When classroom doors across the country shut in March of 2020, Maine students lost more than their daily lessons. They lost their sense of community, their routines and, for many, their lifeline of support and stability. 

“I was very, very down on myself,” Morgan, a sophomore from Mt. Ararat High School in Topsham, said. “It was hard not being able to be around people. I was just stuck in one little bubble, and it sucked.” 

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) responded swiftly, dispatching staff across some of the state’s most remote areas to hand-deliver devices and internet hotspots, ensuring that no student lost their connection to learning or to their peers. This initial reaction of providing support for the continuity of learning, as well as for the return of human connection and community, was indicative of a lasting trend: the Maine DOE’s commitment to mental health and wellbeing 

“We saw our educators, first responders, and medical professionals carrying an enormous emotional burden during those first months,” Maine DOE Commissioner Pender Makin said. “They were working under incredible stress, in completely uncharted territory. We knew we had to act quickly to support the people supporting our kids.” 

For many in Maine, including students and educators, the pandemic shifted the conversation about mental health and brought more attention to it. Photo courtesy of Patra Company Visual Marketing Solutions.

One way in which that support took shape was the FrontLine WarmLine, a free, anonymous mental health lifeline staffed by trained professionals, including licensed psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical counselors, social workers, retired teachers, and education leaders. The FrontLine WarmLine offered mental health first aid and information about available resources to support those in need.  

The Maine DOE also hosted virtual office hours to provide training to families and educators regarding how to support the mental health of students throughout the period of remote learning and during reintegration and recovery phases that followed. Using federal emergency relief funding, the Maine DOE launched SEL4ME, offering 450 expert-developed social-emotional learning lessons to schools and families. Later, another 64 modules specifically designed for educator wellbeing were added.  

Happy Maine educators make for happy Maine students. Photo courtesy of Patra Company Visual Marketing Solutions

“Recognizing the need for support through the isolation and loss of connectivity brought by the pandemic, the Office of School and Student Supports worked to hold weekly content sessions for educators that built communities of peers from across the state,” Maine DOE Coordinator of Culture, Climate and Resilience Bear Shea said. “By focusing on their practical experiences and building social, emotional supports for educators, these groups became places where challenges and success could be shared, and best practices for supporting students were celebrated.” 

As schools reopened, the focus shifted to creating calmer, more supportive learning environments.  

“When we first came back, the changes in the students [were] really noticeable,” Carla Shaw, a seventh-grade science teacher at Brunswick Junior High School, said. “It was like kids forgot how to do school. We had to almost reteach them how to come to school and what the expectations were.” 

When students struggle with mental health, it often shows up first in their classroom behavior, ranging from disruption to safety concerns. That’s why the Maine DOE has spent three years equipping teachers and staff with tools to recognize warning signs early and respond in ways that help students feel safe and supported in the classroom. 

Through a partnership with The Regulated Classroom, 1,145 Maine educators have been trained in neuroscience-based approaches to classroom management. The investment in The Regulated Classroom has resulted in overwhelmingly positive feedback that educators have relayed to the Maine DOE.  

“The Regulated Classroom training is the only training I’ve ever been to that acknowledges the impact a teacher’s regulation has on their students,” MSAD 75 art teacher Naomie Ellsworth said. “Their philosophy acknowledges that we are human animals first and that we live inside a body with feelings and needs that sometimes supersede our rational minds, both as teachers and students. It gave me the mindset to acknowledge this and strategies for how to manage it, with learning at the center.” 

Additionally, the Maine DOE used federal emergency relief funding to establish the Restorative Practices training, aimed at providing schools with the necessary tools to create an environment of safety, belonging and accountability for students, staff and community members. So far, 24 schools have completed Restorative Practices training, with 14 more eagerly awaiting their turn.  

During the pandemic, parents and educators worked to find safe ways to bring students together in an effort to combat the effects of isolation on mental health. Photo courtesy of Patra Company Visual Marketing Solutions.

“Through this training, educators learn how to build better relationships, improve communication and handle behavior in the classroom,” said Makin. “The demand has been so strong that we’ve secured permanent funding to ensure this program continues.” 

Looking ahead, the Maine DOE Office of School and Student Supports is partnering with MCD Global Health for the Promoting Stronger Connections ECHO series, offering practical tools for educators across Maine through February 2025. Nine high-need school districts, from Eastport to Lewiston, will also receive five-year Expanding Access in School Environments (EASE) grants through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. This funding will help schools to provide more mental health services and support staff for students, educators and families. 

“The pandemic taught us an invaluable lesson,” Makin said. “Students learn best when they feel safe, supported, and connected. When our educators have the tools to support mental health needs within the learning environment, they’re not just teaching—they’re building foundations for success.” 

For more information about Maine’s ongoing commitment to supporting the mental health of students and educators, and for a deeper look into Maine’s Whole Student Pandemic Response, visit the Maine DOE website.