PRIORITY NOTICE: Still Time to Register for Mental Health Forum on April 1

There is still time to register for the Maine Department of Education’s FREE virtual forum taking place on Thursday, April 1st from 9:00am – 3:00pm.

Supporting Maine Educators: A Forum to Bolster Mental Health in Our Schools.
Date: Thursday, April 1, 2021
Time: 9:00 AM EST – 3:00 PM EST
Format: Zoom Webinar

The focus of this forum is to acknowledge the struggles of this past year, celebrate our successes and build resources to support mental health for our school communities. We hope to bring a greater awareness to the importance of mental health, destigmatize mental illness, increase mental health literacy for staff, administrators and community-based agencies, as well as provide practical supports to bolster the mental wellness of students and staff.

This forum will be a six hour event and consist of keynote speakers, with each followed by a related panel discussion comprised of experts from the field, State agencies and community partners, as well as staff and students from Maine schools. This will be a live event and each session will be recorded and available on the DOE website.  This is a FREE event!

For More Information and to Register

Emergency Rental Assistance Program Available for Eligible Families

The Maine Department of Education asks that our school and district partners please share this important information with families that may need housing assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

MaineHousing and Maine’s Community Action Agencies are accepting applications for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program. This program helps pay rent and utility costs for eligible renters affected by COVID-19. Maine’s Community Action Agencies are running this program in communities across Maine.

Program information and the application link can be found here: mainehousing.org/covidrent

Marketing Materials:
Flyer
Social media image 1
Social media image 2

For further information or questions, please reach out to MaineHousing at (800) 452-4668 or (207) 626-4600.

PRIORITY NOTICE: Vaccination Appointments Available NOW for School/Child Care Staff

Have you received your COVID-19 vaccine? Your shot is waiting for you! 

All Maine residents who are Pre-K through Grade 12 school staff/teachers, or who work at licensed child care providers are eligible to be vaccinated, regardless of age.

APPOINTMENTS ARE AVAILABLE: Click here to view a list of locations and instructions for scheduling an appointment.

Questions? Answers to frequently asked questions are available here.

Maine DOE Update – March 26, 2021

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

April 1st Enrollment Count Report to Open on April 1st, 2021

The Maine Department of Education is asking schools to submit and have their superintendents certify their April Enrollment Count Report. The April Enrollment Count Report is utilized by the Maine Department of Education for the purpose of calculating public school tuition rates. | More

| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |

News & Updates

Mills Administration Updates COVID-19 School Health Advisory System

All counties remain green

The Mills Administration today released an update to its color-coded Health Advisory System that classifies counties’ relative risk of COVID-19 transmission to assist schools as they continue with their plans to deliver instruction and support students safely.  The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) continue to review evidence that indicates lower transmission of COVID-19 in schools compared to the general population. Over the last 30 days, the rate of new cases for school staff or students is 30 per 10,000, about 25 percent lower than a new case rate of 41 per 10,000 for the general population. This continues to demonstrate that in-person learning in schools that follow public health precautions can be conducted safely, without increased transmission of COVID-19, and supports schools’ adherence to the six requirements for returning to in-person instruction, regardless of their county’s designation. | More

PRIORITY NOTICE: Maine Department of Education’s Guidance for Pre-Kindergarten/Kindergarten Child Find Screening

Maine Department of Education Rule Chapter 101 includes federally mandated Child Find requirements, including timely screening procedures for incoming Pre-Kindergarten (PreK) and Kindergarten (K) students.  As Maine schools begin preparations for spring, summer or early fall screenings, appropriate precautions should be taken.  In addition to the supports that you would typically provide to families based on their needs (e.g. language, culture, transportation), the following screening guidance is provided for school administrative units (SAUs) and their Collaborative Planning Teams  to inform local procedures. | More

The Early Learning Team Releases New Public Pre-K Guidebook

The Maine Department of Education’s Early Learning Team and Head Start State Collaboration Office  are excited to offer a new resource to facilitate the expansion of high-quality and inclusive public Pre-K in Maine.  The Public Pre-K Guidebook describes high-quality pre-k programming, provides guidance for developing and implementing inclusive public pre-k programs that align with state requirements,  and offers links to a wide variety of useful tools.  This guidebook will support not only school administrative units planning new programs, but also existing programs with continuous improvement efforts. The guidebook can be accessed digitally on the Early Childhood Education  homepage or downloaded as a PDF document. | More

Emergency Broadband Benefit Program Available to Eligible Families in April

The FCC recently adopted a Report and Order that established the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, a $3.2 billion federal initiative to help lower the cost of high-speed internet for eligible households during the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. | More

Maine Partners with T-Mobile to Provide Increased Internet Access to Maine Students

The Maine Department of Education has partnered with T-Mobile to expand efforts to provide internet access and devices to Maine students through their Project 10Million initiative. If they choose to participate, the program provides mobile Wi-Fi hotspot devices directly to school districts for student use. | More

Comments Sought on Maine’s IDEA Part B Application

The Maine DOE is seeking comments from the public on its annual application for federal funds under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which covers services to children with disabilities, ages 3-22. | More

Registration Open for Black Student Caucus Hosted by MYAN

This April, MYAN (Maine Youth Action Network) is hosting a multi-day virtual caucus for Black Student Unions and Black students from across Maine. Each Saturday of the month (four events in total), Black youth in Maine will have the opportunity to collaborate and learn from one another and four incredible keynote speakers. | More

MYAN to Host Virtual Youth Leadership Conference April 15th and 16th

MYAN (Maine Youth Action Network) is hosting its very first virtual youth leadership conference on April 15th and 16th.  The virtual conference is designed by and for middle school and high school aged young people, as well as recent graduates and college-aged youth. Unlike the in-person conferences from years past, this event is free to attend! | More

World Language & ESOL Teachers of the Year Announced by FLAME

The Foreign Language Association of Maine (FLAME) honored award recipients at a virtual conference held recently including Maine’s 2021 World Language Teacher of the Year, Maine’s 2021 ESOL Teacher of the Year, and the Student Recognition Award. | More

Visiting Teachers from Spain Program

Is your school anticipating difficulty in securing a licensed Spanish teacher for the 2020-2021 school year or beyond? Do you want to expose your students to a native speaker and cultural expert? Are you trying to figure out how to staff a Spanish immersion program? Then the Visiting Teacher from Spain Program may be just the answer! | More

Vote NOW for Maine Custodian in the Running for National Custodian of Year

Portland Public Schools’ Ocean Avenue Elementary School (OAES) lead custodian Donna Colello has been chosen as one of the top 10 finalists nationally in Cintas’ 2021 Custodian of the Year contest.  Colello is the only finalist from the Northeast and one of only two women in the top 10. From now through April 16, anyone can vote for Colello at https://www.custodianoftheyear.com/custodian-of-the-year/. Each person can vote once per day. | More

Maine DOE Child Nutrition Kicks off Virtual Farm to School Cook-off

Celebrating its 6th annual competition, the Maine Farm to School Cook-off is a statewide culinary competition for teams of school nutrition professionals and students to promote local foods in school meals. The 6th annual competition is organized by the Maine Department of Education, Child Nutrition team.  On March 22nd the Maine Department of Education (DOE) Child Nutrition team is kicking off the virtual competition. Four teams are participating in the competition this year including, RSU 12, RSU 14, RSU 54 and South Portland. Voting will take place starting today, March 22nd through April 2nd for school staff, family and friends to vote for their favorite cook-off team! | More

Get to Know the Maine DOE Team: Meet Ángel Martínez Loredo

Maine DOE team member Ángel Martínez Loredo is being highlighted this week as part of the Get to Know the Maine DOE Team Campaign. Learn a little more about Ángel | More

Maine Schools Sharing Success Stories

| Submit your Maine School Success Story |

Professional Development & Training Opportunities

Supporting Maine Educators: A Forum to Bolster Mental Health in Our Schools

Following up on the Save the Date sent out on March 10, the Maine Department of Education is pleased to invite Maine education personnel to attend Supporting Maine Educators: A Forum to Bolster Mental Health in Our Schools on Thursday April 1st from 9:00-3:00. This is a FREE Virtual event | More

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities View current Maine Department of Education employment opportunities here

The Early Learning Team Releases New Public Pre-K Guidebook

The Maine Department of Education’s Early Learning Team and Head Start State Collaboration Office  are excited to offer a new resource to facilitate the expansion of high-quality and inclusive public Pre-K in Maine.

The Public Pre-K Guidebook describes high-quality pre-k programming, provides guidance for developing and implementing inclusive public pre-k programs that align with state requirements,  and offers links to a wide variety of useful tools.  This guidebook will support not only school administrative units planning new programs, but also existing programs with continuous improvement efforts. The guidebook can be accessed digitally on the Early Childhood Education  homepage or downloaded as a PDF document.

In the guidebook you’ll find detailed information related to the following topics:

  • Program Standards and Learning Standards
  • Program Structure
  • Inclusive Student Support
  • Collaborations and Partnerships
  • Preschool Budgets
  • Family Engagement
  • Transition to Preschool and Kindergarten
  • Technical Assistance

Information will be updated as appropriate.

Any questions can be directed to Nicole.Madore@maine.gov Early Childhood Specialist, Nena.m.cunningham@maine.gov Head Start State Collaboration Director, or Marcy.r.whitcomb@maine.gov Early Childhood Monitor.

MEDIA RELEASE: Mills Administration Updates COVID-19 School Health Advisory System

All counties remain green

AUGUSTA — The Mills Administration today released an update to its color-coded Health Advisory System that classifies counties’ relative risk of COVID-19 transmission to assist schools as they continue with their plans to deliver instruction and support students safely.

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) continue to review evidence that indicates lower transmission of COVID-19 in schools compared to the general population. Over the last 30 days, the rate of new cases for school staff or students is 30 per 10,000, about 25 percent lower than a new case rate of 41 per 10,000 for the general population. This continues to demonstrate that in-person learning in schools that follow public health precautions can be conducted safely, without increased transmission of COVID-19, and supports schools’ adherence to the six requirements for returning to in-person instruction, regardless of their county’s designation.

DHHS and Maine CDC assessed COVID-19 data and trends by county and all counties remain green. The two-week new case rate has remained steady, and the positivity rates for all counties are below 5 percent. Since the March 12 update, Piscataquis County has been closely monitored. Over the past two weeks both the new case rate and positivity rate have dropped in Piscataquis County and are now consistent with other counties.

These designations are provided for the consideration of school administrative units in their decisions to deliver instruction.

The county-level assessments are based on both quantitative and qualitative data, including but not limited to recent case rates, positivity rates, and syndromic data (e.g., symptoms of influenza or COVID-19). Those data are publicly posted every week on the Maine CDC website. DHHS and Maine CDC also consider qualitative factors, such as the presence of outbreaks that may potentially affect school-age children. The qualitative and quantitative considerations and data used by the CDC in determining community transmission risk levels for schools can be located here: How County Risk Levels for Maine Schools are Determined

The Health Advisory System categorizations are defined as follows:

  • GREEN: Categorization as “green” suggests that the county has a relatively low risk of COVID-19 spread and that schools may consider in-person instruction, as long as they are able to implement the required health and safety measures. Schools in a “green” county may need to use hybrid instruction models if there is insufficient capacity or other factors (facilities, staffing, geography/transportation, etc.) that may prevent full implementation of the health and safety requirements.
  • YELLOW: Categorization as “yellow” suggests that that the county has an elevated risk of COVID-19 spread and that schools may consider additional precautions and/or hybrid instructional models to reduce the number of people in schools and classrooms at any one time.
  • RED: Categorization as “red” suggests that the county has a high risk of COVID-19 spread and that in-person instruction is not advisable.

The next update will be provided on April 9, 2021. Updating this advisory on a two-week basis aligns with the incubation period for COVID-19 and allows for greater stability in the trend data for small counties.

###

Berwick Teacher Selected for National History Day Spring Webinar Series

Ms. Christa Boeykens-Bui, a teacher at Noble Middle School in Berwick, Maine is one of only 120 teachers selected for a National History Day® (NHD) spring professional development program. This course focuses on using online Library of Congress resources to develop and support historical arguments and is a feature of NHD’s membership in the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) Consortium.

The teachers chosen for this honor represent NHD’s 58 affiliates across the country and around the world, and the National History Day program in Maine selected Ms. Boeykens-Bui. NHD affiliates include all 50 states and the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and international school programs in China, South Asia, and South Korea.

“The skills and strategies Ms. Boeykens-Bui is developing through this series will benefit her students over the course of their academic and professional careers,” said National History Day Executive Director Dr. Cathy Gorn. “As a Library of Congress TPS Consortium member, NHD is incredibly fortunate to be able to offer this opportunity for teachers, especially now as teachers and students continue to address challenges of non-traditional learning settings required by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.”

For several months, Ms. Boeykens-Bui works with her peers around the country and National History Day staff to build knowledge for teaching with online Library of Congress resources. Upon completion of the series, she will have demonstrated the ability to share with her students key strategies for researching, supporting, and presenting historical arguments bolstered by these primary sources.

NHD is a non-profit organization based in College Park, Maryland, which seeks to improve the teaching and learning of history. The National History Day Contest was established in 1974 and currently engages more than half a million students every year in conducting original research on historical topics of interest. Students present their research as a documentary, exhibit, paper, performance, or website.

For more information about the national level program, visit nhd.org. for more information about National History Day in Maine visit  http://www.mcslibrary.org/national-history-day-in-maine/ or contact State Coordinator John Taylor at john.m.taylor@maine.edu or 207-474-7133.

Bangor High School Celebrates Arts in Education Month

Recent changes to the State guidance that provide oversight into the practice of performing arts have allowed Bangle High School Students to return to activities that had been put on hold for the beginning of the school year.

Orchestra and band have started practicing with specialized safety precautions in place. Students use special masks that allow them to play instruments as well as bell covers.

Registration Open for Black Student Caucus Hosted by MYAN

This April, MYAN (Maine Youth Action Network) is hosting a multi-day virtual caucus for Black Student Unions and Black students from across Maine. Each Saturday of the month (four events in total), Black youth in Maine will have the opportunity to collaborate and learn from one another and four incredible keynote speakers.

Each Saturday is dedicated to one of four main topics: Black Excellence, Black Self Preservation and Wellness, Shades of Blackness, and Black Expression.

This space is explicitly reserved for Black student unions and individual Black youth. Participating Black youth currently in middle school, high school, college, and out of school will have an avenue to foster networks and dialogues with each other. We additionally welcome Maine high school graduates from the Black community who are pursuing plans for themselves outside of post-secondary education.

To learn more about this event or to register, visit our website using the button below!

Learn more here or contact MYAN.

April 1st Enrollment Count Report to Open on April 1st, 2021

The Maine Department of Education is asking schools to submit and have their superintendents certify their April Enrollment Count Report. The April Enrollment Count Report is utilized by the Maine Department of Education for the purpose of calculating public school tuition rates.

Please note that, new for 2021, the April Enrollment Count Report will consist of two sets of counts, one for attending counts and one for enrollment counts. Each of these count sets are as of April 1st, 2021. Enrollment counts will be given to all students who are enrolled at your district/school as of April 1st, 2021. Attending counts will be given to all students who are enrolled at and attending your district/school as of April 1st, 2021, this will exclude any of your students that attend a special purpose privet school, a regional program or non-traditional limited purpose school. The attending counts will be utilized for calculating tuition rates in accordance with Title 20-A, §5805, subsection 1.B and the enrollment counts will be used for all other April 1st reporting requirements.

The April Enrollment Count Report will be available for districts to submit and certify, beginning on April 1st with a certify by date of April 15th.

The Maine Department of Education’s data management team will be hosting a webinar where we will be discussing the April 1st Enrollment Count Report and fielding any questions that you may have from 10AM to 11AM on Tuesday April 6th, 2021. Register Here

In order to view this report, you will need access to NEO – Student Data, if you do not have this access please have your superintendent fill out our NEO Access Request Form

April 1st Enrollment Count Report Instructions (PDF)

April 1st Enrollment Count Report Instructions Video (MP4)

If you have any questions, comments or concerns in regards to the April 1st Enrollment Count Report please feel free to contact us at the MEDMS Helpdesk at MEDMS.Helpdesk@Maine.gov or (207) 624-6896.