Dr. B “Visits” Educare Central Maine
August 07, 2020
On Tuesday, July 14, Educare Central Maine welcomed Dr. Deborah Bergeron (“Dr. B”), Director of the Office of Head Start, for a virtual school tour and in-depth discussion of the school’s reopening and ongoing health and safety practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. The day was a huge success, and Dr. B was impressed by Educare Central Maine’s ability to reopen and operate safely and interested in touring additional schools in the future.
The visit was requested by Dr. B herself after her office reviewed several of the school’s videos, shared by Educare Central Maine’s Head Start Program Specialist and Region 1 Director. The day’s agenda was led by Executive Director Tracye Fortin, School Director Rhonda Kaiser and Education Supervisor Erica Palmer, and was designed to highlight all the innovative work happening at Educare Central Maine, beyond the walls and throughout the Network.
The school was able to showcase their diverse programming, including their extensive outdoor and nature-based curriculum and kindergarten transition camp, plus their new health and safety procedures and checklists. They also engaged Dr. B in rich discussions with both teachers and parents, deepening the Office’s understanding of how schools can address the needs and concerns of these critical stakeholders. Finally, they underlined the importance of flexible funding, especially in a braided and blended model, as well as their policy and advocacy work to protect and increase access to these critical resources.
Learn more about Educare Central Maine’s reopening in this video, and catch the highlights of Dr. Bergeron’s tour here.
