Launch of Online Training from the Children’s Safety Partnership

With Child Abuse Prevention Month coming up in April, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) is helping to spread the word about a new way to access the Children’s Safety Partnership (CSP) training, “Understanding and Responding to Child Sexual Abuse”.

The pandemic has changed everyone’s ability to gather and train together in-person. Recognizing that all school personnel are required to take the one-hour training, “Understanding and Responding to Child Sexual Abuse” every four years, the Children’s Safety Partnership, a program of the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault, has developed a completely online version of “Understanding and Responding to Child Sexual Abuse”.

The preference for this training is still that it be in-person, if possible. However, the hope is that this online course version will provide opportunities for school personnel who may not otherwise have access to the training to be able to complete it and to be in compliance.

The training and all supplemental materials are available on the Children’s Safety Partnership website for all educators who have previously taken the training of trainers with the CSP. Access is intended to be a support for those responsible for delivering and/or ensuring the training is completed. Those who have not completed a training of trainers but would like to access the materials can reach out to their local sexual assault support center prevention educators to learn more. This course was designed using the Teachable platform. It provides a road map of the content, while also offering the option to start and stop whenever is convenient for the participant.

If training facilitators have questions when delivering or monitoring the training, they should contact their local sexual assault support center prevention educators!

Register Now for April 5th Math4ME Interest Session

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Office of Special Services, in collaboration with the Maine Math and Science Alliance (MMSA), is pleased to announce a new Math4ME cohort for the 2022-2023 school year.

Math4ME is designed to increase access to mathematics for all learners through teacher professional development. This year, participants will register as a team – an administrator, general educator, special educator, and an education technician, for hands on, in-person learning and remote, synchronous, interactive sessions. For a glimpse into this math learning opportunity, please view the Math4ME informational video found here:

To learn even more about the program, please attend the Math4ME information session on April 5th from 3:30- 4:15 pm.

Please register in advance for this meeting and to receive the Zoom link.

Webinar: Understanding the Role of Information Technology Specialists in Supporting School Safety Before, During, and After an Emergency

The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Safe and Supportive Schools and its Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance (TA) Center will host a Webinar on Wednesday, April 6, 2022, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. This Webinar will highlight the role of information technology (IT) specialists in supporting school safety efforts at the local and state levels.

The objectives of this 60-minute Webinar are to:

Highlight the role of IT specialists in supporting school safety efforts at the local and state levels.
Demonstrate the importance of developing a collaborative planning team to support emergency operations plan development, as outlined in Step 1 of the six-step planning process detailed in the Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans.
Discuss the role that IT specialists play in supporting the National Preparedness System mission areas — prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery — as well as their role in the before, during, and after phases of a potential emergency.
Share resources to assist IT specialists in collaborating with and supporting school safety efforts at the local and state levels.

Presenters:

U.S. Department of Education, Student Privacy Policy Office, Privacy Technical Assistance Center (PTAC)

Ross Lemke, PTAC Director
Mike Tassey, Data Security Advisor

Rialto Unified School District

Alex Rodriguez, Emergency Operations Specialist

REMS TA Center

Candace Ferguson, Training & Technical Assistance Senior Research Associate

Questions About the Event?

Contact the REMS TA Center Help Desk at 1-855-781-REMS [7367] or info@remstacenter.org from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.

Can’t make the live event? This Webinar will be archived on the REMS TA Center Website within 7 business days.

MLTI 2.0 Summer Professional Development Opportunity – In Person at Nokomis June 27-29th

Combine creative thinking with the right equipment and you can build opportunities that go beyond traditional education. In this FREE professional development event, Kern Kelley guides educators through the process of developing classroom environments that use teamwork, technology design, prototyping, and production. Teachers leave the program with $2,000 kits with everything from power tools, 3D printers, robotics, and virtual workspaces.

This opportunity is offered in person at Nokomis Regional High in Newport on June 27th – 29th from 8:30am to 1:00pm.

The professional development experience includes:

A free ‘STEAM Roller’ cart of equipment valued over $2,000.
Training for integrating this equipment into your classroom.
Being part of the statewide SLAM community of students and educators.
Available travel and lodging grants.

Space is very limited. For more information and to apply, please visit www.MLTI.me.

Download the flyer

Conducting K-12 Site Assessments With SITE ASSESS Train-the-Educator (TtE)

The Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance (TA) Center will offer a new Conducting K-12 Site Assessments With SITE ASSESS training session on April 5. This dynamic and interactive 2.5-hour training is designed to assist school districts and schools with conducting site assessments and using SITE ASSESS, the REMS TA Center’s free and secure mobile app that allows personnel to walk around a building and grounds, and examine their safety, security, accessibility, and emergency preparedness. This Virtual Training by Request (VTBR) opportunity is being offered in partnership with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Supportive Schools (OSSS).

When: Tuesday, April 5, 2022
Time: 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET
Cost: NO CHARGE
Register here (registration for this event closes on Friday, April 1, 2022 at 5:00 p.m.)

This training is intended to provide participants with an introduction to site assessments, including their purpose; who should serve on a site assessment team; how site assessments support school preparedness activities; how data from site assessments are incorporated into the planning process put forth in the Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations; and key topics such as Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. This training also provides an overview of SITE ASSESS, including how it was developed by the REMS TA Center, some of its key features, and how to use it collaboratively.

Audience

The intended audiences for this training are those who serve on an emergency operations plan planning team and/or a site assessment team including, but not limited to:

School district and school administrators, educators, facilities staff, food management and cafeteria staff, transportation staff, security staff, school nurse, athletic department staff, and support staff; and
Community partners, such as law enforcement, including school resource officers, fire officials, and Emergency Medical Services personnel.

Training Objectives

The aim of this training is to help participants be able to:

Understand the purpose of a site assessment and its
importance in school preparedness;
Conduct a site assessment using the SITE ASSESS
mobile app; and
Use SITE ASSESS to identify areas of improvement in
education facilities.

For more information, contact the REMS TA Center 1-855-781-REMS [7367] or info@remstacenter.org.

Developing Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs) K-12 101 Train-the-Educator (TtE)

Learn important Federal guidance on school emergency management planning through a new 2.5 hour training on April 12. This Virtual Training by Request (VTBR) opportunity is being offered by the Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance (TA) Center, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Supportive Schools (OSSS).

Each school day, our nation’s schools are entrusted to provide a safe and healthy learning environment for approximately 55 million elementary and secondary school students in public and nonpublic schools. In June 2013, the Obama Administration released the Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans (School Guide) which provides an overview of Federal guidance on school emergency management planning.

The School Guide, produced by the U.S. Departments of Education; Justice, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Homeland Security, led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency; and Health and Human Services, incorporates lessons learned from events, like the school shooting in Newtown and the tornadoes in Oklahoma, as well as years of emergency planning work by the Federal government, to present a recommended process, important content elements, and key considerations for school emergency operations plan (EOP) development.

In collaboration with their local government and community partners, schools can take steps to plan for these potential emergencies through the creation of a high-quality school EOP. With this training, an expert team will provide an overview of the recommended six-step planning process to create a high-quality school EOP, which includes the following:

Step 1: Forming a Collaborative Planning Team
Step 2: Understanding the Situation
Step 3: Determining Goals and Objectives
Step 4: Plan Development
Step 5: Plan Preparation, Review, and Approval
Step 6: Plan Implementation and Maintenance

Pre- and -post training activities will provide guidance on how this training is relevant to emergency operations planning and assist with the implementation of what is learned.

The intended audiences for this training include, but are not limited to: those interested in creating, revising, or enhancing school EOPs; school staff who serve, or will serve, on their school or school district’s EOP planning team; and other interested community stakeholders, including first responders, emergency medical services personnel, law enforcement, and others.

When: Tuesday, April 12, 2022
Time: 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET
Cost: NO CHARGE
Register here (Registration for this event closes on Friday, April 8, 2022, at 5:00 p.m.)

For more information contact The REMS TA Center 1-855-781-REMS [7367] or info@remstacenter.org.

Seeking Education Stakeholders for Multilingual Education Task Force

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is preparing to launch the Multilingual Education Task Force (METF), an initiative to support the development of bilingual programs in Maine schools.

Bilingual programs have benefits for all students, including, but not limited to:

Superior academic performance;
Greater inclusion and improved socioemotional and learning outcomes for multilingual learners;
Intercultural communicative competence; and
Future opportunities for employment in the global economy.

If you are interested in participating as a member of the METF, you are welcome to submit an application. All educators and community members who would like to learn more about bilingual education and begin advocating for, and taking steps toward developing a program in a Maine school are encouraged to join.

Apply to Join the Multilingual Education Task Force.

Co-facilitated by the Multistate Association for Bilingual Education, Northeast, the METF will convene on the following dates from 3-5pm via Zoom:

May 5, 2022: Examination of opportunities to implement dual language education programs
May 12, 2022: Identifying the challenges and solutions to implement dual language education programs
May 23, 2022: Begin a strategic plan to build the foundation to implement dual language education programs

To learn more about bilingual education, its benefits, various program models, and how to begin the implementation process, check out the Multistate Association for Bilingual Education website. Contact April Perkins, ESOL/Bilingual Programs Specialist, at april.perkins@maine.gov with any questions.

WEBINAR: Improving School Climate in K-12 Schools (March 31)

The Federal School Safety Clearinghouse is hosting a webinar on March 31 at 3:00 PM on school climate featuring strategies, guidance, and resources for kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) schools.

The session will feature guest speakers from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Safe and Supportive Schools and the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments.

Presenters will provide an overview of how communities can improve school climate, help prevent acts of violence, and strategies that lead to improved behavioral and academic outcomes.

School climate refers to the quality of school life and is a broad, multifaceted concept that involves many aspects of the student’s educational experience. Research suggests that a positive school climate can lead to a significant decrease in the likelihood of crime, aggression, and violent behavior. Therefore, schools and districts should implement social, emotional, and behavioral support systems to create a climate that supports and responds to student behavior.

The discussion will feature additional school safety-related resources available through SchoolSafety.gov, as well as a Q&A session.

When: March 31, 2022, 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM EDT
Where: Adobe Connect (access link to be provided one day in advance of the event)
For: K-12 School Superintendents and Principals, School and District Administrators, Teachers and School Staff, School Counselors and School Psychologists, Emergency Management, and Parents
Registration: https://schoolclimatewebinar.eventbrite.com

If you have any questions, please contact the School Safety team at SchoolSafety@hq.dhs.gov.

Maine Department of Education and University of Southern Maine Partner to Increase School Psychology Supports in Maine

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) and the University of Southern Maine (USM) Department of Educational and School Psychology announced a new partnership to increase the number of school psychologists within the state and expand school psychology services for Maine’s students and schools.

With support from the Maine Department of Education, the University of Southern Maine has created a new, full-time clinical faculty position to expand internship programs within the state and prepare larger numbers of credentialed school psychologists to provide effective and comprehensive school-based services. School psychologists are trained and prepared to help schools improve academic achievement, promote positive behavior and mental health, create safe and supportive school environments, strengthen family-school partnerships, improve schoolwide assessment and accountability practices, and advance equitable practices for diverse populations.

“School psychologists play such an important role in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of students and creating safe, welcoming, and supportive environments for our young people,” said Education Commissioner Pender Makin. “The pandemic greatly increased the need for these supports in our schools and we’re excited to partner with the University of Southern Maine to provide a pathway to increase the number of school psychologists in Maine schools as well as offering additional supports and resources to current school psychologists.”

Dr. Samantha Blair has been selected to serve in this new role as a Clinical Assistant Faculty in the Department of Educational and School Psychology at the University of Southern Maine.

“I am excited to be a part of this collaboration with the University of Southern Maine and the Department of Education because I am committed to the professional development of school psychologists and working with stakeholders throughout Maine to support the work in the field,” said Dr. Blair. “I am looking forward to continuing to learn about the needs throughout the state, and through collaborative efforts increasing the number of school psychologists and expanding their role to increase access to high-quality comprehensive services to students throughout Maine.”

Blair will collaborate with school psychologists and schools across the state to design, coordinate, and supervise field-based training experiences in school psychology. She will assist with the development of comprehensive practicum and internship programs, support priority initiatives within partnering schools, provide supervision to school psychology trainees, and offer professional development in clinical supervision for school psychologists.

“The recently announced partnership between the Maine Department of Education and the University of Southern Maine is exciting news for the field of education, particularly special education. School psychologists play an integral role in supporting the educational and social emotional needs of students with disabilities,” said Gay McDonald, Executive Director of Maine Administrators of Services for Children with Disabilities (MADSEC). “As active members of the student’s educational team and as trained individuals to conduct the required comprehensive evaluations under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, school psychologists are greatly needed in our schools. This partnership shows the Department’s commitment to address the shortage of school psychologists across the state and to assist in meeting the individual needs of our students. Such a collaborative effort will have a high impact for Maine students, and we applaud the MDOE and USM on this partnership.”

DATA WEBINAR: April Enrollment Certification Report – April 5th

The April Enrollment Certification report opens on April 1 with a certification due date of April 15^th. The Maine Department of Education’s Data Team will be hosting a webinar on Tuesday April 5^th at 10am to go over the April Enrollment Details report and the April Enrollment Certification report.

Please follow the “Join Live” link at the time of the training to join us. Thank you.

For questions, contact the Maine DOE Helpdesk at medms.helpdesk@maine.gov.