From Merrymeeting Adult Education to Yale University – How One Maine Student Found Her Own Path

“In middle and high school, I bounced around school-to-school missing many classes from being sick,” said Alyssa Diver, a former student of Merrymeeting Adult Education Program. When Alyssa’s senior year arrived, she realized that she would not be able to graduate with the credits she had accrued in high school. Eventually she went to Merrymeeting Adult Education Program in Topsham to try and find an alternative path.

After talking with Merrymeeting staff member Paul Elisha and doing some testing, Alyssa decided her best course was to get a GED (General Educational Development). After achieving her goal, Alyssa applied to the University of Maine at Augusta (UMA) for a degree in Biology.

“I wanted to go into the medical field but was unsure of exactly what profession,” said Alyssa. During the end of her freshman year at UMA, Alyssa decided to become a Physician’s Assistant (PA). She got thoroughly involved in UMA’s biology club, and aging forward initiative, and diligently worked toward a Bachelor of Arts in Biology, which she achieved in 2018.

“During the spring of 2018 I learned of a new Physician Assistant(PA) program, Yale Online PA Program and applied,” said Alyssa. “I thought applying, and interviewing there would be great practice for my future PA school interviews.” As Alyssa began applying to other PA programs, not thinking she would have a chance at getting into such a prestigious school, she got a phone a call that brought it all to a halt. She was accepted to the Yale Program.

“In January 2019, I began the most rigorous and intense two and a half years I had ever experienced,” said Alyssa. She has since graduated and taken her exam to officially become a PA. This summer Alyssa’s dream of becoming a PA became a reality when she started working in urgent care right here in Maine.

“Fall of 2013, I was an anxious young girl who did not think I would even be able to get a GED,” recalls Alyssa. “Fast forward 8 years. Through help, determination, and never giving up, I am now a Physician Assistant who loves to help my patients and make an impact in my community.”

ME, VT, and NH Consortia Saves Maine Schools over $73,000 on Seesaw Licensing

The Association of Computer Technology Educators of Maine (ACTEM) joined a 3-state-consortia this spring to offer lower pricing on Seesaw for Schools licensing for Maine districts, which has saved over $73,000 in Seesaw licensing costs for participating Maine schools.

A popular software system used by many districts throughout Maine, Seesaw offers a simple way for teachers and students to record and share what’s happening in the classroom and gives students a place to document their learning, be creative, and learn how to use technology.

The Seesaw consortia started with former Maine Department of Education staff member Jeff Mao, who is now the Executive Director of Vita-Learn, a Vermont based organization similar to ACTEM. Mao approached both ACTEM and representatives from New Hampshire with the idea of offering combined licensing in all three states. The consortia’s shared goal is to obtaining greater numbers of licenses by combining orders, which offers better pricing on Seesaw licensing for all.

For further questions about the 3-state consortia, contact ACTEM.

Greenbush Students Enjoy ‘Outdoor Adventure Classroom’

While COVID-19 has brought great disruption to schools, there also have been many opportunities and innovations, allowing schools to do something different. The surge of outdoor education programming across Maine is an exciting example.

At Greenbush Public Schools this year, PreK through second grade students are able to get outside in outdoor classrooms on campus and spend far more time breathing in the fresh air and enjoying the sunshine. Meanwhile, students in third through fifth grade have spent time in their camp chairs and at Acadia National Park, where they have been learning math, science and literacy concepts, and students in the middle school are participating in a year-round Outdoor Adventure Classroom on Caribou Pond.

“In addition to all the academics we normally do, our students are also learning about forestry, Maine waters, the woods, snow-shoeing, creating a walking trail, and basic survival skills,” said Greenbush Public Schools Superintendent & Building Administrator Gwen Smith. “This year, we expanded our Outdoor Adventure Classroom to include a paddling program for students in Grades 5-8.”

In Greenbush, along with all the important subjects of learning, they are also teaching students to love and appreciate the environment where they live and to cherish the friendships they forge when they fish, swim, gather wood for a fire, cut brush on a trail, and cook their own meals.

This story is part of the Maine Department of Education’s Schools Sharing Success Campaign. To learn more or submit a story or idea, email Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

SoPo Drug Free Communities Coalition Partners with Local Schools, Community Organizations to Host ‘Parent Connector’ Events

The South Portland (SoPo) Drug Free Communities Coalition (DFC): SoPo Unite-All Ages All In hosted a session for parents recently at the South Portland Community Center. The event featured a panel of high school seniors and a panel of community leaders, including Kevin Stilphen, the Director of PATHS (Portland Arts and Technology High School); Michele LaForge, Principal at South Portland High School; Lieutenant Todd Bernard of the South Portland Police Department; and Officer Caleb Gray, South Portland High School’s School Resource Officer. During the event, the students shared their hopes for the future, what is helpful and supportive in finding their path, and what can get in the way.

SoPo Unite hosts four “Parent Connector” events a year in a variety of neighborhoods throughout South Portland. The events include a range of topics connected to substance use prevention for youth. The most recent forum engaged parents in a discussion about the importance of students being future focused by exploring different paths toward achieving personal and professional goals.

“The goal is to educate parents on the importance for youth to have future aspirations, which is a ‘protective factor’ against substance use,” said Lee Anne Dodge, Program Director of SoPo Unite. She also noted that another important piece they share with parents during the Connector events is the impact of substance use on brain development and student potential.

The event was another success for SoPo Unite, sparking great discussion and questions among panelists and attendees. In the future they plan to have seniors speak to the junior class to share their advice on planning for after high school, and to have South Portland High School alum return to talk with current students about their experiences after high school.

The DFC Coalition: SoPo Unite-All Ages All In is one of eighteen DFC programs in Maine, and over 700 in the country. They work with twelve community sectors: youth, parents, schools, law enforcement, media, local officials, civic agencies, health care, youth, faith-based groups, other substance use prevention agencies, and businesses to bring awareness and education around substance use prevention for youth.

Lee Anne shared that research has shown that in communities where there is a DFC program, there are lower rates of substance use. “We just finished our first five years and were awarded another five years!”

For more information about DFC programs visit: Drug-Free Communities Support Program On the U.S. CDC Website or the national Drug-Free Communities (DFC) program website.

Resources to Assist Maine Schools with Record Retention Decisions

The Maine State Archives, in conjunction with the State of Maine Archives Advisory Board, establishes local government record retention schedules. These schedules include schedules for Maine schools.

All local government record retention schedules can be found on the State of Maine Archives website, but record retention schedules specific to schools can found in Schedule 18.

Training resources on how to manage records are available on the Maine Archives website, here.

If Maine schools or administrative unites need additional assistance with Maine’s record retention schedules, the State of Maine Archives is the best resource, and can be reached by emailing: recordsmanagement.archives@maine.gov

Resources to Help Maine Families Find Affordable Health Coverage

The State of Maine is running its own State-based insurance marketplace called CoverME.gov, where uninsured people or those who buy insurance on their own can get health insurance, usually with financial assistance. It is currently an open enrollment period, with next Wednesday, December 15 being the deadline to sign up for January 1 coverage. Open enrollment ends on January 15, 2022.

If you have families within your school community who might benefit from affordable health coverage, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has a toolkit with sample messages and other information to help schools promote this great opportunity.

To access these resources, visit CoverME.gov Partner Resources.

Public Meeting Notice for LD 313 Work Force Group on Career and Technical Education

On Wednesday, December 15, 2021 from 8:00-10:00 am, the Work Force Group for LD 313 will hold its third meeting, hosted virtually by the Maine Department of Education. LD 313 was passed in the 130th legislature and is focused on several topics regarding Career and Technical Education.

Anyone who wants to join the meeting as an attendee and listen to the discussion can use the following link:

Link to join Dec. 15th LD 313 Zoom Webinar: https://mainestate.zoom.us/j/86518407509

If you have any comments on the discussion, you can email them to cte.doe@maine.gov.

Maine School Safety Center to Offer Office Hours for School Staff

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Maine School Safety Center (MCCS) is happy to announce that they are offering virtual Office Hours to connect with Maine school personnel who oversee school safety planning. An open forum to bring questions, ideas or concerns, the team will be available to provide support and technical assistance every Tuesday and Thursday from 10am-11am thru February 17.

The office hours will provide an opportunity to check in and ask questions or seek support for subject matters such as:

Forming Collaborative Safety Teams
Resources for the prevention of youth violence
Recommendations to support a positive school environment
Multi Hazard mitigation and response plans
Site assessments
Climate Assessment
Training exercises
School Safety Services
SRO MOUs
SRO and Administrative Team building
SRO training opportunities

Please hop in for an informal discussion about any of the above listed topics, or any other way the Maine School Safety Center can support your school. If those days/times do not work, we are still available to do the same anytime by phone, email, Teams, or Zoom. As always, the MSSC can still be reached by email or phone to answer questions, collaborate, or commiserate.

Topic: Maine School Safety Center Virtual Office Hours

Time: Dec 7, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada). Every week on Tue, Thu, until Feb 17, 2022, 22 occurrence(s)

Join Zoom Meeting here (same link each meeting)

Please download and import the iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.

For further information contact Rob Susi, Coordinator of School Safety and Security Maine School Safety Center (MSSC) at robert.w.susi@Maine.gov

Phil Rossetti Named High School Assistant Principal of the Year

The students and staff at Windham High School (WHS) in RSU 14 received a surprise morning announcement by Superintendent Chris Howell recently, explaining that the Executive Director of the Maine Principals Association (MPA), Holly Blair was in the building and had good news to share:

“MPA recognizes outstanding high school assistant principals who have succeeded in providing high-quality learning opportunities for their students as well as demonstrating exemplary contributions to the profession,” said Blair during the morning announcement at Windham High School. “After much consideration, MPA has determined that Mr. Rossetti meets those standards and has decided to name him the Secondary School Assistant Principal of 2022.”

Rossetti’s role as assistant principal has made many impacts on the community. Captain William Andrew of the Windham Police Department works closely with Rossetti as a leadership team member for Be The Influence Coalition.

“Phil’s dedication, commitment, and most of all his heart for the betterment of education, the staff, and most importantly the students is what makes this a most deserved award,” said Captain Andrew.

His coworkers enjoy the opportunity to work with Rossetti, including WHS Principal Ryan Caron who has known Rossetti for over twenty years, eight of those years were teaching together at WHS in the social studies department. Rossetti was also one of Caron’s assistant principals at South Portland High School, and now they work together on the administrative team at WHS and have done so for the last four years.

“Phil puts the needs of our students and staff first in all things that he does,” Caron said. “He takes the time to really get to know both students and staff, which allows him to provide support and guidance that is appropriate for the individual while building lasting relationships. When you work with Phil you know that he cares about you and wants the best for you. Students and staff respect his honesty and integrity and believe that he has their best interests at heart.”

Superintendent Howell agrees with Caron and added that Rossetti does a great job mastering the skills and expectations of a vice principal.

“I have known and worked with Phil for close to 20 years,” Howell said. “He is a highly skilled administrator who has a huge heart for meeting the needs of students. Phil has always been able to focus on the big picture as he works to support the students at WHS. I cannot think of a more deserving person for this honor.”

Rossetti said that making a positive change in a student’s life is what motivates him to be the best he can be. “We work to find restorative practices and conversations to turn negative experiences and actions into something positive that create long-term change. People make mistakes and it’s what you do with those mistakes that matters.”

The newly named Assistant Principal of the Year said that his current job is the best job he’s ever had.

Rossetti lives in Raymond with his wife Sara and daughter Maria. When he is not busy at work, Rossetti enjoys golfing and vacationing with his family.

Get to Know the Maine DOE Team: Meet Kelli Deveaux

Maine DOE team member Kelli Deveaux is being highlighted this week as part of the Get to Know the Maine DOE Team Campaign. Learn a little more about Kelli in the question and answer below.

What are your roles with DOE?

I am the Director of Communications.

What do you like best about your job?

I love sharing stories about the amazing work of educators across our state and about the accomplishments of our students. I also enjoy celebrating and promoting the service that our DOE team provides to the field and helping to answer questions, find resources or make connections for people. I believe deeply that education is the greatest gift and most important responsibility of our society.

How or why did you decide on this career?

I was honored to be asked to assume this role in 2019, after 27 years in public education in Southern Maine. My background as a high school English teacher and then administrator gave me invaluable experience that shapes my perspectives and drives my commitment to ensuring that we use communication to inform, elevate and celebrate for the greater good. I love that I learn and am awestruck daily, but I still miss the day to day interactions with students.

What do you like to do outside of work for fun?

Whatever adventure I can find! We have 3 very involved and active kids, and sometimes I love to hide from them all and just read a great book in peace, but as a family we love to travel and explore, attend games to cheer on most NE teams, cook for and entertain friends and family, and we are rarely sitting still- whether it’s hiking, running, swimming or skiing, we are all in!