Teachers
Mr. Bret Achorn
oaken418@gmail.com
Mr. Achorn is new to Calais High School this year, teaching Freshmen science and physics to the senior class. He also teaches a rotating schedule of 1/2 year science classes for upperclassmen; including marine biology, archaeology, and astronomy. After attending John Bapst High School in Bangor, Maine, he served one tour in the U.S. Marine Corps, then began his college studies at the University of Southern California. He completed his schooling with a Masters of Science in Quaternary Science from the University of Maine. Mr. Achorn has started a fencing club at Calais High School, in which students and staff are enjoying this olympic sport.
Mr. Roland Bechard
rolandbechard@yahoo.com
Mr. Bechard is the Career Aspirations Coordinator, CAP, at Calais High School. He has been developing this innovative program since 2005. He is a 1969 graduate of Lewiston High School also known as the Blue Devils. Mr. Bechard received his Masters Degree from Southern New Hampshire University, New Hampshire College, Community Economic Development Program in 1992. He worked as a project and program developer at the national level for 10 years before entering into the field of education. He was recruited as CAP coordinator in 2005 and has since received the Financial Authority of Maine, FAME, Dirigo Award for Education in 2006. This award is presented to an individual who has exhibited a strong commitment to furthering the higher education aspirations and attainment of Maine Citizens. Mr. Bechard is the Father of three children and currently boasts five grandchildren. His interests are many; among them are hunting, fishing, organic gardening, archery, music and home renovation. He is an entrepreneur and owner of two small businesses.
Mrs. Alison Brennan
alison.brennan@rocketmail.com
Following her graduation from North Andover High School in Massachusetts, Mrs. Alison Brennan graduated cum laude from Plymouth State University with a Bachelor of Science in Music Education. She also earned her Masters Degree in Education through the University of Maine Orono in 1981. Mrs. Brennan is the senior member of the District VI Music Region and participates in state and national music professional conferences.
Mrs. Brennan's first twenty-five years were served as Elementary Music Teacher for grades K-6 between 1977 and 2001. She taught at the Brooklin and Sedgewick Elementary Schools and then returned to Calais in 2002. Since then, she has been centered at the new Calais Middle/High School, but continues to work with the instrumental students in grades 4 through 6 on Tuesdays to Thursdays each week. She is the Director of our grades 7-12 Concert Band, High School Jazz Combo, Calais High Pep Band, and High School Chorus. Organizing all school and community concerts, Mrs. Brennan also arranges for our student musicians' active participation in regional and state festivals and competitions. Each year, with the help of our wonderful parents and boosters club, Mrs. Brennan takes the instrumental musicians to Boston for their Fine Arts trip. Much is learned about careers in music, colleges of music, and the many fine arts opportunities Boston provides,
Mrs. Brennan is thankful to have been able to travel to two of the musical meccas of the world, New Orleans and Vienna, Austria. New Orleans was a fabulous jazz opportunity for her, while her trip to Vienna was a lifelong goal. She and her husband, Tom, celebrated their silver anniversary by visiting the world capital of classical music. They attended impressive performances at the Vienna State Opera House, Palais Auersperg, St. Stephen's Cathedral, St. Augustine's Church, and the Vienna Choir Boys Mass. Visits to Mozart's, Hadyn's, and Beethoven's homes and concert halls were also fascinating.
Mrs. Brennan's three children participated in the CHS music program. Emily, CHS class of 2005, is a hospitality major at Southern Maine Community College, Noel is a music major at USM in Gorham, and Rachel is a graduate of UM Farmington.
Ms. Jayne Brewer
Ms. Brewer has been teaching for 26 years. After graduating from Easton High School in Easton, Maine, she attended the University of Maine at Orono. There she earned an Associate of Science in Merchandising, a Bachelor of Science in Animal & Veterinary Sciences, and a Master of Science in Animal and Veterinary Science. She began her teaching career at the University of Maine at Orono, teaching classes in laboratory animal care, animal physiology, and animal reproduction and breeding. She is certified to teach Physical Science, Life Science, English/Language Arts, and Social Studies. She has 3 adult children, one grandchild, 5 cats, and one dog. In her free time she enjoys walking, swimming, reading, driving her Pontiac GXP, riding a Honda Goldwing, and watching volleyball, hockey, and thoroughbred racing.
Mrs. Lynda Duplissea
Mrs. Duplissea earned her BA English with Minors in American Studies and Education from Framingham State College in Massachusetts and her MEd from Saint Joseph's College of Maine. She has also received instruction at a College Board endorsed AP Summer Institute in 2006 and has received College Board authorization for her AP English Literature and Composition syllabus and program of study. A member of the National Council of Teachers of English, Mrs. Duplissea was invited to present at their national convention in 1997, was recognized by Maine Career Advantage as an outstanding teacher in 1999, and has participated in the State of Maine’s Task Force on Learning Results Summits I, II, and follow-ups. She coordinates the school’s United States Academic Decathlon team and is a devoted Blue Devil fan. Her favorite English teacher is Mr. Duplissea.
Mrs. Sharon Leeman
leemansharon@hotmail.com
Mrs. Leeman has been an Educational Tech. for the past seven years in the Calais School system. She has been the study hall monitor at Calais High School for the past two years. Mrs. Leeman was also an Ed-Tech at the Alternative school at which time she had many trainings in education.
Mrs. Leeman graduated from Woodland High School. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her two children and grandchildren. She also enjoys basketball games and working in her flower garden.
Ms. Dawn Loper
After graduating from Absegami High School in New Jersey, Ms. Loper attended Glassboro State College. She went on to graduate from SUNY in Buffalo, New York. She currently teaches art exploratory to seventh and eighth graders at Calais Middle School while enlightening high school students with art 1, art 2, and world crafts courses. While not in the classroom, she enjoys organic gardening and watching the tide move.
Mr. Randy McCormick
rlmcc@pioneerwireless.net
Mr. McCormick has traveled coast to coast in search of the ideal teaching and living situation. In his quest, he had the great fortune/destiny to meet his soulmate, Therese, now Mrs. McCormick. Since landing in Calais, Maine, he has established his "hole in the woods" where he and his family live in the peacefulness of the Robbinston, Maine woods. He is proud to share that his children are finding their own roads to happiness and success through their school and life experiences. With his eldest daughter, Kelly, in her third year at the University of Southern Maine; his middle son, J. Keegan, a Freshman at the Eastern Maine Community College; and his youngest son, Spencer, a Freshman at CHS, Mr. McCormick wonders what his school life will be like once Spencer graduates from Calais High School. He has enjoyed the pleasure of having one of his children at CHS with him for the past six years, and while he has relished their daily presence, when asked, they may not share the same joy. Mr. McCormick is known about the community as the "Grand Poobah" of the Calais Skatepark Committee, which he and a motivated group of CHS students established back in the year 2000. While this project has had its issues, the process that the CSC followed to design, fund and construct this park is one-of-a-kind. This project can be followed on the CSC website at www.calaisskatepark.org.
Mr. McCormick has persevered through many ups and downs since his arrival at CHS in 1982, but the ups have far outweighed the downs. Without hesitation, he offers that he is a fortunate man to have found such a rewarding career working with such memorable students and colleagues. He says he owes his success to many people who have supported him in so many ways over so many years.
Mr. John Moody
john_moody@verizon.net
Personal Link: espn.go.com
Mr. Moody is in his 21st year teaching Mathematics at Calais High School in Calais, Maine USA. The school is in the Eastern most part of the United States on the Canadian border with St. Stephen, New Brunswick. He teaches years three and four of Integrated Math, AP Calculus, and a Senior Exploratory Math Class. He coaches the CHS Math Team and is the Senior Class Advisor.
After graduating from Mt. View High School in Thorndike, Maine, home of the Mustangs, Mr. Moody earned a BA in Mathematics from the University of Southern Maine (1984). He is the Senior Staff member in the CHS Math Department.
Mr. Moody is married with three children - Jessa, a 17 year-old senior, Mark, a 14 year-old freshman, and Amelia, who is almost 12 and in sixth grade. While not teaching, his hobbies include golf, the Boston Red Sox, music, and reading mystery novels.
Mrs. Janet Proulx
janproulx@yahoo.com
Mrs. Proulx has been teaching health and physical education at Calais High School for the last three years. After graduating from Woodland High School, she attended the University of Maine at Orono and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education. Prior to coming to Calais, she taught elementary school for twenty-two years. In her free time, she enjoys playing golf and tennis and watching sports, especially wrestling, hockey, basketball, and tennis. Mrs. Proulx also coaches the varsity golf team in the fall and is a high school volleyball official. In the spring, she is the assistant tennis coach. This past year she was named the 2006 MAHPERD Health Educator of the year.
Mrs. Anne Scott
Mrs. Scott joined the staff at Calais High School in 1990. While originally from Buffalo, New York, she grew up in rural New Hampshire in the town of Orford. She graduated from Orford High School in 1985, and went on to attend the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences of the University of New Hampshire. In 1989, she graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Mathematics Education. She has been teaching mostly ninth graders for seventeen years. She has also been the assistant varsity volleyball coach for the last seventeen years. She earned a Master’s of Science in Education from St. Joseph’s College of Maine in 2004. Though she has lived in New England for most of her life, she remains an avid Buffalo Bills fan. She can be found guarding the door at most Calais High School dances. She enjoys music and has been known to sing the National Anthem at various sporting events around the state.
Administrators
Mr. Matt Clark - Vice Principal
Mrs. Jeanne Peacock - Principal
jpeacock@trufresh.com
Mrs. Peacock attended Machias Memorial High School before going on to the University of Maine and earning her BS in Human Development in 1971. She then earned her M. Ed. in Educational Leadership in 1989 from UMaine. Mrs. Peacock has had extensive experience in education, teaching home economics for 16 years, working as the Administration Principal at Narraguagus High School from 1990-1993, and serving as Assistant Principal at Bucksport High School and Conners Emerson School. As principal, she has worked at Shead High School in Eastport, Maine from 2001-2004 and has been the Calais High School principal since 2005. While not at school, Mrs. Peacock enjoys tennis, cross country skiing, and boating.
Guidance
Mr. Thomas Robb
Mr. Robb received his Bachelor's Degree from Purdue University and his M.S. from Indiana University. He went on to receive his guidance certification from Indiana State University. Other graduate studies were done at Ball State University, Shenandoah College & Conservatory of Music, Plymouth State University, and Washington County Community College.