Preventing summer reading slide is a goal of many Maine educators, as students can lose months of learning gains if their brains do not remain active.
Continue reading “Over 900 Maine students complete Read to Ride Summer Reading Challenge”
Professional development for public preschool and visual arts teachers
The Maine Department of Education invites you to be part of a new professional development opportunity, “Fostering Artful Early Childhood Classrooms.” Early Childhood Specialist Sue Reed and Visual and Performing Arts Specialist Beth Lambert are looking for teachers who want to energize their teaching and learning through focusing on art in the public preschool classroom. Applicants must apply in teams of two: one public preschool teacher and one visual art teacher from the same district. The visual arts teacher must currently teach at the elementary level.
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Reminder of deadline for gifted and talented program approval for FY 2017
The annual gifted and talented program and budget approval is due by September 30. All school administrative units (SAU) with an approved 2015-16 application must complete the Renewal Application for the 2016-17 school year. If an SAU does not have an approved Initial Application for 2015-16 and wants to receive program approval, please contact the Department for the Initial Application.
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Seventh annual PBIS conference to be held November 4
This year’s topic for the seventh annual PBIS conference, hosted by USM, is “Building and Sustaining Multi-Tiered Systems of Behavioral Support.”
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Information regarding homeschool program correspondence
If you have questions about Maine’s homeschool program that cannot be answered by the information on the Maine Department of Education’s website, please direct your query to the Commissioner’s office at 624-6620 or to schoolquestions.doe@maine.gov.
Maine schools join others around the nation to recognize National School Bus Safety Week October 17-21
National School Bus Safety Week, scheduled October 17-21 this year, is a public education program that promotes school bus safety.
Public invited to submit comment to Blue Ribbon Commission online
Members of the public who wish to submit comments or ideas about public education issues for consideration by the Commission to Reform Public Education Funding and Improve Student Performance in Maine may do so here. Comments submitted through the website will be distributed to members of the Commission.
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Message from Adult Education Director on Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
With the passage and implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), there has been some discussion about the act’s potential effect on the basic skills instruction provided by adult education.
Continue reading “Message from Adult Education Director on Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act”
Blue Ribbon Commission To Meet Monday, September 26
Public Invited to Submit Comment To Commission Members Through Department of Education Website
Augusta – The next meeting of the Commission to Reform Public Education Funding and Improve Student Performance in Maine will be held on Monday, Sept. 26 at 9:00 a.m. at RSU #17 Central Office, located at 232 Main Street in South Paris.
A copy of the meeting agenda and documents relating to the Commission’s work will be posted here as they are made available.
Additionally, members of the public who wish to submit comments or ideas about public education issues for consideration by the Commission may do so here. Comments submitted through the website will be distributed to members of the Commission.
The Commission to Reform Public Education Funding and Improve Student Performance in Maine was created by LD 1641 which allocated an additional $15 million in education funding for local schools, bringing the State’s contribution to $1,000,961,515 for the 2016-17 school year. Based on the Commission’s work, a report to the Governor and the Legislature will be submitted by Jan. 10, 2017 that includes findings and recommendations for action to reform public education funding and improve student performance in the state.
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Contact:
Jamie Logan
Communications Director
624-6747
jamie.e.logan@maine.gov
Maine school districts begin school year with new teacher and principal evaluation systems
AUGUSTA – As the 2016-17 school year gets underway, Maine schools are undertaking newly revised teacher and principal evaluation systems. This year, for the first time, the majority of teachers and principals will be evaluated based on a professional practice model using a system that incorporates a student growth measure for educators.
Maine DOE Newsroom 