ORONO (AP) — Maine wild blueberries are being served up in more schools. The Wild Blueberry School Foodservice Program says federal data show that more frozen Maine blueberries were sold to schools in April than in all of 2016. In the coming school year, Maine wild blueberries will be served in public school systems in […]
schools
Posted inOp-Eds
Time crunch a major issue for teachers
Of all the problems facing Maine schools, finding time for the work teachers do outside the classroom is one of the most intractable, because time is a win/lose proposition, and the amount of time needed is far more than what is achievable under the current strategies. Early release and late start days are tempting because […]
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Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Auburn School Committee to vote on early release Wednesdays for grades 7-12
Auburn Middle School Principal Celena Ranger watches students get on buses to go home Monday. The School Committee will vote Wednesday night on whether to authorize 13 half-day Wednesdays next year for grades seven to 12. AUBURN — Parent Barbara Howaniec thought she’d be “graduating” from early-release Wednesdays next year when her two sons will […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
RSU 5 budget error means higher taxes, possible program cuts
FREEPORT — A $500,000 error in the proposed fiscal year 2018 school budget will increase the expected tax impact from 4 percent to almost 6.5 percent. It may also require nearly $280,000 in spending cuts to programs including nutrition, music and math. Regional School Unit 5 Superintendent Becky Foley and the RSU5 Board of Directors […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Auburn gets state OK to add an hour to Wednesdays to make up snow days
AUBURN — The school district will get the state’s OK to add an hour of teaching time to Wednesdays as a way to chip at snow days, Superintendent Katy Grondin said Friday. The district had been facing nine snow days before turning Friday’s scheduled workshop day into a regular day at the last minute. Five […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, Uncategorized
Auburn flips Friday workshop into regular school day
AUBURN — If students were hoping for an extra-short school week, they’re out of luck. Winter weather is continuing to cause scheduling headaches for school administrators in Auburn, and this time, a teacher workshop day scheduled for Friday, March 17, has been turned into a regular school day. The School Department announced the […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web, Uncategorized
Lewiston leads the way in push to opt out of school testing
AUGUSTA — With a strong push from Lewiston parents and educators, a growing rebellion against the test-taking rules adopted at both the state and federal levels aims to make it easier for students to sit out the exams. They’re prodding lawmakers to do more to let parents know they’re free to opt out from having […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Lewiston school budget up $5.4 million
Superintendent Bill Webster is proposing a $74.2 million school budget for 2017-18. LEWISTON — The 2017-18 school budget presented Monday by Superintendent Bill Webster is proposed to go up 7.9 percent, from $68.8 million to $74.2 million. Most of the $5.4 million increase is for more staff to keep pace with growing enrollment, maintaining summer […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, Oxford Hills
Education reform panel issues first report
PARIS — A 15-member commission on education reform issued its first report last week, calling for exploring statewide or regional contracts to better compensate and retain effective teachers. It was one of 17 strategies listed by the Blue Ribbon Commission to Reform Public Education Funding and Improve Student Performance in Maine. The panel was created by […]