Our Story
Our Mission
is to increase student attendance through data-driven strategies so that every child is an engaged, successful learner. Our partnerships with schools, businesses, families, youth, state and community organizations are focused on reducing chronic absenteeism by improving student and family school engagement and school attendance, and as an outcome, improve academic achievement.
Meet our Director
Jessica Anderson, Executive Director, Count ME In
Jess Anderson started as our Executive Director in March 2022. She has worked in a variety of traditional and alternative education settings since graduating from Hamilton College in 2002. She holds a M.Ed. from Plymouth State University with a speciality in Experiential Learning and Human Development. She is a certified Special Education teacher, Emergency Medical Technician, and Wilderness First Responder. She co-authored _Kindness & Respect: An Experiential Approach to Social Emotional Learning_ She enjoys reading non-fiction books & outdoor adventures, especially those that require passing a bakery. She lives in a log cabin in Dresden, ME with her partner, son and two cats.
Our Board
Rachelle Tome
Lifelong learner and educator, Rachelle has served as a classroom teacher, principal and Chief Academic Officer for the Maine DOE. She currently works part time as a Supervisor for education interns at USM. Addressing the needs of students and supporting educators have always been her passion. Retirement has provided time for volunteering in local community programs, such as the Food Pantry’s Backpack Program, and for continuing her support for education through her work with DKG International and Count ME In.
Faye Gmeiner
Faye has been part of Count ME In since the beginning! In 2011, Faye was a member of Maine’s Shared Youth Vision District Council’s work group that researched, collected attendance data, and developed policies and strategies to begin addressing chronic absence much earlier, at the elementary school level. Her 45-year career as an educator focused on students who require specialized instruction and accommodations to attend school, actively participate, and learn successfully. Retirement provides Faye with opportunities and time to continue working toward these goals. Faye and her husband live in Kennebunk, where she enjoys being active outside - walking local trails, cross country skiing, kayaking, and beginning to learn pickleball. She is also a docent for Greater Portland Landmarks, leading tours at the Portland Observatory and walking tours of Portland’s immigrant, India Street neighborhood where her grandmother was born.
James Murphy
James is the Development Director at Educate Maine, and has worked in and around education in many roles throughout the country. Prior to returning to Maine, he worked with AchieveMpls to raise funds to support the strategic priorities of Minneapolis Public Schools. James also lived and worked in Washington, DC, for nearly a decade, managing various programs at the Points of Light Institute and later working in the community relations department at Booz Allen Hamilton, an international consulting firm. Prior to that, James taught high school social studies as a Teach for America corps member in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. James holds bachelor degrees from Boston University and a Master's in Public Affairs from the University of Minnesota. James and his family live in Portland, where his children attend Portland Public Schools.
Lorenzo Krakowsky Lorenzo Krakowsky is the Chief Schools Officer for Bespoke Education, which works in partnership with more than 100 public and charter schools across the Northeast to provide an array of educational services. He has also served as a high school and elementary school Principal. Earlier in his career, he founded and directed two academic programs for underserved students in the Bronx. Lorenzo has been involved in education for 35 years, and he holds a BA in History from Vassar College and an MSEd in Educational Leadership from Bank Street College. He can be found taking his three dogs for long walks and tending to his vegetable garden.
Natalie Lonstein Natalie is the Prevention Initiatives Coordinator at Maine Children's Trust, whose mission is to strengthen families, promote healthy relationships, and support communities to prevent child abuse and neglect. Prior to this role in the prevention and family strengthening field, Natalie worked as a Program Director at the The Opportunity Alliance, supporting various programming for youth with mental health needs, juvenile justice involvement, and unstable housing. Natalie has been a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in the state of Maine for ten years and began her career providing individual, group, and family therapy to children and families across southern Maine.
Teri McRae
After 40 years in business and four years as Register of Probate for Cumberland County in Maine, Teri started McRae & Associates. Over the past 14 years, she has been involved with over 200 clients, each in different circumstances. She has worked with clients in many capacities, including Power of Attorney, trustee, guardian, and/or conservator. She also serves as Personal Representative of estates and guardian ad-litem for court matters. She is most passionate about her role as an advocate for what the client wants and medical care that balances quality and quantity of life. She grew up in Denver, Colorado, earned a Bachelor’s in Economics at Brandeis University, and a Master’s in Finance from the MIT Sloan School of Management. She is a Nationally Certified Guardian and serves on the Board for the Center for Guardianship Certification.
Kara Cloutier
Kara has worked with children for over 20 years in many areas. She started her career with the Department of Defense, Europe working at the child development center. She has also worked in both private and public schools as an Education Technician and ParaEducator. She volunteers for CASA of New Hampshire in various capacities and owns her own childcare and tutoring business which allows flexibility in her schedule to allow her son to school from home. She’s currently working on her second degree in Child and Family Studies and holds her BHP, DSP, Education Technician, and ParaEducator certifications. She is currently working on a book that offers support and tips to help children and families that have experienced trauma. She has a passion for education and supporting children’s needs to build a strong and successful community.
If you are interested in joining our board, contact us.
Our History
began as a community response to address decreasing graduation rates and increasing juvenile incarceration rates. As a result of the Maine Children's Cabinet Shared Youth Vision District Councils (SYVDC), eight regional councils were established by legislation in 2010. To increase graduation rates and decrease juvenile incarceration rates, the Cumberland County SYVDC created a Fostering Elementary School Attendance Committee comprised of superintendents, special education administrators, principals, community leaders, and social workers. The committee realized that focusing on elementary school attendance was the key to improving student outcomes.
In 2012, members researched this issue, surveyed county schools and met with state and local leaders. They quickly learned that no one in Maine was monitoring or addressing chronic absenteeism, the number of individual students who miss 10 percent of the school year.
In January of 2013, after receiving a grant, the staff and committee worked with school districts, community and state agencies to develop a multi-year plan based on the working principle that a strong community response is required to solve this challenge. The Count ME In name, program and evaluation process was established with the support of youth, parents, school and community agency staff.
During 2013-2014 school year, Count ME In began work in four Maine school districts, including MSAD 61, RSU 14, and South Portland Schools, and focused on 12 piloting the work with 12 schools.
In 2015, Congress passed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act adding a new requirement that states define and measure school quality and report chronic absence data. ESSA gives states the responsibility of choosing at least one indicator, or metric, to measure school quality or student success. Chronic absence is one of the few metrics available now to all states and that meets or exceeds the selection criteria and relies on existing data that the district already must collect. Maine is one of 36 states, plus the District of Columbia to submit ESSA state plans that include chronic absence.
Since 2013, Count ME In worked with over 120 schools, in more than 36 school districts. Those schools who have implemented the model with fidelity have an average of 23% rate of decrease in their chronic absenteeism. This means more students are attending and engaging in their learning.