Flags to be flown half-staff Tuesday, September 11

The Governor’s Office has issued the following notice:

AUGUSTA – In accordance with a Presidential proclamation, the United States flag and the State of Maine flag shall be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset today, September 11, 2012, in remembrance of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and United Flight 93. Continue reading “Flags to be flown half-staff Tuesday, September 11” →

Poland teacher named 2013 Teacher of the Year

Shannon Shanning, seventh and eight grade special education teacher at Whitter Middle School in Poland, is named Maine's 2013 Teacher of the Year.
Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen presents Maine’s 2013 Teacher of the Year award to Shannon Shanning, seventh- and eighth-grade special education teacher at Whittier Middle School. Click here to view more photos from this event.

POLAND – Shannon Shanning, a seventh- and eighth-grade special education teacher at Whittier Middle School, was named the 2013 Maine Teacher of the Year in front of students, colleagues, family and other distinguished guests Monday. In keeping with Maine tradition, Shanning was not informed ahead of time that the “all-school assembly” was called to honor her.

Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen presented Shanning with the award – the first awarded to a special education teacher as far back as program records indicate. Bowen also read a letter of congratulations from Governor Paul LePage.

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Commissioner’s Update – September 6, 2012

Commissioner's Update - September 6, 2012
Click the image to view the fully formatted Commissioner’s Update.

Today is a big day for education in Maine.

Today the Department will formally submit a request for flexibility under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act – and it’s been a long time coming.

Maine’s been working for a year to craft this new accountability and improvement system, which aims to help struggling schools improve and to consider multiple valid measures when evaluating performance.
We’re extremely proud of the waiver request we’re submitting today – and we couldn’t have completed it without the combined efforts of educators, stakeholders and the general public.

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First Lady Ann LePage announces “Maine is ME Student Art Challenge”

The following press release was issued today by First Lady Ann LePage.

AUGUSTA – First Lady Ann LePage is announcing the Maine is ME Student Art Challenge, in partnership with the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.

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New scholarship fund for National Board-certified teachers

State law, 20-A MRSA Section 13013-A subsection 5 & 6; as Amended by PL 2012 c. 702, established the National Board Certification Scholarship Fund to encourage teachers to apply to and enroll in the certification program offered by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, or its successor organization.

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Service-learning workshops offered at Blaine House Conference

Teachers, school administrators and school-community liaisons working in school districts that have an interest in service-learning or who have experimented with service-learning and want to learn more are encouraged to attend the 2012 Blaine House Conference on Service and Volunteerism Tuesday, October 9 at the University of Maine at Orono.

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