• DDHHLD Director’s Report-Terry Morrell & Betsy Hopkins
• Enjoy an Interview with Steve Connolly
• Enjoy an Interview with Blanchard Akafou
• In Memory of James Levier

DDHHLD Director’s Report-Terry Morrell & Betsy Hopkins

You're Invited: Transforming Interpreting Maine (TIME): What We Learned and Community-Informed Recommendations. 

After months of dedicated work throughout the fall and spring, the Innivee Strategies will share the TIME workgroup’s findings and recommendations. 

Time is a statewide project launched by the State of Maine to identify gaps and develop recommendations to improve American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting services. The goal: to enhance access and outcomes for Deaf, Deafblind, and hard-of-hearing individuals across the state.

Innivee Strategies, in collaboration with community stakeholders, has conducted an in-depth analysis of Maine’s current interpreting system. After months of dedicated work throughout the fall and spring, they are ready to share their findings and recommendations.

Please join us for a Project Results Briefing where Innivee Strategies will present the results of this important work.

🗓 Date: Friday, June 20, 2025

🕐 Time: 1:00 – 3:00 PM

📍 Location: The Pavilion at the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing: Governor Baxter School for the Deaf, Mackworth Island, Falmouth, ME

💻 Format: In-person and via Zoom

Who Should Attend:

• Members of the TIME Steering Committee
• Invited representatives from the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Education (DOE), Labor (DOL), and Professional & Financial Regulation (DPFR)
• Members of the Deaf, Deafblind, and Hard of Hearing communities
• ASL interpreters and interpreting service providers
• Anyone interested in improving interpreting services in Maine

Registration: Please register here https://forms.office.com/g/EvtBfy0F8R The registration form will include space to request any necessary accommodations.

We look forward to seeing you there and working together toward better interpreting services in Maine!

Save the Date: 34th Annual Deaf Tea Awards September 18, 2025, 2-4 PM Hall of Flags at the State House in Augusta. 

Deaf Tea Awards Nomination Form:

https://www.maine.gov/rehab/advisory_councils/dod/minutes/index.shtml

“Hearing Aids are Disproportionately Inaccessible for Individuals with Disabilities" 

Permission given by Policy Research Brief, 31(4) to the Institute on Community Integration.

 https://publications.ici.umn.edu/community-living/prb/31-4/main?j=13239849&sfmc_sub=228281422&l=40736_HTML&u=271859290&mid=6379454&jb=0

 National Rehabilitation Counselors Appreciation Day March 22, 2025

 March 22^nd was National Rehabilitation Counselors Appreciation Day. I would like to take this time to show appreciation to our VRC’s and Rehabilitation Counselors for the Deaf (RCD). We appreciate all you do.

Maine Educational Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing/Governor Baxter School for the Deaf (MECDHH/GBSD)

The Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing/Governor Baxter School for the Deaf (MECDHH/GBSD) is a state-supported organization dedicated to providing high-quality education and support services to individuals who are Deaf, hard of hearing, or have hearing-related needs. MECDHH operates various programs, including early intervention services, K-12 education, and outreach initiatives, to ensure that children and families across Maine have access to the resources they need for success. The Center’s mission is to foster language development, literacy, and academic achievement while promoting inclusivity and accessibility in education.

In addition to direct education services, MECDHH/GBSD offers professional development and consultation for educators, school districts, and communities to enhance their understanding of Deaf education and hearing loss. Through our commitment to innovative teaching strategies, assistive technology, and bilingual approaches in American Sign Language (ASL) and English, MECDHH/GBSD creates an inclusive learning environment where students can thrive. The Center also works closely with families to provide guidance and advocacy, ensuring that every child receives the support they need from birth through age 22.

MECDHH/GBSD serves as a vital resource for Maine’s Deaf and hard-of-hearing community, empowering students to reach their full potential and participate fully in society. By fostering collaboration between educators, families, and specialists, the center plays a crucial role in bridging communication gaps and promoting equal opportunities for all individuals with hearing differences.

Enjoy an Interview with Steve Connolly

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Steve Connelly, Executive Director at MECDHH/GBSD

Where did you go to school?

I attended Scarborough and Westbrook schools and Cheverus High School. 

Have you always lived in Maine?

I was born and bred in the great state of Maine and have always lived in Cumberland County. 

What is your family life like now?

Family life is great! My wife JoAnn and I live in Gorham with our daughter Caitlin, son-in -law Joe, and grandsons Jackson and Elliott. Our son Joe and daughter-in-law Keila live a short distance away in Waterboro with our granddaughters Addison and Emma. JoAnn and I are proud to be an "American Mom and Dad" to Mark who is from South Sudan. Mark has two sons and two daughters and loving, supportive siblings whom we helped sponsor to join us in the United States (US) about twenty years ago.  

I can't leave our furry friends out! We enjoy our loving Cockapoo Penny and a fluff ball kitten named Maxwell. Did I mention our grand dog, Sophie? She is a black lab who loves the water, playing ball, and stealing food! 

JoAnn and I used to love to watch our daughter dance, and our son play lacrosse. We made great friend connections through other sports parents.  

Could you tell us a little about yourself?

I am an identical twin, 20 minutes younger than John. (He tells people I am his spare parts.) I have siblings in Westbrook and Agawam, Massachusetts. 

My passion in education was math and science (mainly estuarine ecology). Outside of school, I love to float on Sebago Lake and spend time at camp with family and friends. My prior-life sports passion was basketball, but I also played other sports to fill in the seasons. Jogging became a passion as well; what a great way to spend part of the day out in the fresh air!

I also volunteered to coach community sports for my kids and their friends: basketball, tee ball, baseball, and soccer.   

What kind of work have you done?

I came from a family of educators, as my father was a longtime Westbrook Superintendent, and my mother was a teacher. Several aunts and uncles were also in the profession, so gatherings were always filled with sharing about school. I graduated from Saint Joseph's College and have enjoyed 46 years in the field of education as a teacher, assistant principal, principal and superintendent. During the early days of my career, I coached just about everything: girls’ soccer, basketball and softball, and boys’ soccer and basketball. I also worked a number of part-time jobs (i.e., Shakeys and Domino’s Pizza, McDonalds, variety stores, lifeguarding, Levinsky’s, Don's Lunch). I also worked in the education field as a Maine Math and Science Alliance Summer Academy Director, adjunct faculty in math and science at St. Joe's for thirteen years and also at University of New England (UNE) and University Southern Maine (USM).   

As a professional, what are your proudest accomplishments?

My proudest accomplishments are the lifelong connections I have made with students. I loved teaching in the classroom for seventeen years and being a building administrator for almost twenty more. It was rewarding to know there were connections inside and outside of the classroom. I still run into students from time to time and have regular contact with several even today. (My first class of sixth graders are about 55 years old now!!).  

I am proud of the significant student performance gains we were able to make while I was Regional School Unit (RSU) 60 Superintendent. Student reading performance grew by about 28% in a few years’ time and math scores steadily improved as well. We also started a program, the Mary Hurd Academy, for students who struggled to find acceptable ways to be part of the student body. Many students with this kind of profile would have been sent out of the community to special purpose schools. Instead, we built a successful program that everyone in North Berwick, Berwick, and Lebanon belonged in the community. Secondarily, we were able to substantially reduce the cost of special education programming.   

As an eighth-grade teacher, I was honored to be recognized as a Maine Teacher of the Year finalist and as a Presidential Award Winner for Secondary Science recipient. Also, back in the mid 90's I had the great pleasure of writing an environmental book for students called, Journey for the Planet: A Student's Five-Week Adventure to an Earth-Friendly Lifestyle. The book was supported by the United Nations Environment Programme. Today it is in several languages and countries, and it is used in many US school districts.   

What population do you work with?

MECDHH/GBSD supports children in early childhood (birth to three), preschool (three to five), K-12 and up to 22 years of age. I work mostly with the CORE Team (Directors such as Operations, Human Resources, Family Services, and Site-Based or Outreach programming) and the Leadership Team (Coordinators of various departments) to oversee the operations of MECDHH/GBSD across the state. I also research state and federal legislation, state statute, and work to connect the Center to the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community at large.    

What are some of your successes?

I think success is working well in this new role is my broad experience as an educator and educational leader. I understand how the state decision-makers work, who to call upon for resources for MECDHH/GBSD students, and how to advocate for needs. I also have good experience analyzing gaps (what is missing or not working well?), facilitating discussions about those gaps, working with others to implement change initiatives in logical steps, and analyzing results. I am a fan of Strategic Planning, so I am looking forward to working with the Board to lead this work. Lastly, I'll say that I enjoy collaboration and shared leadership because I strongly believe we are better together than we are as individuals.  

What are some of your challenges?

 I do not have Deaf and hard-of-hearing experience in my background. I realize this is paramount for success in this role, so I have taken two American Sign Language (ASL) leveled courses and am starting intermediate ASL later this week. Also, it's not enough to become proficient in ASL. Learning to understand Deaf culture, history of GBSD and MECDHH, and how the Center is viewed in the larger community is very important.   

What would you like to see happen for those that you work with and MECDHH/GBSD?

I love the way this question is stated!  I work WITH the staff, families, students, and the community to continually seek to improve, improve, and improve all aspects of our work with and on behalf of our students. I wish for MECDHH/GBSD to be THAT place that is great to work, provides a good living wage and benefits, offers rewarding work, promotes chances to grow and improve, and meets the need we all have for a sense of belonging to something bigger than ourselves. If these things happen, we will be THAT place for students and families. 

Is there anything you feel is important to mention?

Yes.  Unfortunately, I tell the worst dad jokes (at least, that's what I am told...). Here is a "Steve original". Why did little Darth Vader cross the playground? To get to the dark slide... Sorry!

Contact information: Steve Connolly

Executive Director MECDHH/GBSD

Voice: 207-781-6335 (office)

Email: steve.connolly@mecdhh.org

Enjoy an Interview with Blanchard Akafou

Aboua Georges Blanchard Akafou

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What mode of communication did you use as a child? 

Former United States American Sign Language in Ivory Coast. I became Deaf when I was 4 years old.

Where did you go to school? 

Ivorian School for the Deaf (ISD) in the Ivory Coast.  

Have you always lived in Maine?

I moved to Maine in 2018 from Ivory Coast.

What is your family life like now?

I have a family; my wife and I are Deaf, and our two children are hearing.

Could you tell us a little about yourself?  

My name is Blanchard Akafou and I am a very active man. I am a man who loves to be challenged without getting discouraged. I am always working towards my goal. I am a man who likes to be supportive and help people in need. I was married in 2015 to Ami Akafou and I am a father of two children. My first daughter, Stella Akafou, was born in the Ivory Coast and is 7 years old and my second daughter, Kelly Akafou was born in Portland, Maine, she is now 18 months old.

I attended the Ivorian School for the Deaf (ISD) of Ivory Coast when I was 8 years old. I received my Certificat d'Études Primaires Elémentaires (CEPE) certificate in 2001 at the Leopold Sedar Senghor Institute of Yopougon (LSSI) . This is the certificate awarded upon completion of primary education (6 years). 

I graduated with a Brevet d'Études du Premier Cycle (BEPC) diploma in 2007. This is a diploma awarded upon successful completion of the four-year Collège d'Énseignement Général (general secondary education). I wanted to continue in high school, but I didn’t have the opportunity because I returned to public service in the State of Ivory Coast in 2009-2018. I moved from Ivory Coast to the United States (US) in 2018. It was by the grace of God to have my asylum approved.  

What are your proudest accomplishments?

I am proud I have been a licensed driver in the US since 2020. I am proud that I have seven certificates in training to become a Direct Support Professional (DSP). I am also certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and First Aid, Safety Care Initial, and Diabetes Awareness. I have a certificate of the Capacity Building Project for Young Deaf Leaders, ANASOCI /ABILS, Bingerville, Ivory Coast in 2012, Certificate of Recognition at the Special Olympics World Games, Los Angeles, CA, in July 2015, Certificate of Recognition, Special Olympics World Games, Athens, Greece, in 2011, Certificate of Participation, Deaf International Football Association, Treicheville, Ivory Coast, in July 2016 and the Ginny Hewes-Advocate for the Needs of the Deaf Community Award, in 2023. 

Where do you work?

Formerly, I worked at Paradigm Window from 2019–2025. I am now working at Granite Bay Care as a Direct Support Professional (DSP). 

What do you do at your job?

I work as a DSP providing support and assistance to Deaf and hard-of-hearing clients to live independently and participate in their communities. 

What are some of your challenges?

Helping other Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals get access to services. 

What do you feel is important for people to know?

I want all of us to collaborate, as we share the same goals. I would like people to know that everyone has the right to respect and dignity. We must understand that we are all human beings, and we are all important.

In Memory of James Levier

James Levier memorial granite bench on Mackworth Island

In Memory of James Levier

June 23, 1940–March 16, 2001 Rest in peace James. We miss you. 

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