This September was a homecoming of sorts for Meghan (Smith) Rice, who joined the staff of Edgecomb Eddy School teaching third grade. She graduated from Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor Community School District schools and while there was a member of National Honor Society, a four-year letter winner in basketball and a Mountain Valley Conference First Team All-Star, among other accomplishments.

Now in her 10th year of teaching, Rice received her degree in education from University of Maine Farmington, where she capped four years of outstanding basketball by being chosen for the 2016 New England Women's Basketball Association (NEWBA) Senior All-Star team. 

She told the Register in a recent interview she applied to UMaine Farmington because it offered a good education program and the opportunity to play basketball. The University explains on its website, its teacher preparation program is one of only three that are nationally accredited in Maine.

Rice is the daughter of Hazen and Jennifer Smith of Boothbay. She and her husband Ryan live in Nobleboro with their son, Jacoby and daughter, Sydney.  Prior to teaching at Edgecomb Eddy, she taught kindergarten, first and second grade at St. George School in Tenants Harbor.  While there, she also served for two years as athletic director of St. George Middle School and coached basketball. In addition, she coached JV basketball at Oceanside High School in Rockland for two years.

"I'm excited to be back in Lincoln County," she said, pointing out that she is now working alongside Sally Monroe and Amanda Cushing who attended school with her. Her interest in teaching was sparked by a work/study program at Southport Central School where she assisted Elizabeth Reed in the classroom, providing support for the students. "That was my first experience with teaching and I decided to go to Farmington," she explained.

Her Edgecomb Eddy class has 18 students and Rice said there are lots of opportunities for learning there and the class made trips to Strand Theater in Rockland and Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. 

"Every group (of students) is different," she said. "And you change your teaching styles to meet their needs. Education is constantly changing and you have to be flexible. There is a great staff at Edgecomb."

Asked what she would like for her students, she answered, "I want them to enjoy coming to school. We're tracking our learning so they can mark their own progress."