Maine schools will celebrate the 4th annual International Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Day celebration on March 8, 2024, and the week leading up to it.
We know that Maine schools are doing amazing things to cultivate the social and emotional learning of all of their students and we want to share that collective success with the nation. With that in mind, this year we are asking you to participate in this national effort by sharing your SEL highlights during the school year and beyond and/or share your school’s 2024 SEL Day activities and initiatives by filling out this form.
Submissions received from this form will help Maine come together as a state to recognize the amazing work of Maine schools at a national level to be included on the SEL4US Leader Board. Together, let’s make Maine a shining example of SEL excellence!
You can also share your #SELdayME2024 highlights during the week of March 8th by posting to your school’s social media and tagging Maine DOE, using #SELday or #SELdayME2024 and tag the Maine DOE at @MaineDepartmentofEducation1 on Facebook and @mainedepted on Instagram.
Commissioner Makin Talks with CTE Directors Randy Crockett from Oxford Hills Technical School, Bobby Deetjen from Mid-Coast School of Technology, and Bill Tracy from Hancock County Technical Center
Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs provide Maine students with hands-on experiences in programs like culinary arts, welding, auto, law enforcement, early childhood education, and so much more. On this month’s What Holds Us Together podcast, Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin talks with three CTE leaders about this engaging learning pathway, Randy Crockett from Oxford Hills Technical School, Bobby Deetjen from Mid-Coast School of Technology, and Bill Tracy from Hancock County Technical Center. They share how CTEs help students build the skills, knowledge, and real-world experiences they need to thrive. Listen here.
“We’re big believers in the hands-on, real-world, interdisciplinary learning that’s happening at Maine’s Career and Technical Education schools. [Students are] learning skills, they’re learning academic content, they’re solving problems and using critical thinking, they’re developing teamwork skills and communication skills—it’s such a robust model of education,” said Education Commissioner Pender Makin on the podcast.
“What happens in our school is pretty magical on a daily basis. We’re dealing with students who are future doctors, engineers, electricians, welders, you name it. These are going to be contributing members of our communities and we get to watch them at 16 and 17 really grow and make decisions that are going to impact our communities as a whole,” said Mid-Coast School of Technology Director Bobby Deetjen.
“It’s nice to be able to offer things that students need and want in the community,” said Hancock County Technical Center Director Bill Tracy. “That model of being able to learn and then immediately apply and practice is something that our students talk a lot about and being able to have that hands-on opportunity.”
“Our spaces are intermingled with the academic areas as well, so a student can walk from engineering and architectural design to their calculus class. It really makes a big difference in terms of access,” said Oxford Hills Technical School Director Randy Crockett, who also talked about the importance of hands-on learning. “That actual application is going to deepen their learning. They have to problem-solve in real time instead of abstract thinking.”
The group also discussed how the CTE model encourages students to take risks and be confident in trying new things.
“We tell our students, if you don’t fail at something that means you are not going to learn to your fullest potential. That’s going to increase engagement right there where students are going to have that kind of opportunity to feel at ease and take a chance,” said Deetjen, who explained that when students are worried about the social pressures around them if they fail, they’ll never take that chance to begin with and CTE programs take that pressure away.
Tracy summed up the power and potential of what CTEs in Maine offer.
“You can walk down the hall and see welding going on, you can see a car being taken apart, you can see [students] looking at electrical systems, and then you can go up and see three-year-olds running around in a classroom, and then you can step over to another classroom where they’re turning cockroaches into cyborgs and learning to control them. Then you walk down the hall and they’re making this amazing meal. What is this world? It’s just an amazing thing,” he said. “That is the world, and we’re just this small-scale piece of what reality is.”
Maine CTE program enrollment surpassed 10,000 students this year, and communities and the State continue to invest in this transformational learning pathway. Maine’s 27 Career and Technical Education regions and centers enroll students in 85 programs. The Mills administration invested $20 million from the Governor’s Jobs Plan to expand CTEs in Maine. In addition to the Jobs Plan funding, the Governor and the Legislature have increased funding for CTEs by more than $10 million.
(Pictured: Ridge View Community students proudly display their extended-day enrichment projects.)
When Ridge View Community School (RVCS) in Dexter, Maine, utilized Emergency Relief Funds to establish an extended-day enrichment program for students in grades 3-8, they couldn’t anticipate the immediate positive impact it would bring.
“We wanted to offer our students hands-on opportunities to learn about things outside of their regular curriculum, places where, in essence, they could be learning and not even realize it,” said Pre-K Through 2 Instructional Coach Kelly Gay,
One hundred fifty students stayed after school on Monday and Thursday nights to participate in various enrichment programs and tutoring sessions.
“I look forward to the extended day,” Lizzie, a Ridge View fifth grader, explained, “because there are so many fun activities to choose from!”
A Ridge View Community School student displays a painting they created during their extend-day enrichment art class.
Students like Lizzie took part in traditional extracurriculars, like woodworking, baking, and art, spent time outside, practiced robotics, conducted mad science experiments, and had a chance to shake out their energy in dance classes.
Older students visited the Tri-County Technical Center to learn about criminal justice, commercial truck driving, early childhood education, and health occupations. In an effort to include the greater Dexter student community, students from Dexter Regional High School came over to teach lessons from their STEM project as part of their coursework.
Gay remembers how touched she was by the students’ enthusiasm.
“It was so amazing watching the kids leave each night with their finished products and the huge smiles on their faces. The tutoring kids even loved heading to their tutoring sessions as the sessions were engaging and hands-on learning,” she said.
Amongst the creative programming, ensuring student received the tutoring help they needed was still a priority. Students would break off for one-on-one tutoring time with staff throughout the sessions.
“In order to make this plan work, we needed teachers who were willing to either tutor or run an enrichment group. Our staff answered our call for help in amazing ways,” said Gay. In all, 30 educators volunteered for the enrichment programs, and their commitment is evident when you speak to their students.
“I think extended days are so fun because the teachers are so nice, and I learn a lot,” ” said fourth grader Khloe.
According to school data, students who participated in the tutoring and enrichment sessions saw significant gains, especially in math fact fluency and attendance.
“We tracked the attendance of all students at Ridge View Community School as part of our school improvement plan and found that almost all students had a positive impact on their attendance rate. They truly wanted to be there and were sad when the program ended,” said Gay.
A Ridge View Community School student smiling after a successful extended-day enrichment baking session.
Students were not the only ones benefiting from the extended-day enrichment. Gay reported that the program fostered relationships with parents and allowed teachers to design lessons beyond the scope of their regular curriculum, centered around their passions.
“We are proud of our school and our students and are incredibly thankful for the opportunity to provide this for them,” commented Gay. The program was so successful that Ridge View extended it to the 2023-2024 school year, expanding both the tutoring and enrichment programs to the high school.
Did your school use Emergency Relief funds to create engaging student programming like Ridge View? If so, we would love to hear from you. Click here to share your story!
The Maine Department of Education, in collaboration with Career and Technical Education (CTE) schools throughout Maine, is celebrating CTE month this February by highlighting some of the amazing women who have found their path in life through career and technical education. We hope their stories inspire you the way they have inspired us.
Danica Wooster has taught the Auto Collision program at the Mid-Coast School of Technology (MCST) for the last 13 years. The program offers a diverse look into the automotive collision industry, including working with the most up-to-date tools and equipment and learning skills in welding, paint preparation, dent repair, and detailing.
The program she now teaches is the same program that got Wooster started in auto collision when she was in high school.
“I had no idea what I wanted to do. My parents suggested I take the class and the rest is history,” said Wooster. Following high school, she attended WyoTech for Collision/Refinishing, and then started working as a technician in the auto collision industry, eventually earning a business degree and then transitioning to teaching the trade right here in Maine.
“Although I didn’t have a background in education specifically, I feel like I played that role many times in my life – from teaching horseback riding lessons in high school to working side-by-side with entry-level technicians in the shop,” said Wooster. “Both of my parents were also educators, and both were a huge support system for me as I started my career,” she added.
Danica Wooster working with MCST student Bryson Mattox plastic welding a wheel flare (Photo credit: Zoe Richardson, a student in MCST Design Technology program).
Wooster says there are a lot of things she loves about working in CTE but one of her favorites is introducing her trade to the students. “I love seeing a student’s face when all of a sudden something clicks – it’s truly special.”
Being able to teach something she is passionate about while experimenting and learning alongside the students is another huge perk for Wooster. Explaining that many people don’t understand that auto collision repair is an art in and of itself. “It’s making something new again, but every single job is different and handcrafted,” she said.
Danica Wooster working with MCST student Andrew Zuidema refinishing a hood in the paint booth (Photo credit: Zoe Richardson, a student in MCST Design Technology program).
During her time working in CTE, Wooster has had many opportunities to grow professionally as well, by earning a master’s degree and continuing to hone her craft by working in the collision repair field during her summers off from teaching.
“I get to make connections with other people in my trade and in education, and I get to work in a building that has so many other talented CTE teachers,” said Wooster. “It’s all an amazing experience, and I think it’s a very unique part of being a CTE teacher.”
One of the things Wooster is the proudest of is being an advocate for CTE, promoting how important it is for many students and industries but also the incredible opportunities it creates for students.
“Attending CTE when I was in high school had a much different, and often negative, connotation,” said Wooster. “We have come a long way from that.”
“Danica has inspired countless students to pursue non-traditional career pathways,” said Bobby Deetjen, Director of the Mid-Coast School of Technology. “Her students continue to break down barriers and succeed in shops all over Maine.”
Wooster shared her advice for students interested in CTE.
“Working my entire career in a non-traditional field has taught me that the only person I need to prove myself to is myself,” she said. “I’ve heard my fair share of ‘no,’ but I think having a little bit of grit is what makes the difference, what made me keep moving forward. I always encourage my students to have a little ‘grit’…to push through when things get tough and to not be afraid to make mistakes. My entire trade is based on mistakes…and that’s what helps us learn and get better at what we do!”
Information about the Alternative Education Association of Maine’s Spring Conference is now available. The theme of this year’s conference is Better Understanding the Alternative Education Learner.
Highlights and details for the conference include:
Conference Details– March 8th, 8:30-2:30, Thomas College, Waterville
Registration Process– Please note some of you registered and paid in the Fall for both dates, so you do not owe any money but PLEASE STILL use the Registration Link here for online registration. AEA of Maine Online Registration Form– ALL INDIVIDUALS need to register separately, even if you are from the same school. (Contact Dawn Matthews if you need to check on your payment)
Invoice and Conference Information– If you still need to submit a payment for the conference then please fill out the Invoice Registration Form here and submit it to the address on the form with your payment. The cost of the conference information is on this form.
Call for Presenters– We are asking Association members to volunteer to present a session of their choice. We will be accepting presentation proposals through February 29th, preference will be given to presentations that align with our theme of better understanding and working with the students in Alternative Ed. programs. However, please do not hesitate to submit any proposal, as we want to have some diverse opportunities for all members. Finally, if selected for a presentation, registration fees will be waived upon request (can be used in 2024/25 as well). You can submit proposals on the Conference Online Registration Form here.
Keynote Speaker – This year’s conference will include a Keynote Address by Debrajean Scheibel. Details are below but the crux of Debrajean’s address will be on alternate approaches to understanding how under-resourced learners learn and reach skill acquisition.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to Lenny Holmes at lholmes@bonnyeagle.org with any questions you might have. If you click on the Invoice and Conference Information Form and scroll down one page you will find a Complete Overview of the Conference. We are so excited to be able to offer this opportunity to all of you again this year.
Want to learn more about assistive technology use in the classroom to benefit all learners? Recent guidance on the myths and facts surrounding assistive technology was released from the federal government which supports reducing barriers that often lead to a lack of utilization of AT. This webinar, hosted by Maine CITE and the Maine Department of Education’s Office of Special Services & Inclusive Education, will guide educators, administrators, and ed techs through the latest AT information and provide insights on moving toward a more inclusive education environment.
This will be a two-session event:
March 12th from 4:00 – 5:00 pm will include the overview of the myths.
March 19th from 4:00 – 5:00 pm will be an open forum for the public to come for conversations about the use of assistive technology in schools.
The Interdisciplinary Instruction team has curated resources of content and instructional approaches to help educators include and highlight the important contributions of Black and African American Mainers in authentic ways. These project-based strategies include finding local historical figures and guest speakers, researching local history, and bridging content areas.
Incorporating a mathematical and scientific lens into the teaching of African American Studies of Maine can provide an authentic learning experience for all students, highlighting the contributions that African Americans have made in the fields of mathematics, science, and technology.
A 5E inquiry model allows students to construct their own understandings of concepts and skills and then apply them to a new situation. In the example below, students develop background knowledge about an African American scientist or mathematician and apply that knowledge to answer a challenging question.
Engage: Engage students with a video, prompt, or image to capture their attention and develop questions.
You could also use a video or image that illustrates the contributions of African American scientists and mathematicians.
From there, you can use student questions to drive the unit or prompt students with your own guiding/assessment question. A potential guiding/assessment question could be: How would the world be different if the contributions of African American mathematicians and scientists were overlooked?
Explore: Students explore the contributions of African American scientists and mathematicians to develop the needed background knowledge to answer the guiding/assessment question.
This process requires teacher scaffolding and guiding question(s) to support students as they research. How students research depends on skill and age level. It can range from teacher-provided resources to students conducting independent research.
An example of a guiding question for the Explore phase could be:
What contributions did African American scientists and mathematicians make to their fields?
Some resources to support their research may include:
Explain: This phase is for formative assessment and clearing up misconceptions through direct instruction, feedback, and reflection.
Elaborate: Students communicate their new knowledge by answering the guiding/assessment question. Elaborate is also the student assessment, which could include a rubric and expectations.
The modality of this is very flexible. For example, students could contribute their information to a whole class website to share what they learned with the world, present to an authentic audience of community members, develop a podcast that can be shared, create videos that are shared through YouTube or Social Media, or a documentary that discusses the contributions of the scientist or mathematician and what the world be like without those contributions.
Evaluate: Students and teachers collaborate to evaluate and score student learning through feedback and reflection. This process can look very different depending on the age of students.
For more information about interdisciplinary instruction, please contact Kathy Bertini, Interdisciplinary Instruction Coordinator at kathy.bertini@maine.gov
Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin kicked off Maine’s Read to ME Challenge today by reading Manolo & the Unicorn to second graders at Jameson Elementary School in Old Orchard Beach. The students enthusiastically responded to Makin’s call for them to join the Read to ME challenge themselves and read to an adult or younger child in their lives. They also discussed their favorite books and who the students plan to read to. | More
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) partnered with News Center Maine this week to highlight the voices of teachers and school staff sharing why they #LoveTeaching during a weeklong national campaign. | More
The Hall of Flags was abuzz Wednesday morning as representatives from across the state came to Maine’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month Kick Off at the State House. Students, instructors, and directors from 15 of Maine’s 27 CTE centers came with everything from canapes to holographic 3D fans, proudly sharing legislators and government officials the advanced skills CTE students are learning. | More
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Interdisciplinary Instruction team has curated resources of content and instructional approaches to help educators include and highlight the important contributions of Black and African-American Mainers in authentic ways. These project-based strategies include finding local historical figures and guest speakers, researching local history, and bridging content areas. Incorporating artistic approaches into the teaching of African American Studies of Maine can provide an authentic learning experience for all students. | More
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) seeks dynamic, creative, and collaborative science and social studies educators to design and deliver professional development on the updated standards. | More
The National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) has opened nominations for the 2024 Outstanding Biology Teacher Award! Every year, the Outstanding Biology Teacher Award (OBTA) program attempts to recognize an outstanding biology educator (grades 7-12 only) in each of the 50 states; Washington, DC; Puerto Rico, Canada; and overseas territories. | More
The Maine County and State Teachers of the Year Association (MCSTOYA), in partnership with the Maine Council of English Language Arts (MCELA), has announced the winners of the second annual Student Writing Contest that showcased the outstanding talent of students and the incredible impact of teachers in Maine. | More
As a junior in high school, Madison Jackson had no idea what she wanted to do when she graduated. “I was worried about it because everyone else already knew,” remembers Jackson as she one day decided to check out the list of class options at her local Career and Technical Education (CTE) center, Capital Area Tech Center (CATC) in Augusta. Initially, Jackson wanted to be a Game Warden but remembers seeing computer technology on the list of pathways at CATC and thinking, “Oh, that’s like video games, that will be fine,” she recalled. “That’s not what it turned into at all,” she added. | More
The Civil Rights Team at Eliot Elementary School has been working hard to make their school a better place to be. The Civil Rights Team is made up of 21 grade three students who engage their school community to think and talk about race and skin color, national origin and ancestry, religion, disabilities, gender, and orientation (in an age-appropriate manner). | More
Math4ME is a free, three-year, whole-school project designed to support all educators (classroom teachers, special educators, ed techs, and interventionists) to strengthen math proficiency for all learners with a specific focus on increased math proficiency for students with math IEP goals. | More
The Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) Office of Special Services and Inclusive Education is hosting a Math4ME Informational Session on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, from 4:00-5:00 PM virtually via Zoom. | More
In February, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) Interdisciplinary Instruction Team celebrates the love of the question by hosting a course called Question, Reflect, Repeat: Introduction to the Question Formulation Technique. In collaboration with the Right Question Institute, the Maine DOE is hosting a three-week asynchronous course on the Question Formulation Technique (QFT). | More
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is seeking dynamic, creative, and collaborative science and social studies educators to design and deliver professional development on the updated standards.
We are looking for Maine educators including, but not limited to, teachers, curriculum leaders, and administrators with a strong background and understanding of the revised science and/or social studies standards. These cohorts of educators will work with Maine DOE content area experts as well as community partners to support their work.
Work will begin in March 2024 and run through February 2025. We will work to design, create, and deliver high-impact asynchronous, live/virtual, and live/in-person professional development. Selected educators will meet with their design teams once a month and be expected to complete work between meetings. We are looking for 40 educators to work with us. Educators will earn stipends of $900 to create professional learning and selected teacher-leaders can earn an additional $300 to take on a leadership role in the design teams. Interested educators should submit an application via this form. Please submit your application by March 6th, 2024. Selected applicants will be notified by March 15th, 2024.
For more information about this opportunity, please contact Beth Lambert, Maine DOE Chief Teaching and Learning Officer, beth.lamber@maine.gov.
Maine DOE Partners with News Center Maine to Highlight Stories From Teachers Across Maine
Augusta, ME—The Maine Department of Education (DOE) partnered with News Center Maine this week to highlight the voices of teachers and school staff sharing why they #LoveTeaching during a weeklong national campaign.
#LoveTeaching week is a national campaign started by educators in 2015 and takes place every year around Valentine’s Day. All week, News Center Maine featured videos from Maine’s 2023 County Teachers of the Year and other educators sharing their joy and love of teaching.
Here’s what some teachers shared in their video messages about why they #LoveTeaching:
“I love to teach because every single day I get to make good memories for kids. It’s a great day when kids leave my class and can be overheard saying, ‘this is the best day of my life.’ In my class, that’s where the magic happens,” said Dawn McLaughlin, physical education teacher at Milo Elementary and Brownville Elementary and 2023 Piscataquis County Teacher of the Year.
“I enjoy building rapport with my students. When I see smiles on the faces of students in the classroom and in the halls, on stage, or on the competition fields, I know I’ve made a difference. There are few professions where you get to help our future take steps towards attaining their goals and aspirations. That’s why I love teaching,” said Rob Messier, math teacher at Mt. Ararat High School and 2023 Sagadahoc County Teacher of the Year.
“My favorite thing about being a teacher is that learning occurs beyond the four walls of the classroom and it’s boots on the beach to collect authentic data that connects learning to our community. I also love that my students, colleagues, and community partners are like family, and I find them truly inspired,” said Colleen Maker, biology and marine biology teacher at Washington Academy and 2023 Washington County Teacher of the Year.
“I love teaching because the future of the world is literally in my classroom today. I get to see the amazing working minds of my students in action every single day. They come up with new ideas and creative and wonderful views on the world that they see around them, and it just fills my heart with so much hope for a beautiful and amazing future,” said Lisa Tripp, science teacher at Bonny Eagle Middle School and 2023 York County Teacher of the Year.
“I love teaching in Maine schools because I get to teach the next generation of Maine educators,” said Meghan Stubbs, Hancock County Technical Center’s early childhood education instructor and Maine’s 2023 Milken Educator.
The video messages aired on News Center Maine all week and can be found here. Educators can participate in the campaign by posting their videos to social media and using the hashtags #LoveTeaching and #LoveSchoolStaff.
Maine DOE Newsroom 