1987 DRHS grad makes donation to alternative education
Staff Writer
DEXTER — Students in the alternative educational program have had some additional options available to them for the past two years. 1987 Dexter Regional High School graduate Jon Chadbourne has made a $750 contribution each year to the Options alternative education program. The SAD 46 board of directors officially accepted the gift on Jan. 2 which benefits the school’s alternative education program.
CLASSROOM DISCUSSION — These Dexter Regional High School students discuss currents events each day by reading the daily newspaper. Teachers Katherine Thompson and Haggie Pratt are the instructors in the Options alternative education program. Thompson has worked in the program ever since it started in 1989.
Chadbourne has been a friend of Options program’s director Janet Thompson ever since he was a boy growing up in Harmony. He made the donations to assist the program during some difficult budget times. His contribution has afforded the alternative education program to continue with several field trips this year which would have been eliminated due to budget reductions.
Chadbourne is the vice president of marketing for the Boston-based energy marketing firm Arc Light Capital Partners. Chadbourne has seen the positive effects private donations by his firm have made on Massachusetts educational programs.
“My company makes lots of contributions to local charter schools. I’ve seen the good work that can be done from private contributions,” Chadbourne said. “I’ve known Katherine since I was young and know about her work with Options. So I’m happy to support such a worthwhile educational program in my hometown area.”
Thompson has used the contributions to fund an October field trip to the Margaret Chase Smith Library in Skowhegan and one in January to attend the Maine Agricultural Trade Show and tour the Maine State Museum in Augusta. A final trip will take place this spring. The Options program will go to Portland for the second straight year with a school year-ending trip.
Thompson believes the field trips are a beneficial educational experience to a group that typically doesn’t’ leave their hometown.
“It’s a fun day, but it is still filled with educational opportunities for our students. Most of the them don’t have a chance to leave their hometown,” Thompson said. “And I think it’s important that they experience what’s outside of Dexter. So we are all grateful that Jonnie’s contribution has allowed us to continue with the field trips.”
During their excursion to southern Maine, the students stopped in Freeport to view the L.L. Bean giant boot before arriving in Maine’s largest city to spend a day of sightseeing. Among the activities included were a picnic, a boat ride in Casco Bay Harbor, and a Narrow Gauge Railway train ride. The students also shopped at the Maine Mall in South Portland and watched a movie in a theatre located in the Old Port. The students culminated their day with dinner at DiMillo’s Restaurant.
The Options program is a non-traditional approach to education. The program requires a great deal of independent study. The program has less structure than a regular classroom which allows a student to work at a pace conducive to their learning. It is usually reserved for those students who struggle in a traditional classroom setting or who want to graduate early.
Senior Jacob Smith is a student who has found success in the program. He completed the tractor trailer driving program at the Tri-County Technical Center program last year. Smith plans on taking a year off following graduation.
He intends on continuing his education in the future by attending Northern Maine Community College in Presque Isle to study diesel engine repair. Smith believes he has benefited from the Options program.
“I like that I can work at my own pace and that it is a smaller classroom,” Smith said.
Thompson has been the program’s director since it began in 1989. She was serving as the Harmony School Committee chairperson when SAD 46 was looking to begin an alternative education program. As a Skowhegan Area High School alternative education teacher, she believed her experience would benefit SAD 46’s implementation of the Option’s program.
Thompson told SAD 46 administrators that she was willing to serve on the hiring committee, but to her surprise the request was denied.
“They told me ‘it wouldn’t be necessary’ because they wanted me to become the director,” Thompson said.
The program began with the students attending class in the Dexter Town Hall. Students moved two years later into a portable unit behind the high school.
“It’s a good program which has filled a lot student needs over the years,” Thompson said. “I’ve been lucky to have been a part of it. It’s an amazing feeling to look forward to going to work every day. This is something that I’ve tried to encourage our students to achieve in their professional lives as well.”
Thompson is assisted by Haggie Pratt in the program. She teaches math and English; Pratt teaches science and social studies. This will be Thompson’s final year as the director. Thompson has indicated that she plans on retiring at the year’s end.