The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is pleased to join the Alternative Education Association of Maine (AEA) in celebrating three outstanding educators as the recipients of the 2026 Alternative Education Educator of the Year Award. This annual award honors alternative educators who make a meaningful and lasting impact on students, create innovative learning opportunities, and demonstrate a strong commitment to advocating for students and the field of alternative education.
The 2026 Alternative Education Educator of the Year awardees are:
Kathleen (Kaity) Getchell The Learning Center at Frank Jewett – Bonny Eagle High School, MSAD 6
For 16 years, Kathleen “Kaity” Getchell has dedicated herself to supporting students through The Learning Center at Frank Jewett. She is recognized for meeting students where they are, developing specialized learning opportunities, and helping each student reach their full potential.
Getchell creates meaningful experiences for students through hands-on activities, trips, school-wide opportunities, and partnerships with school personnel to support postsecondary pathways. Her commitment extends beyond the classroom as she serves as a trusted family liaison, connecting students and families with resources, support, and encouragement when they need it most.
She has organized countless student experiences that provide opportunities for teamwork, personal growth, and the development of life skills. She also works closely with students to help them complete academic requirements, plan for graduation, and remain connected to their larger school community through events and milestones such as prom, yearbook, senior celebrations, and school activities.
Through her compassion, advocacy, and unwavering support, Getchell ensures students in alternative education feel valued, connected, and prepared for their futures.
Tristen Hinkle Marti Stevens Learning Center, MSAD 54
Tristen Hinkle has played an integral role in shaping and strengthening the alternative education program at the Marti Stevens Learning Center. She is celebrated for her deep commitment to student success and her ability to build strong relationships with students who need additional support and connection.
Hinkle creates engaging learning experiences by connecting students with community partners, guest speakers, field trips, and opportunities outside the classroom. She uses trauma-informed practices and approaches challenges with patience, compassion, and a solutions-focused mindset.
Beyond her work with students, Hinkle is a strong advocate for alternative education educators and actively supports her colleagues by sharing ideas, resources, and professional learning opportunities. Her dedication to continued growth and collaboration helps strengthen alternative education across Maine.
Heather Whitaker Gorham Middle School, Gorham School Department
Heather Whitaker exemplifies the dedication, compassion, and creativity that define outstanding alternative education. She approaches her work with joy and a deep commitment to helping students find success through meaningful relationships and innovative learning opportunities.
Whitaker connects students with local resources and community experiences, creating pathways for engagement and achievement. Her work serves as an example of how alternative education can empower students through personalized support and opportunities that meet their individual needs.
In addition to her work with students, Whitaker has contributed to education across Maine through her involvement with various organizations, including Educate Maine, where she has helped design and implement professional learning opportunities for educators statewide through the Teach Maine Center. She also supports and elevates educators through her role as the 2020 Maine Teacher of the Year and her ongoing work with the Maine County and State Teachers of the Year Association (MCSTOYA).
Through her leadership, advocacy, and commitment to students and educators, Whitaker demonstrates the impact one dedicated educator can have on an entire learning community.
The Maine DOE congratulates Kathleen Getchell, Tristen Hinkle, and Heather Whitaker on this well-deserved recognition and thanks them for their continued dedication to Maine students and the field of alternative education.
Content for this article was provided by the Alternative Education Association of Maine (AEA). To submit a good news story to the Maine DOE, please fill out the good news submission form.
Mountain Valley Middle School alternative education students and teachers Shane Smith and Anthony Mazza gather for a group selfie.
At Mountain Valley Middle School, students in the alternative education program begin each day with breakfast before heading to the gym to reset, move, and prepare for learning. They then gather in a morning circle to review schedules, discuss upcoming activities, reflect on current events, and practice strategies for managing stress and conflict. Co-alternative education teachers Shane Smith and Anthony Mazza use these routines to create consistency, strengthen relationships, and set a positive tone for the day.
Each day of the alternative education program at Mountain Valley Middle School begins with breakfast, a movement break, and a morning circle.
For many students, the program offers a learning environment built around connection, structure, and support. Launched during the 2023-2024 school year for grades 6-8, the program was designed to provide a flexible, relationship-centered approach for students who benefit from a different path to success than a traditional classroom setting may provide.
“We built the ship as we were sailing it,” Smith said.
What began as a new and evolving program quickly developed through reflection, collaboration, and responsiveness to student needs. During the program’s early stages, students and staff temporarily worked out of a recreation center while school buildings underwent mold remediation. This required creativity and adaptability from everyone involved.
“At the time, we were figuring everything out in real time,” Smith said. “We had difficult days, but we kept reflecting, adjusting, and learning from what students needed.”
The program now operates within the main school building. It’s a transition staff say has strengthened students’ sense of inclusion and connection to the larger school community.
“We’re visible now,” Smith said. “Our students are part of the school community. They aren’t separated or hidden away.”
Building Learning Around Relationships, Engagement, and Community
From the beginning, Smith and Mazza designed the alternative education program as an environment where students feel engaged in their learning.
“It’s important that this isn’t a dumping ground,” Smith said. “We want students to feel supported, challenged, and connected.”
The program serves approximately 14 students with a student-to-staff ratio of about seven7 to one. Students follow a full-day schedule that blends academics, structured supports, and experiential learning opportunities designed to make coursework accessible and meaningful. Core instruction is adapted to meet a range of academic needs. Smith and Mazza use shorter instructional segments, guided practice, and frequent feedback to help students build confidence and remain engaged.
Project-based and place-based learning are also central to the program. Students participate in activities such as designing aquaponics systems, bridge-building challenges, 3D printing, and explorations of local Rumford history that connect classroom concepts to real-world experiences. Collaborative writing, journaling, and creative projects are also implemented regularly to encourage self-expression and communication.
Mountain Valley Middle School alternative education students engage in hands-on, real-world learning experiences—planting seedlings, sorting historical events into patterns of change, and building bridges—applying high-interest activities to strengthen the acquisition and application of knowledge.
“We want learning to feel connected to something real,” Smith said. “Not just something happening on paper.”
Students regularly participate in field trips, outdoor learning opportunities, guest speaker visits, and service-learning projects that extend learning beyond the classroom. They also contribute through volunteering, food pantry support, and local clean-up efforts, while activities such as hiking and trail walks provide opportunities for reflection, teamwork, and personal growth.
Mountain Valley Middle School alternative education students and teachers Shane Smith and Anthony Mazza fill the community wood-bank and conduct clean-up efforts. These measures help students feel connected to their local community.
“A lot of our students are confined to a small part of town,” Smith said. “Getting outside, exploring, volunteering, and connecting learning to the community makes a huge difference.”
Mountain Valley Middle School alternative education students explore both their local and broader community through experiential, outdoor learning opportunities. Smith shared that, “Being outside lowers stress and cortisol and increases serotonin and happiness levels. Time spent outside improves focus and invites exploration, questioning, and discovery. It’s ever-changing, multi-sensory, and novel. Our trips are challenging and require persistence. Nature is the antidote to heavy screen time and the quick dopamine it provides.”
Across subjects, the focus extends beyond academic completion to helping students develop persistence, confidence, and a stronger sense of belonging in school.
Supporting the Whole Student
Alongside academics, the alternative education program prioritizes emotional regulation, relationship building, and student wellness. Structured morning meetings help students prepare for the day while creating routines that foster stability and predictability.
When students become overwhelmed, Smith and Mazza focus on helping them regulate and re-engage. Students may take a walk or use breathing strategies before returning to instruction. Movement and physical activity are intentionally built into the schedule, giving students opportunities to reset and return to learning more focused and ready to engage.
Mountain Valley Middle School alternative education students take quick breaks outdoors (jumping into a pile of fall leaves) and indoors (engaging in “A Gentle Rain,” a silent, collaborative tile-laying game designed to help ground and regulate students before their next class).
The program also incorporates counseling support provided by the school’s counseling and social work teams, helping students build practical coping and communication skills. Smith and Mazza work closely with families and outside providers when needed, recognizing that strong support systems play an important role in student success.
Mountain Valley Middle School alternative education students participate in a daily wellness class twice a week when Sydney Rowe, middle school counselor, helps them to build emotional intelligence skills.
“One thing we’ve learned is that we can’t do this work alone,” Smith said. “Students need systems of support around them.”
As schools across Maine continue exploring ways to support students with diverse strengths and needs, alternative education programs like the one at Mountain Valley Middle School highlight how alternative education can provide innovative, student-centered environments where relationships, flexibility, and meaningful engagement help students build confidence, reconnect with learning, and experience success.
Co-alternative education teachers Mazza and Smith wear matching, handmade crochet sweaters. They say they’re looking forward to the 2026-2027 school year as they continue to grow and craft their middle school alternative education program.
Members of the REACH School gather around founder the late Dot McMahan.
The Rural Educational Alternative Community Middle/High (REACH) School in Bucksport is a private, nonprofit alternative middle and high school program designed to meet students where they are academically, socially, and emotionally. Serving students from RSU 25—which includes Bucksport, Orland, Prospect, and Verona Island—as well as surrounding communities, the REACH School provides an alternative learning environment centered on engagement, relationships, and individualized support for students who have struggled to find success in traditional school settings.
Within a small, community-based environment, students at the REACH School reconnect with learning through hands-on instruction, consistent relationships, and real-world application. The REACH School emphasizes student responsibility for academic progress, personal growth, and goal setting, while fostering collaboration among students, families, staff, and the broader community.
Leadership and Student Connection
The REACH School director and teacher Seth Laplant joined the program in 2020 after nearly two decades working in education.
“Students can’t really learn until they feel comfortable and curious,” Laplant said.
In his dual role at the program, Laplant said he has noticed that many students arrive having experienced long-term academic and personal challenges that affected their confidence in school.
“What many of them share is that they’ve stopped believing they can be successful in school,” Laplant said.
Teacher Holly Cough began working at the school as a volunteer before transitioning into a full-time teaching role. She now works alongside Laplant, supporting students through academic instruction and social-emotional learning.
Cough said the focus of their work is on rebuilding confidence by creating an environment where students feel safe enough to take risks.
“When students stop being afraid to fail, they start taking chances again,” Cough said.
Program Background and Approach
The REACH School was founded in 1987 by a group of educators to provide both adult and alternative education. Later, the program narrowed its focus solely to alternative education. Over time, the school developed a model centered on individualized instruction, student responsibility, and community connection.
Many students who attend the program have experienced anxiety, interrupted educational pathways, or difficulty engaging in larger school environments.
“There’s really no typical alternative education student,” Laplant said. “What we see is a wide range of needs but a shared experience of being disconnected from school.”
Instruction, Learning Structure, and Applied Learning
The REACH School provides flexible instruction for students in grades 7-12, with learners often working across multiple academic levels within the same classroom. Core academic areas include English, mathematics, science, and social studies, with an emphasis on individualized pacing, credit attainment, and applied learning aligned with graduation requirements.
Rather than progressing through content in a single sequence, students work across different skill levels based on their needs and progress.
“We’re looking at how students are engaging in the learning, not just whether they complete something,” Laplant said. “It shifts the focus toward growth and participation.”
That approach shapes daily instruction. Teachers use a blend of direct instruction, small-group collaboration opportunities, discussion-based learning, and independent work, allowing students multiple ways to access content and demonstrate understanding. Mathematics instruction ranges from “Math for Life,” which emphasizes financial literacy and real-world application, to algebra, geometry, and advanced independent study. English instruction spans foundational literacy development through college and career writing preparation.
Project-based learning is also embedded throughout instruction and used to connect academic content to real-world applications. Through Project REACH, students take on large-scale, student-led initiatives that require planning, collaboration, budgeting, and execution.
“These projects give students ownership over something real,” Cough said. “They’re not just completing assignments. They’re building something together.”
Recent examples include a student-run haunted house, developed after “Fright at the Fort” at Fort Knox was discontinued, where students organized, designed, and operated a community event. Smaller classroom projects also extend learning opportunities, including a “Little Free Art Library,” designed, built, and painted by students for community art exchange.
A REACH School student paints her version of The Starry Night.A REACH School student celebrates after learning how to start a primitive fire in ecology and igniting a spark for the first time.
Across classes, students regularly engage in group discussion, brainstorming, and collaborative problem-solving before transitioning into independent work.
“We hold students to high expectations,” Laplant said. “But we also meet them where they are.”
Life Skills, Responsibility, and Career Readiness
The REACH School integrates life skills instruction through “Adulting 101,” which includes budgeting, transportation, laundry, and independent living skills.
Students also participate in structured career exploration to support postsecondary planning and workplace readiness.
A defining feature of the program is shared responsibility for maintaining the school environment. With no custodial staff, students rotate duties such as cleaning, organizing, and maintaining shared spaces. This structure is intended to build accountability, independence, and real-world responsibility.
Student Support and Mentorship
The REACH School provides academic and social-emotional supports through school staff and community partnerships, reflecting broader statewide efforts to strengthen coordinated student support systems in alternative education settings.
The program partners with organizations such as Healthy Acadia and RSU 25 to provide access to recovery coaching, counseling supports, and social work services. These partnerships supplement available supports, particularly as demand for mental health and behavioral services continues to increase.
“It has helped us identify needs earlier and respond more quickly,” Cough said.
Within the school, additional support is provided through regular check-ins between staff and students focused on academic progress, well-being, and personal goals. Staff said these conversations are valuable for maintaining connection and early awareness of student needs, although capacity for formalized support remains limited.
As student needs continue to grow across alternative education programs statewide, educators say schools are increasingly relying on coordinated systems that combine school-based staff with regional providers to expand access without additional dedicated resources.
REACH School students enjoy the sun on a trip to Castine.
Due to the school’s small size, peer mentorship also plays a visible role in daily life. Students who have been in the program for a longer amount of time often support newer students as they adjust to academic expectations, routines, and the school environment.
A REACH School student volunteers at the library as part of the program’s weekly community service opportunities.
“We see students supporting each other in meaningful ways,” Laplant said.
School Culture and Daily Structure
Community-building is embedded in daily routines at the REACH School.
Each morning begins with a schoolwide meeting where students and staff participate in a “Question of the Day,” share updates, and engage in discussion. Topics often include personal experiences, school events, and broader social-emotional themes.
“As teachers, we participate in those conversations, too,” Cough said. “It helps build trust and openness across the school.”
Students who arrive late receive a shortened version of the meeting to remain connected to daily dialogue.
The school maintains traditions and student-led activities throughout the year, supporting connection, belonging, and engagement.
Post-Graduation Pathways
Graduates of the REACH School pursue a wide range of pathways, including college, technical training, employment, travel, volunteer service, and creative careers. Many remain connected to the program after graduation through volunteering or continued involvement with school activities.
Teachers and families often report increased confidence and independence among students who have completed the program.
“We hear from families and former teachers that students are completely different when they leave here than when they arrived,” Cough said.
As alternative education continues to evolve across Maine, the REACH School highlights how engagement-based instruction, real-world learning, shared responsibility, and strong relationships can help students reconnect with education and move toward meaningful future pathways.
REACH Students at the first REACH Prom.
This story was written in collaboration with Rural Educational Alternative Community Middle/High (REACH) School as part of an ongoing series to highlight alternative education programs across Maine. For more information about alternative education, please visit the Maine DOE Alternative Education webpage. To submit a good news story to the Maine DOE, please fill out the good news submission form.
An ALP student gains hands-on experience in plant care and propagation.
For some students, success in school begins when learning becomes more flexible, personalized, and connected to real life. At the Alternative Learning Program (ALP) located within Mt. Blue High School, alternative education teachers are working to create that environment through relationship-based instruction, project-based learning, and opportunities that extend beyond the traditional classroom.
ALP serves high school students from across RSU 9, including the communities of Chesterville, Farmington, Industry, New Sharon, New Vineyard, Starks, Temple, Vienna, Weld, and Wilton. Marian Harrison and Andrew Williams run ALP, which supports students through individualized learning pathways, community engagement, and flexible instructional approaches designed to help students reconnect with school and build confidence as learners.
“Alternative means more opportunities,” Harrison said. “We’re able to leave the confines of the classroom more often, focus on relationships, and give students more voice and choice in how they learn.”
The current model was redesigned approximately three years ago. Harrison, who has more than two decades of experience working in day treatment and alternative education settings, worked collaboratively with her school administrators to reimagine what alternative education could look like within the district, shifting toward a model centered on experiential learning, student ownership, and interdisciplinary instruction.
Harrison said the redesigned ALP model reflects a return to the relationship-centered approach that originally drew her to the work.
“We offer the same rigor,” Harrison said. “We just deliver it differently.”
Williams, who joined the program in 2024, said his path into alternative education began while working with students in both California and Maine who struggled in traditional school settings.
“I kept finding myself drawn toward helping students who needed school to look different,” Williams said.
Flexible Learning Built Around Student Voice
ALP currently serves approximately a dozen students in grades 9-12, with separate freshman and upper-class cohorts designed to meet different developmental and academic needs. Students apply to the program through an interview and referral process involving staff, families, counselors, and administrators.
Harrison and Williams said the program works best for students who want to graduate but may struggle within larger or more rigid educational settings.
ALP students explore winter ecology by learning about ice fishing, ice layers, and how seasonal climate conditions shape the frozen landscape.
“Some students are highly independent and feel boxed in by traditional structures,” Harrison explained. “Others are quieter students who get lost in larger classrooms. The smaller environment works well for both.”
Rather than following a strictly traditional bell schedule, the program incorporates flexible pacing, project-based learning, independent work, and community experiences throughout the school day. Students help shape many aspects of instruction, including projects, themes, and demonstrations of learning.
“ALP is a more hands-on learning experience. It helped me focus and stay in school,” an ALP student said.
An ALP student gains hands-on experience in the kitchen, learning how to create nutritious homemade meals as part of everyday learning.
“Students are really the drivers of what we do,” Williams said. “We build the standards into projects and experiences that connect to their interests.”
That flexibility allows students multiple ways to demonstrate mastery of academic standards. During a recent Maine history unit, for example, students created original board games featuring historical themes, geography, industries, and vocabulary tied to the curriculum.
“ALP is flexible when it comes to work and when it needs to be done. This fits my learning style, which is how I learn best,” an ALP student said.
“The standards stay the same,” Harrison said. “The pathway to demonstrate learning can look different.”
The program also integrates cross-curricular learning whenever possible. Students participating in hunting trips, firefighting training through the Foster Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center (the region’s CTE school), or community projects may document and reflect on those experiences through writing, science observations, or history connections that count toward coursework.
“English doesn’t live in a vacuum,” Williams said. “If a student is having meaningful experiences outside the classroom, we can often connect that back to academic learning.”
Learning Beyond the Classroom
Experiential learning is embedded throughout the program and frequently takes students into the community.
Through “Adventure Fridays,” students help plan and participate in off-campus learning experiences focused on environmental education, service work, and life skills. Recent activities have included stacking wood for community members, exploring local outdoor spaces, and practicing communication skills through interactions with unfamiliar community members.
“We’re teaching social skills and problem-solving while also building relationships and helping students connect with their community,” Harrison said.
Students also participate in greenhouse and aquaponics projects within the school, including raising tilapia and growing seedlings for both school and community gardens. Freshmen participate in a long-term “Mission to Mars” project that combines environmental science, inquiry-based learning, food systems, and engineering through work in the school’s greenhouse and hoop house.
Freshmen ALP students nurture both plants and knowledge as they learn about plant growth and care for the greenhouse, an important component of the ALP experience.
“We can spend time really elaborating on projects in a way that’s harder to do in a traditional classroom,” Harrison said.
Community partnerships also extend learning opportunities. Students assist with environmental cleanups, community gardens, and leadership activities throughout the school building. Recently, ALP students helped facilitate activities for the school’s unified program after being asked to step into leadership roles.
“They stepped up immediately,” Williams said. “When students feel trusted and valued, they often surprise themselves.”
Relationships and Restorative Support
Relationships and restorative practices are central to the program’s structure and culture. Students have access to district social workers and school-based support services, while Harrison and Williams prioritize communication, accountability, and relationship-building throughout the day.
“A lot of our work is helping students rebuild confidence in themselves as learners,” Harrison said.
“The teachers of ALP are easy to talk to and are my reason for coming to school every day,” an ALP student said.
ALP staff maintain ongoing communication with families through phone calls, meetings, and individualized planning.
“We’re all trying to make this work together,” Harrison said. “It has to be collaborative.”
The district’s support for the program has also been critical to its growth, according to Harrison and Williams. Leadership within RSU 9 has supported the program’s flexibility and encouraged innovative approaches to instruction and student engagement.
“Alternative educational opportunities are a much-deserved opportunity for some of our students who need alternative settings and learning ideas from their educators and school. It is about what learning can be about for them,” RSU 9 Superintendent Christian Elkington said. “Under the guidance of Ms. Harrison and Mr. Williams, students are given the opportunity to think, ‘What if we tried it this way?’ or, ‘What if we learned this standard through…?’ A true collaborative, shared, family spirit is alive, thanks to our students and staff.”
Building Real-World Skills
Although the environment is intentionally flexible, Harrison and Williams emphasized that expectations remain high. Students are expected to participate actively, manage responsibilities, collaborate with peers, and contribute to the learning community. Many projects emphasize workplace readiness, communication, budgeting, and problem-solving skills.
One real-world example is the student-run school store, which helps fund many of the program’s projects and field experiences. Students manage inventory, pricing, budgeting, and federal nutrition compliance requirements while learning business and financial skills.
“We do not have a dedicated budget,” Harrison said. “So, students help run the store, and that gives us opportunities to fund projects and experiences ourselves.”
Educators say students are often surprised by the level of responsibility expected within the program.
“A lot of students come in thinking alternative education will be easier,” Williams said. “Then they realize we actually work really hard here.”
As schools across Maine continue exploring student-centered, flexible learning models, programs like ALP demonstrate how alternative education can provide students with rigorous academics, meaningful relationships, and opportunities to engage in learning in ways that feel relevant and authentic.
“Without ALP, I would have dropped out,” an ALP student said.
“The energy in alternative education is different,” Harrison said.
This story was written in collaboration with Mt. Blue High School (RSU 9) as part of an ongoing series to highlight alternative education programs across Maine. For more information about alternative education, please visit the Maine DOE Alternative Education webpage. To submit a good news story to the Maine DOE, please fill out the good news submission form.
A group of Innovations students enjoys the coast of Maine at Ship Harbor Trail in Bass Harbor.
Brewer School Department’s alternative education programs have developed into a connected system of supports that begins in middle school and continues through multiple high school pathways, offering students flexible options for learning, engagement, and graduation.
What began as a small, in-person alternative education program called “ALPHA,” serving about 25 students, has expanded into a multi-tiered system that now includes a middle school alternative education program called Innovations Academy, as well as high school alternative education pathways through the ALPHA Academy in-person program, the online and hybrid Nu Program, and Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO). Together, these programs serve approximately 126 students across grades 6-12.
Staff describe the model not as separate programs but as a connected pathway built around one guiding idea: Students do not all take the same road, but they all deserve a road that leads to success.
“We didn’t build this as one fixed program,” Chris Moreau, Alternative Education Program Coordinator and Nu Program teacher, said. “We built it because students needed different ways in.”
Middle School Innovations Academy: Early Engagement and Flexible Foundations
Brewer’s middle school alternative education program, Innovations Academy, serves approximately 26 students in grades 6-8 and offers flexible schedules and individualized supports that blend academic instruction, social-emotional learning, career exploration, and community engagement. Cami Carter oversees Innovations Academy alongside her educational technician, Danny Schlaefer, creating programming designed to help students build confidence, resilience, and readiness for high school.
Innovations Academy students do not follow a single uniform schedule. Instead, programming is tailored to each student’s needs, strengths, and learning style. Instruction combines academic skill-building with applied, hands-on learning experiences. Project-based learning is a central component, allowing students to connect math, science, and problem-solving to real-world situations.
“We’re trying to make learning something students can access,” Carter said. “A lot of students haven’t had success in traditional settings. This gives them a different entry point.”
Community-based learning is a defining feature of Innovations Academy. Every week, students leave the classroom to explore careers, businesses, colleges, and community organizations throughout the region. Over the course of two years, students have explored more than 60 career pathways, including marine science, health care, plumbing, culinary arts, theater, athletics, landscape architecture, and the trades.
From left to right: Current and former Innovations Academy students Trysten Roy, Zander Doph, and Bria Davis prepare to assist with flying a plane at Maine Instrument Flight school.Innovations Academy students Vinny Arruda and Eli Infinger dissect squid at the UMaine 4-H Camp and Learning Center.
Experiences have included working with the Penobscot Theatre Company to learn about technical theater careers, visiting the University of Maine at Orono for hands-on science exploration, touring technical education programs, and engaging with Maine Maritime Academy through tugboat experiences. Students also participate in outdoor and community-based learning such as hiking, horseback riding, and ocean exploration.
Innovations Academy student Brady Young poses with his new best horse friend at Lincoln Pony Pals.Innovations Academy students Tori Splan, Khloe Smith, and Paul Davison enjoy the ocean on a tugboat at Maine Maritime Academy after learning about various maritime careers.
“We want students to start seeing what’s possible,” staff said. “Even if they don’t know yet what they want to do, they begin to understand what exists.”
Carter said these experiences are designed not only to expose students to careers but also to help them build confidence, as they navigate unfamiliar environments, interact with adults, and persist through discomfort in new situations.
“Watching their world open up is one of the best parts,” Carter said.
Beyond academics, Carter emphasized that the program is intentionally built around relationships and emotional support. Teachers, support staff, and counselors often serve multiple roles throughout the day as instructors, mentors, advocates, and consistent/trusted adults for students navigating anxiety, family challenges, or school disengagement. Students are also connected with school-based counseling, social work supports, and community resources when needed, reinforcing a broader wraparound system designed to remove barriers to learning.
The Transition to High School: Building Individual Pathways
A key focus of Innovations Academy is preparing students for the transition to high school, with an emphasis on ensuring the shift does not disrupt support systems or academic progress.
Carter works closely with students and families to build individualized transition plans that may include traditional high school enrollment or placement into Brewer’s alternative education pathways. Staff said the goal is not to place students on a fixed track but rather to design pathways that can shift as students’ needs evolve.
Through grant funding, eighth-grade students are able to participate in summer transition activities, high school visits, scavenger hunts, and meetings with teachers, administrators, tutors, and ELO staff before entering ninth grade. These experiences help reduce anxiety and build familiarity with the high school environment.
“We’re already thinking about graduation in middle school,” Carter said. “That transition matters.”
Carter also continues to support many students into high school, maintaining communication, monitoring academic progress, and helping students navigate challenges during the critical first year of ninth grade. Staff emphasized that maintaining these trusted relationships is often what keeps students engaged and on track. Last year, all 14 eighth-grade students who transitioned to ninth grade remained on track to earn graduation credits.
Carter said the system is designed to remain flexible. Students may move into traditional high school, the ALPHA Academy, Nu Program, or a combination of supports, depending on their needs.
“It’s not about locking them into a path. It’s about finding what works,” Carter said.
At the high school level, the alternative education system expands into three interconnected pathways, each designed to provide structure while allowing flexibility and movement between programs.
The ALPHA Academy, founded by alternative educator David Morris and co-taught for more than 20 years alongside fellow alternative education teacher Steven Bloodsworth, provides in-person instruction centered on core academics with flexible pacing and individualized support. Morris and Bloodsworth serve not only as teachers but also as advisors, mentors, and a consistent adult presence, building long-term relationships with students that often extend beyond academics.
The Nu Program, overseen by Chris Moreau, blends online coursework with structured in-person supports and regular check-ins. Moreau said the Nu Program was designed not as a fully remote model but as a flexible option that allow students who struggle in traditional school settings, face attendance barriers, or experience anxiety to maintain strong relationships, have accountability, and receive counseling support.=
Moreau said Nu Program has evolved significantly since its early pandemic-era roots, expanding as student needs grew and systems adapted.
“Alternative education thrives on relationships,” Moreau said. “Whether students are in person or online, they still need connection, consistency, and someone who knows them well.”
The ELO program, overseen by Kevin Napolillo, connects students directly to real-world learning experiences through internships, certifications, and community partnerships. Students explore career pathways in fields such as construction, health care, education, and technical trades while earning credits and building postsecondary skills.
Across all three pathways, students receive academic monitoring, counseling support, and consistent engagement with staff who track both academic and personal progress. Students can move between programs as their needs change, reinforcing the idea that pathways are flexible rather than fixed.
Alternative Education Pathways as a Key to Success
Moreau said this flexibility has been key to improving outcomes and keeping students connected to school systems that might otherwise have lost them.
For decades, graduation rates at Brewer High School remained steady between 85 and 87 percent, but in the past few years, they have climbed to just below 95 percent due to these innovative alternative education pathways.
Additionally, the Brewer School Department has adopted a local Disrupted Diploma option modeled after the Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) Educational Disruption Diploma. Brewer High School’s Disrupted Diploma requires students to earn 13 credits and, because it is district-based, allows some students to earn a diploma before completing four full years of high school.
Superintendent Gregg Palmer said the option has been a lifeline for a small but significant group of students, opening pathways to better employment opportunities, community college, military service, and other postsecondary options. Palmer said the pride students show when earning a Disrupted Diploma reflects how meaningful and hard-earned the accomplishment is.
A System Built on Relationships, Flexibility, and Belief in Students
Across both middle and high school programs, staff emphasize that relationships remain the foundation of student success. Students are supported by teams that include teachers, counselors, administrators, school psychologists, social workers, and community-based partners. The programs also work closely with school-based health services and mental health supports to ensure students receive wraparound care when needed. For example, Dr. Alison Glanville, Director of Psychological Services, works closely with the ALPHA and Innovation Academys, providing weekly mental health sessions to students.
Moreau said alternative education is not about lowering expectations but about removing barriers and helping students access success in ways that work for them.
“We don’t see this as separate programs,” Moreau said. “We see it as one system that adjusts to students.”
That system includes structured supports, frequent check-ins, individualized planning, and ongoing communication with families. Family input is considered central to placement decisions and ongoing student success.
“We’re not just focused on credits,” Moreau said. “We’re focused on keeping students connected long enough to succeed.”
Moreau also noted that alternative education continues to shift as stigma around nontraditional pathways decreases, with more families recognizing that multiple routes can lead to the same outcomes.
Looking Ahead
Brewer School Department’s alternative education programs continue to evolve with a focus on strengthening transitions between middle and high school, expanding career-connected learning and increasing access to flexible pathways that respond to student needs.
Moreau said the long-term vision is a system where students can move fluidly between supports as their needs change, without losing connection to school, adults, or academic progress.
“Students don’t all take the same road,” Moreau said. “Our job is to make sure there is a road for each of them.”
This story was written in collaboration with the Brewer School Department as part of an ongoing series to highlight alternative education programs across Maine. For more information about alternative education, please visit the Maine DOE Alternative Education webpage. To submit a good news story to the Maine DOE, please fill out the good news submission form.
Sheepscot students created this poster. Teacher John Hawley shared, ‘This says it all. I know there’s only one T in Sheepscot, but the sign was too perfect, and I didn’t have the heart to tell the kids they spelled it wrong.
At Mt. Ararat Middle School in MSAD 75, mornings in the Sheepscot Alternative Education Program begin not with a bell or worksheet but with music. On “Jazzy Tuesdays,” as students enter the classroom, the sounds of Herbie Hancock’s piano drift throughout the room, along with genuine and boisterous welcomes from alternative education teacher John Hawley and educational technician Huey Sheffler. As students find their seats, they settle into a “moment of chill” before the day begins.
“That time is intentional,” Hawley said. “We’re asking students to be fully present, so we create space for them to arrive, reset, and feel grounded before the day begins.”
A Different Approach to Learning
The Sheepscot Team has been redesigned from a small population in an all-day, secluded model to a thriving, project-based learning alternative education environment. Today, it serves 32 seventh- and eighth-grade students—about 16 students per grade—with a focus on relationships, project-based learning, and social-emotional learning.
Each day follows a consistent but flexible structure. After the morning’s “moment of chill,” students and staff head outside for their daily pond loop walk, regardless of the weather. The walk takes about five minutes and allows students to ground themselves in nature and connect with their classmates and teachers in a non-scripted manner.
“We go outside every day, no matter what,” Hawley said. “It’s part of who we are. Movement and fresh air help students regulate and get ready to learn.”
Sheepscot students on a pond loop walk following a fresh snow
Back in the classroom, students watch CNN 10 and generate questions about current events, which later fuel weekly review games and discussions.
From there, the day shifts into the heart of the program: project-based learning.
Learning That Feels Real
In Sheepscot, projects are not an add-on; they are the foundation of learning. Students explore rigorous academic projects through immersive, hands-on experiences that connect to real-world systems. Eighth graders are currently engaged in the “World Game,” where they design countries, manage resources, and navigate global relationships.
“You learn everything here, just in a different way,” one student shared. “It actually makes sense because you’re doing it. I feel smart in here.”
The seventh graders are currently working on a “Shark Tank”-style challenge to develop solutions to reduce plastic waste and address climate impacts. Each group approaches the problem differently, highlighting creativity, student voice, and healthy debate among students.
Other projects have included building skateboards to demonstrate Newton’s Laws of Motion and designing interdisciplinary units based on student interest, such as an exploration of ancient Pompeii.
Sheepscot students designing and building skateboards
“We give students choice through project menus,” Sheffler explained. “That ownership is what drives investment.”
An example of a project menu exploring the amendments to the US Constitution
Building Skills for Life
Beyond academics, the program integrates real-world skills into daily learning. Students participate in systems that simulate adult responsibilities, including personal finance and economic decision-making.
They earn paychecks based on attendance, work habits, and grades, allowing students to earn raises based on these behaviors. Students also learn about the stock market with investment profiles, credit scores, and stock market simulations. Students will soon experience a “bank run” that will wipe out their hard-earned savings.
A sample paycheck and Sheepscot students in line to deposit their weekly paychecks
“They feel the impact of their decisions, and that sticks with them,” Sheffler said.
Hawley and Sheffler intentionally include members of their school community in their learning. The Mt. Ararat Middle School office staff are invested members in the personal finance unit and have stock profiles. This approach teaches students that what they are learning in Sheepscot goes beyond their classroom walls.
Student Voice and Civic Engagement
Sheepscot students also engage deeply with civics and democratic processes. Through mock trials, elections, and student-led discussions, students explore topics like the presidency and Supreme Court.
In one activity, Sheepscot students simulated the three branches of the U.S. government. They elected a president who wanted the class to bake apple pies. The rest of the team served as a divided legislature trying to pass a bill for either blueberry or cherry pie. Three students were confirmed by the legislature to serve on the Supreme Court to uphold the rules of the process. By using structured argument and legislative-style processes, the bill for blueberry pie was vetoed, and the team enjoyed baking and eating apple pie.
“It sounds simple, but they’re learning how to think, debate, and listen,” Sheffler noted. “Those are lifelong skills.”
Sheepscot students participating in a mock Supreme Court confirmation hearing
Pathways Into the Sheepscot Team
Enrollment in the Sheepscot Team is intentional and collaborative, with a clear, structured process. First, sixth-grade teachers recommend students for the Sheepscot Team. Next, the principal and counseling team review these recommendations with Hawley and Sheffler. They prioritize students based on need, school engagement, and overall fit for the program. They also work to ensure students will be positive and productive contributors.
Selected students then become candidates. Hawley contacts families to explain the program to them and obtain permission to move forward with the process. This step helps to establish an early foundation for positive relationships. Hawley and Sheffler then interview candidates to assess readiness for a project-based model of teaching and learning. Finally, candidates participate in a “Sheepscot experience.” This allows both staff and students to reflect on whether the program is the right fit for seventh grade.
“This only works if students want to be here,” Hawley emphasized. “It’s an opportunity, not a placement.”
Accepted students receive a “golden ticket” invitation. Hawley and Sheffler say they want students to know that it is a privilege to be part of this community.
An important piece to the enrollment process is how the Sheepscot Team begins building connections with prospective students early. All sixth graders participate in rotating five-week enrichment blocks that occur throughout the school year, introducing students to project-based learning and the program’s routines. Students work in teams and build team identities by creating team names, mottos, and handshakes. Then, they take on various challenges.
These enrichment blocks strengthen the Sheepscot Team’s connection with the school by including all students. They also allow Hawley and Sheffler to start to build relationships with future Sheepscot Team students, ensuring that the students entering the program are a good fit.
Connected to Community
While the program offers a distinct learning environment, it is not isolated. Students participate in mainstream classes and school activities, and staff across the school community engage with Sheepscot projects.
Families stay connected through regular updates and project sharing, and a new alumni initiative invites former students back to mentor and support current participants.
“We’re not an island,” Sheffler said. “This is part of a larger community that believes in these kids.”
A Model That’s Working
With a growing waitlist and strong student outcomes, the Sheepscot Team stands as a powerful example of what’s possible when education is designed around relationships, relevance, and student voice. Students, staff, and families all have stories of transformation, new friendships, and moments when a student who once dreaded school suddenly can’t wait to show up.
“There’s a sense of joy here,” Hawley reflected. “Students feel like they belong, and that makes all the difference.”
As Maine schools continue to explore innovative approaches to learning, programs like Sheepscot offer a compelling reminder: When students are engaged, supported, and seen, they thrive.
Sheepscot 7th graders
This story was written in collaboration with Mt. Ararat Middle School in MSAD 75 as part of an ongoing series to highlight alternative education programs across Maine. For more information about alternative education, please visit the Maine DOE Alternative Education webpage. To submit a good news story to the Maine DOE, please fill out the good news submission form.
Pictured: Dirigo Program students make mini cupcakes for an open house to welcome RSU 24 community members to learn about the new alternative education program.
At Sumner Memorial High School in RSU 24 (Eastbrook, Franklin, Gouldsboro, Mariaville, Sorrento, Steuben, Sullivan, Waltham, and Winter Harbor), a new alternative education program is helping students reconnect with their education.
A few years ago, Sumner Memorial High School’s previous alternative education program, Pathways, was dissolved. Not long after that, school leaders noticed a troubling trend: The local dropout rate had increased. Determined to respond, Amy Watson, principal of Sumner Memorial High School, partnered with staff to reimagine a program that could once again support students whose needs were not being met in traditional settings.
The result is the Dirigo Program, which in its first year has created an environment designed to balance flexibility, accountability, and strong student support. The program currently serves 16 students in grades 10-12. Led by teachers Lexi Tracey and Michael Mutlu, it offers a highly individualized, relationship-centered approach to alternative education, helping students reconnect with their learning and stay on track for graduation.
A Personalized Approach to Learning
At the heart of the Dirigo Program is a commitment to student-centered learning. Students follow a variety of schedules. Some attend full-time, while others split their day between mainstream classes, online coursework, and the alternative education program. This flexibility allows students to stay connected to school while managing responsibilities outside the classroom.
“We recognize that not all students learn the same way, and not all students are navigating the same life circumstances,” Mutlu shared. “Our goal is to provide structure and support while also honoring their independence.”
Enrollment in the program is intentional. Students may self-refer or be referred by a school counselor, social worker, administrator, or family member. Before joining, prospective students meet with Tracey and Mutlu. Each student participates in an interview, shadows the program, and learns about and commits to the program’s expectations through a signed agreement. This process helps ensure students are enrolling in the program for the right reasons, are ready to engage, and will benefit from the opportunity.
Reengaging Students Through Flexibility and Support
This personalized approach is especially impactful for students who have struggled in traditional settings. For many, the Dirigo Program offers a critical second chance. One student, now enrolled in a hybrid schedule through an online platform, had previously struggled to stay engaged in the mainstream setting. After facing challenges during their sophomore and junior years, they found renewed motivation through the program.
“They like the accountability and guidance,” Tracey explained. “They also, though, appreciate that we understand life can be complicated.”
Now back on track, this student is expected to graduate on time, which they shared seemed impossible to them at one point.
In this coastal community, many students work in the local lobstering industry, often taking on long hours or overnight shifts to support their families. In the past, these responsibilities sometimes led students to disengage from school altogether. This program, though, takes a different approach.
Two Dirigo Program seniors break down traps at Traps 2 Treasure, an OceansWide project focused on cleaning ghost gear out of Maine oceans and recycling the materials, for a community service project in March 2026.
Through a structured check-in system, students communicate with teachers about their work schedules. This allows staff to provide flexibility around attendance while maintaining high academic expectations. Tracey and Mutlu have developed individualized tracking systems to monitor each student’s progress, breaking coursework into weekly goals and manageable steps. This model helps students balance real-world responsibilities with their education without feeling penalized for circumstances beyond their control.
“It’s about respect,” Mutlu noted. “These students are contributing to their families and communities, but they are still kids who need support and opportunities to succeed.”
Looking ahead, Tracey and Mutlu say they hope to expand opportunities for these students for extended learning opportunities (ELOs) and strengthen pathways into the trades. These efforts would further align students’ education with their career goals while supporting local workforce needs.
Hands-On, Interdisciplinary Learning
In addition to flexible structures and strong relationships, instruction in the Dirigo Program emphasizes project-based, interdisciplinary learning aligned with school and state standards and is held to high academic rigor.
Students have engaged in a range of creative and rigorous projects, including:
Designing and scaling a large window display, integrating math and art.
Researching influential women for an International Women’s Day project, combining English and history.
Participating in a mock legislative session, where students developed and defended positions on real-world issues.
Completing interactive, project-based work in science and social studies.
Tracey and Mutlu collaborate closely with their mainstream colleagues to ensure students remain on track academically, even as their learning experiences look different. The success of the program relies on strong collaboration across the school community. Regular coordination with the school counselor, school social worker, and administrators is critical for monitoring students’ progress and providing wraparound supports.
Tracey and Mutlu also maintain consistent communication with families, sending weekly updates that highlight attendance, academic progress, and student growth. Families have expressed appreciation for this level of connection, allowing them to know that their students are being supported.
“RSU 24’s students’ families typically only get calls from the school when something bad has happened,” Tracey said. “Our weekly updates in the Dirigo Program shift this narrative by sharing the positives and building trust with our families, so we can work together to support our students.”
Celebrating Success and Changing the Narrative
The Dirigo Program is not only redefining how students learn but also reshaping how they are celebrated and recognized for their work and contributions to the school community.
At Sumner Memorial High School, the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework is deeply embedded in the school culture, with a strong emphasis on recognizing student achievement. As a result, Tracey and Mutlu ensure that students in the the program are acknowledged at the school level during monthly assemblies. This visibility helps both students and staff better understand the program and appreciate the positive impact it is having across the school.
These efforts reflect a broader goal: ensuring that every student feels seen, valued, and capable of success.
“We want our students to know they belong here and that their story isn’t finished yet,” Tracey shared.
At the Dirigo Program’s Senior Application Day, seven seniors gathered with a school counselor to apply to post-secondary programs. The underclassmen cooked and served breakfast for the seniors, as they worked on scholarship applications.
Although the Dirigo Program is only in its first year, it is already making a meaningful impact on the RSU 24 school community. Tracey and Mutlu will have six seniors graduating from the Dirigo Program this spring who are planning to pursue a variety of post-secondary plans, including college and the workforce.
This story was written in collaboration with Sumner Memorial High School (RSU 24) as part of an ongoing series to highlight alternative education programs across Maine. For more information about alternative education, please visit the Maine DOE Alternative Education webpage or contact Aubrie Howard, Maine DOE Student Success and Wellbeing Specialist, at aubrie.howard@maine.gov. To submit a good news story to the Maine DOE, please fill out the good news submission form.
At Ellsworth High School, the alternative education program known as “4th Door” is built on a simple but powerful belief: Students succeed when they feel seen, supported, and connected. Through a personalized and flexible approach, this program helps students reach their unique potential while contributing to their learning community.
The 4th Door serves approximately 30 students in grades 11 and 12 each year. Teacher Christopher Betts has led the program for the past eight years.
“This program works because I am working with students—not just the material,” Betts said.
From left to right: Alternative educator Chris Betts, and ed techs Greg Lounder and Kristi Alexander.
Student Agency at the Center
A defining feature of the 4th Door is its emphasis on student agency. Entry into the program is intentional. Students are referred into the program by school staff, counselors, families, or they may self-refer. From there, students complete a reflective application that considers their goals, strengths, and readiness for an alternative learning environment.
Students and families meet with Betts, observe the program in action, and determine if it is the right fit. Once accepted, students sign a contract outlining shared expectations for success. The contract includes:
Attending classes, making progress, and completing assignments.
Passing both alternative and mainstream classes.
Limiting distractions that impact learning.
Giving back to the learning community.
These expectations create a foundation of accountability while reinforcing students’ ownership of their learning.
Personalized Pathways to Success
Each student in 4th Door follows a personalized learning pathway supported by clear structures and consistent guidance. The program emphasizes hands-on, project-based, and individualized approaches to meet diverse learning needs. Betts has developed a comprehensive Google Classroom, dedicating countless hours to curating a wide range of curriculum resources, scaffolded assignments, and instructional videos. He noted that alternative education teachers often act as “hoarders” of curriculum, collecting and organizing materials, so they can effectively meet students where they are.
Most of Betts’ students are enrolled in both mainstream and alternative classes. To support them in managing their coursework, he maintains individualized checklists that track progress across all classes. He works closely with students to set weekly goals, breaking larger assignments into manageable steps. This approach helps students build momentum, reduce overwhelm, and gain confidence.
The program’s flexibility allows students to:
Work at their own pace.
Explore topics aligned with their interests.
Engage in meaningful discussions about real-world issues.
Contribute to the development of learning materials.
This model places students firmly in the driver’s seat while ensuring they are supported every step of the way.
The program is also adaptable to individual postsecondary goals. For example, one of Betts’ seniors has been accepted to Eastern Maine Community College (EMCC) and the University of Maine (UMaine) to study mechanical engineering. He plans to attend EMCC for two years and then UMaine. Students in the program say it allows them to reconnect with their education and work toward their goals.
Accountability with Support
The 4th Door maintains clear expectations while also providing a highly supportive setting. Participation is viewed as a privilege, and students are expected to demonstrate effort and consistent progress.
When challenges arise, the program uses restorative practices to help students reflect, repair, and move forward. A structured system outlines expectations, consequences, and opportunities for students to regain good standing, and the system reinforces both responsibility and growth.
“This system allows for checks and balances. Students know I have their backs and that I will advocate for them, but they have to demonstrate they want to be here,” Betts said. “They do that by engaging in the program and contributing positively to our learning community.”
Connecting Learning to the Real World
Betts has recognized that many of his students balance full-time school with employment. In response, he has incorporated a work-based learning component into 4th Door by partnering with local employers to support students who need to work while attending school.
“Some students need to work. It is not a choice. They are showing up to school exhausted,” Betts explained.
Through the work-study component, students can earn up to two academic credits while developing essential career-readiness skills. Betts tracks progress by collecting pay stubs and employer evaluations, which focus on areas such as punctuality, professionalism, and communication.
Relationships at Its Core
At the heart of the 4th Door are authentic relationships. Social-emotional learning is not a separate initiative but something embedded in daily interactions and experiences.
Students consistently describe the program as a safe and inclusive space where they can be themselves without fear of judgment. For many, this sense of belonging is transformative. One student, for example, who struggled to engage in a traditional setting due to an undiagnosed chronic illness credits the program with helping them stay on track and ultimately graduate.
Betts explained that the classroom serves as a “home base,” especially for students who are experiencing anxiety. In this environment, students can show up authentically, build meaningful connections, and learn alongside peers with diverse experiences and learning styles.
A Dedicated Team
The program is supported by a dedicated team consisting of one teacher and two educational technicians. Together, they create a structured yet flexible environment that prioritizes responsiveness, relationships, and student success.
With eight years of experience leading the program, Betts emphasizes a guiding philosophy that this work is not just about delivering content; it is about supporting students as individuals and helping them build a path forward.
This story was written in collaboration with Ellsworth High School (Ellsworth School Department) as part of an ongoing series to highlight alternative education programs across Maine. For more information about alternative education, please visit the Maine DOE Alternative Education webpage or contact Aubrie Howard, Maine DOE Student Success and Wellbeing Specialist, at aubrie.howard@maine.gov. To submit a good news story to the Maine DOE, please fill out the good news submission form.
The Alternative Education Association (AEA) of Maine successfully hosted its 2026 Spring Conference on Friday, March 27, 2026, at Colby College in Waterville. The conference theme, “Building Resilience for All,”brought together alternative education teachers, administrators, superintendents, and school staff from across the state for a day of learning, collaboration, and renewed energy.
Nicole Davis, Maine DOE Emerging Technology Specialist, kicked off the AEA of Maine 2026 Spring Conference as keynote speaker and highlighted how alternative educators should navigate AI.
Nicole Davis, the Emerging Technology Specialist from the Maine Department of Education (DOE), kicked off the conference as the keynote speaker. Davis spoke about how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can spark powerful emotions—joy, fear, anxiety, excitement—and how alternative educators can navigate uncertainty, find confidence, and embrace AI as a meaningful tool to enhance teaching and learning.
Alternative educators at the AEA of Maine 2026 Spring Conference connected, engaged, and learned alongside one another, strengthening their work and advancing their impact.
Throughout the day, participants engaged in a variety of impactful sessions designed to support both student success and educator well-being through the alternative education lens. Presentation topics included:
AI and Alternative Education
Resonance Language (Empathy for Everyone)
Restorative Practices
From Awareness to Action: Strengthening Trauma-Informed Practice in Your Classroom
Substance Abuse (Peer Support) from SEED (Students Empowered to End Dependence)
Sustaining the Helpers: Practical Tools for Burnout and Compassion Fatigue
Beyond the High School Model: Redefining Middle School Alternative Education
Participants also had opportunities to share strategies, reflect on their practices, and build meaningful connections with colleagues dedicated to alternative education pathways.
From left to right: Jacqui Holmes, Tracey Menard, Tristen Hinkle, and Ryan Verill of AEA of Maine are leading the charge in alternative education in the state.
AEA of Maine extends its sincere thanks to all presenters, participants, and organizers, as this continued commitment to innovation, equity, and resilience in education is what drives this work forward.
AEA of Maine hosts a Fall and Spring conference every year. to the AEA of Maine welcomes new and veteran alternative educators, administrators, superintendents, and school staff (e.g., education technicians, school counselors, school social workers, community partners, etc.) who support this work.
To learn about future AEA of Maine events or to get involved with AEA of Maine, please visit the AEA of Maine website or contact AEA of Maine President Tristen Hinkle at thinkle@msad54.org or AEA of Maine Vice President Tracey Menard at menart@portlandschools.org.
For additional information or resources on alternative education in Maine, please contact Aubrie Howard, Maine DOE Student Success and Wellbeing Specialist or visit the Maine DOE Alternative Education webpage.
The Alternative Education Association (AEA) of Maine is currently accepting nominations for the 2025-2026 Alternative Educator of the Year award and the 2025-2026 Martin Mackey Memorial Scholarship for graduating seniors. AEA of Maine is also seeking submissions for a program honoring alternative education teachers and support staff who are retiring at the end of this school year. Submissions for all three opportunities are due by May 15, 2026.
The Alternative Educator of the Year award is intended to recognize an alternative educator who has provided exceptional opportunities and advancements for Maine’s alternative education students. For more information or to submit a nomination, please visit this link: 2025-2026 Alternative Educator of the Year Nomination.
The Martin Mackey Memorial Scholarship was established by the AEA of Maine in 2022 following the passing of Martin Mackey, a beloved education colleague and champion. This scholarship recognizes Mackey’s dedication to his career as an educator and his passion for working with students on alternative education pathways. For more information or to submit a nomination, please visit this link: Martin Mackey Scholarship Fund Nomination Form.
AEA of Maine is also honoring retiring alternative education teachers and support staff across the state. For more information or to recognize someone, please visit this link: AEA of Maine Retiree Form.
To learn more about any of these recognition opportunities or future AEA of Maine events, please contact Tristen Hinkle, AEA of Maine President, at thinkle@msad54.org or Tracey Menard, AEA of Maine Vice President, at menart@portlandschools.org.
For additional information or resources on alternative education in Maine, please contact Aubrie Howard, Maine DOE Student Success and Wellbeing Specialist or visit the Maine DOE Alternative Education webpage.
Maine DOE Newsroom 