BCOPE: Building Community and Supporting Students Through Alternative Education

BCOPE students and staff gather for a group photo.

For more than three decades, the Belfast Community Outreach Program in Education (BCOPE), part of RSU 71, serving Belfast, Belmont, Morrill, Searsmont, and Swanville, has helped students reconnect with learning through strong relationships, flexibility, and community-based support.

Founded in 1990 through a grant, BCOPE began as a small pilot program serving 10 students in grades 10-12 with one teacher and one educational technician in a rented space. Today, the program serves approximately 43 students annually in grades 8-12.

“The focus has always been on meeting students where they are,” BCOPE Teaching Principal Helen Scipione said. “Relationships are at the heart of our work.”

Scipione joined the program in 1994 as an educational technician and later became teaching principal. As BCOPE expanded, staff and community partners worked together to create a permanent home for the program after the initial grant ended. With support from local partners, BCOPE purchased land and opened its current building in 2002. Students helped design the space, which was created to support academic, community building, and social-emotional learning.

Relationship-Based Learning

BCOPE’s educational philosophy centers on flexibility, individualized support, and creating an emotionally safe environment where students feel seen, heard, and valued. Community and consistency remain central to the program’s culture.

Rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all model, staff adapt instruction and support to meet each student’s academic and social-emotional needs. Many students arrive after facing challenging life experiences or barriers that have affected their school attendance and engagement.

Each school day begins and ends with a circle, creating consistent opportunities for communication, reflection, and connection. Staff say these routines help foster accountability, belonging, and trust throughout the school community.

“Students know they matter here,” Scipione said. “No one slips through the cracks.”

Staff say that sense of belonging is reinforced through close relationships across the school community. The staff team includes educators and staff members Helen Scipione, Lindsey Schortz, Randy Nichols, Veronica Maresh Mead, Nancy Nickerson, Pippa Jolie, and Laurel Murphy, who work collaboratively to support students. This year, one of their University of Maine social work interns, Mary Weiss, is a BCOPE alumna, contributing to a strong sense of continuity and shared experience.

“There’s a real sense of trust here,” Scipione said. “Many alumni stay connected, return to visit, or even come back to work.”

School culture is guided by a social contract emphasizing respect, honesty, equity, and accountability. Staff use restorative practices, mediation, and open communication to address conflict and support students rather than relying primarily on punitive discipline. Students also benefit from individualized academic and attendance support, social-emotional resources, and consistent access to food.

Hands-On and Real-World Learning

BCOPE uses performance and project-based instruction aligned with district standards and graduation requirements. Students demonstrate learning through hands-on projects and applied experiences. Student schedules are individualized to help them stay on track toward graduation while receiving the support they need.

BCOPE’s music room has an acoustic drum set, an electric drum set, multiple guitars and basses with multiple amps, keyboards, and two pianos. Student musicians receive individualized lessons based on their interests and learning styles.

“We recognize that success looks different for every student,” Scipione explained. “For some students, success may mean entering the workforce. For others, it may mean college, the trades, or contributing positively to the community.”

The program also emphasizes career readiness and real-world learning opportunities. Students participate in internships, job partnerships, and community-based experiences that connect academics to life beyond school.

“These projects help students see learning differently,” Scipione said. “They connect classroom lessons to real life.”

BCOPE students enjoy being outside. Hands-on learning helps BCOPE students regulate and find deeper connection to their learning.

One signature feature of the program is its greenhouse and garden project, which serves as both a learning space and a community-building effort. Science instruction is integrated into hands-on work, allowing students to apply classroom concepts in practical ways.

Family and Community Partnerships

Family involvement remains an essential part of the BCOPE experience.

BCOPE staff maintain close communication with families, recognizing parents and caregivers as key partners in supporting students. Many families have multi-generational connections to the program, and community support has remained strong throughout BCOPE’s history.

During times of need, staff and community members organize food and supply drives to support students and families.

Community partnerships also play a major role in sustaining the program and creating opportunities for students. BCOPE works closely with local businesses, organizations, and law enforcement, including the school resource officer, Kevin Littlefield, to support student learning and well-being.

“These relationships have sustained the program for more than 30 years,” Scipione said.

Sustaining Alternative Education

Like many alternative education programs, BCOPE faces ongoing challenges related to funding, staffing, and increasing student needs. Scipione credits strong community support and creative problem-solving with helping sustain the program over time.

“Our community has always stepped up,” Scipione added. “People believe in what we do because they’ve seen the impact on students and families.”

As Maine schools continue searching for ways to support students with diverse needs, BCOPE offers a model grounded in flexibility, hands-on learning, and community connection, helping students build confidence, find belonging, and create meaningful paths forward.

This story was written in collaboration with the Belfast Community Outreach Program in Education (BCOPE), part of RSU 71, as part of an ongoing series to highlight alternative education programs across Maine. For more information about alternative education, please visit the Maine DOE Alternative Education webpage. To submit a good news story to the Maine DOE, please fill out the good news submission form.