2024 Educate Maine Symposium: Full Schedule

10:00am EST

Expanding Equitable Access to Pre-K Throughout Maine

Friday December 13, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am EST

Public preschool is a fundamental and important building block in early learning. Yet, in Maine only about 50 percent of 4-year-olds are in public Pre-K, and current Maine law only requires Pre-K to be for 10 hours a week. The scheduling of Pre-K programs can be a challenge for the 73% of preschoolers who have working parents. In 2023, the Maine Legislature passed a law to establish an equitable, mixed-delivery public preschool system and created a Commission to report back to the legislature recommendations to achieve this goal. In this session, policymakers will share the work of the Commission, discuss the recommendations for implementation, and share more about how we can work together to reach this goal.

Speakers

Senator Eloise Vitelli

State Senator, State of Maine, Senate District 24

Kim Russell

Director of Special Projects, Educate Maine

Tavis Hasenfus

State Representative, State of Maine, House District 57

Friday December 13, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am EST
Massachusetts

Strong Student Outcomes, Early Childhood

11:10am EST

Transforming CS Education: Forging Industry Partnerships for K-12 Success

Friday December 13, 2024 11:10am - 12:00pm EST

Massachusetts

A dynamic panel discussion featuring non-profit and business leaders, educators, and students exploring how forging strong relationships can transform CS education by aligning curriculum with industry needs, integrating critical CS skills, and enhancing experiential learning. We will discuss innovative ideas for integrating relevant CS skills into K-12 programs to better prepare students for future career opportunities, and take questions from the audience. Participants will also learn actionable strategies for developing sustainable partnerships.

Speakers

Danielle A Presgraves

Katie Hollenback

K-12 Administrator, Ellsworth School Department

IT Director, former K-12 Tech Integrator, former high school engineering/tech teacher & mechanical/nuclear engineer

Laura Muller

The Jackson Laboratory

Kate Kastelein

Research Associate, Maine Mathematics andd Science Alliance

Angela Oechslie

Program Director, Educate Maine

I direct the Project>Login program at Educate Maine and love to support CS teachers as they implement computer science in their schools. I am a trained CSforALL SCRIPT facilitator, the community partner for Girls Who Code, and the regional partner, along with MMSA, for Code.org's... Read More →

Friday December 13, 2024 11:10am - 12:00pm EST
Massachusetts

Postsecondary Pathways, STEM

1:50pm EST

If You build It With Them, They Will Come: Creating a Peer Workforce Program With Learners

Friday December 13, 2024 1:50pm - 2:40pm EST

Massachusetts

The Peer Career Guide program was created at The University of Southern Maine's Career & Employment Hub through partnership with students to determine the information and support they wanted for successful career discovery and access to the workforce after graduation. This collaboration with Career Hub staff and Maine employers has empowered students to be trained in developing the skills they find most valuable and to teach these skills to their peers. Discover how we involve our students in the design and management of the program to create student buy-in and achieve successful outcomes and the critical role that employers can play in encouraging and advancing student engagement.

Speakers

Norrie Crocker

Career Advisor and Peer Career Guide Program Lead, University of Southern Maine

Andy Osheroff

Director, Career & Employment Hub, University of Southern Maine

As a passionate advocate for leadership and organizational development, I have dedicated my career to fostering growth and driving positive change within educational and community-focused organizations. Currently, I serve as the Director of the Career & Employment Hub at the University... Read More →

Kami Wert

Student & Senior Peer Career Guide, University of Southern Maine

I am currently in the last semester of my senior year, where I have been studying English with a double minor in Regulatory Ethics and Risk Management and Insurance. I Have been a Peer Career Guide since my sophomore year, and I have watched the program grow from two to 98 total appointments... Read More →

Stephanie Johnson

Sr. Early Career Talent Consultant, Unum

Friday December 13, 2024 1:50pm - 2:40pm EST
Massachusetts

Amplify Student Voices

3:00pm EST

Clean Energy Career Pathways: Innovative Workforce Development Strategies and Partnerships

Friday December 13, 2024 3:00pm - 3:50pm EST

Massachusetts

The Clean Energy Career Pathways panel will be hosted by the Clean Energy Partnership (CEP) within the Governor’s Energy Office. Since 2022, the CEP has invested $4.9 million in clean energy workforce development initiatives across the state. The panel will begin with a presentation on the growing clean energy economy, the range of career opportunities and skills required, and a high- level overview of statewide clean energy workforce development initiatives. Following the presentation, the CEP Program Manager will lead a panel of 2-4 Clean Energy Partnership grantees who can speak to their innovative workforce development programs. Examples would include successful pre-apprenticeship, short term training and registered apprenticeships engaging diverse adult populations, youth and rural communities in clean energy career pathways and employment with clean energy businesses. Learning objectives: Greater understanding of career pathways in clean energy and innovative strategies and partnerships to support diverse learners, youth and rural communities.

Speakers

Tagwongo Obomsawin

Kelly Sandman

Board President & Instructor, We Built This

I love building things, all kinds of things: houses, furniture, meals, clothes, gardens, relationships, to name a few. I love sharing my enthusiasm for life in general with others. I love learning new things. I love telling stories, singing, rowing, monkeying up and down staging... Read More →