From homelessness to happiness through Jobs for Maine’s Graduates program

Missy Nolette-Bald head shotThanks to Jobs for Maine’s Graduates for sharing the following article with the Maine DOE for publication.

You might not think a teenager who earned good grades and had plenty of friends would have any trouble in high school, but Missy Nolette-Bald did. A 1995 alumnus of the Jobs for Maine’s Graduates (JMG) program at Biddeford High School, Nolette-Bald faced some major struggles at home.

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Poland teacher named 2013 Teacher of the Year

Shannon Shanning, seventh and eight grade special education teacher at Whitter Middle School in Poland, is named Maine's 2013 Teacher of the Year.
Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen presents Maine’s 2013 Teacher of the Year award to Shannon Shanning, seventh- and eighth-grade special education teacher at Whittier Middle School. Click here to view more photos from this event.

POLAND – Shannon Shanning, a seventh- and eighth-grade special education teacher at Whittier Middle School, was named the 2013 Maine Teacher of the Year in front of students, colleagues, family and other distinguished guests Monday. In keeping with Maine tradition, Shanning was not informed ahead of time that the “all-school assembly” was called to honor her.

Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen presented Shanning with the award – the first awarded to a special education teacher as far back as program records indicate. Bowen also read a letter of congratulations from Governor Paul LePage.

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Students start culinary program to better school lunch

Teachers at The REAL School, a public alternative and special education school in Falmouth, started an agriculture and culinary arts program this past year, utilizing adventure- and project-based service learning practices to enhance the school lunch program with locally grown produce. This brief video by Wisconsin PBS documents the school’s approach and the inspirational results.

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Opportunity to attend autism training

UPDATED: The Maine Department of Education will host a three-session autism team training for school districts beginning in November 2012. To be considered for participation in the training sessions, the application must be completed no later than September 1, 2012.

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