Professional Learning Opportunity: Teacher Leaders – Planning with the WIDA English Language Development Standards

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teachers, coordinators/directors, Ed Techs, tutors, and instructional coaches are invited to join the Maine Department of Education and WIDA for a hybrid workshop on planning with the WIDA English Language Development (ELD) Standards!

This hybrid workshop is designed to support ESOL educators in providing local professional development and support for using the WIDA ELD Standards Framework (2020 edition) to plan instruction at the unit level. This workshop is for you if you can answer “yes” to any of these questions:

Have you been asked to provide professional development about the WIDA ELD Standards Framework (2020 edition) to educators in your school or district?
Do you engage in co-planning with content/classroom educators on a regular basis?
Do you have experience evaluating and/or designing content lessons and units?
Do you have a strong background in the WIDA Standards system and in working with multilingual learners?

Participants who complete the workshop will receive an invitation to join a consortium-wide pilot community of practice with quarterly activities and collaborative online discussions.

There will be a live virtual session on 11/30/22 from 3-4pm, followed by an in-person workshop on 12/6/22 from 9am-3pm in Augusta. Register here.

If you have any questions about this professional learning opportunity, contact April Perkins, ESOL & Bilingual Programs Specialist, at april.perkins@maine.gov or (207)441-9043.

Book Study – Finding Your Blind Spots: 8 Guiding Principles for Overcoming Implicit Bias in Teaching

Join the Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) Office of School and Student Supports (O3S) as they read and reflect on Finding Your Blind Spots: 8 Guiding Principles for Overcoming Implicit Bias in Teaching, by Hedreich Nichols. Members of the Maine DOE not only introduced this book study to participants at the Educator’s Summit in early August, but they also introduced participants to the author! Hedreich Nichols is an educator, writer, and passionate advocate who is sharing her lived experiences with readers and participants of this book study so that we can be reflective practitioners and can truly understand bias. You can also find her work at #Smallbites. The O3S first heard Nichols’ work on Jennifer Gonzalez’s podcast: Uncovering Your Implicit Biases: An Exercise for Teachers | Cult of Pedagogy.

This opportunity is open to all Maine educational personnel. Sessions are being held on Thursdays – either at 3:30 in the afternoon or 7:00 in the evening. Participants are welcome to join for both! October 6th is our first offering, and we will be reflecting on chapters 1-3.

Check out the authors website to learn more about the book. For any questions about this opportunity, please direct those to O3S Director Julie Smyth at julie.a.smyth@maine.gov.

Health Ed. and Physical Ed. Inclusive Teaching Practices and Learning Workshop to be Held in December – Register Now!

The September Health Education and Physical Education Inclusive Teaching Practices and Learning Workshop dates are being postponed. The first sessions will now be held in December.

HE & PE Inclusive Teaching Practices and Learning Professional Development

Have you taken a look at your curriculum and teaching practices with the lens of inclusion?
Are your materials representative of all students and their families?
Are your practices and the language you use inclusive of all your students and their families?
Do you even know what to look for?

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Health Education & Physical Education (HE & PE) Program will host a professional development opportunity this year focused on learning more about diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and the impact on teaching practices. The training will start with an exploration and understanding of foundational concepts in DEI then teachers will be led through a process for doing a deep dive into their own curriculum, instructional strategies and classroom management practices. Following the trainings, video sessions for follow-up conversations and technical assistance will be held.

We are excited to have Dr. Sarah Benes (she, her, hers), as our co-trainer and consultant on these trainings. Sarah is an assistant professor at Southern Connecticut State University in health education and physical education, co-owner of Lighthouse Wellness and Health Education Consulting, and SHAPE America President-Elect. We are pleased to have some of Maine’s HE & PE Teacher Leaders also co-training with us this year.

This is a two-day training and attendees must commit to both days. There will be at least three opportunities offered throughout this school year. The first one is open for registration. Thursday and Friday, December 1 & 2 in Augusta (Please note we may change the training format due to the shortage of substitutes.)

The fee for this training is ONLY $40 to cover the cost of food. All other expenses are being funded by the Maine DOE.

A book study will be held this fall to begin to explore and understand issues of diversity, equity and inclusion. This is not required to attend the two-day workshop.

For further information and questions contact Susan Berry at susan.berry@maine.gov and/or Jean Zimmerman at Jean.zimmerman@maine.gov.

The White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health: Calling Maine’s Anti-Hunger Advocates

Join other educators and advocates to learn about the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health and review federally recognized innovations & data-driven solutions. Then, join with local multidisciplinary teams to collaborate on opportunities specific to your region and make a commitment to eliminating disparities.

Date: September 28, 2022
Time: 3:30pm
Facilitator: Rebekah Sousa

Outcomes:

You will be able to define food security
You will consider the 5 Pillars of the conference and apply them to the State of Maine, Counties, and/or Local Communities.
You will have models for strengthening food security within communities
You will network with like-minded individuals across sectors and specialties to create more holistic and thoughtful approaches for the specific challenges in Maine.

Audience: School staff, administration, and school stakeholders

For further questions, reach out to Rebekah Sousa at Rebekah.Sousa@maine.gov.

Introducing the Maine Association for Improving Literacy (MAIL) – a Statewide Literacy Network

Literacy, as defined by the Maine Department of Education, is the ability to construct and convey meaning for a variety of purposes through an array of contextual forms and symbols, including reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing.

Literacy advocate and expert Pam Allyn says, “Reading is like breathing in and writing is like breathing out.”

We can blend these thoughts to substantiate literacy as the overarching key to educational equity which enables communication and comprehension. Literacy achievement is pivotal for ensuring students have access to the world of today and tomorrow, The Maine DOE has launched a Literacy Network to strengthen statewide literacy educational practices.

During the Spring of 2022, an introductory meeting began the process of envisioning the possibilities, priorities, and efforts of the Maine Association for Improving Literacy (MAIL). This network, open to all educators and those interested in improving literacy education efforts to benefit students, is being developed to strengthen statewide literacy practices. The Maine DOE plans to facilitate this group through:

professional text and article studies,
opportunities to share problems of practice,
conversations across the state,
sharing resources,
state updates, and
development of professional presentations for the benefit of all of Maine’s educators, schools, districts, and communities.

The attendees at the introductory meeting began the process of visioning what a literacy network might set for goals and products. The hopes of this group included:

Ensuring children can read and love to read.
Developing outcomes to address the needs and diversity of Maine’s current population.
Supporting districts, teachers, specialists, etc. to build common ground, common language, common knowledge that leads to greater continuity of practice across the state of Maine.

As the new school year begins, MAIL will move forward, continuing to build vision and purpose. Plans for this year include:

Holding monthly meetings, beginning in October. The tentative schedule for 2022-2023 School Year is as follows.
Second Thursday of each month from 3:30 pm-4:30 pm:
- October 13, 2022
- November 10, 2022
- December 8, 2022
- January 12, 2023
- February 9, 2023
- March 9, 2023
- April 13, 2023
- May 11, 2023
- June 8, 2023
Offering 2 text study opportunities to spark discussion.
Identifying the needs across the state and developing strategies to support and strengthen instructional literacy knowledge, messaging, and practices.
Beginning to develop a toolkit of resources and information.

If you are interested in joining this literacy network and helping to develop the vision for a statewide effort to improve literacy, please register at the link below. There is no commitment, but your registration will ensure that you receive information and mailings.

If you have additional questions about MAIL, please do not hesitate to contact Dee Saucier, Inclusive Education Literacy Specialist, (danielle.m.saucier@maine.gov) or Lee Anne Larsen, Coordinator of Early Learning (leeann.larsen@maine.gov).

TRAINING: On Any Given Day – Leadership Lessons from Columbine and Beyond

Sponsored by Franklin County Emergency Management Agency, the Maine Department of Education’s Maine School Safety Center, and the US States Attorney.

Retired Principal of Columbine High School Frank DeAngelis will provide a training designed and intended for school administration, educators, law enforcement and public safety personnel who have the responsibility for building and executing safety plans for school related events.

Date and Time
Tue, October 18, 2022
3:30 PM – 6:00 PM

Location
Mt. Blue High School
129 Seamon Road
Farmington, ME 04938

Register here – Given the sensitive nature of this topic, the training is open only to those with an authorized role in school safety planning. Attendance is subject to verification. Registration information will be confirmed.

Download a printable flyer

For further information or questions contact Sara Bickford at SBickford@franklincountymaine.gov and or 207-860-4277.

An Invitation to School Principals: Join Maine’s 2022-2023 Transformational Leaders’ Network

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) invites school principals to register for a year-long professional learning experience. The Transformational Leaders’ Network (TLN) offers Maine principals an opportunity to deepen their leadership skills and network with colleagues across Maine, while they are leading transformational efforts in their schools. This “learner-centered” program has a rich history of success and is open to ALL Maine principals. The primary requirement for joining the TLN is the ambition to improve your leadership and your school!

Who should apply?

School Principals (PreK-12)

What is the commitment?

The program consists of three in-person full day sessions and five shorter virtual sessions. The three full-day in-person sessions (aligned to CDC safety guidelines) will be in October, February, and May at a site(s) to be determined based on participation.  The TLN will be facilitated by experienced educators. Sessions are aligned to leadership standards and informed directly by the needs of participants.

2022-2023 Schedule:

October 14, 2022: 8:30-2:30 full day in person session
November 4, 2022: 8:30-11:00 virtual session
December 9, 2022: 8:30-11:00 virtual session
January 13, 2023 8:30-11:00 virtual session
February 3, 2023: 8:30-2:30 in person session
March 10, 2023: 8:30- 11:00 virtual session
April 7, 2023 8:30-11:00 virtual session
May 5, 2023: 8:30-2:30 full day in person session

How is the program designed?

The TLN experience revolves around each principal’s efforts to improve their school’s success with students.
Colleagues and resources from facilitators provide on-going consultation and advice focused on immediate and long-term goals.  In this fashion, each principal’s learning goal(s) drives the curriculum of the Network.
Participants are provided readings and resources throughout the year.
Successful completion of the TLN will result in to contact hours for re-certification purposes.

I’m interested… what next?

In order to receive materials by the first session, participants are encouraged to apply by October 5, 2022.
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.
Registration for the 2022-2023 TLN can be found here: http://events.egov.com/eventreg/ME/event.htm?name=transformationalleadersnetwork
The cost of the TLN is $60 per participant for the full year of professional learning. This includes all TLN content, meals at in-person events, and materials. Participants will be responsible for travel. A credit card will be needed at time of registration. Please reach out directly to Emily Doughty regarding financial support.

Where can I find more information?

For questions regarding the registration process, please contact Emily Doughty at Emily.doughty@maine.gov or (207) 592-0314
For answers to questions or more details about TLN, please contact Fran Farr, TLN Facilitator, at franfarr522@gmail.com or (207) 439-9659
To access more information, hear from past participants, and download application materials please visit:  https://www.maine.gov/doe/educators/leader/tln

Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE) Virtual Professional Development Sessions

The Maine Department of Education and SupportEd are partnering up to provide K-12 Maine educators with four free virtual professional development sessions focusing on Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE).

Zoom – Conveniently join all virtual PD sessions online via Zoom.
Maine Educators – Virtual PD sessions are intended for all Maine teachers grades K-12.
2-hour Sessions – Sessions will last two hours with time to apply strategies included.

SupportEd’s vision is to reimagine the landscape of education for Multilingual Learners (MLs). Specializing in Multilingual Learners (MLs), SupportEd meticulously crafts personalized solutions to fit every partners’ strengths and goals. SupportEd provides educators and administrators with the expertise and resources to help champion the success of MLs within and beyond the classroom. The SupportEd team is comprised of nationally recognized Multilingual Learner experts, best-selling authors, and accomplished researchers — all with extensive experience working in the classroom and/or district.

Download a flyer

Culturally Responsive Teaching and Social Emotional Learning for SLIFE

Thursday, September 22 | 3:00 pm

During this two-hour session, participants will develop an understanding of culturally responsive teaching and social emotional learning for SLIFE. SupportEd will lead participants in defining SLIFE and their characteristics and exploring strategies and tools for creating a culturally responsive school climate that includes social emotional learning practices for SLIFE. Time will also be provided to apply the tools and strategies to their class and school communities.

Save my seat

Effective Instruction of SLIFE

Thursday, October 20 | 3:00 pm

During this two-hour session, participants will develop an understanding of effective instruction for SLIFE. SupportEd will lead participants in exploring a framework for effective instruction of SLIFE and discussing strategies for supporting SLIFE engagement with and understanding of content learning. Time will also be provided to set goals for supporting the academic needs of SLIFE in all classrooms and schools.

Save my seat

Supporting SLIFE Family and Community Engagement

Thursday, November 17 | 3:00 pm

During this two-hour session, participants will develop an understanding of how to support SLIFE family and community engagement. SupportEd will lead participants in defining the importance of engaging SLIFE families and community in learning and exploring strategies for partnering with SLIFE families and expanding community collaboration in support of students. Time will also be provided to plan for partnering with SLIFE families and expanding community collaboration.

Save my seat

Supporting Graduation and Post-Secondary Success of SLIFE

Thursday, December 15 | 3:00 pm

During this two-hour session, participants will develop an understanding of how to support the graduation and post-secondary success of SLIFE. SupportEd will lead participants in discussing barriers and solutions related to graduation and post-secondary success for SLIFE and explore strategies for supporting graduation and post-secondary success of SLIFE. Time will also be provided to apply strategies to plan for implementing strategies for supporting graduation and post-secondary success of SLIFE.

Save my seat

A Moving Child Is a Learning Child: FREE Early Childhood Text Study

“All learning begins with the body…the body is the brain’s first teacher. And the lesson plan is movement.” (Connell, G. & McCarthy, C. 2014)

Join specialists from the Maine Department of Education’s Early Learning Team for a web-based professional development opportunity. Early childhood educators in the Pre-K through Grade 2 span will utilize a virtual text study format each month for 60 minutes. The sessions will be held on Thursdays. The series will utilize the text, A Moving Child is a Learning Child by Gill Connell and Cheryl McCarthy, 2014. Reading will be completed independently between sessions.

A Moving Child is a Learning Child is grounded in best practices and current research. This hands-on resource connects the dots that link brain activity, motor and sensory development, movement, and early learning in an effort to best support and educate the whole child. The expert authors unveil the Kinetic Scale: a visual map of the active learning needs of infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and children in primary grades that fits each child’s individual timetable. Educators will find a wealth of information, actionable tips, and games they can use to support the whole child across domains of development. If you’re looking for new ideas to grow your practice, engage children in a way that meets their individual needs and build deeper, more meaningful relationships with your students, then consider joining us for this opportunity.

The text study is set to begin on Thursday, November 3, 2022, from 3:30-4:30pm. and will continue the following Thursdays:

November 17
December 8
January 5
January 26
February 16

Registration will be open through September 28th and limited to 30 participants on a first come, first served basis.

Those interested are encouraged to register. Participants will receive a copy of the book and up to 18 contact hours at the end of the text study.

Registration is free and can be completed here.

For further information, please contact Nicole Madore, Early Childhood Specialist at Nicole.Madore@maine.gov

Pre-K for ME and K for ME Professional Learning Communities Offered

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) along with public school teachers from across the state are teaming up to offer monthly professional learning communities (PLCs) for educators implementing Pre-K for ME and/or K for ME in their classrooms.

These PLCs are provided to promote understanding of program design and to support successful program implementation.  Program components will be explored in greater depth and teachers will be encouraged to share examples of practice/student work. Lead teachers and ed techs using the programs are strongly encouraged to attend, whether you are new to using the programs or have been using them for a while.

This year’s PLC opportunities will be held virtually from 3:30-4:30pm on the following Tuesdays:

October 11
November 1
December 6
January 10
February 7
March 7 and 
April 4

Although it is highly encouraged, teachers and ed techs do not have to commit to attend every session. Registration is now available here. Details about how to access the sessions will be provided after registration is completed. Registrations for the PLCs should be received by September 30, 2022.

For additional information about Pre-K for ME, contact Nicole.Madore@maine.gov, and for K for ME, contact Danielle.m.Saucier@maine.gov.