Category: Professional Development

Registration for Early Childhood Education Conference Opens June 15th

This year’s annual statewide Early Childhood Education Conference, Connecting Early Childhood Education: Birth through Eight Across the State, has been organized through a collaboration of early childhood partners, including the Maine DOE.  The conference will be held on October 22nd and 23rd at the Cross Center in Bangor.

Speakers and presenters will focus on best practices in early childhood education for all those working with children from birth through elementary school. Sessions will focus on early learning, social and emotional skills, leadership, equity and diversity, policy, meeting the needs of diverse learners, and more!  Workshops will be organized in categories so that every preschool to 3rd grade professional can find their best fit, from those working in child care and Head Start to out-of-school-time programs and elementary schools, from principals and administrators to special education and classroom teachers.

Come for one day or come for both!  Cost of attendance is $70.00 per person for one day or $140.00 per person for both days.

How to register beginning June 15th:

  1. Please visit the Conference website: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/maine-early-childhood-education-conference-tickets-140011555331
  2. Click on the green button that says Tickets and a pop up window will open.
  3. This registration process will secure you a ticket to one day of the 2021 Statewide ECE Conference. Participants will select breakout sessions for the conference at a later date.
  4. To register for the other day, click on the website link again, and repeat the process.

Please contact the Maine Association for the Education of Young Children with any questions or concerns related to registration by emailing info@maineaeyc.org  or by calling 207-747-2490.

For other questions, contact Maine DOE’s Early Childhood Specialist, Nicole Madore at nicole.madore@maine.gov.

 

Maine DOE Proudly Shares Summer Learning Opportunities for Education Workforce

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) already has many exciting and engaging professional learning opportunities, trainings, office hours, Q&A sessions and more planned this summer to help support, rejuvenate and inspire Maine’s education workforce. Below are events and asynchronous options that are already planned and ready for registration.

Keep an eye on our Professional Development Calendar as more opportunities will be added, subscribe to the Maine DOE Newsroom to keep up with summer announcements and opportunities, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter to stay connected!

Maine DOE Summer Schedule:
Professional Learning, Training, & Office Hours

 Asynchronous Options:

In the Works:

Reminder: Pre-K for ME and K for ME Program Summer Training Opportunities

Since 2018, the Maine Department of Education has adapted and piloted open-source Pre-k and Kindergarten programs based on the Boston Public School’s evidence-based Focus on K1 and Focus on K2 curricula. Our own Pre-K for ME was launched in 2019.  K for ME will be launched in August of 2021.  These programs focus on the whole child and are interdisciplinary and developmentally appropriate.  They are also aligned to Maine’s learning standards.  While Maine schools are responsible for the purchase of the materials that support the programs, the programs can be accessed at no cost via the Maine DOE’s website.  Informational overviews for each of the programs available through the following links:

Pre-K for ME Informational Overview

K for ME Informational Overview

Educators/schools/programs interested in utilizing Pre-K for ME and/or K for ME in the coming year may want to take advantage of 2-day initial trainings scheduled for this August.  These trainings are provided to promote understanding of program design and to support successful program implementation.  School administrators are strongly encouraged to attend the trainings with their Pre-K and/or Kindergarten teachers.

This year’s training opportunities will be held virtually from 8:30-3:30 on August 9 and 10 for Pre-K for ME and on August 11 and 12 for K for ME.  Registration for these trainings should be completed at the school/program level.  Principals and educators should complete one registration on behalf of their school/program.  Details about how to prepare for the trainings and the materials needed to support the programs will be provided via email after registrations are received. Registrations for the 2-day training should be received by June 30, 2021.

Registration Links:

Pre-K for ME 2-day Training Registration (August 9-10)

K for ME 2-day Training Registration (August 11-12)

For additional information about Pre-K for ME, contact Nicole.Madore@maine.gov, and for K for ME, contact Leeann.Larsen@maine.gov.

2021-2022 Leadership Development Opportunities- Information Session

Do you love being an educator in Maine? Is developing your own leadership capacity intriguing to you? Do you strive to ensure more equitable outcomes for your students? Do you thrive by learning with a diverse group of thoughtful and engaged educators? If so, please consider attending an information session coming to you from the Maine Department of Education to learn more about our year-long professional learning experiences for leaders in education.

Representatives from The Transformational Leaders’ Network and Maine’s Leadership Development Program will share more about these programs and answer any questions you may have. The session will take place virtually on June 7, 2021 starting at 3:15pm.

If you would like to attend, please email Emily Doughty (Emily.Doughty@Maine.gov) or Teri Peaslee (Teri.peaslee@maine.gov) for a registration link.

If you are interested, but unable to attend, we welcome the opportunity to meet with you directly as well.  Please feel free to reach out by August 1st to make alternative arrangements.

To learn more about these offerings, please visit the Maine LDP (Maine’s Leadership Development Program | Department of Education) and TLN (Transformational Leaders’ Network | Department of Education (maine.gov) websites.

Leading Early Learning—A Professional Learning Series for Elementary School Administrators

As Maine elementary schools have added preschool programming and continue to support the development of children in the Pre-K -Grade 3 span, many elementary principals have requested additional professional learning to support their work as educational leaders.  The Maine Department of Education (DOE) and several Maine educational organizations, listed below, have collaborated to design an exciting new professional learning series to address identified needs and support professional growth.  We are pleased to announce that the first cohort for this series will launch during the 2021-22 school year.

The series will not only provide participants with opportunities to deepen their knowledge of early learning pedagogy and best practices related to supporting students and teachers across Pre-K-3, but it will also provide participants with a professional learning network, opportunity to target a self-selected aspect of practice through a project-based approach, and be supported through facilitated discussions and coaching opportunities.  Participants will be engaged in a variety of modes of learning, from asynchronous learning modules to professional learning communities, to attendance at a statewide early learning conference.

If this opportunity interests you, please review the details of the series in the informational guide.  A link to apply for the series is included in the informational guide.  The series will be able to support up to 20 participants.  Applications will be received through June 30, but once spaces are filled, a waiting list will be generated.

An optional informational session about this professional learning opportunity will also be held on June 15 from 3:30-4:30 for anyone who is interested in learning more and who has questions about the opportunity.   Register for the informational session using this link.

For additional information, please contact Lee Anne Larsen, Early Learning Team Coordinator at Maine DOE, leeann.larsen@maine.gov.

Leading Early Learning Partner Organizations

  • Maine Department of Education
  • Maine Roads to Quality Professional Development Network
  • Maine Principals Association
  • Maine Association for the Education of Young Children
  • UMaine Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies

Free Inclusive Practices Training & Technical Assistance for Public Preschool Programs

Reminder, the deadline for applying is fast approaching!

School Administrative Units (SAUs) are asked to apply by June 4, 2021 to take advantage of this exciting professional development opportunity.  Notifications of acceptance will be provided by June 10, 2021.

This offering is available to any SAU in Maine with a public preschool program. The 2021 cohort will consist of 3 classrooms of 6 participants each. Teams must include the preschool teacher, ed tech, principal, special ed director, elementary special ed teacher and a regional CDS consultant or teacher. The purpose of team participation is to ensure consistent understanding and application of the course content so that high quality inclusive practices will be supported and sustained.

More detailed information about this opportunity can be accessed here.

The complete application is available at this link.

You may access this PDF version to preview the application prior to completing.

The project requirements include: Projected timeline:
Completion of the on-demand training: Inclusive Environments in Public Pre-K. By August 18, 2021
Participation in a half-day virtual orientation session. Mid-August 2021
Completion of an 18 hour online training: Creating Inclusive Preschool Settings Classrooms. September-November 2021
Participation in 2 PLCs scheduled as follow-up support during the online training. October 2021
Participation in consultation.

*It may be necessary to align class coverage on the days of consultation for some period of time.*

  • 2 (1-2 hour) classroom based consultations (onsite or technology-based).
  • 2 (1-2 hour) administrative consultation (onsite or technology based)
 October-November 2021
Participation in a wrap up meeting hosted by the DOE to evaluate the project and short district team presentations to showcase your learning. December 2021

For more information, view the FAQ  or contact:

Nicole Madore at Nicole.madore@maine.gov or

Marcy Whitcomb at Marcy.r.whitcomb@maine.gov

Build Community Through Writing – Summer Institute for Educators

The following opportunity is being hosted by The Telling Room as a resource for information and opportunities; is not an endorsement of any product or program.

Summer Institute for Educators 2021 seeks to build community through writing.

This year’s institute will take place from 6/28/21 – 6/30/2021. We will be running the Institute virtually over ZOOM.

Join us for three days to learn The Telling Room’s proven method for improving literacy skills while building confidence and a sense of community. We offer tools and techniques to teachers, artists, and nonprofit leaders in a professional development setting.

We gear our forum to educators who work with students 6-18, and seek deliverables that can be taken back to any community or student population.

Cost: $250 for full registration

What is included with registration:

  • Three days (10-3) of intensive workshops led by Telling Room staff & teaching artists. There will be a mix of presentations, small group work, and breaks throughout the day.

  • Opportunities to network with like-minded educators

  • Classroom-ready writing and publishing curricula

For more information and to register visit: https://www.tellingroom.org/program-reservations/summer-institute-for-educators-2021

Virtual Workshop for Teachers: Middle School Science & Engineering Fair

The below opportunity is being hosted by the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance.

When: Wednesday, June 23, 2021
Where: Online (Interactive)
Benefits: Participation stipend, Subscription to Science News
Registration Deadline: May 28, 2021
FMI, Contact: Stefany Burrell

Did you know that Maine has a science fair for grades 6-8? The Maine State Middle School Science & Engineering Fair (MSSEF) provides youth with a chance to share their independent STEM projects with judges and their peers. The event encourages students to explore their own area of interest, engage in authentic science and engineering practices, and hone their science communication skills.

Late each spring, the MSSEF welcomes middle schoolers from around the state to present their work in a supportive environment. Students can work alone or in teams of 2-3. There is practically no limit to the topics a student can pursue. If it falls somewhere in the realm of science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM), it fits within the mission of the MSSEF!

As a middle school teacher, you may love the idea of giving your students this opportunity. But how do you start? Join us on Wednesday, June 23 to learn how. We will convene an interactive Zoom session where you’ll learn some tips for getting your students started on their projects and take away some activities to help them make the most of their independent work.

The top 10% of our state’s projects are invited to participate in the national Broadcom MASTERS competition. Although the prestige of winning is reserved for a handful of projects, all students who participate learn invaluable STEM and 21st century skills. Because the MSSEF is affiliated with the MASTERS competition, the Broadcom Foundation has provided MMSA with a grant to pay stipends to teachers who attend this training.

Learn more and register here: https://mmsa.org/2021/05/middle-school-science-fair-teacher-workshop/

 

New UMaine Special Education Leadership Certificate Available this Fall 

The University of Maine College of Education and Human Development and UMaineOnline will begin offering a new graduate certificate in Special Education Leadership this fall.

The Maine Department of Education lists Teacher of Students with Disabilities among the state’s teacher shortage areas. The new graduate certificate is designed to address an accompanying shortage of special education administrators. There are currently 242 special education directors in the state of Maine — one for every 127 students with a disability. The 12-credit graduate certificate in special education leadership can lead to Maine DOE certification as an assistant administrator of special education.

“This certificate is a response to feedback from PreK–12 professionals in Maine and beyond about the immediate need to support the growing number of students with disabilities and who are at risk,” says Sarah Howorth, assistant professor and coordinator of the graduate program in special education in the UMaine College of Education and Human Development. “Assistant administrators serve an important function in local districts, helping directors provide legally mandated access to a free and appropriate education for all students.”

Assistant administrators contribute to overseeing all facets of a school district’s special education department, including programs, services, personnel and budget.

The four courses in the graduate certificate are Law and Policy Affecting Individuals with Disabilities, School Law for Administrators, Organizational Behavior in Education, and an Internship in Special Education Administration. The program objectives are based on guidelines from the Council for Special Education Administrators (CASE). Students can pursue the certificate as a stand-alone program, or as part of coursework toward an Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree.

Applications for the Special Education Leadership: Assistant Special Education Director graduate certificate are being accepted through Aug. 15 for students interested in starting the program in the fall 2021 semester. For students interested in starting in summer 2022, the application deadline is April 15, 2022. More information is available on the UMaineOnline website.

For more information, contact Howorth at sarah.howorth@maine.edu.

STEM and Social Studies Virtual Study Tours to Germany this Summer

The Transatlantic Outreach Program (TOP) is hosting STEM and Social Studies virtual study tours to Germany this summer:

  • STEM Virtual Study Tour: June 8 – July 1, 2021
  • Social Studies Virtual Study Tour: July 6 – July 29, 2021

On each 4-week virtual tour, participants can immerse themselves in current topics relevant for both Germany and the U.S./Canada, meet experts and educators from across the Atlantic, and connect with other North American educators, including TOP Alumni.

  • Learn about a variety of topics relevant to both contemporary Germany and the U.S./Canada.
  • Engage in exchange and dialogue with German educators and experts.
  • Discover and be trained on digital teaching tools to use in the classroom.
  • Create a lesson plan or project on contemporary Germany to use during the upcoming school year.
  • Build connections with other educators across the U.S., Canada, and Germany.

All meetings will be held in English and can be attended live on Zoom or viewed as a recording at a later time.

Participants can join the tours casually, as time permits, or register to take the virtual study tour as a professional development course for graduate credits.

Learn More & Register.

Go straight to Registration.