Maine DOE Special Services Team to Host NY Times Best Seller Peter H. Reynolds for SPPS Meeting

An upcoming Special Purpose Private Schools Director’s Meeting provided by the Maine Department of Education (DOE) Special Services Team with special guest Peter H. Reynolds, New York Times bestselling illustrator, who has created many acclaimed books for children, including The Dot, Ish, The North Star, and So Few of Me, to share his new book, Peace Train, written by Cat Stevens, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds.

The public is invited to this virtual meeting which will be held on Zoom on May 26, 2021, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. EDT. Register in advance for this meeting: https://mainestate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0qc-yuqTwvG9f4PwAb5Xkp2_YITmnJfGBq (After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.)

IN CELEBRATION OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF CAT STEVENS’S ICONIC SONG “PEACE TRAIN,” HARPERCOLLINS CHILDREN’S BOOKS WILL PUBLISH STEVENS’S PICTURE BOOK OF THE SAME NAME

New York, NY (January 12, 2021) – Cat Stevens, ’70s troubadour, singer-songwriter, inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and known to millions for his hits including “If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out,” “Wild World,” “Father and Son,” and “The First Cut Is the Deepest,” has partnered with New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Peter H. Reynolds to produce PEACE TRAIN, a children’s book celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the iconic song’s original release on his multiplatinum album Teaser and the Firecat.

Featuring joyful illustrations and the timeless lyrics of the much-loved peace anthem released in 1971, this hopeful picture book continues Stevens’s commitment to children’s education and shared love for people of all cultures and identities. Stevens invites readers to hop on the Peace Train and join its growing group of passengers who are all ready to travel together to a better world of peace and human understanding.

“I wrote these lyrics more than fifty years ago, and I know the words still boom as true and loud today as they did in the 1970s,” says Stevens. “It’s incredible to see how Peter Reynolds has made the words jump into life in brilliant style for a new generation with his joysome illustrations.”

To see Cat Stevens’ interview about The Peace Train on the Today Show May 11, 2021, click here: https://www.today.com/video/yusuf-cat-stevens-talks-about-turning-peace-train-into-children-s-book-111699525572

2021 STEM for All Video Showcase May 11- 18

2021 STEM for All Video Showcase: Learning from Research and Practice
May 11 – 18, 2021
Online event, https://stemforall2021.videohall.com,

Researchers, practitioners, policy makers, informal educators, and parents interested in enhancing STEM education are invited to take part in a free, interactive, 8-day video showcase event, showcasing federally funded projects to improve STEM and computer science education. All are welcome to view, discuss, and vote for favorites from May 11-18.

The online event, https://stemforall2021.videohall.com, provides an opportunity to hear how programs across the nation have addressed the challenges posed by COVID and related school closures, particularly in underserved communities. Over 1,100 presenters and co-presenters have come together to share 287 3-minute videos. More than half of the presentations address racial or gender inequities and provide strategies to broaden participation and quality experiences for students of all ages, from the youngest elementary students to those pursuing graduate degrees. Collectively they provide a comprehensive introduction to the creative work being done across the nation to improve STEM education in both formal and informal environments.

Visitors to the site can filter the presentations by grade level, organization, state, keywords, or audience type to find those of greatest interest. In addition to discussing the videos, all visitors can vote for their favorite presentations. At the end of the event, presentations that received the most votes will be identified as “Public Choice” winners.

While most of the projects presented are funded by the National Science Foundation, there are also presentations from projects funded by 8 other federal agencies, including ED, NASA, NIH, NOAA, IMLS, US Dept. of State, ONR, and USDA.

Last year’s STEM for All Video Showcase is still being accessed, and to date has had over 87,500 unique visitors from 181 countries.

The STEM for All Video Showcase is hosted by TERC, in partnership with: STEMTLnet, CADRE, CAISE, CIRCLS, STELAR, CS for All Teachers, NARST, NCTM, NSTA, NSF INCLUDES, and QEM. The Showcase is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation (#1922641).

To learn more about the Showcase and to watch the project videos, visit http://stemforall2021.videohall.com

Join Dr. Habib Dagher to learn about UMaine’s leading research in floating offshore wind

Tesday, May 11th, 9:00-10:00 am

There is an international race to develop floating wind turbine technologies. Educators and students are cordially invited to learn about these technologies and how they can help Maine mitigate climate change and keep more energy dollars in the state. Dr. Habib Dagher, executive director of the Advanced Structures and Composites Center at the University of Maine, will be leading a webinar about the pioneering research in floating offshore wind being conducted at UMaine.

Dr. Dagher will give a presentation geared towards middle school and high school audiences that will cover the engineering of floating wind turbines. How does one design floating turbines that can survive 500-year storms? How is the power brought back to shore? How are these turbines anchored to the seabed? How many turbines does one need to power Maine?

Register for the webinar today!

The event is free but limited to 1,000 participants. Please register ASAP!

Did you know that harnessing just 3% of the Gulf of Maine offshore wind resource can provide enough electricity to heat every home and drive every car in Maine?
The Gulf of Maine’s offshore wind capacity is equivalent to that of 156 nuclear power plants.
Researchers at UMaine are working with NASA to optimize the design of floating offshore wind platforms.

Learn this and more during Dr. Dagher’s presentation.

For more information contact Advanced Structures & Composites Center.

Building from What You Have: A Process for Scaling up Tiered Supports in a MTSS

The Maine Department of Education, in partnership with the University of Southern Maine School of Education and Human Development are seeking school Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) teams to engage in a summer learning institute titled Building from What You Have: A Process for Scaling-Up Tiered Supports in a MTSS. Continuous Improvement Teams from PK-12 are invited to submit an application.

The focus of the Institute is to assist school MTSS teams with engaging in a deep-dive into their current resources in order to scale-up tiered supports, particularly in Tier 1. School teams that wish to apply must be willing to commit to seven 3-hour sessions, held weekly, beginning on Tuesday, June 22 from 10:00 AM-2:00 PM with a 30-minute lunch break built in. The Institute spans 8 total weeks (please note we will not meet the week of July 5th).

This professional learning opportunity has been specifically designed for teams to engage in the work together. To that end, there is one application for the entire team. The team should consist of 4-5 individuals, including: a principal or asst. principal, two general education teachers, a special education teacher, and one team member of their choice (school psychologist, instructional strategist/coach, Title 1 teacher, school counselor or social worker, etc.).

We will be requiring two books as resources during the Institute. The first, Effective Universal Instruction: An Action-Oriented Approach to Improving Tier 1, will be provided as an eTextbook to each team member to support the summer work. The second, Supporting Successful Interventions in Schools: Tools to Plan, Evaluate, and Sustain Effective Implementation must be purchased by either the school or individually for each team member.

The session schedule is as follows:

June 22: MTSS Overview, Resources, and Q&A
June 29: MTSS resources session and workshop: Personnel
July 13: MTSS resources session and workshop: Curriculum and Instruction
July 20: MTSS resources session and workshop: Data and data-based decision making
July 27: MTSS resources session and workshop: Time
Aug 3: MTSS resources session and workshop: Facilities and physical space
Aug 10: Priorities Planning

Due to the highly interactive nature and the need to provide supports to teams, this Institute is being capped at 5 teams. Sessions will be molded and designed to meet participating teams’ needs to the greatest extent possible while covering all of the primary topics.

To apply for this professional learning institute, download and complete the application below. We will review applications on a first come-first serve basis. Only complete applications will be considered. You may submit your completed application beginning on Wednesday, May 19th, and you will be notified of your application status within two weeks of submission. Registration for the institute will remain open until all slots are filled.

Click here to download the application.

For more information or questions regarding the Institute, you may email Andrea Logan at andrea.logan@maine.gov or Rachel Brown-Chidsey at rachelb@maine.edu. You may submit your competed application to Andrea Logan at andrea.logan@maine.gov beginning Wednesday, May 19th 2021.

Free Inclusive Practices Training & Technical Assistance for Public Preschool Programs

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is pleased to announce a professional development opportunity designed specifically for Public Preschool Programs. This initiative will support a third cohort of public preschool educators and administrators in providing inclusive practices within high quality preschool environments for 4-year-olds.

This offering is available to any district 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.

The DOE Inclusive Initiative is a collaboration with Child Development Services (CDS) and Maine Roads to Quality Professional Development Network (MRTQ PDN), a University of Maine System partnership between University of Southern Maine (USM) and University of Maine (UMaine). The partnership includes the University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies (CCIDS) which has expertise in providing training and technical assistance around inclusion, equity and access.

The project faculty will deliver a continuum of learning and support activities through a blended learning model that equips teams to learn about, reflect on, practice and apply the information and strategies to build and strengthen instructional practices that promote high quality preschool environments. Each team will participate in and have access to:

Online training covering a range of topics with the objective of helping early educators develop a deeper understanding of how to promote inclusion in the classroom.
Consultation to expand on the training content and use the materials to personalize learning within your own setting.
A facilitated professional learning community (PLC) with other peers as “thinking partners” to share and explore topics and application strategies.
A suite of resources and tools to support this work.

Benefits of Participation for Maine Schools

Opportunities for administrators, teachers, educational technicians and CDS staff to:

Devote dedicated time as a team to focus on preschool pedagogy.
Develop a shared understanding of the components of high quality inclusive preschool classrooms.
Identify, plan and work toward a common goal to continue to support equity and excellence.
Gain access to other early care and education professional development opportunities.
Enhance teacher recruitment, retention and quality.
Receive certificates of contact hours which support certification renewal and/or local professional development requirements.

Please visit here to hear from past participants about their experiences in this initiative.

An informational lunch and learn meeting is scheduled for Monday May 17, 2021 at 11:15-12:15. Pre-registration is required and available here. A recording of this session will be made available for future viewing here.

Districts 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.The tentative timeline of project requirements is outlined in the table below.

The project requirements include:	Projected timeline:
Completing the On-demand training: Inclusive Environments in Public Pre-K.	By August 18, 2021.
Participate in a half-day virtual orientation session.	Mid-August 2021
Completing an 18 hour online training: Creating Inclusive Preschool Settings Classrooms.	September-November 2021
Participate in 2 PLC’s scheduled as follow-up support during the online training.	October 2021
Participate 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
Participate in a wrap up meeting hosted by the DOE to evaluate the project and short district team presentations to showcase your learning.	December 2021

The complete application is available at this link.

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

For more information, view the FAQ or contact

Nicole Madore at Nicole.madore@maine.gov or

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

PRIORITY NOTICE: Interactive Workshop by Wabanaki REACH – Moving Forward: Opening a Path to Truth, Healing and Change

Maine-Wabanaki REACH is a cross cultural organization working in support of decolonization and Wabanaki self-determination. REACH focuses on truth, healing, and change. Our work with Wabanaki people is flexible, responding to activities in the communities themselves. It includes wellness and history learning, healing circles, support for growing food and medicines, and emergency financial support. This work takes place in Wabanaki communities, Maine communities, and in the Maine State Correction System. Our work with non-Native people around Maine and beyond includes learning about the history and ongoing relationships of Native and non-Native people, understanding colonization, and the work of decolonization.

Interacting with Wabanaki-Maine History

This program is an interactive experience in which we engage in a story of particular events in the history of 400-years of colonization of Wabanaki people by Europeans in this territory now called the State of Maine. This highly engaging experience requires our full participation in order to genuinely increase our understanding of colonization and what it means for current descendants and future generations; to reflect on what story we are writing for our grandchildren.

This workshop is sponsored by the Maine DOE’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Team.

The two-hour interactive workshop will be offered on three different occasions. To maximize the impact of the experience, a cap of 50 participants per workshop will be applied. This means space is limited. We will be accepting registrations on a first come-first served basis. A certification of completion will be provided to attendees that can be used toward Maine educator endorsements.

Monday, May 17, 2021 from 7:00pm-9:00pm
Monday, May 24, 2021 from 7:00pm-9:00pm
Monday, June 7, 2021 from 7:00pm-9:00pm

To register for this workshop, use the following link: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=q6g_QX0gYkubzeoajy-GTlcU2QBaiG9CuTPNt6EYjMFUMkVGSk40UElXUDgzWVJETFYwUkxNVVNTSy4u

For more information contact Danielle Despins; a volunteer member of Maine DOE’s internal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) sub-committee at danielle.r.despins@maine.gov.

Call for Proposals: Regional Computer Science Education Conference Hosted (virtually) in Maine!

Are you a teacher who loves computer science and tries to weave it into everything you teach? Or maybe you’re still somewhat new to technology, but have developed an understanding throughout the past year? Share your progress and showcase your innovations in computer science education at this year’s Computer Science Teacher Association New England (CSTA NE) conference, hosted (virtually via Hopin) by our very own Maine CSTA chapter!

The CSTA NE conference is a great opportunity to learn more about computer science education, connect with other computer science teachers, and hear perspectives from computer science teachers in other New England states. Sessions will be focused around innovation and will vary in both duration and topic. Session designs include: 15-minute flash talks, 30-minute topic discussions, and 60-minute sessions.

To learn more about CSTA NE, click here.

To submit a session proposal, fill out this form by May 24th, 2021.

If you’re not interested in presenting, but you’d like to attend the conference, registration to attend opens soon! Check back for updates.

Maine Organizations Launch New “Teach ME Outside” Website for Educators

A collaborative effort between three Maine organizations called “Teach ME Outside” has recently launched a new website to provide support for Maine educators and community members interested in environmental and outdoor learning for all Maine youth. The site contains educational resources, upcoming training opportunities, and data from across the state. Also featured on the website is the brand new Maine Environmental Education and Outdoor Learning Resource Directory, a dynamic and searchable map and tool that parents, educators, and community members can use to discover and connect with environmental and outdoor learning partners in their area. The website also has an interactive data dashboard which provides the opportunity to ask your own questions related to data from the 2019 Maine Community-based Environmental Learning (CBEL) Census.

Upcoming events hosted by Teach ME Outside include the Annual Maine Environmental Education Research Symposium Speaker Series. Every Tuesday in May will feature an expert in environmental education who will highlight cutting edge national research. Speakers include:

Louise Chawla, University of CO Boulder: Environmental Education + Nature-Based Learning = Healthy and Engaged Students
C. Busch, NC State University: Why Do We Think What We Think About Climate Change
Bruce Young, North American Association for Environmental Education: Practitioners Guide to Assess Connection To Nature
Tallie Segel, EE of New Mexico: Addressing Diversity and Inclusion in Environmental Education

Visit the Teach ME Outside website at https://teachmeoutside.org to register for the above events and discover new ways to support environmental learning in your community!

The goal of Teach ME Outside is to support and work in partnership with Maine communities to ensure that all Maine youth have access to powerful, hands-on environmental learning opportunities. This initiative builds on the collaborative work of many different organizations and individuals over the past decade and is led today by a partnership between the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance (MMSA), Maine Environmental Education Association (MEEA), and Nature Based Education Consortium (NBEC). This project is made possible with support from the Pisces Foundation and the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation.

About the Organizations

The Maine Math & Science Alliance is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that finds inspiring new ways to get people excited about science, technology, engineering and math today, so that our youth can become the innovators, problem solvers, and workforce of tomorrow. Visit mmsa.org

The Maine Environmental Education Association enhances and amplifies the efforts of individuals and organizations building environmental awareness, appreciation, understanding, and action in Maine. We work towards building an environmentally literate Maine where powerful learning experiences connect individuals to the state’s landscapes. Visit meeassociation.org

The Nature-Based Education Consortium is a growing multi-sector network of organizations focused on building support for and equitable access to outdoor learning opportunities for all Maine youth. We believe that all Maine youth deserve the opportunity to learn outside in ways that connect them to their community and the natural world.

For more information, contact Alex Brasili at 207-230-4617 or email at abrasili@mmsa.org

Continuous Improvement in Education: Supporting Innovation in Maine Webinar Series

The Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast and Islands in partnership with the Maine Department of Education and the Region 1 Comprehensive Center is excited to announce the Continuous Improvement in Education: Supporting Innovation in Maine Webinar Series. This webinar series is designed to help build the capacity of Maine educational leaders and teachers to understand and apply the principles and practices of continuous improvement. Participants will learn about identifying areas for improvement, implementing intended improvements, collecting data related to implementation, making sense of these data, and using the evidence in making improvement decisions.

The Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast and Islands works to bridge the worlds of educational research with educational practices in the field by supporting collaborative research partnerships between educators. The REL is designed to support educators through training, applied research studies, technical support and coaching. Please join us to learn more about how we are working to support Innovational Educational practices in Maine.

We encourage all educators to register for this unique opportunity to build capacity for innovative educational practices.

Session 1 – April 29, 2021, 3:30–4:45 p.m. Eastern
Session 2 – May 19, 2021, 3:30–4:45 p.m. Eastern

Even if you cannot attend the live sessions, register at the link above to receive an email when the recordings of the webinars are available online.

For more information, contact Martin Mackey, Maine Department of Education, Office of Innovation at Martin.Mackey@Maine.gov.

Reminder of Resources for Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS)

The Maine Department of Education continues to partner with the University of Maine system to provide Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS) training and coaching. PBIS is a multi-tiered approach to supporting the social, emotional and behavioral development of students in preK-12 settings. The purpose of PBIS is to improve the social, emotional and academic outcomes for all students, including students with disabilities and students from underrepresented groups.

An information session for SAUs and schools interested in joining a new PBIS cohort will be held April 30 at 12 pm. To learn more and access the remote meeting, contact Tracy Whitlock at tracy.w.whitlock@maine.gov.