Posts Tagged ‘retiring’

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Music Teacher Extraordinaire Retiring

June 21, 2022

Congratulations, Mrs. Murphy and thank you!

I love helping students find their voices.

Kim Murphy has been teaching music for the last 34 years and is retiring this month. She’s one of those teachers who I thought would never retire since she has a ton of energy and is totally engaged in every aspect of teaching. She has high expectations for herself and her students. Kim always has a smile on her face and her laughter is contagious! I’m certain that she will be missed! (You can learn something about Kim’s humor by the most of the photos below and the embedded links, be sure and click on the center capitalized titles to see the videos).

Kim started teaching grades 6-12 Choral and General Music at Oak Hill High School, Sabattus, Litchfield and Wales. Shortly afterward the position changed and she taught Band and Chorus, grades 9-12 at Oak Hill High School. She took a sabbatical in 1996-97 and then moved to Lincolnville. For the last 25 years she has taught at the high school, Camden-Rockport High School for 3 years and when the new high school opened, Camden Hills Regional High School (CHRHS), she has taught there. Earlier in her music career she worked as a music therapist in Peapack, NJ and Bethlehem, PA.

Kim was a double major and has a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education and Music Therapy. She is a Nationally Board Certified teacher.

What has been your favorite part of teaching?                                                                                                                       

  • I love helping students find their voices. Find their self-confidence through singing. I love it when someone has a solo – and other people never realized what a beautiful voice that person has.  And then there is just the self-confidence in getting up and singing before a large crowd – whether in a small group or a large group. There are life lessons – the teamwork is necessary. 
  • I love music festivals – where students from different schools come together to create works of beauty. It’s SO different from sports – where someone is always the winner and someone is always the loser. With music festivals – the competition has already happened (through auditions) and the coming together to create a concert in 2 – 3 days is a wonderful way to build connections.
  • And then of course – I love musicals!

Tell the readers about a moment in your teaching career that has been unforgettable? 

  • Well – there are many.  But a recent one is…. During the 2020-21 school year, I had the FIRST tent up!  And my tent was the FIRST to blow away! UNDER THE TENT!
And there she blows!

What changes have you experienced during your teaching career that have been positive and/or negative?

  • I think it’s great that kids can take so many AP courses – and get college credit. Yet this (adding of AP classes to schedules) has really hurt music programs in that the schedule and time for Band and Chorus is getting squeezed out. And also – is it healthy for a student to have so many AP classes?
  • In a positive manner, I think students are more assertive; they self-advocate for what they need in education; education is now –  less “top down” instruction and more collaboration.

YESTERDAY!

What do you think are three keys to ANY successful music ed program? 

  • Know your students, be genuine in your care for them
  • Flexibility and creativity – learn to work with schedule changes, or things that happen that throw your carefully written plans out the window
  • Plan, plan, plan 
  • And (a 4th!) have a sense of humor!

What are you most proud of in your career?

When I was hired at CRHS I said that my personal 10 yr goal was to have the strongest choral program in the State of Maine. We are lucky – we have fantastic community support. I think – with the numbers of students that have been accepted to District III, All State, All Eastern and National festivals over the years – I think that it has been one of the strongest choral programs in the State. Unfortunately – right now – due to Covid and other challenges – the Chorus program is not as strong (in numbers) and that breaks my heart. You have to have the numbers.

Who influenced your work as a teacher or perhaps inspired you?

Charlie Seymour and Steve Moro

Look into your crystal ball: what advice would you give to teachers?

Teaching is the hardest and best profession. There are days when you will want to cash in your chips early – don’t! Hold on. Your students learn more from your daily attitude and mindset than you realize. As a teacher – you teach a subject area – but it’s the character that you bring into the classroom that has the lasting educational benefit.

IT’S TIME TO SING!

How much of what you do is learned skills and how much is innate?

Wow – that’s an interesting question. I come from a family of teachers – so I think that was how we grew up. So – teaching comes naturally. I was going to be either an English or Math teacher. Those subjects come easily to me (well….not Math anymore – ha ha). But Music didn’t come easily. I had to work at it. I had to make it look easy. But – because I had to work at my music skills so hard, that made me a better teacher – because I could understand why kids were struggling, and I could break it down into smaller chunks for them to understand.

I’VE GOT MY OWN TENT!

What does retirement look like for you?

Exciting and Terrifying.  I have an Air BNB business at my house, which I LOVE to do – and hope to be able to grow that – especially in the shoulder seasons (when I would have been at school). I’m connecting with community theater and music groups – because that is my passion. I do a lot of work with my church – and hope to be able to volunteer more with places like AIO food pantry (food and energy assistance for citizens of Knox county) or other social programs. And finally – I will fly to CA (whenever I damn well please) to see my son!

If you were given $500,000.00 to do with whatever you please, what would it be?

I would create a theater program for kids – especially kids who struggle in life.  

Imagine you are 94 years old. You’re looking back, do you have any regrets?

I hope not!  You have to live in the moment and enjoy each beautiful step.

The concert photos in this blog post were taken by Marti Stone Photography.

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Art Teacher Extraordinaire Retiring

June 14, 2022

Congratulations, Mrs. Bickford and thank you!

There is nothing more rewarding than being in a room full of students who are productive and teaching each other the skills you have shared with them. When all the art rooms are full of active learners at every level and they are teaching each other a broad range of skills, that feeling is intoxicating. I still marvel at it to this day and I cannot think of anything like it.

Debra Bickford, better known as Deb, is retiring this year after 37 years teaching visual art. Her career started at Wells Jr. High School (1 year), she moved on to Westbrook Middle School (2 years), and she is ending her career at Westbrook High School (34 years).

Her early experiences as a student have influenced her teaching and her life. She learned at a young age that she loved learning but didn’t care for school. When she arrived at Maine College of Art & Design – then called Maine College of Art (MECA), she fell in love with being in a space where people were hungry for learning about the same thing. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from MECA and went on to the University of Southern Maine where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Art Education. During her formal learning she was engaged in pre-service teaching at Waynflete School in Portland and student taught at Gorham Schools and Thornton Academy in Saco.

Deb and I had a conversation about her teaching career and what became clear is her passion comes through every single day in and out of the classroom. She has positively impacted thousands of students! She’s proud of the fact that she is honest with students, even when it is hard. And, she has NEVER taken a sick day! Many people have influenced Deb over the years. She’s had the opportunity to work with many positively astonishing educators who have shown her what excellence looks like and how to make it happen.

“It would be really inspiring to make some sort of visual map or “who” and “what” I learned from so many. Like a mind map with art education inspiration at the center and people fanning out all around the center.

I hope Deb takes the time to make this visual map and send a copy to everyone on the map. It would be an amazing representation exhibiting the numbers that influence teachers!

Deb has had many unforgettable moments during her 37 years in the classroom. Here are a few highlights:

  • The day a student in my adaptive art class shared how much her family loved her art work and said: “I never knew I could be an artist”.
  • The day both parents met a students guidance counselor at 7a.m. to have her drop another content area to start Pre-AP Studio Art. The student had made the request but was told she had already had an art class. That same student went on and received a $10,000 scholarship at class night and earn a BFA in Painting at MECA.
  • The many texts, visits and emails from students thanking me for preparing them to be successful in college level visual arts classes. Many have even reported being asked to lead critiques in class. This makes me so happy.

Deb presenting her colleague Matt Johnson the Maine Art Education Association (MAEA) Art Teacher of the Year award in April at the spring MAEA conference at CMCA, Rockland

During Deb’s career she has experienced many changes, both positive and negative. She is pleased to see “more students who desire a broader, deeper education in the arts and are willing and prepared to advocate for what they want even when there are roadblocks.” The negative aspect: “Over a decade of lower expectations in just about every aspect of what makes a strong, successful student has had a powerful impact on adequate progress. In general, students who used to be in the average range are finding the typical stress of high school level classes too much to cope with and organize for. What it means to “be a student” has, on average, deteriorated.

Deb’s program has evolved over the years. She’s grateful for the educators she has worked closely with who have influenced the evolution. Her classes are often mixed groups with AP, Art 1, and advanced students in one space. And, Art 3, 4, AP and Studio Art the same. Juniors and seniors enrolled in Studio Art have their own studio spaces within the art room. Her colleague Matt Johnson teaches in an adjoining classroom. Students migrate between Matt’s and Deb’s classes, moving where learning needs can be met. Deb and Matt’s collegial relationship promote a common studio space that encourages a cross pollination between students. Flexibility has been critical in leading to student success. The teachers move to meet the needs of the kids, not visa versa. A great example of ‘student-centered’ learning environment.

These are the four key ingredients that Deb believes are essential to any successful visual art education program:

  1. Know your content inside out, backward, forward and upside down and be willing to honor tradition whilst embracing the future.
  2. Understand that art skills and teaching skills are two very different things.
  3. Make sure that ‘what’ you are teaching and ‘how’ you are teaching it provides real world, valuable skills to every student no matter what level (skill level, experience in art) they are, or why, they are taking your class.
  4. Embrace Advocacy at every single turn. Never, ever pass up the opportunity to help people understand how and why arts education matters, no matter how exhausting it is.

Deb’s advocacy has been ongoing and her successes have served students well. I asked Deb to look into her crystal ball and offer advice to teachers.

Being an educator is not for the faint of heart. Wanting to help others learn and grow takes courage. When you do your preservice, think really hard about ‘why’ you want to pursue this. Teaching Art is not easy or fluffy or romantic. If you want to work hard and can commit to being a lifelong learner – go for it.”

You can view Deb’s pinterest teaching board which she has organized by elements, principles, concepts, media and process at https:www.pinterest.com/dabickford/_saved/. Her personal website which includes here amazing art is at http://www.dabickford.com/.

Deb’s future is bright with a retirement plans filling her days with activities she loves. She’ll be tending her multiple gardens. 60X40 vegetable, fruit trees, and perennials. She has willow gardens for traditional willow basket making. Deb and her husband are tearing up 20 year old floors in her home and replacing them with something easier to care for time in retirement. Deb will include time in her studio on a regular basis; printmaking and painting. She plans to pursue becoming a Golden Artist Educator and run a few painting workshops. Deb and her husband love visiting remote locations and plan to travel to the Cabot Trail on Cape Breton and make a return visit to Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada as well as several other beautiful highways.

I’m sure all your colleagues and the blog readers are joining me to wish you well on your retirement Deb!

If you know of other visual or performing arts teachers retiring this year please let me know by emailing meartsed@gmail.com.

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Happy Retirement

June 11, 2019

Maine is fortunate to have such marvelous arts educators!

We know that what a teacher offers can have an enormous impact on student development day to day AND over their lifetime. As educators retire at the close of another school year, 2018-2019, I invite you to join me in THANKING them for their years of service and dedication to students across the state.

I certainly appreciate your commitment and I wish each of you a healthy retirement and many, many years of laughter and love! Yahooooooo!

The following visual and performing educators have contributed a combined 371+ years to teaching visual and/or performing arts education!

  • ANGELIKA BLANCHARD, Manchester School and Windham Primary, Visual Arts
  • DAWN BODEN, RSU#3 Unity/Thorndike, Elementary Music, 35 years
  • JOY DREW, Wentworth School, Scarborough, Music, 27 years
  • VICKY MORGAN-FICKETT, York Middle School, Visual Arts, 15 years
  • MARY GANNAWAY, Elementary Music, Sanford, 43 years
  • SUE NELSON, Elementary Music, 21 years
  • NANCY NEUBERT, Sanford Junior High School, General Music and Chorus, 39 years
  • WENDY SCHLOTTERBECK, Leavitt Area High School, Visual Arts, 34 years
  • CAROL SLADE, SAD #17, Elementary Visual Arts, 20 years
  • BONNIE TAYLOR, K-4 Falmouth, Visual Arts, 23 years
  • RICK OSANN, Bonny Eagle High School, Theatre and Visual Arts, 15 years
  • LISA MARIN, PreK-12 Moosabec Community School District and Union #103, Gifted and Talented Coordinator and Visual Arts, 23 years
  • JIM SMALL, Madison High School, Visual Arts, 38 years
  • VANESSA WHITE-CAPELLUTI, Wells High School, Visual Arts, 38 years

If you  know of a teacher who is not on this list please be sure and email me at meartsed@gmail.com with the information and I’d be glad to add them. Thanks!

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Happy Retirement!

June 21, 2018

Maine is fortunate to have such marvelous educators!

We know that what a teacher offers can have an enormous impact on student development day to day AND over their lifetime. As educators retire at the close of another school year, 2017-18, I know that you join me in THANKING them for their years of service and dedication to students across the state.

I certainly appreciate your commitment and I wish each of you a healthy retirement and many, many years of laughter and love!

The following have contributed a combined 483+ years to teaching visual or performing arts education!

  • VICKI BOVE, Gorham Middle School, Visual Arts, 40 years
  • FLO ESINGER, SAD l5, Visual Arts, ? years
  • ALLEN GRAFFAM, Mt. Ararat High School, Music, 42 years
  • KATIE HALL, Falmouth Elementary School, Visual Arts, 24 years
  • PHIL HAMMET, Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School, Visual Arts, 16 years
  • JULIE KLEHN, Waterboro Elementary School, Visual Arts, 31 years
  • STEPHANIE LEONARD, Fairmount School, Bangor, Visual Arts, 25 years
  • ANNE MACEACHERN, Sanford Junior High School, Visual Arts, 40 years
  • JENNI NULL, Songo Locks Elementary School, Music, 40 years
  • SAM MOORE-YOUNG, Carrie Ricker School, Litchfield, Music, 32 years
  • BEVERLY PACHECO, South School, Rockland, Music, 36 years
  • CANDACE PARKER, Lee Academy, Theatre Arts, 22 years
  • MARYELLEN SCHAPER, Bonny Eagle Middle School, Dance and PE, 42 years
  • CAROL SHUTT, Mount Desert Island Elementary School, Visual Arts, 22 years
  • KATHI SUSI, Pittston Consolidated School, Gardiner, Visual Arts, 28 years
  • THEO VAN DEVENTER, Mt. View Middle School, Thorndike, Music, 43 years
  • Flo Eslinger, who is retiring from elementary visual art after serving SAD

A wonderful note from Ann MacEachern on her retirement from Sanford Junior High School after 40 years:

“I’ll miss the chance to interact with kids as they discover talents they didn’t know they had. The outliers, the experimenters and the endearingly quirky denizens of the art room have made most days a joy. 

Retirement will give me a chance to reorder my priorities: more family time (I have 5 grandchildren), my OWN art projects need attention, traveling adventures, live music venues, environmental concerns, sorting years of accumulation to make space for new blessings… the list goes on. 

To ARTS teachers everywhere: Keep pushing for expansion ARTS time in school schedules, physical space in school buildings and fewer students per art teacher. The world needs creative problem solving now more than ever!”

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Congratulations and THANKS to our Retirees

June 15, 2015

Maine is fortunate!

We know that what a teacher offers can have an enormous impact on students development day to day AND over their lifetime. As educators retire at the close of another school year, 2015-16, I know that you will join me in THANKING them for their years of service and dedication to students across the state. Maine appreciates your commitment and we wish you well and many healthy years of laughter!

Combined the following have taught for 583 + years. HAPPY RETIREMENT!

  • BRIAN HUTCHINSON, Winslow, Band: 42 years of service
  • VENNICE HUTCHINSON, Winslow, Vocal Music: 38 years of service
  • SUE SCANLON, Mattanawcook Academy, Lincoln, Visual Arts: 43 years of service
  • FRANK CHIN, SAD 54, Visual Arts: 38 years of service
  • ELLEN NORTON, King Middle School, Visual Arts: 44 years of service
  • SUE OLMSTED, Durham Elementary, Music
  • ROBIN KENISON, Bath Middle School, Music: 34 years of service
  • HOLLY SMITH, Rockland High School, Visual Arts: 31 years of service
  • KAL ELMORE, Bangor High School, Visual Arts: 26 years of service
  • EDIE GRENIER, MSAD #20 Fort Fairfield, Visual Arts: 36.53 years of service
  • JUDY BABBIDGE, Connor Conslidated School (EUT), Music
  • ALISON BRENNAN, Calais High School, Music: 38 years of service
  • BONNY COX, RSU50-K-12, Music: 21 years of service
  • CAROL SHUMWAY, Mt. Blue High School, Music: 27 years of service
  • KAREN RENTON, Yarmouth, Music: 34 years of service
  • ANN DILLON, Greeley Middle School, Music: 29 + 14 years of service
  • WANDA WHITENER, Tremont School, Music: 38 years of service
  • DEB GRABBER, Granite Street School, Millinocket, Art: 10 years of service
  • CAM WEIR, Yarmouth Elementary School, Art: 40 years of service
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Happy Retirement!

June 26, 2013

CONGRATULATIONS and BEST WISHES!

Best Wishes to the following for a wonderful – happy and healthy retirement. Combined they have contributed over 350 years of teaching visual or performing arts to students across the state of Maine. Their expertise and commitment to education is appreciated and I am certain their students will miss them! Never to be taken away from them, or the districts they have served, is the impact they have made on students education in the arts. THANK YOU all! I hope you will continue to be involved in arts education in Maine by providing me (argy.nestor@maine.gov) with an email address to continue to be on the Maine arts education list-serv. May your days be filled with sunshine wherever your journey takes you!

  • Pat Reed – East End Community School, Portland, Visual Art, 27 years
  • Penny Appleby – Leavitt Area High School, Performing Arts, 40 years
  • Dianne Anderson – Traip Academy, Kittery, Visual Art, 20 years
  • Jonathan Smith – Oxford Hills Elementary School, Music, 28 years
  • Nancy Capone – Lake Region School District, Music, 25 years
  • Marta Robbins – James F. Doughty School, Bangor, Visual Art, 28 years
  • Charlene Farnham – Searsport District Middle & High School, Music, 40 years
  • Jack Clifford – RSU 19, Music,
  • Mark Schumpert – RSU 19, Music,
  • David Kent – Windham, Music,
  • Kath Hartley – Bangor High School, Visual Art, 25 years
  • Deborah Jellison – Mary Snow School, Bangor, Visual Art, 27 years
  • Helena Bosse – Dr Lewis Libby School, Milford, Visual Art, 20 years
  • Sybil Wentworth – MSAD 40, Elementary Music, 39 years
  • Marianne Tibbetts – Augusta, Elementary Music, 35 years
  • Ann Stepp – Portland, Music
  • Robert Helstrom – Fort Fairfield, Music, 11 years
  • Sandra Irwin – Tremont School, Visual Art
  • Chris Prickitt – Dexter Schools, SAD46, Music
  • Nancy Curran – South Portland, Music

Please note that some of these teachers started their careers in other schools/districts but the one listed is where they are retiring from this year.

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Happy Retirement!

June 11, 2012

CONGRATULATIONS and BEST WISHES!

Best Wishes to the following for a wonderful – happy and healthy retirement. Combined they have contributed over 350 years of teaching art or music to students across the state of Maine. Their expertise and commitment to education is appreciated and I am certain their students will miss them! Never to be taken away from them, or the districts they have served, is the impact they have made on students education in the arts. THANK YOU all! I hope you will continue to be involved in arts education in Maine by providing me (argy.nestor@maine.gov) with an email address to continue to be on the Maine arts education list-serv.

  • Debi Lynn Baker – Greenville Schools, K-12 Visual Arts, 27 years
  • Sheila Bohlin – Mt. Ararat High School, Visual Arts, 39 years
  • Carolyn Brasslett – Glenburn, Music, 40 years
  • M. Stanley Buchanan –  Nokomis Regional High, Newport, Music, 47 years
  • Carol Deetjen – Boothbay Region Elementary School, Visual Arts, 32 years
  • Jane Frost – Richmond, Visual Arts, 25 years
  • Randy Menninghaus – Brewer High School, Visual Arts, 35 years
  • Richard Morin – MSAD #40, Music 39 years
  • Dwight Tibbetts – Cony, Augusta 32 years
  • Althea Woolf- Village Elementary School, York, Visual Arts, 37 years
  • Gerald York – Jonesport-Beals High School (Union #103) Jonesport & Beals Elementary Schools, Music, more than 25 years
  • Mary Zane- Coastal Ridge Elementary School, York, Visual Arts, 13 years
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