Maine DOE team member Roy Fowler is being highlighted this week as the part of a Get to know the DOE Team campaign. Learn a little more about Roy in the brief question and answer below.
What are your roles with DOE?
I’m the Special Services team member that serves as the State Director of Child Development Services (special education and related services for infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children).
What do you like best about your job?
It’s an incredibly challenging job, but the CDS State Office team is amazing. It feels good to see the positive impact that our work over the past few years has had on the young children and families that we serve and on the almost 400 CDS staff out at the CDS regional sites.
How or why did you decide on this career?
Early intervention/early childhood special education weren’t on my radar when I decided to pursue a career in education. However, birth through age 5 is the period where we can have the greatest impact on development and potentially change the life trajectory of these children and their families.
What do you like to do outside of work for fun?
I’ve got an 1850 farmhouse, so there’s perpetual remodeling and repairs. I also have a big garden, chickens, occasionally bees, make maple syrup, and forage wild mushrooms.