From the Maine Department of Education

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Reporting Items

November Webinar: Immigrant Data Entry (UPDATED)

The Immigrant Data Entry Webinar has been moved to November 6th at 10 am. |  More

Due Soon: Staff Certification

Certification of the Staff EPS Counts is due on October 30th. This report is used in the calculation of EPS funding allocations. |  More

Certification Open, Due Soon: October 1 Student Counts

Certification of the October 1 Student Count Report opens on October 16th and is due on October 30th. This report is used in the calculation of EPS funding allocations. |  More

| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |

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News & Updates

East End Community School Teacher Joshua Chard Named 2024 Maine Teacher of the Year

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) and Educate Maine named East End Community School third-grade teacher Joshua Chard as Maine’s 2024 Teacher of the Year. The announcement was made during a surprise ceremony with students and educators at Chard’s school in Portland. |  More

PUBLIC COMMENT: Rule Chapter 132: Learning Results: Parameters for Essential Education; Science and Social Studies Standards

As part of the scheduled periodic review of the Maine Learning Results, the Maine Department of Education is seeking public comments regarding the proposed revisions to the social studies standards and the science standard in Rule Chapter 132. These comments will inform the continued work of the standards revision teams and are an integral part of the rulemaking process. |  More

Maine DOE Seeks Public Comment on the Amendment to Maine’s Model of School Support

The Maine Department of Education is requesting an approval by the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) to revise its approved consolidated ESSA State Plan under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). In this first phase, Maine is requesting the amendment to account for the transition to Maine’s new state general assessment, the Maine Through Year Assessment. |  More

Reminder: RISE Award Nominations Open Through Oct 20. Nominate an Extraordinary School Employee Today!

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) invites students, friends, families, community members, educational organizations or associations, co-workers, and supervisors to nominate school employees for the Recognizing Inspirational School Employees (RISE) Award.  |  More

Coming Soon! Maine DOE’s New Public School Podcast “What Holds Us Together”

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is excited to launch, “What Holds Us Together,” a new podcast celebrating Maine schools. Each month, Commissioner Pender Makin will highlight the inspiring and amazing things happening in Maine schools through conversations with educators, school staff, and students across our State. |  More

Maine DOE Meets with Adult Education Leaders in Lewiston for Annual Directors Meeting

The leaders of Maine’s adult education community convened in Lewiston for their annual directors meeting. The meeting brought together key figures in the Maine education landscape, emphasizing the collaborative efforts that drive adult education across the state. Daniel Chuhta, Deputy Commissioner at the Maine Department of Education, and Megan Welter, Associate Commissioner of Public Education were both in attendance, highlighting the State’s commitment to adult education. Erica Carley Harris, Policy Analyst for the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan, provided valuable insights into policies that shape adult education initiatives in Maine. |  More

2023 Class of Maine AmeriCorps Volunteers Sworn in During Viles Arboretum Celebration and Service Project

The 2023 class of Maine AmeriCorps members took the pledge to serve as volunteers during a celebration and service project that took place recently at the Viles Arboretum in Augusta. |  More

Maine DOE Opens 2023/2024 Student Cabinet Application

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is opening applications for the 2023/2024 Student Cabinet, a group of students that meet regularly with the Maine DOE and each other to discuss educational opportunities, improvements, and policy. |  More

NASBE Honors Maine State Board of Education Chair Fern Desjardins with Distinguished Service Award

The National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) has awarded Maine State Board of Education Chair Fern Desjardins the 2023 Distinguished Service Award. This national award honors current and former state board members who have made exceptional contributions to education. It represents one of the highest awards NASBE can bestow on a state board of education member. |  More

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Maine Schools Sharing Success Stories

Fighting Food Insecurity and Building Career Skills with Madison ELO Program

After spending the school day teaching math and sustainable agriculture at Madison Area Memorial High School, Joshua Bishop works after hours to run the school’s Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO) program. The ELO program at Madison focuses primarily on agriculture with the goal of teaching students valuable work skills while also helping to fight food insecurity in Somerset County. |  More

Lewiston Regional Tech Center Hosts 500 CTE Educators and Partners

More than 500 CTE educators and CTE partners came together last Friday at the Lewiston Regional Tech Center to participate in more than 20 CTE and career pathways sessions. |  More

St. George School Receives National Recognition for Innovative CTE/Makerspace Project

St. George Municipal School Unit (MSU) was recently selected as one of the 32 national semifinalists for the national Yass Prize, recognizing the “contemporary, inventive, and diverse in-district offerings” provided by St. George School. The small, rural St. George School was chosen among nearly 2,000 applicants representing 27 million students from every sector in education and every grade across all 50 states. |  More

Removing Barriers to Student Leadership

The following is a piece from The State Education Standard, a journal of the National State Boards of Education, written by Maine State Board of Education Student Representative Ryan Hafner. Ryan is a Senior at Hampton Academy and co-chairs the Maine DOE Student Cabinet. |  More

| Submit your Maine School Success Story |

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Professional Development, Training, and Events

Professional Learning: The Rural Experience in America Project

Funded by a grant from the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources program, NCHE is proud to announce a 3-part colloquium for teachers focusing on Rural America. These free professional learning opportunities will help teachers develop place-based interdisciplinary units that connect students to their rural communities. Additionally, the Maine Department of Education will be hosting a bi-weekly professional learning community to support educators through these NCHE modules. The PLC will incorporate the work developed by the MDOE interdisciplinary instruction specialists. |  More

Register Now for Alternative Education Association Fall Conference

The Alternative Education Association (AEA) of Maine is excited to announce a Fall Conference on November 9th at the University of Maine Augusta from 9:30 am – 1:30 am with the theme, “Circle Up!” |  More

New Learning Cohort Opportunity to Equip Principals in Leading Equity-Based MTSS for Student Supports; Info Session on 10/23

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is thrilled to announce the launch of an innovative training program aimed at empowering school principals to champion equity-based Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) for comprehensive student success. |  More

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

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Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities:

View current Maine Department of Education employment opportunities here

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From the Maine Department of Education

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Reporting Items

Upcoming Data Reporting Webinars for October & November

October data reporting webinars require registration. Additional information about these webinars can be found on the Webinars page of the Maine DOE Helpdesk Website. |  More

Open Reports: October 1 Enrollment, Staff Certification, Dropout, and Quarterly Reports

Fall reports are open and ready for review by districts. All reports require review, validation and/or certification by superintendents.  |  More

| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |

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News & Updates

RISE Award Nominations Open. Nominate an Extraordinary Classified School Employee Today!

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) invites students, friends, families, community members, educational organizations or associations, co-workers, and supervisors to nominate school employees for the RISE Award.  Anyone can nominate! |  More

Resources for Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Many have learned the phrase, “In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue”. But Columbus was not the first foreign explorer to land in the Americas, and neither he nor those who came before him discovered America—because Indigenous Peoples have populated the Western Hemisphere for tens of thousands of years.  |  More

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Maine Schools Sharing Success Stories

Augusta Adult and Community Education Engages in Vital Refugee Education Initiatives

Augusta Adult and Community Education’s Director, Dr. Kayla Sikora, and Career Navigator, Karin Morin, participated in the State Refugee Advisory Council meeting recently. Hosted at the UMA Bangor campus, this participation demonstrates Augusta Adult and Community Education’s commitment to refugee education and integration.  |  More

Healthy Acadia ELO Coordinator Creating Opportunities for Rural Washington County Students

As an Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO) Coordinator, Healthy Acadia’s Corrie Hunkler has led a pilot to expand the organization’s youth employment and career exploration programs while creating ELO opportunities for students in the coastal Washington County region. The project aims to create and promote ELO opportunities by developing new and existing partnerships with community-based organizations and local high schools.  |  More

| Submit your Maine School Success Story |

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Professional Development, Training, and Events

Maine DOE and BMV to Offer Joint Open Office Hours on School Bus Transportation and Licensing

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) and Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) are pleased to offer joint Open Office Hours focused on school bus transportation and licensing. Information on how a school administrative unit (SAU) can train new bus drivers will be reviewed. The shortage of school bus drivers is at a critical point. Being able to train in-house is an advantage in recruiting candidates. |  More

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

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Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities:

View current Maine Department of Education employment opportunities here

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From the Maine Department of Education

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Reporting Items

| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |

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News & Updates

Maine DOE Announces No Cost Program to Support Educator Wellbeing and Create Calm and Supporting Learning Environments

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) has partnered with The Regulated Classroom on a program to support educator wellbeing and student engagement at no cost to Maine educators. Six hundred educators can sign up to be trained as trainers in the framework at events across the state and will be able to bring new tools and resources back to their schools.|  More

Opportunity to Strengthen Nurse Leaders in Maine Schools

As part of funding from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for COVID-19 Emergency Response, Public Health Crisis Response, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) was awarded $8,861,778 for a two-year period, starting July 1, 2021, which has been extended through June 30, 2024. |  More

Suicide Prevention Resources for Maine Schools

Suicide is the second leading cause of death in Maine citizens ages 10-24 and among Maine high schoolers in 2021. The Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey found that 18.5% seriously considered attempting suicide in the previous 12 months. Given this pressing need, the Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Suicide Prevention Program, in collaboration with the Maine Department of Education (DOE) and many other incredible partners, continues to implement a variety of suicide prevention efforts aiming to reduce suicide deaths and attempts among Maine youth and young adults. |  More

Applications Open for Comprehensive Electronic Health Record Pilot Grant Program – Request for Applications (RFA #202305111)

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is accepting applications from school administrative units (SAUs), publicly supported secondary schools, and Education in the Unorganized Territory (EUT) that meet eligibility requirements stated in RFA# 202305111 as an ongoing open application period. |  More

Maine Educators Provide Valuable Input Through Maine Educational Assessments Panels

The Maine Department of Education wishes to extend a special thank you to the Maine educators who recently participated in educator panels across the Maine Educational Assessments: Maine Through Year, Maine Science, Multi-State Alternate Assessment, and WIDA ACCESS for ELLs.  |  More

Maine DOE MLTI Ambassador Program Welcomes Five New Distinguished Educators

The Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) is excited to share that the Ambassador program is expanding with an additional five distinguished educators joining the team. |  More

A Day with Maine Teacher of the Year Finalist Lacey Todd and Her Mountain Valley Middle School Community

Eat…or be eaten! That was the activity listed on the whiteboard in Mrs. Lacey Todd’s fifth-grade science classroom at Mountain Valley Middle School in Mexico. It was time to explore food chains, and the excitement among the students was electric.|  More

A Day with Maine Teacher of the Year Finalist Edith Berger and the Miller School Community

Miller School in Waldoboro greets people with joy from the instant you walk in. Colorful murals cover almost every hallway. Created by classes stretching back decades, these murals tell a story about generations of students and create a connection with students and educators walking the halls today on their way to lunch, recess, or the next class. Everyone greets you with a warm smile and there’s a feeling that this is a great place to learn. |  More

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Maine Schools Sharing Success Stories

Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative: Maine Students’ Forestry and Recreation Careers Blossom Thanks to Friends of Katahdin Woods and Waters Summer Program

Friends of Katahdin Woods and Waters, in partnership with the Katahdin Learning Project and numerous local outdoors-oriented organizations, facilitated multiple summer experiences for 217 youth grades 6-12 from the Katahdin Region and beyond this summer as part of the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative. |  More

Additional RSU 14 School Resource Officer Forges Positive Relationships with Younger Students

Feeling a sense of security is crucial to childhood development and educational success. This includes having trustworthy adults one can turn to when feeling unsafe or apprehensive. Parents and teachers are a perfect example. At RSU 14, adding a School Resource Officer to the mix to introduce police officers as friendly adults who are here to help, not to punish or threaten, has added to that sense of security. |  More

Lewiston Adult Education Honors Their First Apprenticeship Pathway CNA Graduates

Lewiston Adult Education Healthcare Apprenticeship Pathway, a 6-month series of courses designed for Multilingual Learners, resulting in multiple certificates for employment in the healthcare industry, is proud to announce the graduation and employment of its first CNA Apprenticeship students. The pathway includes a heavy emphasis on the English language of healthcare, covering reading technical text and case notes, writing incident reports, and workplace verbal communication, including extensive healthcare vocabulary. |  More

| Submit your Maine School Success Story |

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Professional Development, Training, and Events

13th Annual Maine PBIS Conference

Join us to celebrate, learn, and network with PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) leaders and implementers from across Maine and beyond to enhance the quality of life of students by promoting evidence-based and effective positive behavior supports to realize socially valid and equitable outcomes for people, families, schools, agencies, and communities. |  More

Application Deadline Extended for ConCEPT Asynchronous Professional Learning Opportunity

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is piloting a program designed to support educators throughout the state with professional learning that is practical and flexible. |  More

Maine Association of School Libraries (MASL) to Host New Library Staff Affinity Session on 10/5

School librarians are leaving the profession, nationwide and in Maine. Yet we know the impact of school librarians on student learning and growth, particularly during the pandemic — and how a certified school librarian prepares students for their post-secondary success. |  More

Professional Learning Community: Explore 2nd Grade for ME

Between 2018-2023, the Maine Department of Education has engaged in the development of interdisciplinary, open-source instructional programs for Pre-K, Kindergarten, and Grade 1. These programs, Pre-K for ME and K for ME, and 1st Grade for ME, are housed on the Maine DOE’s website. Many schools across the state have implemented these instructional programs and the Maine DOE is planning to extend its work related to interdisciplinary, open-source instructional programming into grade two during the 2024-25 school year by adapting the Boston Public Schools’ Focus on Second program to become 2nd Grade for ME. |  More

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

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Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities:

We Are Hiring: School Nurse Regional Liaison (Multiple Positions)

The Maine Department of Education’s Office of School & Student Supports is hiring multiple positions to enhance the Coordinated School Health (CSH) team! We are looking for experienced school health professionals to work with us as we strive to ensure that Maine schools are inclusive, healthy, safe, and supportive communities where every student thrives. |  More

View current Maine Department of Education employment opportunities here

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From the Maine Department of Education

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Reporting Items

October Enrollment Reporting Resources

October 1 Enrollment reporting often brings up many questions about unique situations for student enrollments and how to record the data for state reporting purposes. We often hear questions about enrolling students experiencing homelessness, State Agency Clients, enrollments in special purpose private schools, Superintendent Agreements, and many other situations that students may be experiencing. |  More

| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |

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News & Updates

Maine DOE and Educate Maine Partner to Develop the Teach Maine Center to Support and Grow Maine’s Educator Workforce

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) and Educate Maine have partnered to develop the Teach Maine Center to support and advance a vibrant educator workforce in Maine that enables all students to thrive. |  More

Maine DOE Experiences a 40 Percent Increase in Educator Certification Applications

The Maine Department of Education experienced a 40 percent increase this summer in the number of initial and renewal educator certification applications processed compared to last year. The Maine DOE’s certification team processed more than 11,000 certification applications between June and August. |  More

A Day With Maine Teacher of the Year Finalist Colleen Maker’s Class

The word of the day posted at the front of the class reads “tedium-boredom,” which could not be any more opposite of the reality in Mrs. Maker’s high school science classroom on this blustery coastal day. Despite the weather, Colleen Maker’s classroom is alive with inquisitive minds ready to glean wisdom from their favorite teacher. This 2024 Maine Teacher of the Year finalist and 2023 Washington County Teacher of the Year has a large following of students, parents, colleagues, administration, and community members who are big fans. Whether it is harvesting carrots in a post-storm mist to send off to the local food pantry or identifying the species of invasive crab in class, Colleen Maker’s students are engaged, learning, and know they are cared for by their exemplary teacher. |  More

A Day With Maine Teacher of the Year Finalist Joshua Chard’s Class

The Chardlings, as they’re affectionately called, go to school at East End Community School in Portland. East End is a diverse and welcoming school that sits on a hill overlooking the city and the water. Beyond extraordinary teachers, the school has its own garden with an outdoor classroom, a closet where students can get free clothes and other supplies, and a deep connection to the neighborhood and families as a community school. |  More

Seeking Educators to Pilot MOOSE Modules; Info Session 9/21/23

Do you want to explore and implement innovative curriculum this fall? Are you interested in expanding your impact outside your classroom/school? The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is currently looking for educators to pilot MOOSE modules and would love to have your class participate!|  More

Join the Maine Association for Improving Literacy (MAIL)

The Cambridge Dictionary simply defines literacy as the ability to read and write. The National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) defines literacy as the ability to use printed and written information to function in society, to achieve one’s goals, and to develop one’s knowledge and potential. The International Literacy Association defines literacy as the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, compute, and communicate using visual, audible, and digital materials across disciplines and in any context. |  More

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Maine Schools Sharing Success Stories

Woodland ELO Program Gives Back to Community and Prepares Students for Future Careers

At Woodland Junior-Senior High School, Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO) Coordinator Heidi Hicks is helping students connect with their community and realize their full potential. Through job shadows, volunteer work, and mentorships, Hicks’ students are simultaneously exploring future career paths and giving back to their local communities. |  More |

Submit your Maine School Success Story |

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Professional Development, Training, and Events

Maine DOE and Maine Association of School Psychologist to Host Presentation on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders on Oct 30

The Maine Department of Education and the Maine Association of School Psychologists (MASP) are co-hosting a presentation: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders with Christie L. M. Petrenko, Ph.D. on Monday, October 30, 2023, from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm at the Harraseeket Inn Freeport. |  More 

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

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Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities:

View current Maine Department of Education employment opportunities here

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From the Maine Department of Education

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Reporting Items

Reports Open Soon: Fall Reports – October 1 Enrollment, Dropout, and Quarterly Reports

Fall reports will be opening soon. All reports require review, validation and/or certification by superintendents. |  More

Webinar: October 1 Enrollment (EPS Student Count) – September 26, 2023

Join the Data Team for information about the October 1 Student Enrollment report. The data from this report is part of determining state funding allocations to SAUs. |  More

Webinar: Dropout Reporting – September 19, 2023

Join the Maine DOE Data Team for a webinar about dropout reporting. This report defines dropouts based on the federal requirements meeting all three of the following criteria: students enrolled at any time from 10/1/2022-9/30/2023, who are exited with a code that is expected to return, and are not enrolled on 10/1/2023. |  More

| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |

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News & Updates

71 Maine Schools Begin BARR Model Implementation to Increase Student and Staff Wellbeing and Increase Academic Achievement

As the new school year begins, 71 schools across Maine launched their first year of implementing the BARR (Building Assets, Reducing Risks) model with students and staff. The Maine Department of Education (DOE) invested $10 million in federal emergency relief funds to provide access to the BARR model for Maine schools. BARR is a research-backed model focused on strengthening relationships, reducing high-risk student behavior, and improving academic achievement. |  More

Maine Department of Education Releases Climate Education Professional Development Grant to Promote Climate Education in Maine Schools

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is excited to launch a new climate education professional development pilot grant opportunity to support the growth of climate education throughout the state and most especially in underserved communities. This grant initiative was designed out of LD 1902 which passed in the spring of 2022. This grant initiative is designed first and foremost to support teachers and schools. Climate change content and pedagogy can be challenging to approach for many different reasons. It can be a new area for teachers, a subject matter that is challenging to navigate in a school’s community, and an area of education where teachers and schools just don’t know where to get started. |  More

Maine DOE Staff Recognized During Recent Red Sox vs. Dodgers Game at Fenway Park

Maine DOE’s Amelia Lyons Rukema, a Monster Finalist in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl Educators of New England Award, recently participated in the pregame ceremony for the Red Sox vs. Dodgers game at Fenway Park. Amelia serves as the McKinney-Vento specialist for the Maine Department of Education and was recognized as one of the three finalists for the award. |  More

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Maine Schools Sharing Success Stories

Spruce Mountain High School Envirothon Team Finishes 16th at the Envirothon World Championships

Do you know what a frogsickle is? Can you find the perimeter of a circular 1/250th hectare plot of forest land? Can you interpret LIDAR images to identify landforms? Do you know that manmade salt marshes work more effectively than dykes to protect shorelines from rising sea levels? These are just a few things that Spruce Mountain High School students learned as they competed in the 2023 National Conservation Foundation Envirothon in Tantramar New Brunswick, Canada from July 23rd to the 29th. The team represented Maine well, taking 16th place out of 49 teams at the competition held at Mount Allison University. |  More

UMPI ELO Coordinator Partners with High Schools to Bring Career Opportunities to Both College and High School Students

“It is my job to connect UMPI students with community-based career exploration and paid work experiences outside the classroom,” says Sarah Bushey of her work as the Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO) Coordinator at the University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMPI). Bushey helps UMPI students find mentorships and opportunities at local businesses and organizations. She also works closely with Valerie Waldemarson, JMG Master Specialist at Caribou High School and Allison Reed, Director of Guidance, Presque Isle High School to bring similar, credit-earning opportunities to younger students. |  More

| Submit your Maine School Success Story |

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Professional Development, Training, and Events

Apply Now for Conceptual Classrooms & Educational Programs for Teachers (ConCEPT)

For the past few weeks, the Interdisciplinary Instruction team has been offering informational webinars on “Conceptual Classrooms & Educational Programs for Teachers” (ConCEPT), an innovative approach to enhance your teaching practices and student engagement through concept-based inquiry strategies. If you couldn’t attend the live webinars but would like to learn specifics about the ConCEPT pilot, you can watch the recording on our website. You will also find links to the application and the menu of professional learning opportunities offered in this pilot. |  More

Learning Series: Supporting Children, Families, and Communities to Thrive

Maine’s Department of Education’s (DOE) Early Learning Team and Maine’s Office of Child and Family Services are excited to announce a professional learning opportunity for child care and public-school educators working with children birth-8 years old. This opportunity is funded through Maine’s Preschool Development Renewal Grant. |  More

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

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Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities:

View current Maine Department of Education employment opportunities here

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