Maine’s First Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Summit, January 24, 2008, Augusta Civic Center

INFORMATIONAL LETTER: 60
POLICY CODE: IG

TO: Superintendents, Assistant Superintendents, Special Education Directors, Curriculum Coordinators, Principals, Career and Technical Education Center Directors, Guidance Counselors, School Health Coordinators, and all Classroom Educators

FROM: Susan A. Gendron, Commissioner of Education

DATE: December 14, 2007

SUBJECT: Maine’s First Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Summit, January 24, 2008, Augusta Civic Center

On January 24, 2008 Governor Baldacci will launch a statewide Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Initiative at the Augusta Civic Center, in Augusta, Maine to raise the awareness of Maine’s education and business partners of the importance of STEM education for Maine students and the connection of STEM education to the success of Maine’s economic development. The goal of this initiative is to increase by 10% the number of students from grades PK- 12 who enter into the STEM fields beyond high school by 2011. This includes teaching in STEM-related fields. Policy makers, legislators, school administrative unit and school administrators, school STEM department heads and teachers, STEM business leaders, higher education STEM faculty, and STEM researchers are all critical partners in this venture.

Leveraging the capacity of people and organizations at the STEM Summit, we intend to engage in the development of a STEM plan to promote broader participation in and increased numbers of STEM partnerships. This will include strategies to secure the necessary funding vehicles to support STEM education through collaboration with business, the legislature, PK-12 and higher education, researchers, foundations and associations. The launch of the Maine STEM initiative also will include the launch of the STEM Network and STEM Education Fund. The STEM Network will provide a virtual resource detailing STEM-related educational opportunities throughout the State. The STEM Education Fund will be a permanent funding stream to support business, research and education collaboration to foster student internship opportunities and other business/education collaboration.

To register for the STEM Summit or learn more about STEM in Maine, please visit the website at http://www.steminme.org . For further information, you may also contact Anita Bernhardt at the Maine Department of Education, (624-6835 or mailto:anita.bernhardt@maine.gov ), Doug Robertson at the Maine Department of Education, (624-6744 or mailto:doug.robertson@maine.gov ) or Francis Eberle at the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance, (287- 5881 or mailto:feberle@mmsa.org ).