Rural Thrive:

The Rural Educator Resilience Project

All rural educators deserve to thrive

A map of Maine showing connections between different communities.

Now recruiting Maine teachers and leaders!

Rural Thrive is a collection of statewide networks or communities of practice that support Maine’s rural public school educators at three key points in their careers:

  • Early Career (years 1-3)
  • Teacher Leaders (mid-career educators interested in exploring leadership opportunities for classroom teachers)
  • Building or School District Leadership

Rural Thrive is a project of the University of Maine College of Education and Human Development. It is funded with $3.3 million in Congressionally Directed Spending awarded to the University of Maine System to provide ongoing professional development, mentorship and other evidence-based support, with the goal of leading to better resilience and retention among rural educators and school leaders, as well as improving PK-12 student outcomes. The award was secured in Fiscal Year 2024 by U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Sen. Angus King.

Interested in learning more? Click the “Join Our Community” button below to contact a team member to ask how to get involved. Click “Give Now” to donate to the Rural Thrive project.

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What We Offer

Natalie McCarthy, a senior elementary education major at the University of Maine College of Education and Human Development, teaches a lesson about therapy dogs to a fourth-grade class at Asa Adams Elementary School where McCarthy is doing her student teaching.

Learn about our Thrive Foundations program, a partnership with the Penobscot River Educational Partnership, our Early Career Community of Practice, and our Rural Substitute Teaching and Innovation Corps (RuSTIC).

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A picture of Craig Hansen at Leonard Middle School.

Learn about our Teacher Leadership Community of Practice and Rural Innovation Learning Days.

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A photo of a school administrator.

Learn about the Small and Rural Schools Network for Building Leaders, and the work of the Small Schools Coalition.

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Join us for Appetizers & Ideas: Mitch Weathers on Executive Functions in Every Classroom

What if helping struggling students didn’t require finding more time in the day? Mitch Weathers was a biology teacher who asked that exact question — and built a system used in schools nationwide to answer it. Join us for Appetizers & Ideas to hear how embedding executive function skills into everyday classroom routines can move the needle for all learners, not just the ones already succeeding.

Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026 | 3:00-5:30 p.m.
Buchanan Alumni House, University of Maine
160 College Ave
Orono, ME 04473

Click on the image above to download a PDF version of the event flier.