We are three weeks into the new year and loving it! Students, staff, and families returned from the two-week break refreshed and energized, and our classrooms reflect it! See the pictures below from our schools over the past few weeks, then on to the information!
Our School Committee provides thoughtful governance, strong fiscal oversight, and steady leadership that helps ensure our schools remain focused on what matters most—student learning, well-being, and opportunity. They partner closely with district leadership, listen to community voices, ask hard questions, and make decisions that shape not only today’s classrooms but also the future of our community.
We are deeply grateful for the service of: Nicole Yeo-Fisher (Chair), Michelle Littlefield (Vice Chair), Mia DeSanctis, Eric Thistle, Jeffrey Ballard, Paulette Tateishi, and Lowansa Tompkins. We are also fortunate to have the voices and perspectives of our two student School Committee members, Lola Vance and Daniah Alasadi, who help ensure that student experience remains central to our work.
Public service of this nature is not easy, and it is often invisible. Yet the impact of a strong, committed School Committee is felt every day in our classrooms, our programs, and our community’s confidence in its schools. On behalf of our students, families, staff, and the entire Gorham community, THANK YOU for your leadership, integrity, and unwavering commitment to doing what is best for children. Our schools are stronger because of you.
If you would like to perhaps send our school committee members a message of thanks or encouragement, please feel free to email them directly. Their emails can be found by CLICKING HERE.
WORK HAS BEGUN TO UPDATE OUR CURRENT PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE & METRICS FOR SUCCESS DOCUMENTS!
The Gorham School Department’s Teaching & Learning Committee began work last spring to update and revise our Portrait of a Graduate and the associated Metrics for Success, and I am pleased to share that strong progress is underway.
A Portrait of a Graduate is a shared, community-developed vision that clearly defines the knowledge, skills, and dispositions students should possess upon graduation. It goes beyond academic standards to describe the whole child, highlighting qualities such as communication, critical thinking, collaboration, and responsible citizenship. It serves as a guiding framework for curriculum, instruction, assessment, and school culture, ensuring that all aspects of the educational experience are aligned to prepare students for college, careers, and life.
The purpose of the Portrait is to provide a clear, unified definition of what success looks like and the kind of learners—and people—we want our graduates to become. It also helps us define success by expanding our focus beyond test scores to include real-world skills and dispositions. Using the Portrait as a lens allows us to develop meaningful indicators of progress, such as performance tasks, portfolios, surveys, and demonstrations of learning that reflect growth in the whole child.
For several years, Gorham has used a districtwide Portrait of a Graduate alongside Gorham High School’s long-standing Vision of a Graduate, which is grounded in Maine’s Guiding Principles and a whole-child approach to education. While both shared similar values, they were developed separately. In 2024, the School Committee recognized the importance of aligning these frameworks to create a single, coherent vision of student success from PK–12 and to clearly define how success should be measured across all grade levels.
The problem with our original portrait work is that it didn't clearly define the exit skills we wanted students to have; it only added another layer of measurement. In our latest revisions, we aim to clarify the specific Portrait skills so we can be clearer about how we measure success at the district and individual school levels.
Thus far, a DRAFT Portrait that looks like this has emerged...
The next phase of this work will focus on identifying the key skills within each Portrait category and determining how we will measure evidence of student achievement in these areas. This will allow us to more fully define success in our schools and ensure our measures reflect what our community truly values in preparing students for success in college, career, and life.
The Teaching & Learning Committee will continue meeting throughout the winter and spring to bring a full draft of the revised Portrait of a Graduate and Metrics for Success to the School Committee for review and approval. We also anticipate engaging families, staff, and students in a feedback process later this spring, and we look forward to sharing more as this important work continues. Please stay tuned!
2026 IS OUR NATION'S 250th ANNIVERSARY!
This year marks a once-in-a-generation milestone for our nation — America’s 250th anniversary! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, USA! ☺
In 2026, we will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This moment gives families, schools, and communities across our country the opportunity to reflect on our shared history, celebrate the ideals that have shaped our nation, and look forward with hope to the next 250 years!
Celebrations are being planned nationwide, including right here in Gorham. Our schools will provide many valuable learning experiences throughout this school year and into the next on this topic. We are all encouraged to engage with this milestone in meaningful ways for our families - whether through volunteer service as part of the America Gives initiative, exploring local history, or simply gathering with family to learn more about the stories behind our founding. This birthday party is for ALL OF US!
Here are some trusted, family-friendly sources where you can find reliable information, ideas for celebrations, and ways to get involved in the birthday festivities if you are interested!
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America250.org – The official hub for the Semiquincentennial, with event calendars, volunteer opportunities, and national initiatives.
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The White House’s America250 page – Offers insight into national programming and the historic significance of the 250th anniversary.
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DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) America250 resources – Provides historical context and celebration ideas rooted in Revolutionary history.
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Close Up – America 250 Resources – Civic-education materials and activities designed for middle and high school learners.
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Library of Congress / IMLS Celebrating America250 – Offers historical exhibits and educational content to deepen understanding of America’s founding.
America’s 250th anniversary is an opportunity to come together with gratitude and pride. It invites each of us to honor the sacrifices, resilience, and aspirations that have shaped our country — and to work together with hope and pride to write the next chapters!
REMINDER - GORHAM PUBLIC PRE K APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR 2026-2027!
We are now accepting applications for the Gorham Public Pre-K Program. Gorham is excited to offer a voluntary Public Pre-K program at our local partner locations:
Gorham School Department Public Pre-K at Narragansett Elementary School offering Half Day Pre-K (5 days a week) with AM & PM Sessions. AM Session is 8:30-11:20 am and PM is 12:20-3:00 pm. Transportation is provided from locations in Gorham.
Seedlings to Sunflowers Public Pre-K offering Half Day Pre-K (5 days a week) with optional wrap-around care at a cost to families. Public Pre-K hours are 9:00 am -12:00 pm.
Creative Explorations Public Pre-K offering Half Day Pre-K (5 days a week) with optional wrap-around care at a cost to families. Public Pre-K hours are 9:00 am -12:00 pm.
House of Parker Preschool Public Pre-K offering Half Day Pre-K 3 days a week (M, W, F) from 8:00-11:30 am. Extended Learning days are available (T, TH) at a cost to families.
Imagination Station Public Pre-K offering Half Day Pre-K (5 days a week) with optional wrap-around care at a cost to families. Public Pre-K hours are 8:30 am -12:00 pm.
Gorham Arts Alliance Public Pre-K offering Half Day Pre-K (5 days a week) with optional wrap-around care at a cost to families. Public Pre-K hours are 9:00 am -12:00 pm.
Watch Us Grow Public Pre-K offering Half Day Pre-K (5 days a week). Public Pre-K hours are 8:30 -11:30 am.
Cradle Inn Public Pre-K offering Half Day Pre-K (5 days a week) with optional wrap-around care at a cost to families. Public Pre-K hours are 8:30-11:30 am.
In order to be considered, your child must be 4 years old, but not 5, before October 15th, and you must be a resident of Gorham, ME.
Please help us spread the word regarding Gorham’s
Kindergarten Parent Information Meeting
for our incoming 2026 Kindergarten students!
Our parent information meeting will be held on Thursday, March 5th, at 5:30pm at your neighborhood school. At this meeting, parents will meet with school staff, learn about a day in the life of a Kindergarten student, and receive information about the enrollment process. This meeting is for parents/guardians ONLY. You will pick up enrollment packets, learn how to schedule your student for a Kindergarten screening, and receive information about a future date to bring your student to the school!
Remember, a student must turn 5 years old by Oct. 15, 2026 to register for Kindergarten.
Please click the link below for your neighborhood school and pre-register for kindergarten using the kindergarten registration link. If you are unsure of your neighborhood school, please call any elementary school directly for this information. We look forward to welcoming our new Little Rams and their families to our schools this fall!
School Contacts
Great Falls Elementary - Julie Murray (julie.murray@gorhamschools.org or 222-1050)
Narragansett Elementary - Sarah Palmer (sarah.palmer@gorhamschools.org or 222-1250)
Narragansett Kindergarten Link
Village Elementary - Pam LeBlanc (pam.leblanc@gorhamschools.org or 222-1300)
OUR SCHOOLS, OUR FUTURE SERIES - MEETING #2 ANNOUNCED!
Just before the December holiday break, a public forum titled "Our Schools, Our Future" was announced. At this meeting, I shared foundational information with attendees about our current Gorham school budget and highlights of our FY 27 planning. The meeting was well attended with 15+ participants, and the dialogue was rich! As we wrapped up the meeting, we were asked to schedule another meeting to continue the conversation. We have done that. Please see the flyer below and mark your calendars to attend! THANK YOU to Baxter Memorial Library for hosting! Hope to see you there! ☺
Just a reminder that our extremely talented high school students at GHS will be putting on a musical titled: Something Rotten on Jan. 30th and 31st, and Feb. 6th and 7th at 7:00 p.m. at the Gorham High School Performing Arts Center and again on Feb. 1 and Feb. 8 at 2:00 p.m.. Check out the flyer below to get your tickets to enjoy the show today!
What is Unified Basketball?
Unified Basketball is a program that brings together students with and without intellectual disabilities to compete on the same team as equals. Developed through the Special Olympics Unified Sports model, the program focuses not only on learning the skills of the game but also on building friendships, understanding, and respect. Athletes of all abilities practice together, support one another, and experience the joy of teamwork in a truly inclusive environment.
We LOVE our Gorham Unified basketball teams!
Students develop empathy, patience, communication, and an understanding of the value of every individual’s contributions to the team. It challenges stereotypes and helps young people see ability rather than disability, creating a school culture where differences are celebrated and where everyone belongs.
Most importantly, Unified Basketball reminds us that sports are about far more than winning or losing. They are about connection, community, and shared purpose. When students play together in a unified setting, they model the kind of inclusive, respectful world we hope to build—one where every person is valued, supported, and given the opportunity to shine.
If you haven't yet seen a unified basketball game, you SHOULD! The atmosphere is electric! There is nothing like going into a gymnasium packed full of GHS students, families and community members cheering on our unified athletes with as much enthusiasm, if not more than our regular home athletic events - which is saying something! The Schedule is below...mark your calendars! Make your posters of support and come cheer on our unified athletes as they demonstrate what it means to demonstrate our Gorham Schools Code of Conduct in action!
You can CLICK HERE to learn more about Maine's Poetry Out Loud Contest, but basically it is a competition sponsored by the Maine Arts Commission where students compete with one another to determine school champions, these champions then compete against one another in regional competitions, and regional winners then compete to determine a state-wide winner. The State winner then goes on to a national competition.
Students select poems and recite them from memory, conveying the poem's emotion and artistry. It is no easy competition for sure!
CONGRATULATIONS to all our GHS students who recently competed in the school competition (picture below)
And a huge ovation to our GHS Poetry Out Loud Winner - Rataj Nasr! Rataj will compete in the Southern Regional Competition on Feb. 10 in Lewiston. GOOD LUCK, Rataj! GO RAMS!
GHS STUDENT NAMED CONGRESSIONAL APP CHALLENGE WINNER!
That's it for this blog post! The next one will be January 30th! Enjoy your Long Weekends and THANK YOU for all you do to support the children of Gorham!
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