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Project Planned to Honor Dedicated School Workers

Posted on: Friday, 12 May 2006, 09:07 CDT

By Ruth-Ellen Cohen, Bangor Daily News, Maine

May 12--BANGOR -- A yearlong project to recognize and honor people who work in schools will be launched Monday, May 15, in Augusta.

"Celebrate School People in Maine" aims to share stories about school people including teachers, administrators, coaches, librarians, cafeteria workers, counselors, aides, bus drivers, nurses and crossing guards from throughout Maine.

The project includes an extensive statewide media campaign, six months of collecting stories about the caring school employees who make a difference in people's lives, and a major event Oct. 18 at the Augusta Civic Center where 4,000 of Maine's school people will be honored.

Activities on Monday include a 1 p.m. news conference at the State House Hall of Flags, followed by a special reception at the Blaine House from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Co-sponsored by first lady Karen Baldacci and Maine Department of Education Commissioner Susan Gendron, "Celebrate School People" was designed by Patsy Wiggins and Kathleen Alfiero, both of South Portland.

Monday's reception will showcase stories from some school people and will be attended by 50 or so "school ambassadors," made up of public, private, home school and early childhood educators. A school cook from Perry and a principal from Eastport will be among the guests, organizers said. Also attending the event will be higher education officials, as well as legislators, parents and students including 50 from the Brooklin School.

In addition, Oct. 18, 2006, will be officially declared "Celebrate School People Day" in Maine.

"The time is right to honor school people," said Commissioner Gendron in a news release this week. "The morale of educators is at an all-time low. Even as school people remain steadfast in their love and dedication to children, as I traveled the state of Maine, I hear time and time again how exhausted and overwhelmed people in the schools feel." The celebration project will "make a great difference" to school workers, she said.

Wiggins is a television journalist and Alfiero is a former teacher and substance abuse counselor. The women, who several years ago created a Maine Public Broadcasting series called "I'monair" that featured extraordinary people's stories, plan to travel the state this summer, interviewing and videotaping school workers who have influenced and encouraged people to be the best they could be. They are amassing names with help from community members and school officials.

"We hear about stories every day," said Wiggins. "We heard about an 80-year-old woman who is a school custodian and about a fabulous crossing guard in Orono and Old Town."

Some of those interviews will be featured during the October event at the Augusta Civic Center, she said.

As part of the celebration project, newspapers and other media will be asked to feature stories focusing on the "value and importance and contribution of school people," Wiggins said.

The idea is to pass on "inspirational, upbeat, and very positive stories to elevate the spirit, enthusiasm and passion of school people," said Alfiero.

Also supporting the project are the Maine Principal's Association, the Maine Education Association and the Maine School Management Association, and many other education advocates and private organizations in Maine. National school advocates also are endorsing the project and hope that Maine's model will be replicated across the country, according to organizers.

Wiggins and Alfiero plan to offer schools a photographic journal and videotape library of the stories they have collected about school people. A resource guide for educators also will be created.

The $415,140 project will be funded with help from local foundations, businesses, state funds and individuals.

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Copyright (c) 2006, Bangor Daily News, Maine

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Source: Bangor Daily News (Bangor, Maine)

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