Maine Department of Education staff participated in the annual Take Your Daughters and Sons to Work Day on Thursday, April 28. Our children learned about what we do, experienced the State House complex, and all were in awe of the healthy, creative snacks made by the Department’s nutrition specialist, Chef Andy Hutchins and his daughter.
English Language Arts Specialist Morgan Dunton put her granddaughter Meredith Adams, who is a sixth grader at Wells Ogunquit Junior High School, right to work. The two assembled a colorful paper “quilt” filled with statements from teachers about “Why I Teach.” Dunton says, “Perhaps the highlight of the day was a State House tour where Meredith was inspired to apply to be a page for the House. This is an idea she will take back to her school’s civil rights team.”
Valerie Densmore, an Educational Specialist with Maine DOE’s Special Services brought her 15 year old daughter to work. Lauren Boubel is a freshman at Morse High School in Bath. Densmore says the highlight of the day was showing her daughter what an Individual Education Plan is, its importance, why it is needed, and all the components of an IEP.
Child Development Services Finance Director Pamela Grimshaw brought her little sister to work (Pamela is in the Big Sisters Program and has enjoyed her little sister’s company for the past year now). There was a lot of curiosity about the workplace. Pamela says, “The opportunity to tour the Blaine House and State House was exciting until she saw a 3D printing demo. That was the icing on the cake!”
Special Services Education Specialist Tammy Holmes brought her two daughters, age 10 and 15, along with one of her daughter’s friends to work. They were most impressed with the tour of the Blaine House and the rich history and artifacts. Gabriella, fifth grader from Gray Middle School, enjoyed the Senate chambers.
School Finance Manager Paula Gravelle shared her work day with five children between the ages of 11 and 16. Two attend public school, two attend private Christian school and one is home-schooled. “I wanted them to have an opportunity to see where the work of the State is done and how some of the state government works in the real world, not just from a lesson plan or a textbook,” she says. Aside from the tours, her gang enjoyed the Maine State Museum scavenger hunt and the “fossil” hunt at the State House.
Web Coordinator Crystal Sullivan’s daughter Natalie enjoyed the scavenger hunt at the Maine State Museum as well. The other big hit with Natalie was the 3D printer demonstration at the Maine State Library. At the end of the day Sullivan’s daughter exclaimed, “Mom, I wish I could go to work with you every day.”
Special Services Specialist Staci Fowler brought her daughter McKayla, a freshman at Gardiner High School, to work for the day. She got to see how a database works and how to prepare mailings.
In addition to the work accomplished for a “show and tell” day, our sons and daughters, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and friends got to meet fellow Maine DOE employees. Fowler says, “We all spend so much time together; it was great that my daughter got to put names with the faces of my other ‘family’ and visa-versa.”