Rural Thrive:

The Rural Educator Resilience Project

All rural educators deserve to thrive

A map of Maine showing connections between different communities.

School Leadership Support

Rural school leaders in Maine play an essential role in small communities across the state. Their success is vitally important to the success of these communities, as well as to the schools and school districts, teachers, support staff, families, and most importantly the students they serve. For many years, the state has seen a decline in the number of educators who aspire to become rural school leaders. This trend has been exacerbated more recently as those who are in leadership positions leave the profession either through retirement or choosing to work in another field. To address the specific needs of rural school leaders, Rural Thrive has developed a support network for current or aspiring district or building leaders, aimed at improving and expanding the educational leadership workforce in rural communities throughout Maine.

Rural School Leader Community of Practice

The Rural School Leader Community of Practice is an exciting opportunity for Maine school leaders — district- or building-level administrators — and aspiring leaders to participate in a statewide support network facilitated by Rural Thrive. This initiative, designed in collaboration with participating leaders and aspiring leaders themselves, will offer professional development, coursework, research, quality training and internship opportunities, and coordinated activities aimed a building resilience, improving job satisfaction and increasing retention.

  • Any current or aspiring school of building leader in rural Maine
  • Graduate students in the University of Maine College of Education and Human Development’s Educational Leadership programs
  • You will be part of an extended core of rural school leaders across the state
  • You will be awarded up to 25 professional development hours that can be used toward recertification (regional oversight approval may be required)
  • You will be compensated up to $600 for your participation.  ($150 for each onsite meeting, and $50 for each virtual meeting you attend)  
  • You will add value and pave the way for future leaders of Maine’s rural schools  
  • You will increase job satisfaction and longevity by addressing the unique challenges and issues facing rural school leaders

Several activities are planned for the first year of the community of practice:

  • Summer 2025: In-person “kickoff” meeting at the University of Maine Summer Educators Institute
  • Fall 2025-Spring 2026: Six virtual hour-long meetings
  • Summer 2026: In-person recap and celebration meeting at the University of Maine

In addition, school leaders and aspiring leaders who participate in this community of practice will have the opportunity to contribute to the Maine Principal Survey, an effort to capture the “state of administration” in Maine. This longitudinal study is important to bringing awareness to the challenges facing school leaders, and the current conditions of leadership across the state. Participating superintendents can join the Maine Small Schools Coalition, which advocates for policy and issues that advance needs specific to Maine’s rural school districts.

Contact Us

Ready to learn more about the Rural School Leader Community of Practice?

Send an email to Leader in Residence Paul Austin, paul.austin@maine.edu.