Rural Thrive:

The Rural Educator Resilience Project

All rural educators deserve to thrive

A map of Maine showing connections between different communities.

Teacher Leader Support

Teacher leaders are educators who work full-time in the classroom and influence their school, district and the education profession in a positive way. They may or may not have formal leadership roles, and may or may not aspire to administrative roles or any role outside of the classroom. They are committed to working in their schools to improve the lives of their students and communities, and have largely done so without a network to specifically address their unique needs. With their participation and guidance, Rural Thrive is facilitating the building of a support network for teach leaders working in rural Maine.

Rural Teacher Leader Support Network

Teacher leaders are dedicated, passionate educators who face many challenges, especially in rural schools, including:

  • Diverse workloads in and beyond the classroom
  • Multi-grade and multi-subject responsibilities
  • Isolation from others in similar roles
  • Attracting, developing and retaining colleagues
  • Lack of continuity due to frequent administrative changes

Our Rural Teacher Leader Support Network is designed in collaboration with teacher leaders themselves to address each of these challenges.

The Rural Teacher Leader Support Network provides numerous opportunities for rural educators to connect with colleagues statewide, including:

  • Virtual and in-person collaborative discussion and problem-solving across districts
  • Purposeful, collective visits to rural schools with substitutes provided by Rural Thrive’s Rural Substitute Teaching and Innovation Corps (RuSTIC)
  • Professional development tailored to their expressed needs:
  • Leadership skills
  • Understanding of the change/growth process
  • Collaboration with administrators and students to build stronger learning and community 
  • Finding resources to support work and progress

May 15 DIRIGO Day

Rural Thrive is hosting a retreat for rural educators on Friday, May 15 at TelStar Middle/High School and Crescent Elementary School in Bethel. The DIRIGO (Discussions In Rural Innovation and Guided Observation) Day event will feature visits to innovative classrooms, as well as opportunities to discuss and reflect on strategies and approaches that can be applied to teachers’ schools and communities. The retreat is open to any public school educator from a rural district in Maine with an interest in improving their school, district, and/or the teaching profession. Participation is limited to 25 educators. Stipends will be provided for full participation. Eligible educators can also receive reimbursement for travel. Rural THRIVE can book and pay lodging for the night of May 14 at the Grand Summit Hotel at Sunday River.  More information is available online. Contact: Rural Thrive Teacher Leader in Residence Gert Nesin, gert.nesin@maine.edu.

Sign Up
A digital flyer with information about a May 15, 2026 retreat for rural Maine public school educators.
Click on the image to download a PDF version of the flier.

Opportunities

Are you a teacher-leader? You SURE are, if you do the following:

  • Work full-time in a classroom
  • Step beyond your classroom to improve your school, district and/or the teaching profession in a positive way, with or without a formal role.

We have opportunities for YOU!

Discussions in Rural Innovation and Guided Observations (DIRIGO) Days

Gather at a rural school to observe classrooms, then meet to discuss what you learned and how it can be applied to your school and community.

  • There will be one DIRIGO Day per semester.
  • Virtual meetings (one hour each) will be held before and one after the DIRIGO Day gathering to help plan and debrief the experience.
  • Participants are eligible for a $300 stipend.

Bookmark this page for information about future professional development events.

Contact: Gert Nesin, gert.nesin@maine.edu.

What I Need (WIN) Funds

Rural teachers in Maine are invited to submit applications for up to $2,500 in funding to help them to access professional development opportunities during the upcoming school year. Read the announcement on UMaine News and check out the WIN Funds page on our website for more details and a link to apply.

Contact us

Ready to learn more about the Rural Teacher Leader Support Network?

Send an email to Teacher Leader in Residence Gert Nesin, gert.nesin@maine.edu.