RSVP: https://uwkv.org/event/community_schools_panel_discussion/

Please join us for a virtual panel discussion exploring the transformative concept of Community Schools. Delve into what sets them apart from traditional schools and unravel the four pillars at their core. Learn about the landscape of community schools and the process of becoming a community school in Maine. Don’t miss this chance to engage with leading voices shaping the future of education!

Zoom information will be provided after registration has been received.

Panelists Include:

Melissa Cilley, J.D. – Adjunct Professor, University of New England

Melissa has been a child advocate her entire career.  Beginning as a Pre-K and Kindergarten teacher, Melissa went to law school with the goal to be a voice for children.  She practiced over a decade in Missouri and New Hampshire representing exclusively children and families in special education law, juvenile justice, and on behalf of other system-involved children and youth.  When Melissa had a leadership opportunity with a large nonprofit in Washington State serving children and families, it changed her perspective forever.  She has since led two Maine youth development nonprofits over 13 years as an Executive Director.  Last Fall, she semi-retired with the arrival of two more grandbabies and is now happily working as a consultant and contractor specializing in strategic partnership development, coalition- and community-building.  Presently, Melissa is working with the Maine Coalition of Community Schools/Maine Afterschool Network and partnering closely with Maine DOE to move forward Community Schools in Maine.  Melissa is the Vice Chair for the Maine Children’s Alliance and the outgoing Chair of Youth and Family Outreach.  She lives in Portland with her husband, in close proximity to their three grown children and three extraordinary grandchildren.

• Ann Hanna – Community School Consultant, Maine Department of Education

Ann is a Community Schools Consultant working for the Maine Department of Education in the Office of School and Student Supports. She is a lifelong educator who served as a teacher, literacy coach and administrator for Portland Public Schools for 33 years. Before joining the DOE in 2023,  Ann was the principal of the Gerald E Talbot Community School where she led the school through a transformative process to become a full service community school. Ann earned a BA  from the University of Maine at Orono, and graduate degrees in Educational Leadership from USM. During her free time Ann enjoys relaxing with her family, cooking, reading and visiting the many beautiful places of Maine.

• Joline Collins – Northeast Region Deputy Director for the Coalition for Community Schools, Institute for Educational Leadership

Joline facilitates strategic collaboration and serves as a bridge of support to strengthen and scale Community School initiatives. Joline excels in partnering with school, local, and state leaders working to foster cross-sector partnerships, develop sustainable systems, and achieve impactful outcomes.  As a co-author of “Taking it to the Next Level: Strengthening and Sustaining Family Engagement through Integrated Systemic Practice,” Joline brings deep expertise in systemic family and community engagement, leadership development, and network management.