The International Bullying Prevention Association (IBPA) is partnering with the Maine Department of Education to provide a one-day summit to address bullying prevention through social and emotional learning and kindness.
Location: Cony High School Date: August 17, 2018 Time: 8:00am – 3:45pm.
Cost: $50 (includes breakfast, lunch, a signed certificate of attendance for contact hours)
The summit will have 5 keynote presentations and participants from Maine, and potentially across the U.S., will hear national presenters and be able to network with local professionals.
Topics of the day will cover bullying prevention best practices, including building healthy and positive relationships amongst school staff, talking with youth to address specific bullying behavior, and addressing bias-based interactions. Participants will walk away with tools and strategies that will be useful and meaningful when implementing bullying prevention efforts for the new school year.
During the Summit, Maine middle and high schools are invited to participate in the inspirED Youth Leadership Conference facilitated by Facebook and the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, beginning at 10:00am and ending at 2:30pm with a presentation to the Summit attendees. This opportunity is being offered at no cost to schools and is for a team of 4 students along with 1 or 2 adult allies. Transportation would need to be provided by the district. The inspirED program provides social and emotional (SEL) resources, tools, inspiration and support to empower students and educators to work together to create positive change in their schools and communities.
Please click here for more information and to register for the Youth Leadership Conference. Based on capacity, only 15 schools will be able to participate in the Youth Leadership Conference. Register soon!
In addition to the Summit, there will also be showing of The Fat Boy Chronicles with the author Michael Buchanan on Thursday night, August 16 at 7:00pm in the Viles Auditorium at Cony High School. This event is free and open to the public.
For additional information and questions on the IBPA Summit, the inspirED Youth Leadership Conference or the showing of The Fat Boy Chronicles, contact Sarah Ricker, Maine DOE Student Assistance Coordinator at sarah.ricker@maine.gov
The Maine Department of Education is performing a review of the Maine Learning Results for Science & Technology and is looking for participants to serve as part of the writing team. The purpose of the writing team is to revise the current standards based on guidance provided from a steering committee. For more information about the standards review process, check the new Maine DOE standards revision website.
The team will serve as a representative sample of Maine K-12 science educators covering pK-12 grade levels, geographic locations, and content area strengths across all four of the science strands: life science, physical science (chemistry and physics), earth and space science, and engineering. While specific dates are still to be determined, a majority of the work will take place in July and August and will include at least one face to face meeting in Augusta.
All interested educators are encouraged to participate and are highly encouraged to apply. We will strive to ensure that the geographic diversity of our state is represented. We especially seek applicants from Aroostook, Franklin, Piscataquis and Sagadahoc counties.
Participants will receive contact hours for time worked, be reimbursed for travel costs, and lunch will be provided for face to face meetings.
If you are interested in participating, please complete this short survey by 4:00pm on Tuesday, June 19, 2018 to be considered. The Department will reach out to interested participants with more information in the coming weeks.
For further questions, contact Maine DOE Science & Technology Specialist Shari Templeton at (207) 624-6880 or shari.templeton@maine.gov
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is announcing the Clean Diesel Tribal Grant Competition, a grant competition for tribal applicants with projects that reduce diesel emissions in high-impact areas. Each applicant may request up to $800,000 in federal funding, with $2.0 million available for the grant competition overall.
Key Points
The grant competition will give priority to projects based on significant reduction in diesel emissions and exposure in areas with poor air quality, as well as areas that are exposed to a disproportionately high amount of air pollution from diesel fleets.
Eligible applicants for a Clean Diesel Tribal Grant are intertribal consortiums, tribal governments, and Alaskan native villages.
Funding may be used for projects involving eligible diesel vehicles, engines and equipment, which may include:
School buses
Class 5-Class 8 heavy-duty highway vehicles
Locomotive engines
Marine engines
Nonroad engines, equipment, or vehicles used in construction, cargo handling including at airports and ports, agriculture, mining, or energy production including stationary generators and pumps.
Webinars
Webinars will be available for applicants to learn more about this grant opportunity. Information regarding webinar time/date, access, links to the webinars, and webinar topics is included below.
Augusta, Maine – The Maine Department of Education (DOE) announced today the 9 student interns who will be working for the summer at the Maine DOE headquarters in Augusta.
Adam Barre
Barre is a sophomore at Loyola University, Maryland. He has lived in Maine his whole life and has a love for politics, business, and the state of Maine itself. Barre has volunteered in Baltimore and worked with local politicians and motivated citizens, which has been a tremendous inspiration to him. He takes great pride in being able to not only accomplish his own goals, but ensuring he can help others do the same in the process. Barre will be working with the Department of Education’s data team, focusing on geo-mapping and working to catalogue all the major data collections for the Department.
Trevor Burns
Burns is a recent graduate of the University of Maine at Farmington with a major in Actuarial Science and Applied Mathematics. Burns will be assisting with the end-of-year collection process for 2017/18 student data and trying to find anomalies in that data before school ends for the summer. He will then work on a student data standards document which the DOE plans to make available to the public before school begins again next year.
Matt Bourque
Originally from South China, Maine, Bourque is an upcoming senior at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. He is double majoring in Political Science and Education. Outside of his academic life, Bourque is training for a marathon and loves the outdoors. During his internship with the DOE, Bourque will be acting as a support content specialist to prepare for summer professional development programs.
Lauren Porter
Porter is a third-year Social Work and Political Science student at the University of Southern Maine, where she is highly involved in her philanthropic sorority, the Service-Learning and Volunteering department, and Model United Nations. Her interests and career goals include social justice policy efforts – particularly advocacy for access to affordable healthcare. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, juggling, volunteering, and writing. During her internship with the DOE, Porter will also be acting as a support content specialist to prepare for summer professional development programs.
Adam Bovie
Bovie is a senior at the University of New Hampshire, but has lived in Vassalboro, Maine, his whole life. He is dual majoring in Communication and International Affairs at UNH, and spent the first semester of his junior year studying abroad at Dublin City University in Dublin, Ireland. Bovie enjoys all aspects of the Communication field, but has recently been developing his skills in media production. He’ll be putting these skills to use in his role as the intern for the Commissioner of Education’s office, where he’ll be assisting in the creation of a new website for the Department as well as other multimedia communication projects.
Tyler Rollins
Rollins is a senior at the University of Maine at Orono in the New Media program. He currently lives in his home town of China, Maine, and in his spare time he enjoys playing the guitar and recording local bands. Rollins will be creating content to make Maine’s school funding formula more understandable for the legislature and general public.
Erica Hathaway
Hathaway is a senior at the University of Maine at Orono and will be graduating in December. She is studying Economics with minors in Mathematics and Business. Hathaway is originally from Vermont, but is planning to stay in Maine after graduating, at which point she would like to attend graduate school for Economics. Hathaway is working on Maine’s contribution to a Kansas-led project that looks at school funding in all 50 states, including a state-by-state historical survey of school funding. She will also be assisting the DOE in reviewing the new Career & Technical Education funding model.
Morgan Rush
One of the Learning Through Technology interns, Rush is a senior at the University of Maine at Farmington. She studies Business Psychology with a minor in Community Health. Rush grew up in Farmingdale, Maine, and is excited to learn more about the use of technology in education. Rush will be assisting with website design, event planning, and the development of resources related to MLTI and Learning Through Technology professional learning opportunities.
Renée Roundy
Another Learning Through Technology intern, Roundy grew up in Lewiston, Maine, and is entering her senior year at Colgate University with a major in Educational Studies and a minor in LGBTQ Studies. This summer she is excited to learn more about various software and how technology can be utilized by teachers, especially in Special Education. Rush will be assisting with website design, event planning, and the development of resources related to MLTI and Learning Through Technology professional learning opportunities.
A checklist has been designed to assist districts with publicly funded students in completing required end of year reports. The dates listed after each report are when the report is open for entry and due for certification, if required. | More
The recovery of Q318 MaineCare Seed will occur in the July 2018 subsidy payment and the Maine DOE is asking districts to review their reports by June 29, 2018 to ensure accurate adjustments to subsidy. District staff must review student by student claims on both the public and private MaineCare reports for Q318 by June 29, 2018. | More
The Maine Department of Education is completing final testing on the educator portal of the new online certification system and will release the portal as soon as testing is completed. The educator portal will be utilized for processing only renewal applications for the first few weeks. The certification department is still accepting paper applications for initial credentials and fingerprints, but all renewal applications MUST be processed through the new online system. | More
The Maine Department of Education is hosting a webinar for districts and schools to discuss the recently released 2016/17 chronic absenteeism data including collection process and resources available to help with 2017-2018 reporting. | More
The Maine Department of Education’s Office of School and Student Supports has compiled a resource guide to assist schools in their efforts to improve student attendance and reduce chronic absenteeism. | More
As a reminder, registration for the 2018 Commissioner’s Conference is now open. The conference features an array of sessions catered toward superintendents. | More
The Maine Department of Education is requesting the assistance of school principals in the development of the new 2017-2018 ESEA Report Cards. A “School Highlights” section will be included on the Report Cards to provide the opportunity for schools to emphasize elements of which they are especially proud. | More
Over the past few months, there have been a number of questions about expectations for completing and submitting to the Department district technology plans. This correspondence is designed to answer those questions for district and school administrators, in particular, those who are responsible for developing technology plans. | More
The following checklist is designed to assist districts with publicly funded students in completing required end of year reports. The dates listed after each report are when the report is open for entry and due for certification, if required.
All students with an enrollment must have attendance entered
Please register for the Chronic Absenteeism Webinar on June 12, 2018 at 1:00 for discussions on the data where districts can ask questions and discuss resources available to ensure accurate data. https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4892409320166524419☐ Update Truancy
☐ Special Education – exit any students who have left special education:
☐ Update Behavior – Note: all enrollments exited with an expulsion must have an expulsion incident in the behavior module
Special Education will not need to be ended unless the student is exiting the special education program. Special Education services will need to be uploaded each year.
☐ Update/End ALL Enrollments:
DOE will NOT be automatically ending enrollments
Concurrent enrollment MUST be ended before the primary enrollment can be ended
All students will need to be exited on their actual last day of school. This may be verified using “Attending Student Report”
June 30 should not be automatically populated for the last day of school.
Future exit dates are not permitted in the system.
Ending a student’s enrollment will end Economic Status and Truancy – to avoid this, update Truancy records prior to ending enrollments
New enrollments will need to be uploaded/entered as well as special education information each school year.
Q1 Budget Expenditure – Due by 8/25/2018 or 30 days after the budget passes, whichever is later
Q1 Budget Revenue (coming soon) – Due by 8/25/2018 or 30 days after the budget passes, whichever is later.
Maine Schools and School Approval (coming soon) – Certified by Superintendent (more information to follow soon)
Special Education Teachers, Paraprofessionals, and Related Services Personnel – Due to technical issues in NEO, data collection for the EF-S-05 Part 2; Special Education Teachers, Paraprofessionals, and Related Services Personnel, will be delayed. It is anticipated that the report will open in NEO during the summer and will be due in September, 2018. The open date and due date will be announced when the technical issues have been resolved. For questions regarding the EF-S-05 Part 2, contact Brandi Giguere at brandi.a.giguere@maine.gov or 624-6648.
Public Preschool Annual Report – Due by July 31 Note: This report should be submitted directly through the survey link in the linked notice. Send questions to Nicole Madore at Nicole.madore@maine.gov or 624-6677.
Contacts and Questions
If you have questions about these reports, (i.e. what should be entered) please contact the specialist listed below:
Maine DOE Data Coordinator, Charlotte Ellis and Helpdesk Manager, Shannon Bartash will be available for questions at the Superintendent conference on June 28th.
The Maine Department of Education is completing final testing on the educator portal of the new online certification system and will release the portal as soon as testing is completed. The educator portal will be utilized for processing only renewal applications for the first few weeks. The certification department is still accepting paper applications for initial credentials and fingerprints, but all renewal applications MUST be processed through the new online system.
Key Items to Know
If your certificate/authorization expires on 7/1/2018, please know that just your application through the online system must be received by that date. Your effective date for your new certificate/authorization will be the date your completed application was received.
If you are employed in a school district in Maine, please contact your certification chairperson to ensure you have been recommended for renewal.
No additional documentation will be needed if you are renewing a provisional or professional certificate and have been recommended by your district chairperson. However, if you are renewing any other certificate or do not work in a Maine school district please ensure you have your documents ready to upload in PDF format.
Give yourself enough time to complete the process in one sitting. The application process will not save and you will need to start over if you exit the application.
Instructions on how to create your account as well as other support documents will be posted on all channels listed below so please keep lookout for these communications.
Over the past few months, there have been a number of questions about expectations for completing and submitting to the Department district technology plans. This correspondence is designed to answer those questions for district and school administrators, in particular, those who are responsible for developing technology plans.
Has the Technology Plan Requirement Changed?
Yes, there are three main points here:
The federal technology plan requirement for E-rate eligibility no longer exists.
Districts still need to maintain copies of approved plans and approval letters for the time specified to your district under federal requirements at the time you last submitted a plan.
Districts should include their technology plan in their Comprehensive Education Plan.
This is not submitted to the Department, however, superintendents certify this is complete on their School Approval Application, which is submitted to the DOE.
The MLTI Participation Agreement includes additional guidance.
Superintendents signed participation agreements when their schools opted into an MLTI solution.
Two parts are relevant to the new technology plan expectations:
“#3. SAU agrees to address how MLTI will support its school and district goals in its Board-approved technology plan.”
This does not mean that the DOE needs to review or approve your plan.
“#11. SAU agrees to take part in studies, surveys, etc. related to the MLTI (e.g. Bright Bytes).”
This part enables us to have state-wide insight on the impact of MLTI and the use of the technology for better teaching and learning outcomes.
What Does This Change Mean for My District?
In 2017 – 2018, we’ve asked districts that receive state support for participation in MLTI and whose current approval expires in June 2018, to share their technology plan with us. This can be accomplished using the short form provided to districts earlier this year (see below).
In 2018 – 2019, only the schools that are participating in the MLTI Apple and HP opt-ins (have those solutions or packages) will be asked to provide information to the Department. Districts will be asked to have students and staff complete the BrightBytes survey in the fall of 2018, no later than November 30, 2018, and may be asked a few additional questions by the Department.
For those districts that want technical support as they review their data or create action plans related to technology use, the Department will still provide support and will be continuing to work with BrightBytes to offer online and in-person learning opportunities.
Form for 2017 – 2018:
The form to be submited to the DOE is substantially shorter. A number of districts have gathered a small group of stakeholders and completed this task in a matter of hours.
Advice: Pick a unifying theme or overarching goal, and then think of the data points as five indicators of progress toward that goal.
Rationale: Doing so allows you to align your technology plan to existing school and district priorities and allows you to talk with teachers and students about using technology in a way that already supports the teaching and learning that is happening (instead of thinking of it as one more thing to do).
For districts that want feedback on this form, please submit it to Amanda.Nguyen@maine.gov by June 30th. You will receive feedback over the summer.
If you have any questions about this, you can reach out to Amanda Nguyen Digital Learning Specialist for the Maine Department of Education at Amanda.Nguyen@maine.gov or 207-624-6656.
Registration is now open for the 50th Custodial and Maintenance Conference for Maine school custodians and facilities directors.
Location: Waterville Senior High School, Waterville, Maine
Dates: Wednesday, June 27, 2018 – Thursday June 28, 2017
2018 Highlights:
The Wednesday keynote and motivational speaker will be Lori Lachance, a frequent author and speaker on leadership, education, and the economy of Maine. Laurie is Thomas College’s 5th President and the first female and alumna to lead the College in its 124-year history. Laurie previously served as President and CEO of the Maine Development Foundation and served in state government as the Maine State Economist.
Thursday’s motivational speaker will be Travis Mills, retired U.S. Army Staff Sergeant of the 82nd Airborne is a recalibrated warrior, motivational speaker, actor, author and advocate for veterans and amputees. Travis is founder of the Travis Mills Foundation, a nonprofit organization, formed to benefit and assist combat-injured veterans. Travis lives by his motto: “Never give up. Never quit.”
Discussions and meeting topics include: All-Hazards Emergency Preparedness, Hazardous Chemical Management, Controlling Infections, Viruses and Diseases, School Security, Leadership and How It Impacts Our Schools, Working Safely, Playground Safety and Maintenance, Hazardous Chemical Management Plans, Certification Roundtable, and much more.
This year’s conference will include Maine School Integrated Pest Management certification sessions where conference attendees can complete required IPM training delivered by Dr. Kathy Murray from Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
To register and find additional resources including pricing, lodging options, further details about registration, including guest registration by contacting Jim Reny of Educational Plant Maintenance Association (EPMA) by phone 861-2351 or email jreny8@roadrunner.com .
Maine DOE Newsroom 