Businesses team up with Educate Maine for professional development program

Courtesy / Educate Maine Twenty-seven Maine educational professionals recently graduated from a year-long program run by Educate Maine and sponsored by Unum that takes them to businesses around the state. The closing retreat was in the Moosehead Lake region.

Write a Comment

By Staff

A year-long professional development program that takes Maine teachers to businesses throughout the state recently graduated its seventh class as it prepares to welcome the next group.

The program, known as the Education Leaders Experience, is administered by Educate Maine, supported by the Maine Principals Association, and sponsored by benefits provider Unum, a large employer in the state.

During month-long learning sessions, participants meet with employers, industry, and policy and research leaders to understand education's critical role in sustaining Maine's economic growth.

Some of the companies visited this past year include Hussey Seating and Pratt & Whitney in North Berwick, AC Carver Inc. in Jonesport, Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine Medical Center in Portland and Mason's Brewing in Brewer.

The class consisted of 27 members who held their closing retreat and graduation in the Moosehead Lake region.

Alumni include classroom teachers, school and district administrators, career and technical education teachers and staff, guidance counselors, adult education directors and representatives of GEAR Up, 4-H, Jobs for Maine Graduates and higher education.

One member of the class that just graduated called the experience "transformational," while another said it was his best professional development experience in 30 years as a Maine educator.

Cary Olson Cartwright, Unum’s assistant vice president of corporate social responsibility, said in a news release that "supporting education, educators and, most importantly, students, is a core value at Unum."

Jason Judd, Educate Maine’s new executive director, said Education Leaders Experience "is a unique business-education partnership that supports the missions of both Educate Maine and Maine Principals Association to support education leaders."

He added: "We are grateful for Unum’s investment in this program. Unum models the importance of employers and educators working together to help Maine students pursue promising careers.”

Plans are underway for the opening retreat for the upcoming Theta class, and applications for the Iota class (2020-21) can be completed online.