Maine DOE team member Daniel Weeks is being highlighted as part of the Get to Know the Maine DOE Team Camping. Learn a little more about Daniel in the brief question and answer below.
What are your roles with DOE?
Currently I work as part of the ESEA Federal Programs team and I am the Title V (Rural Education Achievement Program or REAP as many know it) Coordinator, Title I Data Specialist, and the point of contact for the federal Teacher Loan Forgiveness (TCLI) program.
What do you like best about your job?
I really enjoy advocating for the rural school districts in the state, ensuring that they receive accurate information related to which program (state or federal) they should apply for as well as providing them with the knowledge as to what it means to receive Title V funding and the flexibilities that come with it.
How or why did you decide on this career?
After going to Johnson and Wales and getting my degree in Baking and Pastry Arts, I realized that the food service industry wasn’t where my heart was at, plus they made me work on Thanksgiving and Christmas. It was my time at J&W that made me realize that what I really wanted to do was become a math teacher. As I finished my degree at UMF the only thing I knew was that I wanted to have as big of an impact as I possibly could. After 5 years in the classroom I decided to get my masters in Education Administration so my area of impact could expand to an entire school rather than a single classroom. Upon completion of my degree the job at the Department opened up and I jumped on it, knowing that my impact could span across the state. I’ve been fortunate in my work to not only have impact in the state, but also some national impact as well.
What do you like to do outside of work for fun?
This year I’ve gotten into gardening and built my own raised garden beds where we are attempting to do some “square foot” gardening to maximize our vegetable yield to help reduce what we spend at the grocery store. I love spending time with my wife and 6 year old daughter. I also love games (both tabletop and video games) as I have a need to constantly be thinking, strategizing, and using my brain (I have a hard time sitting and watching TV as it just doesn’t engage me).