World Languages & Music 

Dustin LeVasseur - Music 

Dustin LeVasseur is a music educator and musician who grew up in Northern Maine.  After receiving a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Performance from the University of Southern Maine, Dustin stayed in the southern Maine area as a working musician.  After a short while, Dustin moved to New York City where he became fascinated with music and creativity as it relates to education and lifelong learning.  While in NYC he received a Masters in Music Education from Teachers College, Columbia University.  For seven years Dustin worked as a music specialist at the Calhoun School, where he was able to co-develop an elementary music exposure and creativity course.

Dustin is thrilled to be back in his home state of Maine to continue his work educator as a part of the wonderful Baxter Academy community.  As an educator, he feels that good learning practices are rooted in trust.

Fun Facts about Dustin:  He loves to cycle and his longest ride was from Brooklyn to Portland. He loves to explore cultures through cooking and music.  Dustin is fascinated with turn-of-the-century France.  He plays drums, guitar, bass, sings vocals, and writes music.

Enyue Li - Mandarin Chinese 

Before moving to the United States, Enyue Li earned her master's degree in education and taught for seven years in her hometown, Xi'an, China, where she won numerous awards, including the prestigious National Chinese Teachers' Award for Fundamental Knowledge of Chinese Language/Literature Competition of China. In the Bei-Lin district-wide awards, she was recognized for Excellence in Teaching, Outstanding Coach, and Highest Ranking Class. Since arriving in Maine, she has taught Mandarin for eight years to students ranging in age from five to adult. She anchors the elementary-age program at Portland's CAFAM Chinese School.

Her emphasis is on encouraging lively, colloquial dialogue and introducing students to Chinese culture as they practice reading and writing. Ms. Li is excited to be part of Baxter. She says, "This school is awesome because of the idea of students leading the learning."

She lives in Scarborough with her husband and young son.

Fun facts about Ms. Li: She has done research in Chinese calligraphy and grammar. She plays the piano and is interested in reading, running, and some cooking. Shehas reviewed most books related to China and Mandarin language in Maine's libraries. She was born in the Year of the Snake; in honor of that, you'll see her wearing lucky red all year.

Lisbet Urias Soria - Spanish

Lisbet Urias Soria recently arrived from Cuba and works as a Spanish teacher at Baxter Academy. Before this she has been linked to the cultural sphere in her native country. She studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Trinidad, Cuba, the city where she was born, where she developed her skills in design, ceramics and easel painting restoration. As part of her training at the academy, she taught some art workshops to different groups of students.

Parallel to this, she began to study in the music workshops of the Concert Band of her city, learning musical theory and developing as a flutist. All this and her passion for music made her establish herself as a professional musician, being part of the same Concert Band and other popular music groups over several years. She studied Sociocultural Studies at the Jose Marti University in the city of Santi Spiritu, earning a degree in humanities that focuses on the study of human beings, society and culture.

Fun facts about Lisbet: she is fascinated by everything related to arts, she plays the flute and different minor percussion instruments typical of her country, she loves dancing, doing yoga, and spending time with animals, although for the last two years her greatest passion is being a mother.