Maine Department of Education

06/12/2026

At Athens Community School , the One School, One Book initiative grew into a schoolwide Earth Day project that brought students, families, educators, and community members together through literacy, environmental learning, and hands-on action. From shared reading experiences to creative Earth Day activities, the project fostered meaningful connections both inside and outside the classroom.

Read how Athens Community School turned a love of reading into a celebration of community and stewardship: https://mainedoenews.net/2026/06/10/athens-community-school-brings-families-together-through-one-school-one-book-earth-day-project/

06/12/2026

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is seeking applicants for the Screener Review and Recommendation Project, a statewide professional learning initiative focused on strengthening regional expertise in early literacy assessment and supporting consistent, evidence-based screening practices across Maine schools.

Learn more here: https://mainedoenews.net/2026/06/05/maine-doe-invites-applications-for-screener-review-and-recommendation-project/

06/11/2026

Since launching in the fall of 2024, the Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO) Program at Mountain Valley High School in RSU 10 has provided students with meaningful, real-world learning experiences that connect classroom instruction to careers, higher education, and long-term success. Led by Christopher Brennick, Mountain Valley High School ELO Coordinator, the program has quickly become a model for how authentic, community-connected learning can raise student aspirations and expand access to opportunity, particularly in rural western Maine.

Read more here: https://mainedoenews.net/2026/06/05/mountain-valley-high-school-expands-career-pathways-through-extended-learning-opportunities/

06/11/2026

Ben Johnson, the 2025 Penobscot County Teacher of the Year and a finalist for 2026 Maine State Teacher of the Year, has earned national recognition from the American Classical League for his outstanding contributions to Latin education through innovative technology-based learning resources used by students and teachers around the world.

Read more here: https://mainedoenews.net/2026/06/05/2025-penobscot-county-teacher-of-the-year-ben-johnson-earns-national-recognition-for-innovative-latin-education-resources/

06/11/2026

Brewer School Department’s alternative education programs have developed into a connected system of supports that begins in middle school and continues through multiple high school pathways, offering students flexible options for learning, engagement, and graduation.

Read more about how this innovative program is paving pathways that lead to success: https://mainedoenews.net/2026/06/05/brewer-school-department-alternative-education-programs-a-connected-pathway-from-middle-school-through-graduation/

Brewer High
Brewer Community School

06/10/2026

Students at Rowe Elementary School in the Portland, ME Public Schools have stepped into leadership roles this year in a big way during the school’s first-ever community meeting assembly for third- through fifth-grade students.

Learn how this student-led initiative is empowering young leaders and strengthening the school community: https://mainedoenews.net/2026/06/03/elementary-school-community-meetings-give-portland-students-opportunities-for-leadership/

06/10/2026

The Maine Department of Education (DOE), in partnership with Maine DHHS, is pleased to announce the return of the SUN Bucks and SUN Meals programs in the summer of 2026. These programs, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), help to ensure that Maine children continue to have access to healthy, nutritious food during the summer months when school meals and snacks are not available.

Learn more here: https://mainedoenews.net/2026/06/10/sun-bucks-and-sun-meals-programs-return-in-the-summer-of-2026-to-aid-food-access-for-maine-children/

06/09/2026

Congratulations to Maine Teacher of the Year and Maine County Teachers of the Year program teachers Tonya Prentice, the 2020 Oxford County Teacher of the Year, and Laurie Spooner, 2025 Aroostook County Teacher of the Year, who shared their strategies for supporting STEM educators at the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) Conference in Anaheim, California, recently! Thanks for representing Maine!!!

Teachers know that some of their most valued support comes from other teachers! It’s especially important in the evolving universe of STEM teaching. This spring Tonya Prentice, the 2020 Oxford County Teacher of the Year, and Laurie Spooner, 2025 Aroostook County Teacher of the Year, shared their strategies for supporting STEM educators at the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) Conference in Anaheim, Calif. To Tonya and Laurie it’s all about collaborative peer leadership and professional community building. In the end, our students benefit. To learn more: https://www.educatemaine.org/news/post/teach-maine-tuesday-in-evolving-stem-education-collaboration-is-key

06/09/2026

What if one of the best ways to keep students engaged in school is by connecting them with real-world learning opportunities?

A new episode of Learning From Maine, created by Maine Loves Public Schools highlights how Brewer High School's Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO) program is helping students build skills, earn credits, and discover career pathways through hands-on experiences in businesses, forests, construction sites, and other community settings.

The episode also features Maine DOE Extended Learning Opportunities Coordinator Lana Sawyer, who shares how Maine schools can make ELOs a lasting part of education by building strong partnerships between schools and their communities.

Since 2022, the Maine DOE has awarded more than $7.1 million in ELO Expansion Grants to support 38 ELO programs serving schools across 13 of Maine’s 16 counties.

Watch the full story and see how Brewer High School is helping students thrive through ELOs:

What if…the secret to keeping students in school was getting them i...