Deadline Extended for Attendance Messaging Campaign Logo Design Contest; Details on How Schools Can Submit

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is pleased to announce that schools will have additional time to participate in the Maine DOE’s attendance messaging campaign, which launched in September.

Background: In the summer of 2025, the Maine Engagement and Attendance Center (MEAC) held an attendance campaign name and slogan contest. The winning selection was “Rooted in Learning, Growing Every Day: Be Pine Tree Present!” This slogan has become an integral part of Maine’s attendance celebration, highlighting how educators and staff are supporting their learning communities through increased attendance and engagement.

In September, MEAC invited schools across the state to host their own logo design contests based on this campaign name/slogan. Schools may determine the parameters of their contests. Their winning logo must be submitted to the Maine DOE by Friday, October 24, 2025, at 5 p.m. (extended from the original submission date of October 10). This is an excellent opportunity for potential statewide recognition, as we all consider our vital role in increasing attendance in Maine schools.

Submissions should please be sent to Sarah Nelson, Maine DOE Climate Culture Resilience Engagement Specialist, at Sarah.Nelson@maine.gov. When submitting, please consider the following guidelines:

• The graphic must be high-resolution (at least 300 pixels per inch).
• The graphic must have a transparent background.
• The graphic must be saved in PNG format.
• The Maine DOE will only accept original artwork. Copyrighted or previously published images are not allowed.
• Please include the name of the artist who submitted the winning logo, where they attend school, and the municipality.
• Optional: Consider including one to two sentences in student voice about what “Be Pine Tree Present!” means to them.

For continued resources supporting increased attendance, please mark your calendar for the upcoming MEAC Office Hours, a new, year-long series of monthly virtual office hours focused on evidence-based practices positively impacting attendance. These meetings occur on the third Thursday of each month from 3:30-4:30 p.m. The session on October 16 will explore the power of building routine, relationships, and relevance. Please register here to attend.

MEAC is a cross-office collaborative initiative of the Maine DOE. For further information and with questions, please contact Sarah Nelson at Sarah.Nelson@maine.gov or visit the Maine DOE website.