ANSON — The local teachers’ union is taking the lead at Carrabec High School in a plan to boost student achievement, likely through more opportunities for community involvement and teachers’ professional development.

School Administrative District 74 was the only Maine district to recently attend a conference in New Orleans as part of the National Education Association’s Priority Schools Campaign. There, seven local and state education leaders learned how the teachers’ union, in tandem with school administrators, can make changes to enhance student learning.

Most often, the school administration is the one to propose initiatives that the teachers’ union then responds to, said Ken Coville, superintendent of School Administrative District 74, which serves Anson, Embden, Solon and New Portland.

In this case, though, the Carrabec Education Association, working with the Maine Education Association and the National Education Association, will suggest some changes.

“That prospect of a new and dynamic way for the teachers’ association and school administration to move forward, hand in hand, arm in arm, focusing on student learning — that opportunity, that possibility, was the most exciting thing about the conference — far more important than any of the specific tools and strategies because those will always be there,” Coville said.

Carrabec High School is undergoing many changes after receiving a federal School Improvement Grant to boost the number of its student meeting standards in reading and math. So, it was also eligible to participate in the national Priority Schools Campaign, which is organized by the national teachers’ union and provides technical assistance, funding and professional development for locally-designed projects that complement the School Improvement Grant.

Joining the effort was voluntary. “I’m sure that around the country there have been associations that have said, ‘We appreciate the offer, but we’re not prepared to accept it and do the work on our end that would be required.’ The Carrabec Education Association, under David Ela’s leadership, stepped up and voted as an association locally to accept the invitation and participate and use this opportunity to give back to the community,” Coville said.

Ela, president of the local teachers’ union, said the association will be working with administrators in the coming weeks and months to devise an appropriate plan.

In addition to providing teachers the means to learn new skills, the conference earlier this month also emphasized involving community members in school activities, whether the people are parents or grandparents of students or have no children in school, Ela said.

High school Principal Regina Campbell said she is excited about the possibility of having more professional development opportunities for teachers.

“Our local budgets cannot support the amount of professional development that our staffs are asking for,” she said, adding that she’s pleased the unions want to work with the school toward the common goal of improving student achievement. “The more groups that work together to this end, the better and stronger we’re going to be.”

Rose Mahoney, who represents all of Somerset County and part of Kennebec with the Maine Education Association, also attended the conference.

“It’s important for people to know in general that there is a unified vision for success in public education. This district and the local association, the state association and the national association all have the same goal in mind. That is to provide a great public school for every student,” she said.

Erin Rhoda — 612-2368

erhoda@centralmaine.com

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