Maine ASCD is thrilled to bring Karen Caine to Lewiston, Maine. Karen is the author of Writing to Persuade: Minilessons to Help Students Plan, Draft, and Revise (Heinemann, 2008) and a writing workshop consultant who works with elementary, middle school and high school teachers from across the US. Karen taught for 15 years in New York City public and private schools before becoming a district staff developer and an instructor at the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project Summer Institutes. She is a frequent presenter at NCTE and other national conventions.

Did you attend the Northeast ASCD Conference in Boston? If you did, then you heard Heidi Hayes Jacobs challenge you to "Choose your century!" by using technology as a means of effective communication, teaching, and learning.

Visit Maine ASCD on Facebook to give your response to the conference. Or, find us on Twitter (@maineascd) to share a comment about the conference.

As a follow-up to our Fall Conference on the Common Core State Standards, here are a few links to support your continued learning about and implementation of the standards:

The Official CCSS Website

www.corestandards.org

Resources from ASCD

www.ascd.org/public-policy/common-core.aspx

Webinars from ASCD

www.ascd.org/professional-development/webinars/common-core-webinars.aspx

Maine DOE Resources

www.maine.gov/education/Ires/commoncore

Maine ASCD has a new mailing address at it's offices which are housed at MSAD 75 in Topsham. The address is|

Maine ASCD
50 Republic Avenue
Topsham, ME 04086

Phone 207-729-6652
FAX 207-725-8547
E-Mail info@maineascd.org

Maine ASCD is pleased to share that Maine has become the 42nd state to approve the Common Core State Standards! Gov. Paul LePage signed L.D. 12 into law on Friday, April 1, 2011. The measure passed both the House and Senate unanimously. Adopting the standards means Maine schools will have a clear set of standards with which to develop curriculum, and teachers will be able to tailor their teaching to the new, rigorous expectations of what students should know and be able to do. Students will be better prepared to meet the challenges of the 21st century by achieving its college, career, and citizenship ready skills. “We need to give students and teachers clear expectations,” said Stephen Bowen, Commissioner of Education.

Maine ASCD wants you! We are looking for members to serve on the Board of Directors for a two year term beginning in July 2011 as well as members to serve on the Program, Policy, and Services, Membership, and Influence and Advocacy Committees. If interested, contact president Peter Lancia, lanciap@westbrookschools.org for more information.