Today, for the 15th day of the "Women's History Month" project celebration, I would like to introduce this fabulous woman.
Meet April Noble, 49, wife, mother of 2 girls, a ski lover, a Teacher and School Principal.
"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." Eleanor Roosevelt
April is from Waterboro, Maine, and grew up with her mother, father, and younger brother in a small neighborhood with many children her age. April’s husband of 23 years grew up in the house next door in that small neighborhood. While they were friends growing up, they didn’t begin dating until after they both graduated from college.
April went to the University of Maine of Farmington out of high school to become a teacher.
After a few years of teaching grades one and two at Waterboro Elementary School, she went back to school to learn how to be a better literary teacher. She knew there was more to learn and wanted her students to be the best readers and writers. April graduated from the University of Southern Maine a few years later with a master's degree in literacy. Learning how to become a better teacher tapped into a desire to share her learning with others. She began working alongside the current curriculum coordinator and helped create the position of a literacy coach for the district which she then filled as a one-year trial position.
During that first year of coaching other teachers, April researched the impact of the role of literacy coaches on others and presented the impact to the school committee. That following year, April was able to help hire and work alongside three other literacy coaches to support teachers in grades K-8 in the SAD 57 district, the same schools she attended as a child.
During her years as a literacy coach, she continued to invest in her passion for learning and pursued an additional degree at the University of Southern Maine and earned her certificate of advanced studies in Educational Leadership. During this time in her career, April was a finalist for the Maine Teacher of the Year through the Maine Department of Education. She traveled to Florida to present at the International Reading Association sharing her research on family literacy histories and was asked to serve and train educators throughout Maine. April sought out ways to continue her learning while presenting and sharing her learning with others.
At the age of 36, she became the principal at York’s Village Elementary School serving 300 students in grades K-2. For the past 14 years, she has focused her career on being an inspirational leader in elementary schools in administrative positions. She believes strongly in best practices for teaching elementary-aged students and loves reading current research for content curriculum and social-emotional learning.
April is currently the principal at Saco’s CK Burns Elementary School, with 600+ students and over 100 staff. She is enjoying serving on the committee to plan for opening the new community school for grades 1-5 which will house slightly more than 1,000 students.
She is the proud mother of two successful teenagers. Her oldest daughter Sydney is following in her footsteps and is studying elementary education. Her youngest daughter plans to study business like her dad in the fall while playing g soccer at the collegiate level.
April's most enjoyable pastime is watching sports, especially those her daughters play in.
As the girls have gotten older, April and her husband Kris have taken downhill skiing lessons and love to ski with their friends. They plan to learn to golf this summer. As their daughters are off in college, April and Kris are finding new hobbies and enjoying their time together being active and traveling while supporting their girls while away at college.
When thinking about what characteristics matter most, April shared that being kind, compassionate, and hard-working are attributes she values and hopes to inspire in others around her. April’s mother has demonstrated these values through her works of service to others that life brings you your desires when you give yourself to others and commit to serving your family and community. April looks up to her mother and realizes how she worked hard and overcame adversity at the age of 17 when she became a mother herself. She wishes to thank her mother for being a role model and the most generous, caring woman she knows.
Dolly Parton says, “If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more then you are an excellent leader.” This quote inspires April to be that inspirational leader for those she surrounds herself with.
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Thank you, April, for sharing your story and empowering others!
#womenshistorymonth #womansupportingwomen #womanpower #mainephotographer
2 Comments
Mar 17, 2024, 7:21:29 PM
Theresa Gaetjens - My daughter, Michaela, was lucky to have April as her first grade teacher, back in 2000-2001. One of her special years at WES!
Mar 17, 2024, 7:20:33 AM
Debbie Kazilionis - You have an amazing Mom. She was and still is a good friend. You are blessed. 👏❤️💚