OSHA issues final rule on injury reporting

On the school transportation front, the following is a message from OSHA.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued its Final Rule, which requires employers to submit injury and illness records electronically. The directive also stipulates that once the reports are filed, OSHA posts them to the internet.

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First Annual Maine School Wellness Summit is open to individuals or teams

On June 22 and 23 at Bates College, summit participants will be empowered to envision and create plans for a positive, healthy, and safe learning environment in their schools. The goals will be to improve personal health and well-being as well as define a culture of wellness that improves academic achievement. This summit is a component of the Maine Schoolsite Health Promotion Program (MSHPP) and is hosted by the Maine Department of Education.

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Students named winners of Constitution Essay and Poster Contest

Students from across the state took part in the annual Maine Constitution Essay and Poster Contest which allows students from grades K through 12 to participate, with older students submitting essays regarding the Maine Constitution, voting and democracy; and younger students creating posters reflecting Maine history or symbols.

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“Multiple Pathways to the Student Brain” workshops next month

“She doesn’t understand it because she doesn’t try hard enough.”
“Most people are right-brained or left-brained.”
“He will never be able to learn.”

If you’ve ever heard yourself utter these ideas, you will not want to miss the upcoming workshop by neuroscientist and educator, Janet Zadina, PhD.  For the first time in Maine, Dr. Zadina will be presenting “Multiple Pathways to the Student Brain” on June 29 for PK-5 or June 30 for grades 6-12 at Cony High School.

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Maine History Teacher of the Year named

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History has named a Maranacook Community High School educator as Maine History Teacher of the Year. Shane Gower has been teaching at the school in Readfield since 1998 where he currently teaches U.S. History and Advanced Placement U.S. History, serves as the Social Studies Department Learning Leader, and is a senior class advisor. He is a Maine Social Studies Community Teacher-Leader, Vice President of the Maine Council for the Social Studies and was selected to participate in the prestigious Understanding Sacrifice Teacher Institute.

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Has your school joined the Read to Ride Summer Reading Challenge?

If you are like many teachers and parents at this time of year, you are celebrating the growth students have made as learners but wondering if that growth will be maintained over the summer months. Keeping young minds stimulated during summer vacation is so important to maintaining learning gains and one of the best ways for students to keep their minds active is through regular reading.

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Regional training for ESEA coordinators and business managers

The Maine Department of Education is providing training for Elementary Secondary Education Act (ESEA) coordinators, individual title administrators and business managers/bookkeepers who manage federal ESEA programs and funds with responsibilities for the ESEA Consolidated Application and Performance Report.

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Agriculture and natural resources students recognized at Maine FFA convention

Students of the Maine FFA Association (formerly Future Farmers of America) participated in the State convention earlier this month at the University of Maine in Orono where they engaged in competitions, tours, and awards in recognition of their 2015-16 accomplishments in agriculture and natural resources.

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Digital, hands-on learning through storytelling is focus of student conference Thursday

AUGUSTA – Imagine! Learning by making and doing, storytelling, programming and coding; that’s what students love and there is a hands-on learning conference designed just for them. Maine’s Learning Technology Initiative is holding its 2016 MLTI Student Conference on Thursday, May 26 at the University of Maine, Orono. Students from over 50 schools across Maine will gather for experiential, hands-on sessions for students to learn with their MLTI devices.

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Commissioner’s Update – May 19, 2016

From the Maine Department of Education

Maine’s 2016 County Teachers of the Year spent some time in Augusta last week learning more about their roles in representing all educators in the state. Maine’s 2016 Teacher of the Year Talya Edlund encouraged educators be connected on Facebook to read all the posts regarding education policy and more. “You don’t know where this journey will take you, but soak in every moment and enjoy the ride,” she said.

The 2015 Washington County Teacher of the Year Benjamin Brigham taught this year’s County Teachers of the Year the “just in time” professional development through social media. He told them, “You have the ability to elevate all things education; it’s a 365 day a year profession.”

2015 Teacher of the Year Jennifer Dorman reminded the educators, “The goal of the three finalists is to work as a team, on education policy in Maine.”

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Notices and Reporting Items

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News & Views

School nurses recognized at the Blaine House

Maine 2016 School Nurse of the Year, along with some retiring school nurses, were honored last week. | More

Maine’s U.S. Senators briefed on work of Maine Schools for Excellence grant project

Maine’s Director of the Maine Schools for Excellence (MSFE) grant initiative, Scott Harrison, recently traveled to Washington D.C. to brief Maine Senators Susan Collins and Angus King. | More

Enhanced student information system to replace Infinite Campus State Edition

Maine DOE is pleased to announce the partnership of Edupoint Educational Systems. | More

Team Knox Rocks take State award in Farm to School Cook-off

The final round of Maine’s first Farm to School Cook-off designed to promote using local products in school lunches was recently held. | More

Geographic Information Systems in classrooms

The Department and others  are collaborating with Maine GIS Education Partners to bring Geographic Information Systems to Maine classrooms. | More

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