We heard you. You want fewer communications from the Department of Education. You want shorter and clearer information. And you want some predictability about when you will receive it.
Each week, we’ll take the most recent Administrative Letters, news items and updates, and batch them into a weekly Commissioner’s Update for your convenience. Let us know what you think!
— Stephen Bowen
A daylong conference will offer educators tips on integrating financial literacy into the school environment.
Continue reading “Fostering financial literacy in Maine schools”
Four Maine high schools share their experiences reshaping the student experience at a regional conference.
By Mark Kostin
Students, teachers, administrators, school board members and others from across New England are interested in reshaping the high school student experience.
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services and the Maine Department of Education are offering a series of training sessions throughout the state.
Continue reading “Training and technical assistance for MaineCare enrollment and billing”
Maine Learning Technology Initiative allows algebra teacher to develop curriculum without textbooks.
FREEPORT — Alex Briasco-Brin has never taught using a textbook.
Instead, the Freeport Middle School algebra teacher has created a variety of applications for his students using the Apple MacBooks they all receive as part of the Maine Learning Technology Initiative.
Continue reading “Freeport teacher uses laptops to teach deeper”
Superintendents:
This week we are transitioning to a weekly Commissioner’s Update that will replace the existing Administrative and Informational Letters. The first Commissioner’s Update is planned to go out by email this Thursday morning.
Continue reading “Changes to communications with superintendents”
Done the right way at these two schools, staff members and students have become convinced of the value of hard changes.
Change is hard. But it’s worthwhile when done right.
That’s a message that rang true recently at two schools I visited at opposite ends of Maine as part of my statewide listening tour.
Students at Washington Street School connect virtually with students from across the country to learn from each other, try to convince Michelle Obama to speak with them.
The students in Cherrie MacInnes’ third-grade class at Brewer’s Washington Street School last year managed to video-conference with fellow students in all 50 states, former First Lady Barbara Bush and U.S. Sen. Susan Collins.
This year, MacInnes’ students are trying to convince First Lady Michelle Obama to have a conversation with them using the online conferencing tool Skype.
Continue reading “Brewer students try to connect with First Lady”
Kristie Clark receives her prize after winning the Milken Educator Award.
A second-grade teacher from Lewiston’s Montello Elementary School is $25,000 richer after a recent three-day trip to California.
Kristie Clark claimed her $25,000 Milken Educator Award on April 9 during a ceremony at Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel in Santa Monica, Calif.
School department’s vision and strategic plans guide Sanford’s plans for reform.
SANFORD — The Sanford School Department knows what it wants to look like in 2015, and it’s piloting a mix of new initiatives aimed at realizing a long-term vision.
