Category: News & Views

Commissioner’s Update – March 24, 2016

From the Maine Department of Education

Five schools and districts were in Massachusetts last week representing Maine at a regional conference on effective strategies for improving teaching and learning in the twenty-first century.

The schools were: Baxter Academy for Technology and Science, Foxcroft Academy, Nokomis Regional High School, Regional School Unit 2, and Windham High School. They were selected based on their exemplary work and extraordinary commitment to making sure every student has a chance to succeed and to make a positive contribution to the world in which they live.

Christine Hesler, director of curriculum, instruction and assessment for RSU 14, and Chris Howell, principal of Windham High School, received 2016 educational Champion awards from the New England Secondary School Consortium for their unique contributions to the effort to raise graduation rates, lower dropout rates, and send more students on to college and postsecondary certification programs in Maine.

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Notices and Reporting Items

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News & Views

Upcoming regional meetings offer continued support for family engagement

Maine DOE’s Title I team will be conducting additional regional roundtable meetings to support and assist districts in analyzing and evaluating current (school and classroom) family engagement strategies. | More

Maine DOE releases learning technology framework

Maine DOE’s Learning Through Technology team has released the Maine Learning Technology Framework. | More

MEA alternate testing window opens

The Multi-State Alternate Assessment (MSAA) for mathematics and English language arts/literacy testing window opens Wednesday, March 30. | More

Poetry Out Loud Maine state champion heads into nationals

A Mt. Ararat High School student is off to Washington, D.C. in May for national competition after winning the 2016 Poetry Out Loud competition. | More

More than 50 Maine schools receive 3D printers

The Perloff Family Foundation, in partnership with the Maine Community Foundation, gifted 3D printers to more than 50 schools in Maine. | More

WeatherBlur – Call for schools to participate

The Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance (MMSA) is seeking elementary and middle schools to become part of its WeatherBlur program. | More

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More than 50 Maine schools receive 3D printers

The Perloff Family Foundation, in partnership with the Maine Community Foundation, gifted 3D printers to more than 50 schools in Maine. From Brewer and Monmouth, Falmouth and Glenburn, Brooksville and Topsham, to Hampden and Edmund Township (TWP), students’ thinking has come to life and put to use.

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MEA alternate testing window opens

The Multi-State Alternate Assessment (MSAA) for mathematics and English language arts/literacy testing window opens Wednesday, March 30 and closes May 13. Maine’s alternate assessment is required for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities in grades 3-8 and in the third year of high school.

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2016 District Learning Technology Plan guidelines released

Each Maine school administrative unit (SAU) is required to file with the Department of Education a long-range strategic learning technology plan (Chapter 125, Section 9.03, Item C, and Policy Code IJND), either as an SAU or within a consortium. Plans should cover three years of implementation.

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Commissioner’s Update – March 17, 2016

From the Maine Department of Education

The Maine Department of Education is preparing for the 2015-16 administration of the Maine Educational Assessment (MEA) for Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy. On Monday, March 21, the test window will open for students in grades 3-8 for the new eMPower™ ME assessment developed by Measured Progress. Then on March 30, the test window opens for the MEA Alternate known as the Multi-State Alternative Assessment (MSAA) for students in grades 3-8 and those in the third year of high school.

Maine DOE, working with Measured Progress, eMetric, and College Board/SAT, has made available guidance and resources, plus our continued support to not only School Test Coordinators (STCs) and Test Administrators (TAs), District Assessment Coordinators (DAC), and Technology (IT) Coordinators, but to educators and parents.

The Department’s Maine Comprehensive Assessment System (MeCAS) website pages include the 2015-2016 testing schedule for all assessments. Manuals, training material, and other resources are provided for the eMPower™ ME assessment here and for the alternate MSAA here.

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Notices and Reporting Items

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News & Views

Graduation and drop out data tells a good story

The 2014-15 graduation and dropout rates show an increase and decline respectively. The data has been completed and certified by all public and 60 percent publicly funded private schools. | More

Students advocate for learning…the marine studies way

Advocating for changing the age limit from 18 to 23 for obtaining a fishing license was the topic of discussion last month. | More

Annual Local Entitlement application training webinar

The Maine Department of Education’s Office of Special Services will be hosting a training webinar to assist Local Education Agencies. | More

Fuel Up to Play 60 school nutrition equipment grants available

The Maine Dairy and Nutrition Council is offering Fuel Up to Play 60 School Nutrition Equipment Grants of up to $5,000 per school for the 2016-17 school year. | More

Grants for school kitchens are available

The 2016 USDA Equipment Assistance Grant process has begun. This year Maine has $89,380 in assistance funds to distribute. | More

School Nutrition Programs Paid Lunch Equity (PLE) tool now available

The school year 2017 Paid Lunch Equity (PLE) tool has been released by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and can be downloaded. | More

Acting Commissioner among speakers at MELMAC conference

The MELMAC Education Foundation held its Maine Educational Loan Marketing Corporation (MELMAC) University conference in Rockland this month. | More

National FFA Vice President discovers Maine agriculture

February 22-26 was National FFA Week, which made for an impressive week for a national student leader visiting Maine. | More

Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) Screensaver Challenge

Twenty student artists will have an audience of more than 70,000 students and educators for their artwork starting this fall. | More

SkillsUSA Maine showcases champions

“Each of you champions, each runner-up, and each participant in these championships has turned an individual skill into such an art.” | More

Some Maine schools get a boost from actress

Pine tree state native Anna Kendrick is making use of the internet to raise funds for 31 schools in Maine. | More

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LATEST DOE Career/Project Opportunities

Acting Commissioner among speakers at MELMAC conference

The MELMAC Education Foundation held its Maine Educational Loan Marketing Corporation (MELMAC) University conference in Rockland this month. The approximately 325 college access professionals in attendance heard from Senator Brian Langley, USM President Glenn Cummings, and Acting Education Commissioner Bill Beardsley.

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