MEDIA RELEASE: USDA Extends Flexibilities to Provide FREE Meals to Children Through Summer Months

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released a continuation of needed flexibilities for the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) through Summer 2021.

“We are so grateful for the USDA waiver extensions through this incredibly difficult time,” said Walter Beesley, Maine Department of Education’s Director of Child Nutrition. “The newest extension will allow Maine schools to continue to provide complimentary emergency meals in creative ways at school, remotely, and on weekends to children of all ages through the summer months.”

In the USDA announcement, they express the following:

As we complete a full year of Child Nutrition Program operations during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, we want to acknowledge the creativity, dedication, and tireless efforts of program operators and administrators at all levels to ensure access to healthy meals during what has been, for many of us, one of the most challenging years of our lifetimes. Over the past year, the Child Nutrition Program community has overcome a myriad of obstacles and has continued to provide daily meals for millions of our nation’s children and vulnerable adults. The USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) extends a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has dedicated time and energy in service to their communities through the Child Nutrition Programs over this past year.

In response to the needs of program operators and State administrators, FNS has released a series of waivers to maximize flexibility and limit exposure to COVID-19, while maintaining accountability. The waivers are currently scheduled to expire on June 30, 2021, the statutory end of the school year. These flexibilities will remain necessary to operate our programs this summer given the ongoing public health and economic crisis. Understanding that program operators are now planning how to best deploy child nutrition programs during the upcoming summer months, FNS is issuing the following updated waivers specifically for summer meal program operations in 2021. Please note that the current waivers are in effect through June 30, 2021 and that the waivers listed below are effective beginning July 1, 2021:

#74 Nationwide Waiver to Allow Meal Pattern Flexibilities for Summer 2021 Operations
#75 Nationwide Waiver to Allow Non-Congregate Feeding for Summer 2021 Operations
#76 Nationwide Waiver to Allow Parents and Guardians to Pick Up Meals for Children for Summer 2021 Operations
#77 Nationwide Waiver to Extend Area Eligibility Waivers for Summer 2021 Operations
#78 Nationwide Waiver of Meal Service Time Restrictions for Summer 2021 Operations
#79 Nationwide Waiver to Allow Offer Versus Serve Flexibilities in the Summer Food Service Program for Summer 2021 Operations
#80 Nationwide Waiver to Allow Area Eligibility for Closed Enrolled Sites for Summer 2021 Operations
#81 Nationwide Waiver to Waive First Week Site Visits in the Summer Food Service Program for Summer 2021 Operations

“Statewide we have seen a down-tick in families accepting the meals that are available at no cost to them. This has prompted schools to adapt their menus, delivery options, and advertising methods to encourage families to take advantage of this valuable service, especially during these tough times,” added Beesley. “We are hopeful that now that we know the flexibilities and funding will continue through the summer, more families will take advantage of the really great, complimentary food options from school.”

Maine Department of Education Child Nutrition staff stand ready to support Maine Child Nutrition Providers in their continued efforts to supply safe, nutritious meals to Maine’s children and adolescents through Summer 2021.

Maine DOE staff are available to answer questions and provide important training and technical assistance to the field. For questions and information please contact Adriane Ackroyd at Adriane.ackroyd@maine.gov / 207-592-1722.

Virtual Learning Sessions 3/18 & 3/31: Adaptive and Innovative use of Technology in Arts and Theater

Join Maine Department of Education (DOE) specialists and a panel of Maine educators in two professional learning sessions that focus on the adaptive and innovative use of technology in arts and theater. These sessions are designed to be conversational, with educators from across the state sharing their challenges, successes, and takeaways. The first session focuses on theater and tech; the second session focuses on makerspaces and the arts. These sessions are being held in recognition of “Arts Education in Our Schools Month,” celebrated statewide and recognized by Governor Janet T. Mills.

Session Descriptions and Details:

Theater & Tech – Performances
March 18^th, 2021 at 3pm

Description: Join MDOE specialists and Maine theater and tech educators in a panel discussion on virtual theater performances. This session will include reflections on theater education over the past year, looking at successes, challenges, and innovative solutions. We will also talk a bit about the technology that aided in successful solutions to explore how the role of tech in theater changes in a virtual space.

To register for this session, click here or go to: https://www.maine.gov/doe/calendar/theater-tech-performances

Arts & Tech – Makerspaces
March 31^st, 2021 at 2pm

Description: Join MDOE specialists and Maine arts and tech educators in a session on makerspaces. Whether you’re new to makerspaces or well-versed, this session has something to offer you. We’ll cover the basics of what a makerspace is, look at a few ways that local schools have integrated them into their building, and talk a bit about how makerspaces can be used in collaborative and innovative ways.

To register for this session, click here or go to: https://www.maine.gov/doe/calendar/arts-tech-makerspaces

For further information contact Maine DOE Visual and Performing Arts Specialist Jason Anderson at jason.anderson@maine.gov.

Mt. Ararat High School French Teacher Given International Recognition

An impressive honor has been bestowed upon deserving Maine educator Nathalie Gorey, a French teacher at Mt. Ararat High School in Topsham. For her many years of leadership and commitment to promoting French language and culture through education, Nathalie has been named a Chevalier-Knight- in the Ordre des Palmes Académiques (French for “Order of Academic Palms”).

“It really came as a surprise,” said Nathalie after finding out that she had been recommended for the award by the French Consul’s staff in Boston, who know her work as an advocate and a teacher of French language and culture.

The Ordre des Palmes Académiques, originally established in 1808 by Emperor Napoleon, is an Order of Chivalry of France bestowed by the French Republic to academics and cultural and educational figures. The recognition honors major contributions to French national education and culture by French expatriates who expand French culture throughout the rest of the world.

Born and raised in Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa, and France, Nathalie’s heritage is one of the most influential factors in her desire to share the French language and culture with students. She got her first taste for teaching French during the last year of earning her Master’s degree, when she travelled abroad from the University of Angers, France to the University of Limerick, Ireland and worked a part-time job at the local Alliance Française, an after-school program where she taught French to Irish kids.

“I love sharing my native language with students, a language which makes up a third of the English language,” said Nathalie. “I went to school studying three foreign languages, so I know how valuable it is to learn and communicate in a second language and discover other cultures.”

After returning to France and graduating, she took a rare opportunity through a partnership between her university in France and the University of Maine System to travel to Maine and spend a year as a teaching assistant at the University of Maine at Machias (UMM), where she helped start and grow a vibrant French program while immersing herself in American and Maine life.

What started out as a one-year assignment turned into a successful professional choice that developed into a long-term teaching career, and prompted her to start a family and relocate to Maine permanently.

“I am passionate about teaching about the Francophone world, opening students’ minds to other lands and cultures,” said Nathalie. “That is what is great about teaching a language – you get to also teach geography, history, art, literature, music, literature, and cooking,” she added.

Nathalie has nearly three decades of French teaching under her belt at both UMM and UMA, and through other secondary French teaching positions in Maine, including her current position at Mt. Ararat High School.

“Some rewarding aspects have been seeing students go on with French studies in college, even become a French teacher as a career,” explained Nathalie. “ Or teaching about the Acadian history in Maine and seeing my students understand the background of their own ancestors!”. And she added, “Taking students on trips to Quebec or France is also very rewarding, seeing the kids applying their skills and making those connections to what they have been learning in class, with the language and culture”.

Outside of school, she is the Maine chapter president of the AATF (American Association of Teachers of French), representing Maine teachers through their professional organization. She also serves on the Advisory Board of the Alliance Française du Maine as their pedagogical coordinator, and advises them on their cultural events among other things. Nathalie has also been very active in the arrival and settling of French-speaking African immigrants in Maine over the past four years, serving as the French translator for the Maine-based African newspaper Amjambo Africa!.

“I feel like Maine is the perfect place to also make connections, with the Franco-American heritage and the renaissance of French thanks to the African immigrants,” said Nathalie.

Plans for a formal recognition event and ceremony are in the works for this coming fall, following COVID-19 safety measures. In the meantime, Nathalie has received an official letter of recognition from the French Embassy and a medal honoring her lifetime efforts to promote French culture and language all over the world.

The Maine Department of Education congratulates Nathalie Gorey for her tireless efforts as a world language educator, as an advocate for French culture, language and teachers, and for this well-deserved, prestigious award honoring her hard work and continued advocacy.

PRIORITY NOTICE (Reminder): Moving Toward Understanding: Fostering an Intercultural Learning Environment

A workshop series by Maine Intercultural Communication Consultants (MICC).

“MICC is a women-owned business based in Portland, Maine, with years of experience helping schools, organizations, and individuals develop interculturally and navigate differences effectively. Passionate and engaging facilitators, we ground our interactive and experiential trainings in best practices of adult learning, and build on the strengths you already have. We have lived across the globe, and our work reflects that dexterity, curiosity, and humility.”

Module 1: DEMYSTIFYING ISLAM: CULTURE, COMMUNITY, AND FAITH

Thursday, March 18, 7:00-8:30 PM
Thursday, March 25, 7:00-8:00PM

Presented from both the perspective of a Muslim immigrant in Maine and a non-Muslim Mainer who lived in a Muslim majority country, this training seeks to dispel myths and misunderstandings by asking the questions: What is Islam and what is it NOT?

This training will:

Provide a brief history and context of the religion
Include discussion of Islam’s similarities to Christianity and Judaism
Define important terms
Give participants insight to more effectively reach, serve, educate, and connect with Muslim people

Presented by Reza Jalali and Liz Greason

Module 2: MICROAGGRESSIONS: THEIR IMPACT ON STUDENT LEARNING

Thursday, April 1, 7:00-8:30 PM
Thursday, April 8, 7:00-8:00 PM

As educators, what don’t we know we don’t know? Exploring this question can be a gateway into understanding and interrupting microaggressions.

This training will:

Define microaggression
Differentiate between different types of microaggressions
Identify the impact microaggressions have on marginalized student groups
Discuss what we, as educators, can do to minimize the impact of microaggressions in the classroom and schools settings

Presented by Deb Breiting and Liz Greason

Register here: https://mainestate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0qceusrTwrGdC9jU12AsxF9NXts3SoWEt9

About the Presenters:

Deb Breiting is co-founder of Maine Intercultural Communication Consultants and hails from Vancouver, Canada. Born in Montreal to immigrant parents from Germany and Japan, Deb grew up in a multilingual and multicultural home and is a first generation university graduate. She has a degree in Linguistics and German from the University of British Columbia (UBC) and is a graduate of the UBC Certificate Program in Intercultural Studies. With a professional focus on teaching English as a Second Language, Deb most recently taught at Portland Adult Education for the New Mainers Resource Center and coordinated projects designed to further support the integration of immigrants with professional backgrounds into Maine’s workforce. In addition, Deb has lived in Toronto, Munich, and Tokyo where she has worked for schools and non-profit organizations. Deb is an IDI Qualified Administrator and is currently enrolled in the Master’s program of Adult and Higher Education at University of Southern Maine.

A Mainer by birth, Liz Greason is co-founder of Maine Intercultural Communication Consultants. She lived in the Middle East for many years, where she taught students from around the world at the American University in Dubai, with a focus on effective cross-cultural communication. Since returning to the United States, Liz has applied her knowledge of the Middle East and Islam, intercultural competency, and intercultural communication to help Mainers effectively recruit and retain a diverse workforce and serve diverse populations equitably. Liz has also served on the faculty of the University of Southern Maine (USM) and Portland Adult Education. Growing up in Bridgton, Liz graduated from, and later taught at, Lake Region High School.

Liz holds degrees in Women and Gender Studies, with focus areas of intersectional feminism, from Mount Holyoke College and Reed College. She is a Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory.

Reza Jalali is a noted writer, educator, immigrant advocate and former refugee from Iran. He was recently appointed Executive Director of the Greater Portland Immigrant WELCOME Center, a non-profit organization that serves as a hub for organizations and individuals to collaborate in helping Maine’s thriving immigrant community reach its civic, economic, and social potential. Additionally a prolific author of the immigrant experience, Reza’s forthcoming book Dear Maine: The Trials and Triumphs of Maine’s 21st Century Immigrants will be available in August 2021. Jalali’s other books include New Mainers, Moon Watchers, Homesick Mosque and Other Stories, and The Poets and the Assassin. His children’s book, Moon Watchers, has received the Stepping Stone Multicultural Award. His five-act play, The Poets and the Assassin, which is about women in Iran and Islam, has been staged to rave reviews across New England. Jalali’s storytelling was also featured on National Public Radio’s popular program, The Moth Radio Hour.

Additional information:

This workshop series will require participants to maintain a reflection journal. Participants should come motivated to create change and should be prepared to participate in group discussions based on readings and resources shared prior to the session.

Engaging in this cohort provides an opportunity for participants to earn credit hours. To receive credit, participants must attend all four sessions.

For more information contact Danielle Despins; a volunteer member of Maine DOE’s internal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) sub-committee at (207) 592 -1448.

Adapting to COVID: Portland Community Squash Develops Advisee Program to Stay Connected to Students

In its ninth year, Portland Community Squash (PCS) has come a long was as a community organization aimed at both bringing people and communities together to play the sport squash and supporting Maine youth through their journey as a student, adolescent, and community member of the greater Portland area.

Starting in 2013 as an organization committed to closing the opportunity gap, PCS learned the needs of local families. They eventually opened a location at 66 Noyes Street in Portland in 2017 and expanded their programs to address wellness for both students and community members, along with a robust program that supports youth through academics.

With a mission that seeks to unite neighbors of all ages and backgrounds and to fully support youth on their journey from elementary school into adulthood, the PCS moto is committed to access, equity, and integration to make every community stronger.

The organization and its unique squash based mission was highlighted in November 2020 on News Center Maine showcasing the positive impact the program has on the community. PCS has been successful in bringing together people from the area, and from many different culturally diverse background. Their youth programs put students on-track in their academics while also engaging them in fun and exciting activities that bring them together with their peers and teach them about wellness, character, and community.

However, along with schools and organizations throughout Maine, PCS has had to adapt to keep their program relevant and effective through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Knowing that staying connected to the students that rely on academic support PCS provides was essential, they developed an “Advisee Program” to keep in touch with students. The Advisee Program splits up the 150 students they serve in a way that pairs each staff member with 10-12 kids with whom they check in on a regular basis, even visiting the students at their homes to ensure they stay connected and feel supported through this time of crisis.

Through the end of the previous school year and throughout the current school year, PCS has had their fair share of innovative adaptations to help reduce the risk of COVID-19 in their facility and continue serving students, including one-on-one tutoring, keeping students in smaller cohorts in hybrid learning styles, and even shifting to full remote for the holiday season.

Now that they are serving students more regularly in-person again through the spring, they have kept the advisee program in place, remarking that it has really helped them increase their student connections by providing a higher level of individualized support to students.

“The silver lining of the advisee program is that we’ve been able to serve as a support system to students and have also had the chance to connect in a deeper way with students’ families. This program will continue post-COVID,” said PCS Operations Director Sarah Stickney.

What started out as a group of Portland squash players has turned into an innovative, thriving organization with strong partnerships to other organizations, including local school systems and educators, administrators and community members. Along-side school and district partners around the state, PCS has pivoted with the challenges of COVID-19 adapting and learning from the new ways that we serve students.

Adding to their innovative approach to serving students and the greater community, PSC also has a unique concept for sharing their models of success with others. With an open-source idea in mind, PCS harnessed five years of community squash innovation into a collection of slides and documents that they openly share with anyone who wants to use them. View the Community Squash Package here.

Information for this article was provided by Portland Community Squash (PCS) as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. To submit a story or an idea, email it to Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

SAVE THE DATE: Free Mental Health and Wellbeing Forum for School Communities

The Maine Department of Education invites you to attend, Supporting Maine Educators: A Forum to Bolster Mental Health in Our Schools on Thursday April 1st from 9:00am – 3:00pm.

The focus of this forum is to acknowledge the struggles of this past year, celebrate our successes and build resources to support mental health for our school communities. We hope to bring a greater awareness to the importance of mental health, destigmatize mental illness, increase mental health literacy for staff, administrators and community-based agencies, as well as provide practical supports to bolster the mental wellness of students and staff.

This forum will be a six hour event and consist of keynote speakers, with each followed by a related panel discussion comprised of experts from the field, State agencies and community partners, as well as staff and students from Maine schools. This will be a live event and each session will be recorded and available on the DOE website.

Please join us for this very important event. For further information or questions, contact Staci Warren at Staci.H.Warren@maine.gov.

Job Corps Virtual Information Sessions Available on 3/11 and 3/25

Have you ever wondered what Job Corps was all about? Well, here’s your chance to find out!

Job Corps is a free Career Technical Training program that is federally funded through the Department of Labor for 16-24 year-olds (the upper age limit may be waived for a student with a verifiable disability). Some of the Career Technical Trainings available are welding, carpentry, culinary arts, CNA, and many more. Students can also earn their HS diploma and stay on center, free of charge, while they work towards completion of their trade. The two centers in Maine are in Bangor (Penobscot Job Corps) and Limestone (Loring Job Corps).

Information sessions hosted by Maine’s Job Corps office will be held on Thursday, March 11th, 2021 at 3:00PM or Thursday, March 25th, 2021 at 3:00PM on Google Meets. Registration is required at which time link and logon information for the session will be sent via email.

For questions or to register email Ross Chicoine at Chicoine.Ross@jobcorps.org.

Get to know the Maine DOE Team: Meet Robin Kerber

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

What are your roles with DOE?

I work with Maine schools and farmer/producers/fishermen to get more Maine food into our schools. I’m part of the Maine Farm to School Network and manage the Harvest of the Month program, a statewide initiative challenging schools and child care sites to highlight a different local ingredient each month. I really love my job because I get to use my background in Culinary Arts to help education school nutrition staff on how to cook with Maine ingredients, and I also get to help support our farmers by connecting them to new markets.

What do you like best about your job?

Exposing our school nutrition staff to more local ingredients and helping them gain the skills and confidence to incorporate them on their menus. We are so lucky to have farmers and producers that grow and raise a huge variety of food for us! We recently partnered with a nonprofit that works to support our fishermen, and schools and childcare sites received free locally-caught fish! It directly supported the fishermen and it was so fun to work with nutrition directors and staff to come up with recipes that the students would like. It was the perfect marriage of supporting our local economy and feeding healthy, nutritious food to our kids!

How or why did you decide on this career?

I went to The Culinary Institute of America for Baking and Pastry, then Drexel University for Restaurant Management. I spent about a decade working in kitchens across the US, and eventually found that growing food was just as satisfying as cooking it – and a little less cutthroat. I began working on a variety of different farms including produce, dairy, livestock, and even fishing. I think this varied background and understanding of Maine’s different farming sectors prepared me to work with farm to school programs in the state.

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

I stay busy restoring my 1800’s farmhouse and land with many homesteading projects. I love to travel more than anything, and am training to become an international trip leader (side gig, I won’t be leaving my job for it!) and currently lead local backpacking and skiing trips.

MEDIA RELEASE: Maine Students Help DOE with Special Message to Schools

Maine school personnel have been leading the country in their offering of in-person instruction since September. They have been teaching and reinforcing the safety requirements for keeping schools open and have demonstrated amazing flexibility, adaptability, and ongoing quick thinking, ensuring that schools can continue serving students through the many vital services that schools provide to our communities. As we continue to make progress in this ongoing battle against the pandemic, Maine schools and the staff who make them run continue to serve students.

A few of Maine’s students joined Commissioner Makin recently to help craft a special message, thanking schools staff for their amazing work in ensuring the health and safety of everyone at school.

A very special thank you to students Brooklyn, Calvin, Molly, Sada-Lynn, Ruby, and Francis, and to Torry Verrill; Educator, St. George Elementary School, Alison Babb-Brott; 2020 Knox County Teacher of the Year, Jessica Gregory; 2020 Piscataquis County Teacher of the Year, Jennifer Mull-Brooks; Principal, Congin Elementary School, and Patrick (and the staff) at Westbrook’s Awesome After School Program for the help in creating footage for this video.

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Maine DOE Update – March 5, 2021

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

New Webinar: The EF-S-05 Part II Special Education Staff Certification Report

To assist those who are responsible for the important task of reporting Special Education Staff data to the Maine Department of Education, the DOE Data Team will be holding a webinar on Thursday March 11th, from 10am to 11am. | More

| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |

News & Updates

Vaccine for School Staff Update

Last Friday, Governor Mills announced an age-based eligibility plan for vaccination to continue protecting those most at risk of dying from COVID-19 and to ensure the speed and efficiency of the state’s vaccination effort. On Wednesday, eligibility expanded to Maine residents 60 years old or older. As part of this plan, the Mills Administration is also standing up dedicated vaccination opportunities for education professionals who are 60 years of age or older. | More

Calling All Maine Teens!

The Maine Department of Education is pleased to announce a new program for Maine teens. The WAVES (Wilderness Activities and Virtual Engagement for Students) initiative connects teens from throughout the State of Maine and invites all Maine teens to browse our website and join one (or more!) of the WAVES Virtual Communities. | More

Maine Declares March a Celebration of Arts Education in Our Schools

The list of observances that happen in the month of March is long and varied – the first day of Spring, Women’s History Month, National Foreign Language Week, Deaf History Month – and included in that list is the opportunity to celebrate arts education in our schools for the entire month! In Maine and across the nation we take time throughout the coming month to recognize the value of the arts in the education of the whole child. | More

Maine Students Selected for United States Senate Youth Program

The United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) announces that high school students Mr. Iann Leigh and Mr. Hilton Scott Petersen will join Senator Susan M. Collins and Senator Angus S. King in representing Maine during the 59th annual USSYP Washington Week, to be held March 14 — 17, 2021. Iann Leigh of Bangor and Hilton Petersen of Nobleboro were selected from among the state’s top student leaders to be part of the 104 national student delegation who will each also receive a $10,000 college scholarship for undergraduate study. | More

Maine Schools Sharing Success Stories

| Submit your Maine School Success Story |

Professional Development & Training Opportunities

Stipend Professional Learning Opportunity Provided by Maine DOE

The Maine Department of Education is accepting applications from individuals interested in learning more about the competitive grant process. Selected applicants will be trained to serve as peer reviewers who assist the Department in reviewing, assessing, and scoring competitive grant proposals for the 21st Century Community Leaning Centers (21st CCLC) Program. The 21^st CCLC program is a federally funded education program that helps schools and communities develop before-school, after-school, and summer educational programs that support students and their families.  | More

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities

View current Maine Department of Education employment opportunities here