The Center for Teaching and Learning in Edgecomb hosted a party on Saturday, May 16 to celebrate 35 years since it opened its doors for its 1990-91 school year. CTL alumni and their families gathered with current school community members and past and present teachers to mark the occasion.

Guests traveled through exhibits throughout the main building of the school that showcased CTL’s special traditions and hallmarks—involving literacy, song, social-emotional learning, artwork, and CTL’s teacher research into best practices—before gathering down in the school’s gymnasium, known as “the Barn,” for a celebration with food, music, and a 35th birthday cake.

Board President Pia Neilson welcomed the gathering of over 150 guests to the event and introduced the event’s two speakers. CTL’s founder, Nancie Atwell, spoke first. Atwell started CTL as a demonstration school, where classroom teachers from around the country could spend a week at a time learning about CTL’s workshop methods for teaching writing and reading. She paid tribute to many of the educators and parent volunteers who have shaped CTL over the years.

Atwell’s remarks were followed by current Head of School, Katy Inman. Inman has been in her role since 2019, and she spoke about what has been most important to her about CTL: student’s close relationships with teachers, student choice, partnership with families, joyful learning, and a strong social and emotional environment.

Since its beginning the mission of the school has remained consistent. It states: “The Center for Teaching and Learning is a Pre-K--8 demonstration school dedicated to the development and dissemination of authentic, joyful methods for teaching across the curriculum. We seek to teach and influence both a cross-section of children of mid-coastal Maine and, through our intern program, speeches, and publications, classroom teachers throughout the U.S.”

Saturday was a day to reaffirm CTL’s commitment to that mission and to celebrate the strong community formed by families and teachers past and present as the Center for Teaching and Learning looks forward to its future on Cross Point Road.

To learn more about CTL, please visit our website at www.c-t-l.org, or contact CTL’s Head of School, Katy Inman, at katy@c-t-l.org.