Super Story - Inside Education

Welcome to Super Story, a podcast where we share informal conversations from within public education. I'm Maria Libby, superintendent of schools in a small coastal community in Maine. I'm excited to share real stories from people on the ground: students, teachers, bus drivers and everyone in between. With every episode, we'll take a closer look how they got here, what their experience means to them and where they think public education is going. Join me every two weeks as we explore the inner-workings of our schools and gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and triumphs within our education system.

Sailing In Larger Ponds 09/21/2023

Sailing In Larger Ponds My guest today is Imogen. I first met Imogen last spring at our elementary school when she was a 4th grader. I had a fascinating conversation with her. Months have passed since that time. Summer vacation is coming to a close and school actually starts next week. Imogen will be starting 5th grade in our middle school. In this episode we will hear her perspective of elementary school, what a 10 year old does during the summer time and whether she is nervous to be headed to the big leagues--middle school. /episode/index/show/3584387d-ce67-41d2-af00-213137408b8c/id/28104050

Last Man Standing 09/07/2023

Last Man Standing Today’s guest, Scott Kady, is a rare specimen: a fourth-grade classroom teacher who is male. Only 11% of elementary teachers in this country identify as male. At our elementary school, only two out of the thirty-five teachers are men. We need more of them. All elementary students need male role models in a school setting. Scott has been in our district for five years and thank goodness he followed his wife (who is also a teacher) to our school district. Scott is patient, kind and into science. He is also an avid outdoorsman, which is great for us because he helped lead our charge to get students outdoors more. /episode/index/show/3584387d-ce67-41d2-af00-213137408b8c/id/27972894

The Wheels on the Bus 08/24/2023

The Wheels on the Bus My guest today, Debbie Merchant, raised three boys in our community and is a tennis pro at the local indoor courts. She is an amazing tennis player as are her three sons. She is a local legend and even gave a lesson to John Travolta when he was in the area. We were incredibly lucky that a fellow tennis buff convinced her to become a bus driver. Her bright smile is just what students need to start their days. /episode/index/show/3584387d-ce67-41d2-af00-213137408b8c/id/27840363

Sent to the Principal’s Office 08/10/2023

Sent to the Principal’s Office My guest today is Nell Dailey. Nell grew up in Maine and began her career in education as a social studies teacher at our high school. She is an exceptional teacher who has an unparalleled love of adolescents. After 18 years in the classroom, she sent herself to the principal’s office. She moved into administration where she is now assistant principal and has never looked back. I wanted to uncover what that transition was like for Nell. /episode/index/show/3584387d-ce67-41d2-af00-213137408b8c/id/27707076

Stardust 07/27/2023

Stardust My guest today is Ella, a spunky and confident sixth grader who was a mere two weeks away from summer vacation when we sat down for a chat. Ella is already force to be reckoned with on the tennis court, but where she truly shines is with her voice on the stage. I was tempted to ask her to sing for us but resisted—we will have to wait for that. You will definitely hear her spirit in this conversation. /episode/index/show/3584387d-ce67-41d2-af00-213137408b8c/id/27572208

You Can Always Come Home 07/13/2023

You Can Always Come Home Today’s guest, Noah Holt, graduated from Camden Hills in 2013. I actually went to high school with Noah’s mother, had a son who graduated with Noah, and have a son named Noah, so there are many connections between us. That is not why I asked to him come talk to me today, however. This is Noah’s first year of teaching and I was thrilled he came back to his hometown as our Latin teacher. Noah dropped out of a prestigious PhD program when he got a call from the high school department head asking if he would consider applying for our open Latin position. He’s had a smile on his face ever since. /episode/index/show/3584387d-ce67-41d2-af00-213137408b8c/id/27451041

The End of the Line? 06/29/2023

The End of the Line? Bill Anderson has been in education for a long time. He tutored for 27 years before becoming a teacher, starting his career before half of our staff was even born. For the past 17 years, he has been at our high school, as a special education teacher. He has a penchant for those who struggle and he has witnessed a lot of change over his career. I wanted to tap into his wisdom and his love of students, so I invited him in for a chat. /episode/index/show/3584387d-ce67-41d2-af00-213137408b8c/id/27310107

Who’s the Boss 06/15/2023

Who’s the Boss Katie Bauer is one of my closest friends. We met on Hurricane Island when I was an intern in the Bosun’s Locker, working under her. She stayed in the area and I eventually returned. She was an award-winning teacher for years in our district, first teaching at the elementary school and ending her teaching career at the middle school where I was principal. About seven years ago, she and her husband took a great leap of faith and relocated to Eluethera where she became principal of a small, private middle school there affiliated with the Cape Eluethera Research Institute and the Island School. After three years there, they returned and Katie landed a job as our elementary school assistant principal, the position she currently holds. I wanted to have a conversation with her about what that decision to uproot her life meant to her and how it impacted her career in education. /episode/index/show/3584387d-ce67-41d2-af00-213137408b8c/id/27139797

Flipping The Tassel 06/01/2023

Flipping The Tassel For the inaugural episode, I wanted to have a conversation with a student. I first met Will at his 8th grade promotion ceremony where he was a speaker. I was blown away by his maturity, insight, and intellect. I was so struck that I introduced myself to his parents and expressed my appreciation for his incredible speech. What I saw then played out fairly seamlessly during his four years in our high school. He is a senior this year and is graduating as valedictorian of his class, headed to Dartmouth College in the fall. I have had the opportunity to get to know Will more during his high school years. He was on a student advisory council I had and most recently participated on this year's strategic planning committee, offering valuable input and insight into where our district should be focused for the next four years. /episode/index/show/3584387d-ce67-41d2-af00-213137408b8c/id/27015303

Super Story - Inside Education

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