Category: Professional Development

Interactive Workshop on the Legal Rights of English Learners

All educators are invited to attend this workshop which will provide participants with information regarding the legal responsibilities of schools serving English learners. Districts receiving federal funds under Title I and/or Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education (ESEA) are strongly encouraged to participate in this workshop, as it will clarify the core requirements for English learner programming that must be met before supplemental federal funds may be utilized.

The workshop, facilitated by Charo Basterra, Vice President of the Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium (MAEC), will include practical applications, scenarios, and tools that promote appropriate implementation of practices to address the needs and rights of English learners. MAEC is one of four regional technical assistance centers funded by the United States Department of Education.

Three contact hours will be available upon completion of a feedback survey. Wireless internet and free parking will be available, either on campus or at an off-campus parking lot connected by a free shuttle service. The ESEA Title III office of the Maine Department of Education is sponsoring this event and there is no registration fee.

Date: September 20, 2018

Time: 9:00am-12:00pm

Location:
University of New England
Innovation Hall
716 Stevens Avenue
Portland, ME 04103

Register Now

If you have any questions about this workshop, please contact April Perkins, Director of ESOL/Bilingual Programs, at april.perkins@maine.gov or (207)624-6627.

Assessment Professional Development and Learning

During the month of July, Department staff engaged in the review of submitted Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA)/SAU Consolidated Plans. All submitted plans have been reviewed and the Department continues final synthesis of review notes and team meetings in order to provide meaningful feedback to districts.

Cross team discussions during the review of submitted district CNAs/SAU Consolidated Plans afforded the Maine DOE  a unique opportunity to identify trends in challenges and successes experienced by  schools and districts across the state.  As a result of this review, the Department has developed a series of professional development and learning opportunities related to assessment and instructional practice. Full details including the list of dates will soon be available on the Maine DOE Professional Development & Training Calendar – at this time a listing can viewed in the following downloadable excel listing:

2018 Professional Development & Learning Opportunities (excel)

The first session of the series will be conducted via webinar and will focus on a Balanced Assessment System. This session will include an overview of the planned opportunities and timeline in addition to reviewing the key components of a Balanced Assessment System. Registration details regarding this session can be found below.

Session: Balanced Assessment Systems
Location: Webinar
Date & Time: September 26, 2018 at 2 pm
Join the Webinar (no registration necessary)

For further information please contact Janette Kirk, Deputy Director, Office of Learning Systems at Janette.Kirk@maine.gov or 624-6707.

 

 

ESSA Implementation and Report Card Release #success4ME

Formerly known as No Child Left Behind, the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965 was reauthorized as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in December, 2015.

During the fall of 2018, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) will begin implementation of ESSA including the rollout of Maine’s Model of School Supports and the public release of the Maine’s School Report Cards.

The reauthorization of ESSA provides Maine with the opportunity to develop and refine Maine’s strategic vision for education and provides flexibility for Maine to develop an accountability system known as Maine’s Model of School Supports, which incorporates measures of success beyond that of academic assessment data.

Over the coming weeks and months, in on-going communications from the Maine DOE Newsroom; official social media sites Facebook and Twitter (with use of the hash tag #success4ME); and in-person meetings throughout the State, the Maine DOE will be providing updates and information regarding Maine’s Model of Support, why it matters, and how it impacts schools and students.

In addition, the Department will be providing workshop sessions across the state for principals and school leaders to learn more about the School Report Card Dashboard and the Model of School Supports.  Registration information will be forthcoming.

Anticipated Timeline

  • September 2018 – January 2019 (and beyond): Ongoing communications via the Maine DOE Newsroom and in-person meetings scheduled throughout the State to prepare local officials and communities for the release of the implementation of ESSA and the public release of the report cards.
  • October 15, 2018: Confidential release of Maine Educational Assessment (MEA) student results with three weeks for districts to review and verify the data.
  • November 5, 2018: Public release of MEA student results.
  • November 2018: Internally, the Department will run the final and full 2017/2018 data through the Model of School Supports to check for accuracy.
  • December 2018: Confidential preview of School Report Cards for districts and schools followed by the public release of the School Report Cards.
  • January 2019: Department staff will meet with schools identified for tier III supports at regional meetings held throughout the State.

 

For further information, please contact Janette Kirk, Deputy Director, Office of Learning Systems at Janette.Kirk@maine.gov or 624-6707.

 

NAEP Assessment Positions Available

Westat is recruiting for the 2019 National Assessment of Educational Progress, also known as NAEP or The Nation’s Report Card, for the National Center for Education Statistics, which is part of the U.S. Department of Education. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is seeking motivated individuals who are committed to excellence and experienced in working with primary and secondary school students.

Positions are available for those interested in leading a team conducting assessments using touch-enabled tablets with 4th-, 8th-, and 12th grade students in participating schools across the state and for those interested in being a part of the team. Teams consist of 2-4 people, and will be responsible for assessment equipment during and between assessments. This opportunity is ideal for retired educators.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the largest continuing and nationally representative assessment of what our nation’s students know and can do in core subjects. NAEP will be conducting assessments in Maine schools in 2019 and is looking for people to work from January to March 2019 who have education or research experience and are comfortable interacting with students in schools.

An online application can be found at workNAEP.com

For more information, can be found using the links below or by contacting:

Linda Pomerleau, NAEP 2019 State Field Manager at 207-266-8138 or lindapomerleau@naepmail.westat.com.

2018-19 Gifted and Talented SAU Program Application Forms Available

The 2018-19 Gifted and Talented SAU Program Application forms are now available. All applications are due by September 30, 2018:

Access the Forms for Annual Gifted and Talented Program Approval and other related materials.

At the link above you will find:

  • Renewal applications with instructions (for SAUs that have an already existing gifted and talented program);
  • Initial applications with instructions (for SAUs that do not have a gifted and talented program);
  • Waiver request form (for SAUs that would like a one year waiver from having a gifted and talented program); &
  • Extension request form (for SAUs that require more time to complete their renewal or initial application).

All applications must be submitted to GT.DOE@maine.gov by September 30, 2018.

If you have any questions, please contact Ida Batista at ida.batista@maine.gov or 624-6795.

Gifted and Talented Workshops Available on September 12th and 14th

As a reminder to gifted and talented (GT) educators, the Maine Department of Education will sponsor two mentoring workshops for new and experienced gifted and talented educators. There is still time to register for one of these workshops. It is not necessary to attend both – choose the meeting that is most convenient for you:

University of Maine Orono (Wells Room 2)
September 12, 2018
9:00 am – 3:00 pm

University of Southern Maine, Lewiston – Auburn campus (Androscoggin Room 285) 
September 14, 2018
9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Workshop topics: reviewing this year’s renewal application process, exploring identification tools, discussing curriculum options aligned with regular education initiatives, organizing and managing GT programs, evaluating program effectiveness, and discussing budget concerns.

The morning will consist of a workshop designed for teachers and administrators who are looking for information regarding this year’s renewal application process. The workshop will also provide a forum to discuss GT programming.

Depending on the needs of the participants, in the afternoon, attendees will be broken into two groups. One group will be educators who are fairly new to the field. They will continue their in-depth discussions on the topics listed above. The second group will be educators who have been in the GT field for a longer period and may have far–reaching concerns and challenges.

The facilitator of this group, Lee Worcester PhD, asks that the advanced GT educators suggest a question for the afternoon session by September 7 at lee.worcester@yahoo.com or 943-8804.

Register for the training in Orono »

Register for the training in Lewiston » 

Please register by September 11. Due to the locations, lunch and refreshments will not be provided.

For any questions regarding the workshop, contact Educational Consultants: Lee Worcester at lee.worcester@yahoo.com or Patti Drapeau at ptdrapeau@aol.com.

Registration for Student Learning Objectives Training Now Open

The Maine Department of Education is once again proud to offer Student Learning Objective (SLO) training to school administrative units (SAUs) to help support the development and refinement of Performance Evaluation and Professional Growth (PEPG) systems.

For the 2018-2019 school year, Maine DOE has continued its partnership with the Northeast Comprehensive Center to offer training and support to effectively implement these important measures of student learning and growth.  This training will take place at the Burton M. Cross Building in Rooms 103A and 103B on September 10, 2018 from 10:00AM to 3:00PM.

SAU teams and other key staff who lead and support SLO work as a part of PEPG systems can expect to receive:

  • Research-based approaches to SLO implementation
  • Turn-key activities to facilitate with your SAU
  • Electronic resources to support districts in their SLO implementation

Topics to be addressed at the event include:

  • Determining SLO Quality
  • Navigating an SLO Process
  • Deciding on Learning Content
  • Setting Growth Targets
  • Developing Quality Assessments

Register for the Student Learning Objectives Training

Please note, additional trainings for the 2018-2019 school year are currently under development.  As these trainings are added, information will be distributed to districts.

For more information, please contact Emily Gribben, Educator Effectiveness Coordinator at emily.gribben@maine.gov.

Professional Standards for School Nutrition Professionals and Training Opportunities

As a reminder, the Federal School Food Service Professional Standards took effect July 1, 2015 and impacts the hiring process for new School Food Service Directors or staff members that are responsible for food service director duties and were hired after July 1, 2015.

School districts are asked to notify Maine Department of Education’s Child Nutrition staff of any School Food Service Directors leaving. Directors in place on or before June 30, 2015 are grandfathered in their position. Districts only need to meet the updated requirements for hiring a new director.

The professional standards require a combination of education and experience, and necessitate school food service employees stay current by requiring education credits be met each year. The amount of education credits varies with position and hours worked. View the Professional Standards for School Food Service.

Training offered by Maine DOE Child Nutrition team includes the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) training and Summer Food Service Program trainings, monthly webinars, regional meetings and workshops.

Take advantage of these trainings to acquire your continuing education hours. All trainings offered by Maine DOE Child Nutrition team will be posted on the Child Nutrition Resources web page and on the Maine DOE Professional Development and Training Calendar.

For more information contact Maine DOE’s Child Nutrition Director Walter Beesley at walter.beesley@maine.gov or call 624-6875.

Child Sexual Abuse Implementation Support Materials Now Available

As part of a collaborative effort of the Maine Department of Education and the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MECASA), resources have been developed to support school systems in the implementation of the child sexual abuse prevention and response law, L.D. 1180 – An Act To Require Education in Public Preschool Programs and Elementary. The Maine Department of Education has developed a Model Policy for Child Sexual Abuse Prevention and Response and more resources are available as part of an initiative called The Children’s Safety Partnership: Ending Child Abuse Together.

An important resource to the support these materials is The Children’s Safety Partnership Website dedicated to providing information and resources for schools and communities on child sexual abuse (CSA) prevention and response. Available on the home page of the new website is a link to a newly developed tool, A Guide to Implementing Maine’s CSA Prevention & Response Model Policy. Also available on the new website will be training opportunities focused on understanding the policy, personnel awareness and education, and curriculum lessons for students on child sexual abuse prevention. These trainings will include direct education as well as training of trainers and teachers. Get further details about scheduled regional trainings.

In addition, MECASA has a network of educators across the state available to support school districts with the implementation of the law. Visit the contact page of The Children’s Safety Partnership Website or the MECASA website to locate an educator at the sexual assault support center nearest you.

For more information contact Susan Berry, Health Education and Health Promotion Coordinator at Maine DOE at susan.berry@maine.gov.

 

Reminder: Computer Science Day is Monday, August 13th

Please plan to join us in Augusta for Computer Science Day at the State House and Maine State Library on August 13th from 9am to 4pm. All ages are welcome! Note that educators can earn up to seven contact hours.

There will be engaging activities, panels, and presentations led by students, educators, and businesses, such as:

Apple, Baxter Academy of Technology and Science, CashStar, Code.org, Eastern Maine Community College, Esri, Falmouth High School, Gizmo Gardens, Henry L. Cottrell Elementary, Husson University, Learn to Mod, Maine Department of Labor, Maine Office of Information Technology, Maine Central Institute, Maine CSTA, Microsoft, Monmouth Academy, Pi-Top, Project Lead The Way, RSU 19, South Portland High School, Sphero Edu, Texas Instruments, Thomas College, Tyler Technologies, University of Maine Cooperative Extension 4H, University of Maine, Unlimited Technology, University of Southern Maine, and Wonder Workshop.

You’re also encouraged to participate in a scavenger hunt throughout the day. Light refreshments will be provided. More information can be found below!

 

For more information or questions, contact any of the following event organizers: