Submitted by Courtney Ross, Occupational Therapy Graduate Student at Husson University.

I recently finished my last clinical fieldwork rotation for my master’s degree, in Mt. Blue School District, RSU 9. I have always thoroughly enjoyed all of my pediatric fieldwork placements especially since my goal is to one day be a certified pediatric occupational therapist, but this one was especially rewarding for me. Prior to going into the school system, I believed that school based OT focused more on daily living skills and basic fine motor components, however I recent found that it is so much more. I was able to learn and implement reflex integration activities, visual processing, and emotional regulation activities, as well as fine motor adaptations and programs, all to increase performance and allow for a student to be successful in the classroom.

A majority of my time throughout the week was spent at W.G. Mallett Elementary School, in downtown Farmington, which educates pre-k through 2nd grade. About half-way through my time there, my clinical instructor, Christine Libby and I were approached by literacy teacher Vicki Foster, Principal Tracy Williams, and all the Kindergarten teachers about an idea for a sensory path in the hallway. Sensory paths have become very prevalent recently, however they can be extremely pricey – in some cases estimated at $2,500. A price like that can be extremely difficult for schools to afford, especially rural Maine schools. However, I knew that we could do it at a much lower cost using resources of my own and contributions from Principal Tracy Williams. Teachers from the school came up with theme they wanted; a Maine theme. We began the work from there, incorporating how the activities can target specific OT-related tasks, and still seem fun for the students.

Collectively the project took about 30 hours total designing the project on my design program, preparing the materials, and then Christine, my instructor and I installing the path in a 38 foot long hallway, down and back for a total of 76 feet of path. I was able to integrate not only my OT knowledge that I have spent the past 5 years gaining, but also my hobby of crafting and creating things which made this project so rewarding for me. I am so grateful for the support that my supervisor provided throughout this project, giving insight on how certain activities not only target gross motor or sensory input, but also reflexes, because not all students have their primitive reflexes fully integrated which can cause a decrease in school performance and so many other aspects of their education process.

The following explains what the activities in the path target and how overall it can assist a student who is experiencing a period of disregulation within 3-5 minutes:

The design of this path was created to include crossing midline and preparing the visual system via the lazy eight and lobster backwards high fives. It incorporated learning the alphabet, shapes, numbers, and left to right body awareness skills. The vestibular system was engaged through hopping/spinning and the balance beam designed to encourage heel to toe walking. Coordination and motor planning were utilized as well, via the side stepping apples and hopscotch which also has been known to help dyslexia. Wall push ups throughout the path as well as the animal crawling were used for arm and shoulder strengthening, reflex integration skills, as well as deep proprioceptive input for the joints and muscles. The path ends with Yoga poses and belly breathing which are movements to help children re-organize and come back to class with a calm body.

I was able to observe and teach students how to use it during my last week in the school district, and it was amazing how well students responded and engaged to the pathway. My clinical instructor reported it is working really well at W.G. Mallett Elementary School and the students continue to use it every day between their classes or during their OT time throughout the week!

Below are more pictures of the sensory path:

 

Washington County Educator profile submitted by Sarah Woog from the The Washington County Consortium.

Emily and I had the opportunity over February break to sit down at Helen’s Restaurant in Machias to talk about her work, life, and all things in between. Thank you, Emily, for sharing a meal with me, and for all you do for Washington County students and communities.

Everyone should know Emily Fitzsimmons. Most of you probably already do. I realized this when we met for lunch at Helen’s and she personally greeted almost everyone we came across. And the restaurant was full.

Emily is currently the Culinary Instructor at the Coastal Washington County Institute of Technology, based out of Machias Memorial High School. She grew up in Jonesboro, graduated from Washington Academy, and has cooked in restaurants from Cutler to Jonesboro, beginning when she was 14 years old. She’s catered events all over the County, too, from weddings and baby showers, to professional development sessions throughout the year, and for Harvest of Ideas. Emily was also the food service director at Washington Academy, where she discovered her love for teaching her love, Culinary Arts.

Emily has a degree in Culinary Arts from Eastern Maine Community College and has commuted to Orono the past four years to become a certified culinary instructor. She recently completed her Praxis and her final class, joining the cadre of Washington County educators who have balanced work, family (Emily is married with five kids), long commutes, and longer hours of studying, to gain the knowledge and skills critical to providing opportunities for kids.

Emily talks about her program and students with infectious pride and enthusiasm: “To have a kid want to do what you’re passionate about is so refreshing … and for them to make a batch of cookies, eat, be proud their accomplishment, it’s awesome.” Emily also appreciates how Culinary Arts gives students opportunities to succeed. “It gives them a way to express themselves, to compete on a non-athletic level,” Emily noted.

Emily recently brought a group of students to a culinary competition in Portland, which I had the opportunity to check out. I admired the students’ organizational and time management skills, their precision, and their diligence. It occurred to me these are the habits of mind I had hoped to instill in my math students when I was in the classroom. I think it’s important to acknowledge and celebrate how Emily’s teaching, and vocational programming in general, can support students’ development and teach lessons that can feel so elusive in more traditional settings.

Emily and her work are wonderful examples of the impact vocational programming can have on students and their communities. Her love for her craft is infectious, and you can see her students have caught the bug. She’s also a lot of fun to be around. Just ask anyone at Helen’s.

 

Submitted by John Spritz on behalf of Maine Connections Academy (MCA). 

Students who work with Mr. Chris Hoskins (a secondary English teacher) have published the school’s first student-written/student-designed magazine. It’s online of course, it’s called The Connector, and you can see it here.

The Connector has lots of links built into it, where students can access games, puzzles, study tips, movie reviews, and much more. It’s got articles on Maine ski destinations, study prep hints, favorite pets, and a lot more. For a school where students are in all 16 counties, where they see each other only on field trips and at graduation, The Connector is a brilliant way to bring people together and allow them to contribute and engage — online. And the fact that it’s student-built is what makes it all the better.

Submitted by Reza Namin, Superintendent of MSAD#49.

Dr. Reza Namin, Superintendent of MSAD#49 has been selected and named the Harvard University Fellow for the Harvard University Graduate School of Education Summer Institute. Participants are teachers and administrators from all around the United States and the World.

Fellows are typically educators who have experience with the Project Zero ideas and are committed to deepening work with Project Zero ideas in their communities. This will take place from July 21-26 at the Harvard University Campus.

The Project Zero is a professional learning and development experience where the fellow can advance his/her understanding of Project Zero ideas, frameworks and practices. Fellows participate fully in all the events of the institute, including plenary sessions, mini-courses that have space available, faculty meetings, fellow meetings, and social gatherings. As a member of a study group team, the fellow will also be a part of the smooth running of the institute, helping behind the scenes when needed.

The 73^rd annual Maine State Science Fair (MSSF), organized by The Jackson Laboratory and Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance, was held on March 23, 2019, and included 250 students representing 36 schools in 13 Maine counties. Each high schooler presented their original research and engineering project to a state-wide audience of peers and mentors, in competition for coveted state titles and over $548,000 in scholarships and awards.

Maine Department of Education Commissioner Pender Makin attended the conference to give remarks of encouragement and acknowledgment to the student participants this year.

This year’s winners include:

• 1^st Grand Award – Tyler Delargy, Bangor High School, “Developing Three-Dimensional Spatial Cognition for the Visually Impaired Using Computational Depth Mapping and Vibro-Tactile Display”
• 2^nd Grand Award – Antonina Zakorchemna and Artem Laptiev, Fryeburg Academy, “Product Development of an Alternative Low-cost Braille E-reader”
• 3^rd Grand Award – Amara Ifeji, Bangor High School, “Testing the Effectiveness of Mycorrhizae in the Phytoremediation of Heavy Metals from Stormwater”

Delargy, Zakorchemna, Laptiev, and Ifeji will represent Maine at the prestigious Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Phoenix, Ariz. The Intel ISEF is the premier global science competition for students in grades 9-12, and provides a forum for 1,700 students from 70 countries, regions, and territories to display their independent research.

“As a nonprofit biomedical research institution, we understand the importance of excellent STEM education, and we’re so proud to support the MSSF and students across the state of Maine,” said S. Catherine ‘Katy’ Longley, J.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, The Jackson Laboratory (JAX).  “On behalf of JAX, I would like to congratulate every one of these bright teenagers for their ingenuity and creativity.”

MSSF is one of the largest high school STEM programs in Maine. STEM professionals from 48 Maine companies, non-profit organizations, higher education, and governmental organizations volunteered to interact with students, provide feedback on their projects, and select the top projects in categories including Behavioral Sciences, Biological Sciences, Energy, Engineering, Environmental Sciences, and Physics.

In addition, over $548,000 in scholarships, including several full-tuition scholarships, from The University of Maine, College of the Atlantic, University of New England, University of Maine at Augusta, and Husson University were distributed to students who demonstrated creativity, innovation, aptitude and great scientific potential. In addition to scholarships, students were awarded spots in summer STEM enrichment programs at the Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership and in the Keller BLOOM program at the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences.

“Science fairs are really cool, they give young people an opportunity to demonstrate their competence, but mostly, they give people the opportunity to follow their imagination, to do research, to have the fun of discovering things,” said U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME). “This is really important for Maine and our country.”

The following students received full tuition scholarships from the University of Maine:

• Leila Davids, Bangor High School
• Ijeoma Obi, Bangor High School
• Rowan Andrews, Bangor High School
• Madeline Ahola, Bangor High School
• Madison Momenee, Noble High School
• Emma Fitzpatrick, Greely High School
• Amara Ifeji, Bangor High School
• Connor Noddin, Bangor High School
• Anthony Caccese, Bangor High School
• Blake Erhard, Boothbay Region High School
• Lily McLaughlin, Bangor High School
• Marina Mohawass, Bangor High School

 The following students received a $20,000 yearly scholarship from the College of the Atlantic, renewable for four years.

• Jennifer Noyes, John Bapst Memorial High School
• Jordyn Miller, Bangor High School

The following students received a $5,000 yearly scholarship from the University of New England, renewable for four years:

• Sarah Dorey, John Bapst Memorial High School
• Adelaide Valley, John Bapst Memorial High School
• Shannon O’Roak, Dexter Regional High School
• Madison Momenee, Noble High School
• Alyssa Ellis, Nokomis Regional High School

The following students received a $1,500 yearly scholarship from the University of Maine at Augusta, renewable for four years:

• Lauren Underhill, Nokomis Regional High School
• Jordyn Miller, Bangor High School

The following students received a $1,000 scholarship from Husson University:

• Shannon O’Roak, Dexter Regional High School
• Beau Briggs, Nokomis Regional High School
• Madison Hopkins, Nokomis Regional High School
• Vanessa Scott, Deering High School
• Taya Wood, Washington Academy

The following students earned experiential awards for STEM enrichment programs in Maine:

• Keller BLOOM at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences: Jordyn Miller, Bangor High School
• HurricaneIsland Advanced Marine Biology Camp: Wade Wahlig, Falmouth High School
• iXplore STEM Summer Program: Swetha Palaniappan, Cape Elizabeth High School
• UNE Health Careers Exploration Camp: Alya Theriault, Caribou High School

Additional winners from the Maine State Science Fair include:

• Future Innovator Award for outstanding research and engineering projects by 1^st year students, given by The Jackson Laboratory:
  • Sirohi Kumar, Mount Desert Island High School
  • Alden Wilcox, Caribou High School
  • Quinn D’Alessio, Bangor High School
  • Noah Coyle, Bangor High School
  • Lily Millard, Bangor High School
• Reach Center Award for outstanding research and engineering projects by students from schools new to MSSF:
  • Dexuan Tang, Hebron Academy
  • Antonina Zakorchemna and Artem Laptiev, Fryeburg Academy
  • Blake Erhard and Lilley Harris, Boothbay Region High School
  • Erica Schlichting, Gray New Gloucester High School
• Intel Computer Science Award for the most outstanding project in computer sciences: Ryan Kinney, Bangor High School
• Society for Science and the Public Community Innovation Award for a project that will better humanity and improve conditions in the local community: Ibrahim Saleh, Greely High School
• Stockholm Junior Water Prize, recognizing the most outstanding project in water and watershed research:
  • Merline Feero, Waterville Senior High School
  • Lily McLaughlin and Rowan Andrews, Bangor High School
• Judges Fund Award for Excellence in Genetics: Brandon Aponte, John Bapst Memorial High School
• Naval Science Award
  • Leila Davids, Bangor High School
  • Tyler Delargy, Bangor High School
  • Anthony Caccese, Bangor High School
  • Luke Conroy, Noble High School
• Mu Alpha Theta: Samanthak Thiagrajan, Bangor High School

MSSF Category winners include:

• Animal Sciences, general – Logan Eckmann, John Bapst Memorial High School
• Animal Sciences, marine sciences – Vetri Vel, Bangor High School
• Behavioral and Social Sciences, sociology – Micah Pietraho, Brunswick High School
• Behavioral and Social Sciences, clinical, neurological, physiological, cognitive studies – Sirohi Kumar, Mount Desert Island High School
• Biological Sciences and Engineering – Yu Dong, Gould Academy
• Biomedical and Health Sciences – Blake Erhard, Boothbay Region High School
• Chemistry and Materials – Marina Mohawass, Bangor High School
• Computer Science and Mathematics – Ijeoma Obi, Bangor High School
• Energy – Frederick Oldenburg, McKayla Kendall and Roland Ladd, Bangor High School
• Engineering Mechanics – Tyler Delargy, Bangor High School
• Environmental Sciences, general studies – Andrea Grossmann, John Bapst Memorial High School
• Environmental Sciences, water quality – Maddie Brookings, Bangor High School
• Physics and Astronomy – Lindsay Cote, Nokomis Regional High School
• Plant Sciences – Amara Ifeji, Bangor High School

Maine State Science Fair is further supported by R.H. Reny, Inc., Texas Instruments, ON Semiconductor, Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, Poland Springs, and Mölnlycke.

The Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance supports educators to teach STEM in more meaningful ways through professional development resources for K-12 educators, research and evaluation of STEM learning experiences, and building relationships and networks to sustain systemic statewide improvement.

The Jackson Laboratory offers educational programs for scientists throughout their careers — from STEM education for high school students and training for science and math teachers to courses and conferences for experienced researchers defining the cutting edge of genomics research and specialized training for physicians interested in incorporating genetics and genomics into their practices.

Submitted by Ryan McDonald, Summer Programs Director and Public Relations Coordinator at Maine School of Science and Mathematics

It was an exciting Saturday in March at the University of Southern Maine, Gorham, as 20 teams from 12 Maine high schools battled it out answering questions related to Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth Science, Astronomy, Energy, and Mathematics at the Maine State Science Bowl.  After 10 rounds of play, including two tie-breaker sets to determine placements for the semi-finals, MSSM Team A emerged victorious. MSSM Team B placed 4th in their division, but did not advance to the semi-finals.  This is MSSM’s fourth win, with previous victories in 2007, 2013, and 2014.   The winning team now receives an all-expense-paid trip to the National Science Bowl competition, which is held just outside Washington, DC, at the National 4-H Conference Center in Chevy Chase, MD, on April 25-29.  While at Nationals MSSM will compete against schools from around the US, as well as listen to lectures from leading scientists and visit many of the spectacular museums found in our nation’s capital.

MSSM Team A is comprised of Daniel Brower (from Carmel), James Hawkes (from Portland), George Johnson (from Kennebunkport), Jay Philbrick (from North Yarmouth), and Jordan Theriault (from Caribou), and is coached by Dr. Debbie Eustis-Grandy.  MSSM Team B is comprised of Madison Albert (from North Yarmouth), Amanda Chen (from Thomaston), Annie Giroux (from Belgrade), and Mari Witmer (from Fort Kent), and is coached by Tracy Meyer.

Submitted by Kris Harriman, Librarian at the Nobleboro Central School Library in AOS 93.

Two familiar faces have returned to Nobleboro Central School (NCS) as part of an ongoing partnership between NCS and mentors from The Leadership School at Kieve. The collaboration was launched through discussions between former NCS Principal and current AOS 93 staff member, Ann Hassett and Kieve’s Director of Education & Operations, Charlie Richardson.

Noah Dines and Nelson Bandy are Kieve educators in residence who once again will support students and staff at NCS. Dines will remain at the school until the end of May this year, while Bandy will finish up in March.

The friendly duo attend school daily starting in January and take part in lunch, recess, field trips, and other special activities. They also visit general and special education classrooms from kindergarten through grade 8, and the school’s Center For Alternative Learning (CAL).

They often can be found playing on the playground during recess, opening milk cartons at lunch, and joining in a competitive game during a physical education class. They helped cook and serve green eggs and ham in the school library to celebrate the birthday of Dr. Seuss in March.

Their most ambitious project is the popular after-school program they run Mondays through Thursdays at NCS. They provide healthy snacks and lead students in games and activities both indoors and outdoors. They organize games in the gymnasium, bake bread, talk about the “Question of the Day,” and encourage the youth to sample healthy and unfamiliar snacks.

Dines is in his third year at NCS, and Bandy has returned for a second year. They serve as positive role models and mentors for students, and in the past have joined field trips and other off-campus activities such as ice skating and excursions to the Hidden Valley Nature Center
in Jefferson.

This year NCS is affiliated with the Winter Kids program, which means Kieve will be adding additional outdoor activities, Dines said. The annual collaboration is part of a partnership between NCS and Kieve, which is located just down the road in Nobleboro.

For more information visit Kieve’s web page: https://www.kwe.org/blog/uncategorized/winter-2019-eir-conclusion/