| Education Update
October 28, 2010 |
|
|
|
Upcoming Events |
November 4, 2010 Advisory Committee on Dental Education Meeting
November 11, 2010
FAME will be closed in observance of the Veterans Day Holiday
November 16, 2010
FAME Board of Directors Meeting
November 16, 2010
2010 Annual Showcase Maine
Holiday Inn By The Bay
Portland, Maine
November 17, 2010
Advisory Committee on College Savings Meeting
November 24 & 25, 2010
FAME will be closed in observance of the Thanksgiving Day Holiday
December 9, 2010
Advisory Committee on Medical Education Meeting
December 10, 2010
Higher Education Advisory Council Meeting
|
|
|
| Showcase Maine and FAME Annual Dinner | |
FAME's Annual Meeting and Showcase Maine event will be held November 16 at the Holiday Inn By The Bay. We are excited to announce Seth Wescott, two time gold medalist, as this year's Showcase Maine keynote speaker. Learn more...
|
| Educators' Toolkit for Financial Literacy Workshop | |
On November 16, beginning at Noon at the Holiday Inn By The Bay, FAME is offering a free financial literacy workshop for Maine educators and counselors to assist them in identifying valuable tools and resources to inspire their students of all ages to explore money management concepts. Program highlights include financial literacy programs currently available as well as an opportunity for our guest speakers to share ideas and techniques working well for Maine educators. Our guest speakers include Jodi Lemieux-Mezzanotte, an elementary educator from Gorham; Bill Olsen, Chair of the Maine Jump$tart Coalition and Vice President at Bangor Savings Bank; and Judy Shaw, Securities Administrator at the Maine Office of Securities. Learn more...
|
| Access and Education Events |
The month of October has been very busy for the College Access & Financial Education staff. So far, staff has participated in 17 financial aid information, college fair or training events with a total attendance of 1,613 people. In addition, we have conducted five Financial Aid Nights with 240 attendees.
|
| MCACG Update |
As part of the Maine College Access Challenge Grant program, colleges, universities, college access organizations and non-profit organizations were able to apply for a grant from FAME to help promote college access and success. Of the 47 project applications received, 19 projects were funded. The total amount awarded was just over $500,000. Once all official notifications have been received, the program name and project description will be posted to the FAME web site.
|
|
|
|
| FA 101 a Success! | |
FAME's 5th Annual Financial Aid 101: A Training for Counselors & Advisors was held on Friday, October 8, at the Augusta Civic Center. This all-day training event was attended by 92 counselors and advisors from across the state.
|
| Need Your Help | |
FAME is trying to compile a comprehensive list of the high schools in the state that are providing financial aid and college information to their students. If you, or someone in your office, is conducting a financial aid night at a high school, can you let us know? All information gathered will be shared with the Maine College Access Network.
|
| EPIC | |
FAME is urging all schools that have not processed their Maine State Grant Program payment request for the Fall Semester to certify students for payment as soon as possible. Early certification will assist FAME in monitoring the funding needed for the Spring Semester. All programs in EPIC, in addition to the State of Maine Grant Program, are accessible for certification for the Fall Semester.
|
|
| NextGen Goes Pro | |
On October 4 NextGen staff celebrated the arrival of eight new scholarships to be offered annually through the efforts of the Maine Red Claws and Portland Pirates. These two teams joined the Portland Sea Dogs, who have been offering three scholarships annually to Maine school children since 2005, in their support of Maine students to pursue education beyond high school. The event was held at King Middle School in Portland where staff was joined by the teams' mascots; Slugger, Crusher, Salty and Crackers. Great fun was had by all!
|
| Curtailment |
Govenor Baldacci announced a curtailment of approximately 10 million dollars on October 1, 2010. The cuts will mostly affect the Department of Health and Human Services, will not result in any layoffs, and do not include education spending. A curtailment allows the governor to temporarily curb spending in some areas without legislative approval.
The governor said he was forced to make cuts based on economic uncertainty combined with a reduced federal aid package. Governor Baldacci said he did not make cuts to education because the school year has already begun and local districts are already preparing to cope with the loss of millions of dollars in federal stimulus money for next year.
Other cuts include about 1.4 million dollars in the State Treasurer's office (by adjusting the funding for debt service to match current expectations) and about 1.2 million dollars by spending freezes through the Department of Administrative and Financial Services.
Although Maine revenues exceeded projections by about 70 million dollars in the last fiscal year that ended on June 30, the majority of those funds were required by law to go into the state's "rainy day" fund.
|
| Maine State Chamber Intern Website |
The Maine State Chamber of Commerce is developing a website to help Maine students partner with businesses for work internships. The free website, InternHelpME.com, could begin matching students with businesses early next year.
Dana Connors, chamber president, said the goal of the site is to encourage and enable students to gain work experience in Maine and show businesses what skills Maine students have. He said a large number of students who participate in internships end up staying with the businesses as long-term employees.
Connors said the idea for the website came from a jobs summit hosted by state officials and business leaders earlier this year, and was modeled after a program in Indiana. Students should be able to create profiles, including uploading their resumes, beginning in November.
Govenor Baldacci and Connors met with representatives from colleges and universities throughout the state to discuss details of the initiative before the recent announcement.
|
| Dental Bond Issue |
A coalition of Maine dentists, patients, health care providers and business organizations is seeking voter approval of a 5 million dollar bond issue to help build dental clinics throughout the state. Question 2 on the November 2 ballot seeks a bond to create a community-based teaching dental clinic at the University of New England and upgrades to community-based health and dental care clinics. Supporters say there exists a dental care crisis in Maine and that it's getting worse. |
| List of Ballot Questions | |
The Secretary of State's office has released a list of the state-wide ballot questions for the upcoming election. These are in addition to the gubernatorial and congressional election ballot, as well as any local issues or referenda. In their correct order, the questions that will appear on the November 2, 2010 General Election ballot are as follows:
Question 1: Citizen Initiative
Do you want to allow a casino with table games and slot machines at a single site in Oxford County, subject to local approval, with part of the profits going to specific state, local and tribal programs?
Question 2: Bond Issue
Do you favor a 5 million dollar bond issue to be awarded on a competitive basis to increase access to dental care in Maine, 3.5 million dollars to be used for a community-based teaching dental clinic affiliated with or operated by a college of dental medicine to be matched by 3.5 million dollars in other funds, and 1.5 million dollars to be used to create or upgrade community-based health and dental care clinics across the State to increase their capacity as teaching and dental clinics?
Question 3: Bond Issue
Do you favor a 9.75 million dollar bond issue to invest in land conservation and working waterfront preservation and to preserve state parks to be matched by 9.25 million dollars in federal and other funds?
|
|
 |
|
Finance Authority of Maine
1-800-228-3734 |
|
|
|
|
