter 180, with an effective date of June 3, 2018 can be found here.

A resource outlining the parameters can be found by visiting the Educator Effectiveness website or by clicking here.

The Maine DOE guidance encourages districts to have documentation of a peer support and mentoring component by the PEPG Steering Committee.  Districts  should  have a plan for peer support and mentoring in place as close as possible to the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year.  Either this sample document or a more detailed document created by the PEPG Steering Committee should stay on file with the district.  It does not need to be submitted to the DOE at this time.

For additional information please contact Emily Gribben at Emily.gribben@maine.gov, or call 624-6748.

 

Maine Department of Education Honors the 2017 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching State Finalists

On Friday evening, May 11th, Maine DOE honored the six state finalists for the 2017 Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching Mathematics and Science (PAEMST) with a dinner held at the Maple Hill Farm Inn located in Hallowell.  Shari Templeton, Maine DOE Science and Technology Specialist, and Michele Mailhot, Maine DOE Mathematics Specialist, planned the evening event honoring Priya Natarajan (Casco Bay High School), secondary mathematics finalist, Ellen Payne (Nokomis Regional High School), secondary mathematics finalist, Sharon Gallant (Gardiner Area High School), secondary science finalist, Sara McQuarrie (Hodgdon Middle/High School), secondary science finalist, Bill McWeeny (Adams School), secondary science finalist, Alyson Saunders (Dexter Regional High School), secondary science finalist.

The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) are the nation’s highest honors for teachers of mathematics and science. Awardees serve as models for their colleagues, inspiration to their communities, and leaders in the improvement of mathematics and science education.

The evening began with a social networking event where past awardees had an opportunity to meet the six state finalists. This was followed by dinner, official congratulations from Suzan Beaudoin, Deputy Commissioner, Maine Department of Education, and Martha Harris, Chair, Maine State Board of Education.  The keynote address was delivered by Sandra MacArthur, Director of Educational Outreach for the University of Maine Farmington, and Shannon Larsen, Assistant Professor of Elementary Education at the University of Maine Farmington.

The main event of the evening was the introduction of the six state finalists.  Todd Nelson, retired principal and author, spoke on behalf of Bill McWeeny,  Mary Whitten, science teacher, Gardiner Area High School, spoke on behalf of Sharon Gallant, Mary Harbison, principal, Hodgdon Middle/High School, spoke on behalf of Sara McQuarrie, Steven Bell, principal, Dexter Regional High School, spoke on behalf of Alyson Saunders, Scott Shibles, Dean of Student Life at Casco Bay High School, spoke on behalf of Priya Natarajan, and Mary Nadeau, principal, Nokomis Regional High School, spoke on behalf of Ellen Payne. All six state finalists were presented with certificates from the PAEMST program by Shari Templeton (Maine DOE) and Michele Mailhot (Maine DOE).

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Online Formative Assessment Opportunity for Primary Grade Educators

The Maine Department of Education will be supporting a cohort of public primary grade (K-2) teachers for the 2018-19 school year in using an online Formative Assessment Platform. This tool utilizes observation and documentation of student work during ongoing instruction. Teachers selected to participate will:

  • Be required to attend one 2-day training on August 1 and August 2, 2018, held in Augusta.
  • Receive iPad minis to collect and document child observations for the online platform.
  • Receive a one-time $300 training stipend.

Those interested in participating should complete and submit this application no later than end of business on Friday, June 15, 2018.

Due to the limited number of student portfolios that can be supported, this opportunity is available on a first come, first served basis – per the date and time on the submitted application. Once the cohort has been set, a Memoranda of Understanding will be sent to each participating teacher for signature. Notification via email will be sent to those teachers who were not selected.

For further questions please contact Nicole Madore at Nicole.madore@maine.gov or (207) 624-6677.

New Certification System Will Open to Educators Soon; Districts Encouraged to Complete Recommendations by May 30

The Maine Department of Education strongly encourages those superintendents and support team chairs who have not done so already to take the steps to set up accounts in the new online certification system and make recommendations for your educator renewals.

Currently, 6,375 educators have been recommended in the new system; however, there are many districts that still have a tremendous number of recommendations to complete.

The Department would like to thank the districts that have embraced the new system and have prepared educators for the renewal process with their recommendations. We would like to recognize the following districts who have submitted more than 150 recommendations each:

  • Gorham Public Schools
  • Bangor Public Schools
  • Lewiston Public Schools
  • RSU14
  • RSU21
  • MSAD11
  • RSU13
  • RSU54
  • RSU60
  • Sanford Public Schools

Educators – We are working to finalize the Educator Portal and there are a few important items to note:

  • Educators working in a district will only be able to renew if they have been recommended by their district.
  • The July 1st deadline is a deadline for submission of applications. If the application is complete, the certificate effective date will be the date the application was received.
  • If an educator has received a recommendation for the same type of certificate, contact hours and/or credit hours do not need to be uploaded.
  • Uploads must be in PDF format.

Further communications and updates are available on the Maine Department of Education Certification Webpage, Maine DOE’s official Facebook and Twitter pages, and the DOE newsroom.

 

Maine’s Alternative Certification and Mentoring Program (MACM) for Special Educators

Beginning in the fall of 2018, conditionally certified special educators that are in their first year of teaching are required to participate in Maine’s Alternative Certification and Mentoring program (MACM), a Maine Department of Education program developed in partnership with the University of Maine.

This program is an alternative pathway to certification to support Maine’s need for highly qualified special educators. MACM offers intensive, focused support and mentoring during the special educator’s critical first year of practice.

Newly conditionally certified special educators will be paired with a MACM mentor who is an experienced special educator, and will be required to enroll in and complete two semester-long seminar courses entitled, Special Education Mentorship.

School Administrative Units (SAUs) may use federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) funds to support the cost of the professional development courses if an appropriate professional development project is written in the application.

MACM Procedures for School Districts

Maine’s Alternative Certification and Mentoring program (MACM) will provide a trained special education mentor and an intensive year-long seminar designed to support conditionally certified special educators during their first year of practice.

Per Chapter 115 rules that go into effect July 1, 2018, qualified conditionally certified special educators special educators must successfully complete 9 semester hours of special education coursework by August 31, 2018 to qualify for conditional certification. The teacher applicant provides the Maine DOE Certification Office with a complete application for conditional certification.

The MACM coordinator will identify first year conditionally certified special educators and will contact the new teacher with information about participation in the program, including how and by when to enroll in the appropriate section of Special Education Mentorship. The new conditionally certified teacher is expected to work with the SAU to cover the course tuition. This enrollment process must be completed by the first week of September 2018.

For more information about MACM, please visit its website: https://umaine.edu/edhd/outreach/macm/ or contact Valerie Smith at Valerie.smith@maine.edu, or by calling 581-2419. Please continue to monitor the Maine DOE website for updates to Chapters 115 and 180.

Yarmouth Wins Maine DOE 2018 Farm to School Cook-off

Congratulations to the school food service teams that participated in the 2018 Farm to School Cook-off: RSU 54, RSU 3, Cherryfield, Falmouth, Yarmouth, and Lewiston. Teams competed in different locations on April 5th, 9th and May 14th.

The annual cook-off is a voluntary, skills-based competition offered to school food service staff from all school districts across the State of Maine. The goal of the program is to recognize school nutrition staff for their skills and creativity while producing high-quality meals that can be replicated in a school kitchen. Read more about the events.

Below are some images captured during the final cook-off.

Caleb Pratt, 7th grade student from Skowhegan Area Middle School making the crepes for breakfast
Yarmouth lunch meal- homemade fish sticks w/tzatziki sauce and Mediterranean millet salad
Nikki Pilavakis-Davoren, nutrition worker from Frank H. Harrison Middle School tasting the millet
Yarmouth team with their winning plaque. Pictured left to right: Nikki Pilavakis-Davoren, Bobby Cole and Blair Currier, School Nutrition Director for Yarmouth Public Schools.
Bobby Cole, 8th grade student from Frank H. Harrison Middle School in Yarmouth peeling apples

Maine DOE Releases Chronic Absenteeism Data in an Effort to Support Student Success

The Maine Department of Education (Department) has collected chronic absenteeism for the 2016/17 school year as a non-academic indicator of school success. Absenteeism for any reason, excused or unexcused, has potential negative consequences on student learning and it is important for schools, districts, and the Department to have this broader measure of student attendance so that we can measure student success. Previously, the Department collected Average Daily Attendance (ADA), and truancy data. ADA measures the average number of students who attend school on any given day. Truancy is a measure of unexcused absences.

Research shows a statistically strong link between school attendance, the development of academic skills, and the likelihood of high school graduation. Research also shows that when a large percentage of students are chronically absent, even the progress their peers, who have better attendance, may suffer.

Below are some additional facts to help answer questions about the shift in chronic absenteeism data collection:

Why is this important?

Chronic absenteeism is a new indicator in Maine’s Accountability system which was designed as part of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Current research shows chronic absenteeism has a clear relationship to negative consequences for students, including lower achievement, disengagement from school, course failure, and increased risk of dropping out.

How is chronic absenteeism defined?

Chronic absenteeism is a measure of how many students miss a defined number of school days for any reason. In Maine, this equates to missing 10% of school days or 18 days (based upon 175 school days). As part of Maine’s accountability system, student information will be compiled into an overall school measure indicating the percentage of students at the school who have missed 10% or more of school days. For further information about how chronic absenteeism data is collected visit http://www.maine.gov/doe/data/student/attendance.html.

Where can I find the data?

The 2016/17 chronic absenteeism data is available here. The percentage of Maine students missing 10% or more school days is higher than anticipated as this is the first year school districts have reported this data to the State.

What can schools and districts expect now?

The Department is already working to develop a system of supports available to newly identified Tier II and Tier III schools, with resources to address challenges of attendance. These supports are part of the differentiated tiered model of support under the new ESSA Accountability model with identifications being made in January 2019.

Chronic absenteeism data will be collected annually through the Maine Department of Education’s Synergy Student Information System at the end of the academic year going forward.

The Department will continue collecting truancy data, as required by Maine statute.

For further information about the Department’s ESSA Accountability Model and needed supports, contact Janette Kirk at Janette.Kirk@maine.gov or (207) 624-6707.

Washington County Title I: School Improvement Initiative

On May 8 and 14, a total of 41 classroom, Title 1, and special education educators completed a 3 -part literacy professional development series on Guided Reading with a focus on differentiation, acceleration, and classroom focus. The two cohorts, are the result of a year-long pilot sponsored by the Maine Department of Education’s ESEA Title I: School Improvement Team.

The professional development was provided by Darlene Bassett, Literacy Coach for the Maine DOE, and was based on Jan Richardson’s nationally recognized book, The Next Step Forward in Guided Reading. Al Pfeiffer, Leadership Coach for the Maine DOE, facilitated the pilot with local schools.

Due to the geographical and economic challenges in Washington County, the Department provided these high-quality professional development sessions right in Machias.

Washington County Title I School Improvement Initiative cohort 1
Cohort 1

As part of this work, the Department’s literacy consultant collaborated with Pembroke Elementary School Principal Deb Jameson and three Pembroke Elementary Teachers, Karin Lingley (grades 3 & 4); Beckery Renaud (grades 5 & 6); and Rosie Griffith (7 & 8) to implement guided reading in their classrooms, and also create a “hub school” at Pembroke that has served as a site for other teachers and administrators in the area to visit and reflect as they implement guided reading.

Due to the interest in the area, and accompanying student assessment data, the Department’s Title I School Improvement Team offered a series of professional development sessions to provide teachers with an understanding of present day research and the classroom practices that are linked to the basis of Richardson’s new Guided Reading Model. This collaboration and involvement has lead to staff development for 14 schools in the area.

The Department’s Title I: School Improvement Team plans to continue this meaningful and targeted work with Washington County educators in the fall. One of the schools in the cohort will be identified as the hub school and will receive on-going services and become a resource for all teachers in the region to observe instruction.

Washington County Title I School Improvement Initiative cohort 2
Cohort 2

If you have any questions, please contact ESEA Federal Programs and Title I Director, Chelsey Fortin-Trimble at chelsey.a.fortin@maine.gov.

New and Updated Fact Sheets Highlight Key MIYHS Survey Results

There are 6 new and updated fact sheets available that highlight key survey results from 2017 Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey (MIYHS).  Each topic specific-fact sheet includes, key statistics and data from the 2017 survey, links for “Who Can Help,” and additional resources for schools, community and parents.

New and updated fact sheets include:

  • Health Disparities faced by Transgender Youth in Maine (NEW!! HS Level Data)
  • 2017 Health and Risk Factors among LGBT youth in Maine (NEW!! HS Level Data)
  • What Youth in Maine are Eating (MS and HS Data)
  • Bullying and Harassment in Maine High Schools
  • Daily Activity and Health Behaviors of Youth in Maine (MS and HS data)
  • Mental Health among Maine High School Students

The new fact sheets can be found on the MIYHS webpage.

Over 61,000 students from 300+ schools participated in the 2017 Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey (MIYHS), including about 80 percent of all Maine middle and high schools, and the 2017 data is now publicly available. For the first time, all Geographic Public Health Districts and County level data are reportable. All results can all be found on the MIYHS website

The MIYHS staff would like to extend many thanks to the principals and superintendents who chose to participate in the MIYHS over the years, to the teachers and school staff who supported the effort, and to the community organizations whose help was vital to the success of the survey. Most importantly, we would like to thank the students and parents who took the time and effort to share their experiences with us. The MIYHS will be administered again in 2019.

For questions or more information, Please visit the website or contact Reid Plimpton at reid.plimpton@maine.gov  or Jean Zimmerman at jean.zimmerman@maine.gov

Maine Department of Labor youth employment initiative – Getting to YES

The Maine Department of Labor (MDOL) has launched an initiative called Getting to YES, Youth Employment and the Steps to Success, to promote youth employment coming into the 2018 summer season. The Department is asking for your support in spreading the word about the importance of, and opportunities for, jobs for Maine youth, and in continuing to assist us in streamlining the permitting process.

Important things to know about:

  • The permit application has changed. Please use the most recent version, which is available at this link, http://www.maine.gov/labor/labor_laws/publications/maine_work_permit.pdf
  • Related, we expect the additional focus on youth employment to increase the number of permit requests you will be seeing. Please be sure to have a designee in place in your absence, so that we can continue to move the permit process along efficiently for both the employer and the student applicant.
  • MDOL is conducting workshops across the state for parents and minors (14 & 15 year-olds) to learn about what types of jobs are available, how to get that first job and keep it, and what the permit process is like. Below are the dates, times and locations of workshops near you. You are welcome to attend! FMI or to register, contact Kerri.L.Demerchant@maine.gov, 207-621-5095.
Site Address Date Time pm
Hall-Dale High School 97 Maple St, Farmingdale, ME 04344 4-Jun-18 6:00-7:30
Augusta CareerCenter 45 Commerce Dr., Augusta, ME 5-Jun-18 5:00-6:30
Calais CareerCenter 1 Calais Dr., Calais, ME 5-Jun-18 4:30-6:00
Machias CareerCenter 53 Prescott Dr., Machias, ME 5-Jun-18 4:30-6:00
Rockland CareerCenter 91 Camden St., Rockland, ME 5-Jun-18 6:00-7:30
Waldo County Tech Center 1022 Waterville Rd., Waldo, ME 5-Jun-18 5:00-6:00
Ashland School 180 Presque Isle Rd., Ashland, ME 6-Jun-18 5:30-7:00
Bangor CareerCenter 45 Oak St., Bangor ME 6-Jun-18 5:30-7:00
Fort Kent Adult Education 84 Pleasant St., Fort Kent, ME 6-Jun-18 5:30-7:00
Greater Portland CareerCenter 151 Jetport Blvd., Portland, ME 6-Jun-18 5:00-6:00
Houlton ACAP Office 91 Military St., Houlton, ME 6-Jun-18 5:30-7:00
Madawaska ACAP Office 88 Fox St., Madawaska, ME 6-Jun-18 5:30-7:00
Presque Isle CareerCenter 66 Spruce St., Presque Isle, ME 6-Jun-18 5:30-7:00
University College Bath/Brunswick Rm. 101, Orion Hall, 12 Sewall Street, Brunswick, ME 6-Jun-18 5:30-7:00
Skowhegan CareerCenter 98 North Ave., Skowhegan, ME 7-Jun-18 5:00-6:00
Springvale CareerCenter 9 Bodwell Ct., Springvale, ME 7-Jun-18 5:00-6:00

Why is the MDOL doing this?

Maine is facing a workforce challenge. With unemployment at record lows (under 4% for 29 consecutive months), the Department wants to focus more on what is available within the state. Looking at Maine’s minor population makes sense for many reasons.  First and foremost, Maine has approximately 27,700 14 and 15 year-olds.

Introduction into the workforce at a younger age helps to build confidence, self-reliance and independence, impart the value of money and cultivate soft skills that are transferrable within the young worker’s world. Young workers learn, respect and self control, how to work well with others, good time management and personal responsibility, all important attributes that will serve them well in their personal, educational and professional lives.

“Getting to YES, Youth Employment and the Steps” to professional success seeks to promote these positives in the media and among our stakeholder groups to boost youth employment this summer, and also get youth thinking about their professional future; e.g. pre-apprenticeship, apprenticeship, college, career, etc.

According to the Maine Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of work permits for minors made some gains this past year (4,200 over 3,200 the year before), likely due, in part, to changes to child labor laws in Maine that made work permits easier to obtain and submit.

Goals of this project:

  1. To increase the number of work permits issued in 2018 (by 50%);
  2. Create a narrative that supports, promotes and encourages 14 and 15-year old workers;
  3. Continue to streamline the process of acquiring and processing work permits; and
  4. Get employers interested, onboard and prepared for hiring youth.

Partners:

  • Maine Department of Education
  • Maine Department of Economic & Community Development
  • Jobs for Maine Graduates
  • Maine CareerCenters/Maine Joblink
  • Maine Bureau of Rehabilitation Services
  • Maine Tourism Association
  • Maine Restaurants and Innkeepers Association

Recent Press:

https://www.pressherald.com/2018/05/12/state-pushes-to-loosen-work-rules-for-teens-but-labor-advocates-have-concerns/

Promotion:

Over the coming days and weeks, we will use social media, the DOL website, email, radio and television to get the word out. A formal press conference on May 30th will launch the initiative fully, with all of our partners communicating the message and spreading the word.

If you have questions or ideas about any part of this initiative, please contact Laura Hudson, Laura.J.Hudson@maine.gov or 207-621-5009.