MEA Summer Camp offers a fantastic, FREE opportunity for members to connect with colleagues from across the state and to enhance their skills as educators, leaders, and change-makers.
- When: Monday, July 27th - Tuesday, July 28th
- Where: USM Portland Campus – 88 Bedford Street, Portland, ME 04103
- Who: All MEA members (but space is limited!)
- Cost: FREE for members
- Contact Hours: Up to 14 hours
- Registration: Open through July 19th
- Lodging: A hotel block has been reserved at a courtesy rate and will be available on a first come first serve basis. Rooms must be booked before Monday, July 6th. MEA encourages you to check the language in your contract. Depending on the sessions you choose, you may be eligible for lodging reimbursement from the district. Additionally, check with your union leadership, as some associations include conference lodging in their budgets.
With over 30 sessions delivered by experts in the field, we have something to offer for everyone.
- Developing Executive Functions in Students of All Ages
- Responding to Challenging Behaviors Through Root Cause Analysis
- AI in Action: From Classroom Productivity to Student Agency
- Special Education Referrals Post-COVID: What’s Changed and What You Need to Know
- The Empty Chair: Helping Students Cope with Grief
- Building Better Classroom Management: Assessment and Evidence-Based Classroom Management Strategies for School Teams
- Strengthening Relationships through Wabanaki Studies
- Keeping Disruptive Students Engaged: Examining the Need for Targeted Classroom Management Training
- Teach ME Outside: Building a Culture of Teaching Outside
- And more!
Day 1 Plenary Speaker
Desi Peña, M.A., CCC-SLP
Fostering Relationships with Multilingual Students and Families
According to the Maine Department of Education’s Multilingual Learner Dashboard, the number of multilingual PreK–12 students is steadily increasing, now representing 4.7% of Maine’s student population, especially among younger students. This growth underscores the need for educators to effectively connect with culturally and linguistically diverse students and build strong, two-way communication with their families. Desi Peña will highlight culturally responsive teaching practices and offer actionable strategies to strengthen educator–family partnerships, emphasizing how these connections enrich school communities and support academic success for all students.
