Maine Department of Education

Happy National School Social Work Week! This week we take a moment to focus on the dynamic support of school social workers within our schools and their essential role in student success. The Maine DOE is excited to highlight the work of the #schoolsocialworkers across our state! Please join us by thanking your local school social workers!

The National School Breakfast Program (SBP) plays a vital role in ensuring students start their day with the nutrition they need to succeed academically. In Maine alone, public schools served more than 11.3 million breakfasts in 2024, highlighting the growing need for nutritious meals. Read more about National School Breakfast Week here: https://lnkd.in/ezHpiRE5

Maine Celebrates Career and Technical Education Month in February On February 5 and 12, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) hosted students, instructors, and CTE administrators from about two dozen CTE schools across Maine in the Hall of Flags at the Maine State House. These events offered a chance for CTE schools to set up displays and showcase their programs and student success. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ePnbsa7y

It's #LoveTeaching week! This year, we partnered with NEWS CENTER Maine again to broadcast videos of teachers across Maine sharing what they love most about being teachers. Tune in to News Center Maine every day this week to hear from Maine teachers and CTE instructors! #CTEMonth #TeachMaine

Check out this opinion piece about the importance of reading to youth by Robyn Rich, 2024 Piscataquis County Teacher of the Year! #ReadtoME Maine Teacher of the Year & Maine County Teachers of the Year "As a veteran reading teacher of 39 years, I use stories and reading to share common experiences and ideas with my students. I read to my middle school students every day because they crave good stories and need to feel connected to a world much larger than their own." https://lnkd.in/efQ9feaC

Applications will be accepted through Friday, February 28, 2025, for students from Maine’s First Congressional District, which includes Cumberland, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, York, and part of Kennebec Counties. All applicants must currently be a high school sophomore. Learn more here:https://lnkd.in/e_7rNqXu

Check out this opinion piece in the The Portland Press Herald by Oxford County Teacher of the Year, Elizabeth Ledesma, as part of the #ReadtoME Challenge! https://lnkd.in/eUzexQ3n "As a middle school reading teacher and a mom of three young children, I’ve seen firsthand how powerful reading can be — not just in the classroom but in the everyday lives of my kids, my students and myself. In a world that’s often filled with distractions, reading offers something unique and special: the ability to travel to new places, experience new perspectives and grow — all from the comfort and safety of our own homes." Maine Teacher of the Year & Maine County Teachers of the Year

"Reading at home does more than create lifelong memories. It sets our children up for success at school. It gives children background knowledge, fosters empathy, and increases their vocabulary." Maine Teacher of the Year & Maine County Teachers of the Year MT BLUE REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT #Readtome https://lnkd.in/eSuWhXAy

A new after-school program has given Portland-area students the opportunity to become Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), thanks to a partnership between Portland High School Extended Learning Opportunities, Fallbrook Commons (formerly Saint Joseph’s Rehabilitation and Residence), and the Boys and Girls Club of Southern Maine. https://lnkd.in/ewKG8uJZ

Members of the Maine Department of Education's Office of School and Student Supports gathered virtually this morning for a group picture for National Wear Red Day, part of the American Heart Association's campaign, Go Red for Women, which raises awareness about heart disease in women. #WearRedDay #GoRedForWomen #HeartHealth #HeartDiseaseAwareness Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gW5c4e5