FARMINGTON – More than 1,400 educators will fill venues on the University of Maine at Farmington campus this Friday, as part of the second annual Rendezvous. The event is organized by the Western Maine Education Collaborative with support from GEAR UP Maine.
Unusual in its size and scope, the Rendezvous was held last year at Mt. Blue Campus, hosting 800 educators for a series of professional development sessions taught by fellow teachers. With 95 percent positive feedback about the event, MSAD 58 Superintendent Susan Pratt said, members of the WMEC began planning a second iteration. With 13 districts sending more than 1,400 teachers, administrators and ed techs to the Rendezvous, the decision was made to switch from Mt. Blue to the UMF campus. The college, which is on March break, will host more than 100 sessions ranging from yoga to technology to federal grants.
“It’s absolutely incredible that it’s grown so much,” Pratt said.
The Rendezvous title is from the Rocky Mountain Rendezvous of the 1800s. Trappers and other inhabitants of the frontier would gather in the spring to escape the isolation of winter and celebrate by trading furs and telling stories. The March 22 event offers educators the same sort of support, allowing them to share their experiences and techniques.
Pooling resources with a larger group of educators than a typical, district-wide workshop offers obvious benefits, Laura Columbia, the RSU 9 curriculum coordinator, said. That was particularly true for more specialized professionals, such as music teachers, World Language instructors or guidance personnel. In some districts, those specialists may have a small group – or no group – to share strategies with, Columbia said. The Rendezvous provids them with an opportunity to meet with their peers.
“We’re able to pool our resources for presenters,” Columbia said.
Ninety presenters are traveling to the event from WMEC districts, with the Maine Department of Education also contributing. Subjects will include every facet of education, Pratt said, from reporting standards to grading in a proficiency-based system to gifted and talented programs to student wellness.
Pratt said she was unaware of another, similarly-sized event in the state, particularly given its grassroots-style organization. She said that organizers had been working for months to set up the event, including improving the registration process to accommodate the large number of participants.
The WMEC was formed in 2005 with an eye toward helping western Maine district collaborate to improve student performance and save money. Fifteen districts are now included within WMEC, including all of the Franklin County schools. The collaboration lets its members share resources: for example, schools contract for Virtual High School, an online education program, together. While events like the Rendezvous are not commonplace, WMEC does hold regular professional development training sessions that are attended by district representatives. That information is then taken back to their respective districts.
