PARIS — Members of a blue-ribbon commission on education reform in Maine agreed this week that promoting creativity in education is essential to the success of many students. The Commission to Reform Public Education Funding and Improve Student Performance in Maine met at the School Administrative District 17 administration offices Monday morning to continue its […]
Department of Education
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Paul LePage withdraws nomination of William Beardsley as education commissioner
AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage announced Tuesday that he has temporarily withdrawn his nomination of William Beardsley for education commissioner, citing opposition that is growing on the Legislature’s Education Committee. Beardsley has come under fire in the past for his involvement in a Bangor-area controversy around the late Rev. Robert Carlson and for his views […]
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Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Lewiston school board votes to get started on new athletic fields
LEWISTON — In the first regular meeting of the new School Committee on Monday, members voted unanimously to move ahead on developing new athletic fields at Lewiston High School in anticipation of a new elementary school. The vote allows designs for new fields to be developed before the city referendum in June asks voters to […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Paul LePage names William Beardsley as acting Education commissioner
AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage announced Friday that he has appointed William Beardsley as acting commissioner of the Maine Department of Education. Beardsley, the former president of Husson University, Maine Department of Conservation commissioner and 2010 gubernatorial candidate, will assume the position immediately. “Bill has a strong track record in Maine and elsewhere, broad constituency […]
Posted inBethel
DOE rejects ending Newry withdrawal negotiations
NEWRY — The Commissioner of Education said in a letter last week to SAD 44 that he does not have the authority to suspend the Newry withdrawal negotiations, as the school board had requested. The board asked for the suspension in order to pursue forming a districtwide committee to craft a local school funding formula […]
Posted inFranklin, The Franklin Journal
SAD 58 moving forward with pre-kindergarten program
PHILLIPS — A Regional School Unit 58 pre-kindergarten program could start as early as September 2015, adding to the the expanding number of Maine school districts investing in early childhood education, officials said. In April, the RSU 58 school board prepared its 2014-15 budget, committing $30,000 to start preparations for pre-kindergarten classes in Phillips, Kingfield and Strong. […]
Posted inFranklin
RSU 73 sets teacher evaluation committee
LIVERMORE FALLS — The Regional School Unit 73 board Thursday night established a seven-member subcommittee to develop a teacher evaluation tool. The panel includes administrators, teachers and board members. Superintendent Kenneth Healey said the district is late getting started on the project, which is due at the state Department of Education in Augusta by June […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine’s education commissioner takes medical leave
AUGUSTA — Jim Rier, the state’s education commissioner, has been placed on indefinite medical leave, according to Department of Education spokeswoman Samantha Warren. Warren did not provide details about Rier’s condition, but she said his absence is expected to be temporary and that Rier remains in close contact with department leadership. In the interim, Gov. […]
Posted inAdvertiser Democrat, Oxford Hills
SAD 17 board considers language requirement for diploma
PARIS — All students graduating from Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School will have to demonstrate proficiency in a world language, but meeting that requirement may be a struggle, school officials said. Proficiency-based education requires students to demonstrate mastery of the knowledge and skills they are expected to learn before they progress to the next lesson, […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Lewiston has room for more pre-K students
LEWISTON — Four-year-olds are wanted to fill remaining slots for this year’s pre-K classes in Lewiston. As of Wednesday, there were 42 spaces available, Chief Academic Officer Sue Martin said. That’s a lot, Superintendent Bill Webster said. “This is the latest we’ve ever had openings in our pre-K,” he said, adding he hopes to see […]