Media Release: Maine DOE Launches New Podcast Highlighting Voices From Maine Schools

Commissioner Pender Makin Hosts What Holds Us Together, First Episode Features Maine Teachers of the Year Matt Bernstein and Joshua Chard

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) launched a new podcast today hosted by Commissioner Pender Makin featuring conversations with educators, school staff, and students. The monthly podcast, What Holds Us Together, highlights the great things happening in public schools across Maine and how public education connects us.

The podcast launched with a conversation between Makin, 2023 Maine Teacher of the Year Matt Bernstein, and the newly named 2024 Maine Teacher of the Year Joshua Chard. The three discuss what they love about teaching and schools in Maine, the importance of public education, student voice, elevating the education profession, their message to aspiring teachers, and so much more.

“Public education is the most precious common good that we share. Every month, I’ll highlight the inspiring and amazing things happening in Maine schools through conversations with educators, school staff, and students across our state,” said Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin in the podcast’s trailer.

What Holds Us Together can be listened to and subscribed to on all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify. New episodes to be released on the third Thursday of every month.

Coming Soon! Maine DOE’s New Public School Podcast “What Holds Us Together”

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is excited to launch, “What Holds Us Together,” a new podcast celebrating Maine schools. Each month, Commissioner Pender Makin will highlight the inspiring and amazing things happening in Maine schools through conversations with educators, school staff, and students across our State.

Public education is a precious and profound common good we share. Join us as we explore and celebrate the ways that local schools impact students and build connections with the community around them.

Be on the lookout for our first episode, as Commissioner Makin talks with 2023 Maine Teacher of the Year Matt Bernstein and the newly named 2024 Maine Teacher of the Year Joshua Chard about what they love most about teaching and Maine schools.

Listen to the podcast trailer here:

Subscribe today on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and stay tuned!

St. George School Receives National Recognition for Innovative CTE/Makerspace Project

St. George Municipal School Unit (MSU) was recently selected as one of the 32 national semifinalists for the national Yass Prize, recognizing the “contemporary, inventive, and diverse in-district offerings” provided by St. George School. The small, rural St. George School was chosen among nearly 2,000 applicants representing 27 million students from every sector in education and every grade across all 50 states. Other applicants for the prize included private schools, education technology companies, national school networks, and educator recruitment programs.

The Yass Prize is a national competition with a mission “to identify and support more best-in-class education providers who can tackle the big education challenges of the day and deliver an education for students that is Sustainable, Transformational, Outstanding and Permissionless.” As a semifinalist, the school receives $200,000, and the grand prize is $1,000,000.

The school was selected first as a quarterfinalist and now as a semifinalist because of its innovative CTE/Makerspace Project, a partnership between St. George MSU and Mid-Coast School of Technology (MCST) to construct a PreK–8th grade Career Technical Education (CTE)/Makerspace building. The new building will include a shop space for boatbuilding, woodworking, and metalwork as well as a Makerspace with 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC routers, robotics, and sewing machines.

“The CTE/Makerspace Project grew from the requests of teachers, parents, and community members in 2016 to bring shop back to St. George School. It connects to the legacy of the Grace Institute, a local nonprofit that provided culinary arts and shop classes to St. George students from 1936-2011,” said Superintendent Mike Felton. “It took shape as the Makerspace Initiative in 2016. And it’s rooted in the generations of St. George educators, staff, families, and community members who prioritized hands-on/minds-on learning that engaged students and connected them to their community.”

St George has also received funding from the Maine Department of Education (DOE) to support the CTE/Makerspace efforts through a Rethinking Responsive Education Ventures (RREV) grant. RREV funding is provided through the US Department of Education and has allowed Maine to invest in education innovation across the state. You can read more about RREV here.

Governor Janet Mills and Maine DOE Deputy Commissioner Dan Chuhta visited the school last spring to learn more about the project and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree selected the CTE/Makerspace Project as one of only fifteen projects her office submitted for Community Project Funding in the federal budget.

Down the road in Port Clyde, Herring Gut Science Center was chosen as a Yass Prize quarterfinalist. This year, Herring Gut received funding through the Maine DOE’s Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative, a statewide initiative created by Governor Mills to offer immersive, hands-on, outdoor learning to middle and high school students across Maine during the summer. Read more about the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative here. Maine DOE Commissioner Pender Makin joined students at Herring Gut over the summer as they learned about coastal habitats and species.

View news coverage of the Yass Prize from News Center Maine, Pen Bay Pilot, and The Courier-Gazette.

You can vote for St. George MSU to receive the Yass Parent Choice Award, which will provide the school with another $100,000.

Fighting Food Insecurity and Building Career Skills with Madison ELO Program

After spending the school day teaching math and sustainable agriculture at Madison Area Memorial High School, Joshua Bishop works after hours to run the school’s Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO) program. The ELO program at Madison focuses primarily on agriculture with the goal of teaching students valuable work skills while also helping to fight food insecurity in Somerset County.

One of the program’s main projects is its ELO Summer Garden which consists of multiple gardens all built from the ground up. Bishop’s students have gained agricultural work experience by maintaining these gardens and have also given back to their community. The garden’s pumpkin patch provided over 70 pumpkins for the local elementary school. Bishop and his students are also creating Bulldog Salsa and Pickles from the garden. This project builds upon their agricultural knowledge while also incorporating marketing and business skills, as they are creating a full business model for these foods.

“We are teaching students how to be employable while also giving them the ability to help them and their families’ lives by teaching them how to grow their own food,” said Bishop.

Beyond group ELOs, such as the garden, the program also offers students individual opportunities where they can earn credits through the Jobs for Maine Graduates (JMG) virtual platform called LMS. This opportunity has allowed students who need extra credits in order to graduate on time to recover those credits in a meaningful way related to their career interests. Through LMS, one of Bishop’s students was able to earn credits in geography and sustainability to complete her graduation requirements on time and also gain experience doing research in those fields.

“I love making an impact on my students’ lives,” said Bishop. “Whether it be helping them with curriculum-based skills or building transferrable skills for the real world, I aim to make an impact for each and every student.”

Bishop would like to thank Kennebec Valley Farms and Kathy Bertini from the Maine Department of Education.

Extended Learning Opportunities (ELOs) are hands-on, credit-bearing courses outside of the traditional classroom with an emphasis on community-based career exploration. These opportunities are personalized for students and help them explore options for their professional lives. They help students engage in learning through instruction, assignments, and experiential learning. The Maine Department of Education (DOE), along with state-wide partner Jobs for Maine Graduates (JMG), have made a concerted effort to provide working models, support, and funding opportunities for Maine schools to set up ELO programs within their school communities. To learn more about Maine’s initiatives with extended learning opportunities, visit: https://www.maine.gov/doe/index.php/learning/elo or reach out to Maine DOE ELO Coordinator Rick Wilson at rick.wilson@maine.gov.

Augusta Adult and Community Education Engages in Vital Refugee Education Initiatives

Augusta Adult and Community Education’s Director, Dr. Kayla Sikora, and Career Navigator, Karin Morin, participated in the State Refugee Advisory Council meeting recently. Hosted at the UMA Bangor campus, this participation demonstrates Augusta Adult and Community Education’s commitment to refugee education and integration.

In addition, Augusta Adult and Community Education has announced that they are a recipient of the Refugee Adult Education grant, generously awarded by the Office of Maine Refugee Services, Catholic Charities of Maine to provide essential educational support to refugees in the Augusta community.

“We intend to allocate additional capacity and staff hours to enhance the services we offer and to expand our Career Navigation services,” said Sikora. “In addition to expanding our Career Navigators schedule, AACE feels that it is important to hire an interpreter,” Sikora explained that hiring an interpreter for 10 hours a week will have several benefits for their organization as well as for the multilingual learners and the Career Navigator. By increasing the instructional hours provided for multilingual services, they will be able to provide learners with 45 instructional hours each semester, including career navigation services and interpreter services.

At the meeting, Dr. Sikora and Mrs. Morin received crucial updates from various stakeholders in refugee services, including the state refugee coordinator, healthcare coordinator, and resettlement agencies. This collaborative effort ensures that Augusta Adult and Community Education remains at the forefront of refugee education, responding effectively to the evolving needs of the refugee population.

In a show of solidarity and commitment, Dr. Sikora and Mrs. Morin posed for a photograph alongside members of the Maine Catholic Charities team and the Refugee Advisory Council. This partnership reinforces Augusta Adult and Community Education’s unwavering commitment to fostering a welcoming environment and providing educational opportunities for refugees in Maine.

Dr. Sikora expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “We are honored to be recipients of the Refugee Adult Education grant and remain dedicated to empowering refugees through education. This meeting strengthens our resolve to continue serving our diverse community.”

Augusta Adult and Community Education is looking forward to an ongoing partnership with the State Refugee Advisory Council and related agencies as they work together to create pathways to success for refugees in the Augusta area.

Healthy Acadia ELO Coordinator Creating Opportunities for Rural Washington County Students

As an Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO) Coordinator, Healthy Acadia’s Corrie Hunkler has led a pilot to expand the organization’s youth employment and career exploration programs while creating ELO opportunities for students in the coastal Washington County region. The project aims to create and promote ELO opportunities by developing new and existing partnerships with community-based organizations and local high schools.

As part of this initiative, Hunkler has worked with several high schools to support and develop their ELO programs and offerings. At Narraguagus High School, Hunkler assisted with the creation of a Learning Korean and Photography ELO for alternative education students. She collaborated with students at Jonesport-Beals High School and community mentors to create Sports Management and Dental Hygienist ELOs. Students at Jonesport-Beals are also offered several formal ELO courses including Career Exploration, Cultural Explorations, Community Service Learning, and Fishing Industry Exploration and Innovations.

Through Community Service Learning at Jonesport-Beals, high school juniors and seniors got the opportunity to mentor students at a local elementary school. This experience allowed the student mentors to build relationships with the younger students while also learning about goal setting and community service.

Under Hunkler’s leadership, this pilot has expanded and brought awareness to local ELO programs and opportunities. “I love working with kids, helping them develop deeper, more meaningful ways to expand their education,” said Hunkler. “I love that ELOs help connect schools to communities and use these connections to enrich and expand the learning opportunities for small, rural schools.”

Hunkler would like to thank the students and school leaders she has partnered with throughout this project.

Extended Learning Opportunities (ELOs) are hands-on, credit-bearing courses outside of the traditional classroom, emphasizing community-based career exploration. These opportunities are personalized for students and help them explore options for their professional lives. They help students engage in learning through instruction, assignments, and experiential learning. The Maine Department of Education (DOE), along with state-wide partner Jobs for Maine Graduates (JMG), have made a concerted effort to provide working models, support, and funding opportunities for Maine schools to set up ELO programs within their school communities. To learn more about Maine’s initiatives with extended learning opportunities, visit: https://www.maine.gov/doe/index.php/learning/elo or reach out to Maine DOE ELO Coordinator Rick Wilson at rick.wilson@maine.gov.

Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative: Maine Students’ Forestry and Recreation Careers Blossom Thanks to Friends of Katahdin Woods and Waters Summer Program

Friends of Katahdin Woods and Waters, in partnership with the Katahdin Learning Project and numerous local outdoors-oriented organizations, facilitated multiple summer experiences for 217 youth grades 6-12 from the Katahdin Region and beyond this summer as part of the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative.

The Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative was launched by the Maine Department of Education in 2022 at the request of Governor Mills with the goal of expanding student access to hands-on, immersive experiences allowing them to explore while learning in Maine’s beautiful bounty of natural resources. Summer 2022 focused on coastal education and career exploration opportunities; this year the Initiative was expanded to include inland forestry opportunities. More than 1,000 middle and high school students participated in programs across Maine this past summer.

Through the programs offered by the Katahdin Learning Project, a program of the Friends of Katahdin Woods and Waters, career development conversations took place during hiking, camping, paddling, and mountain biking trips across the region. During their excursions, students got to experience hiking, biking, fishing, camping, outdoor cooking, canoeing, wading, stargazing, team building, plant identification, career discussions, fire-starting, and more!

After spending time outdoors engaged in these activities, one student remarked, “I make better decisions, my brain feels much more clear. I’ve started to ride my bike. And you get to appreciate nature and see beautiful views.”

Pictures from a day hike this summer:

During their summer programs, students also engaged in career-related conversations with Maine professionals from logging and outdoor recreation businesses and nonprofits, exposing them to multiple support networks, and enabling them to understand possible next steps in their forestry or recreation careers.

“I truly have learned a lot, and I’ve been able to reflect on my abilities, passions, hobbies, and think about exactly what career would fit me best,” said one high school participant. “I have never thought about a future career path in that sense before.”

“Students have formed lifelong connections to their place and the people in it,” said Kala Rush, Education Director for Friends of Katahdin Woods and Waters. Rush explains that some youth arrived at their summer programs unaware of how to explore their interests or were hesitant to initiate career-related conversations. Many arrived knowing little about Maine’s vast and varied woods and backwoods. Through career discussions along a hiking trail or on a paddling trip, they strengthened bonds with not only the lands and waters of Maine but importantly, the people whose careers are based on forest stewardship and outdoor recreation.

Pictures from an overnight paddle this summer:

A key tenet of The Katahdin Learning Project is the support of students along varied developmental pathways. It is hoped that by combining outdoor adventures with career discussion and mentorship, students develop a love for the outdoors and a desire to grow and thrive as individuals. Katahdin Learning Project students are able to begin their next school year with knowledge, experiences, support, and connections critical for making decisions about their next steps in life.

“I want to go to college to work just like you guys,” said one of the elementary students who participated.

“We now have multiple young adults who want to continue with additional training and head into a career in the outdoor industry,” said Rush. “They know who to reach out to in their community and feel well-supported.” The summer 2023 programming provided participants with a great breadth of new experiences, connections, and resources for their personal, academic, and career futures.”

Looking ahead, The Katahdin Learning Project hopes that students who participated in the summer career exploration program return to their schools comfortable and ready to share their experiences while staying connected to summer leaders and co-participants.

Community organizations collaborating with Friends of Katahdin Woods and Waters included The Katahdin Gear Library, Katahdin Area Trails, The Outdoor Sports Institute, Skowhegan Outdoors, and Syntiro, a Maine-based nonprofit that provides professional development and services, focusing on career exploration, and promoting equity and social justice.

Pictures from an overnight hike this summer:

A project of the Maine Department of Education, The Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative, was offered to middle and high school students during the summers of 2022 and 2023. The summer programs provided opportunities for students across Maine to participate in either marine and coastal ecology or inland forestry experiences allowing and encouraging them to learn about and interact with nature through hands-on, interactive projects and experiences. Career exploration opportunities that connect them to Maine-based industries were a key component of all programming.

Governor Mills’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Program funds received from the US Department of Education supported the implementation of this project. The $1.3 million dollar project was fully funded with GEER funds to support The Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by the USDOE or the U.S. Government.

Read more about the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative and see a listing of summer programs. To learn about more outdoor education initiatives and opportunities provided by the Maine DOE  visit our website.

Additional RSU 14 School Resource Officer Forges Positive Relationships with Younger Students

Feeling a sense of security is crucial to childhood development and educational success. This includes having trustworthy adults one can turn to when feeling unsafe or apprehensive. Parents and teachers are a perfect example. At RSU 14, adding a School Resource Officer to the mix to introduce police officers as friendly adults who are here to help, not to punish or threaten, has added to that sense of security.

That is one of the many factors considered by adding School Resource Officer (SRO) Windham Police Officer Robert Hamilton, as a new presence at the Windham Primary School (WPS) and Raymond Elementary School (RES), building positive interactions with students.

“I am here to help ensure the safety of the kids and staff to create a safe and positive learning environment while building a connection and positive relationships with students,” said Hamilton. “We want students to feel comfortable with who we are and what we provide for the community. We want them to know we are people who can be trusted.”

WPS Principal Dr. Kyle Rhoads says that Hamilton has been a visible and welcoming role at the primary school, offering a sense of safety.

“Officer Hamilton will continue to assure our community that WPS is a safe place for learning and that we continue to attempt to improve the safety of our school,” Rhoades said. “When children feel safe, they can do their best learning.”

RES Principal Beth Peavey said that Hamilton’s presence will offer a positive, inclusive school community and a necessary resource.

“It is the hope that the SRO will serve as a mentor and provide educational programs to educate students on safety, bullying prevention, and the importance of making positive choices,” she said.

Manchester School has always shared an SRO with Windham Middle School, but Officer Hamilton will be making his appearances with the fourth- and fifth-grade students there as well and Manchester Principal Danielle Donnini also welcomes him into the fold.

“Some of us remember Officer Hamilton as a student and we are so happy to welcome him back into our school community,” she said. “Having a depth of understanding of our local communities will be a real asset for the students, the school community, and our families.”

Indeed, Hamilton has always been an invested member of the school district. Having lived in Windham all his life and having graduated from Windham High School in 2012, he has worked for the Windham Police Department for the past five years. He says there was something about serving on the police force that drew him to the occupation.

“I was always drawn to the idea of protecting and serving,” Hamilton said. “I am also a big people person so getting to interact and communicate with the public daily while also doing my part to keep them safe was a big influence in me wanting to become a police officer.”

Hamilton said that he is looking forward to the opportunity to interact with the younger students.

“I love that I get to be a part of helping the kids grow and develop as people and not just students,” he said. “I love that I get to see all the hard work kids put into the school year pay off at the end of the year as kids move on to the next grade. I love that I get to hang out and just have fun with the kids.”

Hamilton says that his hope for the students is that he can work to build positive relationships through teaching and mentorship with them. He also said that he hopes the students and faculty to help him learn and grow within his new position.

Peavey spoke for the entire school district in welcoming Hamilton to his new role.

“His presence is a valuable addition to our school community,” she said. “We look forward to working with him to ensure safety within the school community as well as to build positive relationships with our students, families, and staff.”

When Officer Hamilton is not at work protecting and serving RSU 14 and the Windham community, he can be found playing golf, softball, fishing, and spending time with his family. He lives with his wife and two dogs in Windham.

This story was provided by Lorraine Glowczak, Director of Community Connections & Storytelling Ambassador for RSU 14. To submit a story or an idea, email Rachel Paling at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

A Day with Maine Teacher of the Year Finalist Lacey Todd and Her Mountain Valley Middle School Community

Eat…or be eaten!

That was the activity listed on the whiteboard in Mrs. Lacey Todd’s fifth-grade science classroom at Mountain Valley Middle School in Mexico. It was time to explore food chains, and the excitement among the students was electric.

The activity? Students were given packets of cards with different animals or edible items on them. Working in groups, they had to arrange the cards into mini food chains. What does an ant eat? Who would eat this log? What happens when the hawk and the eagle eat the same thing? Once their food chains were arranged, they were asked to explain their reasoning and the class got to go around and look at the other food chains. They were then asked to draw connections between their different food chains. What was similar about all the things at the top of their chains? What was similar about everything at the bottom of the food chain? What was different?

While the students energetically created their food chains, they were surrounded in their classroom by many animals appearing on the cards they were using. Mrs. Todd’s room is filled with tanks of fish, ocean creatures, lizards, and a bearded dragon named Pumpkin. At some point in the school year, there will be a chicken and they’ll all closely watch as chicks hatch out of eggs.

Last year, she brought her students on a trip to the ocean where they were able to explore the beauty and bounty of Maine’s coast. She came back from that trip with an idea to add a saltwater tank to her classroom so that she could bring the ocean to her students every day.

Mrs. Todd’s room is the perfect place to be a young scientist, and that’s exactly what she calls them. There’s even a bulletin board filled with diverse images of people exclaiming that they are scientists, underscoring that science is for everyone and Mrs. Todd’s class is a place where everyone belongs.

That sense of belonging comes up again and again during the visit to Mountain Valley. A parent said Mrs. Todd made school feel like home for her kids. A student said that once you are her student, you are family for life. A former student said that Mrs. Todd’s classroom felt like a second home. Another said that Mrs. Todd is the reason she feels proud of herself.

Lacey Todd is the 2023 Oxford County Teacher of the Year and a 2024 Maine Teacher of the Year finalist. Her colleagues, students, and community members make clear that she is the heart and soul of Mountain Valley Middle School.

Often the first to arrive and the last to leave, a colleague said that Mrs. Todd has an enthusiasm for every day of life, for the kids, and for the staff, that she makes connections with every student, and that students come to school because they know Mrs. Todd is there. She can be found greeting everyone as they arrive at school, and if you need it you can stop by “hug alley” for a loving embrace from Mrs. Todd to get you through the school day. She’ll even make sure you won’t miss your bus in the afternoon.

She also supports her colleagues and is a leader at the school. Staff come to her when they need help solving problems. One colleague said she changed them as an educator. Another said she teaches all of us. Someone else said that if you want to be an educator or stay in the profession, go see Lacey. Mrs. Todd has an incredible passion for teaching, for teaching science, and for always learning and growing.

That passion extends beyond the school walls, as Mrs. Todd strives to strengthen the connection between the school and community, engage parents, and champion Mountain Valley everywhere she goes.

When asked for a word to describe Mrs. Todd, some of the responses from her school community included inspiring, special, invested, nurturing, helpful, amazing, home, innovative, and dedicated.

All it takes is a day at Mountain Valley, and you too will feel like you are part Mrs. Todd’s family.

A Day with Maine Teacher of the Year Finalist Edith Berger and the Miller School Community

Miller School in Waldoboro greets people with joy from the instant you walk in. Colorful murals cover almost every hallway. Created by classes stretching back decades, these murals tell a story about generations of students and create a connection with students and educators walking the halls today on their way to lunch, recess, or the next class. Everyone greets you with a warm smile and there’s a feeling that this is a great place to learn.

If you arrive early enough, the sound of music may draw you into Mrs. Edith Berger’s classroom. She often plays music in the morning to set a good tone for the day and share the sounds with students and staff. Her classroom is just as colorful and joyful as the rest of the school, and it’s the room everyone goes to when they have a question, need help, want to bounce an idea off someone, want a snack, or just need someone to talk to. Students and other educators know Mrs. Berger’s class is a safe, supportive, and welcoming place for all. She makes every feel seen, heard, and appreciated.

Mrs. Berger is a sixth-grade writing and social studies teacher at Miller School, the 2023 Lincoln County Teacher of the Year, and a 2024 Maine Teacher of the Year Finalist. Her colleagues, students, and community members describe her as a role model, a quiet leader, inspiring, compassionate, dedicated, creative, and professional.

In today’s writing class, where everyone is referred to as a writer, students are given various mentor texts to examine what expression and reflection look like in essays, stories, and poems. The students analyze the texts and find the spots that show why the author wrote the piece. They share their thoughts in groups and then as a class, discussing what certain passages of the writing say about the author’s purpose and making connections to their own lives. Mrs. Berger engages with the different groups and poses questions to get them to engage more deeply with the texts and make connections.

If you close your eyes, you’d think you were in a high school class.

With the school year still so fresh, the students have just started to look at personal narratives from the perspective of purpose. They’ve examined why people write and explored ways that writers get in the zone to write. These writers are blossoming.

Later in the day comes social studies, and Mrs. Berger teaches a civics lesson connected to Constitution Day. Students are provided the preamble of the Constitution, which they read together last week and identified the portions that illustrate the functions of government as viewed by the framers of the Constitution. In this class, students are given examples of American civil life, such as a federal agency providing food for children or having marshals on planes, and are asked to connect those examples to the different functions of government. The students share their reasoning in groups and then as a class. Through this, Mrs. Berger gives the Constitution life and connects it to modern examples the students can identify with.

Mrs. Berger’s colleagues say that she honors everyone’s voice, and that practice becomes a model for students. They say that she meets kids where they are while having high expectations—and that those high expectations come with a high level of support. They say she doesn’t give up on any kid—she finds a way to reach them no matter what. That’s clear with any visit to her classroom.

Her colleagues also describe her as not just a teacher of children, but also of adults, saying “I would not be the principal I am without Edie, I became a better teacher by working with Edie, she’s the room I go to if I have questions or need help, and everyone is part of her classroom.”

There are stories of Mrs. Berger responding late at night to help another teacher struggling with a lesson plan, making handmade journals for students to use to help them cope with anxiety, coming back from a conference or event full of new ideas for her class and the school, always being on the cusp of what’s new, and always finding ways to grow.

What’s also evident is just how much Mrs. Berger is a fixture of the community. Whether it’s speaking at the library about civics, bringing in guest speakers for her class, going to community events, or promoting her school, she is constantly building bridges between Miller School and the rest of the community.

Edith Berger doesn’t just teach civics; she is a true citizen. She’s also Miller School’s guiding light and helps everyone in her school community shine.