The Maine Department of Education is currently recruiting elementary (5th grade) educators and alternate participants (grades 8 and 3rd year of high school) to participate in an upcoming standard setting for the state’s science assessment, Maine (MEA) Science.
Maine educators and the DOE play a crucial role in the development of this assessment for students. No prior experience with standard setting or standard setting methodology is required however, panelists should be a science expert that teaches students who participate in the Maine Science assessment and have a thorough understanding of the assessed Maine Learning Results (MLRs) Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Participants must be able to differentiate between student performances at different levels of achievement. Standard setting panels consist of 10 educators per grade band (grade 5, 8, and 3rd year of high school). Panelists will have the opportunity to discuss and determine application thresholds for Maine.
Current needs include:
Grade 5 – 4 Educators
Grade 8 – Alternates*
3rd year of High School – Alternates*
*Alternates need to indicate they would be available should a panelist be unable to participate.
The standard setting is scheduled to take place from July 26th – 28th 2022 in Augusta. Travel, accommodations and expenses will be covered with a daily stipend provided to selected panelists.
Please consider applying or sharing the upcoming opportunities with colleagues. The expertise and contributions of Maine educators are a critical element of the continued development cycle for these assessments.
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is happy to share the following news from the White House regarding the Affordable Connectivity Program.
The Affordable Connectivity Program provides a $30 monthly discount on internet service from participating providers for low-income households, such as those that receive federal assistance through SNAP or Medicaid. The White House recently announced they have secured commitments from 20 leading internet providers that will lower high-speed internet costs for millions of American households. The commitments from the leading service providers will lower internet costs up to $30 a month, and up to $75 a month on Tribal Lands. The providers will increase speeds or cut prices to ensure they offer ACP eligible households high-speed, high quality internet plans for no more than $30 a month. These providers include AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon, who serve many states, and smaller providers who serve rural areas such as Earthlink LLC in Maine.
The White House also announced they will be launching a comprehensive effort to ensure the eligible households can take advantage of the new program. GetInternet.Gov is a website that can be used to sign up for ACP and find a participating provider in your area. For a full list of participating providers and facts on the Affordability Connectivity Program please refer to the White House fact sheet.
Juneteenth is the oldest nationally-celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States, honoring African American freedom and highlighting education and achievement. Last year, Congress passed a bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday. Please see below for a collection of resources for celebrating and teaching about Juneteenth.
Resources for Teaching and Learning about Juneteenth:
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) has welcomed nine new summer interns this year, who began their work on May 31st. The interns were selected for positions in the Maine DOE by the University of Maine’s Margaret Chase Smith Policy Institute’s Maine Government Summer Internship Program. Over the course of the summer, the interns will assist in daily operations in the Maine DOE and gain professional experience and perspective. The Maine DOE is delighted to welcome the interns along with their energy and ideas.
Alexa Bryant, Communications Team Intern
Alexa Bryant is a rising junior at Middlebury College majoring in political science and minoring in Chinese. She is originally from Parkland, Florida, but now lives in Hartland, Maine. As the Communications Team Intern, Alexa is excited to publish content to the Maine DOE channels this summer. When out of office, she enjoys paddle boarding and cooking.
Erin Frankhauser, Computer Science Education Research Assistant
Erin Frankhauser is from Pittston, Maine. Currently, she is a double major in criminology and psychology at St Thomas University. After completing her undergraduate degree, she hopes to attend graduate school with the long-term goal of being a social science researcher. As a Computer Science Research Assistant this summer, she will be working with the Maine DOE Computer Science Specialist to develop and test a landscape study survey tool that will be used in the Fall of 2022.
Grace Harvey, Innovative Education Assistant
Grace Harvey is a rising junior at Colby College from Old Town, Maine. She is double majoring in sociology and science, technology and society. After Colby, she hopes to continue onto law school. This summer, Grace will be working on the Maine Opportunities for Online Sustained Education (MOOSE) team as an Innovative Education Assistant and hopes to aid in creating a more equitable learning option for students around the state.
Chase Holak, Records Management and Operations Intern
Chase Holak is a business economics major at University of Maine Farmington. He is originally from Doylestown, Pennsylvania. This summer he will be working as the Records Management and Operations Intern, assisting in procurement and ensuring that all the Maine DOE’s records are organized.
Carrie Jeffrey, Climate, Culture, and Resiliency Team Intern
Carrie Jeffrey is a George Washington University student from Blue Hill, Maine. She is double majoring in political science and journalism and minoring in graphic design. Outside of the office, she enjoys running, painting, and volunteering at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in the Butterfly Museum and Insect Zoo. This summer, she will be interning with the DOE as the Climate, Culture, and Resiliency Team Intern, and is hoping to meet a wide variety of people and gain more insight into governmental processes.
Gus LaCasse, Computer Science Education Research Assistant
Gus La Casse is from Trenton, Maine. He attends University of Maine Orono for political science and environmental ethics. This summer, he will be working on a survey pertaining to Computer Science Education in Maine schools as a Computer Science Education Research Assistant.
Cat Merkle, MTSS Framework Content and Web Development Assistant
Cat Merkle is a rising senior from New Jersey studying education and environmental science at Colby College. She was excited to come across this internship opportunity because her experience in Colby’s Education Program has inspired her to pursue a career in educational policy. In her free time, she is involved in Student Government, ultimate frisbee, Colby Cares About Kids, a cappella, and she loves to play music with her band. This summer, she is really looking forward to meeting other student interns interested in education policy and learning more about the Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS) framework as the MTSS Framework Content and Web Development Assistant.
Ella Pierce, Learning Through Technology Data and Media Assistant
Ella Pierce is from Camden, Maine. She is a rising junior at Wellesley College where she studies political science and psychology on a pre-law track. This summer, she will be working with the Learning Through Technology team to create a database of Maine schools’ social media presence and highlight the exciting and innovative happenings in Maine schools as the Learning Through Technology Data and Media Assistant.
Piper Strunk, Innovative Education Assistant
Piper Strunk is a rising junior at Bates College. She is an economics major and education minor from Cape Elizabeth, Maine. This summer she will be working with the Office of Innovation as an Innovative Education Assistant, helping to improve the existing MOOSE modules. She is thrilled to be a part of this program and looks forward to helping create meaningful and engaging educational content for all students across Maine.
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Data Team is holding their annual summer training July 26th-28th and August 9th-16th. The focus of the training this year will be on tips and resources to assist districts with their state required data reporting and viewing/certifying their reports. New for this year we have condensed our sessions down to three hours. | More
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) today awarded $2.5 million in Rethinking Responsive Education Ventures (RREV) funding to support education innovation in twelve school administrative units (SAUs) across Maine. | More
With the availability of up to $5 billion over the next 5 years through the Environmental Protection Agency’s new Clean School Bus Program there is an unprecedented opportunity to accelerate electric school bus adoption in Maine and deliver cleaner school transportation to every region of the state. | More
Summer means fresh, local food and we are lucky to live in a state with so many wonderful farms to support in our communities! Bringing the farm to your school is easy with Harvest of the Month (HOM), and the Child Nutrition Program has FREE promotional and educational material to help make this happen! Beautiful posters, fact sheets with recipes, stickers and more will be mailed to you at no cost. | More
As the school year comes to a close we are happy to announce that the Read to Ride Summer Reading Challenge is once again being supported by the Freemasons of Maine for the 7th year. All students in grades K-8 who complete a summer reading goal of at least 500 minutes are eligible for a school drawing. | More
As the school year comes to an end, Maine children can access nutritious meals through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program, administered by the Maine Department of Education (DOE). These meals are available at hundreds of sites across Maine and will be listed on the Maine DOE’s Hot Lunch Summer website. | More
In an effort to keep the education field apprised of implementation progress on Chapter 115 regulations, the Maine DOE certification team wanted to provide the following updates. Please remember the new regulations begin this Friday, June 10th. | More
Pursuant to the authority granted under section 8401(b) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the Maine Department of Education (DOE) intends to submit an application for waivers to the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE). As required, the Maine DOE is seeking 15 days of public comment from June 7, 2022 – June 21, 2022, on the request to waive the period of availability for Elementary & Secondary Education Act funds and Title I, Part A carryover limitations. | More
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is excited to announce that registration for the 2022 Maine Educator Summit is now open. This summit provides all Maine educators and school staff with opportunities for professional learning, peer networking, and resource materials to further support students impacted by the COVID-19 global pandemic. | More
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) and the University of Maine System (UMS) are pleased to announce the first Maine PBIS Training of Trainers and Coaches cohort. | More
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Data Team is holding their annual summer training July 26th-28th and August 9th-16th. The focus of the training this year will be on tips and resources to assist districts with their state required data reporting and viewing/certifying their reports. New for this year we have condensed our sessions down to three hours. Please note that these trainings are geared towards users who have experience in the states student and/or staff data collection and reporting systems (Synergy, NEO and MEIS). For those who are brand new to state required student and/or staff data reporting we offer one-on-one onboard training.
July 26th, Houlton Middle/High School, 7 Bird St, Houlton, ME 04730
July 27th, Hampden Academy, 89 Western Ave, Hampden, ME 04444
July 28th, Ellsworth Elementary/Middle School, 20 Forrest Avenue Ellsworth, ME 04605
August 9th, Cony High School, 60 Pierce Drive Augusta, ME 04330
August 10th, Park Avenue Elementary, Park Avenue, Auburn, ME 04210
August 11th, Orion Performing Arts Center, 50 Republic Ave, Topsham, ME 04086
August 12th, Biddeford High School, 18 Maplewood Ave, Biddeford, ME 04005
August 16th, TEAMS Live Event, select “Join Live” at 9am or when ever you would like to join.
All sessions will begin with registration at 8:30am, with presentations beginning at 9am. Coffee and water will also be provided throughout the training.
The following is the daily agenda for this year’s summer data trainings Please note that these times are tentative and are subject to change. Thank you.
8:30 – 9:00 – Check-in, Meet & Greet
9:00 – 9:30 – Welcome, Helpdesk Resources, Introduction of new staff & What’s New for 2023 – Ryan Cunningham
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding these training sessions, please contact Ryan Cunningham Maine DOE Data Systems Helpdesk Manager at (207) 624-6809 or Ryan.L.Cunningham@maine.gov .
Amber-Rae Pesek, a senior graduating from Ellsworth High School in June of 2022, is the first student ever to complete the necessary credits to earn an Associate’s degree from the University of Maine at Augusta (UMA) while simultaneously completing her high school career. Pesek, who marched in the May 14th UMA Commencement Ceremony, will be officially awarded her degree in Liberal Studies in Summer 2022 following the completion of her high school career.
Pesek earned 74 credits college credits as a high school student in the UMA Early College Program and as a Bridge Academy of Maine student through Hancock County Technical Center. Credits were accumulated across the University of Maine System campuses with the majority of her credits earned through UMA. She also transferred credits for her UMA degree requirements from Eastern Maine Community College.
Christine Knight, UMA’s Director of Early College said, “(Amber-) Rae is one of the most extraordinarily driven students I have ever had the pleasure of working with in this program. She put in countless hours in the coursework itself, while also being actively involved in the Bridge Academy of Maine Program as well as student life at Ellsworth High School.”
Sarah White, Ellsworth High School Counselor, said Pesek took full advantage of Early College opportunities. “She did this on top of balancing a regular high school course load, as well as co-curricular activities and athletics. Her diligence and perseverance paid off in spades and we are so proud of her! We are so excited to see what her future holds!”
Hancock County Technical Center Student Services Coordinator, Hope High, and Director, Amy Boles, also recognized Pesek’s efforts. “As a student in our Biomedical Sciences program and a member of our Bridge Academy, Amber-Rae has shown immense leadership and taken advantage of every opportunity she has been given. We are so proud of her efforts in earning the necessary credits for her Associates Degree from the University of Maine at Augusta while also taking a full academic course load and being an active high school citizen.”
Mason Brewer, Program Director for Bridge Academy of Maine, agreed. “Especially during these unique and challenging times, she displayed an impressive ability to maintain a substantial course load. She is a shining example of what is possible with strong personal drive, advocacy, and planning. We are excited to follow where Rae goes from here!”
At the University of Maine System (UMS), Early College (or dual enrollment) refers to all programs in which high school students enroll in college courses. Students earn both college and high school credit when they successfully complete the course. High school students who enroll in early college courses are more likely to enroll in college, have higher grades, and have a better chance of earning a college degree. Courses are free (or at significantly reduced costs) to high school students.
The most recent data from the UMS Institutional Research and Planning Office (Spring 2022) reveals the outlook for all Early College programs is strong, with 457 high school students enrolled this spring just within UMA (2,501 system wide). This represents an 81% increase from 2018 for UMA, and a 55% increase overall for all seven institutions. Fall enrollments are typically stronger across all demographics, and data for Early College support that. The Fall 2021 statistics show that more than 3,600 students across Maine’s public universities were enrolled in Early College, with 1,056 enrolling in UMA courses.
Like her colleagues, UMA’s Knight is also very optimistic of Pesek’s future as she took advantage of Early College, and also recognized how much family support contributes to student success. “Rae is a remarkable student, and she had unending support and guidance from her family. I know she will go on to do incredible things. Once again, Rae demonstrates that with Early College, high school students can be not only college ready, but college proven!” Pesek is already exploring options for the fall at UMA and several other Maine public universities.
UMA transforms the lives of students of every age and background across the State of Maine and beyond through access to high-quality distance and on-site education, excellence in student support, civic engagement, and professional and liberal arts programs. For more information, please visit https://www.uma.edu/. For information about UMA’s Early College Program, visit https://uma.edu/earlycollege.
Summer means fresh, local food and we are lucky to live in a state with so many wonderful farms to support in our communities! Bringing the farm to your school is easy with Harvest of the Month (HOM), and the Child Nutrition Program has FREE promotional and educational material to help make this happen! Beautiful posters, fact sheets with recipes, stickers and more will be mailed to you at no cost. Maybe your school has a garden bursting with summer squash and cucumbers (the HOM highlighted ingredients for July and August), or perhaps you have a family recipe using summer produce that you know kids in your community would love.
The Maine Council for English Language Arts (MCELA) awarded its 4th annual Claudette and John Brassil Distinguished Educator Award, in honor of the contributions of the two long-time educators who have inspired students and mentored teachers for over eighty combined years in Maine public schools. MCELA is an affiliate of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). The Brassil Distinguished Educator award is usually presented annually at the MCELA Conference in March (tentatively scheduled to be an in-person conference in Portland), but the award has been delayed since 2020 due to the pandemic.
The Brassil Award recognizes exceptional English language arts and literacy teachers who have demonstrated excellence in teaching, contributed to the profession, and shown a commitment to the community. In the past, this distinguished educator award was given to one high school teacher each year (2020 Patti Forster of Camden Hills Regional High School, 2019 Stephanie Hendrix of Bangor High School, and 2018 Johnna Stanton of Morse High school). This year the Executive Board decided to award and celebrate both a middle and a high school teacher.
The finalists for the high school Claudette and John Brassil Distinguished Educator Award for 2022 include Beth Carlson of Kennebunk High School, Sara Cole of Camden Hills Regional High School, and Audrey Ennamorati of Medomak Valley High School.
Audrey Ennamorati, Medomak Valley High School, 2022 Brassil Distinguished Educator Award Winner (high school)
The distinguished high school English educator award for 2022 goes to Audrey Ennamorati, a 23-year educator at MVHS who currently teaches AP English Literature & Composition, AP English Language & Composition British & American Literature, Freshman English, College Composition dual enrollment with Thomas College, Writing Center, Literary Magazine, and Creative Writing. Ennamorati also developed numerous independent study courses to meet the academic needs of both advanced and struggling students, such as Literary Masterpieces, Social Justice Through Literature, Advanced Writing and English Language and Literature. Additionally, Ennamorati has taught writing-intensive courses part-time at the University of Southern Maine for 12 years and is currently an adjunct for the University of Maine-August (in Rockland) teaching College Writing, and occasionally Creative Writing and Creative Nonfiction. Ennamorati claims she has a special formula for inspiring students of all backgrounds and abilities: “(1) tapping into students’ needs/interests and (2) challenging them beyond their expectations. I learned early on in my high school teaching career that part of exercising these strengths with students means being genuine and creative at the same time.”Ennamorati’s nominator, Principal Linda Pease shared respect for Ennamorati’s “thoughtful and logical contributions” and her “positive influence on the climate of the school.”
The finalists for the middle school Claudette and John Brassil Distinguished Educator Award for 2022 include Todd McKinley of J.A. Leonard Middle School, Nicole Matthews of Windsor Elementary School, Meghan Rounds of Gorham Middle School, and Margaret “Maggie” Adams of Kingfield Elementary School.
The distinguished middle school English educator award for 2022 goes to Maggie Adams, an 18-year educator who currently teaches grades 5-8 English at Kingfield Elementary School. Adams coordinated and developed the Girls Talk/Teen Voices mentor program bringing community women together with female students for literary discussions and activities for Phillips and then Kingfield Elementary School. She is also a public speaking coach for the Kingfield school (2012-present) and has provided enriching extracurricular opportunities such as Poetry Slams, One Book/ One School/ One Community events, organizing visits from authors, storytellers, and illustrators, and advising various clubs. In addition, Adams served as the Mt. Abram Teacher’s Association during the pandemic. Beyond her school, Adams has been a 3-time speaker for the Holocaust and Human Rights Center (HHRC) representing the perspective of a Mi’kmaq teacher and former Maine student, explaining the integration of the Social Justice curriculum in the classroom, and describing the impact the HHRC has had on her own school district and teaching.
The MCELA is will be accepting nominations through December 31, 2022, for the March 2023 in-person conference recognition. Nominees should be full-time English language arts or literacy teachers of students in grades 6-12 and have taught for at least five years in public or independent schools in Maine. Nominees do not have to be a member of the Maine Council for English Language Arts. ELA educators who demonstrate the same qualities as the Brassils themselves: a commitment to student-centered learning, inspiration of all students, leadership in school, district, state, and national levels, development and sharing of effective practices, and involvement in the community and school beyond the classroom. More information on nominations available here: https://www.mainecela.org/nominate-an-educator.html
Please join us in congratulating Audrey Ennamorati and Maggie Adams!
As the school year comes to a close we are happy to announce that the Read to Ride Summer Reading Challenge is once again being supported by the Freemasons of Maine for the 7th year. All students in grades K-8 who complete a summer reading goal of at least 500 minutes are eligible for a school drawing. Each school is then able to submit 2 names of school level winners to be put into a state level drawing for a free bike and helmet. Last year 32 bikes and helmets were awarded to students across the state. If you are interested in registering your school for the challenge please complete this form. For additional resources such as a summer reading passport and parent information please visit the Read to Ride Challenge website.
