Insight & Inspiration: A Women’s Retreat on Monhegan Island
Archive for the ‘Opportunity’ Category
The Maine Arts Journal
January 31, 2024It’s all about play
The winter 2024 issue of the Maine Arts Journal is all about PLAY! It celebrates the 100th anniversary of the birth of Surrealism and the pieces included penned by Maine artists, writers, and educators elaborate on how vital play is to the human experience. Maine poet Betsy Sholl writes,
“(M)aging art and allowing art to make us is perhaps one of the most serious and necessary kinds of play.”
I am continuing impressed by the tent of the UMVA Maine Arts Journal. Some of you are familiar with writers who have contributed including of dear friend from days gone by at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts Stuart Kestenbaum, Gibson Fay-LeBlanc, Susan Webster, Carl Little, and Maine Art Education President Cory Bucknam. You can read Cory’s piece and all the others by CLICKING HERE. You can subscribe at no cost at THIS LINK.
The cover design is by Charlie Hewitt, neon sculptures inside NeoKraft sign shop in Lewiston.
UMVA is an amazing organization, please consider becoming a member. The journal alone is worth the price of membership. You can join at THIS LINK.
Perhaps you’d like to consider writing for the journal. If so, please email me at meartsed@gmail.com and I’d be glad to communicate with the details.
Maine Art Education Association
January 24, 2024| Spring MAEA Member Exhibit at the Saco Museum, “Changing Seasons” |
| Spring Member Exhibit at the Saco Museum, “Changing Seasons” |
| Whoops! I didn’t realize my mailing list was woefully out-of-date! It’s updated now, so all MAEA members should receive this email. If you’ve already received it – disregard this duplicate! I’m proud of our state association for our belief in educators as artists, and for supporting the artistic practice of our members. That’s why our Fall Conference focuses on hands-on experiences, why we have a thriving interest group (MAEA Creates!) devoted to art-making, and that’s why we have not one, but TWO Member Exhibits that allow us to share our artwork in professional venues. Our Spring Member Exhibit, “Changing Seasons”, at the Saco Museum is coming right up! The show will be up from February 10th through May 3rd, with an opening reception February 10th from 1:00-3:00 (snow date Feb 17th, same times). Participate by registering no later than January 31st at this link: |
SPRING MEMBER EXHIBIT REGISTRATION
Not all of us live near Saco, however. Don’t let that stop you! We typically coordinate art shuttles to bring artwork in from other regions around the state. Want to help, or need a shuttle? Let me know!
Dropoff dates:
- 2/1 from 3:30-4:30
- 2/2 from 3:30-4:30
- 2/3 from 10:00-4:00
Have any questions or want to volunteer? Email Jodi Thomas or Diane Noble.
Nominate a Maine Teacher
January 18, 2024Maine Teacher of the Year Program
FMI contact Kaitlin Young at kaitlin@educatemaine.org
NOMINATE a teacher by CLICKING HERE!
School Ambassador Fellowship
December 17, 2023USDOE
The U.S. Department of Education (the Department) is pleased to announce that it will begin accepting applications for the 2024-2025 School Ambassador Fellowship on December 1, 2023. Launched in 2007, the School Ambassador Fellowship is a unique professional engagement experience designed to improve the outcomes for students nationwide by leveraging the voices of outstanding school-based practitioners to inform the Department on a range national education policy issues.
Founded on the principles of partnership, collaboration and cooperation with school-based educators, the Fellowship seeks to:
- Establish an active community of teachers, principals, counselors, psychologists, social workers and other school-based staff members who share expertise and collaborate with Department of Education leaders on national education issues.
- Engage school-based educators in development of policies that impact learning environments nationwide.
- Showcase the power of practitioners’ voices and expand the critical leadership role of educators at the national, state, and local levels.
Ideal candidates for the School Ambassador Fellowship can demonstrate that they have made significant contributions to student learning and culture throughout their professional careers. They promote excellence in education through their collaboration and leadership. Further, School Ambassador Fellows demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate with a variety of education stakeholders both internal and external to the Department.
How do local school districts benefit from having a School Ambassador Fellow represented at the Department of Education?
- Through their interaction with leaders at the U.S. Department of Education, Fellows provide a direct line of contact and engagement between the Department and their local school districts and are positioned to elevate pressing educational challenges faced by the students they serve.
- Fellows build, foster and facilitate relationships between their school districts and the Department’s nationwide network of educational organizations.
- In collaboration with Department staff and resources, Fellows take on important projects intended to solve complex challenges that will directly impact the students, families and educators within their local communities.
The deadline to apply for the 2024 – 2025 School Ambassador Fellowship is Monday, February 5, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. EST. On December 12, 2023 from 4:00pm to 5:00pm EST, the School Ambassador Fellowship Program Office will conduct a virtual informational and question and answer webinar about the program. Prospective applicants and others seeking to learn more about the School Ambassador Fellowship and the 2024-2025 cohort application and selection process should follow the link below to register for the webinar: https://shorturl.at/doFJX. For additional information about the Fellowship, please visit the School Ambassador Fellowship program webpage as well as the 2024-2025 School Ambassador Fellowship Program Flyer and School Ambassador Fellowship Program Brochure for more information about the types of Fellowship opportunities, eligibility requirements, and to access the online application. We look forward to engaging great educators from your district and/or network at the Department as we partner together to improve educational outcomes for all of our nation’s children.
Prospective applicants can contact SAF@ED.gov with any questions about the School Ambassador Fellowship program or about the application process.
MAEA Awards
December 12, 2023Recognize a colleague
Each year the Maine Art Education Association (MAEA) recognizes and celebrates outstanding educators during their annual spring conference. This year is no exception. Now, perhaps more than ever, taking the time to consider who does what to promote quality art education, is critical. We know that art teachers dedicate their lives to teaching. A career as an art teacher is forever woven into the fabric of dedicated teachers. YOU have the opportunity to nominate a colleague for their contributions. The deadline for nominations is January 5, 2024. CLICK HERE to nominate or email aeforme.awards@gmail.com for more detailed information.
The categories include the following:
- Elementary Art Educator of the Year
- Middle School Art Educator of the Year
- High School Art Educator of the Year
- Higher Ed Art Educator of the Year
- New to the Profession Art Educator of the Year
- Retired Art Educator of the Year
- Museum Art Educator of the Year
- Community Art Educator of the Year
- Supervision/Administration Art Educator of the Year
- Preservice Art Educator of the Year (nominations due April 5)
To learn about last years awardees CLICK HERE!
Art Learning Opportunities
November 14, 2023Workshops available
BELFAST
Waterfall Arts, November 15, Open Clay Studio. Start a new project or finish something you have started. Don’t let your lack of studio equipment be an obstacle! Waterfall Arts has a well-furnished and staffed clay studio for artists of all skill levels (*must have some experience and an orientation before attending Open Studios) to drop in and work independently on their own projects. Drop-in rates are $20 for a 3-hour session. Maximum 5 artists during Open Studios. Studio Monitor, Jeremy Hollinger has a Fine Arts degree, specializing in Ceramic and Sculpture works.
Two-hour workshop, Fun with Fused Glass, Waterfall Arts, November 30, 6:00 – 8:00 pm. Students will learn how to fuse a glass wave using a 4″x4″ flat glass sheet and bits of crushed transparent glass in shades of blue and green. Your unique design will be fired to a tack fuse to create a textured, 3D work of art to be displayed on a mini easel or used in a decorative way in your home. Instructor Sharon Warren, glass artist has a BS in Marine Engineering from the US Merchant Marine Academy. LEARN MORE!
WATERVILLE
Waterville Creates is hosting an extra-special Maine Art Education Association (MAEA) meet-up on Saturday November 18th, 9:00-12:00. Bring whatever art supplies you want to play with (there will also be fun extras and goodies to try, including a communal “crankie”)! In order to participate you need to be an MAEA member. Join at THIS LINK.
The following two opportunities are open to anyone.
- Ticonic Gallery + Studios is offering a Ceramic Jewelry Workshop with visiting artist Martha Grover from 10:00-2:00. A delightful beginner level jewelry making workshop. Martha will lead participants step-by-step to create unique ceramic jewelry that will be fired with hand-made ceramic elements. In this one-day workshop, students will make a variety of earrings, pendants, brooches, and beads. Beginners will be given individual attention while those with more experience can work at their desired pace. LEARN MORE. Register HERE.
- Greene Block + Studios will be hosting the Elm City Small Press Fest from 11:00am – 4:00pm. The Small Press Fest is a free community event that focuses on independent publishing in the Maine region. The goal of the Fest is to promote contemporary creative publishing while stimulating and promoting creative economies in the area. Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to browse independent publications and art prints and participate in free workshops throughout the day.
HundrED Summit
October 29, 2023Join online
What are the most impactful education innovations to look out for in 2024? Watch the livestream of #HundrEDSummit from Oct 31 – Nov 2 to hear from top education innovators and researchers.
This is my colleague Magaga from Kenya who attended the HundrED summit in 2022. Learn more about Magaga at THIS BLOG POST.
Student Opportunity
October 20, 2023Applications open
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is opening applications for the 2023/2024 Student Cabinet, a group of students that meet regularly with the Maine DOE and each other to discuss educational opportunities, improvements, and policy.
Facilitated by student representatives from the Maine State Board of Education, the purpose of the Student Cabinet is to provide a forum for Maine students’ voices to be heard. This is the fourth year the Maine DOE has appointed students to a Student Cabinet with the goal of integrating student voices into decision-making on education issues that impact their journey through Maine’s education system.
In past years students have helped in identifying mental health needs at school, raised issues of racial equity, and helped brainstorm ways to individualize learning. Last year, the Student Cabinet presented their mental health concerns and ideas to Maine’s Legislative Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs.
The Maine DOE is especially interested in having perspectives from students with diverse experiences, interests, cultures, and backgrounds represented on the Student Cabinet. It is important that the student cabinet include members from all geographical locations across Maine, and who are able to represent and advocate for underrepresented groups of students throughout Maine.
There are 12-24 seats that are open for students in grades 4 – 12 and the first year of college. The newly appointed members will serve for a term of two years starting this November. All 16 counties in Maine will be represented on the Student Cabinet.
Selected cabinet members will be expected to attend scheduled meetings, prepare for each meeting as needed, work in a collaborative manner with one another and with Department staff as needed, and express views and opinions openly, constructively, and respectfully.
Scheduled meetings:
There will be two in-person, all-day meetings scheduled in Augusta in December 2023 and Spring 2024, accompanied by monthly virtual meetings held on the fourth Thursday of the month from December 2023 through the spring of 2024 from 3:00 – 4:00 pm via Zoom. For in-person meetings, travel reimbursement will be provided and travel arrangements can also be made for students if needed.
Instructions for applying:
Students interested in serving on the Maine DOE Student Cabinet will need to submit the electronic application by November 15, 2023. Applications can be submitted electronically here.
For more information contact Rachel Paling, Communications & Outreach Manager, Maine Department of Education at rachel.paling@maine.gov.
me arts ed 