MLAC Roles and Responsibilities
Maine Department of Education (DOE) provides leadership to the Multilingual Learner Advisory Council (MLAC) by scheduling meetings, establishing agendas, facilitating discussions, and ensuring the MLAC’s views are communicated to Maine DOE.
MLAC members provide advice to the Maine DOE on its activities and policies related to English learner education. Members commit to attending two annual meetings, on the first Friday of every December and the last Friday in June. In addition, throughout the year there will be opportunities to provide feedback and advice via email and/or phone on specific activities and policies as they arise.
Members
| Name | Title | School |
|---|---|---|
| Lysa McLemore | Director of Multilingual Programs | Lewiston Public Schools |
| Christina Tideswell | Assistant Director of Multilingual Programs | Lewiston Public Schools |
| Heather Garcia | Assistant Director of Multilingual Programs | Lewiston Public Schools |
| April Perkins | Director of Multilingual Programs | South Portland Public Schools |
| Sheanna Zimmermann | ESOL Teacher/Coordinator | South Portland Public Schools |
| Regina Clement | Director of Multilingual Programs | Westbrook |
| Jennifer Rawlings | ESOL Teacher | Saco Public Schools |
| Rebecca Carey | ESOL Teacher/Coordinator | RSU 3 |
| Dr. Melissa Cuba | Assistant Professor of Special Education | University of Maine |
| Carlos Gómez | Director of Elementary Multilingual Programs | Portland Public Schools |
| Don Bishop | Director of Secondary Multilingual Programs | Portland Public Schools |
| Melissa Frans | Special Education Multilingual Coordinator | Portland Public Schools |
| Christopher Indorf | Assistant Superintendent | Biddeford and Dayton School Departments |
| Jessica Inch | ESOL Teacher/Coordinator | Augusta School Department |
| Deborah Howard | Teacher of the Deaf, ESOL, Curriculum & Instruction | MSAD 51 (Cumberland, North Yarmouth) |
| Elena Smith | ESOL Teacher/Coordinator | RSU 12, AOS 93, and Wiscasset Schools |
| Lesley Herschlag |
ESOL Teacher/Coordinator & Adjunct Professor, Literacy, Language, and Special Education |
Western and Central Maine SAUs; University of New England & University of Maine, Farmington |
| Cristina Perez Zamora | ESOL Teacher | MSAD 37 |
| Jim Koch | ESOL Coordinator | Brunswick School Department |
| Kathy Dorko | ESOL Teacher/Coordinator | MSAD 54 |
| Cheryl Keeney | ESOL Teacher/Coordinator | Ellsworth School Department |
| Dr. Alec Lapidus | Associate Professor, Literacy, Language, and Culture | University of Southern Maine |
| June Sellers | Director of Student Services and Multilingual Programs | RSU 5 |
| Melissa Hodgkins | ESOL Teacher/Coordinator | Auburn School Department |
| Dr. Clara Jean Howard | Assistant Professor, Secondary and Multilingual Learner Education | University of Maine, Farmington |
| Josephine Bizimana | Parent | Portland |
Selection of MLAC Members
The MLAC includes two membership types: permanent and non-permanent (maximum service of two years).
Permanent Members
Each Maine school administrative unit (SAU) that currently receives a Title III grant under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act will have representation on the MLAC according to ML enrollment count. SAUs are responsible for selecting the educators who will represent them. No application to the Maine DOE is necessary. It is recommended to select members who can commit to at least two years.
If a district no longer receives a Title III grant, MLAC membership will continue for two years. If during the two-year period the district remains ineligible for Title III, automatic membership will be discontinued, but individual members may apply to continue to participate if they desire.
| Number of Students who are Multilingual Learners | Number of Permanent MLAC Members |
|---|---|
| Fewer than 500 | 1 |
| 500-1000 | 2 |
| 1000 or more | 3 |
There will be additional permanent members to represent each of Maine’s superintendent regions with no current Title III districts. These members will be selected by the Maine DOE on the basis of leadership and experience, as expressed in a statement of interest. The following criteria will be used to assist in membership determinations.
| Selection Criteria for Regional Permanent Members | |
|---|---|
| Leadership | Administrative role Professional organization membership Presentations/professional development offered PLC facilitation Advocacy |
| Experience | Total years in field Language learning experience Level of education in TESOL |
Non-Permanent Members
Additional members may represent perspectives from:
- Institutions of Higher Learning
- Migrant Education
- Non-profit community organizations serving immigrants and refugees
- Family members of students who are multilingual learners
- Former multilingual learners (graduates)
- Retired ESOL educators
Potential non-permanent members must be nominated by permanent members and complete an application. If you are interested in becoming a non-permanent member contact your local MLAC member to indicate your wish to be nominated. Permanent MLAC members will vote by majority rule to confirm non-permanent members through an online forum. Confirmation of non-permanent members will be completed by May 1st every other year. New non-permanent members will attend an orientation in June, TBD.