Maine DOE Update – August 2, 2018

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

Annual Audit Requirements

Pursuant to Title 20-A MRSA 6051 §4, statements of assurance and Maine Education Financial System reconciliations are due to the Department by November 1, 2018. | More

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News & Updates

Anticipated Timeline for Release of Maine Education Assessment (MEA) Results

The anticipated date for providing confidential Maine Education Assessment (MEA) results to districts for review is October 8, 2018. | More

Maine Schools/School Approval FAQs Now Available

The Maine Department Education has posted a Maine Schools/School Approval FAQs document on the Maine DOE Public School Approval webpage to addresses questions about public school approval 2018-2019 and further assist schools in the approval process for 2018-2019. | More

Clarification of the Process for Addressing Complaints of Discrimination

The Maine Department of Education would like to clarify the process for addressing complaints of discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin. | More

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Professional Development & Training Opportunities

IBPA Bullying Prevention Through SEL and Kindness Summit – August 17 in Augusta

The International Bullying Prevention Association (IBPA) is partnering with the Maine Department of Education to provide a one-day summit to address bullying prevention through social and emotional learning and kindness. | More

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

Are 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. | More

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Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities

View current Child Development Services employment opportunities here

Maine DOE Update – July 26, 2018

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

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News & Updates

Special Statement about Proficiency Based Diplomas (L.D. 1666)

Following the passage of L.D. 1666: An Act To Ensure the Successful Implementation of Proficiency-based Diplomas, the Department is in the process of conducting a legal review to understand the changes that come with the passage of L.D. 1666, and will be working to determine how best to support schools going forward. | More

Maine DOE Legislative Summary Available

The Maine Department of Education has prepared a summary of major laws related to education enacted by the Second Regular Session of the 128th Maine Legislature. This information may prove helpful to educators when planning for the 2018-9 school year. | More

Further Work Permit Application Revisions

The Maine Department of Labor’s (MDOL) State of Maine Work Permit application has been revised as of 07/19/18. This additional change, since the most recent update about the work permit process, was necessary in order to protect certain Personally Identifiable Information (PII). In addition to this change, a second document must now be submitted along with the Work Permit. | More

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Professional Development & Training Opportunities

Schedule for Computer Science Day Now Available

Please plan to join us in Augusta for Computer Science Day at the Capital on August 13^th 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. | More

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Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities

View current Child Development Services employment opportunities here

Maine DOE Update – July 19, 2018

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

Important Update About NEO Accountability Report and Certification

This year the Department launched the NEO Accountability Report and Certification reports which were created to assist with data reporting for assessment and accountability. These reports were meant to be used by districts and schools ahead of time to validate data for students who need to be assessed, allowing for a clean data set to be sent to for assessment and accountability reporting, and no cleanup and validation necessary in the fall. | More

Administrative Letter: 2018-2019 Maine Schools/Public School Approval Now Open

In accordance with 20-A M.R.S. Chapter 206 and Maine Department of Education (DOE) Rule Chapter 125, to maintain continued approval status for the school administrative unit and all schools within it, the superintendent shall submit timely completed annual school reports to the Commissioner, including the annual approval report for the unit and for each school in the unit certifying progress on the Comprehensive Education Plan. | More

Administrative Letter: 2018-2019 Private School Approval, NEO Maine Schools, and Staff Now Open

In accordance with 20-A M.R.S. Chapter 117, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) requires private schools seeking approval status to be approved annually.

Private schools seeking approval status must enter required organization and staff information into the NEO information system and submit their annual school approval report. Related documentation should be submitted to Maine DOE’s School Enrollment/Approval Specialist, either electronically or by mail. The NEO requirements need not be completed prior to the submission of the annual report; however, school approval will not be issued until the NEO information is complete and verified. | More

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News & Updates

2018-19 Enacted ED279 Subsidy Printouts Now Available

FY 2018-2019 ED 279 subsidy printouts are now available on the Maine Department of Education website. | More

ESEA Federal Fund Manual Extension Changes

The Maine Department of Education’s ESEA Federal Programs Team is providing an update regarding the requesting of manual extensions for ESEA Federal funds. | More

McKinney-Vento Sub-grant Program for the Education of Homeless Children Now Available

The Maine Department of Education is pleased to announce that it is seeking proposals for the McKinney-Vento Sub-grant program for the education of homeless children and youth. Proposals will be accepted from SAUs seeking to develop, implement, or expand programs that improve the academic success of students identified as homeless under the McKinney-Vento Act. | More

Maine DOE Announces Award for Management of Assistive Technology

The Maine Department of Education is pleased to announce that Maine CITE Coordinating Center has been awarded a grant to provide management of assistive technology (AT) services under the federal Assistive Technology Act of 2004 (ATA). | More

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Professional Development & Training Opportunities

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

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. | More

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.| More

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities

View current Child Development Services employment opportunities here

Maine DOE Update – July 12, 2018

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

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News & Updates

Updates and FAQs Regarding New Online Certification System

The Department’s certification team is fielding more than 500 calls a day and wait times can be significant. Many of the questions asked via phone have been addressed in the “Things to Know/Frequently Asked Questions” below in this notification. In addition to the FAQ, please be sure to use the resources available on the Certification Webpage to help reduce the amount of calls for both wait time purposes and to enable the team to process additional applications. | More

PRIORITY NOTICE: Regionalization Grant Opportunity Now Available – Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services (FEDES)

The State of Maine is seeking proposals for a grant opportunity through the Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services to assist in financing the cost of local and regional initiatives to improve educational opportunity and student achievement through more efficient delivery of educational programs and services. | More

Updates on the RFP for the Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services (FEDES)

Last week the State of Maine issued RFP#201806118, which offers a grant funding opportunity through the Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services (FEDES). An amendment to the RFP was posted on the State of Maine Division of Procurement Services website that includes additional requirements regarding applicant eligibility for subsequent grants under FEDES in accordance with Maine DOE Rule Chapter 122, Section 6, 2. | More

Important Work Permit Process Updates

In an effort to best protect data considered Personally Identifiable Information (PII), the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Bureau of Labor Standards is making slight adjustments to the work permit process effective immediately.| More

Maine DOE Helpdesk to Implement Ticketing System

In an effort to better serve Maine districts and schools, the Maine Department of Education’s Data Helpdesk is implementing a ticketing system. | More

Commissioner’s Conference Highlights and Feedback Survey

On June 27th and 28th the Maine Department of Education held the 107th Commissioners Conference at the Augusta Civic Center. District administrators and stakeholders state-wide attended to participate in and attend sessions on a range of topics including Career and Technical Education, Student Behavior and Student Health, Educator Workforce, Certification, Regionalization, ESSA and School Improvement, Priorities and Goals of the Department and more. | More

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Professional Development & Training Opportunities

Maine DOE Data Management Systems Summer Training

Maine Department of Education is holding their annual summer training. The training focus this year will be on tips and resources to assist districts with their data reporting and viewing/certifying their reports. This has been a challenging year for those in the field as well as the Department with a new Student Information System, Synergy, and several new data reporting requirements. Our session this year will be focused on sharing resources to assist districts with the data tasks required. | More

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Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities

View current Child Development Services employment opportunities here

Maine DOE Update – June 28, 2018

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

NEO Accountability Report and Certification Webinar Recording and FAQ

The Maine Department of Education held a webinar on June 21 to Review the NEO Accountability Report and certification requirements. The recording is available for anyone who was unable to participate in the webinar. | More

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News & Updates

PRIORITY NOTICE: Maine DOE Certification Office Eliminates Walk-in Appointments Effective July 9, 2018

As part of the Maine Department of Education’s goal of ensuring accurate and efficient educator credentialing, we are asking educators to manage their Maine teacher credentials electronically. The Department is transitioning to the new online certification system, and effective July 9, 2018, the Certification office will eliminate walk-in office hours in order to increase productivity and better serve the tens of thousands of educators in the State of Maine. | More

Seeking comments for proposed Rule Chapter 13: Qualifying Examinations for Teachers, Educational Specialists and Administrators

Rulemaking for Chapter 13: Qualifying Examinations for Teacher, Educational Specialists and Administrators been filed as a proposed routine technical rule. A hearing date and comment period have been scheduled. | More

MeCAS Test Dates for 2018-2019 School Year Are Now Available

This announcement is intended to assist students, parents, schools and districts as they plan their school and district calendars for the 2018-2019 school year.| More

Math4ME Accomplishments and Update

The Maine Department of Education’s Office of Special Services is pleased to report the accomplishments of the Math4Maine (Math4ME) project, and announce plans for scaling up. Currently, the initiative is concluding the second year of implementation and planning for year-3. | More

FY19 ESEA Application and 2017-2018 Performance Report Now Open for Submission

The 2018-2019 Elementary and Secondary Education Act Consolidated Application for funds (FY19 ESEA Application) and 2017-2018 Performance Report are now open for completion and submission. ESEA Coordinators are encouraged to review each page of the application/performance report and contact the assigned Regional ESEA Team Member at the Maine DOE with any questions regarding the application. | More

RSU 2 Coordinator of Student Achievement Named Maine’s 2018 Curriculum Leader of the Year

RSU 2 Coordinator of Student Achievement, Matthew Shea has been named Maine’s 2018 Curriculum Leader of the Year. Shea was nominated by his Superintendent, Bill Zima and curriculum leaders outside his district. | More

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Professional Development & Training Opportunities

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Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities

Maine DOE Update – June 21, 2018

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

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News & Updates

FY19 ESEA Application and 2017-2018 Performance Report Now Open for Submission

The Maine Department of Education launched the educator portal of the new online certification system yesterday, June 14, 2018. | More

Update on Educator Portal of New Online Certification System

The Maine Department of Education launched the educator portal of the new online certification system yesterday, June 14, 2018. | More

Register Now for the 2018 Commissioner’s Conference

The Maine Department of Education is still accepting registrations for the 107th Annual Commissioner’s Conference on June 27 – 28 at the Augusta Civic Center in Augusta | More

Maine DOE Partners with National Retail Foundation and Retail Association of Maine to Provide RISE Up Retail Training

The National Retail Foundation, the Maine Department of Education’s Adult Education program, and the Retail Association of Maine are partnering in the creation of a RISE Up training program for Maine adults seeking retail training and certification. | More

Student Nutrition Continues Beyond School Year with Summer Food Service Program

With the assistance of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Maine public schools have long offered a nutritious breakfast and lunch meal program to thousands of children in Maine during the school year. With summer right around the corner, it’s time to think about keeping children healthy while school is out. The Summer Food Service Program, a U.S. Department of Agriculture program, operates at hundreds of sites across Maine to ensure children get the nutrition they need when school is out. | More

Bureau of Justice Assistance Announces Two Grant Opportunities Under the STOP School Violence Act

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), alongside the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), is inviting state, local, and tribal jurisdictions to apply for grant funding under the Student, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) Violence Act Program. This act seeks to support and assist those jurisdictions in increasing the safety of their school personnel and students. To these ends, the BJA has announced two competitive grants: The Prevention and Mental Health Training Program and the Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program. Applications for both grants are due July 23, 2018. | More

Maine DOE Initiates Electronic Registration System

In an effort to control cost and improve services, the Maine DOE is now using the standard electronic event registration system. Like many organizations that require electronic registration for professional development opportunities and meetings, the Maine DOE system requires payment at the time of registration. Discover, MasterCard, and Visa are all accepted forms of payment. Links to registration will now appear on invitations to participate. | More

Maine DOE Switching to a New Website

The Maine Department of Education will be switching to a new website over the course of the summer months. It is expected that the new website will be live and functioning in the month of August. | More

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Professional Development & Training Opportunities

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Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities

Maine DOE Update – June 14, 2018

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

Chronic Absenteeism Data Training Webinar Recording

The Maine Department of Education held a webinar on Tuesday, June 12 for districts and schools to discuss the recently released 2016/17 chronic absenteeism data including collection process and resources available to help with 2017-2018 reporting. | More

NEO Accountability Report and Certification Webinar to be Held June 21

In order to determine supports for Maine schools, student level participation and student group demographics must be collected. The snapshot date for the data collection this year was May 4, 2018. | More

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News & Updates

PRIORITY NOTICE: New Certification System Educator Portal is Now Open for Educator Renewals

The Maine Department of Education has released the long-awaited educator portal for the new online credentialing system, Maine Educator Information System (MEIS). Educators can now log-in to the new online certification system and renew their certifications completely online. | More

Upcoming regional grant opportunity

The Maine DOE is pleased to share that the second round of competitive grant funding provided by the Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services (FEDES – Round 2) will be announced in early July. | More

Schools Selected for 2019 Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP)

Schools selected to participate in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) for School Year 2019 have been released. | More

Updates for Major Capital Construction Program and Integrated, Consolidated 9-16 Facilities Pilot

The scoring process for the Major Capital School Construction Program is complete for the 74 schools visited during the Fall of 2017. The proposed priority list was presented to the State Board of Education at its June 13, 2018 meeting and accepted. This initiates a 30 day period in which schools on the list have the chance to appeal the scoring process. | More

Science & Technology Standards Review – Writing Team

The Maine Department of Education is performing a review of the Maine Learning Results for Science & Technology and is looking for participants to serve as part of the writing team. The purpose of the writing team is to revise the current standards based on guidance provided from a steering committee. | More

EPA Releases Diesel Emissions Grant Information for Tribal Applicants

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is announcing the Clean Diesel Tribal Grant Competition, a grant competition for tribal applicants with projects that reduce diesel emissions in high-impact areas. Each applicant may request up to $800,000 in federal funding, with $2.0 million available for the grant competition overall. | More

Maine DOE Welcomes 9 Student Interns for 2018 Summer Season

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) announced 9 student interns who will be working for the summer at the Maine DOE headquarters in Augusta. | More

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Professional Development & Training Opportunities

Civil Rights Training: Addressing Bullying Behavior, School Culture & Bias

The US DOE, Office for Civil Rights will be offering training on June 26, 2018. | More

IBPA Bullying Prevention Through SEL and Kindness Summit – August 17 in Augusta

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities

View current Child Development Services employment opportunities here

Maine DOE Update – June 7, 2018

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

End of School Year Checklist for Completing Reports

A checklist has been designed to assist districts with publicly funded students in completing required end of year reports. The dates listed after each report are when the report is open for entry and due for certification, if required. | More

MaineCare Seed Adjustments to be Made; Review Q318 Reports by June 29, 2018

The recovery of Q318 MaineCare Seed will occur in the July 2018 subsidy payment and the Maine DOE is asking districts to review their reports by June 29, 2018 to ensure accurate adjustments to subsidy. District staff must review student by student claims on both the public and private MaineCare reports for Q318 by June 29, 2018. | More

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News & Updates

Certification System Educator Portal to be Released Statewide

The Maine Department of Education is completing final testing on the educator portal of the new online certification system and will release the portal as soon as testing is completed. The educator portal will be utilized for processing only renewal applications for the first few weeks. The certification department is still accepting paper applications for initial credentials and fingerprints, but all renewal applications MUST be processed through the new online system. | More

Maine DOE to Host June 12 Webinar to Discuss Chronic Absenteeism Data Collection

The Maine Department of Education is hosting a webinar for districts and schools to discuss the recently released 2016/17 chronic absenteeism data including collection process and resources available to help with 2017-2018 reporting. | More

Resources to Support Student Attendance

The Maine Department of Education’s Office of School and Student Supports has compiled a resource guide to assist schools in their efforts to improve student attendance and reduce chronic absenteeism. | More

New ESEA Report Cards & STEM Technology Showcase to be Featured at 2018 Commissioner’s Conference; Register Now

As a reminder, registration for the 2018 Commissioner’s Conference is now open. The conference features an array of sessions catered toward superintendents. | More

Seeking School Highlights for ESEA Report Cards

The Maine Department of Education is requesting the assistance of school principals in the development of the new 2017-2018 ESEA Report Cards. A “School Highlights” section will be included on the Report Cards to provide the opportunity for schools to emphasize elements of which they are especially proud. | More

Gifted & Talented Applications

The 2018-19 Gifted and Talented Program Application forms are now available. | More

Guidance on District Technology Plan Development for 2017 – 2018 and 2018 – 2019

Over the past few months, there have been a number of questions about expectations for completing and submitting to the Department district technology plans. This correspondence is designed to answer those questions for district and school administrators, in particular, those who are responsible for developing technology plans. | More

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Professional Development & Training Opportunities

Registration Now Open for 2018 State Custodial and Maintenance Conference

Registration is now open for the 50^th Custodial and Maintenance Conference for Maine school custodians and facilities directors. | More

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Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities

View current Child Development Services employment opportunities here

Maine DOE Update – May 31, 2018

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

Public Preschool Annual Report

Per Chapter 124: Basic Approval Standards: Public Preschool Programs, (Section 17.01): Public preschool programs, including partnerships, will complete the electronic Public Preschool Program Annual Report online and submit to the Maine Department of Education no later than 30 days after the end of the school year. | More

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News & Updates

Updates to Rule Chapter 180: Performance Evaluation and Professional Growth Systems (Effective June 3, 2018)

As part of the Maine Department of Education’s efforts to ensure that new and conditionally certified teachers have access to high quality peer support, some changes were made to Chapter 180: Performance Evaluation and Professional Growth Systems. | More

Maine Department of Education Honors the 2017 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching State Finalists

On Friday evening, May 11^th, Maine DOE honored the six state finalists for the 2017 Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching Mathematics and Science (PAEMST) with a dinner held at the Maple Hill Farm Inn located in Hallowell. | More

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Professional Development & Training Opportunities

Online Formative Assessment Opportunity for Primary Grade Educators

The Maine Department of Education will be supporting a cohort of public primary grade (K-2) teachers for the 2018-19 school year in using an online Formative Assessment Platform. This tool utilizes observation and documentation of student work during ongoing instruction. | More

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Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities

View current Child Development Services employment opportunities here

Maine DOE Update – May 24, 2018

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

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News & Updates

New Certification System Will Open to Educators Soon; Districts Encouraged to Complete Recommendations by May 30

The Maine Department of Education strongly encourages those superintendents and support team chairs who have not done so already to take the steps to set up accounts in the new online certification system and make recommendations for your educator renewals.| More

Maine DOE Releases Chronic Absenteeism Data in an Effort to Support Student Success

The Maine Department of Education (Department) has collected chronic absenteeism for the 2016/17 school year as a non-academic indicator of school success. Absenteeism for any reason, excused or unexcused, has potential negative consequences on student learning and it is important for schools, districts, and the Department to have this broader measure of student attendance so that we can measure student success. | More

2019 Maine State SAT School Day Administration Dates

The 2019 Maine State SAT School Day Administration will take place on Tuesday, April 9, 2019 with a makeup date of Tuesday, April 23, 2019. | More

Maine’s Alternative Certification and Mentoring Program (MACM) for Special Educators

Beginning in the fall of 2018, conditionally certified special educators that are in their first year of teaching are required to participate in Maine’s Alternative Certification and Mentoring program (MACM), a Maine Department of Education program developed in partnership with the University of Maine. | More

New and Updated Fact Sheets Highlight Key MIYHS Survey Results

There are 6 new and updated fact sheets available that highlight key survey results from 2017 Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey (MIYHS). Each topic specific-fact sheet includes, key statistics and data from the 2017 survey, links for “Who Can Help,” and additional resources for schools, community and parents. | More

School Custodian Award for Excellence Nominations

Each year the Maine Department of Education partners with Educational Plant Maintenance Association of Maine to host the Custodial and Maintenance Conference at Waterville Senior High School. One highlight of the conference is awarding the A. Burleigh Oxton Award for Excellence for a school custodial maintenance employee. | More

Social Studies Standards Review – Writing Team

The Department of Education is performing a review of the Maine Learning Results for Social Studies and is looking for participants to serve as part of the writing team. The purpose of the writing team is to revise the current standards based on guidance provided from a steering committee. | More

Washington County Title I: School Improvement Initiative

Maine Department of Labor youth employment initiative – Getting to YES

The Maine Department of Labor (MDOL) has launched an initiative called Getting to YES, Youth Employment and the Steps to Success, to promote youth employment coming into the 2018 summer season. The Department is asking for your support in spreading the word about the importance of, and opportunities for, jobs for Maine youth, and in continuing to assist us in streamlining the permitting process. | More

Yarmouth Wins Maine DOE 2018 Farm to School Cook-off

Congratulations to the school food service teams that participated in the 2018 Farm to School Cook-off: RSU 54, RSU 3, Cherryfield, Falmouth, Yarmouth, and Lewiston. Teams competed in different locations on April 5th, 9th and May 14th. | More

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