Submitted by Rick Wilson of Syntiro
Peter McGary of Houlton has worked seasonally on potato farms since he was 18. While he loves the work he does, McGary wants more options. Without a high school diploma, however, he’s found opportunities for better jobs limited. So recently, at age 41, McGary applied and was accepted into the Maine High School Equivalency Program (HEP).
Continue reading “Maine program seeks students in need of GED”
The Maine Department of Education has added a question and answer to the Maine Unified Special Education Regulations (MUSER) Questions and Answers document found on the Department’s website. The new question and answer address children with current Individualized Educational Programs (IEPs) who transfer to a different school administrative unit during the summer months.
Continue reading “Special education rules and ‘Transfer Students’”
The following letter from the Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission, of which Maine is a member state, shares useful information about the unique needs of students in military families.
Dear School Administrators and Counselors, School Liaison Officers and Military Families:
November 2011 has been designated as the Month of the Military Family. Military Family Month was first designated by the Armed Services YMCA in 1993 and soon after recognized by the White House. The Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission honors all military families and thanks them for their tireless contributions in service of our nation.
This month, we bring you news from two recent celebrations of the invaluable contributions of our teachers. First, the 2012 Teacher of the Year and the finalists for the honor gathered in Bangor recently to be recognized at the annual Teacher of the Year banquet. And second, Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen last month surprised a Yarmouth middle-school teacher with a $25,000 check from the Milken Family Foundation.
Also in this update, we bring you Commissioner Bowen’s recent remarks to educators about the major challenges that have stood in the way of our schools’ ability to make significant progress in improving student achievement in recent years, and the priorities upon which we must base an improved model of public education.
This week, I was pleased to be reminded again that schools throughout our state are already putting such ideas into action.
Just two of multiple examples:
It’s just further proof that as more of our schools look to move to the next level, they’ll have a growing number of examples to learn from right here in Maine.
Transfinder, the Student Routing and Transportation Management software system the Department of Education offers to school districts at no cost, has upgraded to a new version with expanded capabilities.
ADMINISTRATIVE LETTER: 71
POLICY CODE: GC
Continue reading “Rule Change Adoption: Chapter 13, Educator Testing”
ADMINISTRATIVE LETTER: 70
POLICY CODE: JK
Continue reading “Notice of Proposed Rule Change: Chapter 33, Physical Restraint and Seclusion”
The Maine Department of Education is accepting nominations for the 2013 Maine Teacher of the Year through Feb. 29, 2012. Anyone — parents, students, fellow teachers, administrators — can nominate a teacher for this special recognition.
Continue reading “Nominations open for 2013 Teacher of the Year”
The young families participating in Regional School Unit 3’s family literacy program are spread across 11 rural towns and 440 square miles in western Waldo County. They rarely attend in-person, adult education classes at Mount View High School in Thorndike.
Continue reading “Video: RSU 3 uses virtual learning to boost family literacy”
Maine DOE Newsroom 