Windham High School Students Practice Skills in Civic Engagement and Dialogue with Elected Officials

Approximately 20 Windham High School (WHS) students participated in three separate day-long retreats entitled the “Can We? Project”. Building up to the third retreat, students learned the skills of ‘listening to understand’ through a series of story exchanges. Then, using what they learned in the first retreat, students practiced their listening skills by discussing divisive topics at the second retreat where students chose political and social issues they deemed essential.

On the last day of the Can We? Project retreat, Wednesday, Dec. 7th, students practiced civic engagement skills by presenting their perspectives on their areas of concern to elected officials from the Windham Town Council and the RSU 14 School Board.

Students shared concerns from a global and local perspective ranging from various social, political, and environmental topics.

The students only had 1 ½ hours to choose from one of the issues established by the group to develop an argument. After their presentations, the elected officials were offered an opportunity to ask questions or give an opposing viewpoint to consider.

WHS English teacher, and Can We? Project liaison Chelsea Scott said four student groups and one teacher group presented to the officials in about an hour.

“The student’s level of courage was admirable,” Scott said. “They transformed feelings of anxiety into action and used the little time they had to prepare to create insightful presentations.”

School board member and chair, Kate Brix, was impressed with the students and the Can We? Project process, stating that it was a powerful example of the importance of student voice.

“Student engagement is a core belief of RSU 14’s strategic plan, and the students of this project were extremely articulate and respectful as they presented their viewpoint on a topic important to them,” she said. “The students I met clearly illustrated that they care and think deeply about issues that impact all our lives. I can’t say enough about how impressed I was with them and know that the skills they learned will be put to good use beyond their high school years.”

Town Council member and chair Mark Morrison said the project was timely and a valuable lesson in learning respectful dialogue between people with differing viewpoints.

“We saw the students apply and follow the program process with their presentations which stressed presenting respectfully, listening, and asking questions in a way that did not make the dialogue personal,” Morrison said. “I hope this program continues so the students learn the skills needed to effectively communicate so the focus is on the ideas where the pros and cons can be discussed and measured, not on the person. I hope I’m invited back to participate in another discussion.”

After the presentations, the students had an opportunity to reflect upon what they learned most.

“I realized I need to do more research about my subject,” stated senior Teddy Becker.

Junior Mareena Batsungnern said participating in the Can We? Project helped develop her skills in leadership. “It has also given me the courage and motivation to voice my beliefs to others.”

Junior Griffin Moreau said the Can We? Project taught him something that many of us try to learn in an attempt at deep listening. “The thing I think that I learned the most is, ‘be comfortable with silence’. It is something that I have struggled with all my life and have only started to realize the answer to and the Can We? project has helped with that.”

Scott stated that the Can We? Project was instrumental in empowering the students to truly listen to each other and discuss divisive topics with empathy and a desire to understand rather than to react.

“Participants have expressed that they feel supported, surprised, and inspired by this program and that they now have the tools and knowledge to participate in their own democracy,” she said.

Briefly, the Can We? Project was developed collaboratively between the Third Thought Initiatives for Civic Engagement from Waynflete School and the Maine Policy Institute. The mission is to allow high school students the opportunity to engage in thoughtful dialogue across different perspectives.

All three retreats were held at WHS and guided by John Holdridge, the Director of the Third Thought Initiatives for Civic Engagement, and Jacob Posik, the Director of Communications from the Maine Policy Institute. The twenty students were self-selected to participate and represented a true cross-section of ages, academic foci, family experiences and interests.

Students will have the opportunity to expand their experiences with other high school students across the state who also participated in the project, taking their experiences and practice of civil conversation and dialogue to the next level. In addition, WHS teachers who participated in the retreats plan to incorporate the project as an initiative for the whole school.

A thank you goes to the following elected officials who gave the gift of listening and allowing students to practice skills of civic engagement and dialogue respectfully. Thank you to Windham Town Council members Mark Morrison, Dave Nadeau, and Nick Kalogerakis. RSU 14 school board members (Kate Brix, Kate Leveille, Char Jewell, and Jessica Bridges) and former State Representative Patrick Corey.

Hartford/Sumner 6th Graders Star in Second Debut of MLTI 2.0 SLAM Showcase

The Maine Department of Education’s MLTI Team, including MLTI Ambassadors, Nokomis SLAM students, and MLTI SLAM Coordinator, Kern Kelley spent the day presenting at the SLAM Showcase for sixth grade students and teachers from Hartford/Sumner Elementary School on November 22nd. This was the second of six SLAM (Student Leadership Ambassadors of Maine) Showcases happening at schools across Maine this year. (Read about the first SLAM Showcase here)

The SLAM show empowers MLTI students to use their devices and technology tools by providing a platform where students can give back and share their innovative work in their schools. The live SLAM in-person showcases have been designed to directly align with MLTI’s vision that all Maine students engage in authentic, relevant, technology-rich, learning experiences that prepare them for a fulfilling future.

Hartford/Sumner 2nd grade teacher Kelley Houghton attended a SLAM summer professional learning and applied to host a SLAM Showcase. As the selected candidate, Houghton invited MLTI to bring the SLAM Showcase to 6th grade students and teachers at her school.

The students spent the day learning about robotic coding with MLTI Ambassador, Martha Thibodeau, learning about Canva, free design software, with Nokomis High School SLAM student, Mia Coots, learning how to use TinkerCAD, a free web app for 3D modeling, electronics, and coding, with Nokomis High School SLAM student John Davis, and learning about how to create Virtual Reality with MLTI Ambassador, Tracy Williams.

The SLAM showcase provides the opportunity for students and teachers to learn new techniques and programs. Fifth grade teacher, Kate McCarthy, excitedly sat alongside students learning about Canva during one of the sessions. “I am very excited to use this in my classroom,” McCarthy later told SLAM student, Abby Caron, during a follow-up interview.

Hartford-Sumner SLAM Showcase — Fifth grade teacher, Kate McCarthy being interviewed by SLAM student, Abby Caron

Following each session, students were invited to participate in the SLAM Exam where they are asked to answer a related question and invited to upload the work they created in the session. At the end of the SLAM Showcase, examples of student work are highlighted as part of the SLAM Show for all participants to view. Prizes were randomly selected from correctly answered SLAM Exams.

Kelley tells us that the SLAM Exam is a low barrier way for the SLAM program to collect and showcase student work, promote student participation, and entice students to participate in future events. “Even if they don’t get a prize during this show, there is always the opportunity to share work during any of our SLAM shows, so we always hope they will share again and possibly win a prize during a future event.” In addition to the Live SLAM Showcases happening monthly this school year, SLAM also hosts weekly virtual SLAM shows where students across the state can participate.

The day ended with a group activity that allowed students to, not only share their work, but also share what they learned and highlight their take-aways from a day of hands-on learning. Students also got the opportunity to take a group picture with a drone that was provided to the school, in addition to virtual reality (VR) headsets for each student that can be paired with any mobile device to show their parents and guardians the work they created that day in the Showcase. 

Check out a video of the SLAM Showcase here

To learn more about the MLTI 2.0 SLAM program visit: http://MLTI.me. View the latest SLAM episode on the MLTI 2.0 Youtube Channel. To sign your school or classroom up to take part in SLAM, fill out this form.

Follow the Maine Department of Education on Facebook and Twitter to see a posting of the latest virtual SLAM show each week. Subscribe to the Maine DOE Newsroom to see a recap of the in-person SLAM shows each month.

Student State Board Member Ryan Hafener Presents on the Importance of Involving Youth in Policy Making

(Pictured: Maine State Board of Education Student Member Ryan Hafener with fellow students at the National Association of State Boards of Education Conference)

At the November State Board of Education Workshop, Student Member Ryan Hafener presented on the importance of youth engagement and provided recommendations to the Maine State Board of Education on how to increase engagement. In October, Hafener was featured on a webinar by the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) that focused on how state officials can develop youth-adult partnerships. In the webinar, available on the NASBE website, Hafener fielded questions on what successful youth-adult partnerships look like, what barriers can get in the way of student engagement, and what can make partnerships successful.

In addition to providing an overview of his experiences on the panel, Hafener also discussed his takeaways from his attendance at the NASBE Annual Conference in Phoenix, Arizona. Hafener presented on everything from understanding and addressing chronic absenteeism to understanding school climate and creating educational pathways that are relevant to all students. However, Hafener spent most of the presentation focusing on student engagement, an issue he is passionate about.

Hafener says that when engaging students, it is crucial to recognize the expertise that students bring to the table and to help mentor and foster the growth of students. He emphasized the importance of putting aside traditional youth-adult power dynamics, which he says is vital to ensuring partnerships are effective.

In his webinar, Hafener also highlighted the barriers to student engagement, which he separated into two categories: systemic and perceptual. Systemic barriers include the need to legislate student engagement and lack of access to information around opportunities, while perceptual barriers include ego and the perception that leaders’ work engaging students is finished once students are put into positions of leadership.

Hafener wrapped up his presentation with policy suggestions on how to further student engagement in education policymaking in Maine. He proposed an increase in the number of student members, which he said will bring along a myriad of benefits including increased equity and representation. Hafener also advocated for students to play a larger role on the board, as well as for the creation of more student-led spaces for discussion.

Figures compiled by the National Association of State Boards of Education show that 33 states now engage more than 400 students in education decision-making. Hafener reported that Maine is one of the leaders across the nation in student engagement, but he also reiterated the importance of continually investing in and adding pathways to amplify the student voice.

This article was written by Maine State Board of Education in collaboration with student member, Ryan Hafener as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. To submit a story or an idea, email Rachel Paling at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

New Extended Learning Position at Noble High School Connects Student with Dream Job

Lynn Kovitch is new to her role as Noble High School’s Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO) Coordinator. Thus far, she has spent a lot of her time building relationships with local businesses, organizations, and individuals in the community.

In addition to her research and leg work, Kovitch co-leads an ELO Class serving Noble High School’s Multiple Pathways Alternative School housed within the building where they are finding ways to engage students outside of the classroom. “I continue to meet new students, learn about their interests and place them in job shadows, paid work, and internships,” she said. As part of that process, she helps students with job applications and resumes and has conversations about post-secondary options including arranging career and college visits, as well as scheduling and bringing students to volunteer in the community.

“Now that we have a dedicated staff role to help our students find opportunities outside of the classroom, it feels like we are suddenly able to do more, and ideas we had are becoming a reality,” said a teacher from Noble High School Multiple Pathways Alternative School.

In describing a recent success, Kovitch explained that Noble High School has worked with a junior that applied and did not get into vocational school for the Automotive Program. After sharing his interest in working with his hands and learning anything about cars, Kovitch worked to find him a placement at a local garage. She went with him for an informal interview at a small garage this fall and the owner offered the student a job.

“He came up to me during the school day, looked me in the eyes, and thanked me. He gets to build a relationship with the shop owner, learn more about working in the automotive industry, and get the hands-on experience he had hoped for,” explained Kovitch. “This was one of the first of a handful of ‘work-study’ ELO’s and has motivated me greatly to continue helping students find placements- especially for those who did not get a spot in the vocational program.” Noble High School has students placed in many businesses in the area, including in childcare, welding, autobody and cosmetology.

Kovich goes on to explain that moments like these are the perfect example of why she loves her job so much. When students thank her for helping them locate opportunities outside of school that engages them in their passions and interests. “Seeing students genuinely excited to pursue their interest while building their confidence about their future and the many things they are capable of!”

Kovitch says that looking forward, Noble High School plans to grow its group ELO offerings next semester in addition to expanding its ability to transport students. She said they are also working on partnering with local organizations like Cooking Matters and Junior Achievement Maine to offer more life skills like financial literacy, cooking and budgeting in group ELO’s. This is all of course in addition to her continued efforts to match students with local businesses as she has worked so hard to do in the first half of the school year.

“We are excited to keep expanding our program as I settle into the role and get to know the community better,” she said.

Kovich extends a special thanks to some of their new community partners: Berwick Early Learning Center, Cabana Salon and Tanning, True Enterprises, Cabana’s Auto Body, Greater Works Land Trust, Riverside Farm and Another Chance Animal Shelter & Second Hand.

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.

Maine FIRST Lego League Championship Brings Together Twenty-Four Robotics Teams at Spruce Mountain High School

(Pictured: The RoboSharks in a team huddle before presenting to judges.)

The 23rd annual Maine FIRST Lego League Championship on December 3rd was another success with two dozen teams from around the state coming to Spruce Mountain High School. Hosted by the Blue Crew out Farmington, all 24 teams shared their innovation projects with judges in the morning and competed in the robot performance in the afternoon. Teams came from Brewer, Caribou, Jay, Oakland, Old Town, Vinalhaven, Winslow and other towns mentioned below to present their innovative projects to judges and test out their robot designs on the field.

The Champion’s Award went to the Smart Fun Engineers (Team 16492,), who, for the fifth consecutive year won the Robot Game Award with their robot’s high score of 270 points. They will now have an opportunity to represent Maine at the international FLL event in Texas in 2023. Their win included defeating the Gardiner Iron Tiger Cubs (Team 48102) in the “Just for Fun” playoff finals.

The fifth consecutive Champion’s Award for the Smart Fun Engineers was a thrill for these eighth graders who have been classmates and teammates for several years.

The Champion’s Finalist Award went to STEAM Powered Knights (Team 34104) from the St. George School. The team, led by coach Amy Palmer, is comprised of all new-to-the-game eighth graders. They performed strongly in the three judged areas – Core Values, Robot Design and Innovation Project.

Members of the STEAM Powered Knights present their innovation project that focused on transforming PFAS contaminated areas into solar farms.

The Core Values Award went to the team from the Leeds Central School (Team 52374), who exemplified inclusion and teamwork in their performances and projects. The Core Values Finalist Award went to the Smart Fun Scientists (Team 57933).

The Innovation Project Award went to the Legendary LEGO Coop Kids (Team 51454) from the Berwick area, who despite being a young team had another strong performance this year. The Innovation Project Finalist Award went to the RoboSharks (Team 14407) from the Shapleigh School in Kittery, who made an impressive debut at the event in a team of all fifth graders.

The Robot Design Award went to the Electronic Mustangs from the CK Burns School in Saco and the Robot Design Finalist Award went to the Renewable NRG Bars from Orono Middle School.

The Outstanding Volunteer Award went to Dr. Laura Guerney from UMaine, whose involvement in the FIRST Lego League events and mentoring of judges has been invaluable over the years. The Coach/Mentor Award went to Chris Herrick, whose positive and focused leadership has been key to the success of the young Legendary LEGO Coop Team in the past few years.

To learn more about opportunities for Robotics in Maine schools, check out Robotics Institute of Maine (RIM). For information about computer science in Maine schools, please check out the Maine Department of Education’s Computer Science page. If you have a robotics success story at your school, email jonathan.m.graham@maine.gov.

RSU 13 and Healthy Acadia Extended Learning Opportunity Coordinators Highlighted at First ELO Regional Day

Steffany Tribou, an 18-year education veteran and Assistant Superintendent for RSU 13 (pictured right), and Corrie Hunkler, ELO & Youth Engagement Coordinator at Healthy Acadia (pictured left) were panelists at JMG’s first North Regional Connection Event for Extended Learning Opportunity (ELO) Coordinators recently.

JMG’s Regional ELO Coaches are hosting bi-annual Regional Connection Events in the North, Central, and South regions of Maine, with Central and South scheduled for the week of 12/12 (read more about the schedule here). The events are intended to bring together education, workforce, and others interested in ELO work to share best practices, which is what Tribou and Hunkler are doing.

In her role at Healthy Acadia, Hunkler is the director for Downeast Teen Leadership Camp, a camp designed and led by youth. She runs youth employment programs and supports schools and organizations to engage youth in meaningful ways. Prior to her role with Healthy Acadia, she was a Guidance Counselor at four rural schools. As an ELO coordinator she is working with 5 schools to design, implement, and expand ELO offerings in coastal Washington County.

In her many roles in schools and districts, Tribou has always been passionate about finding ways to better prepare students for their future, and has been instrumental in seeing internships and ELOs taking hold, which she feels is important work that breathes life into what education can look like for students in Maine. During her presentation, Tribou shared a rap that she created based on the Hamilton play. The rap emphasized the need for ELOs to be available to Maine students in order to support a healthy economic future for Maine and the people who live here. Check out audio of the rap here.

Celebrating Playful Learning in Pre-K Expansion Classrooms

Laughter and rich conversations fill the air as teachers join students in purposeful play in Pre-K Expansion Grant classrooms across the State. Play based learning promotes engagement, curiosity and creativity. When teachers join children in their play they can scaffold learning opportunities, model language, introduce complex vocabulary and prompt deeper thinking through effective questioning. Play provides an opportunity for social learning and the development of executive functioning skills. In play, both the heart and the mind of the child are nurtured, reducing behavioral issues and supporting wellbeing while building the skills they need to be successful in school and beyond.

Pre-K children engage in a variety of different types of play in centers or interest areas in their classroom. Real-life imaginary play is incorporated into the dramatic play and building areas in Appleton’s new Pre-K classroom. This type of play allows children to think beyond the confines of their classroom and use their imaginations as they explore ways to use the materials they have to represent what they see in their minds. This type of play not only fosters creativity, but it also lays the foundation for symbolic representation with letters and numerals.

Maine DOE Contract Grant Specialist, Jane Kirsling, gets her temperature checked in the dramatic play area during a visit this fall.

Educational Technician, Natalie Kunzinger, joins children in the block area where they are using magnetic blocks to build houses.

Creativity and problem solving are integral parts of play in the art area. Children in the Greenville Pre-K classroom use art materials to express themselves and create projects based on a story their teacher has read to them. Concepts of color, shape, texture, and position are built through conversations about their work. Teachers support children in developing important problem-solving skills when they join children in their play, and help to build growth mindsets by letting children try out their own ideas, and by encouraging them to try again if they are not successful.

Education Technician, Erin Denham, supports Pre-K children as they problem solve how to attach the curly pipe cleaner tails to their pig pinata.

Teachers do a lot of work behind the scenes to make play purposeful. They carefully plan centers and other learning activities around central themes and make intentional connections between the activities to help children see the purpose in what they are doing. While there is always a place for intentional instruction, Pre-K teachers work to bring playful elements to their lessons.

Greenville teacher, Allison Boulier, builds letter identification skills by having her class go on a letter hunt.

Teacher, Monica Jodrey from Cave Hill School in RSU 24 integrated science, math, fine motor and language development into a pumpkin exploration that kept her whole class engaged for the afternoon

Pre-K classrooms are busy places. Play affords the opportunity to support learning across all domains and can even make “down time” a productive learning opportunity. Pre-K teacher, Marion Freehill, from Peninsula School in RSU 24, captured the enthusiasm her class had for their fire fighter puppets. You can also see the work her students have created to reflect on their play during centers time. Capturing their thoughts in writing helps them to see their ideas as important and is the first stage in them seeing themselves as writers.

Pre-K students enjoy putting on a puppet show at snack time each day.

If you wonder about the value of children spending most of their day playing in our Pre-k classrooms, don’t worry! In the words of Maria Montessori, “Play is the work of the child”. Even the American Academy of Pediatrics agrees. In 2018 they released a clinical report advising that doctors write prescriptions for play. In the report they said, “Play is not frivolous; it is brain building” and lauded play as being fundamentally important to learning problem solving, collaboration and creativity. But perhaps Lenore Skenazy, president of the non-profit Let Grow which promotes childhood independence and resiliency, put it best, “Play turns out to be so stunningly essential to childhood it’s like love, sunshine and broccoli all juiced together”.

The classrooms included in this article are all beneficiaries of the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan’s Pre-K Expansion Grant. The grant supports districts beginning new Pre-K classrooms or expanding the hours or number of days they serve students in existing programs. Ten districts across the state were recipients in the first round of grants. Round two awards will be announced soon.

If you have questions or would like more information about Public Pre-K, the Pre-K Expansion Grant or the importance of play in early education, please contact Sue Gallant Maine DOE Pre-K Expansion Consultant at Sue.Gallant@maine.gov and/or Nicole Madore Maine DOE Early Childhood Specialist at Nicole.Madore@maine.gov.

Lowell Oyster Named 2023 Maine’s National Outstanding Assistant Principal of the Year

The Maine Principals’ Association (MPA) is pleased to announce that Lowell Oyster, Assistant Principal of Bonny Eagle Middle School in Buxton, has been named Maine’s National Outstanding Assistant Principal of the Year. He will be honored by the MPA at its annual awards banquet at the Spring Conference on April 27, 2023, at the Samoset Resort in Rockport, Maine.

Mr. Oyster received this award because of his strong emphasis on community outreach. He has the ability to build connections across diverse stakeholders and goes to extraordinary lengths to meet the needs of students and staff. He loves being an assistant principal and believes it is the best job in the world.

In announcing Mr. Oyster’s selection as 2023 Maine’s National Outstanding Assistant Principal of the Year, MPA Executive Director, Dr. Holly Blair noted, “The MPA is pleased to recognize Lowell Oyster as Maine’s National Outstanding Assistant Principal of the Year. He is a reflective educational leader who people seek out and look to for guidance and leadership. Mr. Oyster focuses on the strengths of the people he works with to lift and accentuate each team member, making the overall school community stronger.”

Mr. Oyster received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education from the University of Maine, Orono, in 2005. In 2007, he earned his Master of Science Degree in Middle Level Education also from UMaine. He then obtained his Certificate of Advanced Studies from the University of Southern Maine in 2015.

Mr. Oyster started his educational career as a math/science teacher at Bonny Eagle Middle School in 2007. During this time, he took on the following school and/or district level leadership positions: Clan Leader, Symposium Leader, Math Meet Coordinator, Continuous Improvement Team member, Certification Steering Committee member, and was the 7^th grade Baseball Coach. In 2017, Mr. Oyster became the Assistant Principal of Bonny Eagle where he has served in this capacity ever since.

Mr. Lowell Oyster is a member of the Maine Principals’ Association and National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP).

The Maine Principals’ Association is a professional association representing Maine’s Pre-K-12 educational leaders. The Association dates its history back to 1921 and focuses its work on promoting the principalship, educational leadership, and promoting and administering interscholastic activities in grades 9-12.

Beech Hill School Student Council Demonstrates a Passion that is Immeasurable and Contagious

Beech Hill School’s Student Council is a group of students who care about culture and community and want to serve in an important leadership role. Members of Student Council strive to consistently demonstrate their school’s four core values: respect, responsibility, caring, and honesty. They exhibit positive attitudes, work with others, and possess the desire to make Beech Hill School and the community a better place for all.

Students are not turned away from membership in the school’s Student Council. There is no election process, and interested students may join at the start of each trimester. School staff identify and build on the strengths of any 4-8th grade leader.

Student Council students will do anything to help out! Their typical responsibilities include leading daily morning announcements, helping younger students in the lunchroom, organizing spirit weeks, facilitating monthly spirit day assemblies, planning service learning projects, fundraising, and designing ways to encourage social/emotional wellness. Students are especially focused on activities that increase diversity awareness and promote inclusion.

Beech Hill School Student Council members are also ambassadors of school spirit. School spirit can become the difference between just being at a school and being at their school. Showing school spirit demonstrates a passion that is immeasurable and contagious and sets the tones for other aspects of Beech Hill School.

The last Tuesday of every month is designated as School Spirit Day. On these days, students and staff are invited to wear school colors and/or their favorite Beech Hill School gear to show their school pride. Student Council holds an assembly on each School Spirit Day for activities like promoting a message or event, showcasing a talent, recognizing a team and/or appreciating the work of an individual or group. During this time, they also celebrate birthdays of the month and hold a “green card” prize drawing. Green cards are awarded to individual students for demonstrating their school values throughout the school day.

The fundraisers that Student Council members host throughout the school year fund projects and/or initiatives, including (but not limited to) the BHS High School Scholarship Fund, BHS School Spirit Day Carnival, SPCA of Hancock County, Walmart Giving Tree, and Emmaus (Ellsworth) Homeless Shelter. Fundraisers include game concessions, Read-a-thons, family movie nights, and other events that connect people in the community.

This story was submitted by Beech Hill School as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. To submit at story or an idea, email rachel.paling@maine.gov.

Student Voice and Choice a Big Part of Brewer High School Extended Learning Program

“We are seeing dramatic improvement in attitude and effort on the part of our students,” said Brewer High School’s Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO) Coordinator Kevin Napolillo. “They feel that their career goals are finally being addressed and can see the value of what they are doing.”

Along with a growing number of schools and districts across Maine, Brewer High School has established an Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO) Coordinator to work with students to set up intentional career/work experiences and coordinate efforts for students to experience and learn about different jobs, career paths, and work opportunities available here in Maine and beyond.

“We have set up extended learning opportunities in the areas of auto mechanics, child psychology, and marine biology just to name a few,” said Napolillo. “We have also established a CNA [Certified Nursing Assistant] training program with a local nursing home.”

Napolillo says that the best part of his job is, “Observing the signs of realization when a student becomes aware that the school personnel will find out their likes and foster their desires for careers.”

In an effort to keep the program student directed, Napolillo has also worked to establish a relationship with the local Chamber of Commerce to develop relationships with local business owners.

It takes those strong local and State partnerships to develop and sustain a successful Extended Learning Opportunity programming and to that end, Napolillo would like to extend a debt of gratitude to: Walker’s Garage-Brewer, Brewer Center for Health and Rehabilitation, and Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce.

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.