Category: Professional Development

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:

MEDIA ADVISORY: Computer Science Day to be Held 8/13 in Augusta

What: The Maine Department of Education, the Maine State Library, Project Login, and the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance will be hosting Computer Science Day. Attendees can join presentations, hear from panelists from multiple industries, and visit booths with hands-on learning opportunities. The goal of the day is to offer participants the opportunity to explore how computer science skills can be learned in formal and informal learning settings, and how those skills can be applied in current and future jobs in Maine.

Who: The event is free and open to the public to attend. Educators and students from K-12 schools, higher education partners, businesses with employees engaged in computer science work, non-profits, informal learning providers, and companies that have computer science education products will spend the day networking, sharing their experiences with others, and learning from each other.

Where: Maine State House (Hall of Flags), Maine State Library (Atrium), and Various Committee Rooms in the Maine State House

When: Monday, August 13th from 9am – 4pm

  • 8:30 am – Registration begins and continues throughout the day (Hall of Flags and Maine State Library Atrium)
  • 9:00 am – 3:00 pm – Presentations, Panels, Hands-on learning at tables (various spaces)
  • 3:00 pm – Closing Event (Hall of Flags)

Schedule Highlights:  

  • 10:00am – 10:45am – Student Panel, Legislative Council Chambers, Maine State House. Students from local schools will share their experiences with Computer Science education, as well as programing and coding projects.
  • 1:00pm – 1:45pm – Higher Education Panel, Legislative Council Chambers, Maine State House. Faculty and students from Maine colleges and universities will discuss learning opportunities, potential career pathways, and resources available related to Computer Science.
  • 2:00pm – 2:45pm – Education and Business Partnerships Panel, Legislative Council Chambers, Maine State House. Panelists will discuss ways that businesses and school communities can create stronger connections that result in a better understanding of career pathways, experiential education opportunities, and an awareness of the skills needed in the workforce.
  • 3:00pm – 3:45pm – Closing Event, Hall of Flags, Maine State House. Host organizations will share ways to connect to resources and continue to engage in learning about Computer Science while participants who have completed the activities for the day enjoy some ice cream!

More information:

Members of the media are welcome to attend. For further questions contact, Maine DOE Director of Communications Rachel Paling at rachel.paling@maine.gov or call 624-6747.

Schedule for Computer Science Day Now Available

Please plan to join us in Augusta for Computer Science Day at the Capital on August 13th from 9am to 4pm, hosted by Maine DOE, the Maine State Library, Project Login, and Maine Math and Science Alliance. Students, educators and businesses can all benefit from exploring how computer science skills can be learned in formal and informal learning settings, and how those skills can be applied in current and future jobs in Maine.

The day will include presentations and booths with hands-on learning activities. More information can be found below and will continue to be updated over the next few weeks!

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

 

Understanding Maine DOE Data: A Workshop for School and District Leaders

WhyDataMatters-003.pngAre you a school or district leader that wonders why the Department collects certain data sets and what they are used for? Get the answer to this question and more by attending a workshops led by Paula Gravelle of School Finance and Charlotte Ellis of the Data Team. These are targeted sessions for school and district leaders, they will be about data use and policy, not data entry.

Topics Covered:

  • How does the State calculation work for funding public education (PreK-12)?
  • What data is important for the Essential Programs and Service (EPS)?
  • What data is important for Accountability?
  • What are the deadlines for submitting data?
  • Should I certify even if the data is wrong?
  • How does my data effect other districts?
  • What if I have an error in my data, can it be corrected?
  • What type of student data impacts the subsidy calculation?
  • Why do I have to do certifications?

Workshop Sessions Details:

  • August 7, Caribou High School 9:30-11:30 AM
  • August 8, Ellsworth Elementary/Middle School 9:30-11:30 AM
  • August 9, Brewer High School 9:30-11:30 AM
  • August 20, Cony High School (Augusta) 9:30-11:30 AM
  • August 21, Mt. Ararat Middle School (Topsham) 9:30-11:30 AM
  • August 22, Mt. Blue High School (Farmington) 9:30-11:30 AM
  • August 23, Gorham High School 9:30-11:30 AM

Please join Maine DOE School Finance Consultant, Paula Gravelle and Data Manager, Charlotte Ellis to understand why data matters.

Register for one of the workshops here: Workshop Registration Link

New School Nurse Orientation Registration

If you hired a new nurse for your school over the summer be sure to encourage them to attend the New School Nurse Orientation, a specialized program designed to help nurses transition into the educational setting.

Some of the topics included will be an introduction to School Nursing including a professional framework, scope and standards and certification requirements, resources, a review of Maine’s Nurse Practice Act, medication administration, and screening requirements. There will be two more days covering different topics for new School Nurses scheduled later in the school year.

  • Date: September 28, 2018
  • Time: 8:30am-3:00pm
  • Location: Camden National Bank Ice Vault Arena, Whitten Road, Hallowell
  • Cost: FREE
  • Registration: Register now for the New School Nurse Orientation Registration

If you have any questions, please contact Emily Poland, RN, School Nurse Consultant for the Maine Department of Education at 207-624-6688 or Emily.poland@maine.gov.

Register Now for Computer Science Day on August 13

The Maine Department of Education, Maine State Library, Project Login, and Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance are partnering to host Computer Science Day this summer. We’ll explore how computer science skills can be learned in formal and informal learning settings, and how those skills can be applied in current and future jobs in Maine. We hope to create more connections, partnerships, collaboration, and access to resources between educators, students, non-profits and businesses.

Participants can join presentations, hear from panelists from multiple industries, and visit booths with hands-on learning opportunities. Here are some of the organizations who will be presenting:

Apple, Microsoft, CashStar, Sphero Edu, Pi-Top, Thomas College, University of Southern Maine, University of Maine RiSE Center, Husson University, Wonder Workshop, Tyler Technologies… and many more!

  • Date: Monday, August 13th from 9am – 4pm
  • Location: Maine State House (Hall of Flags), Maine State Library (Atrium), and Various Committee Rooms in the Maine State House
  • Attendees: Open to the public. Educators have the opportunity to earn up to 7 contact hours for attending.
  • Cost: Free!
  • Registration: Computer Science Day Registration Link

For continued updates visit the Computer Science Event page.

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

CS Day Handout