Traveling from as far south as York and from as far north as Caribou, 135 educators attended the Maine Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) Spring Conference in Brewer this week to network and learn from the efforts of their colleagues as they transition to proficiency-based education and proficiency-based diplomas.
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Schools sought to participate in paper-pencil research study
Approximately 150 schools from across the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium including Maine are being recruited to participate in the Paper-Pencil Research Study. Each participating school will be asked to administer one or two test forms to two classes in grades 3 and 6. A classroom will be assigned a single content area and form. The total testing time for any given student as part of the study is expected to be approximately 90 minutes. Testing can be scheduled at the school to occur anytime during the testing window, currently scheduled to begin May 12.
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Maine DOE to host regional workshops for principals as instructional leaders
The Maine DOE is offering a series of free regional workshops this month to support principals in mentoring and coaching teachers to implement instructional practices that allow all students to demonstrate growth and proficiency in State standards.
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Longfellow teacher selected for National Geographic Teacher Fellowship
Kelley Holmes, a teacher at Longfellow Elementary School in Portland, has been selected as one of this year’s Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic Education Grosvenor Teacher Fellows. Continue reading “Longfellow teacher selected for National Geographic Teacher Fellowship”
Educators invited to Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine’s Summer Seminar
K-12 educators and librarians are invited to attend the Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine’s (HHRC) 24th annual Summer Seminar July 7-11. The seminar, Relevant Lessons of the Holocaust and Human Rights, will meet Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Michael Klahr Center in Augusta.
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Commissioner’s Update – April 10, 2014
From the Maine DOE
Last week, the Maine Education Association (MEA) announced its reservations about the updated math and ELA standards that were incorporated into the Maine Learning Results back in 2011 and have been being implemented in Maine schools since. They also called for a moratorium on the next generation of assessments aligned to those standards, developed in collaboration with Maine teachers and the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, of which Maine is currently a governing member.
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Committed to rigorous standards, aligned assessments
Last week, the Maine Education Association (MEA) announced its reservations about the updated math and ELA standards that were incorporated into the Maine Learning Results back in 2011 and have been being implemented in Maine schools since. They also called for a moratorium on the next generation of assessments aligned to those standards, developed in collaboration with Maine teachers and the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, of which Maine is currently a governing member.
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MPBN launches free online resource for teachers
The Maine Public Broadcasting Network has launched a new educational offering available to educators across Maine at http://www.mpbn.net.
PBS LearningMedia, a partnership of PBS and WGBH Educational Foundation, is a web-based resource that provides PreK-12 educators with access to free digital content for their classrooms designed to improve teacher effectiveness and student achievement.
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Scholarships available for educators of English learners
The University of Maine Project Reach program is inviting K-12 teachers across subject areas to apply to its scholarship program, which aims to improve classroom instruction for English learners (ELs) in Maine. The project focuses efforts on current teachers of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects and provides a variety of professional and financial assistance to help teachers complete the English as a Second Language (ESL) endorsement coursework.
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RFP issued for assessment system administrator
The Maine DOE has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking bids for the development of a web-based computer-adaptive testing system utilizing the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium’s common assessments for mathematics and English language arts. The resulting system must be available for operational testing by January 2015.
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