Commissioner’s Update – June 6, 2013

From the Commissioner

Today marks the launch of Maine DOE’s new School Improvement Webinar Series. It’s one of the many resources we’re making available to support the school improvement work initiated by our Maine School Performance Grading System.

We hope you’ll join us on our four free webinars already scheduled this month. They’ll focus on topics including the characteristics of highly effective schools; using data from our data warehouse and Measured Progress to inform planning for the 2013-2014 school year; and strategies for schools with low income populations to be high performing.

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Notices and Reporting

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Deadline extended: Seeking educators to contribute to SBAC digital library

Maine is extending the deadline for applications from educators who want to vet resources for the Smarter Balanced Digital Library – an online, interactive clearinghouse with resources, tools and professional learning opportunities to help educators use data from a comprehensive assessment system to tailor instruction to best meet student needs. The library is seen as an important tool in the growing body of resources for teachers and administrators in an integrated system of rigorous standards and high quality assessments that work together to prepare students to leave high school ready for college and career.

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Business leaders support Common Core standards

Recently, the Business Roundtable – a group of more than 200 chief executives from across the country – wrote in support of the continued implementation of Common Core State Standards. These leaders are the latest to come forward from the education and business communities to advocate for these higher standards that will position students to be successful after high school, and economies like Maine’s to benefit from that. Continue reading “Business leaders support Common Core standards” →

CTE instructors become authorized trainers for OSHA

The Maine Department of Education Career and Technical Education (CTE) team helped provide CTE instructors with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) professional development, which gives instructors the ability to issue OSHA cards to CTE students.

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Report annual use of restraint and seclusion

Schools and other educational entities covered by Department of Education Rule Chapter 33 are required to report annually on the use of restraint and seclusion of students. This reporting requirement took effect on July 1, 2012, as part of the comprehensive revision of Rule Chapter 33.

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STEM contest open to Maine students

For the third consecutive year, S. W. Cole Engineering, Inc. will hold a fall contest for schools throughout the company’s service areas to promote science and engineering educational programs. The contest, called “Dig Into Science with S. W. Cole Engineering,” is open to science, math or engineering students in grades 1–12 in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.

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Building leadership capacity to transform our schools

Today marks the launch of Maine DOE’s new School Improvement Webinar Series. It’s one of the many resources we’re making available to support the school improvement work initiated by our Maine School Performance Grading System.

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Smarter Balanced practice tests now available

Teachers interested in an interactive look at the Smarter Balanced assessment can now take a practice test. The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) made practice tests available starting last week for teachers, students, parents and the public in advance of the test’s full deployment in Maine schools starting in 2015. Continue reading “Smarter Balanced practice tests now available” →