Category: Professional Development

DOE Data Training 8/24: Submitting Homeless Student Data

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Data Team will be holding a training session on August 24th at 10am to discuss how School Administrative Units (SAUs) and private schools should be submitting Homeless Student data to the state.

The target audience for this training includes both data coordinators and McKinney-Vento Liaisons.

We will have Maine DOE Migrant Education Specialist Amelia Lyons on hand to answer any specific Homeless Student data questions.

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

Join the 8/24/21 Training Live here

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

Privacy Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) Virtual Meeting: Return to School – Addressing Privacy and Security Challenges in K-12 Education in the Wake of COVID-19

August 26, 1-5pm EDT

This fall, all schools and school administrative units (SAUs) are resuming full-time, in-person instruction. How can we use the lessons learned during the once-in-a-century pandemic to improve student privacy? This webinar brings together representatives from across the country to discuss the “must-dos” that come with federal student privacy laws, as well as the “should-dos,” challenges, and lessons learned from the recent rapid shift to remote learning.

This meeting is free and open to the public. Go to Meeting Registration | Return to School Virtual Meeting to register by August 24.

If you have questions you would like to see addressed, please contact PTAC at privacyTA@ed.gov.

Calling all Maine School Principals: Join Maine’s Transformational Leaders’ Network 

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) invites school principals to apply for an inspiring professional learning opportunity. The Transformational Leaders’ Network (TLN) offers Maine principals an opportunity to deepen their leadership skills while they are leading transformational efforts in their schools. This “learner-centered” program has a ten-year history of success and is open to ALL Maine principals at no cost. The primary requirement for joining the TLN is the ambition to improve your leadership and your school! 

Who can apply? 

  • Maine School Principals (PreK-12)

What is the commitment?  

  • The program consists of three types of sessions throughout the year:  in-person full days, two-hour Network sessions, and 1.5-hour Learning Leader Team sessions.  The three full-day in-person sessions (aligned to CDC safety guidelines) will be in October, February, and mid-May at a site(s) to be determined based on participation.  The majority of your time will be in Zoom-based Learning Leader Teams(LLTs) of 5-8 principals, facilitated by experienced educators. Alternating with LLT sessions will be larger group Zoom-based Network sessions designed to assist your understanding of leadership and your own strengths and challenges. 

How is the program designed? 

  • The TLN experience revolves around each principal’s efforts to improve their school’s success with students. In Network sessions, principals examine the leadership challenges inherent in making progress on improvement goals.  In a small group led by a facilitator, each principal will design an action plan and an accompanying “learning plan.” 
  •  Colleagues and resources from facilitators provide on-going consultation and advice focused on the principal’s, “continuous improvement” as a leader for the, “continuous improvement” of the school.  In this fashion, each principal’s learning goal(s) drives the curriculum of the Network. 
  • Successful completion of the TLN will result in contact hours for re-certification purposes. 

I’m interested… what next? 

  • Applying now for this exciting opportunity is encouraged by the Maine DOE. 
  • An online application can be found here. 
  • Applicants are accepted on a rolling basis until the cohort is full or August 24,2021, whichever comes first. Please note, applications require the approval of the superintendent before submittal. 

Where can I find more information? 

  • For answers to questions or more details about TLN, please contact Fran Farr, TLN Facilitator, at franfarr522@gmail.com or (207) 439-9659 or (207) 752-2439. 
  • A June webinar featuring the TLN and Maine’s Leadership Development Program can be viewed here 
  • To access more information, hear from past participants, and download application materials please visit:  https://www.maine.gov/doe/educators/leader/tln 

What other opportunities are available to current or aspiring leaders? 

 

Special Education Maine Policies & Procedures Workshop for School Administrative Units

The Maine Department of Education Office of Special Services is pleased to host a two-day virtual workshop presented by Brustein & Manasevit.

School Administrative Unit (SAU) Policies and Procedures

Day One: covers the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements (Uniform Grants Guidance)

Day Two: direct support for school administrative units on developing compliant policies and procedures.

Free EDGAR shipped to first 200 attendees to register! (If you do not require an EDGAR – do not complete the address portion of the registration.)

Registration link for Day One August 18th – Day One

Day Two Zoom link for August 19th Workshop (held via Zoom)  

DRAFT AGENDA

The two-day training covers all federal requirements for establishing strong SAU policies and procedures.  Attendees begin the workshop with a customizable template that is customized over the two-days to be district specific.

Day One: Training

Federal Financial Management

  • Overview of grants accounting system and fiscal controls
  • Cash management procedures, including period of availability and carryover
  • Budget development, amendment and reconciliation
  • Allowability procedures (FAQs, Food, Travel, etc.)

Procurement

  • Conflict of Interest policy
  • Methods of procurement, related procedures
  • Documentation
  • Noncompetitive procurements (sole source justification form)

Property Management

  • Definitions (Equipment, supplies, computing devices, capital equipment, inventoried supplies, etc.)
  • Inventory procedures
  • Lost or stolen items
  • Disposition procedures

Time and Effort

  • Payroll/ HR procedures (cross-reference)
  • Time and effort documentation requirements
  • Reconciliation of time and effort
  • Sample forms

Day Two: Workshop

Concurrent breakout session by topic – working sessions for Q&A

For further questions, contact the Maine DOE Office of Special Services at (207) 624-6713.

Registration is Open for the Computer Science Summer of Fun Professional Learning Week! 

Join computer science educators and leaders in a week of (virtual) computer science professional learning, Project>Login is coordinating a computer science professional development week Aug. 9-13th.  

These sessions will be fun and informative and cover various topics and grade-levels. Maine Department of Education (DOE) Computer Science and Digital Learning Specialists are facilitating sessions on computer science integration at 1pm, Tuesday through Thursday. Other session topics include cyber security, coding, robotics, and more!  

Sessions are facilitated by Maine teachers and computer science leaders!

To preview the 5 day line-up, read descriptions of sessions, and register for the event, visit: https://www.projectlogin.com/news/post/registration-now-open-for-cs-summer-of-fun-pd-week-happening-aug-9-13 

If you have any questions, please contact Emma-Marie Banks, emma-marie.banks@maine.gov or Jonathan Graham, jonathan.m.graham@maine.gov 

Reminder: Application Window for Maine’s Leadership Development Program open now through August 24th  

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) invites educators to apply for a year-long professional learning opportunity. The Maine Leadership Development Program (LDP) is an initiative designed to build and strengthen leadership skills among Maine’s educational leaders. In our ongoing efforts to support and foster impactful leadership in Maine, educators who aspire to do the same are invited to take advantage of this high-impact opportunity!  

Who should apply?    

  • Current and aspiring leaders within schools, School Administrative Units (SAUs), or at the state level;   
  • Some examples of past and current participants are teachers, principals, assistant principals, department leaders, school board members, school counselors, assistant superintendents, instruction and curriculum directors, CTE directors, DOE staff, transition coordinators, school improvement coaches, and superintendents;  
  • Instructional coaches, K-12 deans of students, heads of schools, Title I directors, special education directors, English learner directors, CTE instructors and ESEA coordinators are encouraged to apply as well.  
  • If you are a leader in education in Maine, this program may be a great fit for you!  

What is the commitment?  

  • Participants will attend a fall orientation on September 30, 2021, followed by 12 two full day units (virtual and in-person). Pre-work is required for each unit;    
  • Each participant will design and develop a job-embedded action learning plan over the course of the year.  

How is the program designed?   

  • The LDP is a nationally researched (NISL), evidenced-based, locally delivered cohort model of learning that improves the practice of leadership, transforms instruction, and focuses on increasing equity and student achievement in schools;  
  • The program is a blended learning model that includes inquiry (using research-based texts and case studies), action learning, and engaging activities and simulations with practical applications that meet the needs of leaders. Cohort members experience deep learning not only through the materials and program design, but also through lively and fulfilling content and context-based conversations with fellow participants.  
  • Upon completion of the Maine LDP, participants will be nationally NISL certified and receive a certificate for corresponding contact hours.   

I’m interested… What next?  

  • The Maine DOE encourages educational leaders to apply today for this exciting opportunity! Prior to making the commitment, please be sure to review the schedule for the 2021-2022 Maine LDP cohort, found here;  
  • View a recording of the June information session featuring Maine’s LDP and The Transformational Leaders’ Network here;  
  • To access more information, hear from past participants, and review application materials please visit: http://www.maine.gov/doe/educators/maineldp;   
  • Applications are due by August 24, 2021 and require the support of a supervisor;  
  • Half hour interviews will be scheduled after applications are reviewed;  
  • Selected participants are expected to attend a virtual half-day orientation on September 30, 2021;  
  • For more information please email emily.doughty@maine.gov.   

What other opportunities are available to current or aspiring leaders?   

WEBINAR: Strategies for Safely Returning to School: The Latest Federal Guidance

The U.S. Department of Education is hosting a webinar series to support educational settings in safely sustaining or returning to in-person instruction. The series features the latest federal guidance, and lessons learned and best practices from faculty, staff, schools, districts, institutions of higher education, early childhood education providers, and other places of educational instruction describing approaches to operating during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On behalf of the U.S. Department of Education (ED), Office of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Safe and Supportive Schools, the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE) invites you to join the next webinar, Strategies for Safely Returning to School: The Latest Federal Guidance.

Date: Wednesday, July 14, 2021
Time: 3:00 – 4:00 pm EST

Please join us for this informative webinar featuring updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and ED on preparing to return to school for the 2021-22 school year, including the latest on mitigation strategies, as we continue to contend with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following the federal agency updates, practitioner questions will be addressed by the CDC and ED staff to allow field personnel to better understand and ultimately operationalize guidance.

Speakers/Panelists

  • Christian Rhodes, Moderator, Chief of Staff, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education
  • Neha Cramer: Lead, Schools Unit, Community Intervention and Critical Populations Task Force at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Jessica McKinney: Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development (OPEPD), U.S. Department of Education Related Documents

This event will reference the following resources, which we encourage you to access in advance of the webinar to inform participation:

For your reference, slides for this presentation will be posted on the event webpage on the day of the event.

Registration – You must register to participate in this presentation. Register Here!

Please contact NCSSLE if you have any questions. We look forward to sharing this information with you and hearing from you about the important work you are doing in your schools, communities, and states to meet the needs of your students and staff as they return to in-person learning.

Reminder: Maine Agriculture in the Classroom (MAITC) Summer Workshops

Instead of a week-long event this summer, Maine Agriculture In The Classroom (MAITC) will be holding three single day, in-person events focusing on Dairy, Aquaculture, and Wild Blueberries.

Each professional development event for PK – Grade 12 educators will offer 7 contact hours or .7 CEU’s (Total possible = 21 contact hours or 2.1 CEU’s)

Each event will start at 8:30 AM and finish at 4:00 PM. A lite breakfast, snack, and lunch will be provided at each training.

Dairy – Thursday, August 12
8:30 AM – 4:00 PM

A full day of resources, lessons, and programs surrounding dairy will be provided by MAITC and the Maine Dairy Nutrition Council. In the afternoon participants will visit dairy farms, including the Flood Farm in Clinton, and experience a day in the life of a dairy farmer! Learn about silage, see a milking parlor, and learn much more about our local dairy farms!

A Day of Aquaculture – Thursday, August 19
8:30 AM – 4:00 PM

Join MAITC for a day of exploring aquaculture at the picturesque Downeast Institute on Beals Island. We will spend the day exploring aquaculture with hands-on activities, hosted by Dr. Anne Langston Noll. In the morning, topics include aquaculture through history, online resources for production, ocean temperatures, salinity, etc. and an introduction to aquaculture globally, in the U.S. and Maine. Later we will tour the Institute’s working shellfish hatchery, and research facilities, including spawning shellfish and (if successful!) observing fertilization and cell division, and data collection for a real-life research project piloting the farming of sea scallops in ME lobster pounds. Last but not least we will explore resources available for teachers through MAITC and our colleagues at 4H and have the opportunity to try out activities included in the 4H teacher “toolkits”. Please bring your own computer or iPad if you are able. WIFI will be available. Venue: Downeast Institute – 39 Wildflower Lane, Beals, ME 04611

Wild Blueberry Emersion – Friday, August 20
8:30 AM – 4:00 PM

Our day will begin at the Bluebird Ranch Family Restaurant, 78 Main Street in Machias. After a lite breakfast we will join teacher Eric Brooks for exploration of MAITC Wild Blueberry resources and curricula. Representatives from the Wild Blueberry Commission will host an afternoon tour of local farms and barrens to view harvest, culture, and production of Maine’s official berry! Do you know that Maine produces more wild blueberries than anywhere else in the world? Do not miss this opportunity!

Registration Fees & Information

  • 1 Training – $35
  • 2-Trainings – $60
  • All 3 Trainings – $75

Download registration form to mail a check

Online registration

Limited space – register early! Pre-Registration only – Deadline August 6, 2021. For more detailed information, including options for accommodations please visit: https://me.agclassroom.org/programs/summer/

Maine Agriculture in the Classroom (MAITC) is a grassroots program coordinated by the United States Department of Agriculture, and housed at the Maine Department of Agriculture. Our goal is to help students gain a greater awareness of the role of agriculture in the economy and society so that they will become citizens who support wise agricultural policies and local agriculture endeavors.

For more information visit https://me.agclassroom.org/ or contact MAITC at (207) 287-5522 or maitca@maine.gov

SAVE THE DATE: School Resource Officer Summit Aug 10th & 11th

Save the date for the School Resource Officer (SRO) Summit offered both in-person at Windham High School and virtually online. This opportunity is a collaboration between the Maine Department of Education’s Maine School Safety Center, the Maine Department of Corrections, Maine Juvenile Justice Advisory Group, and Restorative Justice Project Maine.

The summit will be held from 9:00am – 4:30pm on August 10th and 11th (doors open at 8:15am for check-in). Coffee and pastries will be served as well as a lunch for in-person participants. This opportunity is available to Maine school resource officers as well as district and school administrators, staff, and educators.

Key Note Addresses:

August 10th – Restorative Justice Board: A Showcase of Options for Thinking about RJ and Community Impact

August 11th – Lt. Carlos Camacho, Nashua, NH Police Department

Breakout Topics:

  • Racial Disparity & Equality
  • MOUs
  • EOPs
  • Social Emotional Learning
  • Behavioral Threat Assessment
  • Adverse Childhood Experiences 101 &102
  • Effective Police Interactions with Youth /Mirror Mirror Project

Registration link and further information will be forthcoming for both in person and virtual options.

Download the SAVE THE DATE flyer here.

For further questions, contact the Maine School Safety Center.

Promoting Public Pre-K Through Partnerships—A Technical Assistance Series

The Early Learning Team at the Maine Department of Education (DOE), in partnership with Governor Mills’ Children’s Cabinet, is pleased to announce a new technical assistance opportunity focused on building Public Pre-K and Community Partnerships.  This 3-part series will focus on partnerships between public school administration units (SAUs) and community providers, such as private center and home-based childcares and Head Start programs.  The series will:

  • Explore the benefits of partnering,
  • Examine common misconceptions about partnerships,
  • Identify successful steps for  navigating potential barriers of partnerships, and;
  • Outline how to start the process of forming partnerships to establish high-quality Public Pre-K opportunities for children in Maine.

These sessions will be approximately 60 minutes each, with 45-minutes of content followed by time for questions from attendees. The sessions will be provided through Zoom and will be recorded and posted for future viewing.

Sessions are scheduled as follows:

  • Session 1, Wednesday August 4th from 12-1pm: Overview of High-Quality Partnerships
  • Session 2, Wednesday August 11th from 12-1pm: Panel Discussion with Experts in the Field Currently Engaged in Community Partnerships
  • Session 3, Wednesday August 18th from 12-1pm: Building a Partnership: Where to Begin

Attendees are asked to pre-register here.

For questions and clarifications, please contact: