Category: News & Views

Free webinar Tuesday on improving student attendance

No matter how effective your instruction is, students need to actually be in your classroom to learn. Yet despite many schools’ best efforts to ensure attendance, too many kids are not showing up.

As part of our fall School Improvement Webinar Series, Maine DOE invites you to join us Tuesday, Sept. 17 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m for a webinar entitled “Getting Kids To Show Up,” led by Rachelle Tome (DOE Chief Academic Officer), Susan Lieberman (Spurwink), Suzanne Godin (South Portland School Department) and Daniel Chuhta (MSAD 75). Continue reading “Free webinar Tuesday on improving student attendance” →

Thank you for putting our students first

This week, I had the honor of presenting the 2014 Maine Teacher of the Year to Karen MacDonald of King Middle School in Portland.

The sixth-and seventh-grade English language arts teacher is described by students as a “gift,” by colleagues as a teacher leader who is “the most consistently innovative,” and by her principal as “relentlessly committed to the success of all of her students.”

Continue reading “Thank you for putting our students first” →

Updated: Registration for 2013-14 Real World Design Challenge now open

Updated Oct. 8 to reflect changes in competition timeline

An annual competition that provides high school students the opportunity to work on real-world engineering challenges in a team environment is now open for registration. The 2013-14 Real World Design Challenge (RWDC) will focus on agriculture, with the overarching goal of increasing the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) workforce.

Continue reading “Updated: Registration for 2013-14 Real World Design Challenge now open” →

Board that oversees NAEP seeking new members

The National Assessment Governing Board, which sets policy for the Nation’s Report Card, also known as the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), is seeking nominations for five four-year positions on the Governing Board. Maine educators are encouraged to nominate themselves or others.

Continue reading “Board that oversees NAEP seeking new members” →

Flags to be lowered to half-staff on Wednesday, September 11

The following is a news release from the Governor’s Office.

Governor LePage to speak at two remembrance ceremonies

AUGUSTA – Governor Paul R. LePage has directed State of Maine flags to half-staff at all state office buildings from sunrise to sunset on Wednesday, September 11, 2013, in honor of the tragic terrorist attacks 12 years ago.

Continue reading “Flags to be lowered to half-staff on Wednesday, September 11” →

Portland’s Karen MacDonald named 2014 Maine Teacher of the Year

Maine Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen announced the King Middle School sixth-and seventh-grade teacher as Maine’s top educator in a surprise all-school assembly Tuesday

2014 Maine Teacher of the Year Karen MacDonald, of King Middle School in Portland, and Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen
2014 Maine Teacher of the Year Karen MacDonald and Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen

PORTLAND – A 24-year veteran teacher at the state’s most diverse middle school is the 2014 Maine Teacher of the Year.

In a surprise assembly at King Middle School (KMS) in Portland Tuesday morning, Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen announced Karen MacDonald, who has served students in Portland Public Schools since 1979, as Maine’s top teacher.

Continue reading “Portland’s Karen MacDonald named 2014 Maine Teacher of the Year” →

Commission receives notice of 7 charter school proposals

AUGUSTA – Seven groups informed the Maine Charter School Commission (MCSC) that they plan to submit applications to open public charter schools in Maine.  All of the groups hope to open a school in the fall of 2014.

The deadline for delivery of the letters to the Maine Charter School Commission or having them postmarked was this past Tuesday.

Continue reading “Commission receives notice of 7 charter school proposals” →

Affirming Maine’s commitment to high standards, implemented locally

As you may have seen in the press, some concerns and questions have been raised recently about the Common Core standards in math and ELA, which the State incorporated into its Learning Results standards in 2011. Many of those concerns seem to stem from suspicions that the Common Core is an attempt by the federal government to influence education policy in the states and, as a consequence, that the adoption of these standards will diminish Maine’s longstanding tradition of local control as it regards things like curricula and instructional approaches. Continue reading “Affirming Maine’s commitment to high standards, implemented locally” →

Reminder: Smarter Balanced practice test available

Teachers and administrators are reminded that Smarter Balanced practice tests are available all grade levels from 3 to 8 and at grade 11. These practice tests are an excellent way for teachers to preview what to expect in spring 2015, for students to get practice in online testing and for parents to begin to understand how the new tests will better assess student achievement and understanding of both content and concepts. Continue reading “Reminder: Smarter Balanced practice test available” →