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.
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PublishedApril 7, 2019
Online learning clicks with University of Maine System students
This spring, 26% of all credit hours in the system are delivered virtually.
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PublishedApril 2, 2019
Hearing on Portland’s $118 million school budget draws small turnout
The proposal calls for a 6.5% increase over the city’s current $110.6 million education budget.
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PublishedApril 1, 2019
Governor names 4 members to Maine Maritime board
Three people are reappointed and a student is nominated.
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PublishedMarch 29, 2019
Maine lawmakers reject bill to study tackle-football age limit
A legislative committee votes unanimously against the bill because a similar group is already doing the work.
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PublishedMarch 28, 2019
Mike Michaud, others nominated for higher-education boards
Gov. Janet Mills chooses former U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud and others to serve as trustees for the University of Maine and Maine Community College systems.
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PublishedMarch 28, 2019
Portland finance officials get first look at proposed school budget
The district’s $118 million spending plan would increase the school part of the tax rate by 5.4%.
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PublishedMarch 26, 2019
Peaks residents urge school finance committee to save island’s pre-K program
The superintendent agrees to add a $40,000 position to the proposed $117.8 million budget to continue the program.
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PublishedMarch 25, 2019
Trustees advance multimillion-dollar plan to make UMaine run on renewable energy
They authorize spending as much as $4.2 million for Honeywell International to solidify the design of a biomass boiler and $1.5 million for the the university to hire its own experts.