PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE: Joe Manchin once said, “Every child should have a caring adult in their lives. And that’s not always a biological parent or family member. It may be a friend or neighbor. Often times it is a teacher.”

As I sat and waited for the graduation ceremony to begin for my niece, who graduated last weekend from a small high school on the outskirts of Chicago (only 585 kids), I took the time to reflect on my own high school years, more specifically, my teachers.

I remember some really good teachers, and I also remember some real knuckleheads that I wish I could go back and visit today (not to beat up or anything, just to show them I did amount to something). In all, I remember many more good teachers who were willing to stretch my mind, challenge me, and keep me focused. Thirty years after my high school graduation, I am still in contact with several of these folks today.

I had one teacher who called me “wooden head-pudden-head-Jones.” For the longest time I thought she was so screwed up — my last name is Wallace, why does she keep calling me Jones? Years later, however, I realized she was probably pretty close to being right with that nickname — I had the attention span of a marshmallow.

I talk to teachers, many of whom are my friends from my own school days, and they tell me the teaching profession has changed over the years, not all for the better. At one time, a teacher’s job was actually teaching students. Today, they have many more “unofficial duties” that include such tasks as ensuring kids are fed and have a safe place to sleep and do homework.

They also have a much larger spectrum of children to work with, to include kids with limited disabilities and disorders. Add these elements together, and it is not hard to figure out why both our kids and teachers get frazzled.

For most situations, you and I might say, “That is the child’s parents job to correct, not some teacher.” The teacher says, “If the parents aren’t doing their job, and subsequently I don’t help fix the problem, who will?” While I am not smart enough to answer the latter question, I am in tune with reality enough to know who suffers from lack of meaningful engagement at any level: our kids.

Speaking of engagement, teachers need the right tools to engage today’s students, and I honestly don’t know a single teacher who doesn’t spend their own money to help augment their classroom. If you don’t believe me, ask a teacher or ed tech. They might not tell you what they spend, but they will give you examples of what they buy.

As I wrap this together, I think teachers often get a bad rap. With national high school graduation rates around 80 percent, many parents and politicians love to point their fingers and claim “bad teachers.” While a small percentage of teachers do contribute to the problem, the fact of the matter is, we’ve also got some pretty terrible, unengaged parents and clueless, uninformed politicians who are also contributing to the problem. To them, I pass on this advice from Henry Ford, “Don’t find fault, find a remedy.”

The result we get from being unengaged and uninformed? One in seven Maine students in 2012 did not graduate. I don’t think any of us feel that statistic is something to be proud of.

The good news is Maine is making great progress toward improving our schools and educational programs; our graduation rate has increased statewide three years in a row and now stands at 85 percent in 2012. That is a statistic we can be proud of. We have teachers to thank for that.

If you get the opportunity, take the time to thank a teacher, education tech, administrator, or school staff for all they do. As Alexander the Great put it, “I am indebted to my father for living, but to my teacher for living well.” So kudos to everyone who contributes to helping our kids in all our Mid-coast schools … you are appreciated.

UPCOMING EVENTS: “How to Solve Problems” is the topic for today’s Small Business Success Seminar at the Topsham Public Library. Steve Musica, of 1Group, will share some simple tools that can be used to facilitate improvement. The seminar is free, pre-registration is appreciated.

The Harpswell Business Association and the town of Harpswell host the June 26 Chamber After Hours at the Orr’s Bailey Yacht Club. Welcome the summer season with “on the water” networking at its best anytime between 5 and 7 p.m. This event is free for chamber and HBA members and their employees to attend.

Please go to the chamber’s website (www.midcoastmaine.com), scrolling the calendar to register for all of these events.

MEMBERS IN THE NEWS: The chamber welcomes The Wireless Zone/Verizon Wireless, Brown Goldsmiths & Co. of Freeport, Electricity Maine and the new Sylvan Learning Satellite location to its membership. Discover more about chamber members at www.midcoastmaine.com or download MyChamberApp for use on your mobile phone or tablet.

The chamber proudly serves 760 businesses and organizations in the following communities: Arrowsic, Bath, Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Brunswick, Dresden, Edgecomb, Georgetown, Harpswell, Phippsburg, Richmond, Topsham, West Bath, Westport Island, Wiscasset and Woolwich.

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