AUGUSTA — Maine’s first two charter schools have received passing grades from the state. Reports from the Maine Charter School Commission said the Cornville Regional Charter School and the Maine Academy of Natural Sciences in Fairfield both lived up to their mission statements during the first year they were in operation. The commission did add […]
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Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Are Maine law changes for students transferring to districts in which they don’t live a step toward school choice?
AUGUSTA — Recent law changes for families who want to transfer students from one school district to another, including one in which the student doesn’t live, went into effect earlier this month amid what the Department of Education has called a steady increase in transfer appeals that demonstrate the importance of giving students a choice about […]
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Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Maine SAT scores rise slightly
AUGUSTA — Maine high school students are performing slightly better in math and reading. The Department of Education said Wednesday that 2 percent more students achieved proficiency or above in reading on the SAT in 2012 school year than in 2011. About 48 percent of students tested proficient or above in math in 2012, slightly […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
‘Tag’ isn’t an issue in Lewiston-Auburn schools
AUBURN — “Tag” is allowed on the playground of Walton Elementary School — and other schools in Lewiston and Auburn — as long as the game is played safely, administrators said Thursday. An elementary school in Nashua, N.H., has sparked controversy by reminding parents and students that playing tag violates the school’s no-contact rule for […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Data from schools show widespread use of restraint and seclusion
AUGUSTA — New data on the number of students who have been restrained or secluded in Maine schools show wide variances in the use of those techniques from school to school and indicate that some educators still aren’t clear on what constitutes restraint or seclusion. The total number of uses of restraint and seclusion reported […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Edward Little students get iPads
AUBURN — Monday was iPad rollout day at Edward Little High School. For the first time, every student — 956 of them — was given an Apple iPad tablet computer to replace their laptops. About half of Maine’s high schools provide computers to students. This year, more Maine schools bought iPads than laptops. Statewide, schools […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, Local & State, sj-web
Former Auburn assistant superintendent chosen to lead Calais schools
CALAIS — Keith Laser was introduced to the City Council Tuesday night as the new superintendent of the city’s school system. Laser, 59, previously assistant superintendent for Auburn schools, was introduced by interim superintendent Raymond Freve. The School Committee voted to appoint Laser to the top school post during an executive session last week, Freve […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Schools open, new space at Lewiston’s McMahon a hit
LEWISTON — Kindergartner Aizyk Laliberte stood close to his parents, Vicki Blanchette and Jim Laliberte, outside McMahon Elementary School on Wednesday. Summer ended with the start of school in Lewiston, Auburn and other communities including Sabattus, Wales and Litchfield. Aizyk didn’t have a lot to say about starting school. When asked how old he was, […]
Posted inOur View
We must not abandon Common Core
We tried setting education standards locally. Didn’t work. We tried having each state adopt and apply its own standards. But results varied wildly from state to state, leaving millions of children with inadequate educations. Finally, U.S. governors, educators and corporate leaders put their heads together and decided that children, to be successful adults and competitive […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Groups announce referendum campaign to repeal Common Core in schools
AUGUSTA — A group opposed to new educational standards is launching a campaign to repeal the standards through a statewide vote. No Common Core Maine and the Maine Equal Rights Center say they will soon submit a proposal to the state for a ballot measure to repeal the Common Core Standards. They would need to […]