Child Care Subsidy Program Available

The Early Learning Team at the Department of Education is pleased to share updated information from our colleagues at the Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS). The Child Care Subsidy Program continues to take applications from families looking for low or no cost childcare options in Maine. The program allows the family to choose a child care provider that they know and trust.

Eligibility requirements include the following:

  • The parent/guardian must be employed, in school or job training, or retired; and
  • The family must meet income requirements at or below 85% of the Maine median income. For example, income eligibility requirements for a family of four are at or below $76,643.00 a year.

School Administrative Units are encouraged to share information with families in their schools. This flier can be distributed to families and/or displayed in school/community locations.

To learn more or apply, families are encouraged to visit the OCFS site here.

 

Available Funding for School Lead Remediation, Grant Applications Due April 19, 2022

The following message comes from Maine CDC Drinking Water Program, Department of Health & Human Services.

On February 18, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $20 million in available grant funding to assist communities and schools with removing sources of lead in drinking water.

Under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act, EPA is announcing the availability of $10 million for projects to conduct lead service line replacements or to implement corrosion control improvements, and $10 million for projects that remove sources of lead in drinking water (e.g., fixtures, fountains, outlets, and plumbing materials) in schools or childcare facilities.

This grant focuses on reducing lead in drinking water through drinking water infrastructure, treatment improvements, and facility remediation in schools and childcare facilities in states and tribal communities. In alignment with the goals of the federal Justice40 Initiative, EPA is seeking to deliver at least 40 percent of the benefits to underserved communities.

Timeline for Grant Applications:

  • Questions must be submitted by April 4, 2022.
  • Applications are due by April 19, 2022.
  • Awardees are expected to be announced by early summer 2022.
  • The project period is expected to be four years.

For more information:

Public Meeting Notice for LD 313 Work Force Group on Career and Technical Education

On Wednesday, March 3, 2022 from 8:00 to 10:00 am, the Work Force Group for LD 313 will hold its next meeting hosted by the Maine Department of Education.

LD 313 was passed in the 130th legislature and is focused on several topics regarding Career and Technical Education. If you would like to join as an attendee and listen to the discussion, you can use the following link at the time of the meeting.

Work Force Group for LD 313 03/3/22 Meeting link: https://mainestate.zoom.us/j/85318244952 

If you have any comments on the discussion, you can send an email to cte.doe@maine.gov.

 

Maine DOE Update – February 25, 2022

 

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

EPS High-Cost Out-of-District Report (EF-S-214) Open for Reporting on March 1; The Deadline is April 15

The EF-S-214, also known as the EPS High-Cost Out-of-District Report will be open for data entry to Maine public schools on March 1 in the Maine Department of Education’s NEO Portal. | More

| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |

News & Updates

Maine DOE Seeks Public Comment on School Improvement Grant Eligibility Waiver

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is seeking public comment on a waiver request related to the federal School Improvement Grant (SIG) program. Through this eligibility waiver request, the Maine DOE intends to further support Maine schools during a period of exceptional challenges due to COVID-19. | More

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Commissioner Judy Camuso Participates in Read to ME Challenge

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Commissioner Judy Camuso recently took part in the Read to ME Challenge by reading Poppy by the author Avi to Mrs. Perkins’ fourth grade class at Canal Elementary School. Following the reading, Camuso and the students learned about and dissected owl pellets. | More

Maine Schools Sharing Success Stories

| Submit your Maine School Success Story |

Professional Development & Training Opportunities

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities View current Maine Department of Education employment opportunities here
 

Maine DOE Seeks Public Comment on School Improvement Grant Eligibility Waiver

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is seeking public comment on a waiver request related to the federal School Improvement Grant (SIG) program. Through this eligibility waiver request, the Maine DOE intends to further support Maine schools during a period of exceptional challenges due to COVID-19.

Pursuant to Sections 8401 (b) and 8401(d)(2) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and Section 421(b) of the General Provisions Act, the Maine DOE is seeking approval from the U.S. Department of Education to:

  • Waive the eligibility requirements for SIG funds; and
  • Extend the period of availability of SIG funds until September 30, 2022.

If granted, this eligibility waiver request would give the Maine DOE authority to support a greater number of schools with their continuous school improvement efforts through the end of summer. To have the largest possible impact, the Maine DOE plans to utilize the remaining $812,951.51 in SIG funds to provide a Summer Leadership Academy designed to help educators address the academic and non-academic needs of students impacted by COVID-19.  School Administrative Units (SAUs) may, however,  seek individual school-level allocations instead. SAUs must contact the Maine DOE by March 11, 2022 if they do not agree with these remaining SIG funds being used on their behalf to implement a Summer Leadership Academy.  Preliminary school-level funding amounts have been posted to the Maine DOE website.

Please note that any eligible SAU electing to receive individual school allocation(s) must utilize funding specifically to administer independent programming at each school within the SAU.  In addition, Section 1003(a) of ESSA requires that each school that receive funds directly must:

  • Submit an online funding application to the Department, outlining how the school anticipates utilizing the allocated SIG funds to support continuous improvement efforts;
  • Obligate all allocated SIG funds on or before September 30, 2022; and
  • Liquidate (invoice) all allocated SIG funds on or before September 30, 2022.

As part of the statutory requirements for seeking this eligibility waiver, the Maine DOE must solicit and respond to public comment on its waiver request as well as provide evidence of the available comment period.  This 15-day public comment period shall begin on February 25, 2022 and conclude on March 11, 2022. A copy of the full waiver is available here.

Questions related to this announcement as well as public comments on the waiver request may be sent to Travis Doughty at travis.w.doughty@maine.gov.

Educator Spotlight: Aspiring World Languages Educator Attends 2022 NECTFL Conference on National Scholarship

The Maine Department of Education congratulates Nadine Bravo, an aspiring world languages teacher, for being selected as this year’s recipient of the Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (NECTFL) Future Language Educator Scholarship. The scholarship provided funding for Bravo to attend the 2022 NECTFL Conference which took place in New York. Nadine was selected to receive this scholarship among a pool of applicants nation-wide due to her promise as an aspiring world languages educator.

As a multicultural and multilingual individual born and raised in Halle, East Germany, Bravo has spent time in Lithuania, Russia, the United States, and Chile, even surviving the Chilean earthquake of 2010 while she lived here. With much world experience, plus a BA in FLL (Russian, German, Spanish, English), some master’s-level coursework, and 20 years of experience tutoring German and English under her belt, Bravo dreamed about pursuing a graduate degree as a world languages teacher with a certificate to teach English as another language.

“It has always been rewarding watching students learn and grow with the languages,” said Bravo. “However, I had never obtained proper teacher certification, which limited my employment opportunities. The onset of the pandemic and an injury on the job were the catalyst to get the process of graduate school rolling.”

Bravo is now in her first year of graduate school and has had opportunities to tutor German in the linguistics department at the University of Southern Maine, which has helped confirm that she made the right decision about returning to graduate school.

Bravo attributes the opportunity to fill out an application for the NECTFL Future Language Educator Scholarship to her mentor teacher, Sarah Collins at Gorham Middle School, who pointed her toward a Language Educators newsletter put together by Maine Department of Education’s Interdisciplinary Instruction & ESOL/Bilingual Programs Specialist April Perkins. A link to the upcoming conference was available in a newsletter and Bravo took the opportunity to apply.

“When I came across the conference program, I felt so inspired and wanted to attend all the workshops and lectures offered regarding my target languages,” said Bravo. “I am currently in a tight financial situation and try to take advantage of any sort of financial support while furthering my education,” she added.

With three different types of scholarships available for the conference, the application process was demanding and complex but not impossible, says Bravo. Her application package included various elements such as letters of recommendation, a list of relevant organization affiliations, testing scores, a statement, methods assignments, and transcripts, among other things.

“I decided to go overboard and shared everything that could have been relevant,” said Bravo. “One of the most rewarding items I received after my first observation in my internship placement was a stack of student notes with feedback. It does not get any better than receiving genuine feedback from your students and learning about your strengths and weaknesses,” she added.

The conference took place earlier this month, bringing opportunities and experience for Bravo to pursue her dream of working as a world languages teacher in Maine.

“It is important not only to learn the language and grammar, but also to be exposed to different cultures, customs, and traditions, said Bravo, who has a goal of teaching students in Spanish and German. “Learning a world language is the gate to other cultures. I want to be that gate, facilitating my students’ access to an additional way of life,” she added.

Bravo expresses her gratitude to all the people who have paved the road for her return to graduate school, including graduate advisor, Mike Katz, and other supportive faculty at USM including her two professors, Dr. Mindy Butler and Dr. Alec Lapidus, who employ her as their graduate research assistant.

Currently, Bravo has accepted a long-term substitute teacher position in the Gray-New Gloucester Middle School. She is hopeful about her future career as a world languages teacher.

To sign up for the Language Educators Newsletter, click here or reach out to April Perkins at april.perkins@maine.gov.

PWS Cleaning Crew: A Story of Inspiration and True Collaboration During a Difficult Time

Upon their return from winter break, the teachers and students of Philip W. Sugg (PWS) Middle School in Lisbon learned that their night custodian was going to be out for an extended period of time, along with two other night custodians at the district’s elementary school, who were also going to be out. This left the district with a skeletal crew that was struggling just to keep up with their regular cleaning schedules.

“I’m very well aware that middle schoolers are perhaps the most misunderstood humans on the planet,” said Nicole Sautter PWS 7th grade teacher and 2020 Androscoggin County Teacher of the Year. “I knew this could very well be an opportunity for them that would not only allow others to see who they truly are, but also provide them a much-needed purpose in their life that would bring them a sense of power in a tumultuous time – and that is how the PWS Cleaning Crew came to be.”

Since early January, PWS Middle schoolers have stepped up and volunteered their time after school to keep the building clean: trash removal, recycling, vacuuming, sweeping classrooms and hallways while some staff clean bathrooms and refill toiletries, among other things.

Here is their story:

“The COVID-19 pandemic has created many unanticipated challenges for the Lisbon students and staff over the last two years,” said Richard Green, Lisbon School Department Superintendent.  “It has been my observation that the students and staff within the Lisbon School Department have always faced and addressed these challenges with a real determination and effort that is unlike anything that I have ever seen. The effort from the Philip W. Sugg Middle School (PWS) students and staff to help coordinate the cleaning efforts within their school as a result of staffing shortages, is a perfect example of this dedication.”

Sautter adds that it’s refreshing to see middle schoolers excited about making a difference. They’re internally motivated and have shown a solid understanding of what it means to be an involved citizen.

“I’m so grateful for these kids. There’s no way we could cover this school without their help,” said Mike Powell, Lisbon Schools Department Custodian/Bus Driver/Maintenance.

“On behalf of the Lisbon School Department, I would like to commend and thank all of the PWS students and staff who have gone above and beyond to help keep their school clean and safe during these unprecedented times,” added Superintendent Green.

EPS High-Cost Out-of-District Report (EF-S-214) Open for Reporting on March 1; The Deadline is April 15

The EF-S-214, also known as the EPS High-Cost Out-of-District Report will be open for data entry to Maine public schools on March 1 in the Maine Department of Education’s NEO Portal.

School districts should sign into the report as early as possible to allow time for data entry as well as the two-step submission process. The Department must approve the report by April 15 to allow time to make possible EPS adjustments.

Adjustments to the Special Education High-Cost Out-of-District allocation will be based on costs exceeding:

  • $19,176 for placements in Regional Special Education Programs;
  • $28,764 for placements in other school administrative units; and
  • $38,352 for placements in private schools.

Below are a few important things to note about the EF-S-214 report:

  • School districts will need to project the tuition cost for the full fiscal year.
  • This report is required for all publicly funded school districts, including districts that do not meet the High-Cost Out-of-District tuition threshold, these districts must login and submit “no students to report.”

The report can be located by logging into NEO at: https://neo.maine.gov/DOE/NEO/Accounts/Account/Login

Navigate to→ Special Education → Forms → EFS-214

Questions about the report should be directed to Stephanie Clark, Fiscal Compliance Associate for the Maine Department of Education at Stephanie.clark@maine.gov or 207-624-6807.

Philip Rossetti Named a National Assistant Principal of the Year Finalist

The Maine Principals’ Association (MPA) announced that Maine Assistant Principal of the Year, Philip Rossetti, Assistant Principal of Windham High School, is a Finalist for the National Assistant Principal of the Year. He will be honored by the MPA at its annual awards banquet at their Spring Conference on April 29th at the Samoset Resort in Rockport.

The announcement highlighted Rossetti’s belief that people make mistakes, but it’s what they do after that defines who they are. He’s used this principle to transform how Windham High School manages student behavior, focusing on restorative justice to hold students accountable and repair the harm they caused their school community. This restorative approach has improved school safety and reshaped school culture, fostering stronger relationships between students and turning mistakes into opportunities to learn.

Reflecting on Rossetti’s selection as a 2022 NASSP Assistant Principal of the Year Finalist, MPA Executive Director Dr. Holly Blair noted, “It is exciting that Mr. Rossetti has been recognized by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) as a finalist for the National Assistant  Principal of the Year.  This is the first time that Maine has had a finalist in the program. Mr. Rossetti is an exceptional Assistant Principal and very much deserving of this honor. We are very proud of him.”

Rossetti started his educational career as a social studies teacher at Windham High School in 1996. In 2015, Mr. Rossetti became the Assistant Principal of South Portland High School before returning to Windham High School 2016 where he continues to serve as Assistant Principal. He is a member of the Maine Principals’ Association (MPA) and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Commissioner Judy Camuso Participates in Read to ME Challenge

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Commissioner Judy Camuso recently took part in the Read to ME Challenge by reading Poppy by the author Avi to Mrs. Perkins’ fourth grade class at Canal Elementary School. Following the reading, Camuso and the students learned about and dissected owl pellets.

Maine’s Read to ME Challenge is a month-long campaign every February to promote the importance of literacy for all of Maine’s students, regardless of age. In its seventh year, the campaign sponsored by the Maine Department of Education encourages adults to read to children for 15 minutes, capture that moment via a photo or a video, post it to social media using the hashtag #ReadtoME, and challenge others to do the same.

There’s still plenty of time to join the Read to ME Challenge and February break is the perfect opportunity to grab one of your favorite stories and read to a child in your life.

Schools, families, and community organizations can find a Read to ME toolkit and resources on the Department of Education website and the Department continues to share videos, photos, and updates from the Challenge all month long on social media.