Time is short and needs are high. As we rapidly progress through the second half of the 20-21 school year, many educators begin to ask, “Have I gotten enough done? Are my kids ready for the next grade? How will I ever meet the needs of those I notice struggling with the time I have left?”
Beginning March 3rd, a new 6-week MicroPD series will focus on strategies for strengthening tier 1 supports for all students by exploring a 4-step problem solving process as it is applied at the tier 1 level. The goal of the series is to develop both understanding and application strategies for improving supports for all students through tier 1 instruction. Participation in this MicroPD series will prepare administrators, interventionists, and other support staff/teams with skills to evaluate the tier 1 setting in their school, application of a four step problem solving process for addressing areas of need, and action planning for initiating the process to better support teachers and students as they round out the school year.
Session dates and topics:
Session 1: March 3: Exploring effective four step problem solving models
Session 2: March 10: Goal/Problem Identification
Session 3: March 17: Problem Analysis
Session 4: March 24: Instructional/Intervention Design
Session 5: March 31: Response to Instruction/Intervention
Session 6: April 7: Implications for leaders/action planning
Sessions will be held on Wednesdays from 1:00-2:00 PM for 6 weeks. Participants will receive a PD companion guide that they can use to facilitate their learning throughout the series. Can’t attend all of the sessions? That’s ok! Sessions will be recorded and registered participants will be able to view the recording and use the companion guide to catch up and stay on track with the series.
You MUST register for this new PD series even if you have registered for MTSS MicroPD in the past. Registration for this PD will close on Tuesday, March 2nd and registered participants will receive the workbook prior to the start of the MicroPD on March 3rd.
The below opportunity is hosted by Educate Maine, the Education Action Forum of Maine, Thomas College’s Center for Innovation in Education, and the Maine State Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation.
Education Innovators: Equity in Education
March 4th from 3pm to 4pm
Attendees will hear from district, teacher, and nonprofit leaders about promising practices used to close opportunity gaps. Attendees will hear about equity initiatives implemented across school districts, examine classroom-based practices, and learn about building community support for equity priorities.
The speakers are:
Dr. Marsha Drake, Chief Equity Officer, Hamilton County Schools, Tennessee
Cindy Soule, Teacher, Gerald A. Talbot School, 2021 Maine State Teacher of the Year
This event is part of the Education Innovators Series supported by Educate Maine, the Education Action Forum of Maine, Thomas College’s Center for Innovation in Education, and the Maine State Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation
Celebrate Digital Learning Day (DLDay) on February 25, 2021 with stories of educators who have overcome adversity and are embracing innovation. These stories are guaranteed to inspire and invigorate your vision for the future.
The event will reflect on changes from the past twelve months, celebrate ten years of DLDay, and help participants be inspired to be part of the new age of learning.
Visit classrooms, schools, and districts around the country (virtually of course) and witness the power that comes when educators combine a growth mindset with perseverance, innovation, and collaborative leadership.
Together we are better. Together we are Future Ready.
Stop Trafficking US, Cumberland County Children’s Advocacy Center, Maine School Safety Center, and the Maine Department of Education would like to invite you to attend a day of training entitled, State of Maine Collaborative Child Abuse Prevention Training.
The Zero Abuse Project presentation is a three-day training for social workers, educators, law enforcement and prosecutors. You may attend one day or all three days.
These trainings are designed to provide cross-disciplinary education, advocacy for systemic legal change, guidance for survivor support, and leadership on emerging technologies. Education and training around how to recognize and address the intersecting forms of child maltreatment in connection with child sexual abuse is the focus of all three days.
The goals of the Zero Abuse Project Training are:
To equip current and future multi-disciplinary teams and other professionals with the skills to identify abuse, intervene for children’s safety, secure justice, and build resiliency.
Create technologies that strengthen investigations, expose abusers, and provide survivors with pathways to recovery.
Promote evidence-based research that advances child protection.
Advocate policies that create and sustain a culture of prevention, disclosure, accountability, and healing.
This training is made possible through the generous donations from the Stop Trafficking US funders who believe “Education Matters” in preventing child abuse.
Training dates and times:
Mar 17, 2021 08:30 AM – 4:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Social Workers and Law Enforcement Specific
Mar 18, 2021 08:30 AM – 4:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Prosecutors and Law Enforcement Specific
Mar 19, 2021 08:30 AM – 4:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Educator Specific
The Maine Department of Education is sponsoring a workshop by Amber Coleman-Mortley, Moving Beyond the Movement: Fostering Authentic Transformation for Sustainable Outcomes. This Learning Series was originally scheduled for earlier this month but it has been rescheduled and the registration has opened back up for additional attendees! Please see the updated dates below.
Updated Learning Series Dates & Syllabus:
Wednesday, February 17, 7:00-9:00pm Module 1 – Now is the Time: Using the past to inform the present: How do we apply anti-racism, anti-bias, and equity to civics and history classrooms?
Wednesday, February 24, 7:00-8:30pm Module 2-Be bold. Be brave. Be inclusive: Engaging your stakeholders: How do we facilitate community engagement around anti-bias work?
Wednesday, March 3, 7:00-9:00pm Module 3- Culturally relevant pedagogy for all: How can we leverage culturally relevant pedagogy to support all learners in our school community?
Wednesday, March 10, 7:00-8:30pm Module 4- Practical applications and continued strategies for continued allyship: What small, and large, changes are required to ensure that our practices and policies are investments, not investigations?
Amber Coleman-Mortley brings a diverse voice into civic education, manages a large network of education influencers, and has built a successful youth fellowship of students fighting for equity in civic education. Amber’s advocacy and expertise have been featured in the New York Times on several occasions.
Amber Coleman-Mortley is a talented creator and builder of digital and grassroots networks where she focuses on cultivating an engaged community of active participants through multimedia video and virtual spaces. In her current role as Director of Social Engagement, she brings diverse voices into civic education, manages a large network of education influencers, and has built a successful youth fellowship of students fighting for equity in civic education.
Amber’s equity and civic work is centered around building strong teams for improved community outcomes, which is inspired by her years as a three-sport varsity athlete at Oberlin College where she earned North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) all-conference honors for 8 out of the 11 seasons she competed. She also has a Division 3 , NCAA appearance in the 4×100 m. She currently serves as an alumni advisor to Oberlin College’s, Black Student-Athlete Guild.
Amber taught for nine years as a P.E/Health teacher and head varsity volley ball and head varsity track coach. She has experience building curriculum and leadership programs for student-athletes and team captains. Amber presented on Anti-Racist Coaching and Sports and Social Justice at the U.S. Soccer
Foundation’s Virtual National Training. At the center of her work are equity, critical thinking, and civic problem-solving. She has experience collaborating virtually with parents and educators around equity, anti-racism, and culturally relevant pedagogy, which includes work with the DuPage (Illinois) Regional Office Of Education.
Amber is a highly regarded social media influencer whose work brought her to the White House to meet former first lady Michelle Obama to discuss influencer campaigns that focus on family health and wellness. She is a parenting expert and author of Mom Of All Capes where she covers parenting strategies in civic education, education technology, parent-teacher partnerships, and social-emotional development. The podcast she co-created with her children, Lets K12 Better, discusses how to improve K12 education and family life through partnerships and communication.
Amber’s advocacy and expertise have been featured in the New York Times on several occasions which includes viral videos, a full-page spread in print media, and several online articles. Her insights have been cited in publications from the LA Times to the Smithsonian Magazine, The Washington Post to LAist. Coleman-Mortley has shared insights for parents through her work for Edutopia, civic education and parenting for TODAY Parenting, and even shared tips for weary travelers through Southwest Airlines. Amber’s voice has been amplified on countless podcasts including Edit Your Life about how to talk to children about race, EduTable about education a inequity, NPR affiliate KPC Conprocessing the state of the world with children. She’s presented live with New York Times Parenting and Sree Sreenivansan’s daily global show on talking to kids about race.
Additional information:
This workshop series will require participants to maintain a reflection journal. Participants should come motivated to create change and should be prepared to participate in group discussions based on readings and resources shared prior to the session.
Engaging in this cohort provides an opportunity for participants to earn credit hours. To receive credit, participants must attend all four sessions.
For more information contact Danielle Despins; a volunteer member of Maine DOE’s internal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) sub-committee at (207) 592-1448.
The Maine Department of Education is sponsoring a workshop by Amber Coleman-Mortley, Moving Beyond the Movement: Fostering Authentic Transformation for Sustainable Outcomes. Amber Coleman-Mortley brings a diverse voice into civic education, manages a large network of education influencers, and has built a successful youth fellowship of students fighting for equity in civic education. Amber’s advocacy and expertise have been featured in the New York Times on several occasions.
Syllabus:
Module 1 – Now is the Time: Using the past to inform the present
How do we apply anti-racism, anti-bias, and equity to civics and history classrooms?
Module 2 – Be bold. Be brave. Be inclusive: Engaging your stakeholders
How do we facilitate community engagement around anti-bias work?
Module 3 – Culturally relevant pedagogy for all
How can we leverage culturally relevant pedagogy to support all learners in our school community?
Module 4 – Practical applications and continued strategies for continued allyship
What small, and large, changes are required to ensure that our practices and policies are investments, not investigations?
Every Wednesday in February
February 3, 2021; 7:00-9:00 PM
February 10, 2021; 7:00-8:30 PM
February 17, 2021; 7:00-9:00 PM
February 24, 2021; 7:00-8:30 PM
Amber Coleman-Mortley is a talented creator and builder of digital and grassroots networks where she focuses on cultivating an engaged community of active participants through multimedia video and virtual spaces. In her current role as Director of Social Engagement, she brings diverse voices into civic education, manages a large network of education influencers, and has built a successful youth fellowship of students fighting for equity in civic education.
Amber’s equity and civic work is centered around building strong teams for improved community outcomes, which is inspired by her years as a three-sport varsity athlete at Oberlin College where she earned North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) all-conference honors for 8 out of the 11 seasons she competed. She also has a Division 3 , NCAA appearance in the 4×100 m. She currently serves as an alumni advisor to Oberlin College’s, Black Student-Athlete Guild.
Amber taught for nine years as a P.E/Health teacher and head varsity volley ball and head varsity track coach. She has experience building curriculum and leadership programs for student-athletes and team captains. Amber presented on Anti-Racist Coaching and Sports and Social Justice at the U.S. Soccer
Foundation’s Virtual National Training. At the center of her work are equity, critical thinking, and civic problem-solving. She has experience collaborating virtually with parents and educators around equity, anti-racism, and culturally relevant pedagogy, which includes work with the DuPage (Illinois) Regional Office Of Education.
Amber is a highly regarded social media influencer whose work brought her to the White House to meet former first lady Michelle Obama to discuss influencer campaigns that focus on family health and wellness. She is a parenting expert and author of Mom Of All Capes where she covers parenting strategies in civic education, education technology, parent-teacher partnerships, and social-emotional development. The podcast she co-created with her children, Lets K12 Better, discusses how to improve K12 education and family life through partnerships and communication.
Amber’s advocacy and expertise have been featured in the New York Times on several occasions which includes viral videos, a full-page spread in print media, and several online articles. Her insights have been cited in publications from the LA Times to the Smithsonian Magazine, The Washington Post to LAist. Coleman-Mortley has shared insights for parents through her work for Edutopia, civic education and parenting for TODAY Parenting, and even shared tips for weary travelers through Southwest Airlines. Amber’s voice has been amplified on countless podcasts including Edit Your Life about how to talk to children about race, EduTable about education a inequity, NPR affiliate KPC Conprocessing the state of the world with children. She’s presented live with New York Times Parenting and Sree Sreenivansan’s daily global show on talking to kids about race.
Additional information:
This workshop series will require participants to maintain a reflection journal. Participants should come motivated to create change and should be prepared to participate in group discussions based on readings and resources shared prior to the session.
Engaging in this cohort provides an opportunity for participants to earn credit hours. To receive credit, participants must attend all four sessions.
For more information contact Danielle Despins; a volunteer member of Maine DOE’s internal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) sub-committee at (207) 592-1448.
The Maine Department of Education is sponsoring a workshop by Amber Coleman-Mortley, Moving Beyond the Movement: Fostering Authentic Transformation for Sustainable Outcomes. Amber Coleman-Mortley brings a diverse voice into civic education, manages a large network of education influencers, and has built a successful youth fellowship of students fighting for equity in civic education. Amber’s advocacy and expertise have been featured in the New York Times on several occasions.
Syllabus:
Module 1 – Now is the Time: Using the past to inform the present
How do we apply anti-racism, anti-bias, and equity to civics and history classrooms?
Module 2 – Be bold. Be brave. Be inclusive: Engaging your stakeholders
How do we facilitate community engagement around anti-bias work?
Module 3 – Culturally relevant pedagogy for all
How can we leverage culturally relevant pedagogy to support all learners in our school community?
Module 4 – Practical applications and continued strategies for continued allyship
What small, and large, changes are required to ensure that our practices and policies are investments, not investigations?
Every Wednesday in February
February 3, 2021; 7:00-9:00 PM
February 10, 2021; 7:00-8:30 PM
February 17, 2021; 7:00-9:00 PM
February 24, 2021; 7:00-8:30 PM
Amber Coleman-Mortley is a talented creator and builder of digital and grassroots networks where she focuses on cultivating an engaged community of active participants through multimedia video and virtual spaces. In her current role as Director of Social Engagement, she brings diverse voices into civic education, manages a large network of education influencers, and has built a successful youth fellowship of students fighting for equity in civic education.
Amber’s equity and civic work is centered around building strong teams for improved community outcomes, which is inspired by her years as a three-sport varsity athlete at Oberlin College where she earned North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) all-conference honors for 8 out of the 11 seasons she competed. She also has a Division 3 , NCAA appearance in the 4×100 m. She currently serves as an alumni advisor to Oberlin College’s, Black Student-Athlete Guild.
Amber taught for nine years as a P.E/Health teacher and head varsity volley ball and head varsity track coach. She has experience building curriculum and leadership programs for student-athletes and team captains. Amber presented on Anti-Racist Coaching and Sports and Social Justice at the U.S. Soccer
Foundation’s Virtual National Training. At the center of her work are equity, critical thinking, and civic problem-solving. She has experience collaborating virtually with parents and educators around equity, anti-racism, and culturally relevant pedagogy, which includes work with the DuPage (Illinois) Regional Office Of Education.
Amber is a highly regarded social media influencer whose work brought her to the White House to meet former first lady Michelle Obama to discuss influencer campaigns that focus on family health and wellness. She is a parenting expert and author of Mom Of All Capes where she covers parenting strategies in civic education, education technology, parent-teacher partnerships, and social-emotional development. The podcast she co-created with her children, Lets K12 Better, discusses how to improve K12 education and family life through partnerships and communication.
Amber’s advocacy and expertise have been featured in the New York Times on several occasions which includes viral videos, a full-page spread in print media, and several online articles. Her insights have been cited in publications from the LA Times to the Smithsonian Magazine, The Washington Post to LAist. Coleman-Mortley has shared insights for parents through her work for Edutopia, civic education and parenting for TODAY Parenting, and even shared tips for weary travelers through Southwest Airlines. Amber’s voice has been amplified on countless podcasts including Edit Your Life about how to talk to children about race, EduTable about education a inequity, NPR affiliate KPC Conprocessing the state of the world with children. She’s presented live with New York Times Parenting and Sree Sreenivansan’s daily global show on talking to kids about race.
Additional information:
This workshop series will require participants to maintain a reflection journal. Participants should come motivated to create change and should be prepared to participate in group discussions based on readings and resources shared prior to the session.
Engaging in this cohort provides an opportunity for participants to earn credit hours. To receive credit, participants must attend all four sessions.
For more information contact Danielle Despins; a volunteer member of Maine DOE’s internal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) sub-committee at (207) 592-1448.
The Maine School Safety Center and Dr. Karen Barnes (MSSC Threat Assessment Officer) are pleased to invite you to a presentation that will provide you with a brief overview of School Behavioral Threat Assessment as well as inform you of current efforts underway in our state to identify at-risk students and mitigate violence by providing timely and effective interventions. Additionally, we will provide you with details pertaining to free training opportunities to develop multidisciplinary threat assessment teams in your schools. We hope you will join us as we share our work with you thus far and our vision for the future to ensure safety in all Maine schools.
The training will be conversational with ample opportunity for questions. This training will be followed with a second training, at a later date, hosted by REMS addressing Behavioral Threat Assessment from a National perspective.
The target audience for this training are school administrators, school staff, mental health professional, law enforcement and other school safety stakeholders.
When: Jan 29, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Portland Adult Education and Opportunity Alliance have announced the launch of their new ELL Child Development Associate (CDA) Training. The training is a partnership between Opportunity Alliance, Portland Adult Education and the Greater Portland Workforce Initiative.
The CDA Credential is recognized nationally as the quality standard for training of professional early childhood teachers. CDA training helps teachers work effectively with infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and their families in either a center-based or family child care setting.
This six-month training program is co-taught by a Certified CDA Instructor from the CDA Development Center and supported by an instructor from Portland Adult Education. Students will receive 120 hours of CDA instruction as well as support in English language, portfolio development, test-taking skills, and digital skills.
This series has reached its capacity – registration is no longer open.
The Maine State Teacher of the Year Association (MSTOYA) is thrilled to offer an important, timely and free professional development series: Antiracist Education for all of Maine. This series kicks off with a keynote by Cornelius Minor, an author, teacher, instructional coach, and self-proclaimed “book tiger.” There are also many other powerful speakers and “collegial conversations,” which are designed to be equity focused discussions with educators across Maine to help Maine educators build capacity as equity leaders in Maine schools and communities.
Speaker: No More Excuses: Why It Has to Be Us And Why It Has To Be Now
Cornelius Minor
February 9th, 7:00-8:00 pm
Collegial Conversations: Navigating The Challenges of Antiracist Work In Maine Schools
February 25th, 7:00-8:00 pm
Speaker: Voices From Our Classrooms
Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine
March 2nd, 7:00-8:00 pm
Collegial Conversations: Rehearsing Important Conversations About Racism Through Scenarios
March 18th, , 7:00-8:00 pm
Speaker: Literature as a Lens: Using Texts As A Tool to Broaden Perspectives
Monica Washington, Nesrene Griffin, Iris Eichenlaub
March 23rd, 7:00-8:00 pm
Speaker: Decolonizing The Curriculum
Fiona Hopper, Starr Kelly, Joe Schmidt
April 6th, 7:00-8:00 pm
Speaker: What Comes Next?
Cornelius Minor
April 14th, 7:00-8:00 pm
Collegial Conversations: Equity Leadership From The Classroom
April 15th, 7:00-8:00 pm
All events are free to Maine teachers. Contact hours will be awarded for each session upon completion of an exit ticket. Space is limited, and will be offered to educators across the state, so sign up early!
Events made possible with major funding from Unum. Additional support from Lee Auto, Educate Maine, and The Maine Teachers of the Year Association.
Register here.All sessions are full!
Do the best that you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better. – Maya Angelou
Maine DOE Newsroom 