Happy Friday, Gorham! As we move further into the school year, I am reminded daily that the true measure of a great school system is found in the small moments when students discover something new, overcome challenges, show kindness, or begin to imagine futures they never thought possible. These moments make our work as educators, families, and community members so meaningful! I am fortunate to witness them every day, and I hope these blog posts offer you a glimpse into that same magic. Through our strong community partnerships, these small moments add up to BIG opportunities for our students! So, before we get to the updates, here are a few snapshots of those special moments from the past few weeks. Enjoy!
TOPICS LIST (Scroll below for articles in this same order)...
- HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHAT OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM DOES?
- DESSERT & DISCUSS: SETTING THE TABLE FOR OUR FY 28 SCHOOL BUDGET!
- RAMS RACK: STUDENT VOICE, LEADERSHIP AND A LEGACY THAT LIVES ON!
- GORHAM VOLLEYBALL, NOISES OFF & OTHER EVENTS COMING SOON!
- IN CLOSING...
HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHAT OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM DOES?
Our transportation system isn't glamorous. Our transportation employees are not the highest paid. Our buses aren't fancy, sporty, or flashy. It is often so very easy to overlook one of the most important non-instructional programs for our school system to be the high-quality one that it is - Our Transportation Program...and we have one of the best! On the heels of Bus Safety Week earlier this month, I thought it would be good to highlight the work this program does for our community. Here's more than you might ever know about Gorham School's Transportation! After reading this, be sure to thank our incredible drivers and mechanics - they are literally the "engines" that make us "go"!
Transportation by the Numbers
Annual Fleet Mileage: 426,370 miles
Total Fleet Inventory: 46 vehicles
Daily Routes and Runs: 111
Full-Time CDL School Bus Drivers: 23
Non-CDL Van Drivers: 5
Spare CDL Drivers: 11, including teachers and others
Administrative Staff: 1 Transportation Director, 1 Dispatcher, and 1 Administrative Assistant
Crossing Guard: 1, serving Village Elementary School
Additional Transportation Requests: 357 requests received as of October 29, 2026, for athletics, curricular and extracurricular activities, and other school-sponsored events
The Scope of Our Daily Operations
Our department coordinates 111 daily routes and runs, supporting far more than transportation to and from our neighborhood schools. These include AM?PM elementary, middle, and high school routes, midday Pre-K transportation, vocational programs, special education services, and out-of-district educational placements.
Our services extend well beyond Gorham. Each day, we transport students to educational programs and specialized placements in Saco, Brunswick, South Portland, Westbrook, Windham, and surrounding communities.
Some of the specialized educational programs we serve include Margaret Murphy Centers for Children, Spurwink, Sweetser, and CADD.
Beyond Our Regular Daily Routes
In addition to our 111 daily routes and runs, we have already received 357 requests for additional transportation this school year. These requests include athletics, field trips, curricular and non-curricular activities, and other events that support our students' educational experiences.
Each request requires coordination of driver availability, vehicle assignments, scheduling, and logistics, often while maintaining our regular daily transportation commitments.
A Few Nuggets for Families
One thing that may surprise families is the sheer number of moving parts involved in school transportation. With 46 vehicles in our fleet, more than 426,000 miles traveled annually, 111 daily routes and runs, and hundreds of additional transportation requests, our department operates a transportation system that reaches far beyond the boundaries of Gorham.
Our office also oversees driver assignments, substitute coverage, route planning, vehicle maintenance, inspections, student transportation changes, parent communication, safety training, and regulatory compliance.
A single driver absence, vehicle issue, or scheduling change can ripple across multiple routes. Our team works together daily to make adjustments while keeping student safety and access to education at the forefront.
Our drivers are often the first school employees students see each morning and the last they see in the afternoon. They play an important role in creating a safe, welcoming, and positive start and end to each school day.
I'm incredibly proud of the work our transportation team does every day, both on the road and behind the scenes. Keeping our transportation system running safely and efficiently takes tremendous coordination, flexibility, and dedication.
DESSERT & DISCUSS: SETTING THE TABLE FOR OUR FY 28 SCHOOL BUDGET!
Each year, the Gorham School Department kicks off its budget development process with a meeting we affectionately call "Dessert & Discuss!" Wondering where the name comes from? For years, we've used this meeting as an opportunity to showcase the incredible talents of our School Nutrition Program (SNP) cooks, who prepare delicious desserts for our School Committee and leadership team. While dessert may not be the healthiest part of a meal, it sure is fun, and we love celebrating the talents of our amazing SNP staff!
Of course, the meeting is about much more than dessert! Budget development is one of our most important responsibilities as a school district. We simply use a little sweetness to bring people together and set a positive tone for some very serious conversations!
Laying the Foundation: No Budget Numbers Yet!
What makes this meeting unique is that we don't discuss budget numbers! Instead, we focus on two important areas that help establish the WHY behind future budget discussions and decisions.
1. Our "Pain Points" – What Keeps Us Up at Night?
Each principal and program director reflects on the biggest challenges facing their schools and programs. We look beyond the smiling faces and wonderful things happening in our classrooms to ask some tough questions: What's not working as well as it should? Where are our greatest challenges? Why do they exist, and what might we do about them?
We know we can't solve every problem, but openly identifying and discussing these challenges helps us understand where our greatest needs exist and how we might prioritize limited resources to address them.
2. Our 2–3 Year Outlook – What's Coming Down the Pike?
We also take a close look at what's ahead. Using data on enrollment, student achievement, demographics, facilities, and more, we identify emerging trends and anticipate future needs.
The goal is to look beyond what's happening TODAY and prepare for what's coming TOMORROW. By identifying patterns early, we can make thoughtful, proactive adjustments rather than constantly reacting to challenges as they arise. This kind of forward thinking is essential to responsible planning!
How Does the Meeting Work?
Our district leadership team shares their "Pain Points" and "Outlooks" with the School Committee, which asks questions and engages in discussion. About halfway through, we take a break to enjoy those wonderful desserts before returning to hear from the remaining leaders.
It's a LOT of information in one evening, but it provides valuable context for the budget conversations ahead!
Want to Listen In?
The public is always welcome to attend and listen to these important discussions firsthand!
Thursday, November 12, 2026
6:00 p.m. | Gorham Middle School Library
We will also record the meeting and share the video on our website for anyone unable to attend. I'll share that link once it's available!
Why This Foundational Work Matters
A school budget is much more than a collection of numbers on a spreadsheet. It reflects our community's values, our students' needs, and the priorities we establish together. Before we can make thoughtful decisions about where to invest resources, where to make difficult adjustments, or how to balance competing needs, we must first understand the challenges and opportunities before us. That's what Dessert & Discuss is all about! It helps ensure that our budget decisions are grounded in evidence, informed by the people closest to the work, and focused on both today's students and those who will walk through our doors tomorrow. We won't always have the resources to do everything we want, but we owe it to our students, families, staff, and taxpayers to make every decision as thoughtfully and as transparently as possible. That important work begins with listening and learning, and if we can enjoy a little dessert along the way, all the better!
RAMS RACK: STUDENT VOICE, LEADERSHIP, AND A LEGACY THAT LIVES ON!
One of the greatest joys of my job is seeing what happens when we give students opportunities to turn their ideas and passions into meaningful action. Sometimes, the most powerful learning doesn't come from a textbook or a traditional classroom assignment. It comes from students recognizing a need, imagining a solution, and having the confidence and support to make it happen! Recently, I received an email from Heather Whitaker, an alternative education teacher on Team Katahdin at Gorham Middle School, that perfectly illustrates this kind of learning in action. It was simply too good not to share!
A Student Idea That Keeps on Giving!
Last spring, two Gorham Middle School students, Ritaj and Leela, helped launch the Rams Rack, a student-led thrifting initiative that has continued to grow even after these students moved on to Gorham High School.
Rather than tell you about it myself, I want to share the wonderful email I received from Mrs. Whitaker celebrating a pretty impressive milestone!
A Special Message Worth Sharing
Dear Superintendent & Gorham School Committee,
We are so excited to share that, thanks to all the thrifting during the parent-teacher conference window, the Rams Rack has now surpassed 1,000 items thrifted! I've included Ritaj, Leela, and their families on this message so we can all celebrate the powerful impact their project continues to have, even now that they are at Gorham High School.
Since opening just a couple of weeks into May of last year, the Rams Rack has reached 1,054 thrifted items. Donations still arrive every week, community volunteers and our Team Katahdin students help keep the space running, and Leela & Ritaj come down from the high school once a month to stay connected. The Rams Rack has also inspired a group of students to start an after-school fashion club, which will start up this winter!
There's even a rumor on the streets of Gorham that Ritaj would like to start a Rams Rack at the high school. If that's true, I hope we can all rally around her, whether through donations of startup materials or simple encouragement, as she launches Rams Rack 2!
Ritaj and Leela, THANK YOU for your activism and leadership. Please keep at it, because the world needs people like you!
Have a fantastic weekend, and thank you for all you do.
Warmly,
Heather Whitaker
More Than a Thrift Shop: Our Portrait of a Graduate in Action!
Now, you might be wondering why I wanted to share this particular story. Certainly, surpassing 1,000 thrifted items is an incredible accomplishment, but what excites me most isn't the number. It's what these students have demonstrated through their actions!
Earlier this year, the Gorham School Committee approved our updated Portrait of a Graduate, which outlines the knowledge, skills, and personal qualities we want every Gorham student to develop throughout their PK–12 educational journey. Our Portrait identifies five essential competencies, and this one student-led project brings them to life in remarkable ways!
Integrative and Informed Critical Thinkers: These students recognized an opportunity to connect their learning with a real-world need in their school community.
Clear and Effective Communicators: They shared their vision, engaged others, and inspired students, staff, families, and community volunteers to participate.
Self-Directed and Lifelong Learners: They took initiative, demonstrated ownership, and continued supporting their project even after transitioning to high school.
Creative and Practical Problem Solvers: They turned an idea into a functioning, sustainable program that continues to grow and evolve.
Responsible and Involved Global Citizens: Perhaps most importantly, they demonstrated what it means to contribute positively to their community, promote reuse, and create opportunities that benefit others.
These aren't simply skills we want students to learn about. They are skills we want students to PRACTICE, APPLY, and ultimately CARRY WITH THEM long after they leave our schools!
This Is What We Mean by Preparing and Inspiring Students!
The Rams Rack reminds us that student success is about so much more than grades and test scores. It is about helping young people recognize that their voices matter, their ideas have value, and they have the power to make a positive difference in the world around them. When students are encouraged to identify problems, take initiative, collaborate with others, and see their ideas come to life, learning becomes something much more powerful. It becomes purposeful, meaningful, and lasting.
Perhaps my favorite part of this entire story? Ritaj and Leela have moved on to high school, but what they created has NOT! Their work continues to benefit others, inspire new ideas, and create opportunities for students who follow in their footsteps. That is the kind of lasting impact we hope every Gorham student will experience through their education. Our Portrait of a Graduate is our promise to students and families about the kind of learning experiences we want to create every day, in every school, for every student.
A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS and THANK YOU to Ritaj, Leela, Mrs. Whitaker, Team Katahdin, our community volunteers, and everyone who has helped make the Rams Rack such a success! You are demonstrating exactly what it means to Prepare and Inspire our students in this incredible and strong community of Gorham. And I, for one, can't wait to see where Rams Rack 2 might take us next!
GORHAM VOLLEYBALL, NOISES OFF & OTHER EVENTS COMING SOON
Before we get to the Noises Off information, I did want to make sure that folks knew that our GHS Volleyball Team will be playing for their possible FOURTH State Championship TOMORROW morning at SMCC! Check out the information below. If you want to attend, you need to purchase tickets in advance. You can do that by CLICKING HERE.
