Maine DOE team member Anne-Marie Adamson is being highlighted this week as part of the Get to Know the Maine DOE Team Campaign. Learn a little more about Anne-Marie in the question and answer below.
What are your roles with DOE?
I am working on the Federal Monitoring Team in the Office for Special Services. In my role, I review district’s compliance for following special education federal and state guidelines. An important part of this process is providing technical assistance and support for special education administrators and teachers through professional development, office hours and individual meetings. I am part of a great team of colleagues for this work and really enjoy getting to know all the talented special educators around the state through our trainings. Typically, my job would entail travelling to the districts but for the time being, we are doing quite a bit remotely. We all are all looking forward to being able to get back on the road again, hopefully sooner rather than later!
How or why did you decide on this career?
Originally I chose the field of special education because I enjoy teaching to individual needs and the joy and excitement that comes when a child learns a new skill. I decided to work for the Maine DOE because I felt that supporting teachers and ultimately children through a wider lens would be more fulfilling. I truly believe that all children deserve the best possible education they can, regardless of their abilities and I believe that providing support for teachers through this process is hopefully making a difference for all children. It has been both challenging and rewarding providing this support as we switched this fall to remote and hybrid learning models.
What do you like to do outside of work for fun?
Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my husband on our small farm raising sheep, goats, pigs and chickens. We garden vegetables and fruits and also process wool. We have six children and four grandchildren that we enjoy getting together with as much as possible. Exploring the State of Maine is something I also truly love doing whenever I can from the mountains to the coast!