Lincoln Academy Hosts 30 Businesses at 3rd Annual Peter J. Benner Job Fair for Students in the Region

This spring, Lincoln Academy hosted its third annual Peter J. Benner ‘92 Job Fair in Nelson Bailey Gym. Lincoln Academy students, as well as students from Wiscasset Middle High School and AOS 93, were invited to meet local employers.

Representatives from local businesses set up tables and spoke with students about immediate job openings and long-term career paths in their fields. Each organization offered entry level jobs for those that want to move right into trades employment after graduation, as well as multiple career pathways in areas like banking, health care, manufacturing, engineering, design, computer science, marketing, and logistics to name a few. Many participating businesses have openings for weekend and summer employment as well.

Participating businesses were: Back Cove Yachts, Bangor Savings, Bath Savings, Bristol Parks and Rec, CLC Ambulance, CLC YMCA, Coastal Counties Workforce Solutions, Darling Marine Center, DiMauro Electric, First National Bank, Hagar Enterprises, Hannaford, Kieve Wavus, Lie-Nielsen Tools, Lincoln County 911, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, LCTV, Lincoln Health, Maine Kayak, Masters Machine, Mid-Coast Energy Systems, Midcoast Federal Credit Union, Mobius, Molnlycke, Padebco Boatyard, Renys, and Washburn Doughty. Lincoln Health brought six current employees who are also Lincoln Academy graduates to talk to students about their career paths at Lincoln Health.

“They came in the uniform that they wear to work, and represent both clinical and non-clinical jobs,” said Jen Kopp, Senior Talent Acquisition Partner. “We wanted students to know that there are many kinds of jobs at Lincoln Health, and not all of them involve direct patient care.”

Senior Mya Bessey is heading to nursing school next year, and she hopes to live outside of Maine for a while. “But I talked to Lincoln Health today, and I know they will hire me if I want to come home,” she said. “I already have an internship with the CLC Ambulance,” said Lincoln Academy senior

Ethan Barter, who joined the Alna volunteer fire department last year as a junior and “realized that I like helping people.” He plans to study paramedics and fire science next year at Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) and hopes to return to Lincoln County to work in emergency services. At the job fair he talked to Central Lincoln County 911 Dispatch, and Lincoln Health, who both had representatives at the fair.

Bill Morgner, President and Owner of Mid-Coast Energy, says his company is constantly in need of young people to enter the trades. Through Mid-Coast’s Pre-Apprenticeship and Apprenticeship programs, young people can work their way through professional licenses in the order that they choose. “We try to match young people with mentors based on their interests,” said Morgner. “Pre-Apprentices can start as soon as junior year, and we are always looking for people.”

Lincoln Academy senior Keegan Bond plans to take advantage of the Mid-Coast Energy apprenticeship program after graduation, and work through their junior apprenticeship program, which offers both hands-on experience and pays for apprentices to get licenses in the trades and they’ll pay for certifications over the next ten years. He hopes to follow in the footsteps of his brother Griffen Bond, who graduated from Lincoln Academy in 2022 and is currently pursuing his HVAC certification through the Midcoast Energy apprenticeship program.

“Engaging with adults who aren’t in your immediate sphere can be intimidating and awkward for young people,” Heather D’Ippolito, Director of Community Engagement and Development at Lincoln Academy. “We are so grateful to all of our community partners who made this fair an engaging and welcoming space for students.”

This story was submitted by Lincoln Academy. To submit good news about your school to the Maine Department of Education, complete our Good News Submission form.

Game Night at Beech Hill School Brings Together Families, Community, and Alum in Otis

Beech Hill School in Otis, Maine, hosted its first-ever Game On! The “Family Gala” event brought together students, staff, and families for a fun-filled community event, with attendees enjoying an evening of classic games and good company. From Checkers to Connect 4, LCR to Battleship, giant versions of Sorry, Candy Land, and Jenga to an UNO tournament, the event had something for everyone. The Beech Hill School gymnasium was transformed into a game room with board games, card games, and other fun activities.

Beech Hill School’s administration and staff organized the game gala to link home and school and create a space for family and community members to gather and connect. Since the Maine Educator Summit in August 2023, the district’s administrative team has been aiming to increase family engagement post-pandemic. Leaders have been strategic about the purpose and design of evening activities to increase family attendance and foster school connectedness.

In addition to the board games and other fun activities, hot meal items, snacks, and drinks were available for purchase at the event. The Beech Hill School Student Council organized a cake and pie auction where families could bid on delicious desserts donated by local bakeries and made by Hancock County Technical Center (HCTC) culinary arts students. Eighth graders hosted BINGO games throughout the evening, with prizes generously donated by local stores and restaurants. All proceeds go toward school-wide initiatives. Additionally, former (high-school-aged) Beech Hill School students returned to lead younger students in creating their own DIY game crafts.

The Game On! The Family Gala was a great opportunity for people of all ages to come together and enjoy a fun-filled evening while supporting the school’s programs. Warmer temperatures and thoughts of spring had already prepared everyone to shake off the winter doldrums and gather for the community event. The evening was a testament to the strong sense of community at Beech Hill School and will be remembered as a highlight of the school year. The school hopes to make this event a tradition and is already looking forward to next year.

This story was submitted by Beech Hill School. To submit good news about your school to the Maine Department of Education, complete our Good News Submission form.

Inclusive Education Webinar Series: The Way to Inclusion on May 22

The Office of Special Services and Inclusive Education invites you to join us in the first two webinars in our “Inclusive Education Webinar Series” presented by Dr. Kate Macleod, an innovative inclusive educator, researcher, author, and assistant professor of special education at the University of Maine Farmington.

May 22nd : The Way to Inclusion: How We Create Schools Where Every Student Belongs

Grounded in the work of Dr. Kate MacLeod’s latest book, The Way to Inclusion: How Leaders Create Schools Where Every Student Belongs (ASCD, 2023) this webinar will take participants through the inclusive school change process – from creating an inclusive vision, to identifying current successes and barriers to inclusion, reimagining roles of existing staff, and everything in between. Participants will leave with research-based ideas, practical resources, and advice from leaders who are implementing inclusive change in their schools and districts.

For more information, please contact anne-marie.adamson@maine.gov

Highlighting the Role of School Nurses Through the School Health Annual Report

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is highlighting the important work of school nurses this week in celebration of School Nurse Day on May 8.

For over 120 years, school nurses have been critical to all aspects of student health, including improving public health. Each year, school nurses statewide complete the School Health Annual Report. It is used to satisfy the requirements for health-related data collection, which includes emergency medication administration, vision and hearing screening data, and other points.

Vision and hearing screenings are required in Maine schools. In the 2022-2023 school year, school nurses coordinated 122,310 screenings. Of these, 7,082 were referred for further evaluation. Early learning and literacy skills can be delayed when students have undetected hearing or vision deficits. School nurses are responsible for directing and overseeing school health screening programs and following up with referred students for evaluation and potential treatment. Without these screenings, over 7,000 Maine students would be potentially at risk for learning difficulties.

To learn more about the school health annual report and other data related to school-aged children, please visit the School Health Services: Data webpage.

The Maine DOE and its Office of School and Student Supports have many resources for school staff to improve school health services. The guidelines and resources center on providing culturally responsive, evidence-based care that improves overall health.

Celebrate #SND2024 on May 8. @schoolnurses http://www.schoolnurseday.org.

For further questions and support, reach out to the Maine DOE Office of School and Student Supports at DOESchoolandStudentSupports@Maine.gov.

Register for 2024 School Nurse Summer Institute

The School Nurse Summer Institute is an immersive multi-day in-person event that brings school nurses together biennially. The goal is to increase the knowledge and understanding of current research and evidence-based practices in school nursing, as well as increase awareness of resources available within the State of Maine. School nurses in attendance will leave feeling energized with the latest knowledge and renewed energy to support Maine students.

Thomas College in Waterville, Maine
July 30th and July 31st
Register here (select School Nurse Summer Institute 2024 from the dropdown)

This year’s theme is An Adventure in Learning. Day One starts with a keynote presentation by Dr. Puthiery Va, Director of the Maine CDC, followed by nursing skill-building sessions and a resource fair with over thirty exhibitors. Day Two starts with a panel presentation on Population Equity and is followed by break-out session options, including MaineCare services, human trafficking, school safety, trauma-informed care, empowering school nurses, supporting LGTBQ+ youth, communicating and supporting the substitute nurse experience, Human Papilloma Virus and vaccine hesitancy.

This event is planned by the Maine Department of Education (DOE) Coordinated School Health Team, a part of the Office of School and Student Supports in partnership with the Maine Association of School Nurses (MASN).

Visit the Maine DOE website for information about the Coordinated School Health Team.

More information about MASN can be found on their website.

Register Now for Maine Solutionaries Project, a No-cost, Micro-credential Program with Stipend

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Interdisciplinary Instruction Team is partnering with the Institute for Human Education to bring the Maine Solutionaries Project to educators interested in supporting students in applying their learning.

This exciting project will provide an opportunity for educators in Maine to take a custom version of the Solutionary Micro-credential Program and participate in state-wide educator cohorts that focus on climate change, water quality, plastics pollution, human rights and equity, or another topic of interest. Not only will educators be able to participate at no cost, but they will also be eligible to receive a $1000.00 stipend upon completion of the program.

Spots are filling quickly, so to learn more about this collaboration, view an informational webinar, or register for the project, visit the Maine Solutionaries Project website.

Maine DOE to Offer Train-the-Trainer for Naloxone Education in Schools

In July of 2023, Governor Mills signed LD 1315, Public Law 2023, Chapter 460, into law, beginning the revision process for Rule Chapter 41. Updates to Chapter 41 have been completed, adding the requirement that all public schools now offer naloxone education to secondary students in addition to CPR and AED training.

The Maine Department of Education (DOE), Office of School and Student Supports is collaborating with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Office of Behavioral Health, and MaineGeneral Medical Center to train school personnel in naloxone administration. This is a train-the-trainer model, meaning it will provide training on the topic as well as the instruction and materials people will need to implement naloxone administration education for students and staff.

A 90-minute training will be offered virtually from 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. on May 14th. The training is designed for school administrators, health education teachers, school nurses, and other health services personnel. Other interested school personnel are welcome to attend. Contact hours will be provided for attendees.

Resources to assist school administrative units (SAUs) in implementation may be accessed on the Maine DOE School Health Service: Acute and Emergency Care webpage and will also be reviewed during this training.

For more information on Chapter 41 or any of these resources please contact the Maine DOE Coordinated School Health Team at DOESchoolandStudentSupports@Maine.gov.

How Karen Morin is Helping Career Navigation in Kennebec County

(Pictured: Karen and Adult Education colleagues work with Sam’s Club to develop a workforce program.)

Karen Morin, a long-time resident of Kennebec County, has worked in crisis services, corrections, and risk reduction for the military. For a little over a year now, she’s been a Career Advancement and Navigation Specialist employed by the Adult Ed hub in Kennebec County. She is one of four “Career Navigators” funded by the Maine Jobs Recovery Plan (MJRP).

MJRP has committed $6 million to Adult Education in Maine to address the workforce development needs of those disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. The Maine DOE Adult Education Team has been helping eligible adults and employment sectors recover from the pandemic’s stresses through various academic and job training supports, including Career Advancement Navigator Specialists.

In Karen’s first year as a Career Navigator, she has worked with more than 220 people in Kennebec County to help them move forward in their careers, whatever that may be. Her clients are getting employed, participating in workforce training, improving their resumes and interviewing skills, acquiring English language skills, transitioning fields, and more. She’s worked with local unemployed and underemployed people, new Mainers, people coming out of the criminal justice system, and unhoused individuals, among others. She also works with employers and supports them in their hiring needs.

In this photo, Morin and colleagues prepare learners for the process of applying and working at Maine General in their Strengthening Maine Workforce program that provides English classes onsite at Maine General as a part of the employee’s work day as well as opportunities for advancement.

“Take the time to listen to someone’s story—you can learn a lot about someone from a short conversation. Often, if you can’t make a connection with someone in the first ten minutes, you’ve lost them,” said Morin.

She also shared that “talking with people and businesses together reduces the hiring process time between the application and the hiring.”

She provides a direct connection to individuals looking for work and businesses looking for employees. Karen meets people where they are in their career journey through her low barrier and personalized services, including meeting up with them at a convenient location. Though she’s based in multiple local Adult Education programs (Mid Maine Adult Education, Augusta Adult Education, and Winthrop Adult Education), she meets people virtually, at various community agencies or businesses, at the shelter, or even for support at interviews.

She posts on the website What’s Up Waterville, walks into businesses to see what their hiring needs are, and follows job postings on the chamber’s website to make qualified candidates more aware of opportunities. COVID-19 exacerbated problems in Maine that have long existed: transportation barriers, childcare availability and affordability, and housing. Having community-embedded, low-barrier services is deeply necessary. Also of great importance is the collaboration of agencies. Karen collaborates with critical partner agencies and organizations such as CareerCenter, Jewish Community Alliance, Catholic Charities, Capitol Area New Mainers Project, and the local Chambers of Commerce.

In this photo a new Mainer participates in a ride along and information interview with local law enforcement.

There are currently only three other Career Navigators in this role in Maine. Karen’s colleagues include Kate Points, who serves York County; Frank Spurr, in Androscoggin and Oxford Counties; and Cassie Robichaux, who serves multiple counties, including Sagadahoc, Lincoln, Knox, and Waldo Counties.

At a listening session for the sustainability of these positions, one community member said, “There should be a Career Navigator in each county in Maine.” Collectively they’ve connected with over 1101 people in their communities. However, funding is currently provided by the Maine Jobs Recovery Program, and the future of this program is uncertain.

RSU 71 IT Director Enhances School Safety with the Help of Maine DOE School Safety Specialist Course

As IT Director, Dr. David Fournier leads a team of seven people in Regional School Unit (RSU) 71 in Belfast. Together, they manage all aspects of technology in the district, including everything from building and maintaining networks to laptop fleets and much more!

Although Fournier loves the techie part of his job, especially watching teachers and students use technology to increase learning, he knew that involvement in school-related technology could go far beyond the classroom.

“I came into the safety role by working on security cameras, keyless door entry systems, and radios/walkie-talkies,” explained Fournier. “Our district has a safety task force that meets monthly, and I joined to better understand how my role as IT director could help address safety issues in our schools.”

Fournier took the Maine Department of Education (DOE) School Safety Specialist course in January of 2023 to help him better understand school safety and its complexities. Maine DOE’s Maine School Safety Center offers an 8-week School Safety Specialist course, provided asynchronously through Eastern Maine Community College (EMCC) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

“Taking the School Safety Specialist course gave me better insights into what could and should be done to keep our staff and students safe,” said Fournier.

The course is free to Maine schools and covers everything from the fundamentals of school safety to climate and culture, including behavioral threat assessment. It also incorporates emergency operations planning, which includes networking with appropriate stakeholders and incident command systems.

Following the training, Fournier’s role as IT Director expanded to include leading the RSU71 District Safety Task Force. Since becoming a school safety specialist, one of his biggest safety enhancements was guiding the district through purchasing and implementing the Share 911 program.

“Share 911 is an emergency notification system that addresses the communication issues we have experienced during emergency events over the past few years,” explained Fournier. “I have also instituted a standard debriefing protocol that is used after any safety event to capture the mistakes made and lessons learned during an event.”

In addition to these two significant changes, RSU 71 has a Parent Safety Page highlighting the district’s safety efforts. You can see the many other safety protocols RSU 71 has in place there.

Looking to the future, Fournier is working on plans to conduct more regularly scheduled tabletop safety exercises to enable school staff to react to an emergency as effectively as possible.

Knowing that a successful and safe school community is almost impossible without great community partners, Fournier has many people to thank.

“I would like to thank Erik Endress, the owner of Share 911 (share911.com), for the top-notch support and training he has personally provided to RSU71 this year,” he said. “I also want to thank Dale Rowley, the Waldo County Emergency Management Director, for his continued training, support, and difficult tabletop exercises to work through!”

Fournier also extended a very special shoutout to the RSU71 Safety Task Force members. They helped “tackle such a difficult, but important, aspect of schooling that goes unheralded,” said Fournier. “They are doing the hard (and scary) work, and I thank them for their continued efforts.”

The School Safety Specialist course is a program of the Maine DOE’s Maine School Safety Center and is available at no cost to Maine schools. Cohorts start at the beginning of every month and complete in 8 weeks. All work is done asynchronously through Eastern Maine Community College (EMCC) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and takes approximately 20-25 hours to complete.

For more information, visit the Maine DOE website, fill out an interest form, or reach out to Maine DOE School Safety Training Coordinator Wendy Robichaud at Wendy.Robichaud@maine.gov.

Bangor Educator Honored with State English Teacher Award

(Pictured L to R: Jennifer Babcock, John Bapst Memorial High School, 2024 Claudette & John Brassil Distinguished Educator Award Winner, with Claudette Brassil, retired educator and one of the inspirations for this award.)

The Maine Council for English Language Arts (MCELA) awarded its 6th annual Claudette & John Brassil Distinguished Educator Award to Jennifer Babcock, a 25-year educator at John Bapst who currently teaches American Literature and Composition, British Literature and Composition, AP Literature and Composition, and Creative Writing.

The Claudette & John Brassil Award is administered by the Maine Council for English Language Arts (MCELA) and recognizes exceptional English language arts and literacy teachers who have demonstrated excellence in teaching, contributed to the profession and are committed to the community.

The finalists for the Claudette and John Brassil Distinguished Educator Award for 2024 included Emily Rumble from Marshwood High School, Jake Joy from Lewiston Middle School, Angela Gilbert from Bruce Whittier Middle School, and Jennifer Babcock from John Bapst Memorial High School.

From left to right: finalist Jake Joy from Lewiston Middle School, finalist Angela Gilbert from Bruce Whittier Middle School, finalist Emily Rumble from Marshwood High School, winner Jennifer Babcock, award namesake Claudette Brassil, and MCELA Secretary and award committee head Bre Allard.

Babcock is the English Department Head and mentors new teachers. In addition, she has been a supervising teacher for student teachers from Husson and the University of Maine since 2011. Babcock has been involved in the school community by leading student tours in the United States and abroad, advising the school prom, choreographing the spring musical, serving as a varsity cheerleading coach, and advising the National Honor Society. Babcock is also the State Officer Advisor for the Maine National Honor Society and has been a judge for the Maine Principal’s Association state cheerleading competition.

“Jen’s commitment to her students, her passion for her craft, and her energy are unparalleled…Every student in Jen’s class knows that she cares about them,” said David Armistead, Head of School at John Bapst and Babcokc’s nominator. “They love her and they consistently rise to the high bar she sets for them. She knows her students are capable of great work and she lovingly keeps them growing from the first day to the last, every year.”

Babcock was honored at the Maine Council for English Language Arts state conference in Portland on March 29, 2024, where 350 ELA educators convened to ignite joy in learning.

The Claudette & John Brassil was created in honor of the contributions of two long-time educators who have inspired students and mentored teachers for over eighty combined years in Maine public schools.

In the past, this distinguished educator award has been given to English Language Arts educators Anthony Scott (2023) from Maine School of Science & Mathematics, Audrey Ennamorati (2022) from Medomak Valley High School, Margaret Adams (2022) from Kingsfield Elementary School, Patti Forster (2020) from Camden Hills Regional High School, Stephanie Hendrix (2019) from Bangor High School, and Johnna Stanton (2018) from Morse High school.

The Maine Council for English Language Arts accepts nominations for this award during the fall of each school year for their March in-person conference recognition. Nominees should be full-time English language arts or literacy teachers of students in grades 6-12 and have taught for at least five years in public or independent schools in Maine. Nominees do not have to be a Maine Council for English Language Arts member. ELA educators who demonstrate the same qualities as the Brassils themselves: a commitment to student-centered learning, the inspiration of all students, leadership at school, district, state, and/or national levels, development, and sharing of effective practices, and involvement in the community and school beyond the classroom. More information on nominations is available here.