Heather McArdle and her husband Scott have been together for over 17 years. They have three kids: Caleb, who just started his freshman year at Wentworth Institute of Technology, Jace, a seventh grader at Wiscasset Middle High School, and Emberly, a fourth grader at Wiscasset Elementary School. The family has been part of the Wiscasset school community since Jace started kindergarten in 2019.

Heather has always supported classrooms by buying snacks and cleaning supplies when they were needed, and she joins as many field trips as she can. She started volunteering with PIE when Jace was in fourth grade, helping with a few events. Later she learned that the PIE board members at the time were leaving and needed new people. “I decided to give it a shot,” she said. This is her second year on the board, and she is the chair.

Partners in Education is made up of parents, family and community members who work together to support Wiscasset schools in ways that go beyond what the school budget can provide. At meetings, the group goes over upcoming events and gets organized. Any community member is welcome to join. “It’s always nice to have different opinions and perspectives,” Heather said. “I’ve loved working with this group. We complement each other very well, and all keep the same focus at the forefront: the kids.”

One of her favorite PIE events is the Fall Festival, the group’s yearly give-back to the community. Many of the volunteers are school staff, and seeing the kids have a blast is very rewarding for her. Her favorite PIE moment came last year at the first ever Big Wolverines/Little Wolves event. PIE provided supplies for WMHS students to put together holiday gifts for WES students. Members of the WMHS Student Council then took the gifts to WES and delivered them to classrooms. They got to walk their old halls, visit their previous teachers, and had a great time, all while brightening the day for the kids at WES.

Heather helps wherever she can, whether it’s field trips or events. She also filled in at the Snack Shack for the Boosters once and hopes to do it again. As a stay at home mom, she feels lucky to be able to be involved. “Once I started helping and joining on trips, I found I really loved supporting and interacting with all students, not just my own,” she said. For her, the most rewarding part is seeing the kids’ faces and the impact PIE has had in all the ways it has supported them. She also said the gratefulness of the staff whenever PIE provides food or treats makes her day.

As a parent, Heather said her kids have made lifelong friends in Wiscasset and so many great memories. School performances stand out for her as a chance to watch her kids shine and grow. Both of her kids in the Wiscasset schools have had amazing teachers, and she can tell they really care. Communication is huge for her as a parent, and she said the Class Dojo app at WES makes it easy to stay informed.

She felt welcomed in the school community even before she got involved with PIE, with smiles and conversation, invites to events, and updates on what’s coming up. What she values most is that “we all know each other, and it feels kind of like a family.”

If you’ve been thinking about volunteering, Heather knows getting started can seem daunting. Her advice is to reach out and start the conversation. “We are happy to help find the right fit for your schedule,” she said. You can also pop into a PIE meeting and introduce yourself. There are many ways to help, from donating to volunteering your time to spreading the word, and any support is appreciated.

For families thinking about enrolling their child in our schools, Heather said to take advantage of all the opportunities to connect with other families, both at school events and outside of them. “The more support from all of us, the better for our students and staff.”

The Wiscasset School Department thanks Heather and everyone at PIE for their hard work and support. We appreciate all that you do for our students and staff.

FMI: Heather can be reached at wiscassetpiechair@gmail.com