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

Media Release: Maine DOE and Live and Work in Maine Launch New Phase of Nationwide “Live and Teach in Maine” Campaign

Second Year of Multifaceted Campaign Utilizes the Voices of Maine Teachers and Includes Targeted Advertising and Events to Recruit and Support a Vibrant Educator Workforce in Maine

To kick off Teacher Appreciation Week, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) and Live and Work in Maine joined teachers and education supporters to launch the second year of their Live and Teach in Maine campaign. At an event at Portland International Jetport, Live and Work and the Maine DOE unveiled new Jetport ads that highlight the unique benefits of teaching and schools in Maine.

The Jetport ads are part of a multifaceted campaign to attract educators and strengthen the education profession. The Live and Teach in Maine campaign includes a highly targeted advertising effort, videos highlighting Maine teachers, access to the Live and Work job board for all schools, and events across Maine to highlight education as a rewarding profession and connect and celebrate educators. The partnership between Live and Work in Maine and Maine DOE seeks to attract new educators to Maine’s public education system and elevate and celebrate the many outstanding teachers in our classrooms right now.

“Maine is an amazing place to live and an extraordinary place to teach, and we’re proud to partner with Live and Work in Maine to reach new audiences, highlight Maine educators talking about why they love teaching in Maine, and connect people with opportunities to join the teaching profession,” said Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin. “If you’ve ever thought of teaching in Maine schools, now is the time. We’re a state that deeply values and respects the creativity, autonomy, and professional judgment of our educators and school leaders.”

“Maine has long been celebrated for the quality of our public schools. This campaign aims to amplify the incredible work of educators who are already making a difference here and to use their success to encourage others to bring their careers and passion to Maine,” said Live and Work in Maine Executive Director Nate Wildes. “We are particularly excited about this project because of the wealth of positive marketing material at our disposal—from the exceptional quality of our public schools to the relatively low cost of living compared to regional urban centers, there are abundant reasons for skilled educators to consider upgrading to Maine.”

“Maine isn’t just a place to work—it’s a place to live, thrive, and make a difference. With its outstanding education system, breathtaking natural beauty, tight-knit communities, and high quality of life, Maine offers educators the perfect blend of professional fulfillment and recreational fulfillment,” said Maine 2024 Teacher of the Year Joshua Chard. “So why wait? There are amazing teaching positions waiting for you. Join us in Maine, where every day is an opportunity to inspire, educate, and explore.”

“As an educator, I feel blessed to be at a school that honors my autonomy and voice, and provides me with an opportunity to try new things and have fun with my students,” said 2023 York County Teacher of the Year Lisa Tripp. “As Maine educators, we also have the most incredible resource to share with our students—our beautiful nature.”

“The Maine Department of Education is proud to partner with Live and Work in Maine for a second year of our Live and Teach in Maine campaign,” said Maine Department of Education Deputy Commissioner Dan Chuhta. “As we begin Teacher Appreciation Week, I want to extend our sincere thanks and deep appreciation to all of the teachers in our state for the extraordinary work you do to help children thrive. And to anyone thinking about becoming a teacher, whether you are in college right now or considering a change in career, now is a great time to join our profession.”

Maine, like most of the nation, continues to experience an educator shortage that was exacerbated by the pandemic. This partnership builds on the Maine DOE’s wide-ranging efforts to recruit, retain, and support a vibrant educator workforce and leverages Live and Work in Maine’s knowledge and expertise as the state’s premier organization devoted to attracting and retaining Maine’s workforce.

During the first year of the Live and Teach in Maine campaign, there were more than 22 million impressions of the digital ads featuring teachers talking about how great it is to live and teach in Maine, nearly 2 million people engaged with the Live and Teach in Maine website, nearly 64,000 people viewed education jobs, and nearly 2,000 applied for teaching jobs. The campaign also featured physical advertising on subways in major cities, mobile billboards, and teacher-specific ads on college campuses. The Maine DOE also reported that more individuals sought teacher certifications last year than before the pandemic.

The campaign is funded through federal emergency relief funds to build and sustain Maine’s educator workforce following the pandemic.

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.

Media Release: Maine Expands Building Assets Reducing Risks (BARR) Model to 30 Additional Schools

Nearly 100 Maine Schools Now Implementing BARR Through Maine DOE Grants to Increase Academic Achievement, Engagement, and Student and Educator Wellbeing

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) announced grants for 30 additional Maine schools to implement the Building Assets Reducing Risks (BARR) model to increase academic achievement, engagement, and student and staff wellbeing. These new grants build on the Maine DOE’s initial BARR investment last summer, with nearly 100 schools now implementing BARR across the state.

BARR offers schools a framework that combines relationship building and asset development with real-time data to support students based on their strengths and connections to school. Empirical studies show that BARR results in increased student engagement, reduced chronic absenteeism, a 40 percent reduction on average in failure rates after one year of implementation, increased student achievement rates, and a reduction in high-risk student behavior and substance use. Educators report increased job satisfaction, higher levels of collaboration, and higher likelihood of persisting in their jobs after implementing BARR.

These positive changes are reflected in Maine schools that are already implementing BARR. Since implementing BARR, Bucksport High School’s graduation rate increased by more than 15 percent and Mt. Blue School High School has experienced a 30 percent decrease in chronically absent students, with a daily attendance rate of 94.14 percent. Through BARR, Noble Middle School has created more than 200 mentor matches to support students with significant risk factors. Westbrook High School’s BARR team was able to identify increased anxiety as the cause of a chronically absent student’s disengagement. They collaborated as staff and worked with the student’s family to create personalized interventions to improve the student’s experience at school. Now actively engaged in school activities and supported by a comprehensive plan, this student is not only coming to school and passing classes but has found a new passion for theatre.

“We are focused on empowering educators and school leaders, providing them with the tools and resources to strengthen the incredible teaching and learning happening in Maine schools. When I speak with educators who have implemented BARR in their schools, they are so enthusiastic about the positive academic and wellbeing changes they’ve experiences with students and the deeper relationships they are building with students and colleagues,” said Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin. “We’ve invested in BARR as a state because of the extensive research behind it and the overwhelming support it has among Maine educators. BARR offers a flexible framework that any school can adapt to meet their unique needs with results that extend years beyond the initial investment.”

“We are thrilled with the success of the schools implementing BARR in Maine. Bucksport, Maine was the first high school to take on the BARR model after I developed the model as a high school counselor in its original site in Minnesota. Jim Boothby, superintendent of Bucksport, saw BARR’s potential in 2010, and now we are the most researched model in the country,” said BARR Founder and Executive Director Angie Jerabek. “Maine schools continue to show student and educator gains under the BARR model, and we are excited to partner with the Maine Department of Education in this expansion.”

“The numbers speak for themselves,” said Mt. Blue High School social studies teacher Matt Fournier. “BARR doesn’t take time out of our schedule; it makes time. Since we are building relationships, we get greater buy-in, and students are more connected to the school.”

“I’m a true believer in the program. We originally brought it on because the main focus was grades and the transition into ninth grade. For us, it really made a difference when we could see the number of failures in our coursework had changed significantly in the first year and then changed again the next year. And then as time went on, it went into more of the behavioral and checking in with the students and making sure they had trusted adults and really working on how they created a culture within the ninth-grade cohorts,” said Superintendent Mary Anne Spearin, who first implemented BARR as principal of Calais Middle/High School. BARR expanded to Calais Elementary School this year.

“The Loranger team is very excited to be partnering with BARR and implementing their research-based program. We know that this will help us grow and better meet the needs of all of our learners. We’re grateful for the funding to bring a program that has proven results among many schools in our state. We are eager to begin working with BARR to put into practice a system that supports both staff and students,” said Loranger Memorial School Principal Matthew Foster, who first experienced BARR as a classroom teacher at Noble High School. He is enthusiastic about bringing BARR to his school as an administrator in Old Orchard Beach.

“We are excited to welcome BARR to Indian Township School,” said Indian Township School Principal Molly Newell. “BARR’s focus is on building supportive relationships, addressing social-emotional needs, and promoting academic success, which aligns with our school’s goals of culturally relevant education, community involvement, and holistic student development within the context of our Indigenous values and traditions.”

More than 60 Maine educators just attended BARR’s national conference, with Commissioner Makin speaking on a panel of other state education leaders about how they are improving outcomes in their states. Educators from Brunswick Junior High School, Calais Elementary School, Maranacook Community High School in Readfield, Mt. Blue Regional School District, and Saccarappa Elementary School in Westbrook led workshops and served on panels to share the expertise they have gained through BARR implementation.

Maine was selected by the National Governors Association as one of five states who are engaged in exemplary efforts to support the mental health and wellbeing of students and school staff. Through this initiative, the NGA is supporting implementation of the BARR model in other states through technical support at the national level.

Read more about the BARR experience at Mt. Blue High School, Calais Elementary School, and Noble Middle School. Listen to Commissioner Makin’s podcast highlighting BARR schools here.

The Maine DOE used American Rescue Plan funding to create a competitive BARR grant to help schools invest in the model. To learn more about this funding, visit Maine’s Whole Student Pandemic Response page.

New BARR Grantees

AOS 94 – Ridge View Community School

AOS 96 – Fort O’Brien School

Baxter Academy for Tech & Sciences

Cherryfield School District – Cherryfield Elementary

Easton School Department – Easton Elementary School

Eustis Public School District – Stratton Elementary School

Indian Township School

Madawaska School Department – Madawaska Middle/High School

MSAD 17 – Paris Elementary School

MSAD 24 / RSU 88 -Van Buren District Secondary Sch

MSAD 6 – Edna Libby Elementary School

MSAD 6 – George E Jack School

MSAD 6 – H B Emery Jr Memorial School

MSAD 61 – Lake Region Middle School

North Haven Community School

RSU 10 – Buckfield Jr-Sr High School

RSU 14 – Jordan-Small Middle School

RSU 14 – Manchester Elementary School

RSU 14 – Windham Primary School

RSU 2 – Hall-Dale Middle and High School

RSU 2 – Monmouth Academy

RSU 2 – Monmouth Memorial School

RSU 23 – Loranger Memorial School

RSU 3 – Mt View High School

RSU 38 – Readfield Elementary School

RSU 39 – Caribou High School

RSU 56 – T W Kelly Dirigo Middle School

RSU 74 – Carrabec Community School

Saco Schools – Saco Middle School

Winthrop Public Schools – Winthrop Middle School

2023 Grantees

Acadia Academy

AOS 90, Princeton Elementary

Biddeford High School

Biddeford Intermediate School

Biddeford Middle School

Brunswick Junior High School

Calais Elementary School

Calais Middle/High School

Camden Hills Regional HS

Gorham School Department- Great Falls Elementary School

Gorham School Department- Narragansett Elementary School

Gorham School Department- Village Elementary School

Islesboro Central School

Kittery- Traip Academy

Maine Academy of Natural Sciences

MSAD 46- Dexter Regional High School

MSAD 44- Telstar Middle School

MSAD 52- Leavitt Area High School

MSAD 52- Tripp Middle School

MSAD 55- Sacopee Valley High School

MSAD 55- Sacopee Valley Middle School

MSAD 58- Day Mountain Regional Middle School

MSAD 58- Kingfield Elementary

MSAD 58- Mt. Abram High School

MSAD 58- Phillips Elementary

MSAD 6- Bonny Eagle Middle School

MSAD 60- Noble Middle School

MSAD 61- Lake Region High School

MSAD 70- Mill Pond School

MSAD 75- Mt. Ararat Middle School

MSAD 17- Oxford Hills Middle School

MSAD 49- Lawrence High School

RSU 24- Charles M. Sumner Learning Campus

RSU 34- Leonard Middle School

RSU 38- Maranacook Community High School

RSU 38- Maranacook Community Middle School

RSU 4- Oak Hill High School

RSU 4- Oak Hill Middle School

RSU 78- Rangeley Lakes Regional School

RSU 10- Mountain Valley High School

RSU 10- Mountain Valley Middle School

RSU 13- Oceanside Middle School

RSU 14- Windham High School

RSU 16- Bruce M. Whittier Middle School

RSU 16- Elm Street School

RSU 16- Minot Consolidated School

RSU 16- Poland Community School

RSU 34- Old Town Elementary

RSU 35- Marshwood High School

RSU 35- Marshwood Middle School

RSU 56- Dirigo High School

RSU 59- Madison High School

RSU 83/MSAD 13- Moscow Elementary School

RSU 83/MSAD 13- Upper Kennebec Valley Jr/Sr High School

RSU 9- Academy Hill School

RSU 9- Cape Cod Hill School

RSU 9- G.D. Cushing School

RSU 9- Mt. Blue High School

RSU 9- Mt. Blue Middle School

RSU 9- W.G. Mallett School

RSU 16- Poland Regional High School

RSU 64- Central High School

RSU9- Cascade Brook School

SAD 17- Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School

Sanford High School

Westbrook School Department- Canal School

Westbrook School Department- Congin Elementary

Westbrook School Department- Saccarappa School

Westbrook School Department- Westbrook High School

Westbrook School Department- Westbrook Middle School

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.