January 28 Valley Unified Board Meeting

The Valley Unified Education Service Center Board of Directors met on Tuesday, January 28, 2020, beginning at 6 PM in the Library at Madawaska Middle/High School.  To watch the WOWL Channel 16 video of the meeting, click here or on the image below.

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6th Strategic Plan Progress Report

In 2017, MSAD #33, MSAD #27, and the Madawaska School Department adopted a Tri-District Strategic Plan which serves as a key focal point of our activities and efforts at collaboration, innovation, and personalization of learning across the Valley Unified Education Service Center and in our schools.  

In order to move our strategic plan forward, we continually monitor our progress at implementing the eight priorities included in the plan and report this progress to the citizens of the Upper St. John Valley on a quarterly basis.  

While there is still lots of work to do and some distance to go, we are making headway.  To review our 6th Strategic Plan Progress Report, click here or on the image below.

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Key Considerations Regarding Upcoming Public Hearings and Straw Polls

Public hearings and written ballot straw polls concerning the recommended location of the proposed Valley Unified Regional School will take place on Tuesday, February 11, 2020 in Madawaska and Frenchville and on Wednesday, February 12, 2020 in Fort Kent.

Key considerations regarding these meetings appear below for your review.  A meeting schedule also appears below.  Public attendance at these sessions is welcomed and encouraged.

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Valley Unified Set to Launch Manufacturing Career Prep Program

The Valley Unified Education Service Center is set to launch a semester-long Manufacturing Career Preparation training program for 10th graders during the upcoming semester at the St. John Valley Technology Center (SJVTC) in Frenchville.

The new program is a partnership between the SJVTC and Washington County Community College (WCCC) in Calais and will feature both a high school course in Principles of Manufacturing and an on-ramp to a five-course on-line WCCC Early College course sequence leading to the nationally recognized Certified Production Technician credential through the Manufacturing Skills Standards Council (MSSC).

For more details on this new learning opportunity, click here or on the image below to review an informational flyer.

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How Would the Student Enrollment at Valley Unified High Compare?

Did you know ...

• If the proposed Valley Unified Regional School existed today, it would include a total enrollment of 472 high school students.

• In terms of today's Maine high school enrollment figures, the Valley Unified Regional High School would have a smaller student enrollment than 53 other Maine high schools.

• With a combined student enrollment of 472 learners, the Valley Unified Regional High School would have a smaller student population than the high schools in Presque Isle (527) and Caribou (491).

For more information on Maine's current high school enrollments, including the current comparative size of Community High School in Fort Kent, Madawaska High School, and Wisdom High School, as well as the proposed Valley Unified School, click here or on the image below.

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Public Hearing and Straw Poll Reminder

Public hearings and straw polls for the proposed location of the Valley Unified Regional School will be held in a month.  Dates, times, and locations of the meetings in each SAU are posted below.

For detailed information on the Site Selection process, click here or on the image above to review our Site Selection Citizen's Guide.

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The Potential "New Possible" in Information Technology

Did you know ...

• Educate Maine has identified Information Technology as a high-need occupational sector in our state.
• Information Technology workers are in demand in a variety of employment settings, including; business; healthcare, government, education, consulting, and more.
• The current unmet demand for Information Technology employees has resulted in flexible work schedules for qualified candidates.
• The average annual salary for Information Technology jobs and careers in Maine is about $75,000.
• Nearly 50 Valley Unified high school students, in surveys conducted during the 2018-2019 school year, indicated an interest in career-focused studies related to Information Technology.

We believe we could more effectively prepare Upper St. John Valley high school students for employment and careers in Information Technology, if ...

• All our students were together under one roof on one campus, studying and learning in an Academy for Communication and Technology Studies.
• All our high school educators had the opportunity to work together daily, designing and facilitating a comprehensive, integrated series of learning opportunities through a Digital and Information Technology pathway.

We believe the proposed Valley Unified Regional school represents the "new possible" for the students, educators, communities, and citizens of the Upper St. John Valley.

To review an example of this "new possible", click here or on the image below to see sample content from a potential Digital and Information Technology Pathway Program of Study.

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