Count ME In Training: Transforming School Climate & Culture

Join Count ME In for a fall training session and learn strategies on how to build a positive climate, improve school culture, decrease chronic absenteeism whether remote, in-person, or six-feet apart, and much more!

Date & Time: Tuesdays, November 9 & November 16 from 12:00 pm – 2:45 pm

INTERACTIVE VIRTUAL SESSION

You and your team CAN create a positive school climate and culture during a pandemic!

PARTICIPANTS WILL:

Examine how to build healthy relationships within the school community even when behind a screen (staff with students, staff with staff, and staff with families)
Learn how to implement fair process for inclusive decision-making
Explore strategies for difficult conversations among staff, students and/or families
Access a framework (including staff survey) to assess your own school climate and culture through consensus decision-making
Leave the workshop with tools to help create a thriving school where all students and staff can feel welcome and be successful

PRESENTERS: Ansley Newton and Susan Lieberman

COST: $85 per member of the school team (minimum of 3 team members) and $115 for individuals. This covers training and materials. The same team should attend both remote sessions. Zoom link will be forwarded after registration.

REGISTER HERE or visit: www.countmeinmaine.org/newsite/attend-upcoming-trainings

If you have any questions, please contact Susan Lieberman at slieberman@countmeinmaine.org.

Two-Part Webinar Series on Nurturing Speaking Growth for English Learners

The Maine Department of Education invites all educators, Kindergarten to Grade 12, to participate in a two-part webinar series on Nurturing Speaking Growth for students who are English learners. Facilitated by Terri Mosgrove of WIDA, this webinar series is designed to support all educators who would like to explore the connection between the ACCESS Speaking Test and classroom practices that promote oral language development.

Participants will explore the underpinnings of the Speaking Test in a self-paced module that allows for choice and control. In each webinar, participants will engage in meaning making activities that provide ways to nurture students’ speaking growth. Participants will be asked to speak and share ideas with colleagues within the virtual event.

By engaging in the eWorkshop, participants will:

Apply the underpinnings of the Speaking Assessment to classroom practice
Connect the Key Language Uses to instructional practices in speaking
Explore the impact of holding the floor for extended classroom discourse
Choose Teacher Moves to support student voice
Develop an ear for language to support precision decisions.

Dates: 10.19.21 and 10.26.21

Times: 2-3:30pm

Register here – closes on 10.11.21.

Note that these webinars will not be recorded, per WIDA policy, and alternate tasks will be provided for registered participants who are unable to attend. If you have any questions, please contact April Perkins, World Languages & ESOL/Bilingual Programs Specialist, at april.perkins@maine.gov.

JMG to Host Statewide Extended Learning Opportunity Conference

Jobs for Maine Grads (JMG) is collaborating with GEAR UP Maine to sponsor a statewide Extended Learning Opportunity (ELO) Vision Casting Conference focused on expanding access to—and increasing capacity for—Extended Learning Opportunities for Maine high school students. All Maine educators interested in learning more about expanding ELO opportunities in their districts are encouraged to apply to attend this overnight conference free of charge.

Extended Learning Opportunities (ELOs) are hands-on, credit-bearing courses outside of the traditional classroom with an emphasis on community-based career exploration. They are highly personalized experiences that provide an opportunity for students to connect real-world experiences with traditional academic instruction. Frequently, these experiences include job shadows, internships, and community interviews in combination with reflection and traditional academic components aligned with Maine Learning Standards.

“It is no secret that Maine is facing a workforce shortage. And after the last 18 months, educators are more aware than ever of the need to increase student engagement in schools,” says Rick Wilson, Career Education Specialist with the Maine Department of Education, “ELOs are a perfect intersection of meeting those needs because they
expose students to careers available right here in Maine in highly interactive and engaging ways.”

This overnight conference is the first of its kind in Maine. As districts are seeing positive results from this experiential approach, interest in ensuring all Maine students have access to ELOs is growing and more programs are being developed across the state. With this in mind, JMG intends for this conference to be just one of many opportunities for professional development related to ELO programming.

The focus of this conference will be the development of a shared vision for creating equitable access to ELO programming for all Maine high school students. “Maine has a number of schools doing fantastic work around ELOs,” says Samantha Brink, Director of Statewide ELO Programming at JMG, “But this programming is largely confined to districts in Southern Maine with funding to hire full-time coordinators, and even these positions have limited scalability. This conference is a chance to really dig in, identify barriers, and brainstorm solutions to increase the capacity for all schools in Maine—no matter their geography—to offer these valuable experiences to students.”

The Statewide ELO Vision Casting Conference will be held December 1st to December 2nd at the Samoset Resort in Rockland, Maine and is open to educators across the state interested in learning more about how to bring this programming to their schools.

The conference is free to all attendees, but space is limited. Masking will be required in all indoor public spaces and space will be provided for social distancing. Maine educators selected to attend the conference will be notified by November 1, 2021. Join us as we cast our ELO vision and build Maine’s model!

For more information, please visit JMG.org.

Application to attend the conference is here.

Brewer Community School Teachers Create Original Song About Pooled Testing

Brewer Community School teachers Tom Burby (Grade 7 – ELA) and Brian Estes (Art) have created a catchy, original song for staff and students about how to participate in COVID-19 Pooled Testing at school.

Check out their witty sense of humor that clearly explains the process in this super awesome music video:

Maine DOE Update – October 1, 2021

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

Reminder: School Revolving Renovation Fund Deadline is Oct 29

As a reminder, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) is accepting applications to receive funding for school renovation projects through the School Revolving Renovation Fund (SRRF). The application deadline is October 29, 2021. | More

CTE Staff Data Entry and Validation Webinar

To assist those who are responsible for the important task of reporting and validating CTE staff data to the Department of Education, the DOE Data Team will be holding a webinar on Tuesday October 14^th at 10am. This webinar will focus on how to report CTE staff data to the state and how to validate it. | More

| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |

News & Updates

Celebrating National Farm to School Month in October

October is National Farm to School Month! Celebrate in Maine by filling your school kitchens and lunch trays with local food. Now is the perfect time of year to connect with a local farmer or grower and support their work. Celebrate food and nutrition education, school gardens and orchards, and the bounty that fall in Maine provides us! | More

VIDEO: We are Here for You

Our team at the Department of Education is here to support you and your colleagues throughout this year, as you continue to provide a welcoming and safe school where students can grow and learn. We recognize the challenges you face every year, and the extraordinary ones that COVID-19 continues to present. Please remember that our Office of School and Student Supports and our Maine School Safety Center are here to help. They offer a library of resources, frequent virtual technical assistance and support meetings, and a team of specialists who will collaborate with and advise schools and educators with best practices. | More

ConnectKidsNow! Ensuring a Continuity of Learning

In April 2020, to ensure continuity of learning when schools closed to in person instruction due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) launched ConnectKidsNow! with funding from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER). Through this program, connectivity was ensured by providing hotspots to 26,702 students, which met 100% of the need reported by schools between April 2020 to June 30, 2021. | More

Maine DOE Provides a MAP for Navigating Continuity Of Learning Plans

As the Delta variant of COVID-19 continues to surge through the communities of Maine, our schools are also being impacted by the increasing cases of this highly transmissible disease. While our education staff members are providing outstanding and eagerly anticipated safe, in-person learning this year, many students and staff may be impacted by required isolation or quarantine. | More

Concussion Resources and Reporting

As directed by Title 20-A §254, sub-§17, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) has been working in collaboration with the Maine Principals’ Association (MPA), Maine Association of School Nurses (MASN), and the Maine Concussion Management Initiative (MCMI) to create a process for concussion incidence reporting. During the first year of implementation, the concussion workgroup is providing support to schools that are currently utilizing the Head Injury Tracker (HIT). HIT was developed by MCMI 2013 with the goal of providing schools with an ability to identify high-risk activities for brain injuries by tracking patterns of concussions within their school systems. The HIT platform is available at no cost and provides schools with an easy, confidential, and secure method of collecting concussion data for their students. | More

Commission on Educational Opportunity for Military Children Meeting

The next meeting of the Commission on Educational Opportunity for Military Children will be held virtually on Wednesday October 27th at 9:00am. Interested parties may email Tyler Backus at tyler.backus@maine.gov to receive the agenda, meeting materials, and instructions on how to attend the meeting. | More

One Stop Resources for Educators

Thank you for your ongoing and heroic service to the students of Maine. We recognize and hear the challenges you are facing, and have gathered in one place a few resources to assist you as you continue to provide for the academic, nutritional and social emotional needs of your students. | More

Nominate a Maine ‘Education All-Star’ for the Fenway Bowl

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is excited to share an opportunity to celebrate and highlight the amazing education workforce in Maine! The Fenway Bowl, Boston Globe Media, and partner sponsors are seeking nominations for education workforce (teachers, professors, education staff, administrators, and anyone working in education in Maine) who are making a difference. | More

ACTEM 2021 Fall Conference to take place Virtually on October 14th and 15th

The 2021 Fall ACTEM Conference (Association of Computer Technology Educators of Maine) is virtual this year, hosted by Hopin, a very reliable and successful platform. The conference is FREE for all ACTEM members, $20 for in-state non-members, and $30 for out-of-state educators.| More

Registration is Open for the Maine Youth Leadership Conference

It’s official! It’s live! Registration is open! On November 4th and 5th join the Maine Youth Action Network (MYAN) at the UMaine campus or online for two days of connection, community building, and so much more. The Maine Youth Leadership Conference is designed by and for middle and high school-aged young people, as well as their adult allies and advisors. Participants will experience inspirational keynotes, build community and leadership skills in person or in virtual “homerooms,” and engage in their choice of interactive workshops led by young people and adults from around the state of Maine. | More

Lead Water Sampling Begins on October 1st – Info, Training, and Resources Available

On October 1, 2021, schools may order sample bottles to begin testing drinking and cooking water fixtures for lead. Maine schools need to either work with their local water professionals or use the provided training materials to identify water sampling locations, collect water samples, coordinate with A&L Laboratory, report results, and follow up with plans/procedures/actions based on the sampling results. If you haven’t done so already, your school should designate someone for this responsibility. | More

Maine’s State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report (APR)

In the next few weeks, the Office of Special Services will release important informational videos to gather feedback from stakeholders on Maine’s State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report (APR). | More

Maine Schools Sharing Success Stories

| Submit your Maine School Success Story |

Professional Development & Training Opportunities

Free Statewide Meet & Greet for New School Library Staff

New to a school library and/or changed libraries? Join the Maine Association of School Libraries (MASL) and its members members in small groups to chat about your questions and ideas. | More

Virtual Training Session on Submitting English Learner Data on Oct. 5

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Data team will be holding a training session on October 5th at 1pm to discuss how School Administrative Units (SAUs) and private schools should be submitting English Learner data to the state. | More

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities

Regional Education Representative – Limited-Period Restorative Justice Coordinator

View current Maine Department of Education employment opportunities here

Get to know the Maine DOE Team: Meet Mary Herman

Maine DOE staff member Mary Herman is being highlighted this week as part of the Get to Know the Maine DOE Team. Learn a little more about Mary in the question and answer below.

What are your roles with DOE?

I serve as Director of Special Projects in the Office of the Commissioner. Some of these projects include staffing the Prevention Task Force of the Office of Opioid Response, working with Commissioner Makin on the Wabanaki History and Culture work group, revision and support of Children’s Cabinet legislation and serving on the DOE staff support team for the Children’s Cabinet, working with Maine DOE Student Cabinet, supporting our Office of Innovation projects such as ConnectKidsNow!, and the $19.5 million U.S. DOE Grant culminating in Rethinking Responsive Education Ventures (RREV), COVID-response, expanding school-based health centers, supporting our pre-K—12 career exploration/career readiness and much more!

What do you like best about your job?

What I love about my job is the variety and the opportunity to work not only with the fabulous Commissioners Office Team but others throughout the Department as I get to know everyone better.

How or why did you decide on this career?

I began my work life as a middle school social studies teacher, became a special Ed/learning disabilities specialist, moved to Maine in 1973, worked in healthcare, attending nursing school at the University of Maine At Augusta. After working in healthcare and then public policy, I’m thrilled to have come full circle now at this stage of my life into the important world of education.

Maine’s State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report (APR)

Please access the full collection of videos that relate to the APR indicators here.

Indicators are specific reports that are required by the federal government. Alerts will be sent out as new videos are released. Please complete the survey associated with each indicator video.

The indicators include:

Graduation rates
Dropout rates
Parent involvement
Educational environment
Dispute resolution
Preschool outcomes
Post school outcomes

Your input is essential in establishing targets for each indicator and in helping determine special education initiatives in Maine.

For further information contact the Maine Department of Education’s Office of Special Services.

Lead Water Sampling Begins on October 1st – Info, Training, and Resources Available

It’s time to start sampling your school’s water for lead!

Instructions and training videos can be found online at https://leadtestingmaineschools.com/.

Testing for lead follows a very specific process. Carefully read the instructions before taking your first sample. Each step must be followed carefully and in the correct order.
If you have any questions or wish to order sample bottles, call A&L Lab at (207) 784-5354 or email them at lead@granitestateanalytical.com.
Samples that are improperly taken or submitted will not be analyzed; this will be considered a failure to monitor, at which point the school will be out of compliance with State law.

IMPORTANT POINTS TO REMEMBER:

Water must sit idle in the pipes for at least 8 hours before sampling. Do not run or flush the water before collecting your sample.
Avoid collecting your samples during or immediately after long school breaks. Samples collected should represent normal water usage at your school.
Samples must be returned to A&L Lab within 14 days of being taken. A completed Chain of Custody must accompany your samples. Samples received late or without the correct documentation will not be analyzed.
Communicate testing results to parents.

For assistance or to order your sample bottles, contact A&L Lab: Phone: (207) 784-5354 – email: lead@granitestateanalytical.com

Registration is Open for the Maine Youth Leadership Conference

November 4th & 5th – In-Person & Virtual

The past 18 months have forced us to make relationships and meaningful connections in new ways. We’re strong together, and we believe that connecting people with a community right now is supremely important!

MYAN staff recognize the complexities and challenges Covid-19 brings to any gathering and community event. We want to ensure the conference is accessible, safe, and meaningful to all its participants. The event will have limited in-person capacity this year to ensure we are providing the best and safest experience possible.

For those that can’t make it in person, you don’t have to worry about missing a second! The conference includes a virtual option with special online workshops, access to inspirational keynotes, evening online community activities, and youth-focused “homerooms” for connection and learning.

We look forward to being in community with you soon! Be sure to check out our registration link below for more information about how to get involved. Please follow our Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook for more updates about presenters, conference announcements, and a chance to meet our youth Leadership team over the next 5 weeks!

Register Today!

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Lead a workshop at this year’s conference!

Do you have a project, passion, or skill that you want to share with other young people? Apply to be a presenter at the 2021 Maine Youth Leadership Conference!!! From school clubs to youth activists, this conference is a space for connection, community, and growth. We would love to have you join us.

Submit Your Idea Here!