MEDIA RELEASE: 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.

Kelsey’s journey began in May, when she was named the 2021 Penobscot County Teacher of the Year. Stoyanova, along with 15 other County Teachers of the Year, was selected from a pool of hundreds teachers who were nominated earlier this year. In August, Kelsey was named one of three state finalists before being selected as the 2022 Teacher of the Year.

Kelsey Stoyanova is an 8th grade language arts teacher at Reeds Brook Middle School, part of Regional School Unit (RSU) 22 in Hampden, Maine. Stoyanova has a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education with an English concentration, a master’s degree in Education with a literacy focus, and is working toward her Educational Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership — all as a University of Maine Black Bear.

Stoyanova is passionate about reading and helping students find an authentic love of reading through integrating a strong foundation of independent reading in her classroom. That passion really shined when she was selected as a grant recipient by the Book Love Foundation in 2020.

As an advocate for student involvement in curriculum creation, Stoyanova became the RSU22 Middle Level Language Arts Curriculum Leader, working to audit, align, and enhance the curriculum. She serves on the Equity in Education Committee where she designed and implemented the RSU22 Reads Three Reading Challenge for students and community members to participate in, thus far making a point to highlight BIPOC authors and characters, women in literature, AAPI voices, and LGBTQIA+ authors and characters.

In addition to these roles, Stoyanova is sought out as a technology enthusiast, mentor, and loves to share and design creative projects and assessments with her colleagues in all content areas. After school, you can find her going on outdoor Maine adventures with her family, or with her nose in a book which she will undoubtedly talk about in class tomorrow.

Kelsey was nominated by students, Tessa Castrucci and Stella Fox. Here are their nominations:

Ms. Castrucci – “She is a really understanding teacher who plans lessons with her students in mind, making the lessons suited to fit the class and environment. If we are interested in a certain event that happened in our country, we might have a class discussion or assignment about it to encourage our interest while learning the facts. She forms meaningful relationships with her students and creates an environment that is welcoming. Along with that, I feel like I can be challenged in her class to do my best while also developing and working on skills that might be harder for me. We do this by having class discussions, creative projects, and interesting assignments. Overall, Mrs. Stoyanova is a teacher that listens to and understands her students while trying to create a space to encourage our interests and push us to be our very best.”

Ms. Fox – “Mrs. Stoyanova is an amazing teacher. She makes learning fun, and she makes sure her classroom is a safe and fun learning environment for everyone to share their thoughts and interact with others. She makes sure everyone gets their work done, and she makes sure everyone understands how the work will get done. Not only is she a teacher, but she is an incredible mom, friend to her students, a person to talk to, and overall, someone you can trust. I think it goes for all of her students that Mrs. Stoyanova has had when I say that Mrs. Stoyanova is the right teacher for this award.”

The Teacher of the Year Program is a year-long process that involves educator portfolio and resume submissions, interviews, oral presentations, and classroom visits made by a selection panel comprised of State Board of Education members, school administrators, Maine Department of Education staff, former Teachers of the Year, and other Maine business partners.

As the 2022 Maine Teacher of the Year, Kelsey will spend her year of service advocating for students and teachers and speaking to the importance of education in preparing Maine students for the future. She will also represent Maine in the National Teacher of the Year program.

Said Cindy Soule, Maine’s 2021 Teacher of the Year, “Kelsey Stoyonova is a powerful example of the myriad ways educators across the state of Maine impact their communities as agents of change. As 2022 Maine Teacher of the Year Kelsey Stoyanova will shine a light on the myriad ways Maine educators impact their students and communities as agents of change. Kelsey’s unwavering belief in her students, strong collaboration with colleagues, leadership within her school and district, passion for literature and justice, and commitment to her own learning will serve her well as she advocates for and celebrates education, students, teachers, families and schools at both the state and national level. I am thrilled to learn alongside her as she embarks on this incredible journey!”

The Maine Teacher of the Year program is administered by Educate Maine, a business-led advocacy organization, in partnership with the Maine Department of Education, the Maine State Board of Education, and the Maine County and State Teachers and County of the Year Association (MCSTOYA). Funding for the program is generously provided by Maine businesses. The program’s lead sponsor is Bangor Savings Bank. Other program sponsors include Dead River, Geiger, Hannaford, the Maine State Lottery, Unum and the Silvernail Family.

For more information about the Maine Teacher of the Year program, visit www.mainetoy.org.

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.

For grade one teachers interested in exploring the Focus on First instructional program developed by the Boston Public Schools that will serve as the foundation for Maine’s work, a PLC experience is being planned for the 2021-22 school year. There is no obligation to implement the program, but this PLC will provide time to learn about the components of Focus on First and how the program connects to Pre-K for ME and K for ME. Teachers, instructional coaches, and administrators interested in this instructional program are encouraged to participate. Grade one teachers who participate may have the opportunity to pilot the program during the 2022-23 school year. An outline of the PLC series for Focus on First and a registration link is included below.

Exploring Focus on First

Second Wednesday of the month, beginning November 10, 2021 and continuing through May 11, 2022, 3:30-4:30 p.m., Registration Link

In the Focus on First curriculum, the Boston Public School System has worked to develop an interdisciplinary instructional program that encourages children and teachers to work together to develop understandings and communicate meaningfully. With texts at the core of classroom experiences, children ask questions about the world around them and consolidate ideas about their place in it as learners and contributors.

Participants will explore the components and design of Focus on First while taking a deep dive into the content of its 4 units: Building Strong Communities, Animals Surviving and Thriving, Resources in Our Communities, and Communicating with Light and Sound.

Exploring Focus on First
November	Overview – A Child’s Experience with Focus on First – Storytelling and Story Acting
December	Text Talk, Knowledge Building, Vocabulary and Language
January	Studios, Thinking & Feedback
February	Science and Social Studies
March	Foundational Literacy
April	Stations and Strategic Small Groups
May	Writing and Assessment

If you have additional questions, please contact Elementary Literacy Specialist, Dee Saucier at danielle.m.saucier@maine.gov.

Maine DOE Update – October 8, 2021

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |

News & Updates

Partner with Other Schools to Create a Remote Plan as Part of RREV Responsive Pilot Accelerator

In an ongoing effort to meet the clear and present needs of the educators across our state, Rethinking Responsive Education Ventures (RREV) in partnership with several School Administrative Units (SAUs) across Maine have created the “Responsive Pilot Accelerator.” | More

JMG to Host Statewide Extended Learning Opportunity Conference

Jobs for Maine Grads (JMG) is collaborating with GEAR UP Maine to sponsor a statewide Extended Learning Opportunity (ELO) Vision Casting Conference focused on expanding access to—and increasing capacity for—Extended Learning Opportunities for Maine high school students. All Maine educators interested in learning more about expanding ELO opportunities in their districts are encouraged to apply to attend this overnight conference free of charge. | More

Maine Launches MLTI 2.0 by Welcoming 5 Regional MLTI Ambassadors to Support Professional Learning Plan

As part of the official launch of the Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) 2.0, a team of distinguished educators – “MLTI Ambassadors” – have joined the DOE to help bring technology integration in Maine schools to the next level through comprehensive professional learning and consistent, ongoing support for educators. | More

National Board Salary Supplement and Scholarship Information FY22

Do you have National Board Certified Teachers on your staff? Awesome! We are sending along a reminder to those fortunate superintendents, or directors of a publicly-supported secondary school or Career and Technical Education (CTE) region, with eligible staff who have attained National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification prior to July 1, 2021. Please let us know so we can provide you with their legislatively allocated salary supplement! | More

Maine DOE Opens 2021/2022 Student Cabinet Application – Calling on Diverse Voices to Apply

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) today announced that it is opening applications for the 2021/2022 Student Cabinet, a group of students that meet regularly with the Maine DOE to discuss educational opportunities, improvements, and policy. | More

Computer Science Professional Development Grant Application

The Maine Department of Education is thrilled to announce the release of the Computer Science Professional Development Grant Application! Maine’s 130th legislature, through a bill sponsored by Senator Pouliot, created a pilot grant program to provide funding for high-quality, teacher-developed or teacher-led professional development for PK-12 computer science pedagogy and content. | More

Maine Schools Sharing Success Stories

| Submit your Maine School Success Story |

Professional Development & Training Opportunities

Two-Part Webinar Series on Nurturing Speaking Growth for English Learners

The Maine Department of Education invites all educators, Kindergarten to Grade 12, to participate in a two-part webinar series on Nurturing Speaking Growth for students who are English learners. Facilitated by Terri Mosgrove of WIDA, this webinar series is designed to support all educators who would like to explore the connection between the ACCESS Speaking Test and classroom practices that promote oral language development. | More

Count ME In Training: Transforming School Climate & Culture

Join Count ME In for a fall training session and learn strategies on how to build a positive climate, improve school culture, decrease chronic absenteeism whether remote, in-person, or six-feet apart, and much more! | More

WEBINAR: Bullying Awareness and Prevention Resources and Strategies

Please join the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse on October 26 at 3:00 PM EDT for an informational webinar on bullying awareness and prevention resources, tactics, and strategies to create safer school environments. This session will provide information and resources to the kindergarten through 12^th grade (K-12) school community. | More

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities

View current Maine Department of Education employment opportunities here

‘It’s Hardest to Learn Where They’re Least Vaccinated’ by Aley, Anna, and Bill

It is with special permission from renowned artists the Indigo Girls themselves that we present this beautiful nod to their song, “Least Complicated” by Mainers Bill, a music teacher, Aley, a school counselor, and Anna, a parent of a child in school.

This recently recorded, heartfelt song urges communities to get vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to keep children safe in schools and schools operational.

Check out their music video here:

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Computer Science Professional Development Grant Application

The Maine Department of Education is thrilled to announce the release of the Computer Science Professional Development Grant Application!

Maine’s 130th legislature, through a bill sponsored by Senator Pouliot, created a pilot grant program to provide funding for high-quality, teacher-developed or teacher-led professional development for PK-12 computer science pedagogy and content.

Priority will be given to applicants that:

Do not currently offer computer science learning opportunities;
Serve socioeconomically disadvantaged school districts;
Prioritize student populations traditionally underrepresented in computer science;
Demonstrate a commitment to pursuing high-quality educator professional development that emphasizes integration of computer science into other course work and curricula or establishes or expands access to courses that offer college credit and other certificates of value, or both; and
Collaborate or partner with other entities, including but not limited to other local education agencies, the business community, nonprofit organizations and private entities.

The Fall application window opens Friday October 8th, 2021 and closes November 5th, 2021. Applications will be reviewed in the order in which they are received. All applicants will be notified of their application status within two weeks of the application deadline.

There is no limit to the grant amount awarded per applicant; however, funds will be dispersed equitably across all applications based on county and throughout PK-12. There is a total of $25,000 available for this grant in the Fall.

A Spring application window will become available in January 2022. A minimum of $25,000 will be available in the Spring.

Have questions? Want to learn more? We are hosting three informational sessions, October18th, October 25th, and November 1st.

Interested in applying? Check out our website to register for an informational session, learn more about the grant, and submit an application: https://maine.gov/doe/learning/ltt/computerscience/grant

Need assistance applying? contact Emma-Marie Banks, Computer Science Specialist & Secondary Digital Learning Specialist emma-marie.banks@maine.gov

WEBINAR: Bullying Awareness and Prevention Resources and Strategies

The session will feature guest speaker and bullying prevention expert Melissa Mercado Crespo, Ph.D., MSc, MA from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Violence Prevention. She will provide an overview of what bullying is and how to identify it, key strategies and actions schools and school personnel can implement to prevent and address it, and the tools and resources available from the government to support schools in these efforts. She will also describe the different types of bullying (including cyberbullying), their impact on school violence, and the relationship between bullying, suicide, and the well-being of school-age youth.

The discussion will also feature additional school safety-related resources on topics like school climate and mental health access and support and a Q&A session for participants to engage directly with Dr. Mercado Crespo.

When: October 26, 2021, 3:00 to 4:00 PM EDT
Where: Adobe Connect (access link to be provided one day in advance of the event)
For: K-12 School Superintendents and Principals; Counselors and Mental Health Practitioners; School and District Administrators; Teachers and School Staff; School Resource Officers; Parents and Guardians; Students
Registration: https://schoolsafetybullyingpreventionwebinar.eventbrite.com

We hope you can join us for this special event during National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month. If you have any questions, please contact the Department of Homeland Security’s School Safety team at SchoolSafety@hq.dhs.gov.

3D Printing Elective at China Middle School

The seventh and eighth grade students at China Middle School have a unique opportunity when choosing electives – 3D printing!

This elective is taught by an eleven-year veteran of education, Jamie Dugan. Jamie, a seventh-grade math teacher, is not a stranger to technology. Jamie earned a BS in Math and Computer Science from Springfield College and has been using that degree ever since, saying, “I have been privileged to work at schools that value technology in the classroom.”

Jamie’s latest endeavor is offering a 3D printing elective to her students. In this once-a-week elective, students start by learning the fundamentals of 3D printing either by looking at an example or watching a video. Students then learn how the 3D printer works and how to use it, and finish the class by designing something of their choice in the application, Tinkercad. The goal is that every student prints an object before the elective ends, which is not as straightforward as it seems.

“Not all 3D prints will work,” Dugan says, but “learning and understanding how to create 3D items can lead to creativity and innovation,” which is a goal of the elective.

In the end, students have printed some fantastic things: door stops, octopi, fidget spinners, phone docks, game pieces, and stands for computers. It is not all about the stuff, though, Dugan noted, “As a building, we believe that 3D printing is a great way to make a connection to our content and make it feel authentic.”

To learn more about the work Jamie Dugan is doing with 3-D printing at China Middle School, you can reach out at: jdugan@rsu18.org.

This story was written and coordinated by MLTI Ambassador Erik Wade as part of the Maine Schools Sharing the Success Campaign. To learn more, or to submit a story or an idea for a story, email rachel.paling@maine.gov.

MEDIA RELEASE: Maine DOE Opens 2021/2022 Student Cabinet Application – Calling on Diverse Voices to Apply

PLEASE SHARE WITH STUDENTS

The purpose of the Student Cabinet is to provide a forum for Maine students’ voices to be heard. This year will be a special opportunity for Cabinet members to design a pilot project that reflects on the past two school years, to reinvent how schools think about remote and responsive learning as part of the Reinventing Responsive Education Ventures (RREV) initiative. RREV is the product of a $16.9 million award from U.S. DOE to support and develop projects which will strengthen a culture of innovation in PK-12 education.

This is the third year the Maine DOE has appointed students to a Student Cabinet with the goal of integrating student voice into decision-making on education issues that impact their journey through Maine’s education system. In past years students have helped in identifying mental health needs at school, raised issues of racial equity, and helped brainstorm ways to individualize learning.

The Maine DOE is especially interested in having perspectives from students with diverse experiences, interests, cultures, and backgrounds. It is important that the student cabinet include members who are able to represent and advocate for underrepresented groups, including but not limited to students who identify as: gender expansive, English learners and other bilingual/multilingual students, members of a racial or ethnic minority in Maine, economically disadvantaged, new to living in Maine, or living with a mental and/or physical health diagnosis, as well as students who have special educational needs, experience in the juvenile justice system, or experience in one of the many different educational pathways found in education, including Extended Learning Opportunities, Adult Education programs, and Career & Technical Education.

There are 16-20 seats that are open for students in grades 4 – 12 and first year of college. The newly selected members will serve for a term of two years starting this November. All 16 counties in Maine will be represented on the Student Cabinet.

Selected cabinet members will be expected to attend scheduled meetings, prepare for each meeting as needed, work in a collaborative manner with one another and with Department staff as needed; and express views and opinions openly, constructively, and respectfully.

Instructions for applying:
Students interested in serving on the Maine DOE Student Cabinet will need to submit the electronic application by ~~Monday, October 25, 2021~~ DEADLINE EXTENDED to November 1, 2021 at 5 pm. Applications can be submitted electronically here.

For more information contact Rachel Paling, Communications & Outreach Manager, Maine Department of Education at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

Partner with Other Schools to Create a Remote Plan as Part of RREV Responsive Pilot Accelerator

The Responsive Pilot Accelerator is a hyper focused pilot design class that will enable participants to develop a pilot based on a prototype designed by RREV educators. The prototype serves the needs of remote students while maintaining a personal connection with in-school opportunities to participate in extra curriculars or unified arts courses. Its unique online-hybrid features support the individualized needs of students while increasing capacity by using a shared approach to staffing and resources.

Participant who successfully complete the eligibility requirements of the Responsive Pilot Accelerator will leave with:

A remote pilot blueprint and;
$100K in seed money for staffing, supplies, and administrative expenses.

Awards are available as earlier as January of 2022 for eligible teams. Please contact Martin Mackey, RREV Director to begin your team’s course as early as Mid-October or Click here to book an appointment directly with the RREV team today.

For additional information, check out our Responsive Pilot Fact Sheet (here) or contact Martin Mackey, RREV Director.

National Board Salary Supplement and Scholarship Information FY22

National Board Certified Teacher Salary Supplement Request Due October 15, 2021

In order to qualify for the salary supplement, eligible staff must be currently employed by a Maine public school, or by a publicly-supported secondary school or CTE region in Maine. Eligible position titles include classroom teacher, special education teacher, literacy specialist, math specialist, long-term substitute teacher, library media specialist, school counselor, and teaching principals who have attained certification with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, or its successor organization.

The amount of the salary supplement for fiscal year 2021-22 is $5000 for teachers employed in a school in which 50% + students qualify for a free or reduced-price lunch, and $3000 for teachers employed in a school in which fewer than 50% of students qualify for a free or reduced-price lunch, unless proration is necessary.

The submission form and further information is available on our National Board Certification Salary Supplement page: https://www.maine.gov/doe/educators/cert/nationalstandards/salary

National Board Scholarship Applications Due October 31, 2021

Are you a Maine public school, or a publicly-supported secondary school, or CTE school teacher who is interested in becoming National Board Certified? Are you a district who is eager to offer this exceptional professional learning opportunity to your 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.

A school administrative unit, or a publicly supported secondary school or CTE region, may request scholarship funds on behalf of its teachers who meet the requirements.

In fiscal year 2021-22, Maine DOE will allocate $75,000 to the scholarship fund, and shall award an amount equal to the cost of the certification program, less any other funds received by the applicant to not more than 30 teachers accepted into the program annually. Priority will be given to teachers who have already begun the process and teachers employed in high needs schools. For more information and eligibility requirements, please visit our National Board Certification Scholarship page: https://www.maine.gov/doe/cert/nationalstandards/scholarship

If you have questions about the National Board Salary Supplement Program or the National Board Scholarship Program, please contact Tamara Ranger at Tamara.Ranger@maine.gov.