9 minute read
Transforming Students into Video Storytellers
Gorham teacher named Milken Educator
“Let’s go to the video” isn’t just something they say on the nightly news in Gorham. It’s also the go-to skill for student storytellers at Gorham High School, thanks to the pervasive and forward-looking influence of technology teacher Adam Parvanta, a member of Gorham TA. A tech Adam Parvanta, Gorham High School, awarded the 2019 Maine Milken Educator Award. mentor for grades 9 through Photo courtesy: Milken Family Foundation 12 students, as well as staff, Parvanta puts technology in students' hands and teaches them how to craft stories large and small. Whether it’s augmenting class projects, highlighting student activities or helping students create visual résumé boosters to supplement their college applications, Parvanta deploys technology in ways that spur students to become creators of content rather than just passive consumers. He gives students the technology tools to edit and improve their futures and, as a result, student engagement and enthusiasm is through the roof.
Parvanta was presented with a Milken Educator Award by Milken Educator Awards Senior Vice President Dr. Jane Foley and Maine Commissioner of Education Pender Makin. An excited Parvanta was named a 2019-20 recipient of the national recognition, which comes with an unrestricted $25,000 cash prize. He is the only Milken Educator Award winner from Maine this year and is among up to 40 honorees for 2019-20.
The Milken Educator Awards, hailed by Teacher magazine as the “Oscars of Teaching,” has been opening minds and shaping futures for over 30 years. The initiative not only aims to reward great teachers, but to celebrate, elevate and activate those innovators in the classroom who are guiding America’s next generation of leaders. Milken Educators believe, “The future belongs to the educated.”
Parvanta is bringing that future into sharper focus with hands-on technology expertise passed on to students. His non-traditional approach truly connects with students, and his understated passion for video editing and storytelling prompts students to spend extra time on their schoolwork as they learn skills that will translate well in an evolving future of rapidly advancing technology.
“Adam Parvanta knows that technology is an essential foundation for education just as it is throughout life,” said Foley. “By integrating tech narrative skills into the classroom, Parvanta is helping students become authors of their own life stories. We’re proud to welcome this innovative and visionary Milken Educator.”
Parvanta creates videos to welcome students and staff back at the beginning of the year, highlight athletes’ big wins, and entices the community to fill the auditorium for the annual musical. With his guidance, seniors create “resume” videos to submit as supplements to college applications. Parvanta reconfigured his office to include stations where students can work on their projects and lends them equipment to bring their ideas to life. Students flock to Parvanta and spend many non-class hours learning from him—not because they have to, but because he motivates them to make their work better.
"It doesn't feel real, but I'm so happy it is. It's just a shock," Parvanta told local TV reporters. "It just makes me so happy, again because people appreciate what I do and they praise it and it's just awesome."
Public Schools Dangerous Behavior Protocol
Dangerous Behavior Reporting Review
Administration reviews the What is Dangerous Teacher or staff person reports the reported incident with the Behavior? 20-A MRSA §6555 dangerous behavior to an administrator or supervisor. assigned school employee and determines if the incident is Additional Steps defines dangerous substantiated. Should dangerous behavior as "..behavior Your district should have a form for behaviors of a student that doing this. MEA has created a sample Incident is Not continue to occur presents a risk of form which has been provided in Substantiated with that student, injury or harm to guidance to all local leaders. The affected reports should be students or others." The definition is broad. Use your discretion when deciding what may or may not cause a risk of harm or injury. Incident is Substantiated Administration, in consultation with the impacted employee, develops a response plan to avoid further dangerous behaviors. Other educators and specialists may be consulted on the development of a plan as deemed necessary. employee should be notified that the incident has not been substantiated. If further action regarding the filed. If there are issues with the implementation of the plan, the union The law is designed to help keep staff and students safe and is not intended to use this process to report It may be appropriate for the student to not return to class until a response plan is in place, any necessary accommodations are made for the student, and the needs of other students and staff are provided for. behavior is needed to avoid future incidents, the affected employee, with union support, should contact and affected employees should address these with administration. every misbehavior. the administrator Response Plan Response plans will be unique to the situation, but should address a variety of options for or supervisor for additional discussion and consideration. both the students and staff, including the use of restorative practices, specific training or Was a staff professional development for staff, responses that person injured? minimize suspensions and expulsions, counseling and guidance services for students and staff, trauma-informed practices, positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS), and adequate staffing.
If the employee is injured, follow these steps:
• Depending on the injury, employee How Does This Impact Sick Time? may seek emergency medical attention Additional Time away from work cannot be taken from accrued sick leave if the injury or immediate assistance from a school nurse, if one is available. Questions? was caused by dangerous behavior • Employee files injury report with
Reach out to Dan and a physician determines the employer and asks the employer to file
Allen, Training and employee is unable to work as a result a notice of injury with Workers' Comp.
Professional of the injury. • Incident may be reported to a School
Development Resource Officer.
Director, MEA • Employee may report incident to the 207.622.4418 police.
Under the DOME
MEA PRIORITIES TO SUPPORT OUR MEMBERS, STUDENTS AND SCHOOLS
MEA is always working on behalf of its members, at the local level, federal level and of course at the State House where so many new ideas are debated that impact your work and the lives of your students. This legislative session, MEA has several key priorities. With input from members, here are some of the changes MEA will advocate for in the coming legislative session. SUPPORTING RETIRED EDUCATORS
The teacher certification rules have been under review by the Legislature and several changes have been made over the last few years. The MEA is pushing for a bill that would create a system in law that states when a teacher becomes certified under the state’s teacher certification programs, the grade spans they are eligible to teach will operate as a “property right” for teachers, meaning they cannot be impacted or changed in future years for that teacher. The state may change the recertification requirements and a teacher seeking recertification may be subject to additional coursework in order to meet the new recertification requirements, but the grade spans or subjects the teacher is eligible to teach will remain regardless of prospective teacher certification changes made by the state. The teacher certification system remains a the future. This bill has been sitting on the Governor’s desk since June, but she has refused to sign it. MEA expects there will be a discussion about this bill again in the next session and the MEA is committed to passing it to make sure current and future retirees get the cost of living increases in their pension they need and
quagmire, and the Dept of Education and the Legislature have consistently made additional changes, and more uncertainty remains. This bill is necessary because it will protect teachers from the constantly changing certification rules and bring stability for most teachers. The bill is sponsored by Representative David McCrea.
This bill will prohibit school districts from transferring teachers for punitive reasons or as an act of retaliation. MEA has tried several times to give members the right to negotiate over transfers. However, lawmakers have rejected this idea each time. become full-time or part-time faculty members and protect the full-time faculty at both institutions from erosion in their working conditions. MEA expects a bill on this subject in the upcoming legislative session and expects the Education Committee
While this new law won’t give educators that right, it will prevent administrators from transferring a teacher for punitive reasons. MEA believes this protection is necessary because of recent efforts by some administrators to transfer teachers in order to retaliate against their personal political activity outside of school hours. We expect fierce opposition to this bill as many administrators will argue they need “flexibility” to move teachers around, but too many times teachers are transferred as an act of retaliation. The bill is sponsored by Representative David McCrea.
AN ACT TO PROVIDE A LIVING WAGE TO SCHOOL EMPLOYEES
This bill will mandate that any district that wants to receive state funding for schools must pay a minimum of $16 per hour to all support staff, including bus drivers, educational technicians, custodians and all other support staff. The bill is intended to address the serious shortages of support staff in our public schools is sponsored by Representative Ben Collings.
AN ACT TO INCREASE THE STATE SHARE OF THE COST OF HEALTH INSURANCE FOR RETIRED TEACHERS
This bill will increase the amount the state pays for healthcare for retired teachers. The state currently pays 45% of the cost of retiree healthcare but there has been no progress in increasing the amount for over a decade. MEA knows health insurance costs are rising for retired educators and is committed to seeing the state increase the amount it pays for health care for retired educators. The bill is sponsored by Representative Ben Collings.
AN ACT TO CLARIFY THE STATE’S COMMITMENTS CONCERNING CERTAIN PUBLIC SERVICE RETIREMENT BENEFITS
Maine’s retired teachers saw steep cuts to their pensions during the LePage administration, including several years of freezes to the cost of living increases. This bill would codify the cost of living increase for retirees as a contractual commitment, thus limiting the ability for the Governor or the Legislature to make cuts in deserve. This bill is sponsored by Representative Michelle Dunphy.
SUPPORTING HIGHER EDUCATION
ADDRESSING PAY AND BENEFITS OF ADJUNCT FACULTY
The MEA is working with allies to address the growing use of adjunct faculty in the University of Maine and Community College systems. There is a growing reliance on the use of adjuncts to teach courses at both institutions, but adjuncts are often woefully underpaid, have no job protections and often receive no benefits. MEA is committed to building career ladders for adjunct faculty to and to insure all school employees are paid a living wage. The bill
may report out a bill on the same subject. Current faculty in the Community College System are concerned as the System continues to use adjuncts to deflate the wages of those who are full time faculty. It is a priority of the MEA to bring equity to those working in our higher education system.
