December 5 Blog Post

Well, our first snow day of the year is already in the books, and Maine's winter has arrived!  I do hope the snow stays through the Holidays, as that just makes it feel like Maine!  Enjoy the pictures below from the last few weeks, and then on to the information! 

THOUGHT EXCHANGE PARENT/COMMUNITY TOPIC #2 - TECHNOLOGY USE IN OUR SCHOOLS

Earlier this fall, I shared the results of our ThoughtExchange survey, which highlighted several key questions and topics families wanted more information about. The four big questions focused on infrastructure and growth, school safety, academic standards, and staff support. The top issues included technology use, safety and security, school funding, community involvement, and celebrations of student and staff achievements. In my October 31st blog, I addressed infrastructure and growth; today, I’d like to focus on technology use in our schools. There is far more we could say about this topic, so please reach out anytime with questions.

Technology is used across all grades in the Gorham Schools, beginning in Kindergarten with iPads to build familiarity and foundational skills. We maintain a 1:1 model in grades 1–4 with iPads, transition to Chromebooks in grade 5, and return to iPads in grades 6–12. Devices stay at school for K–5 students (unless needed), while students in grades 6–12 take their devices home, much as they carried textbooks in years past.

Our district uses the SAMR model to ensure technology enhances learning in meaningful ways. Sometimes devices simply replace traditional tools, but as students progress, technology allows them to collaborate, create, problem-solve, and engage with learning in ways not possible without digital tools. Our goal is intentional, purposeful use—not technology for technology’s sake.

There are many ways technology is used in our classrooms, but here is a brief overview of some of the things you might see:

K–1:
Introduction to iPads; foundational literacy and math practice; center-based activities.
Common tools: Starfall.

Grade 2:
Continued device introduction; listening to stories; center work while prioritizing physical books.
Common tools: Epic, Starfall, Pebble Go, and NWEA.

Grade 3:
Increased use for research, writing, presentations, interactive learning, and digital assessments.
Common tools: IXL, math games, Epic.

Grades 4–5:
More integrated use for research, typing, organizing files, and supplemental practice.
Common tools: IXL, Epic, Starfall, Google Suite.

Grades 6–8:
Purposeful integration across subjects, with students creating, collaborating, and managing assignments.
Common tools: Google Workspace, teacher-curated research tools, IXL, Khan Academy, Newsela, digital assessments, presentation, and video tools.

Grades 9–12:
Technology becomes an essential tool for deeper learning, college and career readiness, and discipline-specific work. Students use their devices to complete writing assignments, conduct extensive research, engage in advanced coursework, and create products that mirror real-world expectations. Technology also supports flexible pathways, independent learning, and efficient communication between teachers and students.  Common tools: Google Workspace, content-specific platforms (Desmos, CAD, lab simulations), digital portfolios, online textbooks and readings, video and design tools, and more.

Technology in today’s classrooms is not a luxury—it is a foundational part of preparing students for the world they’re growing into. Whether students are learning to read in Kindergarten or designing advanced projects in high school, digital tools help them think creatively, work collaboratively, and solve real problems. By using technology intentionally and responsibly, we give our students the skills, confidence, and opportunities they need to thrive in an increasingly digital, interconnected world. In Gorham, we are proud of the thoughtful, balanced approach we take—and excited about the future our students are building with these tools in hand.

WHAT WE LEARNED FROM OUR DISTRICT-WIDE AI SURVEYS

Over the past month, more than 800 parents/families, staff, and students participated in our districtwide AI surveys. Thank you for taking the time to share your perspectives—your input is shaping the work of our AI Handbook Committee and the future of AI use in Gorham Schools.

What We Heard Across All Surveys

Across groups, most people hold mixed or neutral views about AI. Parents, staff, and students all see potential benefits—such as helping with lesson planning, providing quick information, reducing stress, or supporting personalized learning—while also expressing significant concerns about misuse, accuracy, and safety.

Parent & Family Themes

Parents tend to support AI when teachers use it for planning or administrative tasks, but are cautious about students using AI independently. Major concerns included data privacy, equity, loss of critical thinking, and plagiarism. Many parents want more transparent communication about how AI is used in classrooms and about the safeguards in place.

Staff Themes

Staff see AI as potentially helpful for efficiency and lesson design, but are concerned about student dependence, cheating, and the accuracy and security of AI tools. Many expressed a strong need for training and guidance.

Student Themes

Students also reported balanced views—they see AI as helpful for homework, quick information, and reducing stress, but worry about false information, cheating, privacy, and job impacts. Many want to learn how AI actually works and how to use it safely.

In closing, technology—and AI in particular—is changing quickly, and our responsibility as a school district is to help our students navigate this world with confidence, ethics, and skill. These surveys show that while our community has questions and concerns, we also share a common belief: our students deserve to learn how to use new tools in ways that strengthen—not replace—their thinking, creativity, and human connections.

You can view more detailed summaries of each survey below, and I will continue to keep you informed of the work of the AI Handbook Committee moving forward! ☺

Parent/Community Survey Summary

Student Survey Summary

Staff Survey Summary

REMOTE LEARNING SCHOOL NUTRITION PARENT SURVEY OPENS

 

As many of you know, the Gorham Schools build five traditional snow days into our calendar each year. We truly value these classic snow days—and the joy they bring to students—and we have no intention of taking that experience away.

However, in years when winter weather is especially harsh, using more than five snow days can push the school year deep into late June or even July. To avoid that, our district plan is simple:

• We use our five traditional snow days first.

• After that, if weather forces additional closures, we shift to remote learning days to keep students on track and avoid extending the school year too far.

Why We Need Your Help

To offer a remote learning day, we are required to make school meals available to any student who wants them. To do this well, we ask families each year to complete a quick survey letting us know whether your child would need a school-prepared meal on a remote learning day.

If you indicate “yes” on the day before a predicted storm, your child will be sent home with a refrigerated meal for the remote learning day.

What We Need From You

Now that we’ve had our first snow day of the season, this is a perfect time to update our planning. If your family would like to receive a school meal for any potential remote learning day, please complete the survey below. This helps our nutrition staff know how many meals to prepare in advance.

Please fill out the survey by December 19 so we are ready if winter weather requires remote learning later this season.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact your child’s school.

 2025-26 Remote Snow Day - Lunch Request Form

NEW POLICY DRAFTS - STAFF/PARENT FEEDBACK REQUESTED

In Maine’s last legislative session, two new laws were passed that require all school districts to adopt policies in the following areas:

1. Temperature guidelines for safe indoor and outdoor learning environments

2. Cell phone use in schools

Over the past several months, our School Committee Policy Committee and district leadership team have drafted both policies. You’ll find the draft versions linked below:

• Temperature Guidelines for Schools

• Cell Phones and Other Personal Electronic Devices in Schools

Both drafts largely formalize what we already do in Gorham:

Temperature Guidelines:

We follow OSHA standards for indoor learning and use a combination of “feels like” temperature and heat-index guidance for outdoor activities.

Cell Phone Use:

• K–8: No need to have phones out during the school day.

• 9–12: Phones are stored in “phone hotels” during class but allowed in hallways, during lunch, and other non-instructional times unless a teacher grants permission.

These practices have served us well, particularly the middle and high schools’ “gradual release” approach, which helps students learn responsible phone use over time.

Both policies will go to the School Committee for a first reading in December. Before then, we would like to gather quick, focused feedback from families to ensure these drafts reflect your expectations and experiences.

To help us “check and adjust,” please review each draft policy linked above and then take a moment to complete this short 4–5 question survey. Your input will help guide revisions before the required second reading.

Thank you for taking a few minutes to share your voice on these two important policies!

QUICK Policy Survey Link:  https://forms.gle/vmR2q9N1VXrh7QU87

PLEASE COMPLETE BY DECEMBER 10, 2025.  

UPCOMING COMMUNITY FORUM - OUR SCHOOLS, OUR FUTURE

I will be hosting a community forum on December 17 from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. at Baxter Memorial Library to share information about our current school budget and what may lie ahead for the Gorham Schools in the next few years.  The format is deliberately interactive.  We'll start with a brief, 15-minute informational presentation to provide context and background. Then the rest of the meeting will be conversational, with ample opportunity to ask questions and engage in meaningful dialogue about the Gorham Schools budget.  Check out the flyer below for more details, and I hope to see you there!

GORHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY OPEN HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE ANNOUNCED!

Check out the flyer for details below!

GORHAM ATHLETIC SCHEDULES ARE ON OUR WEBSITE! 

Just a quick reminder that schedules for all our winter athletic programs are on our website!  You can CLICK HERE to check out game times and locations!  

You can also download our AP "Gorham Ram Athletics" to stay on top of all the events!  

The winter months can be dark and drab!  Lighten things up by coming out to cheer on our Rams!  

GORHAM SCHOOLS CONCERT DATES ANNOUNCED!

I put this in the last blog, but you can never get too much music, especially around the holidays!  Check out the list of concert dates and come out to support our talented artists!  GO RAMS!

That's it for this blog!  The next one will be just before the Holiday break - December 19!  

  

November 14 Blog Post

Good morning everyone!  I hope your respective November days are going well thus far!  Lots to talk about, so I'll just get right to the pictures from the past few weeks, then on to the information.

NOVEMBER IS NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

November is Native American Heritage Month—a time to recognize the histories, traditions, and ongoing contributions of Indigenous peoples. Here in Maine, this month holds special meaning as we honor the Wabanaki peoples—the Passamaquoddy, Penobscot, Mi’kmaq, Maliseet, and Abenaki—who have lived on this land for more than 12,000 years. Their cultures, languages, and innovations continue to shape our state today. 

In the Gorham Schools, we teach about Wabanaki history throughout the year, but November offers a dedicated moment to uplift Native voices through literature, art, and classroom conversations. Families can play an important role in extending these learning opportunities at home by exploring books about Wabanaki culture, learning about key moments, or engaging with videos and exhibits created by Wabanaki educators and artists. 

To support families, here are a few recommended resources:

• Wabanaki Alliance — Educational materials and videos

• Maine Wabanaki REACH — Educational materials and learning resources

• Native Knowledge 360° (Smithsonian) — Classroom and family learning tools

• Maine Department Of Education - geared towards teachers, but lots of great resources for parents too

By celebrating Native American Heritage Month—and especially by centering our own local Wabanaki history—we strengthen our commitment to representation, respect, and community understanding. Thank you for taking the time to learn alongside your children this month and throughout the year!

LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE RECENT GAS LEAK AT NARRAGANSETT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

First and foremost, thank you to our families for your extraordinary patience, flexibility, and care during last week’s gas leak at Narragansett Elementary School. With short notice, families were able to get home to meet buses or pick up their children at St. Anne’s. Only three students out of more than 450 needed to return to St. Anne’s for later pickup—an incredible testament to your responsiveness. Families followed directions on scene, allowed buses to depart first, and calmly picked up students in an orderly process. Your cooperation made a challenging situation safer and smoother for everyone.  THANK YOU!

I also want to offer our heartfelt thanks to first responders. The Gorham Fire Department arrived within minutes, quickly identified the leak, and ensured repairs were completed so students could return to school the very next day. Our Police Department helped students cross Route 25 safely and supported the dismissal process. And a special thank you to St. Anne’s Church for graciously opening their space and caring for our students in the midst of their own activities on that day.

As with any emergency, we immediately debriefed with school and public safety leaders to identify lessons learned. While many next steps involve small improvements, there are two key clarifications we want families to understand moving forward:

1. Dismissal Procedures During Off-Site Evacuations
If we must dismiss students from an alternate location, we will follow the dismissal plan already in place for that day—bus riders to buses, parent pickup to parent pickup, etc. This prevents hundreds of last-minute transportation changes that are not possible to manage safely during an emergency. If a child arrives home and no one is there, the bus driver will keep the student on board and contact school staff so we can problem-solve with you. Students will always be with well trained school staff until we can safely transition them home.  No student will ever be left unattended or cared for.

2. Who to Call During an Off-Site Emergency
When staff and students evacuate, no one remains at the school to answer phones. If you have questions during an event like this, please call the Superintendent’s Office, where staff are available to support families and share any information we have.

We will continue refining our practices, and we welcome your feedback. If you have suggestions that could help strengthen our emergency protocols, please reach out to Principal Eppler (erin.eppler@gorhamschools.org) or to me (heather.perry@gorhamschools.org).

Most importantly, THANK YOU for being such strong partners. Emergencies remind us that safety is a shared responsibility—and last week, our community showed exactly what it means to pull together. Your calm, your care, and your trust allowed us to keep every student safe. We are grateful for you, and we remain committed to learning, improving, and ensuring our schools are ready for whatever comes our way. Together, we help make Gorham a community where our children feel protected, cared for, and supported every single day.

SCHOOL COMMITTEE KICKS OFF FY 27 BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS WITH ANNUAL "DESSERT & DISCUSS" MEETING

The Gorham School Committee met last night with members of the district leadership team (DLT) to hold our annual Dessert & Discuss meeting.  This meeting is a time where our DLT members are able to share with School Committee members what their current challenges are and where they see needs for our schools in the next 2-3 years.  This information helps to provide the backdrop for our upcoming budget development processes.  There are more needs than funding each and every year, but this process allows us to wholistically understand all needs and prioritize them to identify what will go into our FY 27 budget proposals and what may need to wait a little while longer.

You can view the recording of the meeting below using the following two links.  

Dessert & Discuss Part I

Dessert & Discuss Part II

You can also view all the attachments and information provided to School Committee members last night by CLICKING HERE.  If you run into any links that are not "open", just request access and we'll be sure to open them up for your viewing.

The videos are long, but they follow the same order on the agenda so you can skip around on the video to particular sections you might be most interested in.

Next steps will be for the School Committee to create a Q&A document for questions stemming from these presentations.  This Q&A document will be completed and shared with the public and School Committee at their November 25 workshop meeting.  We will also post all of these items on our FY 27 budget development page on our district website.  We are working to update that page now so please stay tuned.

Thank you to all of our DLT members for putting together this important information and sharing it with our School Committee.  

ELECTION/REFERENDUM RESULTS AND NEXT STEPS

Thank you to everyone who turned out to vote in our recent elections. Turnout was strong—especially for an off-year election—and it was wonderful to see so many community members engaged in local decision-making.

Congratulations to our newly elected School Committee members:

• Jeffrey Ballard – 3-year term
• Lowansa Tompkins – 3-year term
• Paulette Tatishi – 1-year term

All three have already been sworn in and have attended multiple meetings, jumping right into their new roles.

Voters also approved the referendum to reallocate a little over $2.5 million from the previously approved November 2024 bond to support three projects: (1) Track and Field replacement; (2) ADA and sprinkler system upgrades at Narragansett School; and (3) the Village access road, paving, and Great Falls fire lane repaving. The measure passed with 4,357 “yes” votes to 2,058 “no.”

Next steps include completing design and engineering work for the track and Narragansett projects and preparing bid documents. For the Village and Great Falls work, we will partner closely with Gorham Public Works on planning and design. We anticipate construction on the track, field, and Narragansett upgrades will begin right after school ends in June and wrap up before students return in August. Village and Great Falls work will likely begin this summer as well and may extend into the fall, but will not affect our ability to reopen schools on time.

While these projects move us forward, they are just one part of our broader facilities needs. With no state school construction funding expected for at least the next decade, we will be revisiting our ten-year capital plan and determining how best to prioritize and responsibly invest in our growing community’s needs. These conversations will be central to the work of the School Committee and the Town of Gorham in the year ahead.

Looking ahead, I remain incredibly hopeful. Gorham has always risen to meet challenges with collaboration, creativity, and a deep commitment to our students. As we plan for the next decade of growth, we have a real opportunity to shape learning environments that reflect our values—safe, welcoming, innovative spaces where every child can thrive. Thank you for your ongoing partnership. Together, we will continue building a future that our children and our community can be proud of. 

A.I. PARENT/COMMUNITY SURVEY - PLEASE PARTICIPATE!

The Gorham Schools has created an A.I. Handbook Committee whose major role will be to develop a clear, practical, and future-focused Student/Family and Staff Handbook for the use of Artificial Intelligence in Gorham Public Schools.

The handbook will establish guidelines that promote ethical, safe, and responsible use of AI while supporting innovation, teaching, learning, and equity for all members of our school community.  The handbook will also contain specific resources for student/family and staff.

A stakeholder committee has been created that includes Admin., Teachers, Students, Parents, and Community Members. The group had their first meeting just last week.

Part of their work is to gather data to help inform the development of these handbooks. We want to know your thoughts about A.I. and its use in schools! We would LOVE to make sure that families and community members participate in a recent survey for this purpose. Data collected will be shared with the handbook committee and used to help inform decision making moving forward.

If you are a parent or community member - we want to hear from you on this important topic! Please use the link or QR code provided below and participate TODAY! Survey will remain open until November 30th. We've already had about 230 folks participate - but we'd really like to have more! Survey takes between 5-10 minutes to complete! Thank you in advance!

Survey Link: https://tejoin.com/scroll/564061576

QR Code:

MDOE ADDRESSING QUESTIONS AROUND SPECIAL EDUCATION

Yesterday, the Maine Department of Education shared a communication with schools across the state to address recent questions from families about the future of special education services—questions rooted in national conversations about potential federal funding and oversight changes.

I want to reassure our community that this information was clear and helpful, and worth sharing widely. Bottom line: Special Education services in the Gorham Schools will continue without interruption. Funding for the current fiscal year is fully secure, and any potential federal organizational changes—such as relocating oversight to the Department of Health and Human Services—would be structural in nature and not impact the services your child receives, at least not at this time.

Please know that the Gorham Schools holds a deep commitment to our special education students, our highly skilled staff, and the high-quality programs that support them. These services will continue, and we will remain transparent and proactive in communicating any future developments.

As we look ahead, I want families to feel both reassured and hopeful. While the national landscape may shift, our commitment does not. We will continue to advocate fiercely for the resources our students deserve, invest in strong and inclusive programming, and partner closely with families every step of the way. No matter what changes may come at the state or federal level, our promise remains the same: every Gorham student will receive the services, support, and opportunities they need to learn, grow, and thrive.

You can view the MDOE message by CLICKING HERE.

UPCOMING HOLIDAY FUN FOR FAMILIES EFFECTED BY DISABILITIES

Summit Church is providing some holiday activities specifically geared towards serving families impacted by disabilities.  Check out the flyer below for details and be sure to register in advance to attend so they can plan appropriately for numbers. 

Registration Link:  https://summitmaine.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3267810

AUTHOR VISIT TO ALL FIVE GORHAM SCHOOLS NEXT WEEK!

Author Terry Farish will be coming to all 5 schools in the Gorham School Department over a 2.5 day period next week. This is the first time  librarians have been able to coordinate one author district-wide.  The visit will be funded by ASPIRE Gorham. 

Terry writes books for elementary-aged students, middle school, high school, and young adults. You can read more about her and her books on her website if you want to perhaps participate in reading books at home by Terry as well!  We are excited to welcome Terry and to hear about her journey to becoming an author!

THANK YOU GORHAM HANNAFORD!

Thank you to Zachary Glanville, Store Manager at Hannaford in Gorham for being willing to work with Christine Karcanes, a Kindergarten Teacher at Narragansett Elementary School to create a letter hunt for families to do with their young children while shopping at Hannaford in Gorham. The sheets are found at the dietitian’s station in the front of the store. When students fill in the sheet, they can bring it to the customer service area for a sticker! What a fun, educational activity that promotes literacy skills for our little learners while they shop at Hannaford! I hope our families enjoy!

GORHAM STUDENTS ACCEPTED INTO MAINE MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION JAZZ ALL STATE FESTIVAL!

Congratulations to Gavin Monkiewicz (Lead Trumpet), Nicolas Andrade (Guitar) and Dash Coolong (Drumset) were all accepted into the Maine Music Educators Association Jazz All State Festival!

For context, only 5 guitar, 5 drumset and 11 trumpet players are accepted into the festival from all of Maine. We have some of the best jazz musicians in the state right here in Gorham and it is a testament to their hard work and dedication!

VILLAGE SCHOOL STUDENTS SHARE HOW THEY WILL CHANGE THE WORLD! 

Several students presented to the school committee on Wednesday, Nov. 12 about their B.A.R.R. U-Time work.  B.A.R.R. stands for "Building Assets, Reducing Risks" and is a nationally renowned program that is being utilized by Village Elementary School in collaboration with the Maine Department of Education.  

You can watch the full presentation to the school committee by CLICKING HERE (4 min. mark), but due to technical difficulties we weren't able to show the video that students wanted to share at the end to talk about how they would work to change the world.  So, I thought I'd share the video here...ENJOY! 

Student Video Link

THANK YOU VILLAGE STUDENTS for helping us to remember the passion of our younger students to make a positive impact on the world!  Love your ideas!  Keep up the great work...and I have no doubt you will achieve your goals!

Thats all for this blog post!  Next one will be DECEMBER 5 due to the Thanksgiving Holiday coming up later this month!  Enjoy your weekend! 

October 31 Blog Post

Today is the last day of October—can you believe it? This school year is flying by! Before diving into the important updates, I want to pause to say a heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who reached out with kind words following my selection as Maine’s Superintendent of the Year for 2026. This recognition means so much to me for two reasons. First, it comes from my peers—fellow superintendents who understand the challenges, the late nights, and the deep sense of purpose that define this work. And second, it’s not really my award at all. It represents the dedication, collaboration, and heart of an entire Gorham team—our staff, students, families, and community members. A superintendent’s success is never a solo achievement, so I share this honor proudly with all of you. Congratulations, Gorham—you’ve earned it too!☺

Now on to some pictures from the past few weeks showing the incredible work happening in our schools, followed by important information!

FINAL REMINDER - PLEASE VOTE NOVEMBER 4!

I don't know about you, but this time of the year, I start to get a little "voter fatigue".  Between signs, commercials, text reminders, news coverage, and social media posts, it is hard not to feel a little "weight" in making decisions at the polls that impact our communities.  I do not wish to add to the noise and pressure, so I will keep this BRIEF!☺

CLICK HERE to view an informational flyer on the single question on the local ballot (Question #2) impacting our schools.  CLICK HERE to watch a quick informational video on question 2 (local ballot).  Please reach out with any questions!  No question is too big or too small (heather.perry@gorhamschools.org).

Then, just be sure to get out and vote on November 4!  Your vote matters to our community!  THANK YOU!

QUESTIONS FROM COMMUNITY REGARDING SNAP BENEFITS 

With the threat that SNAP benefits will not be issued to thousands of families in Maine beginning in November, I have had LOTS of questions about what that might mean for our schools and the families we serve.  

First, it is important to note that even though the USDA oversees both SNAP benefits and the School Nutrition Program at the federal level, the funds supporting each are very different.  Please know that our School Nutrition Program funding from the federal government will remain in place even if the government remains shut down.  

The SNAP program, whose funding will end next month if the government remains shut down, provides direct nutrition assistance to families who are in need.  For many families who rely on SNAP benefits, the loss of funds will likely have significant impacts.  

As a school system, we are here to support all of our families, especially during these difficult times.  School meals will remain free.  We also operate our school backpack program, which can help families with snacks and/or meals over the weekend.  Please see the flyer below for more information, and please do not be bashful about reaching out to our schools for support if you need it.  These conversations can be kept confidential.

I will also share the flyer below, created by our friends at Full Plates Full Potential, to help families who may be worried about putting food on the table during the government shutdown.  When it talks about reaching out to your local food pantries, don't forget about the Gorham Food Pantry. They are such an incredible resource to our community and are also here to help!

Families may also consider using the Emergency Food Assistance Program interactive map to find food pantries and banks throughout Cumberland County.

At the end of the day, if you are experiencing food insecurity, please reach out. We will do our best to connect you with resources in our community. 

COMMUNITY BLOG SURVEY RESULTS SHARED!

Thank you to the 144 folks who responded to my last blog post survey.  In that blog, I offered people the opportunity to share any questions or curiosities they have about the school system, as well as any topics they might want me to write about in future blogs!  We had parents, staff, and community members respond with their thoughts!

When participants responded to the prompt, "What Questions or Curiosities do you have about our school system right now?" we had lots of great topics pop up.  A summary generated by A.I. is below.  

Responses address a range of pressing issues, including the status and planning of new high school construction, the need for more inclusive environments, and improvements in traffic safety near schools. Queries about staff well-being amid federal government changes, special education impacts, and test score improvements reflect ongoing educational challenges. Questions also address AI integration, critical and creative thinking education, and growth management, with concerns about classroom overcrowding, overpopulation effects, and administrative staffing. Additionally, communication consistency, grading practices, parking expansion, and safety measures are highlighted, along with broader town-planning impacts. Some express satisfaction with Gorham schools despite these challenges.

Several themes emerged from the responses regarding the types of questions folks have about our schools.  Those themes are summarized as follows:

1.  Infrastructure and Growth

2.  Safety and Security

3.  Academic Standards & Testing

4. Staff and Support

When participants responded to the prompt of:  What topics would you like me to address in upcoming blogs we also had a lot of great topics come up.  An A.I. generated summary of those topics is below:

The responses suggest a wide range of interests for the Superintendent’s Blogs, including technology use in schools, safety protocols, special education, and multicultural inclusivity. Contributors are eager for updates on budget plans, building projects, and staff collaboration. The community seeks greater support for parents regarding technology at home, volunteering opportunities, and mental health resources. Other suggestions include highlighting student achievements, art programs, and outdoor learning, while some express concerns over academic performance, cost management, and administrative decisions. The calls for transparency and community involvement reflect a desire for engagement with future changes and developments within the school district.

Again, several themes emerged from the responses regarding the topics folks want added to my blog posts.  Those blog topic themes are summarized as follows:

1.  Technology Use

2.  Safety and Security

3.  School Funding and Budgets

4.  Community Involvement

5.  Events and Achievements

Of course, there were lots of specific questions and thoughts that created these themes, which will be great for helping me craft some interesting blog topics moving forward!  

My plan at this point is to include one or two pieces in each of my upcoming blog posts related to this survey.  One will focus on a topic that folks indicated interest in, and the other will focus on answering specific questions/curiosities or sets of questions/curiosities.  Then, each month or so, I plan to reopen the survey to gather more questions/curiosities, and topics folks want to hear about, and keep going from there! This will help make these blog posts more informative and interactive for parents/families and community members of Gorham! 

No time like the present to start!  Here we go!

QUESTIONS AND CURIOSITIES:  SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE & GROWTH

Five major questions from survey participants led to this theme.  Those questions can be seen below:

1.  What is the status of a new high school?  When do we anticipate there will be a plan?

2.  How will the schools handle the unchecked growth of the town?

3.  How will the schools handle continued growth in student population?

4.  I'm curious with the growing number of students what does the future look like for better parking at the high school?  

5.  While the schools address issues around a growing community, what are the plans to keep class sizes manageable?

WOW - some really great questions!  I'm going to take a wack at BRIEFLY answering each below, but know that each one of these questions is complex and there is a lot more behind my answers than I can explain in a brief blog post.  So please follow up with any questions you have!  Here goes!☺

What is the status of the new high school?  When do we anticipate there will be a plan?

We applied to the state in the last round of capital applications, and the highest rankings we got were #19 in the state for "need", and this was for our elementary applications.  Our high school ranked only #42 on the priority list.  You can view the full list HERE, but the bottom line is that it is clear we will NOT be receiving capital funding from the state for a new high school or elementary school anytime within the next 10 years.

So now what?  First, we have already received voter approval and have started a capital project at GHS to add space.  This was approved by voters in November 2024 and will expand the high school cafeteria and add a total of 7 classroom spaces in what we are calling our "modular expansion phase I".  You can CLICK HERE to view the plans.  This will help us as we anticipate continued enrollment growth at the high school over the next few years.  

The high school currently has 847 students.  It is projected to grow to 869 students in 2026-2027, then jump to 902 students in 2027-2028, and reach its anticipated peak in 2028-2029 at 917 students.  This is far above the 750 students the current facility was built to hold.  

The first phase of modular expansion will be online in the Fall of 2026.  The likelihood is high that the School Committee will then request an additional bond in November of 2026 to construct a "second phase" of modular expansions to address the larger anticipated increase in 2027-2028.  This is all part of our Ten-Year Capital Plan.  

There will be planning with the school committee this winter/spring to prepare for this request, so more details will be released at that time.  The "good news" is that once GHS enrollment reaches its projected peak in 2027-2028, it is expected to decline after that.  This, however, does not account for what might result from additional enrollments driven by residential growth in Gorham.   That's literally the next question! ☺

How Will The Schools Handle the Continued Growth of the Town & The Potential Resulting Increased Student Population?

Well, here is at least some good news.  The good news is that, based on current birth rates and move-in, move-out patterns in our schools (NOT taking into account the impact of increased residential development), our school populations at both the K-5 and 6-8 levels are projected to either remain the same or decrease.  You can CLICK HERE to view the most recent enrollment projections for the Gorham Schools.  Again, keep in mind these projections DO NOT take into consideration additional residential growth.  

Also, we did a demographic study with NESDEC back when the Robie development was first coming online to see what impact it might have on enrollment, and it wasn't huge.  The maximum this study estimated from the Robie development was around 100 students across grades K-12.  So not as big as people thought. Since then, we have had additional developments, and we don't know the direct impact these developments will have.  So much depends on the type of developments that they will be.  Single-family vs. apartments or condos, for example, have very different calculations for the number of children that might be added as a result.  

The good news is that we have some room to grow at the elementary levels, mainly because we thought ahead and added modular spaces to Narragansett and shifted attendance zones to point future growth toward Narragansett School.  Right now, we are doing well in this area, but time will most certainly tell the full tale here.

The bigger issues with space in our schools may NOT be increasing enrollments, but increasing programming space needs.  We have seen stark increases in our special education populations over the last few years, and these students require additional spaces beyond regular class sizes.  With more special education students also comes the need for more service providers such as OT's, PTs, and Speech pathologists, which also requires additional space.  Finally, when our schools take on full special education programming for 3- and 4-year-olds (coming up very soon), this will also require additional space in our buildings.  (Note:  More on that later in this blog)

As you can see, the issue of space is complex and requires constant monitoring.  It is certainly about more than just the number of students.   The School Committee has developed its Ten-Year Capital Plan to address current enrollment trends, but these trends may change.  We will continue to monitor this closely and adjust plans accordingly.   

With the growing number of students, what does the future look like for better parking at the high school?

You’ve seen the data above — our high school enrollment is projected to grow from 847 students today to around 917 within the next few years. Parking is already tight, and unfortunately, it’s likely to get worse before it gets better.

Before construction began this year, we had roughly 250 parking spaces on site, not counting the “dirt lot” that students informally used for about 40 additional cars. When that lot closed for construction, the town helped us add some marked spaces — around 10 near Pre-K, 6 in the main lot, and about 20 along the access road. That brings the total to 285 marked spaces today.

Of those, about 115 are needed for staff, leaving around 170 for students and visitors. With each graduating class averaging 200 students, there simply aren’t enough spaces even for all seniors, let alone juniors or sophomores getting their licenses.

Last year, we made a significant change that helped improve efficiency: we stopped assigning parking spots exclusively to seniors. While that decision was unpopular with some, it allowed every available space to be used daily rather than sit empty when students left campus for internships, early college, or work experiences.

Still, the bigger issue remains. We have minimal space to expand, and many of our students legitimately need to drive — whether to jobs, USM classes, or to transport younger siblings home after school. We’ve tried solutions like GMS shuttles (which weren’t used), and we continue to encourage carpooling, though state restrictions on young drivers make that challenging.

There are no easy fixes here. We’re currently collecting additional data on student drivers through vehicle registrations to better understand usage patterns and options. Down the road, we may need to restrict parking further as a temporary measure. In the meantime, we’re open to creative community ideas — but the reality is, with limited space and a growing student body, this challenge isn’t going away anytime soon.

While the schools address issues around a growing community, what are the plans to keep class sizes manageable?

We have specific guidelines for class sizes.  You can CLICK HERE to view our elementary guidelines.  We use the same numbers as the 5th grade for GMS.  At the high school, things get more nuanced as we look at classes —for example, AP classes that might have 10 students vs. a PE classroom with 30 students.  Not as easy to calculate class sizes like that at the high school.  Instead, at the high school, we typically try to count "case loads".  The goal that we try to use is that a high school teacher should have 100 or 120 students on their daily "case load".  This may not work for PE classes, which tend to be large, or for special education teachers, whose caseloads tend to be much smaller, but, for the most part, these are the targets we aim for when we develop our budget each year.  

I see this continuing.  As the HS population increases, we will likely see the need to hire additional staff to maintain these case load calculations.   If we have more teachers, we also need more classrooms, which is then linked to the first question above.  

Well, that is it for addressing this question from my blog survey.  I'll put a few more on the next one and keep working on these over time.  Again, I appreciate those who shared their topics and questions with me - I hope this helps to make these blogs more interactive and focused on the information YOU want to know!

UPDATE ON GORHAM SCHOOLS PLANNING TO TAKE ON CDS SERVICES FOR 3 & 4 YEAR OLDS BY 2027-2028 SCHOOL YEAR 

About two years ago, legislation was approved to transfer responsibility for special education programming for 3- and 4-year-olds from Child Development Services to Maine's public schools.  The statute that governs this move is Title 20-A subsection 7209-A.

What does this mean?  It means that by the 2027-2028 School Year, the Gorham School Department must assume responsibility for providing the required special education services to children ages 3-4, in addition to the services we already provide for children ages 5-22 in our schools.

This is no small undertaking and will add as many as 150 additional students to our special education programs.  Our plan is to begin taking on these responsibilities for 4-year-olds only during the 2026-2027 school year, and then be prepared to add 3-year-olds during the 2027-2028 school year as required by law.  

For the past two years, the Maine Department of Education has been working with schools to bring them on board with this new legislation.  The Gorham Schools have decided to join "cohort 3" (third year) this coming school year (2026-2027), and there is much work to do.  

I will be writing several blog posts on this topic over the next several months. Still, as an introduction to the discussion, I wanted to share with you a recent presentation provided to the Gorham School Committee by our Special Education Department that provides a nice overview and introduction to the work and some of the key pieces we need to be thinking about to make sure we do this work right.  

One piece that is IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THIS NEW RESPONSIBILITY for our schools is that the program will be funded entirely by the state of Maine.  In other words, the costs associated with providing these special education services to 3- and 4-year-olds will be 100% covered by the State of Maine.  

Please click THIS LINK to view the slide presentation shared with the School Committee.

Please click on THIS LINK to view the recording of our most recent SC workshop meeting.  This topic will be at the 1-hour and 25-minute mark of the video link.

Again, more information to come on this — please stay tuned!

GHS FALL PLAY COMING SOON!

GHS Theater will be presenting the play "Our Town" on November 7, 8, and 9!  Check out the flyer below for details and make sure to mark your calendars to attend!  As always, it looks to be a great show!  GO RAMS!

MAINE LOVES PUBLIC SCHOOLS - LEARNING FROM MAINE VIDEO SERIES HAS LAUNCHED!

Recently, Maine Loves Public Schools, a statewide nonprofit supporting Maine's public schools, launched a 4-part video series to give folks a glimpse of the incredible things happening in our state's public schools.  Gorham isn't in any of these videos (at least not yet), but they do a nice job of showcasing the type of learning available in all public schools in Maine.

You can view all four videos by CLICKING HERE.  Maybe you will see a cousin, niece, or nephew!  Check it out!

TWO RECENT GHS GRADUATES HONORED

Congratulations to Meghan Gendron and Madison Tibbals on their recent honors for their work to create a video and a poem.  Read the media release below to learn more and find their creations to view!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GHS Students & Teacher Honored with #CreateConnectCare Awards

[Gorham, Maine] — Recent graduates from Gorham High School have been recognized by Creative Visions for their work in Creative Visions’ mental health campaign, #CreateConnectCare. Meghan Gendron has earned a Visionary Spark Award for her video, Walking into the Light and Madison Tibbals earned the Imagination Catalyst Award for her poem, One Day at a Time.  In addition, Lucinda Stein, a teacher, has been recognized as an Educator Champion. The global #CreateConnectCareinitiative celebrates youth creativity as a tool for promoting mental health awareness, fostering emotional connection, and supporting community care.

The Educator Champion Award honors teachers who go above and beyond to create safe, responsive spaces for student expression—empowering young people to share their stories, explore their emotions, and use creativity to foster connection and healing. Stein was one of three educators selected from across the country for this honor. Meghan and Madison were alongside 55 youth awardees whose work spans Literary Arts, Media Arts, Performing Arts, STEM, and Visual Arts. Their bravery and creativity help spread the messages promoting mental health awareness.  

The announcement was shared in observance of World Mental Health Day on October 10, a global moment to reflect on the urgent need for youth support and emotional well-being. With 1 in 7 adolescents worldwide experiencing mental health challenges, the program highlights the importance of creative outlets and caring adult allies.

Visit the 2025 #CreateConnectCare Awards Gallery to view the creative works and learn more about the program.

That's it for this blog post!  The next one will come out on November 14.  Don't forget to turn your clocks back this weekend as we hit daylight saving time!  Have a great weekend!