LEWISTON ? Locally grown foods, a first-hand look at farming and agriculture, and fun and games for those of all ages could only mean one thing: the 26th Annual Maine Open Farm Day is coming. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, July 26, approximately 100 family farms across the state will be opening their […]
education
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine State Board of Education elects new chair, vice chair
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — The Maine State Board of Education has selected its new leadership. The state Department of Education said Thursday that Martha Harris, a Winterport resident who has been on the board for nearly five years, has been elected chair. Alan Burton, a Winslow resident who has served on the board for almost […]
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Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Lewiston med student to coach 8th-graders on success
LEWISTON — Eighth-graders will hear about succeeding in high school Monday from Lewiston’s Jennifer Bergeron, who just completed her first year of medical school. Bergeron is this year’s star speaker during the ninth annual START, or Steps to Accomplishing Real-Life Transition. The program helps eighth-graders transition to high school. Bergeron graduated from Lewiston High School […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine’s universities, community colleges making credit transfers easier
AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage joined leaders of Maine’s university and community college systems Monday for the signing of a landmark agreement that aims to ease student transfers between the systems. University of Maine System Chancellor James Page and Maine Community College System Acting President Derek Langhauser signed the deal at the University of Maine […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Testing opt-out bill passes Maine House, goes to Senate
AUGUSTA — The Maine House has given initial approval to a bill that supporters say will ensure parents know their right to opt their children out of standardized tests. The House rejected an effort to kill the bill with an 80-62 vote Friday. The chamber then sent the bill to the Senate. Parents are already […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Standardized testing opt-out debated in Maine legislative hearing
AUGUSTA — Students, teachers and Common Core opponents on Monday lashed out against the state’s new standardized tests, and they called on lawmakers to eliminate the tests, the standards or both and start fresh. During a lengthy series of public hearings, the Legislature’s Education and Cultural Affairs Committee heard testimony regarding a series of bills […]
Posted inLetters
D. Holcomb: Bureaucrats take over education
This is in response to “Commissioner: Test helps identify, aid districts” (April 19). Tom Desjardin, Maine’s acting education commissioner, needs to do some homework on assessments. The new standardized tests have hijacked the curriculum and testing in schools. These tests are aligned with Common Core. The tests did not come from teachers and educators. The […]
Posted inLetters
R. Sevigny: Put emotions aside
Every spring, in Auburn, residents are forced to view the same B-rated horror flick titled, “The School Budget.” The superintendent comes looking for money that taxpayers do not have, and when the City Council tries to hold her in line, she makes budget cuts that will draw the maximum amount of emotions from parents. She […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Test backlash
More Maine parents are opting out of educational testing for their children. At what risk? LEWISTON — On a Monday morning in March, Farwell Elementary School fifth-graders filed into the library and sat at computers. It was their fourth morning of taking the Maine Educational Assessment, one of three standardized tests they’ll take this year. […]
Posted inLetters
S. Swan: Do away with summer vacation
Well, it almost time to give children their annual summer vacation from learning. Summer vacation from learning? What a ridiculous concept. How are we going to impress upon the inheritors of society that life is constantly evolving and changing and that we are all in a continuous learning process if we force them to take […]