Joseph McDonnell spoke at the UMS board of trustees meeting Sept. 16 about teacher retention and UMF's teacher education programs in Farmington. Submitted Photo
FARMINGTON -- The University of Maine System [UMS] board of trustees recently held an extensive meeting, approving key initiatives for the University of Maine at Farmington [UMF], including the sale of properties and increased funding for critical infrastructure repairs. Much of the meeting was devoted to addressing the urgent issue of teacher retention in Maine, with a focus on UMF's role in preparing and retaining qualified educators.
The Board accepted a recommendation from the Finance, Facilities and Technology Committee to sell two parcels of land, a house, and a commercial building. Proceeds from these sales will fund the construction of a new 6,500-square-foot facilities management building, with costs capped at $600,000. In addition, the Board approved a $500,000 increase to the construction budget for renovations at Mallett Hall, bringing the total to $3.2 million. This increase will cover essential repairs to the building's restrooms and plumbing infrastructure.
A major portion of the meeting focused on Maine's teacher shortage and retention efforts. "We will have a bird's-eye view of UMF teacher education programs," said Trish Riley, chair of the UMS board of trustees, as she introduced Joseph McDonnell, president of UMF.
McDonnell outlined the university's historical and current role in addressing this issue. "This university began 161 years ago as a normal school, training teachers in response to an urgent need in Maine for educators who could teach the norms or professional standards," McDonnell said. "Today, Maine is still facing that urgent need." He stressed the challenges the state faces, particularly the low numbers of students entering the profession and staying in it. "Too few young people are training to become teachers, and too few are sticking with the profession," McDonnell noted.
McDonnell emphasized that UMF is actively responding to this crisis by expanding its mission in several ways. "First by increasing our graduate programs," he explained. "Second by mentoring young teachers to increase their retention in the profession. Third by creating diverse pathways into the profession. Fourth by partnering with school districts to educate ed-techs and uncertified teachers." UMF is also partnering with community colleges to help their students become teachers. "We are showing that UMF is committed to the western Maine community and to Maine at large," McDonnell added.
Katherine Yardley, UMF's associate provost and dean of education, provided additional details about UMF's efforts to attract and retain educators. "We are one of three nationally accredited teacher education programs in the state of Maine," Yardley said, highlighting the high standards UMF is held to. She described UMF's ARC model, which stands for Attract, Retain, Collaborate and Support. "We attract future teachers, retain teachers in the pipeline, support early-career teachers and future teacher leaders, and collaborate for a diverse teacher workforce," Yardley explained.
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Trish Riley, right, board chair of University of Maine system, spoke during the Sept. 16 board of trustees meeting in Farmington. This picture is from a previous meeting in 2023. Portland Press Herald file
UMF's teacher education programs have seen impressive growth. "This fall, new undergraduate students in education make up 36.4% of UMF's entering class," Yardley said. "We've grown 43.1% in our undergraduate education students, with the greatest growth in elementary education." Yardley also emphasized UMF's commitment to experiential learning, stating that all courses at UMF include practical teaching opportunities. She highlighted the university's efforts to encourage students to pursue dual certifications to meet the needs of diverse learners in Maine, particularly in high-demand areas like special education.
UMF has also seen growth in its graduate programs, which have expanded by 29% over the past year. "This fall semester, we've passed 2,000 credit hours for the first time," Yardley noted. She also pointed out that UMF offers five graduate degree programs, two of which lead to teaching certification. "We give lots of opportunities for our students to practice teaching. We encourage students to pursue dual certification, and we offer four minors that create pathways to second certifications while students are here," she said.
Monique Poulin, assistant superintendent of Regional School Unit [RSU] 9, shared her insights on teacher retention and the New Teacher Academy, a grant-funded initiative designed to support new teachers. "Retention is one of our top priorities," Poulin said. She explained that RSU 9 uses a mentor/mentee model to support teachers in their first three years of teaching, and they also have a teacher coach and coaching candidate model. "We had five or six retired teacher coaches last year, supporting 15-20 new teachers," Poulin said. "The biggest impact was the formal reflection process, which allowed mentees, coaching candidates, mentors, and coaches to reflect on their experiences more deeply and make necessary adjustments."
Poulin stressed the importance of collaboration and shared learning between mentors and mentees. "The value for us was that it really allowed for shared new resources, common discussion amongst other folks, both mentors as well as mentees," she explained. Poulin added that the New Teacher Academy has been a critical support structure for keeping teachers in the profession, especially in rural areas like Franklin County. "We know there is a big need to fill positions not just in our area in Franklin County but state and nation wide," Poulin noted. "It was a creative and thoughtful way to fill a need."
Throughout the meeting, the issue of teacher retention remained a focal point. Riley, chair of the board, expressed surprise at the statistic that 50% of Maine teachers leave the profession within their first three years. "That's a shocker for me," she remarked. McDonnell, Poulin and Yardley all emphasized that retaining teachers requires continuous support, professional development, and mentorship. "The work we are doing not only serves the children of Maine but also Maine's economic future and the future of our universities," McDonnell concluded.
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