For Calais special education teacher Brittany Tobin, Calais has always meant family.

“From the moment I got to Calais, I knew it was different,” she said. “You get to see the children grow and some of the things that the students have to overcome.

“Hearing their stories reminds me why I got into teaching,” she said. “I really enjoyed that I get to be inspired by the kids.”

After graduating college, Ms. Tobin got a job at a public school. She later got a job at Calais as an aide and moved up as a classroom assistant, a STEM teacher until she became a full-time special education teacher. She is currently working towards becoming a Google-certified trainer, helping staff transition to the Google platform. “I help them take lessons from paper and pencil and make them digital and then help the students complete them as well,” she said.

“To me, Calais means many things,” Ms. Tobin said, adding she has developed special relationships with the staff and students since she was hired in 2016.

“Calais means family,” she said. “We are a very close-knit group, so you get to know everyone personally and they become a part of your life.”

“You make a lasting impact with the students,” Ms. Tobin noted, adding the classes are so small and intimate. “Individualized instruction goes beyond just the textbook. It’s not just lessons-it’s life skills and teaching appropriate relationships to build those and of course, academics.”

The 2020/2021 School Year marks Calais’ 50th year serving students with special needs! The Calais Foundation & The Calais School thanks students, parents, staff & faculty, and friends of Calais for playing an integral role in our past, present and future. The #MyCalaisStory campaign was created as a platform to share stories and build a deeper connection among our community members. If you would like to share your story, please contact Ashley Soleau at ashley.soleau@thecalaischool.org or Allison Freeman at allison.freeman@thecalaisschool.org.

 

#mycalaisstory @calaisfoundation  #specialeducation #exceedyourpossibilities #trailblazer