Mt. Vernon Elementary Reads in the Great Outdoors!

On Saturday, February 27th students in grades PreK-5 along with their families participated in a literacy celebration. The main activity lead by the PreK/ELL teacher, Katie Reed, was a Story Walk featuring, Learning to Ski with Mr. Magee, by Maine author Chris Van Dusen.

There was an amazing turnout of over 40 students during the two-hour event that included parents, grandparents, and siblings. Along with the Story Walk there were tons of family-friendly activities including snowshoeing with the school nurse Justin Easter, outdoor snow yoga with the PE teacher, Nancy Martin, a photo booth with Mr. Magee, and treats to eat and drink.

The school’s Little Free Library was on display and all enrolled students were able to select a book to take home and keep. Mrs. Boucher, the literacy specialist, spoke with families about reading engagement, book selection, and ways to read together at home. Jeanette Jacob, district literacy coach, won a grant through Maranacook Education Foundation and facilitated the snack and prize tables.

Congratulations to all of the students and families that entered and won prizes that included gift certificates to a bookstore, a sporting goods store, Titcomb Mountain ski passes, and 5210 water bottles and materials!

This story was submitted by Janet Delmar, Principal of Mt. Vernon Elementary School as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. To submit a story or an idea email it to Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

Beech Hill School Theme of Belonging Sets The Tone for SEL & Citizenship Throughout School Year

At Beech Hill School, students and staff start every school year thinking about themselves as individuals and their sense of belonging in a large community. The launching platform for the last two school years has been: “Be Here. Be You. Belong. This school belongs to all of us” (inspired by the leadership work of Brene Brown). From there, they consider what matters to them, more specifically, who they are and what they wish to contribute to society. This work aligns with the school district’s mission to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and personal qualities to be successful learners, workers, and citizens in a rapidly changing world.

Last year, Principal Nichole Pothier began hosting monthly “Be” themes, which were so well received by students and staff, that they requested more! For “Be You” September, students complete inventories, surveys, and profiles that highlight their interests and learning preferences. During October, the focus was on “being a citizen,” with extra emphasis on their school-wide values: respect, responsibility, caring, and honesty. Students were particularly engaged in learning about the rights and duties of citizens.

Each month’s theme encourages thought and even some action in the school and community. This year, students particularly enjoyed December’s “Be Worldly” theme with a “Reading Takes Us Places” read-a-thon (with door decorating challenge) and exploring of cultures through literature. In the new year, January kicked off with a “Be Creative” hat contest and the finalists in each classroom moved on to a school-wide vote. “Be Kind” February led to all kinds of random acts of kindness throughout the school and even extended to St. Jude’s Hospital.

“Be Creative” January

“Be Worldly” December

“Be Kind” February

“Be Well” March

All of the staff at Beech Hill School brainstorm ways to integrate the monthly “Be” theme into their work with students. Even their school cook incorporates it in the lunch program! Other ideas have included the use of children’s literature, art and music, and outreach activities to reinforce concepts and personal qualities. The school’s efforts help to foster students’ social/emotional skills and overall sense of belonging. It gives a rhythm to the school year and unifies the efforts and intention of everyone in the school. They are looking forward to a “Be Well” March with a wellness bingo challenge and school-wide (differentiated) study of the story of The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate.

This article was provided by Beech Hill School as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. To submit a story or an idea email it to Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

School Union 76 Celebrates Public Schools Week with an Inspiring Video

Closing out National Public Schools Week this week, School Union 76 (SU76) made up of Brooklin School, Deer Isle-Stonington Elementary School, Deer Isle-Stonington High School, Isle au Haut School and Sedgwick Elementary School created a heartwarming and informative video about how their community has pulled together to ensure that students continue learning through the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a letter to the community recently, SU76 Superintendent Christian Elkington expressed his gratitude:

“The efforts made by all to have learning continue during the pandemic is truly a work of caring, kindness, determination and toughness,”

“More than at any time as your Superintendent of Schools, over this last year I have felt extremely fortunate and honored to be working with each of SU 76’s Public Schools! Throughout the pandemic our Nation’s Public Schools, including our own, have found differing ways to help our young people learn, grow and achieve. I have seen first-hand and so believe strongly that each and every day we in SU 76 are making Lemonade out of Lemons. Through positive efforts we are problem-solving so that our students can move forward and continue to learn, grow and achieve.”

Check out the SU76 National Public Schools Week Video:

Like schools across Maine, SU 76 Schools is continuing to take steps forward in support of their students and community. Their video and story speaks to the hard work of schools across Maine and serves as an inspiring message that celebrates everything that Maine’s communities have accomplished through the past year.

Information for this story was provided by School Union 76 as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. If you have a story or an idea, email it to Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

Bangor High School Students Record Themselves Reading Aloud for Elementary School Remote Learners

Bangor High School Student Council members recorded a selection of the 2020-2021 nominee picture books for the annual Chickadee Awards. This project was completed for Bangor elementary children learning remotely so that they might hear and enjoy the read aloud books from home.

Learn more about the project and see the recorded readings here

Thank you to the Bangor High School students for sharing the love of reading with younger students!

Information for this article was provided by the Bangor School Department as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. To submit a story or an idea, email it to Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

We Want to Hear How Climate Science is Taught in Maine Classrooms

Whether your students are exploring energy alternatives, their carbon footprint, how to protect ecosystems and water sources, sea level rise along the coast, warming in the Gulf of Maine, or mitigating health costs of Lyme, mosquito-borne illnesses and damage to Maine’s infrastructure, we want to hear from you!

With the adoption of new science Maine Learning Results in 2019 (Next Generation Science Standards), the release of the Maine Climate Council’s “Four-Year Plan for Climate Action” in 2020, and a renewed focus on climate issues, we want to hear how Maine classrooms are addressing climate science. We are interested in school and community-based examples and innovative partnerships.

Please forward any stories, examples, photos to shari.templeton@maine.gov with a subject line of “Climate Education” for the Department of Education (DOE) to highlight and share state-wide. We are designing a website that will be populated with exemplars, resources, and networking opportunities across the state.

As proposed in the Climate Council’s plan, the DOE is exploring the convening of stakeholders to “consider next steps to implement increased climate and career education.” If you are interested in serving on a planning team to develop a state plan for climate education, please complete the form found at this link.

Thank you for helping us to highlight and celebrate the important work you are doing!

Art Educator Bridges Divide Between Remote and In-person Students Through Digital Communications Artist Showcase

13 Series of 7’s

A Remote Digital Communications Artist Showcase

An educator reflection written by Melanie Crowe, Visual Arts Educator at Hampden Academy.

This school year has presented some unique challenges, engaging students who are remote with the in person school community has been a central focus for me as an educator. The journey to find ways to showcase remote student work and learning has created wonderful collaborations between departments and spaces here at Hampden Academy. Working in conjunction with Leslie Rosenblatt, HA’s Library Media Specialist, she and I have found a way to bridge the spatial divide between the remote students and the in person students. Using the Library’s garage as a “gallery” space, the quarter 3 remote Digital Communications students created a movie of their digital photography that will be on presentation for the month of February.

Students in the Digital Communications course curated their work and selected, what they believed to be, their most visually engaging and compositionally successful photographs. Over the course of the semester, students in the remote Digital Communications course learned how to use their cameras on their phones like a digital SLR camera. They learned how to manipulate and control settings beyond the typical point and shoot of a phone camera. Students focused on how to manipulate and change their depth of focus, shutter speed, and ways to enhance their work using photo editing software on the web.

The students chose their best seven works from the quarter, used vocaroo (a web based voice recorder) to record an artist statement reflection. The video is shown during the day on a loop at HA for those interested to view during their study hall or during their visit to the library. This opportunity provides students in the building a way to hear and see the work created by students who are learning remotely. We hope that students will engage with the work and enjoy the works created by their peers.

Future collaborations are in the makings to showcase more of the amazing artwork our students create here at Hampden Academy. The featured thirteen student photographers are: Nikyla Bidler, Graceann Brinkworth, Madison Burns, Owen Cross, Isaac Cruz, Rebecca Demmons, Ryan Dudley, Tesa Kneeland, Gabriella Moore, Sophia Pereira, Sara Reynolds, Cameron Robichaud, and Zachary Robichaud.

Bangor High School Student Recognized as a Regeneron Science Talent Search Finalist

The Bangor School Department is proud to announce that Vetri Vel has been recognized as a Regeneron Science Talent Search Finalist! #RegeneronSTS is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors. Only 40 young scientists are selected as finalists. The 2021 finalists were selected from 1,760 highly qualified entrants based on their projects’ scientific rigor and their potential to become world-changing scientists and leaders.

Vetri’s project is titled: Real-Time Fall Detection System for the Elderly Using Thermal Imaging and Deep Learning.

Finalists’ projects span a diverse range of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) related topics, including diagnostic imaging to help assess the severity of COVID-19, examining the impact of e-cigarettes on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) development, and creating a new way to filter toxins more effectively from wastewater.

The finalists will participate in a virtual competition from March 10-17, 2021, where they will undergo a rigorous virtual judging process to compete for more than $1.8 million in awards. They will also have an opportunity to interact with leading scientists and display their projects to the public during a virtual event on March 14. Usually held in person in Washington, D.C., the 2021 competition will take place virtually in order to keep the finalists and their families safe during the ongoing pandemic.

The finalists are each awarded at least $25,000, and the top 10 awards range from $40,000 to $250,000. The top 10 Regeneron Science Talent Search 2021 winners will be announced during a live-streamed virtual awards ceremony on March 17. In total, more than $3 million in awards will be distributed throughout the Regeneron Science Talent Search, which includes awards to finalists as well as $2,000 provided to each of the top 300 scholars and their schools.

Barbara Stewart, Head of the BHS Science Department, has also been named a Teacher of Merit by Regeneron Science Talent Search 2021. Bangor High School will receive $2000 to use to promote student research in STEM fields. In past years, Bangor High has entered competitions at the Maine State Science Fair and to the regional competition in New Hampshire, both highlights of the year for everyone involved. This year, BHS is planning outdoor opportunities and the potential for launching satellites

“It’s an honor to welcome the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2021 finalists to the community of alumni who share a drive and passion for science,” said George D. Yancopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., Co-Founder, President and Chief Scientific Officer of Regeneron, and among the top winners of the 1976 Science Talent Search. “This year’s finalists represent many of our nation’s most promising young scientists who, even during a global pandemic, are using their ingenuity, resourcefulness and STEM skills to work toward a better future. I can only hope that their STS experience further inspires them to take on and help solve the biggest challenges facing mankind – from climate change to disease and future pandemics.”

“Congratulations to the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2021 finalists,” said Maya Ajmera, President and CEO of Society for Science, Publisher of Science News and 1985 Science Talent Search alum. “Finalists are the top young scientists and engineers in the United States who will someday solve some of the world’s most vexing problems. They have persevered through a tumultuous year and we look forward to celebrating the students’ achievement in a special way.”

This article was provided by the Bangor School Department as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success campaign. To submit a story or an idea, email it to Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

Maine Educator Selected by U.S. Department of State for Prestigious English Language Specialist Project

The U.S. Department of State announced the selection of Maine educator Karina Escajeda of Maine for a five-month English Language Specialist project focusing on K4/K5 curriculum design and materials development for a new English immersion initiative in Curacao. She is hosted by a partnership between the Regional English Language Office in Panama, the US Embassy in Curaçao, and the Curaçao Chamber of Commerce. This project will involve researching and drafting curriculum by incorporating local knowledge and curriculum understanding from other countries and best practices given the goals of Curaçao. Escajeda is part of a select group, as her project is one of 150 that the English Language Specialist Program supports each year.

Escajeda is a K-12 ESOL educational consultant with over 20 years of experience teaching, training, presenting, administrating, designing curriculum, and writing reports for K-12 public and private schools in domestic and international environments. She earned a BA in formal linguistics and Spanish at the University of Southern Maine, TESOL at UCLA, K-12 teacher certification at CSU East Bay, and an MA and administrative credential in K-12 Educational Administration and Leadership at CSU Bakersfield. She also holds certifications in K-12 ESOL, K-12 Literacy, and K-12 Spanish. She received a Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching fellowship to Greece in 2019-2020 to study community-based refugee integration initiatives. She is the program director for Capital Area New Mainers Project, a non-profit in central Maine that supports immigrants and provides educational resources to the broader community.

The English Language Specialist Program is the premier opportunity for leaders in the field of teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) to enact meaningful and sustainable changes in the way that English is taught abroad. Through projects developed by U.S. Embassies in more than 80 countries, English Language Specialists work directly with local teacher trainers, educational leaders, and ministry of education officials to exchange knowledge, build capacity, and establish partnerships benefiting participants, institutions, and communities in the United States and overseas.

Since 1991, the English Language Specialist Program has supported in-country, virtual, and mixed projects in which hundreds of TESOL scholars and educators promote English language learning, enhance English teaching capacity, and foster mutual understanding between the U.S. and other countries through cultural exchange. During their projects, English Language Specialists may conduct intensive teacher training, advise ministries of education or participate in high-level educational consultations, and offer plenary presentations at regional, national or international TESOL conferences. These projects are challenging and those selected represent the best of the U.S. TESOL community. In return, the program provides professional development opportunities to help participants experience different cultures and build skills that can greatly enhance their TESOL careers at home.

English Language Specialists are counted among the more than 50,000 individuals participating in U.S. Department of State exchange programs each year. The Specialist Program is administered by the Center for Intercultural Education and Development at Georgetown University.

For further information about the English Language Specialist Program or the U.S. Department of State, please visit elprograms.org/specialist, contact us by telephone at 202-632-6452, or e-mail ECA-Press@state.gov.

Oak Hill High School Honors Student Nominated for The Congress of Future Medical Leaders

Kyleigh Hyde, a Junior at Oak Hill High School of Wales has been nominated to be a Delegate to the Congress of Future Medical Leaders. The Congress is an honors-only program for high school students who want to become physicians or go into medical research fields and aims to honor, inspire, motivate and direct the top students in the country interested in these careers, to stay true to their dream and, after the event, to provide a path, plan and resources to help them reach their goal.

Kyleigh’s nomination was signed by Dr. Mario Capecchi, winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine and the Science Director of the National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists to represent Maine based on her academic achievement, leadership potential and determination to serve humanity in the field of medicine.

Kyleigh is slated to join students from across the country for a two day event in March to hear Nobel Laureates and National Medal of Science Winners talk about leading medical research; be given advice from Ivy League and top medical school deans on what to expect in medical school; witness stories told by patients who are living medical miracles; be inspired by fellow teen medical science prodigies; and learn about cutting-edge advances and the future in medicine and medical technology.

Some of the services and programs the Academy offers are online social networks through which future doctors and medical scientists can communicate; opportunities for students to be guided and mentored by physicians and medical students; and communications for parents and students on college acceptance and finances, skills acquisition, internships, career guidance and much more.

The National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists was founded to identify prospective medical talent at the earliest possible age and help them acquire the necessary experience and skills to take them to the doorstep of this vital career by offering free services and programs to students who want to become physicians or go into medical science.. For more information visit http://www.FutureDocs.com or call 617-307-7425.

Maine Educators use French Music Competition to Increase Student Engagement, Cultural Knowledge, and French Skills

In its 6th year, “Manie Musicale” has spread nationally and internationally with 950 schools from 47 states and six countries (and counting) participating to select the best French song and music video of the year.

“Manie Musicale” is a yearly competition of songs modeled after the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament in the U.S. Students fill out brackets to try to predict which of sixteen songs will win the “championship.” Once the tournament starts, students vote for their favorite songs in daily matchups to see who wins. Songs include a variety of contemporary Francophone artists from around the world. “Manie Musicale” was inspired by a Spanish version that came first – Señor Ashby’s “Locura de Marzo.”

Stephanie Carbonneau, a middle school French teacher in York and Michelle Fournier, a middle school teacher in Falmouth, started with just their two schools in 2017. Once they realized there was not a national-level competition like this for French, they collaborated to bring one to life, at least on the state level. Carbonneau and Fournier presented at FLAME the following year and opened it up to other schools.

“Manie Musicale” has really exploded in the last 2-3 years especially with the help of Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. A website was also created by Carbonneau and Fournier to assist the voting process as well as to house resources to bring “Manie Musicale” to life in their classrooms. Teachers from around the country now collaborate in the Facebook group with over 1000 members and online to create activities to support using the songs in class as a linguistic and cultural teaching tool.

Students in Carbonneau and Fournier’s classes are encouraged to submit song nominations, but they also consult colleagues in the American Association for Teachers of French (AATF) and social media groups for input. Carbonneau and Fournier carefully screen song lyrics and videos for age- and school-appropriateness, with a focus on promote diversity, inclusion, and tolerance. Last year they partnered with FluentKey, an educational media company out of California, who created interactive quizzes and games based on the “Manie Musicale” video playlist to add even more fun and competition to the event. This year they added a logo designed by a fan and fellow French teacher who uses “Manie Musicale” in her own classes.

There are many teachers who do “Manie Musicale” on their own, but the impact made by this duo and the collaborative following is music to many students’ and teachers’ ears.