Meet Mathy Terrill, Social Studies Teacher, A.P History Teacher, History Department Head, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Teaching Fellow, National Honor Society Advisor, Gay Straight Transgendered Alliance Advisor, Student Assistant Team Co-Advisor, Homecoming Coordinator, Varsity Cross Country Coach, Varsity Track and Field Assistant Coach, and Overall Ridiculously Busy and Dedicated Educator at Washington Academy.

Mathy and I met at her home in Machias over the weekend so I could interview her for this profile. I usually come to such interviews with questions prepared, but this time I was stumped. Mathy does EVERYTHING. How could I structure the interview to highlight her deep commitment to education in Washington County without leaving anything out? Truth is, I couldn’t. So I asked her what she is most proud of. She told me two things: her work as a United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Teaching Fellow, and the Prom Dress Boutique she puts on as advisor for the National Honor Society at Washington Academy.

Continue reading →

Meet Bertha Caler, Retired Teacher, Volunteer Extraordinaire, and Downeast Gem.

Bertha graciously welcomed me into her home in Cherryfield so I could learn about her work at D.W. Merritt School in Addison. Thank you, Bertha, for your time, and for all you do to enrich children’s lives.

In the January Washington County Consortium Newsletter, I encouraged Washington County educators to reach out if they knew someone who should be profiled for future newsletters. I soon received an email from Suzanne Plaisted, a teacher at D.W. Merritt School, who recommended I reach out to Bertha Caler. Bertha, she shared, “ is a retired teacher who has not only been subbing for years but established a free library at D.W. Merritt School in Addison.” Bertha seemed like a great person to profile. She is doing replicable work that truly enhances the lives of many students.

Continue reading →

Meet Debbie Jamieson, teaching principal of Pembroke Elementary School

Debbie graciously gave me some of her time so I could pick her brain about why she thinks Pembroke Elementary School is experiencing the success shown by their most recent proficiency rates. Below is a summary of our conversation. Thank you, Debbie, for sharing your time, experiences, and insights!

Q: Why do you think you have such strong proficiency rates?

A: We have an excellent staff and have been doing proficiency-based reporting for over ten years.
When that effort began, we read and got support from Anne Davies. We put a lot of work into
proficiency-based reporting and giving students useful feedback. Since then, we’ve spent time
reviewing our data and using pre and post assessments to make informed instructional adjustments.
We’ve also worked to create an optimal testing atmosphere and ensure students are invested in the
assessments.

Continue reading →