Local Spotlight: Erin Dupee

In the early 1980s, the United States Navy ran a rather successful recruitment campaign built around the phrase: “It’s Not Just a Job. It’s An Adventure.”

Erin Dupee brings that same level of commitment and excitement  to her job at Old Orchard Beach High School. No task is too hard. No obstacle is too high. She is both professionally and personally committed to her students who she calls “my kids.”

A few weeks ago, Dupee was honored as the 2024 Maine State Special Education Support Staff Person of the Year.

Dupee said she was nominated for the award by her supervisor Elizabeth King, director of special education for RSU 23.

She said she was honored and appreciative of the recognition, but on the last day of school what she really wants to talk about is her special education students, other traditional students at the school and a community that she says “has gone so far above and beyond in supporting all students.”

During our interview, Dupee quickly loads the video of a feature story the Portland Press Herald in Portland produced a decade ago. Susan Kimball narrates the short video, which is titled “The Little School With A Big Heart,” available for viewing on YouTube.

Dupee, 49, is a native of Scarborough. She began working in the Old Orchard Beach school system in 1998, when she was hired to be a one-on-one support ed tech for a blind student. She translated his learning materials into Braille format, a tedious process that she said has improved dramatically over the last several years, thanks to advances in technology.

Years later, after that student was a guest at Dupee’s wedding, a testament of the educator’s close connection to her students.

Dupee graduated from Scarborough High School in 1992. She went on to the University of Southern Maine and received an Associate’s degree in Liberal Arts in 1995. She later received an Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from Southern Maine Community College.

On an overcast Friday morning, Dupee walks through the nearly empty hallways of Old Orchard Beach High School. Summer vacation for students has already begun. Members of the school’s faculty were cleaning and organizing classrooms.

Dupee greeted us with a broad smile, wearing a tee-shirt that reads: “Play Unified. Live Unified,” the tagline of Special Olympics.

What made you decide to become an educator?

“My inspiration came from my mom. She was a public-school teacher for 37 years at Kahler Elementary and Small School in South Portland. I knew that I wanted to work with children, and I was especially intrigued by the field of early childhood education because I thought I wanted to own my own pre-school.”

Many older people recall a much different approach to teaching students with disabilities. They were certainly not integrated with the rest of the school.

“We certainly have made a lot of progress, but we still have a long, long way to go.”

In addition to the blind student you supported, what other disabilities challenge your students?

“I have worked with high school students dealing with profound autism, Down’s Syndrome and a wide range of other cognitive, intellectual and physical disabilities.”

What do your typical lesson plans look like?

“We work really hard to adopt a global approach, and that involves a lot of community support. Beyond the basics of math and reading, we are also teaching our students functional life skills that help to foster independence.

“For example, the Waves Resort located downtown was very generous and let us use one of their cottages during the off-season. Three times a week, we would go there. Our students learned how to change and make beds, how to cook meals. They coordinated a Thanksgiving dinner and a Christmas celebration.

“Our students learned how to cook and clean and everything else needed to take care of that cottage, including laundry and how to use the laundromat. All functional skills that many us may take for granted.

“We teach our kids about budgeting and how to go to Hannaford to do grocery shopping; how to follow a recipe and shop for the ingredients. We ride the bus and teach about bus schedules and how public transportation works.

“Part of our lessons includes teaching our kids about appropriate behavior. We want them to learn all the things they need to know as adults. Our goal is to get them into the community.”

How has special education changed from the days when you and I were high school students?

“I think the entire approach has changed so much, but a lot of the positive changes we have seen center upon how other students and the greater community view our kids.

“There is so much more support these days. The community is not afraid of our kids anymore. Traditional students are reaching out, stepping up and fostering their own relationships with our kids.

“That is so important and such a critical piece in helping our kids achieve and be productive members of the larger community. It is so heartwarming to witness. This school, our staff, our students and parents are phenomenal. They all go above and beyond.

“We have a supply closet that offers all sorts of things for students in need, from personal hygiene products to socks and snacks. My kids help maintain and organize that supply room, which is available to all students here.

“There are so many local businesses supporting us, and people making donations so every kid can go to prom, get a yearbook and other things. We have dedicated one wall with a list of all the businesses that never hesitate to step up.

“This a magical community. There is a reason that people call us the ‘little school’ with the big heart.’

“I get chills just thinking about all the love, generosity and support in this community.”

Randy Seaver is a cranky, nearly insufferable malcontent living in Biddeford. He is a retired newspaper editor and the principal of a small strategic communications consulting firm. Randy Seaver can be contacted at randy@randyseaver.com.