School Union 76 Celebrates their Schools in Unique Video for National Public Schools Week

School Union (SU) 76, which is comprised of The Brooklin School, Deer Isle-Stonington Elementary School, Deer Isle-Stonington High School, Sedgwick Elementary School, and the Isle au Haut School recently celebrated National Public Schools Week by creating a video about their schools and the communities that come together to make these schools so special. Check out the video here:

This video was submitted by Christian Elkington, Superintendent of School Union 76 as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. To submit a story or an idea, email it to Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

Aroostook Teachers Organize Virtual Author Visits for Students

On February 5, 2020, MSAD #42 in Mars Hill hosted two virtual author visits in celebration of both World Read Aloud Day and Aroostook Regional Gifted and Talented Battle of the Books.

Each year, with the help of a list created by Author Kate Messner, teachers and librarians from across the country are invited to contact authors willing to offer free virtual visits with students via Skype. MSAD #42’s District Librarian and Gifted & Talented teacher Natasha Brewer, in conjunction with Aroostook Regional Gifted and Talented (ARGT) teachers, organized two author visits.

Each school year ARGT hosts both middle school and high school Battle of the Books competitions. Students read several books and gather in the spring to test their knowledge and recollection of the information covered in the texts. Using this year’s ARGT Battle of the Books competition as a guide, Brewer was able to schedule visits with two authors who wrote books on this year’s list. All ARGT schools were invited to join Mars Hill’s students for the visits. Taking part in the event were teachers and students from MSAD#24 in Van Buren, MSAD#20 in Fort Fairfield, Easton Jr/Sr High School in Easton, and SAD#32 in Ashland.

Middle school students and teachers spent forty minutes with author Ann Braden who read an excerpt from her debut novel, The Benefits of Being an Octopus, and then answered student’s questions. High school students and teachers spent forty minutes with White Rose author, Kip Wilson. The collaboration of several Aroostook County schools made it possible for over 70 students to meet and learn from highly successful authors, as well as each other. Due to the overwhelming response from the students and teachers, Brewer and ARGT hope to continue providing annual author visits to celebrate the benefits of reading, diverse texts, and connections with others.

This story was submitted by Kay York, Principal at Central Aroostook Junior-Senior High School as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. To submit a story or an idea, email it to Rachel Paling at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

Mattanawcook Junior High School Student Artists Honored at Maine State House

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) hosted a celebration of the Maine Visual and Performing Arts Education Showcase on February 28th in the Maine State House where the selected artwork of student visual artists and musicians from Mattanawcook Junior High School (RSU #67) were recognized.

Starting in February these students’ works will be on exhibit throughout the Maine DOE, where they will remain until June. RSU #67 teachers, administrators, and families were in attendance as artists were formally acknowledged by the DOE, including Deputy Commissioner of Education Daniel Chuhta, and Maine State Board of Education Chairman Wilson Hess, in addition to State Representatives Kathy Javner (House District 141) and Sheldon Hanington (District 142).

In addition to introductions and comments from Maine DOE Visual and Performing Arts Specialist Jason Anderson and Deputy Commissioner Dan Chuhta, the Mattanawcook Junior High School Grade 4 Chorus performed two songs about Maine, before Mattanawcook Junior High School student artists were each presented with a certificate from the Maine DOE and a signed letter from Governor Janet Mills.

Following the ceremony, Department of Education staff took students, educators and their family members on a guided tour of artwork that is hung around the halls of the Department.

Maine Educators Jenn Heidrich and Erin Towns to Embark on Polar Research Experiences

Two Maine high school teachers have received the opportunity of a lifetime. Jenn Heidrich and Erin Towns, both high school social studies teachers at Edward Little High School in Auburn, Maine, work across the hall from each other. Both entered separately into a competitive application process that resulted in them receiving the opportunity of a lifetime: Traveling to the Yukon’s Boreal Forest and the Greenland Ice Sheet to study with internationally-renowned climate scientists.

This opportunity will allow them to travel to the Arctic region in order to help create classroom experiences and resources which will combine social studies and environmental science in Maine classrooms.

Jenn Heidrich will be traveling to the Yukon for five weeks to study carbon sequestration in the alpine region of the Yukon, as well as biodiversity in various arctic ecosystems. She will be doing this with Dr. Jennie McLaren of University of Texas El Paso. Jennifer has a background in archaeology, geography, and science and as such, is thrilled to be working with a biologist who is examining trophic cascades in the sub-arctic. She hopes to bridge the gap between social studies and science in Maine classrooms, with a specific focus on how changes in remote ecosystems will impact cultures around the world.

Erin Towns is traveling to Ilulissat Greenland for two weeks to study how increases in surface runoff influences ice flow and subsequent loss of water mass from the Greenland ice sheet to the oceans . She will be working with Dr. Sarah Das, a glaciologist and climate scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Erin’s background includes extensive work in the areas of global education, geography, and teacher professional development and she will use the experience to build social studies and science inquiry based strategies and classroom activities related to the Gulf of Maine and climate change adaptation efforts.

Beginning in June for Jenn and August for Erin, each teacher will participate as a full research team member in an authentic scientific expedition in the Arctic, joining the ranks of educators who will be working in research locations from the Arctic Ocean to Antarctica, as part of a program that allows educators to experience first-hand what it is like to conduct scientific research in some of the most remote locations on earth.
Erin and Jenn are two of eleven educators selected through a nationwide search to participate in PolarTREC, an educational research experience in which classroom teachers and informal educators participate in polar research, working closely with scientists as a pathway to improving science education. Through PolarTREC, selected educators will have the rare opportunity to spend several weeks working with a research team in the Arctic or Antarctic.

While on field expeditions, educators and researchers will share their experiences with scientists, educators, communities, and students of all ages through the use of Internet tools such as online teacher and researcher journals, message boards, photo albums, podcasts, PolarConnect real-time presentations from the field, and online learning resources. After the field experience, teachers and researchers will continue to share their experiences with the public and create instructional activities to transfer scientific data, methodologies, and technology to classrooms.

The first expedition departs in spring 2020 with an educator deploying to the Arctic community of Utqiaġvik (Barrow) Alaska. Additional expeditions will take place throughout the Arctic field season in the summer of 2020. The Antarctic field season will be in full swing by November and continue through the winter of 2020-21. This year’s expeditions will range from the Arctic Circle to the South Pole and study a large scope of topics from marine biology to landscape ecology.

PolarTREC is managed by the Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S. (ARCUS) and funded by the National Science Foundation and additional partnerships. For more information and to participate, see the PolarTREC website at: http://www.polartrec.com or contact the ARCUS Project Managers, Janet Warburton and Judy Fahnestock at info@polartrec.com or call 907-474-1600.

Follow Erin Towns on Instagram @Esctowns and Jenn Heidrich @MrsJHikes to keep up with their travels, stories, and scientific work.

The Arctic Research Consortium of the United States (ARCUS) is based in Fairbanks, Alaska and was formed in 1988 to provide leadership in advancing knowledge and understanding of the Arctic. ARCUS is a member consortium of educational and scientific institutions. Further information is available at: http://www.arcus.org.

This story was submitted by Shelly Mogul, Curriculum Director for Auburn School Department as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. To submit a story or an idea email it to Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

Vine Street Elementary School Custodian Honored with A. Burleigh Oxton Award for Excellence

The Educational Plant Maintenance Association (EPMA) of Maine awarded the A. Burleigh Oxton Award to Head Custodian Christopher Whitney of the Vine Street Elementary School in Bangor recently.

On Tuesday, December 10, Andrew R Madura, Director of Facilities
SAD #61-Lake Region Schools and Dana Petersen, EPMA President and Manager of Facilities at York County Community College drove to Bangor to present the award to Chris at an assembly in the school’s gymnasium.

At 8 am, each of the individual classrooms began to file into the gym to participate in honoring Chris. His Mother and a local NBC news reporter were also in attendance. One by one the classes rose and presented him with cards of appreciation, stories and one class even sang a song to their favorite custodian.

Chris is much more than a custodian to the school and community. One particular story I came away with was from the school Principal, Lynne Silk who told the crowd that every Memorial Day Holiday on his day off, Chris and his son will get up early and go to every school in the district and ‘properly’ lower the flags to half-staff, paying honor and respect to all the men and women who have died defending this country. He brings his son who sometimes brings a friend and thus teaches them how to respect the flags and our military personnel. – Dana Petersen

The pictured in the photo above are (left to right): Dr. Betsy Webb – Bangor Superintendent of Schools; Andy Madura, EPMA Chairman A. Burleigh Oxton Award Committee; Christopher Whitney, 2019 Award Recipient; Dana Petersen, EPMA President; Lynne Silk, Principal.

The event was truly emotional for everyone and I am glad to be a small part in the EPMA organization and this annual recognition award.

This story was submitted by Dana Petersen, EPMA President and Manager of Facilities at York County Community College as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. To submit a story or an idea email Rachel Paling at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

Presque Isle Regional CTE Provides Enhanced Dual Enrollment Pathway to Students

At the Presque Isle Regional Career & Technical Center (PIRCTC) we strive to provide our students with marketable skills which will translate to a career or educational path. Dual enrollment opportunities are a very powerful tool in this regard.

One example is the PIRCTC Drafting & Engineering program. Two unique and highly effective dual enrollment opportunities are available to the Drafting & Engineering Technology students.

As a result of a collaborative effort between The University of Maine College of Engineering, Bridge Year Educational Services, Inc. and the Presque Isle Regional Career & Technical Center (PIRCTC) Students enrolled in the PIRCTC Drafting & Engineering Technology program are able to earn college credit for the Maine College of Engineering course MEE-120 (Engineering Graphics & Computer Aided Design) and CIE-101 (Engineering Graphics for Civil engineers). During the current 2019-2020 school year, 14 students have taken advantage this unique opportunity.

Since 2014, eighteen graduates of the PIRCTC Drafting & Engineering Technology program have been accepted into the Maine College of Engineering, majoring in Mechanical Engineering Technology, Mechanical Engineering, and Chemical Engineering. Additional graduates of the PIRCTC Drafting & Engineering program are pursuing degrees in Marine engineering, Industrial Design, and Precision Machine at various post-secondary institutions.

These opportunities are the first such agreement between the University of Maine, College of Engineering and a high school level program and provide an enhanced pathway for those PIRCTC students desiring to pursue an engineering degree through the Maine College of Engineering.

The PIRCTC Drafting & Engineering Program is a two year program providing area high school students with computer aided design (CAD) and solid modeling skills using state-of-the art software and technology as well as introducing fundamentals of engineering and architecture, education and career paths, additive manufacturing (3D printing), and CNC technology through classroom, lab and applied learning opportunities.

This story was submitted by Timothy R. Prescott, PIRCTC Director and Terry Harper, PIRCTC Drafting & Engineering Technology Instructor in collaboration with Dwight A. Littlefield, Maine DOE Director for Career and Technical Education (CTE) as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign and in celebration of CTE this month. To submit stories or ideas email them to Rachel Palling at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

James H. Bean School Gets Creative with “The Final Countdown Food Drive”

James H. Bean School (JBS) fifth graders organized the annual food drive for the Sidney Food Pantry centered around the Super Bowl this year.

Students were encouraged to bring in non-perishable food items to be be delivered to the food pantry. Items were placed in a grocery cart either labeled the Kansas City Chiefs or the San Francisco 49ers. Whichever cart had the most food items in it would be JHB’s prediction for the team that will win the Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 2.

The cans were counted and the results were:

Kansas City Chiefs – 201 items
San Francisco 49ers – 376 items.

JHB’s prediction was clear – San Francisco 49ers were predicted to be the Super Bowl LIV Champs!

Even though the prediction was not correct, JHB still collected 577 items for the Sidney Food Pantry. They extend a special thanks to everyone who participated.

This story was provided by Keith, Assistant Superintendent of Schools/Chief Academic Officer for Regional School Unit No. 18 as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success campaign. To submit a story or idea, email it to Rachel Paling at rachel.paling@maine.gov,

Williams Elementary School Uses Let’s Go! Mini Grant to Create Sensory Path

Williams Elementary School (WES) has been awarded a $416 Let’s Go! Mini-Grant from Northern Light Inland Hospital to support their Let’s Go! Work. Let’s Go! 5-2-1-0 is a state-wide obesity prevention initiative working with communities to create environments that support healthy choices.

WES will be using the grant to create a sensory path with decals in their school hallways for all grade levels. This sensory path will give students an opportunity to release energy and tension by travelling through a series of physical movements like hopping, skipping, balancing, jumping and stretching while improving their ability to learn.

Staff at the Burchard A. Dunn School in MSAD 15 Team Up to Improve Student Inclusion in Pre-K

Beginning last September, a team of twelve dedicated staff members from MSAD 15 in Gray – New Gloucester and Child Development Services in Cumberland County joined forces with the Maine Department of Education, Child Development Services (CDS), The University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies (CCIDS) and Maine Roads to Quality Professional Development Network (MRTQ PDN) to learn ways to improve their current inclusion practices within their three public Pre-K classrooms. “We’re doing this for the kids, everything we do is with their best interest in mind,” one preschool teacher noted when asked why they originally signed up for this professional learning opportunity.

Team members included district administration, special education staff, classroom teachers and their education technicians as well as an itinerant special education teacher from Child Development Services (CDS) Reach. The initiative included a continuum of professional development strategies from knowledge and skill building through individual and group training to guided reflective practice and application opportunities. School district team members started by completing a self-paced on-line training entitled Inclusive Environments in Public Pre-K. Next, the whole team participated in a one-day kick-off event hosted at Educare Central Maine in Waterville. This orientation session provided participants with a chance to meet the trainer and consultants, learn more about the education and support components and discuss the key indicators of high- quality indoor and outdoor classroom environments covered during the on-line training. After the orientation session, team members participated in the MRTQ PDN 30-hour Creating Inclusive Early Childhood Settings on-line training while also receiving onsite consultation visits and participating in a Professional Learning Community (PLC) lead by two CCIDS consultants.

In January, all partners convened at the school to discuss the process, tour the classrooms and present their learning. External evaluators from Early Childhood Associates in Massachusetts conducted focus groups to gain more specific feedback about the professional learning and its impact. Participants noted:

“Working together with a specific early childhood focus strengthened our team and our work.”

“Having administrators involved was REALLY valuable!”

The teams were awarded $1,500 mini-grants for each pre-k classroom to enhance inclusivity. The funding came from a federally awarded Pre-K grant Maine received in 2019. The mini-grants were used to purchase sensory materials, equipment, furniture and other enhancements such as lighting, flooring and sinks! Comments from participants demonstrate the impact of the professional learning:

“I am internally motivated to attend IEP meetings and say, yes, Dunn School has everything we need to service your child.”

“My students seem happier, they’re excited, I feel comfortable meeting them where they’re at.”

“We didn’t know what we didn’t know!”

The Maine Department of Education in partnership with CDS, CCIDS and MRTQ PDN is considering ways to continue this project with other interested districts throughout Maine. As opportunities become available, notification will be provided to the field!

Dayton Consolidated School Participates in School Global Play Day

On Wednesday, February 5th, Dayton Consolidated School, which is a preK-5th grade school, participated in Global School Play Day. On this day, schools from all over the globe were filled with students engaged in unstructured play. On February 4, 2015, the first year of Global School Play Day, over 65,000 children participating in the first ever Global School Play day after only four weeks of social media promotion from six educators. Last year, on February 6, 2019, on what was the fifth annual Global School Play Day, over 535,000 children from 72 nations participated. “Unstructured play is a vital part of proper child development!”

In a kick off assembly, Dayton students were told of the upcoming day, which was met with a roaring round of applause. Students were each given an opportunity to bring an item from home to play with if they chose (no electronics!). The first such day for Dayton Consolidated School was a huge success. Students actively engaged with each other. There was almost no need for adult intervention as students worked together to figure out any issues that arose. The school also participated in a school wide recess.

This story was submitted by Kim Sampietro, Principal of Dayton Consolidated School as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. If you have an idea or a story, email it to Rachel Paling at rachel.paling@maine.gov.