WASHBURN — Freshmen at Washburn District High School dressed up as gods and goddesses for the Aroostook County school’s second annual Gods/Goddesses Day on Oct. 27.
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Taking a chance on behalf of kids
When author Tony Wagner visited Maine this summer to speak at the University of Maine, he lamented that there’s not much research and development to speak of in public education.
Commissioner’s Update – Nov. 17, 2011
Advantage 2014 is the Auburn schools’ initiative to roll out iPads to kindergarteners and, ultimately, all city students in the early grades. The Auburn plan, however, involves more than simply equipping the city’s youngest students with tablet devices.
It’s a plan to make those devices an integral part of student learning: to use the adaptive power of iPads to boost basic literacy and numeracy skills, to use any range of iPad apps to enhance students’ problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, to provide students with a way to take control of much of their learning at a young age.
The Auburn school department has a well thought-out plan for deploying iPads, training teachers to use them effectively, and measuring the initiative’s success. And as this week is making clear, many will be watching Auburn’s journey every step of the way.
Please note: There will be no Commissioner’s Update on Nov. 24, Thanksgiving. The next Update will be published Dec. 1.
Notice: Survey on early post-secondary educational opportunities
High school principals and guidance counselors:
If you did not receive a request or if you haven’t yet had a chance to fill out the survey on early post-secondary educational opportunities at your school, we would greatly appreciate your response.
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Registration opens for Maine Wind Blade Challenge
Registration for the 2012 Maine Wind Blade Challenge is now open, and students are encouraged to sign up for the competition that challenges them to design wind blades and work with composites professionals to perfect the finished product.
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Registration opens for Real World Design Challenge
Registration is now open for the 2011-12 Real World Design Challenge, an annual competition that offers high-school students from across the United States the chance to work on real-world engineering challenges in a team environment.
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Maine program seeks students in need of GED
Submitted by Rick Wilson of Syntiro
Peter McGary of Houlton has worked seasonally on potato farms since he was 18. While he loves the work he does, McGary wants more options. Without a high school diploma, however, he’s found opportunities for better jobs limited. So recently, at age 41, McGary applied and was accepted into the Maine High School Equivalency Program (HEP).
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Special education rules and ‘Transfer Students’
The Maine Department of Education has added a question and answer to the Maine Unified Special Education Regulations (MUSER) Questions and Answers document found on the Department’s website. The new question and answer address children with current Individualized Educational Programs (IEPs) who transfer to a different school administrative unit during the summer months.
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November is Military Family Month
The following letter from the Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission, of which Maine is a member state, shares useful information about the unique needs of students in military families.
Dear School Administrators and Counselors, School Liaison Officers and Military Families:
November 2011 has been designated as the Month of the Military Family. Military Family Month was first designated by the Armed Services YMCA in 1993 and soon after recognized by the White House. The Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission honors all military families and thanks them for their tireless contributions in service of our nation.
Maine DOE Updates – Nov. 14, 2011
This month, we bring you news from two recent celebrations of the invaluable contributions of our teachers. First, the 2012 Teacher of the Year and the finalists for the honor gathered in Bangor recently to be recognized at the annual Teacher of the Year banquet. And second, Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen last month surprised a Yarmouth middle-school teacher with a $25,000 check from the Milken Family Foundation.
Also in this update, we bring you Commissioner Bowen’s recent remarks to educators about the major challenges that have stood in the way of our schools’ ability to make significant progress in improving student achievement in recent years, and the priorities upon which we must base an improved model of public education.
