This year, I have been awarded an Aspirations Grant for the Wabanaki Technologies Project.
Follow the link to the left to learn more about the project.Contact:

mcilvaine@coconetme.org

Room & Extension: 241
19 Kendall Lane
Freeport, ME  04032
865-6051

Education:

• East Brunswick HS, East Brunswick, NJ - Class of 1966 - Valedictorian (but I had to accept 2nd place because they wanted a boy to make the valedictory speech: this was my first protest) - Class VP - Girls' Athletic Award (4 varsity sports for 4 years) - National Honor Society
• Middlebury College - Class of 1970 - BA American Literature, minor in Mathematics and History - Cum Laude
• Rutgers University - 1972 - Masters in Library Science - Honors
• 25+ graduate credits in education (various online universities) - GPA 4.0
• Certification: Maine - Secondary English (7-12)

Experience:

• Freeport Middle School - Literacy 7/8 - 4 years
• The Chapin School, NYC - Technology Department Chair, Computer Instructor (4-12), Grade 5 Advisor - 3 years
• Portledge School, Locust Valley, NY - English (5-9), English/History (6), Technology Dept. Chair & Laptop Program Director, Computer Instructor (preK-12), Grade 7/8 Advisor, Coach, Activities advisor - 17 years
• Berkeley-Carroll School, Brooklyn, NY - English 7/8, Health/Sexuality (8), adjuct professor of computer instruction at Brooklyn College - 1 year
• Dwight-Englewood School, Englewood, NJ - Head Librarian, English (7/8), English/History (7), Health (10), Human Sexuality (7, 9), Middle School Advisor, coach - 10 years
• Asst. Director of public libraries in Lawrenceville, NJ and Burlington, VT

FMS Professional Activities:

• ELA/Literacy Curriculum Committee
• Scheduling Committee
• SSR Committee
• Asst. Yearbook Advisor, 2007
• Faculty support/trainer for webpage development and curriculum design template
• Session Leader & Trainer, CBEA Writing Prompt
• Debate judge
• Mentor

Publications, Awards, Workshops (selected):

• Aspirations Grant, 2007 - Wabanaki Technologies Project
• Education for an Information Age, 6th ed. - co-authored with Bernard Poole (online text)
• Member, Middle School Curriculum Developer, and Speaker - Maine Native Studies Committee, 2004 - present
• Session Speaker - Summer Institute for Native Studies - University of Maine - 2006
• Inspiration Grant & Unsung Heroes Grant, 2005
• Workshops - Maine Association of Middle Level Educators, Maine Science Teachers' Association, Lausanne Laptop Institute, Connecticut Association of Independent Schools, AICE
• NEH Fellowship to study Children's Literature at Princeton University
• Essays on Technology in Education can be found at Least Tern.

Webspaces:

• Least Tern - website devoted to connecting teachers to uses of technology in the classroom, with a focus on the 7-12 English classroom and Wabanaki Studies
• Mainely Research - home for Literacy 8 student WIKI spaces. These will include Maine Animals (interactive encyclopedia written by students), Commentary on current events, and Maine Industries (this space is not yet "active")
• Literacy Journal - blog-style Literacy 8 site for students and parents - find here commentary on classwork and essential class notes

Personal Interests:

• Reading - Science Fiction, Mysteries, Magical Realism, archaeology, cultural history
• Music - blues, Madeleine Peyroux, soul, country (classic style, Vince Gill).
• Hobbies - I don't have much time for hobbies other than reading, but when I have time I enjoy maintaining my perennial gardens, writing country song lyrics, hiking (moderate), maintaining my webspaces, and making floor clothes.
• Favorite foods - Greek anything, crisp apples and pears, crunchy Cheetos, celery with peanut butter, cheese, multigrain bread, Carvel cake, fruit pies (I make my own).
• Heritage - Dutch-English-Swedish DAR, but I feel most closely connected in spirit to Scotland and Ireland, so I read their mythologies, literature, and tales.
• Pets - a cat, Sparky, and a goldendoodle named Dodger.