Maine Roads to Quality – Professional Development Network (PDN)
The University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies (CCIDS) has received funding from the University of Southern Maine, Muskie School of Public Service to provide professional development and consultation to the Statewide Professional Development Network (PDN) working to improve the quality of early care and education settings in Maine.
The Professional Development Network (PDN) is comprised of Maine Roads to Quality (MRTQ) at the Catherine Cutler Institute for Health and Social Policy at the University of Southern Maine; the University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies (CCIDS); and the Maine Afterschool Network (MASN).
The MRTQ PDN is a coordinated early childhood professional development system that supports professionals to provide high quality, inclusive early childhood programs. CCIDS contribution to the design and implementation of this statewide professional development system includes:
- Providing information technology and data base support to ensure compliance with state Office of Information Technology (OIT) policies.
- Maintaining and developing updated versions of the Child Care Choices database.
- Ensuring that the current trainings include specific pedagogy for children with disabilities woven throughout the curricula.
- Developing and teaching supplemental courses that support early childhood professionals’ confidence and competence to care for and teach children with diverse learning styles and needs.
- Providing cohort support to professionals as they work to obtain the Maine Inclusion Credential.
- Providing technical assistance, on-site consultation and facilitated Communities of Practice from inclusion and early childhood mental health consultants.
- Coordinating the Warm Line service offering telephonic and email access to professionals for advice, problem solving and help locating resources.
- Leading the development of the Maine Technical Assistance Credential including designing and teaching the required trainings.
The CCIDS Early Childhood Coordinator, with support from the Inclusion and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultants, will contribute to the development of the PDN by providing consultation and resource dissemination to the MRTQ staff and PDN consultants to support the design of an evidence-based professional development system. Under the leadership of the Early Childhood Coordinator, CCIDS staff will also develop an inclusion credential for the PDN by the end of the contract period.
Funding Source:
University of Southern Maine, Edmund S. Muskie School of Public Service, with funding from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child and Family Services, Child Care Development Block Grant.
Funding Period:
July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2020
Partners:
Kris Michaud
Director, Maine Roads to Quality
University of Southern Maine, Muskie School of Public Service
Catherine Cutler Institute for Health and Social Policy
304 Haynes Building
Augusta, ME 04330
phone: 207.626.5031
kristopher.michaud@maine.edu
Crystal Arbour
Child Care Services Program Manager
Department of Health and Human Services
Office of Child and Family Services
2 Anthony Avenue, 11 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0011
phone: 207.626.8682
fax: 207.287.6308
Crystal.Arbour@maine.gov
Erin Frati
Director, Maine Afterschool Network
University of Southern Maine, Muskie School of Public Service
12 East Chestnut Street
August, ME 04330
phone: 207.626.5037
fax: 207.626.5024
Erin.Frati@maine.edu
Contact Person(s):
Alan Cobo-Lewis, Ph.D.,
University of Maine
Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies
5717 Corbett Hall, Room 230
Orono, ME 04469-5717
207.581.1084
800.203.6957
207.581.1231 (Fax)
TTY users call Maine Relay 711
alanc@maine.edu
Jennifer Maeverde, B.S., M.A.,
University of Maine
Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies
5717 Corbett Hall, Rm 234
Orono, ME 04469-5717
207.949.2463 (cell)
jennifer.maeverde@maine.edu
Marnie Morneault, B.S., M.Ed.,
University of Maine
Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies
5717 Corbett Hall, Rm 234
Orono, ME 04469-571
207.735.6134 (cell)
marnie.morneault@maine.edu