For the 2nd year in a row, Houlton Middle High school is being recognized as a ‘Model School’

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine (WAGM) - Houlton Middle High School is getting national attention. The School was recently named as a Model school through the International Center for Leadership in Education. News Source 8′s Adriana Sanchez has the story.

For the second year in a row now, Houlton Middle High school is being recognized for its focus on students.

“We’re just as proud as this year as we were last year you know especially where you mentioned where education has been flipped on its head and it really means a lot to us to be recognized and more for the teachers where they have been putting lot of effort into this work and we’ve seen some tremendous results,” said Melanie Blais the Curriculum Coordinator for RSU 29.

It is one of 16 model schools from across the United States, and the second in Maine along with East End Community Elementary School in Portland.. that will be at this annual Model Schools Conference. In the past when they were attendees they used what they learned and applied it to their teaching – which became very important this past year.

“You take the old school concepts that work for you as a teacher and the students and the things that work. You add in technology or other innovation that will excite the student and you put that together and with that it created bold school and ironically two years ago we had no idea when we starting implementing such as bold school and other books into our curriculum that it would be so important to us in 2020,” said Nannette Mills, Houlton high school English Teacher.

Melanie said they will be highlighting Rigger, relevance and relationship at the annual conference. Which the teachers have used in their professional development this past year.

“They’ve seen tremendous engagement increase in their classroom with their students and seen achievement results as well so it’s been quite a journey,” said Melanie.

“We just brought back what culture and passion in learning and it has ignited the love of learning in our students and again it’s not just the five of us who are going it definitely district wide,” said Mills.

The Model School conference will be happening on June 22nd until the 30th in Nashville, Tennessee.

Adriana Sanchez NewsSource 8.

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