Maine DOE is reminding districts the school lunch meal must be offered to students each school day, including planned half days and early release, as part of the National School Lunch Program Agreement to Participate.
Continue reading “Reminder: Lunch served on early release days”
Maine DOE is recruiting schools again this year to serve as field testing sites to administer the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) Science Inquiry Tasks in grades 5, 8, and 11. This opportunity allows Maine educators to see science performance assessment tasks in action. The field tests will occur between Nov. 2 and Nov. 20.
Continue reading “Invitation to participate in NECAP science inquiry task field test”
Maine DOE will conduct regional roundtable meetings in November to support and assist districts in understanding Title I requirements of parent involvement as required by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Sessions will be held in Houlton, Ellsworth and Lewiston.
Continue reading “Regional Title I parent involvement sessions”
When you ask Talya Edlund’s students what they think of their third grade teacher, you will hear words like, “stupendous, epic, amazing, and fantastic.” When you ask the principal of Pond Cove Elementary School in Cape Elizabeth of this 15 year veteran educator, you hear the term “top-tier educator.”
Talya Edlund was selected from over 300 nominees as Maine’s top teacher
CAPE ELIZABETH – Today in a surprise assembly at Pond Cove Elementary School in Cape Elizabeth, Acting Deputy Commissioner of Education Rachelle Tome announced Talya Edlund had been selected as the 2016 Maine Teacher of the Year.
Continue reading “Cape Elizabeth teacher named Maine’s 2016 Teacher of the Year”
Coastal Ridge Elementary School in York and Minot Consolidated School in RSU 16 were among 335 public and private schools across the country named 2015 National Blue Ribbon Schools by U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan.
The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools where students demonstrate high achievement learning standards or are making notable improvements in closing the achievement gap. The award affirms the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging content.
Each year, the Maine Department of Education is invited to nominate schools for this recognition. Acting Commissioner of Education Tom Desjardin says, “These nominees need to meet specific national criteria, and the process is quite detailed, so congratulations to Coastal Ridge Elementary and Minot Consolidated in being recognized as exemplary high performing schools; this is a huge honor.”
More Notices | Administrative Letters | Reporting Calendar
For the 2015-16 school year, Maine DOE is not providing support for assessments beyond what is state-required, which is still being determined through the RFP process. | More
School administrative units are advised to verify the “Special Education Students for Federal Count” report in Infinite Campus and ensure that all student records in ICSE are updated by Oct. 15. | More
In Maine, about 80 percent of students ride the school bus, and this ridership is high compared to 50 percent national student ridership. | More
Superintendents are being reminded that Maine educators, who attained National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (or its successor organization) certification prior to July 1, may be eligible for a salary supplement for the 2015-16 school year. | More
Beginning with the FY 16 grant year, and due to the recent adoption of Uniform Guidance for federal grants (UG), Maine DOE Special Services has implemented a fiscal risk assessment tool. | More
The Department has completed its review of FY 2016 leased space applications and posted the results online here. | More
Maine DOE is inviting current social studies teachers of all grades and geographic regions of the state to be part of the inaugural Social Studies Community Teacher-Leader Group. | More
Maine DOE is inviting teachers of grades 6-12 to participate in a two-part social studies workshop series scheduled for Nov. 5 and March 15 in Waterville. | More
Maine DOE and the Association of Teachers of Mathematics in Maine will welcome math educators from across New England this month for the regional Association of Teachers of Mathematics in New England conference. | More
Maine students in grades 5-12 who have made meaningful contributions to their communities through volunteer service in the past year are invited to apply for a Prudential Spirit of Community Award. | More
More Dispatches | Press Releases | From the Commissioner
Beginning with the FY 16 grant year, and due to the recent adoption of Uniform Guidance for federal grants (UG), Maine DOE Special Services has implemented a fiscal risk assessment tool for all Maine school administrative units (SAUs) receiving Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), PART B – 611 or 619 funds. The assessment calculates fiscal risk by assigning weighted numeric values to multiple measures impacting federal grant management resulting in a total risk value. Examples of measures used in the calculation of the total risk value include:
Continue reading “Maine DOE implements fiscal risk assessment tool for SAUs receiving IDEA funds”
In Maine, about 80 percent of students ride the school bus, and this ridership is high compared to 50 percent national student ridership. During the school year in Maine, about 140,000 children are transported on 3,000 school buses by 2,200 school bus drivers over 30 million miles of urban and rural roads. To add to this, Maine traditionally has one of the best safety records in the nation.
Continue reading “Be safe in sharing the road with school buses”
Superintendents are being reminded that Maine educators, who attained National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (or its successor organization) certification prior to July 1, may be eligible for a salary supplement for the 2015-16 school year.
Maine DOE is inviting current social studies teachers of all grades and geographic regions of the state to be part of the inaugural Social Studies Community Teacher-Leader Group. Interested applicants must apply by Oct. 30.
Continue reading “Maine DOE seeks social studies teachers to become regional leaders”
