Maine

Wiscasset Elementary School’s Becky Hallowell is Maine Teacher of the Year

Published

1 year ago

October 10, 2024

Wiscasset Elementary School fourth grade teacher Becky Hallowell, Lincoln County Teacher of the Year, is now Maine‘s Teacher of the Year. In the WES gym Thursday morning, Hallowell got the honor, a surprise as it is each year with Maine Department of Education alerting the media earlier in the week about Thursday’s ceremony in an email that, as always, did not say who won, but said the time and which school in the state the announcement would be made. The information was, as always for the award, “embargoed,” or not to be published until the award was announced.

At the Oct. 8 school committee meeting, officials spoke of a top secret, special announcement to come.

Hallowell was announced May 9 as the county winner; next, a semi finalist; and then, one of the final four.

Hallowell’s county-level honor that took her to the top one in Maine follows fellow WES teacher Trae Stover’s service as Lincoln County Teacher of the Year in 2022.

Hallowell started her career in Dresden teaching first grade, taught four years there teaching that and kindergarten, then a year teaching kindergarten at Williams Cone School in Topsham before moving onto her “hometown school,” Whitefield Elementary School, where she taught K-2 and acted as assistant principal, she has told Wiscasset Newspaper.

She moved onto Wiscasset Primary School in 2011 and taught fourth grade for a year before moving back to kindergarten until 2017; took a kindergarten teaching job at Cushing Community School, “but needed to be closer to support my family. I missed the students and staff at Wiscasset Elementary School and was delighted to be hired back as a fourth grade teacher in 2018,” Hallowell shared after earning the county teacher honor last spring. In those comments, she called Wiscasset rich in historical and natural resources and said her favorite teaching days are “when the students engage with their natural environment and local history.”

Full coverage of Thursday’s announcement will follow.

Source link

Related Topics:Featured Wiscasset Elementary School’s Becky Hallowell is Maine Teacher of the Year

Click to comment

Maine

Lawmakers advance bill to provide death benefits after two DOT workers killed on the job

Published

4 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

Lawmakers advance bill to provide death benefits after two DOT workers killed on the job

After a fatal car crash in Waterville killed two Maine Department of Transportation employees in January, state lawmakers are backing a bill to expand death benefits to the families of DOT workers killed on the job. The Labor Committee unanimously voted Tuesday to advance LD 669, which will make DOT employees eligible for the same […]

Source link

Maine

Maine man accused of lighting bed on fire after fight with girlfriend

Published

1 day ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Maine man accused of lighting bed on fire after fight with girlfriend

WISCASSET, Maine (WMTW) – A Maine man has been arrested after police say he intentionally set a bed on fire after a dispute with his girlfriend, while they were still in it.

Police responded Monday, March 9, to a report of a fire that had been intentionally set inside a home on Beechnut Hill Road, according to the Wiscasset Police Department.

Investigators say the homeowner, Terry Couture, 41, set the bed on fire following an argument while both he and his girlfriend were in it. Authorities said the fire was extinguished and no serious injuries were reported.

Couture was arrested and charged with attempted murder, arson, aggravated criminal mischief, and domestic violence criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon.

The investigation is ongoing.

Source link

Maine

Celebrate Maine Maple Weekend at Williams Family Farm

Published

2 days ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Celebrate Maine Maple Weekend at Williams Family Farm

CLIFTON, Maine (WABI) – Maine Maple Sunday is less than two weeks away, and the Williams Family Farm in Clifton is gearing up for one of the sweetest seasons yet.

A long stretch of frost and snow meant a late start this year, but the first boil of sap has finally run through the evaporator, and maple season is officially underway.

At Williams Family Farm, everything is done by hand:

Fresh maple syrup, bottled on-site
Maple sugar, carefully extracted in small batches
Baked candied pecans, cashews, and more

The Williams family has spent years working with whatever weather sends their way.

Long winters, surprise warmups, and everything in between—they’ve learned how to adapt so community members can enjoy their products.

As co-owner John Williams explains, the key is in the temperature.

“You need to have it warm during the day and still freezing at night, so typically that’s the middle of February,” said Williams. “We have a lot of trees, so we have to start tapping them before the conditions are ideal, so we start tapping way before it’s time for it to run just so we can get them all tapped. If you have ten trees in your backyard, you want to wait until roughly now, the middle of February to now, and when it’s actually running and put them in then because you can put all your taps in, in one day.”

They’re excited to welcome the community during Maine Maple Weekend on March 21 and 22.

They will be boiling up sap, hosting demonstrations, and providing free samples.

Locals can also join them for their third annual pancake breakfast where all proceeds are donated to Holbrook Recreation.

Follow the link to find out their hours for March and more.

Source link