A Season of Gratitude as We Begin Again
As the last light of summer settles over Indian Island, Indian Township, and Sipayik, our communities turn once more toward a new school year. In the Wabanaki way, this turning is never taken for granted. It is met first with gratitude — gratitude for the harvest, for the changing color of the trees, for the teachers and elders who carry knowledge forward, and for the children who walk through our doors ready to grow. Thank you.
This spirit of thanksgiving is at the heart of who we are as Maine Indian Education. Long before the first bell rings, our culture and language teachers, our teachers, our principals, our bus drivers, our cooks, and our support staff have been preparing — quietly, faithfully — to welcome every student back into a place of belonging. We are grateful for each of them, and for the families who trust us with their children's first steps into a new grade.
As your Superintendent, I remain committed to building schools where rigor, relevance, and relationship walk together. This year, we welcome new educators, education technicians, and staff into our Wabanaki family for the first time — may you feel the warmth of this community from your very first day. And to our returning staff, thank you for coming back with the same energy and heart you brought last June. That spirit of teamwork, of showing up for one another and for every child who walks through our doors, is what makes MIE special. Together, new and returning staff alike, we keep our students at the center of everything we do.
As we open our doors this fall, let us begin the way the ancestors taught us: with gratitude first. Grateful for another year together. Grateful for the land that holds our schools. Grateful for the children who remind us why this work matters. And grateful for the strength of our three communities — Indian Island, Indian Township, and Sipayik — standing together as one Wabanaki family.
Welcome back. Thank you for all you bring to our schools.
With gratitude and warm regards,
Dr. Reza Namin
Superintendent of Schools
Maine Indian Education