SITE

Last updated on May 8, 2008

The Maine Support Network provides a wide variety of technical assistance, support and professional development focused on improving educational outcomes for Maine students including students with disabilities.

Description:
The Maine Support Network provides a wide variety of technical assistance, support and professional development focused on improving educational outcomes for Maine students including students with disabilities. Since 1986, we have sponsored events serving educators, parents, youth, and professionals across the state each year. While most of our funding has traditionally come from the Maine Department of Education our work has greatly expanded. We have had contracts with the Maine Bureau of Health’s Children with Special Health Care Needs Program, the Champions for Progress Center at Utah State University and the Healthy and Ready to Work National Center. The Network’s new Center for Self Determination, Health and Policy is home to the new Maternal and Child Health Bureau funded Healthy & Ready to Work National Resource Center and Maine’s MCHB funded Integrated Services grant.

What is our goal?

Our goal is to support learning and high aspirations for all students, with an emphasis on students with disabilities and special health care needs. We use Celebratory Learning attributes in all of our work bringing new ideas based on research, creativity, innovation, and fun to Support Network activities. The Support Network provides educators, parents and policy makers with opportunities to form rewarding collegial relationships and share expertise, new and emerging best practice to inform their work, policy and practice. Many of our professional development and technical assistance activities are designed to retain teachers, especially special education teachers to assure that all Maine students achieve to high standards.

How are we accomplishing our goals?

We have built and continue to support learning communities locally, regionally and statewide. We design and conduct workshops and seminars throughout the State, host an annual retreat for educators at the Samoset Resort every winter, and work collaboratively with state agencies, parent, advocacy and professional organizations serving children, youth and adults with disabilities. We are a founding member and fiscal agent for the Maine Consortium for Professional and Parent Development and serve as host to the Partnership of Partnerships, a state-wide, university based network of professional development organizations. Additionally, we host the state chapter of the Council for Exceptional Children and the International Association for the Study of Cooperation in Education for whom we provide publication and management support (www.iasce.net).

In collaboration with the Maine Department of Education and numerous project partners, we administer the Maine State GEAR UP project (www.gearupme.org) supporting the postsecondary educational aspirations of Maine youth from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

We maintain an interactive web site (www.mainesupportnetwork.org), a statewide listserv of educators numbering in excess of 1000 members and a lending library of educational resources.

The Maine Support Network is a 501 (c) 3 not for profit organization who also works in close collaboration with Maranacook Area Schools.

History:
See above.

Contact people:

Coleen Souza, Office Manager, (phone), (email) Jennifer Hartung, Assistant, (phone), (email) Emily Liebling, Program Coordinator, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (207) 685-4455

Address:

PO Box 390 Readfield, ME 04355

Web Site: http://www.mainesupportnetwork.org

Directions:

The office is located in the Readfield Town Center. The parking lot is just past the house. Directions from the North and South: From I-95 take the Augusta exit (30B). Follow signs to Winthrop. You will be on Western Avenue (Route 202). Follow Route 202 to the intersection past J & S Oil (on the right) in Manchester. At the Texaco station (on the left) take a right (at the traffic light) onto Route 17. Follow Route 17 (approximately 8 miles) into Readfield. At the flashing yellow light make a right onto church Road. One Church Road (now called 8 Church Road) is the first building (white house) on the left. Directions from the North (Back Roads): Take I-95 to exit 33. Go right on Routes 11 and 137 for 1.7 miles. You will see a Mobile Station – keep mobile station on your right. Continue on Route 11 through Oakland heading toward Belgrade. At .8 mile Route 11 makes a right. Stay on Route 11 for 7.7 miles. You’ll see a sign for Route 135, make a right onto Route 135 for 9.1 miles – road deadends. On Route 17 make a right and continue for 4.5 miles and you’ll be at intersection with flashing yellow light shown on map. At the flashing light make a right onto Church Road. One Church Road (now called 8 Church Road) is the first building (white house) on the left.

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