Supporting Maine Educators: A Forum to Bolster Mental Health in Our Schools

First Section of Forum: "Changing the Culture and View of Mental Illness"

The first keynote, “Changing the Culture and View of Mental Illness” focused on Judge Broderick’s work on eliminating stigma and raising understanding of mental health and early intervention. The following panel that included Judge Broderick, two Maine high school students and Karen Barnes of the Maine School Safety Center, discussed mental health stigma faced by Maine students and educators and the positive approaches that are being employed to support school mental health and wellbeing.

• 00:00           Forum Opening and Greetings from Commissioner Makin 
• 08.15           Keynote: Changing the Culture and View of Mental Illness 
  • • John T. Broderick, Jr.  Dartmouth- Hitchcock Senior Director of External Affairs Former Chief Justice of the NH Supreme Court 
• 44:30           Panel Discussion: Changing the Culture and View of Mental Illness  
  • • Presenter: John T. Broderick, Jr.  Dartmouth- Hitchcock Senior Director of External Affairs Former Chief Justice of the NH Supreme Court  
    • Panelist: Isaiah Doble, Senior at Camden Hills Regional High School  
    • Panelist: Casey Maddock, Senior at Scarborough High School  
    • Panelist: Karen Barnes PhD, DOE Maine School Safety Center

Survey and Certificate of Completion: 1^st Keynote and Panel: “Changing the Culture and View of Mental Illness”

 Second Section of Forum: "Keep Calm and Educate On: The Impact of COVID19 for Educators"

The second keynote, “Keep Calm and Educate On: The Impact of Covid19 for Educators” centered on presentations from Maine educators who shared their experiences over the past year and the ways they have approached providing education and support through the adversity of the pandemic. In the following panel, keynote presenters were joined by Johnathan Radtke, assistant principal of Falmouth High School, Amber Nelson, at-risk youth attorney and Bonnie Robbins, school counselor in Poland’s Whittier Middle School to explore the impact of the pandemic on educators. The discussion covered the grief and loss from schools going remote in the spring of 2020, the importance of finding new ways to support students and staff throughout the crisis and the lessons learned that have been used to build positive ways to continue to engage, educate and support schools now and in the future.

• 1:36:09           Keynote: Keep Calm and Educate On: The Impact of COVID19 for Educators  
  • • Ayesha Hall, District Social Emotional Learning and Equity Resource Coordinator for Lewiston Public Schools
      • Resources From Ayesha Hall:​​​​​​
        • ​Presentation and Big 7 Checklist for Emotion Regulation Strategy
        • Ruler Approach
    • Christine Proefrock, Music Director, Calais Middle School 
    • Ellen Nicholas, K-8 Art Teacher at Sipayik Elementary School, Perry Maine
• 2:27:30           Panel Discussion: Keep Calm and Educate On: The Impact of COVID19 for Educators  
  • • Ayesha Hall, District Social Emotional Learning and Equity Resource Coordinator for Lewiston Public Schools
    • Presenter: Christine Proefrock, Music Director, Calais Middle School
    • Presenter: Ellen Nicholas, K-8 Art Teacher at Sipayik Elementary School 
    • Panelist: Amber Nelson, Attorney at Chester and Vestal, former Special Education teacher and At-risk Student Advocate 
    • Panelist: Jonathan Radtke, Assistant Principal Falmouth High School
    • Panelist: Bonnie Robbins, School Counselor Whittier Middle School, MESCA Asst. Chair

Survey and Certificate of Completion:2^nd Keynote and Panel: “"Keep Calm and Educate On: The Impact of Covid19 for Educators"

 Third Section of Forum: "Stories Over Stigma: Finding the Secret Warrior Within All of Us"

The closing keynote, “Stories Over Stigma: Finding the Secret Warrior Within All of Us” brought Maine coach phenom, Joanne P. McCallie to share her own battle with mental health and negative stigma and to speak directly to the challenges educators and students have faced during the COVID19 pandemic. In the following panel, Coach P. was joined by Greg Marley of NAMI Maine, Kellie Bailey, DOE Social Emotional Learning specialist and experienced educator, Sarah Nelson, to build on the keynote themes of mental health support and. perseverance in face of adversity. The panel discussed the strengths of engaging with students and staff with a strong, relational approach, building adult social emotional learning and the power of building inclusive teams as a way to connect and support schools.

• 3:18:31        Keynote: Stories Over Stigma: Finding the Secret Warrior Within All of Us 
  • • Joanne P. McCallie, Author and Former Duke, Michigan State and UMAINE Women’s Head Basketball Coach

• 4:10:15        Panel Discussion: Stories Over Stigma 
  • • Presenter: Joanne P. McCallie, Author and Former Duke, Michigan State and UMAINE Women’s Head Basketball Coach 
    • Panelist: Greg Marley LCSW, Clinical Director NAMI Maine 
    • Panelist: Kellie Bailey, MDOE Social Emotional Learning Specialist 
    • Panelist: Sarah Seamans Nelson, Social Emotional Learning Coach and 4^th Grade Educator, Ames Elementary School, Searsmont, Maine

Survey and Certificate of Completion: 3^rd Keynote and Panel: “Stories Over Stigma: Finding the Secret Warrior Within All of Us”