Virtual Tour of NASA’s Antarctic Meteorite Lab + Astromaterials 3D

The NASA Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES) team invites you to register for the upcoming webinar for educators, educator-led groups of students, or college level students. The targeted audience is students in grades 9 and above, but other grade levels are welcome to register.

Virtual Tour of NASA’s Antarctic Meteorite Lab + Astromaterials 3D

Join a FREE NASA Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES) webinar! During this webinar, they will give participants a tour of their Antarctic Meteorite Laboratory at the NASA Johnson Space Center, where they curate meteorites collected during ANtarctic Search for METeorites (ANSMET) Expeditions. They will also introduce participants to their Astromaterials 3D Project, a STEAM effort that encourages investigators of all ages to virtually explore meteorites like never before! The presentation will last approximately 45 minutes followed by an optional ~15-30 minutes of questions and answers.

Register for the live event or to receive an archived recording of the presentation (pending a successful recording). To participate in the live event you will need an internet connected computer with speakers (no microphones or cameras are needed).

  • Tuesday, November 16, 2021 from 12:00 -1:00pm Eastern Time
  • We plan to remain on the live event ~15–30 minutes past the top of the hour to answer additional questions participants may have.
  • Registration here!

Other Webinar Details: 

  • After you register for the event, you will see a Webinar Registration Complete! Confirmation on your screen AND you will receive an email with a confirmation that your registration has been received.    
  • For those of you who register for the Live event, you will receive an email with the Webinar Testing (which will likely occur on 11/15) and Live Event Connection Information (11/16).  We will facilitate this webinar using Zoom Webinar.
  • This event will also be livestreamed on YouTube (details will be shared as we get closer to the event).

If you have questions, please feel free to email Paige V. Graff (paige.v.graff@nasa.gov) or put your questions in your registration form so she can contact you directly.

Lyseth Teacher Named 2021 Elementary Physical Education Teacher of Year

Merita McKenzie, a physical education teacher and coach at Lyseth Elementary School in Portland, is the winner of the the Maine Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (MAHPERD) 2021 Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year Award. The award recognizes educators who conduct quality programs, serve as positive role models, and are leaders in their profession, school and community.

“For more than three decades, Merita has supported kids in Portland in getting active, developing healthy lifelong habits, and in being the best that they can be in every facet of their life,” said Lyseth Assistant Principal Sarah Rubin. “Merita has spent her career giving back to her students, her community, and her profession, and this is such an incredible way to celebrate her for everything she has done.”

MAHPERD’s criteria for determining Teacher of the Year award winners include:

  • Conducting a quality program that reflects an understanding of children’s growth and development
  • Utilizing various teaching methodologies and planning innovative learning experiences to meet individual student needs
  • Serving as a positive role model, epitomizing personal health and fitness, enjoyment of activity sportsmanship, and sensitivity to students/community
  • Participating in professional development opportunities
  • Providing service to the profession/school/community through leadership, presentations, and/or writing

Rubin detailed the ways McKenzie has spent her career in service of students and her community:

“As a physical education teacher and coach, Merita has had a direct positive impact on the lives of thousands of children in Portland. She has written countless grants to procure equipment and opportunities for her students to ensure all kids, regardless of their background, have access to engaging and exciting experiences to get and stay active.

In the 2020-2021 school year, a non-traditional year due to COVID-19, Merita completely redesigned her entire PE curriculum and worked with our Outdoor Learning coordinator to plan for an entire school year outside with her students. Merita took kids outdoors to engage in specific cooperative games and kinesthetic activities to learn how to work with each other, learn how their bodies work, and learn how to take care of themselves. I will never forget one particular winter day, when temperatures hovered around 15 degrees, and Merita had every single one of her first-grade students armed with a dozen layers and a sled ready to do some warm up stretches and then sled. Many of our students were experiencing only their second winter in a cold, snowy climate and even more of them don’t get the opportunity to experience winter activities like sledding with their families. But Merita made it happen for them and gave them all the gift of enjoying a Maine winter while getting active at the same time.

In addition to all she has done for the physical health of our community, Merita has spent a lifetime leading Equity work in Portland. At Lyseth, Merita is a member of our Equity cohort and an advisor and co-founder for our Civil Rights Team. She has worked tirelessly in these roles to ensure all staff and students at Lyseth and in the district feel safe and welcomed in our schools. She has also volunteered her time in countless ways to lead this work at the city level. Merita has served on the Martin Luther King Jr. Recognition Task Force, as a Board Member for the Restoration of the Abyssinian Meeting House, and most recently as a member of the City of Portland’s Racial Equity Board. She is also a renowned photographer, gardener, and a fixture for children and families in her East End neighborhood.”

Superintendent Xavier Botana said, “We are very proud of Merita for receiving this well-deserved recognition for her dedication and service. She exemplifies the best of our Portland Public Schools People.”

To learn more about the Maine Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (MAHPERD) visit https://maineahperd.org/.

Get to Know the Maine DOE Team: Meet April Perkins

Maine DOE Team member April Perkins is being highlighted as part of the Get to Know the Maine DOE Team Campaign. Learn a little more about April in the question and answer below.

What are your roles with DOE?

I serve as the World Languages & English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)/Bilingual Programs Specialist. I’ve been with the Maine DOE for about four and a half years. The first three years I supported ESOL educators, and then last January I took on the dual role of World Languages and ESOL. I love both aspects of my job so much!

What do you like best about your job?

Everything! I really love advocating for language teachers and learners at the state level, as I work on various committees and collaborate with teams across the Department. But the best part of any day is talking directly with language teachers, answering their questions, sharing resources, and being a thought-partner. It is so energizing to talk with teachers who share the passion I feel for linguistic and cultural diversity, equity, inclusion. Right now, my favorite project I’m working on is planning supports and resources for the development of bilingual programs in Maine. Bilingual education is such an incredible opportunity for all students, and I’m really eager to plant seeds that may blossom into full programs, and spread widely, in the future.

How or why did you decide on this career?

When I was in 4th Grade at Holden Elementary School, my class made a yearbook. There was a feature where students predicted each other’s future career, and it said I would be an English teacher! I think that’s because I was correcting people’s grammar, which I don’t recommend as a strategy for making friends… But seriously, I loved language from a very young age. Then, I had the great fortune to attend Longfellow Elementary in Portland for 5th Grade, where they had a French program. That was a real turning point for me, and I never stopped studying languages after that. I went on to get my Bachelor’s in French and German from UMaine and then my Master’s in TESOL from the University of Central Florida. For about ten years, I taught ESOL and trained teachers in Florida, India, Libya, Maine, Morocco, and then Egypt, where I learned Arabic. When I returned to my home state of Maine to put down some roots, I jumped at the chance to continue my career in language education in service of Maine school communities. The perspectives I have gained by living abroad and learning multiple languages have proven invaluable to me in this role. Being at the Department is a privilege and an honor, and I feel so lucky get to do this work every day.

What do you like to do outside of work for fun?

I love to go hiking and camping every chance I get. I’m also a mediocre but enthusiastic singer, and I’ve been known to show up at an open mic now and then.

 

2021-2022 Social Studies Learning Cohorts – A Partnership Between National Organizations and Maine Social Studies Teacher Leaders

Joe Schmidt (Social Studies Specialist) is happy to announce that for the 2021-2022 school year he has partnered with national organizations to develop professional development learning cohorts. Each cohort will combine training from the organizations, as well interactive workshops led by Maine educators, where participants will work to implement what they have learned in their classrooms.

Registration is now open for the next two cohorts featuring the National Archives and the OER Project. Learn more about each cohort and register below. Keep your eye open for registration for the next round of cohorts later this year, which will feature Echoes & Reflections and the Bill of Rights Institute.

The National Archives

Teachers! Ever want to have a say in your Professional Development? The National Archives Foundation, in partnership with the National Archives, the Maine Department of Education, and some expert teachers from around the state are pairing up to create some curriculum about how to teach students to analyze documents (including photos, paintings, newspaper articles, speeches and more) at all grade levels with a connection to Civil Rights. It will start with a presentation from the National Archives called Civil Rights -The Impact of Racial Discrimination on Black American Lives in the Jim Crow Era (Summary: Students analyze documents from the holdings of the National Archives to assess the impact of legalized racial segregation on the lives of Black Americans from 1944 – 1960.) Then you will help guide the professional development to meet your needs, with support from Maine teachers and staff at the National Archives. If interested, please complete this form. We are so excited to start working with you!

The OER Project from The Gates Foundation

Using resources from the OER Project’s teacher track talks, Maine Social Studies Teacher Leaders Melanie Brown and Derek Carroll will be creating bi-monthly web sessions centered around the topics of designing inquiry, designing arguments with evidence, young citizens, and assessing historical thinking. These sessions will begin in November, and continue through the end of the school year. Prior to each session participants will watch 3 track talks sourced from OER’s existing library on the topic for that month. During each session, participants will have the opportunity to debrief with other educators about the topic for that month, share any thoughts and questions that they may have on the topic, and most importantly leave with a classroom activity/strategy that they can immediately implement with little hassle or stress. If interested, please complete this form.

For questions, please contact Joe Schmidt at joe.schmidt@maine.gov.

Maine DOE Update – October 15, 2021

 

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |

News & Updates

Hampden Eighth Grade Teacher Named 2022 Maine Teacher of the Year

Kelsey Stoyanova, an 8th grade teacher at Reeds Brook Middle School has been named the 2022 Teacher of the Year by the Maine Department of Education’s Teacher of the Year Program. In a unique event held at the Reeds Brook Middle School in Hampden, the Maine Department of Education and Educate Maine named eighth grade teacher Kelsey Stoyanova Maine’s 2022 Teacher of the Year as surprised students and colleagues at the school congratulated and honored her dedication to teaching. | More

Maine Middle and High Schools Eligible to Win $1,000 in the Life Happens Outside® Challenge

Teens to Trails is introducing the Life Happens Outside® Challenge for Maine middle and high schools to foster an appreciation for the outdoors and its many wellness benefits. The weeklong challenge takes place Saturday, October 23 through Friday, October 29. | More

Maine Schools Join Others Around the Nation to Recognize 2021 National School Bus Safety Week October 18-22

2021 National School Bus Safety Week Theme Be Safe – Know The Danger Zone is derived from the Poster Contest the year before. The 2020 winning poster artwork, depicted above, was drawn by Huyen Pham, a Northbrook Middle School student from Atlanta, Georgia. | More

Estimated Pre-K Enrollment Counts for New or Expanding Programs in 2022-2023

If your School Administrative Unit (SAU) is opening or expanding a Pre-K program in the 2022-2023 school year, you are eligible to receive funding on your FY23 ED279 for children you enroll in these new or expanded Pre-K programs in 2022. This means you will receive the funding for enrollment in the same year that you enroll the Pre-K children, without a year delay. | More

Maine Schools Sharing Success Stories

| Submit your Maine School Success Story |

Professional Development & Training Opportunities

Exploring Focus on First Professional Learning Community

Between 2018-2021, the Maine Department of Education has engaged in the development of interdisciplinary, open-source instructional programs for Pre-K and Kindergarten.  These programs, Pre-K for ME and K for ME, are housed on the Maine DOE’s website. A number of schools across the state have implemented the Pre-K for ME and K for ME instructional programs and the Maine DOE is planning to extend its work related to interdisciplinary, open-source instructional programming into grade one during the 2022-23 school year. | More

BEHAVIORAL THREAT ASSESSMENT FREE TRAINING OPPORTUNITY

WHAT IS SCHOOL-BASED BEHAVIORAL THREAT ASSESSMENT?
  • Violence prevention strategy recommended by the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Secret Service, and FBI.
  • Multidisciplinary team approach to identify behaviors of concern, assess the level of risk, and provide appropriate interventions. | More

Free PD: Mapping A Continuity of Learning Plan- Let DOE be a Guide!

On Wednesday, October 20th from 3:15-4:30, the Maine Department of Education and the Region 1 Comprehensive Center will host a live webinar to share the Continuity of Learning MAP that was recently developed by the MLTI Ambassadors with support from the MOOSE Team Leaders (all distinguished educators and teachers during the 2020-21 school year). | More

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

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

Free PD: Mapping A Continuity of Learning Plan- Let DOE be a Guide!

On Wednesday, October 20th from 3:15-4:30, the Maine Department of Education and the Region 1 Comprehensive Center will host a live webinar to share the Continuity of Learning MAP that was recently developed by the MLTI Ambassadors with support from the MOOSE Team Leaders (all distinguished educators and teachers during the 2020-21 school year).

The session will feature a tour of the MAP and further exploration of some of the ready-to-use resources developed and curated by the DOE to support continuity of learning for students when they cannot attend classes in person.

There will also be some time for breakout sessions where folks can ask questions and provide feedback on the MAP so that DOE staff can enhance and improve the resource.

This session is for all educators and educational leaders who wish to learn more about the continuity of learning resources that the DOE has developed and curated and can offer.

Wednesday, October 20th 3:15-4:30pm

Please register for the session here:  https://air-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAvd–opjItGdP6ys28cp5ykFImdOQItV10

If you’d like more information about the MAP, you can check out the Priority Notice and linked material, here.

Estimated Pre-K Enrollment Counts for New or Expanding Programs in 2022-2023

If your School Administrative Unit (SAU) is opening or expanding a Pre-K program in the 2022-2023 school year, you are eligible to receive funding on your FY23 ED279 for children you enroll in these new or expanded Pre-K programs in 2022. This means you will receive the funding for enrollment in the same year that you enroll the Pre-K children, without a year delay.

If your SAU is applying for one-year grant funding through the recently released Request for Applications (RFA) #202107114 then you DO NOT need to complete this form because you will include the estimate in your application. More information regarding the RFA can be found here. These applications are due no later than November 4, 2021.

If you are planning to start and/or expand public Pre-K in the 2022-23 school year and do not plan to apply to take advantage of the one-year grant funding but would like to receive an FY23 estimate Pre-K allocation, please notify the Maine DOE by completing the FY23 Estimate Pre-K Count Data Form before November 5, 2021. There are 3 questions to be answered on the funding survey:

  1. Choose your SAU from a list
  2. Do you have an existing Pre-K program (FY22)? – Yes/No
  3. Provide your SAU’s Pre-K Estimated Increase Count (new slots available in new or expanding program)

SAUs completing the form must also complete the Pre-K Program Application with DOE’s Early Childhood Team by April 30, 2022 and obtain program approval.

The FY23 Estimate Pre-K Count Data Collection form is meant to capture the FY23 estimate for new and expanding Pre-K program enrollment. The estimate student count data, in addition to the current (FY22) enrollment in an existing Pre-K program, will be used to provide funding on the FY23 ED279. An SAU’s Pre-K total enrollment number, as reported and verified October 1, 2022, should match the combined existing and estimated increase total that was used to calculate funds in the ED279. After October 1, 2022, an audit adjustment, based on actual enrollment reported in NEO on October 1, 2022, will be made to the Pre-K allocation assigned on the FY23 ED279. Please note that this may increase or decrease funding.

For more information about establishing or expanding a Pre-K program, please check out our webpage on the topic, or contact Nicole Madore at nicole.madore@maine.gov.  For questions specific FY23 ED279 estimates, please contact Paula Gravelle at 624-6792 or Paula.B.Gravelle@maine.gov.

Maine Schools Join Others Around the Nation to Recognize 2021 National School Bus Safety Week October 18-22

3 color drawings of school buses showing safety measures for drivers2021 National School Bus Safety Week Theme Be Safe – Know The Danger Zone is derived from the Poster Contest the year before. The 2020 winning poster artwork, depicted above, was drawn by Huyen Pham, a Northbrook Middle School student from Atlanta, Georgia.

Nationally, each year from September to November, public service announcements are aired to help protect 26 million students that ride on nearly 500,000 school buses over 4 billion miles in an average year.  Broadcast and digital media and social networking industries disseminate public service announcements that are produced to safeguard children, encourage the driving public to engage in safer driving behavior near school buses where students board and disembark from school buses, and recognize school bus operators and professionals.

Statewide, nearly 130 thousand students ride on about 3,000 school buses over 30 million miles of rural and urban roads in an average year. School Bus Safety Week offers the people of Maine an opportunity to recognize and thank transportation and public safety professionals, who have the invaluable task of keeping their precious cargo, our students, safe.

School buses are protected by law. Laws protect students who are getting off and on a school bus by making it illegal for drivers to pass a school bus while dropping off or picking up passengers, regardless of the direction of approach. Maine school bus safety laws support good driving behavior. These laws include:

  • Passing a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing is a criminal violation punishable by a $250 minimum fine for the first offense and a mandatory 30-day license suspension for the second offense occurring within three years of the first offense.
  • A vehicle may not proceed until the school bus resumes motion or until signaled by the bus operator that it is okay to proceed.
  • 2021 model year and newer school buses are required to have a crossing arm on the front bumper.
  • A school bus operator who observes someone illegally passing a stopped school bus can report violations to a law enforcement officer.
  • School buses are required to stop at railroad crossings.
  • Unless otherwise posted, the school zone speed limit is 15 miles per hour during school opening or closing hours, as well as recess.

Additional school bus safety resources are available online:

For information about school transportation programs and policy contact Transportation and Facilities Administrator Pat Hinckley at pat.hinckley@maine.gov.

If you have an interest in joining this critically important profession, please reach out to your area schools to learn more, and please thank and support these heroes on the road!

The National School Bus Safety Week public education program is hosted by the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS), National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT), and National School Transportation Association (NSTA).

Maine Middle and High Schools Eligible to Win $1,000 in the Life Happens Outside® Challenge

 

Teens to Trails, with the support of the Maine Department of Education’s WAVES Program, partners with Arcadia to encourage students to spend more time outdoors

Teens to Trails is introducing the Life Happens Outside® Challenge for Maine middle and high schools to foster an appreciation for the outdoors and its many wellness benefits. The weeklong challenge takes place Saturday, October 23 through Friday, October 29.

Over 70 Maine Middle and High Schools are operating Outdoor Clubs as a co-curricular experience for students to build meaningful relationships while sharing outdoor experiences. Most of these clubs have started, increased capacity, or been revitalized through support from the Maine Department of Education’s WAVES program, which works to connect teens and adolescents with each other and the great outdoors.

Arcadia, a green energy tech company, is providing a $1,000 reward to the three Maine middle and high schools with the highest amount of outdoor time proportional to their school size.

To participate in the Challenge week, students will track and submit their activity online. All outdoor activities — at home or at school — count towards earning points, from exploring a local trail with friends to biking to doing homework outside. Winners are selected by total hours divided by school population, so large and small schools have equal chances to win. The three schools with the most hours — one from northern Maine, one from central Maine, and one from southern Maine — will be awarded $1,000 to further outdoor access for their students.

To participate in the Life Happens Outside® Challenge, visit https://teenstotrails.org/events/life-happens-outside-challenge to register and receive promotional materials. Each student must track and submit their hours via a provided Google form by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, October 29. Winners will be announced on Thursday, November 4.

Teens To Trails is a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit dedicated to connecting teenage students to life-changing outdoor experiences with a vision that all teens have the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors together.

Arcadia gives customers a simple and affordable way to choose renewable energy, connecting their homes and communities to the highest standards of clean energy through its platform technology. Founded in 2014, Arcadia connects with utilities in every state, manages 4.5 terawatt-hours of residential energy demand, and is the largest manager of residential community solar subscribers in the US. Join us in achieving our vision of a 100% renewable energy future at www.arcadia.com.

For additional information, please contact Jennifer Hazard, Communications Manager at Teens to Trails. Phone: 207-749-0249 or email: jen@teenstotrails.org

 

BEHAVIORAL THREAT ASSESSMENT FREE TRAINING OPPORTUNITY

Maine School Safety Center

WHAT IS SCHOOL-BASED BEHAVIORAL THREAT ASSESSMENT?

  • Violence prevention strategy recommended by the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Secret Service, and FBI.
  • Multidisciplinary team approach to identify behaviors of concern, assess the level of risk, and provide appropriate interventions.

COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL THREAT ASSESSMENT GUIDELINES (CSTAG TRAINING)

  • Consists of 2 levels of training.
  • Level 1: 8 eLearning modules, taking approximately 6 hours, to be completed at your convenience asynchronously online. Training window opens on November 1st, 2021.
  • Level 2: 4-hour Synchronous training to work through practice cases applying the methodology learned in the Level 1 training. November 17th via Zoom from 9:00-1:00.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

  • School Administrators
  • School Safety Teams
  • Law Enforcement Responding to Schools
  • School Mental Health Providers/Social Workers/Psychologists/School Counselors
  • School Resource Officers
  • Juvenile Community Corrections Officers

HOW TO REGISTER?

  • Contact Karen Barnes, Threat Assessment/Mental Health Officer at the Maine School Safety Center karen.a.barnes@maine.gov for more information or to be added to the training roster.
  • Additional training dates TBA.