A new, but very familiar face is in the office of the special education director at Boothbay Region Elementary School. The school’s assistant principal for the past 10 years was hired for the position and began work on July 1.

She is a graduate of Boothbay Region High School. She returned as an employee in 1985, after earning a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of New England, as the special education resource teacher at the high school. She held this position for 14 years followed by three years as a kindergarten teacher. Ten years ago, when then Principal Eileen King was leaving to become district superintendent, she encouraged Stevens to consider moving into administration and into the role of assistant principal.

Stevens says over the years individuals like King have planted “seeds” in the form of suggestions and encouragement. While in the special ed resource room, high school Principal Joe Testa, who had been principal when she was a student there, suggested she might want to work on a master’s degree in education.

At the time, she was a single mother of two already working full-time. It seemed like an impossible feat. In fact, she thought he was nuts. Coincidentally, the University of Maine had begun offering classes at satellite locations in Damariscotta and Waldoboro, which made the idea both appealing and feasible. In 2001, Stevens earned a master’s degree individualized with a program of study in special education.

Stevens spent the next 11 years happily fulfilling her role as assistant principal. Then, in mid-May, Trish Harrison announced her decision to retire. Every day for the next couple of weeks, staff and administrators – including Superintendent King and elementary school Principal Mark Tess – would ask Stevens if she was applying.

“Tanya (Thibault, special education head) in Edgecomb, and Misty (Marston, special education head until the end of this school year) on Southport suggested I apply,” Stevens said. “That meant a lot because I had already worked with them as a special ed teacher and administratively at the elementary school.”

“I have to say it was Trish’s encouragement that mattered most,” Stevens said. “If she thought I was the right person, I thought maybe I should do it.”

She submitted her application just before Memorial Day; it was one of four. Members of the district school board, special education administrators and the superintendent reviewed the candidates and unanimously agreed on Stevens.

“It’s been really difficult knowing Jane will not be in the office next door this year,” Principal Tess said. “We clicked from day one.”

Since the 2011-2012 school year ended and she began her new position, she has been juggling both the assistant principal’s role and special ed director, including working on creating schedules (music, art, lunch, recess, etc.), meeting with teachers, and sitting in on interviews for her former position.

As special ed director she is working on programming, meeting with parents and administrators about new students, reviewing the annual assessment of existing students, learning who the case workers are for each student, discussing needs of current special education teachers and people providing summer services, talking and meeting with other personnel, and just becoming familiar with all of the facets of her new role.

Stevens has also been the coordinator for No Child Left Behind grant applications, something she volunteered to do and has done for the past three years. A new person to continue this work is also being sought.

“It’s very invigorating. One day, a teacher came in to say how happy she was for me and said that (special education) was really where my heart was,” Stevens said. “I’d never really thought about it, but after she said it, I thought, she’s right, it really is. Trish is a hard person to follow and she was a wonderful role model. This is a position I hope to be in for the rest of my career.”

The new special education director is looking forward to visiting all of the schools and embraces the challenges to come. She will face them with the support of staff and administrators, Harrison, and her new right arm, Christine Barter, Harrison’s secretary of five years.

“I’m very happy Jane has the job,” Barter said. “I will miss Trish, but I look forward to working with Jane. And, when the ‘new person’ is someone you already know it makes the transition much easier.”

When Stevens looks back on her years as a special ed teacher at the high school, and the beginning of her career, she smiles. She can see the faces of students and relives the satisfaction of seeing their successes.

“When school ‘isn’t your thing,’ when you are a student who is having trouble or struggling, there is often a real desire to quit. As teachers, and people who care, you have to find ways to encourage them to stay,” Stevens said. “Providing encouragement, support and help to students who never thought they could go to college, a vocational school or a community college and then seeing them do it feels very good.”
She recalled one student in particular who attended the automotive program at Bath Vocational school and went on to Central Maine Community College in Auburn. One summer he worked for a carpenter and discovered he really enjoyed it – more than working on cars. He talked to Stevens about it. She told him there were schools for carpentry, too. And, although the idea of more school wasn’t immediately appealing, the young man did so and is now a carpenter with his own business.

“The more a person does educationally, the more they learn about themselves and the more opportunities they have,” Stevens said. “This is a message I have always tried to put across to all of our students.”

She has come full circle now and has come back to special education. But, the search for her replacement continues. Tess said they have been interviewing candidates and should be announcing the name of the new assistant principal very soon. And although he will miss her, he is very happy for Stevens and is certain she is well-suited for the job.

“Jane has all of the background and knowledge needed for the position. She has gained and earned the respect of the staff here in the elementary school and in the high school,” Tess said. “She’s replacing a legend, but if anyone can do it, Jane can.”