The public can comment Monday on proposed bills aimed at creating new standards and delaying assessment.
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.
Good Will-Hinckley has three finalists for president
The search follows a political firestorm that started when the school’s board, under pressure from Gov. Paul LePage, withdrew its offer to hire House Speaker Mark Eves as president.
Maine’s new virtual charter school sees 25% enrollment drop since opening
The Maine Charter School Commission may explore ways to better inform students about what to expect, perhaps with a ‘tryout’ week.
Portland sets new mark for warmest December on record
The average temperature of 38 degrees is 9 degrees above normal and breaks the previous record of 34.8 degrees, set in December 2001.
Investigators search for cause of house fire that killed Lebanon man
Neighbors say the victim had struggled in recent years with serious medical problems and the deaths of his wife and mother.
’60 Minutes’ segment on El Faro disaster to air Sunday
The show will include video of the sunken cargo ship 15,000 feet below the surface taken by the Navy’s underwater recovery vehicle.
Augusta woman who may have been in car crash reported missing
Brianna Wilson, 19, told her parents, who live in Pownal, on Dec. 21 that she was coming home, but she never showed up, police say.
State to hire Florida company to operate, maintain Casco Bay Bridge
The Maine Department of Transportation says FDI Services Inc. will consider hiring from among the nine state employees who now operate the bridge.
Craft brewers: Getting hands on 16-ounce cans is one tall order
The growing demand strains Pennsylvania-based Crown Holdings, a primary supplier.
Civil rights teams imparting knowledge, skill to Maine students
At a time when immigration, gender equality and other issues can foster very uncivil attitudes, the Civil Rights Team Project is raising awareness in 160 Maine schools.