During the week of March 24, 2025, 32 middle school students and 12 staff members from Maine Indian Education’s three schools—Indian Island School, Indian Township School, and Sipayik Elementary School—traveled to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as part of the Beaver Works Summer Institute, a STEM program at MIT. This trip represented part of an ongoing effort to engage Indigenous youth in STEM programming to increase their exposure to and interest in potential STEM career opportunities.
These students and educators participated in two and a half days of programming that included workshops, demonstrations, an opportunity expo, and more. Workshops included focuses on wearable technology, self-driving cars, and climate change and water quality. Students also participated in tours and demonstrations at unique MIT spaces like the Hobby Shop, the Edgerton Center’s Milk Drop Shop, D-Lab, Breakerspace, and the Center for Bits and Atoms.
The students’ days at MIT were full and engaging. They walked for miles, traversing MIT’s campus, and ate supper in one of the student cafeterias. They were also treated to an evening improvisation session with Nova Comedy Collective. The students and staff members have said they are incredibly grateful for their experience at MIT and will treasure their memories for years to come.
Joel Grimm, manager of Beaver Worksat MIT Lincoln Laboratory, and Nancy Dalrymple, Native American Student Association advisor, began engaging with Maine Indian Education last November to discuss the possibilities of a student trip from the Penobscot Nation’s Indian Island and the Passamaquoddy Tribe’s two reservations in Downeast Maine. Soon after those conversations began, scientists, engineers, and other academics from across New England signed on to support this first-time program, sponsored by MIT Beaver Works.
Beaver Works received generous grant support from Jameel World Education Lab (J-WEL) to engage Indigenous youth in STEM programming. The National Science Foundation reported in 2019 that 0.6% of Indigenous peoples received a bachelor’s degree in STEM disciplines.
Maine Indian Education’s leadership expressed an overwhelming sense of gratitude for Beaver Works with the following statement:
“Joel and Nancy have advocated for and supported programming for our students for a number of years, with much of it occurring locally until this year. These opportunities for engagement are an invaluable gift that has planted more seeds for future experiences than we can imagine.”
This story was submitted by Maine Indian Education. To submit a good news story to the Maine DOE, please fill out the good news submission form.
(Pictured: Maine Connections Academy students at the University of Maine at Farmington drawing)
On January 17, 2025, Maine Connections Academy, a tuition-free, grades 7-12 online public charter school, brought students together for an in-person Academic Summit at several locations across the state. This summit provided students with valuable opportunities to engage in hands-on learning, interact with teachers, and connect with peers beyond the virtual classroom.
The Academic Summit featured a variety of immersive experiences at institutions across Maine, including the University of Maine at Farmington, the University of Maine at Orono, the Maine Maritime Museum, and the Portland Museum of Art.
Event highlights included:
University of Maine at Farmington – Students visited the Field House, where they participated in basketball, swimming, or teacher-led activities, such as board games and crafts. Maine Connections Academy students also had a campus tour that introduced them to university life.
University of Maine at Orono – Students experienced Cosmic Mashups, a planetarium show exploring black holes and star collisions, followed by a guided campus tour.
Maine Maritime Museum – A hands-on program, How to Build a Wooden Vessel, immersed students in Maine’s rich shipbuilding history through interactive exhibits and demonstrations.
Portland Museum of Art – Students engaged in Learning to Look with Visual Thinking Strategies, which was a guided tour designed to encourage deeper analysis and appreciation of visual art.
Maine Connections Academy’s Academic Summit underscores the importance of face-to-face interactions in an online learning environment, helping students to form lasting connections with their peers and educators and explore future academic and career pathways.
For more information about this event or Maine Connections Academy, click here.
This story was submitted by Maine Connections Academy. To submit a good news story to the Maine DOE, please fill out the good news submission form.
(Pictured: East Grand School Student Emily Pride at the Danforth Town Hall, where she interned and completed an eight-hour new clerk training, certifying her to handle registrations and essential paperwork for the town)
The East Grand School’s Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO) program is cultivating diverse business partnerships, enhancing students’ career development, and community engagement in the Danforth area.
“It’s hard to put into words the growth that is observed in students throughout the ELO process. The confidence gained as these students navigate the working world is huge!” Angela Cowger, East Grand School ELO Coordinator, said.
Many of the East Grand School students participating in the ELO program have displayed growth in several different areas. Cowger said she has observed improvement in their personal responsibility and work skills, such as students showing up for work on time, taking ownership of their schedules, and communicating with their ELO employer/mentor. She said she also sees growth in students’ social skills, including improvement in interpersonal skills and increased confidence. Additionally, students have gained hands-on, real-world knowledge about their chosen, specific career pathway, as well as an increased understanding of how businesses operate in general.
Collaborations have included local organizations in and around Danforth, and as far as Houlton and Calais, such as East Grand School’s maintenance and after-school programs, Maple Lane Family Child Care, Knight’s Yankee Grocer, CCA Auto, Canoe the Wild, the Snow Farm, and Modern Beauty. Students have also been placed in ELOs with Stair Welding RL Inc. in Hodgdon, the Aroostook County Action Program, Houlton Regional Hospital, and Serendipity Embroidery & Design. East Grand collaborates with Washington County Community College, too, to expand internship and apprenticeship opportunities.
ELO and career prep students have broadened their professional perspectives through field trips, including to Washington County Community College, Louisiana-Pacific Building Solutions, and a job fair at Northern Maine Community College, which featured more than 70 employers in Presque Isle. The program has hosted several guest speakers and local business leaders from institutions and sectors, such as the Maine Guide Service, health care, and outdoor recreation.
While the Danforth program has successfully established these partnerships, geographic challenges remain. The nearest automotive service center is 34 miles away in Houlton, posing a transportation barrier for students without a driver’s license. East Grand Schools, however, has used some of the funding received through a Maine Department of Education (DOE) ELO Expansion grant to address these transportation barriers. Through that effort, five students have since completed driver’s education and obtained their permits and are now working toward their licenses.
Cowger has also been instrumental in removing barriers for her students. The East Grand School ELO program has a van, which allows her to transport students. Additionally, the Region Two School of Applied Technology program has generously provided a few East Grand-region students the opportunity to be dropped off at work sites near their bus routes, which has allowed for a few of these ELO students to be placed in Houlton. The geographic remoteness will continue to be a challenge, as jobs and resources are limited in the East Grand area, but the school continues to adapt and think outside of the box.
One notable success story is that of Emily Pride, who moved to East Grand School during the final months of her sophomore year. She was unsure of what she wanted to do after high school, so she enrolled in a Career Exploration ELO. She completed coursework and job shadows in real estate, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and a local daycare. Her exploration led to an internship at the Danforth Livable Community Center, where she assisted with organization, scheduling, meal preparation, and administrative duties at the town office. Pride also completed an eight-hour new clerk training, certifying her to handle registrations and essential paperwork for the town.
Pride’s dedication led to a summer job offer from the town office, an opportunity she said she viewed as a valuable learning experience that gave her insight into local governance and inspired her to consider pursuing a career in this field.
“With the knowledge I have gained from all these opportunities, I am able to apply them to my future!” Pride said.
This spring marks an exciting advancement for the East Grand School ELO program with the completion of a new business innovation center at the school. Funded by a Maine DOE Rethinking Responsive Education Ventures (RREV) grant, the center features a business learning lab designed for ELO and career preparation classes. This initiative supports the school’s decade-long effort to promote a small business pathway. Students have utilized the space for career preparation classes and ELO projects. The goal is for students to develop and execute business plans and use the lab as a launchpad for entrepreneurial endeavors.
Recently, an ELO student, with the help of a mentor graphic design artist, used the lab to create an art studio.
The business innovation center is now a hub for East Grand School’s small business pathway, which includes four dual-credit college courses and 8th- and 10th-grade career preparation classes. These classes include components such as personal finance, cooking and other life skills, entrepreneurial guest speakers, career exploration, and other curricula. These developments represent significant strides in preparing East Grand students for their future careers and fostering individual growth and community engagement.
Eighth-grade students participate in a career preparation class.
East Grand School was a 2022 awardee of the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan (MJRP) ELO grants, which supported 26 programs across Maine, covering 13 counties. This year, East Grand received a Maine DOE grant to further ELO expansion by establishing a “Missing Jobs Pathway.” This new pathway helps students to identify in-demand jobs/businesses that are missing in their community and supports them in developing the skills to meet the demand and remain in their home community.
(Pictured: Biddeford High School (BHS) students try out making homemade pasta as part of the “Passion Classes,” a special day filled with a unique curriculum designed to help students explore new hobbies and interests while fostering meaningful connections with teachers.)
Discovering what excites and motivates students can be a game-changer in education, boosting engagement, academic performance, and overall wellbeing. Last month, Biddeford High School (BHS) hosted “Passion Classes,” a special day filled with a unique curriculum designed to help students explore new hobbies and interests, while fostering meaningful connections with teachers.
The Passion Classes event allowed teachers to step outside of their traditional subjects to share something they are passionate about—whether it’s a life skill, creative hobby, or unique interest. Students were given the opportunity to choose three sessions throughout the day, selecting from a wide range of engaging topics. Some sessions focused on practical life skills, such as making sushi, homemade pasta, or pancakes, while others introduced students to weightlifting techniques or the basics of sourdough baking. Creativity took center stage in sessions on knitting and crocheting, embroidery, and candle-making, while other offerings helped students to develop social-emotional skills through communication workshops, meditation, and even mapmaking. For those looking for something fun and interactive, applicable options included trivia, chess, and even a session on planning the perfect Disney trip.
Biddeford High School (BHS) students enjoy making diamond paintings as part of the “Passion Classes,” a special day filled with a unique curriculum designed to help students explore new hobbies and interests while fostering meaningful connections with teachers.
The Passion Classes event aligns with the growing focus on social-emotional learning (SEL), which encourages students to explore their passions, develop confidence, and build a sense of purpose. Finding one’s passion in high school can lead to greater motivation, more substantial learning outcomes, and even help shape future career choices. Just as importantly, this initiative creates opportunities for students to connect with teachers in new and meaningful ways, discovering shared interests over common hobbies that can strengthen relationships beyond the classroom. Those bonds continue to grow throughout the school year, contributing to a more positive and supportive learning environment.
“Passions fuel curiosity and drive learning in ways traditional instruction sometimes cannot,” Martha Jacques, Biddeford High School Principal, said. “When students have a reason to build skills—whether it’s reading, math, or problem-solving—because they need those skills to go further in something they love, they become more engaged and invested in their learning.”
The Passion Classes event reflects the school’s commitment to connecting with one another and continuously fostering a sense of belonging for students and staff. While strong relationships are forged in the classrooms each day, Biddeford High School works to elevate these efforts with school-wide co-curricular activities to support its core values of Perseverance, Respect, Integrity, Dependability, and Empathy. These opportunities are called “PRIDE Days”.
This story was submitted by Biddeford High School. To submit a good news story to the Maine Department of Education, please fill out the good news submission form.
Sanford Middle School has a new wave of young journalists who are making their mark with the launch of a new school newspaper. The SMS Times, which launched in early February, is giving students a platform to report on school events, sports, and issues that matter to them.
Inspired by the Sanford High School’s Spartan Times, this newspaper project began when Sanford Middle School Gifted and Talented Coordinator Chambree Kumka introduced the idea to her English Language Arts groups.
“I thought this would be something that would really get them feeling connected to the school,” Kumka explained.
The SMS Times has already made an impact within the school community. Fifth-grader Henry Defrance wrote a popular article about a malfunctioning water fountain that got real-world results.
“It hadn’t been working, but the day after I wrote the article it got fixed,” he said. Henry said he is preparing a follow-up piece for the next issue.
Sports coverage has emerged as a central feature, with fifth-graders Ivy Peters and Tanner Provencher (pictured above) forming a dedicated reporting team.
“I thought it would be fun to write about school sports and stuff,” Ivy expressed. Though her article wasn’t in the debut issue, she said she is excited to see her work in the next edition.
Tanner said she appreciates the opportunity to learn about sports that she doesn’t personally play.
“I like to learn about the experiences,” she noted. Both reporters said they are looking forward to covering spring sports, particularly softball and baseball.
Fellow fifth-grader Luke Levesque, who also contributes to sports coverage, said his favorite part is simply “seeing all the sports.”
These young reporters are learning to conduct interviews, speaking with coaches and players and gathering quotes and perspectives to enrich their articles. Students are gaining valuable experience in writing, editing, and meeting deadlines. They are also learning to research topics independently.
“I want to teach them about making sure they’ve checked their facts,” Kumka noted. “If we do make a mistake, we correct it in the next issue.”
Students receive guidance when needed but are encouraged to develop their own story ideas.
“If they’re stuck on something, I’ll guide them toward something that might be needed,” Kumka said. “But I definitely try to let them choose.”
The SMS Times has received positive feedback from teachers and students alike. The first edition featured a diverse range of content, including Henry’s investigative water fountain report; sports coverage by Luke and Eamon McGuckin-Welsch; a feature on Sanford Middle School Resource Officer Joe Jourdain receiving the Wayne Drown Award; a spotlight on eighth-grader Paityn Ricker’s SnackDash program; a guide to school clubs written by Lia Tullo, Alana Repolt, and Gabe Donovan; a student poll on allied arts classes; historical photos of Sanford; and even a joke section. It also promoted upcoming events like the school’s production of “Beauty and the Beast,” scheduled for May of 2025.
While fifth graders form the core of the reporting staff, Kumka said she hopes to increase involvement among older students in the future. These young journalists are already thinking about future coverage. Some are preparing to report on the school talent show, while others are developing ideas for feature stories about student concerns, such as lunch table seating arrangements.
Kumka currently handles design and production of the newspaper but said she plans to gradually pass these responsibilities to the students, as well.
“Eventually, I’d like for them to be doing pretty much all of it,” she said.
This story was submitted by Sanford Middle School. To submit a good news story to the Maine DOE, please fill out the good news submission form.
The Maine Association of School Libraries (MASL) is celebrating two educators: Maranacook Community High School Principal Michele Laforge, who has been awarded the 2025 MASL Administrator of the Year Award, and Dirigo Elementary School Librarian Cindy Petherbridge, who has been awarded the 2025 MASL Walter J. Taranko School Librarian of the Year Award.
The MASL School Administrator Award honors administrators who, through individual leadership and sustained effort, have made worthy contributions to the operations of effective school library media services within the educational program. The Walter J. Taranko School Librarian Award, named for the former Maine State consultant for school libraries, honors certified school librarians who have made a significant contribution to the profession.
At school-wide assemblies on Thursday, March 27, and Friday, March 28, the awardees were each surprised by an awards presentation. Both awards include a personalized plaque and $500 for their school libraries.
Michele Laforge Maranacook Community High School Principal 2025 MASL Administrator of the Year Award
Michele Laforge was nominated for this award by Maranacook’s Librarian, Liz Guillemette, and Literacy Interventionist, Juliet Tinckham. Guillemette and Tinckham noted in their nomination that Laforge is an avid reader who talks about books to staff and students all the time, supports the Writing Center program in the library, and works tirelessly to nurture a culture of literacy in the school. They also described her as “a champion of libraries and librarians” who “creates opportunities for the library to be utilized and recognized as a hub for reading, information, and community.”
Pictured from left to right: Juliet Tinckham, Michele Laforge, and Liz Guillemette at an all-school assembly on March 27, 2025, where MASL past-President Heather Perkinson surprised Laforge with the award.
Cindy Petherbridge Dirigo Elementary School Librarian 2025 MASL Walter J. Taranko School Librarian of the Year Award
The impressive nomination of Cindy Petherbridge submitted to MASL by Dirigo Principal Dr. Charlie Swan included testimonials from colleagues, parents, and students. Teachers describe Petherbridge as a “ray of sunshine,” whose “unwavering dedication to her students and school” is unmatched. A parent noted that “she knows all the kids by name, is always helpful and kind, and makes every child feel welcome” and “has created a safe, nurturing environment where children can thrive.” Swan described the many programs that the “immensely passionate, creative, and caring” librarian oversees, including book fairs, field trips to the town library, technology instruction, mentoring colleagues, and aligning books with the new reading program. He said she is a “true inspiration for the love of reading” and makes a “difference in the academic and social development of our students.” Swan explained that during the Covid pandemic, Petherbridge even volunteered to teach 4th grade remotely, because she is “always all in on doing what is best for kids in our school.”
The entire student body at the pre-K to grade 5 school, along with parents and staff in attendance, were so thrilled for their librarian that they gave her a standing ovation when MASL past-President Heather Perkinson surprised Petherbridge with the award at the assembly on March 28, 2025.
Pictured from left to right: RSU 56 Superintendent Pamela Doyen, Dirigo Elementary School Librarian Cindy Petherbridge, and Principal Charlie Swan gather for a group picture after the award presentation.
MASL’s mission is to provide connections for creating and advancing effective school library programs through professional development, advocacy, and community-building. For more information about MASL’s awards and how to nominate educators for them, please visit the MASL website and choose the Awards and Scholarships tab.
Thanks to the Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) “Teach with Tech” grant, junior high students at Athens Community School are diving into computer science with hands-on lessons that incorporate Sphero BOLT robots.
Last year, Mrs. Luce, the Library/Media Specialist at Athens Community School, applied for this grant with a vision of sparking student interest in robotics and opening students’ eyes to the vast possibilities within the field of computer science. In the fall, the school received a set of 15 of these robots, which are now being used to launch exciting new computer science units for students in grades 5-8.
Athens eighth graders were the first to experience the magic of Sphero, starting with a fun and challenging activity: driving their robots through a maze using on-screen steering. From there, they advanced to the next level, learning to code their robots to navigate the maze independently. Students gained hands-on experience with block-based programming, mastering essential concepts such as parameters, conditionals, and loops. Through trial and error, as well as creative problem-solving and critical thinking, they wrote and tested their own code to overcome obstacles and guide their robots to success.
The excitement for robotics has proven to be contagious. As younger Athens students in the fifth, sixth, and seventh grade watched their older peers navigate these mazes, they couldn’t wait to get their own hands on the robots. This interactive nature of the robotics experience ignites curiosity and a passion for learning, leaving all students eager to try out programming for themselves. What has made this project at Athens Community School truly special is the collaborative learning environment it fosters. Students have had opportunities to share insights and learn from on another’s successes and failures, building community through teamwork.
Thanks to the comprehensive set of resources that Sphero provides—which includes a curriculum for multiple grade levels—Athens Community School is set to offer a rich, ongoing STEM education to students for years to come. Integrating robotics into the classroom not only helps students develop valuable coding skills; it also encourages them to think critically, collaborate with peers, and explore the limitless possibilities of the digital world.
This story was provided by Athens Community School. To submit good news to the Maine DOE, please fill out the Good News Submission form.
The Maine Loves Public Schools campaign, a collaborative effort by the Maine Education Leaders Professional Learning Collaborative (MELPLC), has launched a new public education video storytelling series. Organizers are currently seeking story ideas from Maine schools around the theme: What extraordinary learning is happening in your school in 2025?
The “Learning from Maine” video series will feature Maine classrooms, from Kittery to Madawaska, and from kindergarten to adult education, to capture the most inspiring stories of growth, resilience, and triumph. These uplifting features will be transformed into a series of short videos – with the goal of sharing the amazing happenings in public education, attracting more Mainers who are young and diverse to the teaching profession, and catalyzing school improvement.
Each 5- to 10-minute episode will be accompanied by social media posts that help to promote these stories. Episodes will also be emailed to thousands of Maine educators and administrators and broadcasted on Maine Public Television. Stories not chosen for the “Learning from Maine” video series may still be featured as part of the broader “Maine Loves Public Schools” campaign.
Pine Tree Programming, a new initiative from the Maine Department of Education’s Office of Teaching and Learning, is expanding access to computer science education across the state. In just six weeks, this dynamic program has introduced more than 500 students—many from schools with limited or no prior computer science opportunities—to the world of coding. Partnering with 44 schools across 13 Maine counties, Pine Tree Programming is empowering a new generation of coders, creators, and problem-solvers.
Designed to make computer science fun, accessible, and engaging, Pine Tree Programming is proving that anyone can learn to code. In today’s digital world, computational thinking is more than just a technical skill; it’s a pathway to innovation, creativity, and future success. By introducing students and teachers to coding in an exciting and approachable way, this program is helping to close the digital divide and equip Maine’s youth with critical 21st-century skills.
So far, the response from the classroom has been overwhelmingly positive! Teachers are reporting a surge in student enthusiasm for technology and problem-solving, as students dive into coding, build projects, and explore the endless possibilities of computer science.
Building on this success, Pine Tree Programming is now looking ahead to expand its reach and bring even more Maine schools into the world of computer science.
Are you interested in to bringing Pine Tree Programming to your school? If so, please contact Allison Braley, Maine DOE Computer Science Specialist, at allison.braley@maine.gov for more information.
In the fall of 2019, the Brunswick School Department enthusiastically launched its initial public pre-K classroom. The first matter of business after hiring an amazing early intervention teacher was the decision about curriculum. Founding pre-K teacher Brigitta Valente recalled, “We feel strongly about how play offers authentic opportunities for learning for all children but especially young children. There are so many layers to the skills that are developed in play. From curiosity to social and emotional development, problem-solving to critical thinking, play builds and extends countless foundational aspects of learning. This is why pre-K for ME appealed to us so much. Play is central and prioritized.”
That first year of pre-K for ME set the stage in Brunswick for years to come. As the pre-K program expanded from that one classroom, tucked into a cute mobile unit in the school’s front yard, to four pre-K classrooms and then two more community partner classrooms, the school department continued to use the pre-K for ME program. Community partners Family Focus and Midcoast Maine Community Action Head Start were already using pre-K for ME at their agencies, so it was a smooth transition for Brunswick to do so. Soon, the success of Brunswick’s pre-K program started getting the attention of other staff in the school.
Kindergarten teacher Erin Lemont shared, “We quickly learned that K for ME is designed to offer young learners a flexible, interactive, and engaging way to explore foundational concepts. K for ME allows children to experience learning through exploration, hands-on activities, and social interaction, which helps them make deeper connections to what they’re discovering.”
Another Kindergarten teacher Charity Kaiser explained, “When I heard about K for ME, it was the first program I had encountered that truly embraced the importance of play, student choice, and the development of interpersonal skills. Having a comprehensive academic curriculum built around these foundational elements aligned perfectly with what I had come to value as essential for meaningful learning.”
So began the growth of K for ME in at the Brunswick School Department.
The first year of the pandemic was especially strange for Brunswick. Amidst social distancing and contact tracing, staff and students moved into the brand-new Kate Furbish Elementary School building, absorbed an additional grade level, and grew student population by more than 200. Principal Annie Young said she and her staff quickly realized that they needed a new approach with a school of more than 600 four- to eight-year-olds – especially after so many disruptions to students’ early years because of Covid-19.
“We noticed so many changes in our students as they came to our school – their deficits in social, emotional, communication, fine, and gross motor skills were drastic,” Young explained.
Fortunately, there were a number of highly-qualified early childhood educators working at the large pre-K through grade 2 school.
“Our staff is well-experienced in the pedagogy of working with young students. Not only are they highly-skilled; they are also passionate about the diverse needs of this age group,” Young shared.
Together, the staff of Kate Furbish began to build a “portrait of a graduate.” Qualities like intentional social-skill instruction and practice, emotional regulation work, play-based instruction, and communication rose to the top of their priority list. Finding a way to embed this work into the daily life of the school was already happening in their pre-K and K for ME classrooms. This thriving success inspired Principal Young to make the big leap of adopting both 1st and 2nd for ME programs. Coining it “Together for ME” this school year, Kate Furbish became the first school in the state to adopt pre-K, K, 1st, and 2nd for ME across the entire school – all 34 general education and six special education classrooms.
“I felt confident about this bold move,” Young said. “Our pre-K and kindergarten classrooms and staff were already seeing the positive impact of this program, so it was a clear path to adopt it school-wide.”
Besides being student-centered, this program is engaging and includes lots of intentional play and social-emotional skill building. Through Together for ME, staff and students see the powerful connections between classrooms, across grade levels, and throughout the school. There’s increased accessibility and reinforcement of Brunswick’s focus on belonging in this school-wide program. Students, including those in special education and English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) programs, are finding more ways to access their general education settings than before. Together, Kate Furbish staff members are committed to continuing to grow in their understanding and use of this work.
The Brunswick School Department provided this article. To submit good news to the Maine DOE, fill out the Good News Submission form.
Please visit the Maine DOE website to learn more about the state’s instructional programs, such as pre-K for ME, K for ME, 1st for ME, and 2nd for ME.
Maine DOE Newsroom 