Mt. Ararat High School French Teacher Given International Recognition

An impressive honor has been bestowed upon deserving Maine educator Nathalie Gorey, a French teacher at Mt. Ararat High School in Topsham. For her many years of leadership and commitment to promoting French language and culture through education, Nathalie has been named a Chevalier-Knight- in the Ordre des Palmes Académiques (French for “Order of Academic Palms”).

“It really came as a surprise,” said Nathalie after finding out that she had been recommended for the award by the French Consul’s staff in Boston, who know her work as an advocate and a teacher of French language and culture.

The Ordre des Palmes Académiques, originally established in 1808 by Emperor Napoleon, is an Order of Chivalry of France bestowed by the French Republic to academics and cultural and educational figures. The recognition honors major contributions to French national education and culture by French expatriates who expand French culture throughout the rest of the world.

Born and raised in Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa, and France, Nathalie’s heritage is one of the most influential factors in her desire to share the French language and culture with students. She got her first taste for teaching French during the last year of earning her Master’s degree, when she travelled abroad from the University of Angers, France to the University of Limerick, Ireland and worked a part-time job at the local Alliance Française, an after-school program where she taught French to Irish kids.

“I love sharing my native language with students, a language which makes up a third of the English language,” said Nathalie. “I went to school studying three foreign languages, so I know how valuable it is to learn and communicate in a second language and discover other cultures.”

After returning to France and graduating, she took a rare opportunity through a partnership between her university in France and the University of Maine System to travel to Maine and spend a year as a teaching assistant at the University of Maine at Machias (UMM), where she helped start and grow a vibrant French program while immersing herself in American and Maine life.

What started out as a one-year assignment turned into a successful professional choice that developed into a long-term teaching career, and prompted her to start a family and relocate to Maine permanently.

“I am passionate about teaching about the Francophone world, opening students’ minds to other lands and cultures,” said Nathalie. “That is what is great about teaching a language – you get to also teach geography, history, art, literature, music, literature, and cooking,” she added.

Nathalie has nearly three decades of French teaching under her belt at both UMM and UMA, and through other secondary French teaching positions in Maine, including her current position at Mt. Ararat High School.

“Some rewarding aspects have been seeing students go on with French studies in college, even become a French teacher as a career,” explained Nathalie. “ Or teaching about the Acadian history in Maine and seeing my students understand the background of their own ancestors!”. And she added, “Taking students on trips to Quebec or France is also very rewarding, seeing the kids applying their skills and making those connections to what they have been learning in class, with the language and culture”.

Outside of school, she is the Maine chapter president of the AATF (American Association of Teachers of French), representing Maine teachers through their professional organization. She also serves on the Advisory Board of the Alliance Française du Maine as their pedagogical coordinator, and advises them on their cultural events among other things. Nathalie has also been very active in the arrival and settling of French-speaking African immigrants in Maine over the past four years, serving as the French translator for the Maine-based African newspaper Amjambo Africa!.

“I feel like Maine is the perfect place to also make connections, with the Franco-American heritage and the renaissance of French thanks to the African immigrants,” said Nathalie.

Plans for a formal recognition event and ceremony are in the works for this coming fall, following COVID-19 safety measures. In the meantime, Nathalie has received an official letter of recognition from the French Embassy and a medal honoring her lifetime efforts to promote French culture and language all over the world.

The Maine Department of Education congratulates Nathalie Gorey for her tireless efforts as a world language educator, as an advocate for French culture, language and teachers, and for this well-deserved, prestigious award honoring her hard work and continued advocacy.

Adapting to COVID: Portland Community Squash Develops Advisee Program to Stay Connected to Students

In its ninth year, Portland Community Squash (PCS) has come a long was as a community organization aimed at both bringing people and communities together to play the sport squash and supporting Maine youth through their journey as a student, adolescent, and community member of the greater Portland area.

Starting in 2013 as an organization committed to closing the opportunity gap, PCS learned the needs of local families. They eventually opened a location at 66 Noyes Street in Portland in 2017 and expanded their programs to address wellness for both students and community members, along with a robust program that supports youth through academics.

With a mission that seeks to unite neighbors of all ages and backgrounds and to fully support youth on their journey from elementary school into adulthood, the PCS moto is committed to access, equity, and integration to make every community stronger.

The organization and its unique squash based mission was highlighted in November 2020 on News Center Maine showcasing the positive impact the program has on the community. PCS has been successful in bringing together people from the area, and from many different culturally diverse background. Their youth programs put students on-track in their academics while also engaging them in fun and exciting activities that bring them together with their peers and teach them about wellness, character, and community.

However, along with schools and organizations throughout Maine, PCS has had to adapt to keep their program relevant and effective through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Knowing that staying connected to the students that rely on academic support PCS provides was essential, they developed an “Advisee Program” to keep in touch with students. The Advisee Program splits up the 150 students they serve in a way that pairs each staff member with 10-12 kids with whom they check in on a regular basis, even visiting the students at their homes to ensure they stay connected and feel supported through this time of crisis.

Through the end of the previous school year and throughout the current school year, PCS has had their fair share of innovative adaptations to help reduce the risk of COVID-19 in their facility and continue serving students, including one-on-one tutoring, keeping students in smaller cohorts in hybrid learning styles, and even shifting to full remote for the holiday season.

Now that they are serving students more regularly in-person again through the spring, they have kept the advisee program in place, remarking that it has really helped them increase their student connections by providing a higher level of individualized support to students.

“The silver lining of the advisee program is that we’ve been able to serve as a support system to students and have also had the chance to connect in a deeper way with students’ families. This program will continue post-COVID,” said PCS Operations Director Sarah Stickney.

What started out as a group of Portland squash players has turned into an innovative, thriving organization with strong partnerships to other organizations, including local school systems and educators, administrators and community members. Along-side school and district partners around the state, PCS has pivoted with the challenges of COVID-19 adapting and learning from the new ways that we serve students.

Adding to their innovative approach to serving students and the greater community, PSC also has a unique concept for sharing their models of success with others. With an open-source idea in mind, PCS harnessed five years of community squash innovation into a collection of slides and documents that they openly share with anyone who wants to use them. View the Community Squash Package here.

Information for this article was provided by Portland Community Squash (PCS) as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. To submit a story or an idea, email it to Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

How One School Resource Officer Brought Together a Community

When the Saco Police Department came together last October to do an annual Pink Patch campaign for breast cancer awareness, they had no idea that only a few short months later one of their own would be diagnosed with it.

Officer Amanda Condon is a School Resource Office (SRO) for the Saco School Department’s Prek through middle school students which includes five schools: Governor John Fairfield School, Young School, C K Burns School, Saco School Pre-Kindergarten, and Saco Middle School. According to her colleagues, she embodies the best qualities of a female leader and role model. She is a part of the Armed Services as Air Force Reservist, as well as a Police Officer. Strong roles that she approaches with her own spirit and personality – a challenge she takes on with a sense of humor, an empathetic heart, and caring smile.

As a member of the community, Officer Condon also participated actively in the Pink Patch Project at the police department and at her schools before finding out that she was diagnosed this past November.

In her role as a SRO, Officer Condon is an employee of the Saco Police Department serving both as a police officer in the force putting in hours on holidays and weekend shifts in addition to other community involvement, she also spends the school hours as an important part of the lives of the young students she serves in Saco’s schools.

“She has been an amazing part of our community,” said Rachel Hasty, School Counselor for Saco Middle School in a statement she provided along with colleagues at Saco Middle School. “Last year she was directing the distribution of meals to the families in the community. She has been present for in-school and outside of school activities and this has really allowed students to get to know her in a variety of different ways.”

Known for her ability to provide both a sense of security and comfort to the students she works with, Officer Condon is that happy face they look forward to seeing at school, some even getting the chance to spend extra time with her as a reward.

“She connects with students as a person, and not just an authority figure,” added Hasty. “People like her and gravitate towards her kindness and sincerity.”

A couple years ago she brought a lot of awareness to the Wreaths Across America project, when she participated in it herself. It was very inspirational and heartwarming for the Saco community, and it started a great conversation with students who had more questions.

Since being diagnosed, Officer Condon has had to take a step back from her jobs and community involvement, leaving a hole felt by many.

The Saco Police Department recently organized a police convoy in support of her fight against cancer. The convoy involved a drive by parade filled with police vehicles and flashing blue lights from six different local police departments that all drove by the window where she was getting chemo treatment. The convoy was in lieu of being able to go in and see her in-person since visitors are limited in health care facilities these days, a measure that helps protect patients from the spread of COVID-19.

As she started losing her hair from the treatment, the Saco Police Department wanted to continue showing their love and support for her so 25 members of the force shaved their heads in a touching event that brought tears to the eyes of everyone involved (group picture featured above). Her team didn’t want her to be the only one without hair during a time that is already challenging enough.

The school has also tried to find ways to support their beloved SRO. “Taking her lead, we have continued to advertise the Pink Patch Project and have been helping to raise money and awareness about this cause that affects her and our entire community. We wanted to continue her work, not just for her but to support her family and to help continue the positive impact she has had in our community.”

Her presence as an officer, active community member, and leader at the school has a grace that touches the lives of everyone she meets. Officer Condon’s family says that since being diagnosed the outpouring of love from the school, the police department, and the community is an example of the impact her character has had on the people she serves.

“If you want to find the silver lining in something terrible, it’s finding how great your community is,” said a close family member of Officer Condon.

While she is undergoing chemotherapy, among other routine treatments to fight the disease, her family, friends, and community continue to rally in support. They are very hopeful that she will pull through and join them once again as the active and loving community member they so dearly miss.

Information for this article was provided by Officer Condon’s family and Saco Middle School as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. To submit a story or an idea, email it to Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

Mt. Vernon Elementary Reads in the Great Outdoors!

On Saturday, February 27th students in grades PreK-5 along with their families participated in a literacy celebration. The main activity lead by the PreK/ELL teacher, Katie Reed, was a Story Walk featuring, Learning to Ski with Mr. Magee, by Maine author Chris Van Dusen.

There was an amazing turnout of over 40 students during the two-hour event that included parents, grandparents, and siblings. Along with the Story Walk there were tons of family-friendly activities including snowshoeing with the school nurse Justin Easter, outdoor snow yoga with the PE teacher, Nancy Martin, a photo booth with Mr. Magee, and treats to eat and drink.

The school’s Little Free Library was on display and all enrolled students were able to select a book to take home and keep. Mrs. Boucher, the literacy specialist, spoke with families about reading engagement, book selection, and ways to read together at home. Jeanette Jacob, district literacy coach, won a grant through Maranacook Education Foundation and facilitated the snack and prize tables.

Congratulations to all of the students and families that entered and won prizes that included gift certificates to a bookstore, a sporting goods store, Titcomb Mountain ski passes, and 5210 water bottles and materials!

This story was submitted by Janet Delmar, Principal of Mt. Vernon Elementary School as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. To submit a story or an idea email it to Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

Beech Hill School Theme of Belonging Sets The Tone for SEL & Citizenship Throughout School Year

At Beech Hill School, students and staff start every school year thinking about themselves as individuals and their sense of belonging in a large community. The launching platform for the last two school years has been: “Be Here. Be You. Belong. This school belongs to all of us” (inspired by the leadership work of Brene Brown). From there, they consider what matters to them, more specifically, who they are and what they wish to contribute to society. This work aligns with the school district’s mission to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and personal qualities to be successful learners, workers, and citizens in a rapidly changing world.

Last year, Principal Nichole Pothier began hosting monthly “Be” themes, which were so well received by students and staff, that they requested more! For “Be You” September, students complete inventories, surveys, and profiles that highlight their interests and learning preferences. During October, the focus was on “being a citizen,” with extra emphasis on their school-wide values: respect, responsibility, caring, and honesty. Students were particularly engaged in learning about the rights and duties of citizens.

Each month’s theme encourages thought and even some action in the school and community. This year, students particularly enjoyed December’s “Be Worldly” theme with a “Reading Takes Us Places” read-a-thon (with door decorating challenge) and exploring of cultures through literature. In the new year, January kicked off with a “Be Creative” hat contest and the finalists in each classroom moved on to a school-wide vote. “Be Kind” February led to all kinds of random acts of kindness throughout the school and even extended to St. Jude’s Hospital.

“Be Creative” January

“Be Worldly” December

“Be Kind” February

“Be Well” March

All of the staff at Beech Hill School brainstorm ways to integrate the monthly “Be” theme into their work with students. Even their school cook incorporates it in the lunch program! Other ideas have included the use of children’s literature, art and music, and outreach activities to reinforce concepts and personal qualities. The school’s efforts help to foster students’ social/emotional skills and overall sense of belonging. It gives a rhythm to the school year and unifies the efforts and intention of everyone in the school. They are looking forward to a “Be Well” March with a wellness bingo challenge and school-wide (differentiated) study of the story of The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate.

This article was provided by Beech Hill School as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. To submit a story or an idea email it to Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

School Union 76 Celebrates Public Schools Week with an Inspiring Video

Closing out National Public Schools Week this week, School Union 76 (SU76) made up of Brooklin School, Deer Isle-Stonington Elementary School, Deer Isle-Stonington High School, Isle au Haut School and Sedgwick Elementary School created a heartwarming and informative video about how their community has pulled together to ensure that students continue learning through the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a letter to the community recently, SU76 Superintendent Christian Elkington expressed his gratitude:

“The efforts made by all to have learning continue during the pandemic is truly a work of caring, kindness, determination and toughness,”

“More than at any time as your Superintendent of Schools, over this last year I have felt extremely fortunate and honored to be working with each of SU 76’s Public Schools! Throughout the pandemic our Nation’s Public Schools, including our own, have found differing ways to help our young people learn, grow and achieve. I have seen first-hand and so believe strongly that each and every day we in SU 76 are making Lemonade out of Lemons. Through positive efforts we are problem-solving so that our students can move forward and continue to learn, grow and achieve.”

Check out the SU76 National Public Schools Week Video:

Like schools across Maine, SU 76 Schools is continuing to take steps forward in support of their students and community. Their video and story speaks to the hard work of schools across Maine and serves as an inspiring message that celebrates everything that Maine’s communities have accomplished through the past year.

Information for this story was provided by School Union 76 as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. If you have a story or an idea, email it to Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

Bangor High School Students Record Themselves Reading Aloud for Elementary School Remote Learners

Bangor High School Student Council members recorded a selection of the 2020-2021 nominee picture books for the annual Chickadee Awards. This project was completed for Bangor elementary children learning remotely so that they might hear and enjoy the read aloud books from home.

Learn more about the project and see the recorded readings here

Thank you to the Bangor High School students for sharing the love of reading with younger students!

Information for this article was provided by the Bangor School Department as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success Campaign. To submit a story or an idea, email it to Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

We Want to Hear How Climate Science is Taught in Maine Classrooms

Whether your students are exploring energy alternatives, their carbon footprint, how to protect ecosystems and water sources, sea level rise along the coast, warming in the Gulf of Maine, or mitigating health costs of Lyme, mosquito-borne illnesses and damage to Maine’s infrastructure, we want to hear from you!

With the adoption of new science Maine Learning Results in 2019 (Next Generation Science Standards), the release of the Maine Climate Council’s “Four-Year Plan for Climate Action” in 2020, and a renewed focus on climate issues, we want to hear how Maine classrooms are addressing climate science. We are interested in school and community-based examples and innovative partnerships.

Please forward any stories, examples, photos to shari.templeton@maine.gov with a subject line of “Climate Education” for the Department of Education (DOE) to highlight and share state-wide. We are designing a website that will be populated with exemplars, resources, and networking opportunities across the state.

As proposed in the Climate Council’s plan, the DOE is exploring the convening of stakeholders to “consider next steps to implement increased climate and career education.” If you are interested in serving on a planning team to develop a state plan for climate education, please complete the form found at this link.

Thank you for helping us to highlight and celebrate the important work you are doing!

Art Educator Bridges Divide Between Remote and In-person Students Through Digital Communications Artist Showcase

13 Series of 7’s

A Remote Digital Communications Artist Showcase

An educator reflection written by Melanie Crowe, Visual Arts Educator at Hampden Academy.

This school year has presented some unique challenges, engaging students who are remote with the in person school community has been a central focus for me as an educator. The journey to find ways to showcase remote student work and learning has created wonderful collaborations between departments and spaces here at Hampden Academy. Working in conjunction with Leslie Rosenblatt, HA’s Library Media Specialist, she and I have found a way to bridge the spatial divide between the remote students and the in person students. Using the Library’s garage as a “gallery” space, the quarter 3 remote Digital Communications students created a movie of their digital photography that will be on presentation for the month of February.

Students in the Digital Communications course curated their work and selected, what they believed to be, their most visually engaging and compositionally successful photographs. Over the course of the semester, students in the remote Digital Communications course learned how to use their cameras on their phones like a digital SLR camera. They learned how to manipulate and control settings beyond the typical point and shoot of a phone camera. Students focused on how to manipulate and change their depth of focus, shutter speed, and ways to enhance their work using photo editing software on the web.

The students chose their best seven works from the quarter, used vocaroo (a web based voice recorder) to record an artist statement reflection. The video is shown during the day on a loop at HA for those interested to view during their study hall or during their visit to the library. This opportunity provides students in the building a way to hear and see the work created by students who are learning remotely. We hope that students will engage with the work and enjoy the works created by their peers.

Future collaborations are in the makings to showcase more of the amazing artwork our students create here at Hampden Academy. The featured thirteen student photographers are: Nikyla Bidler, Graceann Brinkworth, Madison Burns, Owen Cross, Isaac Cruz, Rebecca Demmons, Ryan Dudley, Tesa Kneeland, Gabriella Moore, Sophia Pereira, Sara Reynolds, Cameron Robichaud, and Zachary Robichaud.

Bangor High School Student Recognized as a Regeneron Science Talent Search Finalist

The Bangor School Department is proud to announce that Vetri Vel has been recognized as a Regeneron Science Talent Search Finalist! #RegeneronSTS is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors. Only 40 young scientists are selected as finalists. The 2021 finalists were selected from 1,760 highly qualified entrants based on their projects’ scientific rigor and their potential to become world-changing scientists and leaders.

Vetri’s project is titled: Real-Time Fall Detection System for the Elderly Using Thermal Imaging and Deep Learning.

Finalists’ projects span a diverse range of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) related topics, including diagnostic imaging to help assess the severity of COVID-19, examining the impact of e-cigarettes on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) development, and creating a new way to filter toxins more effectively from wastewater.

The finalists will participate in a virtual competition from March 10-17, 2021, where they will undergo a rigorous virtual judging process to compete for more than $1.8 million in awards. They will also have an opportunity to interact with leading scientists and display their projects to the public during a virtual event on March 14. Usually held in person in Washington, D.C., the 2021 competition will take place virtually in order to keep the finalists and their families safe during the ongoing pandemic.

The finalists are each awarded at least $25,000, and the top 10 awards range from $40,000 to $250,000. The top 10 Regeneron Science Talent Search 2021 winners will be announced during a live-streamed virtual awards ceremony on March 17. In total, more than $3 million in awards will be distributed throughout the Regeneron Science Talent Search, which includes awards to finalists as well as $2,000 provided to each of the top 300 scholars and their schools.

Barbara Stewart, Head of the BHS Science Department, has also been named a Teacher of Merit by Regeneron Science Talent Search 2021. Bangor High School will receive $2000 to use to promote student research in STEM fields. In past years, Bangor High has entered competitions at the Maine State Science Fair and to the regional competition in New Hampshire, both highlights of the year for everyone involved. This year, BHS is planning outdoor opportunities and the potential for launching satellites

“It’s an honor to welcome the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2021 finalists to the community of alumni who share a drive and passion for science,” said George D. Yancopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., Co-Founder, President and Chief Scientific Officer of Regeneron, and among the top winners of the 1976 Science Talent Search. “This year’s finalists represent many of our nation’s most promising young scientists who, even during a global pandemic, are using their ingenuity, resourcefulness and STEM skills to work toward a better future. I can only hope that their STS experience further inspires them to take on and help solve the biggest challenges facing mankind – from climate change to disease and future pandemics.”

“Congratulations to the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2021 finalists,” said Maya Ajmera, President and CEO of Society for Science, Publisher of Science News and 1985 Science Talent Search alum. “Finalists are the top young scientists and engineers in the United States who will someday solve some of the world’s most vexing problems. They have persevered through a tumultuous year and we look forward to celebrating the students’ achievement in a special way.”

This article was provided by the Bangor School Department as part of the Maine Schools Sharing Success campaign. To submit a story or an idea, email it to Rachel at rachel.paling@maine.gov.