Following a six-year tuition freeze, ‘now it is time to invest,’ Chancellor James Page says.
Noel K. Gallagher
Noel Gallagher covers K-12 and higher education issues statewide. Her stories are a mix of breaking news and trend stories. In recent years, they’ve ranged from why college costs so much, the launch of the state’s first charter schools, how a school welcomed a transgender student and why Maine schools have a hard time finding teachers. She’s enough of a news nerd to enjoy sitting through legislative education committee meetings and hours-long school board meetings so you don’t have to.
The Maine Press Association has honored Noel’s work, but she says she writes for the readers, in the firm belief that an informed citizenry is key to a healthy democracy.
Noel is a California native who has worked at wire services, online websites and newspapers across the country. She was in Washington D.C. during the early Clinton years, covering AIDS activism in 1990s San Francisco, documenting the business of wine in Sonoma County and riding out the boom and bust cycle of the early Internet era in early 2000s Silicon Valley. She arrived in Maine at the beginning of the recession and wrote quite a bit about the downturn here.
In her free time, Noel writes the occasional cookbook review, spends an inordinate amount of time at the Portland Public Library and hangs out with her three fabulous kids and wonderful husband. She is not a former member of the band Oasis.
Man injured in Old Orchard Beach house fire
Four animals died in the blaze on Harmon Avenue, the fire chief says.
Sen. Collins says Trump owes America an explanation on Obama wiretap claim
Regarding the president’s budget, she says she’s disturbed by his call for medical research cuts but backs more spending for veterans and the military.
Clear winners and losers: LePage plan shakes up school funding
Maine’s nine charter schools will have increases in their state funding while Cape Elizabeth, Scarborough and Portland tighten their belts to deal with sizable losses, but legislators may change the numbers.
How Maine’s education funding system works
The way the state funds K-12 education is complex. It starts with the amount of money earmarked for schools. This year, Gov. Paul LePage is proposing $1 billion – about $20 million, or 2 percent, less than the state spent on public schools this budget cycle. That dollar figure is plugged into an “essential programs […]
UMaine System pushes ahead with free speech policy
The full board of trustees will vote on the proposal at a meeting in April.
Play ball! say Maine supporters of 30-minute school recess bill
The proposal would require that elementary schoolchildren get the exercise they need.
Portland schools commit to being ‘safe haven’ for students, families
The commitment is one of three resolutions approved by the school board, which also commits to condemning hate speech.
Signs suggest White House won’t crack down on Maine’s marijuana laws
Maine has begun crafting its own rules for recreational pot amid uncertainty over whether the administration will enforce federal laws against it.
‘Leon Happy Salads’ offers clear recipes, borrows from many cultures
The recipes range widely, and each comes with a nice photograph.