As educators across the state know, the last two years have been abundant with conversation, revision and activity related to developing and implementing Performance Evaluation and Professional Growth (PEPG) systems so that all students have access to effective teachers and principals.
Category: Professional Development
Student behavior management and update on restraint and seclusion rules
Safely and effectively managing student behavior in class can be a challenge.
A recently-adopted rule regarding the use of restraint or seclusion in schools (Department of Education Rule Chapter 33) limits the use of restraint or seclusion to manage behavior to situations in which the health or safety of a student or others is at risk, and other less intrusive methods have failed to alleviate the risk or have been deemed inappropriate.
Continue reading “Student behavior management and update on restraint and seclusion rules”
PEPG resources for principals
The following Priority Notice was distributed to superintendents on Tuesday, August 19.
Dear Superintendents,
As part of ongoing efforts to support school administrative units in ensuring that teachers are led by highly effective building administrators, I am pleased to announce the release of the Maine DOE Principal Performance Evaluation and Professional Growth (PEPG) Model.
The Department has adopted as a State Principal PEPG Model the Administrator Evaluation Framework, which was prepared by the Auburn School Department in collaboration with the Department and the Maine Principals’ Association.
Educator resources for suicide awareness and prevention
The following Priority Notice was distributed to superintendents on Tuesday, August 19.
Dear Superintendents,
Ensuring the safety of our students is a commitment we all share and by providing supportive places to learn and thrive, we are doing our part to help our young people reach their full potential.
That is why today, I am pleased to announce the release of an online training video and toolkit, Suicide Prevention Awareness for Maine School Personnel, prepared by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Maine and available at no cost to Maine schools. This important resource aids school districts in complying with Maine’s school-based suicide awareness and prevention law (LD 609, PL 53, DOE Rule Chapter 38) that was passed in April 2013.
Continue reading “Educator resources for suicide awareness and prevention”
Upcoming Maine Security School Workshop
The Maine DOE is encouraging school staff to attend a Maine School Security Workshop to be held September 18 at Hampden Academy and September 19 at Westbrook Middle School.
Maine Arts Assessment Initiative hosts New England Summit on Arts Education
The Maine DOE joined over 90 educators, teaching artists, and interdisciplinary teams at the New England Summit on Arts Education, July 29-August 1, at the University of Southern Maine in Portland. This three day professional training opportunity was coordinated by the Maine Arts Assessment Initiative (MAAI) and provided participants with a collaborative approach to explore methods of teaching, learning, and assessment in arts education.
Continue reading “Maine Arts Assessment Initiative hosts New England Summit on Arts Education”
CDS staff completes routines-based interview training
The Child Development Services team is pleased to announce that, as of June 30th, the Part C staff at all 9 regional CDS sites has completed the Routines-Based Interview (RBI) training and will soon begin putting into practice what they have learned. Within a few months, all CDS Part C staff will have conducted several practice RBI’s with families and have their skills at conducting RBI’s assessed by a state-certified RBI trainer to ensure fidelity and functionality.
Continue reading “CDS staff completes routines-based interview training”
Special rates for Maine teachers at National Council for the Social Studies conference
The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) will host the nation’s largest and most comprehensive social studies professional development conference at its 2014 Annual Conference in Boston, November 21-23.
Maine DOE seeking online panel members to set achievement levels
As a governing state in the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, Maine continues to support the efforts to develop a rigorous assessment system that will become operational in the 2014-15 school year. As part of those efforts, the Maine DOE is seeking qualified educators, administrators, parents and business/community leaders to participate in an online process to recommend cut scores for achievement levels on Smarter Balanced developed assessments.
Continue reading “Maine DOE seeking online panel members to set achievement levels”
Commissioner’s Conference focuses on Proficiency-Based Diplomas and Educator Effectiveness
In closing comments of the 103rd Annual Commissioner’s Conference for Superintendents, Education Commissioner Jim Rier applauded attendees for their attention and participation in the general and break-out sessions during the 3-day event. The Department collaborated with Maine School Management Association in planning the conference, which was designed to provide superintendents and other district administrators with guidance, technical assistance and practical tools to use in implementing recently-passed legislation.
Maine DOE Newsroom 