DYER BROOK, Maine — Out of a pool of 90 nominees, an administrative assistant at Southern Aroostook Community School in Dyer Brook was honored Friday by the Maine Education Commissioner for her decades of devotion to the school.
Administrative Assistant Elaine Small was awarded the The U.S. Department of Education Recognising Inspiring School Employees Award, also known as RISE, from 10 state finalists.
Her nomination rose to the top because of her longstanding commitment and contribution to students, educators, and the community, said Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin on Friday during the award presentation.
The Rise Award holds up the unsung heroes who are doing the most intense, personal work in Maine’s schools and who are very rarely recognized, Makin said.
“Elaine Small is really the glue that keeps everything together here,” said RSU 50 Superintendent Jon Porter.
Small was completely surprised to be nominated by her colleagues, she said during the presentation.
“My position here in RSU 50 evolves every single day and that is one of the things I love about it,” she said.
Created by Congress in 2019 and overseen by the U.S. Department of Education, the prestigious RISE Award honors non-teaching school employees who provide exemplary service. Small is one of 10 state-level finalists chosen by the Maine Department of Education and Governor’s Office. Nearly 90 nominations were submitted to the state education department by school colleagues and community members. Small, representing Maine, is now up for consideration as the national RISE Award recipient.
The U.S. Department of Education will announce one national honoree this spring.
“These heroes meet the most fundamental needs of our students so they can achieve the highest level of success and well being,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona during the announcement of last year’s national award. ”Our schools could not operate without their hard work and dedication.“
Even with limited staffing, Small finds a way to be involved in most school and community events, according to her colleagues’ comments on her nomination form.
Small is nearly everywhere students are, showing her support — in the auditorium during drama productions, in the stands supporting student sports, and serving in past years as senior class advisor. Additionally, she spearheads scholarship fundraisers that led to the success of the Southern Aroostook Scholarship Fund.
“We are here to celebrate and honor Elaine for her years and years of service to this school community,” Makin said during the presentation. “As I read Elaine’s accolades in her nomination, you could hear the people who she has helped, who she has inspired, and who she has supported with love, care, and dedication. I am in awe of what Elaine has achieved for this school community.”
RISE nominees are selected based upon five criteria: Work performance; school and community involvement; leadership and commitment; local support from co-workers, school administrators, community members; enhancement of classified school employees’ image in the community and schools.
“I am deeply honored to be nominated for a RISE Award by my school colleagues. My hope for 2023 is to continue the work we do here in our school and our community and to always keep a positive place in our minds and in our hearts, for every student to be successful,” Small said when she received her award.
Other Maine award finalists were Larry Alley, head bus driver/custodial staff, Pemetic Elementary School, Southwest Harbor School Department; Kevin Bailey, facilities-custodial/maintenance, Mid-Coast School of Technology, Region 8; Nichole Bryant, pre-K educational technician, Elm Street School, RSU 16; James Fahey, outside security officer, Bangor High School, Bangor School Department; Ann Heald, Title 1 education technician, Madison Elementary School, MSAD 59; Anne Lee, assistant cook/custodial staff, Tremont Consolidated School, Mount Desert Island Regional School System (at the time of nomination); James Mendoza, migrant education regional coordinator for Eastern Washington County, Mano En Mano (at the time of nomination); Linda Oster, transportation/bus driver, MSAD 17; and Shawn Russell, IT/communications director, Rangeley, RSU 78.
