ROCKPORT — Rep. Bill Pluecker, I-Warren, spent the morning, Friday, April 12, at Camden Hills Regional High School to celebrate “Invite Your Legislator to School Month.”

Representative Pluecker visited classrooms, and met with students, staff, and teachers.

The intention of this initiative is to connect legislators to the schools they represent, giving them a picture of what teaching and learning looks and feels like in the 21st century.

Iris Eichenlaub, Librarian/Technology Integrator at Camden Hills, developed a schedule for Representative Pluecker’s visit and toured the school with him.

The “Invite Your Legislator to School” initiative was the vision of Kevin Grover, 2010 Maine State Teacher of the Year, and was adopted into the legislature in 2013 as LD822.

According to Grover, “Too often decisions about public education are made by elected officials with little or no recent experiences in a classroom. By inviting a local, state and/or federal representative into your classroom you will inform, enlighten and make a difference.”

Grover passed away in 2012, but the Maine State Teachers of the Year Association has continued to promote this event through its network.

Eichenlaub, the 2017 Knox County Teacher of the Year, invited her legislators to visit last spring. Since Pluecker is new to the legislature this term, and represents two of the five towns that Camden Hills Regional High School serves (Hope and Appleton), she wanted to connect him with the community at Camden Hills.

With Pluecker’s background as a small-business owner and organic farmer, and his committee work on the Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry Committee, it was natural to connect him with an AP Environmental Science class, according to CHRHS, in a news release.

Ellie Berez (‘19) said that the visit was timely, as the class has been learning about the impact of pesticides and mining.

“Everything we put on the land, like pesticides, doesn’t just seep in, but often runs off and it can affect our watersheds and groundwater. [Representative Pluecker’s] job is really connected to what we are learning about, and it was informative to hear about some of the current bills that would help protect Maine’s environment, and also how important his job is to advocate for sustainable practices,” she said.

Pluecker also met with Susan Boivin, director of Food Services, during his visit. Boivin has worked tirelessly to get more locally-grown, Maine food on the menus at the three schools she manages, according to the release.

Pluecker remarked that "It is amazing what [Boivin] is able to make happen on limited resources. Dedicating her Sundays to sourcing local food that works on her budget — this is amazing. Local farmers and the kids who get to benefit from her cooking both owe her a debt of gratitude."

The visit concluded with an informal lunch in the school’s Wave Cafe with a group of teachers.