tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29168901482991740472024-03-13T04:36:27.230-07:00Superintendent's UpdateHeather Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902747451985096596noreply@blogger.comBlogger195125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2916890148299174047.post-89358162513686049272024-03-08T07:09:00.000-08:002024-03-08T07:16:53.492-08:00March 8 Post<p>Well we are already well into the month of March here in the Gorham Schools. Hard to believe that in just a few short weeks we will be in April and Spring will have sprung! We have been busy here in the Gorham Schools the past few weeks. Check out the pictures below to get a sense of the fun our students have been having!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4OCmZYl7GfX4cZX5YSZ3ALxEylhnrPq38Spdr_4iRpYv_vdWkpamoUAUX8QigqoM3XGT1JOG0OxnBPYY7YbWKl7t5FCgSOxaewo-5LNivYucH3WVY5nuA7D_G54-vBVHiK7ZVpBdloAGvpcvRxEuG6DkNDbynCwxiIBp6eQIDNqhR4pylP5b1fPQwRV8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="573" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4OCmZYl7GfX4cZX5YSZ3ALxEylhnrPq38Spdr_4iRpYv_vdWkpamoUAUX8QigqoM3XGT1JOG0OxnBPYY7YbWKl7t5FCgSOxaewo-5LNivYucH3WVY5nuA7D_G54-vBVHiK7ZVpBdloAGvpcvRxEuG6DkNDbynCwxiIBp6eQIDNqhR4pylP5b1fPQwRV8=w573-h573" width="573" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now on to the updates...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR GORHAM RAMS BBALL TEAMS!</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgNOQDJ-SO4umcFRC6KPxaXOgrnQ4ZCgEjiga83bUE3CXzqT93TuxhbEwXQLHiWR1uO41Tgc_vU-1sg0m368iwgq-0HYuOHgNmh2JoOOlFtQEbnsCdK19_y68zFQTgeWD_Xi4zyU9Y_SwBgeFUGzwdgmx6YzTSA5me_kY9XsaF9WEfnua2E8FiiP4TeXo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1118" data-original-width="1125" height="421" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgNOQDJ-SO4umcFRC6KPxaXOgrnQ4ZCgEjiga83bUE3CXzqT93TuxhbEwXQLHiWR1uO41Tgc_vU-1sg0m368iwgq-0HYuOHgNmh2JoOOlFtQEbnsCdK19_y68zFQTgeWD_Xi4zyU9Y_SwBgeFUGzwdgmx6YzTSA5me_kY9XsaF9WEfnua2E8FiiP4TeXo=w424-h421" width="424" /></a></div><br /></b></span></div>Although the outcomes of last Saturday's basketball games at the Cross Center were not what we had hoped for, I wanted to take a moment to congratulate our boys and girls basketball teams on their AA South Championships and their being the state runner's up in AA bball this year. <p></p><p>A basketball season is a long and arduous road often full of significant "ups" and "downs". There are no guarantees in this game and it is difficult for even one team to make it to the state championship game, let alone BOTH teams! </p><p>These two teams played through significant adversity, learning and growing stronger together as they went. They played hard, but clearly understood and demonstrated to all of us that the game is more than just a game. They played with heart and integrity. Our boys team also won the AA sportsmanship award this year and what an honor that is. These two teams represented our community so very well, even in the last defeat and we couldn't be more proud of them and all of our other student athletes in Gorham. GO RAMS!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">NEW DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION </span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">POLICY PASSED </span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigOKwj_MSTkbPXl2dBo_5QX3jz7qmfEUtQC9I6RJvDCKGylcUegLo7R4G7tk0bI1hluQ_oHXAOdVjBOJdT6uCb7JwZufupKHZrmJKNAC_OMOxQB-wBonmk9VkpRZ12fbE9HXYZ7JGyNVrm5lOSIkhlW26zPzQrD0EKm02ruq7QcVJoQk48FYeBTdAME6M" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="159" data-original-width="318" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigOKwj_MSTkbPXl2dBo_5QX3jz7qmfEUtQC9I6RJvDCKGylcUegLo7R4G7tk0bI1hluQ_oHXAOdVjBOJdT6uCb7JwZufupKHZrmJKNAC_OMOxQB-wBonmk9VkpRZ12fbE9HXYZ7JGyNVrm5lOSIkhlW26zPzQrD0EKm02ruq7QcVJoQk48FYeBTdAME6M" width="320" /></a></span></b></div><p></p><p>At its February 7 regular meeting, the Gorham School Committee passed a new diversity, Equity and inclusion policy. This policy had been in the works for some time based upon feedback from community, staff, and others that we needed to provide more clear definitions of what is meant in our schools when we talk about what diversity, equity and inclusion is here in Gorham. </p><p>I thought that with Black History month just wrapping up and with Women's History Month occurring this month, that now would be a good time to share.</p><p>You can view the full language of the new policy by <a href="https://4.files.edl.io/0900/02/09/24/141123-62fd0b29-2750-4e5d-ab75-84cfff24eb38.pdf">CLICKING HERE</a>, but I thought it would be helpful to also include the key definitions for each of these important terms below. Here are our newly adopted definitions for each of these terms below so that now we are clear that when we say Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (D.E.I.) here in Gorham, this is what we mean...</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-right: 3.35pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">DIVERSITY</span></span></p><p><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">Diversity in education means appreciating and embracing the differences that make each person unique. The Gorham School Committee views the diversity of cultural backgrounds and other aspects of the human experience reflected in our district as a strength in preparing students to thrive in a global society. Respecting and celebrating those experiences and perspectives helps us move beyond tolerance to appreciation of our mutual humanity. Diversity in education is achieved when curriculum, programs, co-curricular and extra curricular activities, reflect the diversity of our student population and include a range of perspectives and experiences, including those of underrepresented groups.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 700; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">EQUITY</span></span></p><p><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">Educational equity means that each student receives access to the resources, opportunities, and educational rigor, at the right moment in their education, to develop to their full academic and social potential. This differs from equality, which means providing the same to all. Equity recognizes that we do not all start from the same place and must acknowledge and make adjustments to imbalances that exist. Educational equity is achieved when all students receive the resources they need to graduate prepared for success after high school. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 700; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">INCLUSION</span></span></p><p><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">Inclusion in education is when all students feel they belong; being able to voice opinions [and ideas] and show up as one’s authentic self without judgment regardless of abilities or background. This is reflected in being heard, recognized, valued, and encouraged to contribute as part of the school community. Inclusion in education also extends to engagement with educators and parents who assist in this goal when all members of the education community are welcomed, accepted, and supported in the schools and in school-sponsored activities.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">FY 25 BUDGET DEVELOPMENT UPDATE</span></b></p><p><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhci2gC3EJ7xbXZWn1Udzgw9e_u2Unlu9RaSCN0cTfpqnh4UEwTGY4-wdmpbXnf-wvx-WYOHsro-sIaGgT3hIsMJiKDow-oWp-e_6b-n0xMLLGfxUfscrlAn0rxAwtb8PKyCp1yRp4gaiF6yB3SM89zmMiyBMFKEZ-jDgqQ39y8IzS22wagDQ67fwQ3CvM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhci2gC3EJ7xbXZWn1Udzgw9e_u2Unlu9RaSCN0cTfpqnh4UEwTGY4-wdmpbXnf-wvx-WYOHsro-sIaGgT3hIsMJiKDow-oWp-e_6b-n0xMLLGfxUfscrlAn0rxAwtb8PKyCp1yRp4gaiF6yB3SM89zmMiyBMFKEZ-jDgqQ39y8IzS22wagDQ67fwQ3CvM=w201-h201" width="201" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">The Gorham School Committee met for its first budget workshop meeting on Monday, March 4. Since this was the first meeting of the year for this purpose, and since we had three new members on the committee we took some time up front to review our group and procedural norms for the work to help set the tone for what will be a long process of sometimes difficult conversations. You can view our agreed upon norms by <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ac0qci5KCz5Ob-Sk9Om-cCFapMQBjsNqXs5UrXh-ENI/edit?usp=sharing">CLICKING HERE</a>.</span></span></p><p><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">Next, we shared overall information about the proposed FY 25 budget and some key historical and background information to help school committee members gain insight and provide context for our continued conversations moving forward. There was some great data shared during this discussion. Folks can <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1x0QcZsIzTA4ydODkZkpJ555cb9xFkrtmXhoKuFBIa6M/edit?usp=sharing">CLICK HERE </a>to view the slide presentation of this data. </span></span></p><p><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">Then we took a closer look at some of the significant "cost drivers" in our proposed FY 25 budget. Those are:</span></span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #3c4043; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UPALpEQtFUmDuZQTPcwegEo5nQ_BwRygYyzPNeEZ77E/edit?usp=sharing" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Status Quo Budget</span></a></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #3c4043; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/11UvpLl8cm_PhJIA4IW90-4YPUxlIZXTsCRecFJfuVNA/edit?usp=sharing" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Increased Costs For items already in FY 24</span></a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #3c4043; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jhFWHJkzQtk_H9zTMe110xh_M1RO42Ey7fLOlPLXz18/edit?usp=sharing" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Review of New Initiatives</span></a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #3c4043; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1CYEk8XrDDsIHOJPpgUP6jVr1n42kqUhD0X5JJiH6SHA/edit?usp=sharing" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">GHS Alt. Ed. Program</span></a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #3c4043; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pRw75mt3oMm0iEZLhXywkKG5yngpp2ctVrZAIT1us_w/edit?usp=sharing" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Items shifting from Grant funding</span></a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #3c4043; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1x6Cr0Vy9DLFK4y3vH5g72I82gJ7wcB0hvK6bIxu40Bs/edit?usp=sharing" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Special Education Needs</span></a></p></li></ul><p><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">Finally, we took some time to review answers to the<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZYVs_p1-wPY3fMeHT0cx655VPOuqnHjcgsfLMpG39ok/edit?usp=sharing"> Q&A Document</a> which had 40 really great questions from School Committee members listed with answers from the administrative team. We have already added questions to this document since then and are now up to 70 really great questions with detailed answers!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">The meeting was recorded and will be posted on the Town's GoCAT website for viewing. Once I have that recording link I will share it on our website where we are archiving all materials related to our budget development process. You can <a href="https://www.gorhamschools.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=456522&type=d&pREC_ID=1150991">CLICK HERE</a> to view that website.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; white-space-collapse: preserve;">All of this information is intended to provide a strong foundational understanding for the School Committee on the conditions within which we are operating in building our FY 25 budget and to prepare them for the harder conversations that will take place further down the road. </span></p><p><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">The School Committee is scheduled to meet every Monday for the next 4 Mondays to discuss the proposed FY 25 budget and to make adjustments and changes to the initial proposed budget via these processes. I would encourage those interested in following factual information about the proposed budget and ongoing work to please check these sources for that information. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>RECENT CHANGE IN CDS GUIDANCE REGARDING </b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>COVID 19</b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8EwRmniRl77jZbXZgQGx6xJhQ1WLdpbemiBuDkdjtu_vyzIHkjBQNXs9ZrYbAMG_wJyR879x_AjQlClf3tRi4HVKDPrEeFUceGd4TZe1Y4d1U4RlxiAeKd-S-2ztvKfkcuXbdjKjiUAnnhC7cPDIT4W9MTW22DRkS0WUzZBR6MVH13rNcTsYWGfwt4vY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8EwRmniRl77jZbXZgQGx6xJhQ1WLdpbemiBuDkdjtu_vyzIHkjBQNXs9ZrYbAMG_wJyR879x_AjQlClf3tRi4HVKDPrEeFUceGd4TZe1Y4d1U4RlxiAeKd-S-2ztvKfkcuXbdjKjiUAnnhC7cPDIT4W9MTW22DRkS0WUzZBR6MVH13rNcTsYWGfwt4vY" width="320" /></a></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">The CDC has recently updated its guidelines for COVID 19 so we wanted to share...</span></span></p><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">On Friday, March 1st, the CDC announced new guidelines for COVID19. </span><span style="font-family: times;">Gorham School District has been following CDC guidelines for COVID19 without any additional requirements and will continue to do so.</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">The link below gives an overview of the new guidance that was released and put into effect on March 1st.</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://docs.google.com/document/d/18JD3gk_K1aE2sNRuuPmBoTkgKuvrs07GNw2wE_uKQqA/edit?usp%3Dsharing&source=gmail&ust=1709995465365000&usg=AOvVaw176n_-WwamGyVCATVDJgXt" href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/18JD3gk_K1aE2sNRuuPmBoTkgKuvrs07GNw2wE_uKQqA/edit?usp=sharing" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">GSD COVID19/Respiratory Virus Guidance</a><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-family: times;">The 2 biggest takeaways:</span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-family: times;">1. No longer virus specific, it is more system specific. The new guidance is for all respiratory infections: influenza (flu), COVID19, RSV, etc.</span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-family: times;">2. No longer a specified isolation period. Return to work/activities when symptoms improving and no fever x 24 hours.</span></div></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">For more detailed information please click the link at the bottom of the document for the full CDC guidance on respiratory infections.</span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">SHARING POSITIVE PUBLIC SCHOOL STORIES</span></b> </span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4OqD-K3Tl4os_6ADhAg-9sCtAetF5qb-1JKRKH1fipxJ9ILUqPOJ-YpfFY7RUGnBOVv0fwklesFA8j9pxuwLmWBJIChcpSUijahKt_HMuzpGxY4DnG8z3XWx6Rcpp3StJNhAhhmrTJQGzL_ptkg8D2cH0LSUoOktxST6a0xMBe2WGAv9h5VCDgTvtgC8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="444" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4OqD-K3Tl4os_6ADhAg-9sCtAetF5qb-1JKRKH1fipxJ9ILUqPOJ-YpfFY7RUGnBOVv0fwklesFA8j9pxuwLmWBJIChcpSUijahKt_HMuzpGxY4DnG8z3XWx6Rcpp3StJNhAhhmrTJQGzL_ptkg8D2cH0LSUoOktxST6a0xMBe2WGAv9h5VCDgTvtgC8=w192-h190" width="192" /></a></div></div><p></p><p>If you recall, last week was a week during which our nation celebrated its public schools and the incredible things that occur in our schools each and every day. I had<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/14DqFKmB0zS6jcg_HQ7v9FV1Lw3T9uAzw/view?usp=sharing"> created a video</a> sharing one of my favorite public school experiences as a student and had then created a google forms for others to share their POSITIVE public school stories. I wanted to be sure to share! You can view <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_N-WHKACjGAuY30XJz56ceP-4y6kIZGNLyedinwF-aA/edit?usp=sharing">ALL THE POSTIVE STORIES</a> shared by clicking the link...but I wanted to highlight just a few below:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiene7YI4__pwsnsVySmYJI37qRW_0qr3pBTOwnZjAcX3zq1W-Z5bGL_-1Ssccna7ve3jh7djaRoiRh3zVMM4gaywpCdK_0yB6V9fPutVj4CybFGIl3Qit6Qj61VR_UNcCJ8VL-gvc5DZc1Ij6HSSBRfHpy4BYnoI4heTh6aotEJD43YzAxwNTpDAlfSPc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="186" data-original-width="1546" height="65" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiene7YI4__pwsnsVySmYJI37qRW_0qr3pBTOwnZjAcX3zq1W-Z5bGL_-1Ssccna7ve3jh7djaRoiRh3zVMM4gaywpCdK_0yB6V9fPutVj4CybFGIl3Qit6Qj61VR_UNcCJ8VL-gvc5DZc1Ij6HSSBRfHpy4BYnoI4heTh6aotEJD43YzAxwNTpDAlfSPc=w544-h65" width="544" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghVyY1GXDQuPAINvtbtX79cjAeDITUXiTKZdAy99-qY_VpLQvUxTqu6UtB73WJinJqqA4kwoPEmseFzZEWqk5dHJ0UE3sWrwNO_5G8CJSxJZBYFhTD8QFA5uIEUwqVevgKetpUz02mS0wzOsdCjVXhJwDCwsb6j3xAO0ybqUT575p6dQXQKuMlq-DKTk4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="1524" height="58" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghVyY1GXDQuPAINvtbtX79cjAeDITUXiTKZdAy99-qY_VpLQvUxTqu6UtB73WJinJqqA4kwoPEmseFzZEWqk5dHJ0UE3sWrwNO_5G8CJSxJZBYFhTD8QFA5uIEUwqVevgKetpUz02mS0wzOsdCjVXhJwDCwsb6j3xAO0ybqUT575p6dQXQKuMlq-DKTk4=w537-h58" width="537" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjR2S-Z7ZicbcKNb66BiMCJI_nE1xAuLQl0qcQmWqRu_vkBj242zy5f3MaDBku-8B39cI4wkUZv4dzG4jwN-9btd01wTKuI7Sis6naTO1nwqRxNgZsZvCGtIOpGSsXkiJTTFMGlZ3Ll9kyBlodDXKYk3po6HhKCkM1zeMF4xn2vDdmULR6ThnOB3lGSD_4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="1542" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjR2S-Z7ZicbcKNb66BiMCJI_nE1xAuLQl0qcQmWqRu_vkBj242zy5f3MaDBku-8B39cI4wkUZv4dzG4jwN-9btd01wTKuI7Sis6naTO1nwqRxNgZsZvCGtIOpGSsXkiJTTFMGlZ3Ll9kyBlodDXKYk3po6HhKCkM1zeMF4xn2vDdmULR6ThnOB3lGSD_4=w526-h263" width="526" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7bunxNM1sTBt16hGnPGqbj5vOMgEuBWOh_eDO97K6whd-bVKPvk_opwIhHsyd-b364QISjtOk3bJkLKk3IPnDgRpm_7mMURADJd4pNnmki6bKrHi0xgeOffI79cK0HEvAFRowvzsxmhYXa4vYdffzsWVd4WeeVVDuxnwX7JJdi_vPuqLUh7mlaMbt_gw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="1534" height="87" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7bunxNM1sTBt16hGnPGqbj5vOMgEuBWOh_eDO97K6whd-bVKPvk_opwIhHsyd-b364QISjtOk3bJkLKk3IPnDgRpm_7mMURADJd4pNnmki6bKrHi0xgeOffI79cK0HEvAFRowvzsxmhYXa4vYdffzsWVd4WeeVVDuxnwX7JJdi_vPuqLUh7mlaMbt_gw=w531-h87" width="531" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjp5pP2gFSMYPzfS-hanE6_cyi2qk6ckD0Px-KWovxRSWIdM-su7Jwp4GhDSvsy3W2bUaAHYt8tKZivHBx3XqzdQiFvwr7mfyepgqssr9VVN6EB-AmJsQrxLubjydD1eT7_a-U2wwMF3skYVaATOo9cWXG4s2IP536VMdUyyVDV2nCiAb5SWo1E4RuWjz0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="1512" height="48" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjp5pP2gFSMYPzfS-hanE6_cyi2qk6ckD0Px-KWovxRSWIdM-su7Jwp4GhDSvsy3W2bUaAHYt8tKZivHBx3XqzdQiFvwr7mfyepgqssr9VVN6EB-AmJsQrxLubjydD1eT7_a-U2wwMF3skYVaATOo9cWXG4s2IP536VMdUyyVDV2nCiAb5SWo1E4RuWjz0=w532-h48" width="532" /></a></div><br />Thank you to everyone that shared their POSITIVE stories! <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">DID YOU KNOW ABOUT OUR PE/PG SYSTEM FOR TEACHERS & PRINCIPALS/PROGRAM DIRECTORS HERE IN GORHAM?</span></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXNbV92meLJsCId3Nl5LxxRPRL5tp-xtii62DMky8HCMhY0FXyTMrV_gXmHF4v0uP5ugPf9wbc-C1c95jQL-ipv5GobxPLp2pNRtWhJiOcnzliY-R3x-mItlkdZqIueZ1NqTL8i00V8zGDMFU7IW49JjnUv_a59YmlRF1LT7DLena_c93B7EowO6YUziY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXNbV92meLJsCId3Nl5LxxRPRL5tp-xtii62DMky8HCMhY0FXyTMrV_gXmHF4v0uP5ugPf9wbc-C1c95jQL-ipv5GobxPLp2pNRtWhJiOcnzliY-R3x-mItlkdZqIueZ1NqTL8i00V8zGDMFU7IW49JjnUv_a59YmlRF1LT7DLena_c93B7EowO6YUziY" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Did you know that all of our Gorham Schools professional staff are evaluated using what we call our PE/PG system and that such a system is required by law in the state of Maine? </p><p>PE/PG stands for "Professional Evaluation and Professional Growth" in case you were wondering! Yes - our teachers and other professional staff have specific standards that they hold themselves and each other accountable to meeting! Our professional evaluation philosophy and goals are:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDVsqf9hwU6Mxg-LzX9x1av7e1Mdqvif6c0dVEpQNYszy0hNkceC03O9dzDitxljsOWGLLu-GGdtrVIDVsFYmA-yFW4urwgPkwI3esV0QinW9Didj7iUCXuu9Pbf3viP5AzVGU8KuV9jjiboDUA78mpDgi7qCL4CX_YBZDPEBFOM21Ksini17qRvM8u_M" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="932" data-original-width="2048" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDVsqf9hwU6Mxg-LzX9x1av7e1Mdqvif6c0dVEpQNYszy0hNkceC03O9dzDitxljsOWGLLu-GGdtrVIDVsFYmA-yFW4urwgPkwI3esV0QinW9Didj7iUCXuu9Pbf3viP5AzVGU8KuV9jjiboDUA78mpDgi7qCL4CX_YBZDPEBFOM21Ksini17qRvM8u_M=w582-h265" width="582" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WV1OWDxvAeKuJxAQhDTudrQnbOOcS3w5/view?usp=sharing">PE/PG system</a> was developed in collaboration with teachers and administration and in alignment with Maine statute that requires a formal PE/PG system be in place in each school district across our state. Local PE/PG systems may vary, but the framework, requirements, and reporting systems are very similar across public schools.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In Gorham, our professional educators are hired under what is known as a probationary contract for the first two years of service to our students and families. During this first two years, the system of annual goal setting, formal observations and support is pretty intense. For the first year, each teacher sets their goals, they meet with their administrators to review goals frequently and they are required to be formally observed by their building administrator at least once and by our assistant superintendent at least once. An annual summary evaluation score and narrative are developed and shared. In the 2nd year, similarly, teachers are required to set goals, meet with principals to review and touch base on these goals frequently, and are observed twice. The biggest difference in year 2 is that teachers are required to also be formally observed by the Superintendent of Schools.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once teachers complete the first two years of probationary status successfully they are then placed on what is called a "continuing contract" status. Once there, teachers are then required to develop annual goals and share those with principals, continuously monitor said goals, and participate in either formal observations or walk through evaluation processes on a three year cycle. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In Gorham, the professional standards we use are based upon the "Danielson model", a model of professional standards developed by Charlotte Danielson several years ago. You can view a synopsis of the model by <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kjQElSIhZUtA5neHPQVJvvC1A5KzXmEt/view?usp=sharing">CLICKING HERE</a> - although please know there is A LOT more behind each of those bullets listed! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The four key components of these professional standards are broken out into what are called "Domains". In the Danielson model the four overarching domains for professional standards are:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- Domain 1 - Planning and Preparation</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- Domain 2 - The Classroom Environment</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- Domain 3 - Professional Responsibilities</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- Domain 4 - Instruction</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Under each domain are specific categories/components and then detailed performance indicators. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am sharing all of this because I sometimes am not sure if folks understand the professional work that goes on behind the scenes to make sure our teachers hold themselves to high standards of work and performance with our students. Also, I kinda wanted the students to know that what is "good for the goose is good for the gander"! ☺In other words - YES - our teachers are also assigned "homework" and "projects" they too have to "meet standards" and are even "graded" using rating scales for each of these components. See students - our teachers continue to work hard to continuously learn too because they love to learn and they want to make sure they are doing the absolute best for YOU! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There is A LOT more information that could be shared here regarding our PE/PG system but it would take too long in a blog post. If folks have further questions or want to learn more - please feel free to reach out to me and I'm happy to answer further questions. Our teachers are some of the best in the state and this isn't by accident! THEY WORK HARD and hopefully seeing some of this behind the scenes stuff helps folks see just how hard they really do work for our children!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">REMINDER - GORHAM ANTI-RACISM & EQUITY COMMITTEE EAT AND LEARN EVENT IS COMING RIGHT UP ON MARCH 12!</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjqwSlXmBpuS3CaebxP9SahPgTUBrzTHiBjm7SbeqrxJ-nQgAnBCOVmjNV6dau7yY3Yn5UAYdcHUtiqJquWKp8MHZTctRSYoShEJNp3jyyAdVUIXv4ttfFoN_k8RHGDNvUZJyBOPKIAxOP6KkucaBhDUfbA8pgkf_IOzoPf3xJaSD61tzAnlPCRUhjzzw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="1596" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjqwSlXmBpuS3CaebxP9SahPgTUBrzTHiBjm7SbeqrxJ-nQgAnBCOVmjNV6dau7yY3Yn5UAYdcHUtiqJquWKp8MHZTctRSYoShEJNp3jyyAdVUIXv4ttfFoN_k8RHGDNvUZJyBOPKIAxOP6KkucaBhDUfbA8pgkf_IOzoPf3xJaSD61tzAnlPCRUhjzzw=w439-h181" width="439" /></a></div><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">The Gorham Schools Anti-Racism & Equity Committee will be hosting it's 2nd Annual "Eat and Learn" event this coming Tuesday night at GHS at 5:30 p.m.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">The Anti-Racism and Equity Committee and the Community Outreach Equity Subgroup are excited to be hosting the 2nd Annual Eat and Learn. This year, we are looking to showcase, through artistic mediums and expression, the concept of Advocacy. As a committee, we understand the many issues facing students, and how our public understanding of how to be and advocate can enhance a positive learning environment. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">We have invited students to sign up and provide an artistic submission that answers the following question: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><b>When did you need an advocate, or what has been your experience of advocacy? </b>Through any artistic medium including physical art, sculpture, audio/visual, or spoken word.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">We have had some great submissions from students that we can't wait to share. The "Eat and Learn" event will consist of a "gallery walk" where we share these artistic submissions and ask participants to reflect upon their importance. We will have child care and food available for those that would like to come out to "eat and learn" together! </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">If you are interested in attending, please sign up using the link below so we can get an accurate count for food! THANK YOU!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">Sign up link:</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.eventbrite.com/e/second-annual-eat-and-learn-tickets-792577630027&source=gmail&ust=1709995469376000&usg=AOvVaw3yhebfV3BjuA5s6iRjnQMl" href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/second-annual-eat-and-learn-tickets-792577630027" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: times;">https://www.eventbrite.com/e/<wbr></wbr>second-annual-eat-and-learn-<wbr></wbr>tickets-792577630027</span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">COMMUNITY THEATER OPPORTUNITY FOR CHILDREN IN GORHAM</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Gorham Arts Alliance will be working in our community to put on a spring <span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">Production of 13 the Musical Jr. See posting information below as well as flyer for more information about how to get your child involved if they might be interested!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><p></p><div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: courier;">Audition CALL for our Spring Production of 13 the Musical Jr.</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: courier;">Ages 12 -15 welcome to audition – all who register will be cast in the show.</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: courier;">Rehearsal commitment is <a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer;" tabindex="-1"></a>Tues/Thurs 5-8:30 pm</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: courier;">4 Shows 6/14 , 6/15 and 6/16</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: courier;">For more information & to register <a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x1ejq31n xd10rxx x1sy0etr x17r0tee x972fbf xcfux6l x1qhh985 xm0m39n x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1fey0fg" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fforms.gle%2FvEAcPjbqvyKjWFHn8%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR1uktNnB5__d-_ZFSkl7tM5WMbaNI8PHLc2w0NCay4ApRbC-q0WfidOA5o&h=AT0J-4MHKvuOSMj0oID4lUo8IkyyO5qEgCREhK43HnM1YPGhMzOS257FFouoykAgahRWVuTebJOzpm6tqLu90NcoNWHa2B3mxinhRa_tlYNjpWZUFOb3U1Cbs8bZKnQJlXqzdNAvH0XJrBhcQ11RGNIPww&__tn__=-UK-y-R&c[0]=AT3oRc8ihulsrqmSEotAZ8JXER0wYAwpRs_McZaL2TVqDW6rn1jct4s52G-cn4gkJGYP1Lyw3JU6dPH4_ubS_dM4aAVzGysmVDOjdKn4_qvqOflIwF-GUPd8nvTa-iavXP7vxxWToHr2-XZNMqOrEt_5Cn1l4xsRAi21Erng1d9r2uEFqpkxNz57Hd-7a-82PjAV4QY4yASKPGw6i7mFKO6hKGeBoMiP7yrH" rel="nofollow noreferrer" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://forms.gle/vEAcPjbqvyKjWFHn8</a></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: courier;">Music & Lyrics by</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: courier;">Jason Robert Brown</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: courier;">Book by</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: courier;">Dan Elish and Robert Horn</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: courier;">Director & Choreographer</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: courier;">Kristi Grand</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: courier;">Music Director</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: courier;">Diane Hancock</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: courier;">13 JR. is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized materials are supplied by Music Theatre International, New York, NY</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: courier;">(212) 541-4684 <a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x1ejq31n xd10rxx x1sy0etr x17r0tee x972fbf xcfux6l x1qhh985 xm0m39n x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1fey0fg" href="http://mtishows.com/?fbclid=IwAR1Kkoc0DnHwkaQuERyh395RsguKkzAQSlGOXIfrsJYuJM9GvDtqDCJ_ffM" rel="nofollow noreferrer" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">mtishows.com</a></span></div></div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiryws9sfpSn6YsLb5J1Limm-2VDsrgv7nEDIYBEHzf5-wWIa8FfOMqNOo3RfRrOR0mJ8zLfzVRQ_sFnrKbnAD5j6CAV0OUWZWa4-nYnopr9mNGxM3VL8fIYbSSsKHFfZNadduf1n_hIT75BwvPq34HesLrd5bnK_mdXUp5-9WAc_wa9ESWpAyKeQVDiDE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="720" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiryws9sfpSn6YsLb5J1Limm-2VDsrgv7nEDIYBEHzf5-wWIa8FfOMqNOo3RfRrOR0mJ8zLfzVRQ_sFnrKbnAD5j6CAV0OUWZWa4-nYnopr9mNGxM3VL8fIYbSSsKHFfZNadduf1n_hIT75BwvPq34HesLrd5bnK_mdXUp5-9WAc_wa9ESWpAyKeQVDiDE=w613-h345" width="613" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">CONGRATULATIONS TO LAURIE CHIASSON (NARRAGANSETT) - ELEMENTARY ART TEACHER OF THE YEAR! </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg59ibnvj1ayZ2imTayzSNfOXruo0tQtbqRcGNj5ILnT6JFH-9jqP6FyffV-YT9OQi_jeqLAnFqidudp3OsfHHayM293Nt4rdtrtYcY_E1VuOKAybIlyy1gjXuw7IvSw52_JC_8CRHbQ0j_o9kb80tdF8uIXYfWmihA0Nwgj5Xrfwi9p2u8m1rejVNne4U" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="302" data-original-width="244" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg59ibnvj1ayZ2imTayzSNfOXruo0tQtbqRcGNj5ILnT6JFH-9jqP6FyffV-YT9OQi_jeqLAnFqidudp3OsfHHayM293Nt4rdtrtYcY_E1VuOKAybIlyy1gjXuw7IvSw52_JC_8CRHbQ0j_o9kb80tdF8uIXYfWmihA0Nwgj5Xrfwi9p2u8m1rejVNne4U=w148-h184" width="148" /></a></div><br /></span></b></div><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">The Maine Art Education Association Awards & Recognitions Committee is pleased to announce that Narragansett Art Teacher Laurie Chiasson is being recognized as the </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">2024 MAEA Elementary Art Educator of the Year!</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Laurie's commitment and dedication to the continued advancement of art education in Maine is to be commended and Narragansett is proud that Mrs.Chiasson shares her gifts and talents with our students!</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">CONGRATULATIONS LAURIE!</span></p><p>That is it for this blog post...will see you again on March 22nd! Have a great weekend everyone!</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Heather Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902747451985096596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2916890148299174047.post-66698161574788712902024-02-16T11:16:00.000-08:002024-02-16T11:16:52.999-08:00February 16 Blog Post<p>The February break is here. I hope staff all take that all important time to "turn off" and recharge. I hope that our students and our families enjoy some quality time together over the break making memories together whether they stay at home or go on a trip. Time together as a family is just so precious ENJOY!</p><p>Our schools have been busy these past few weeks! Check out just some of the photos below to get a sense of the great energy across all of our schools! 😊 GO RAMS!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhpVPnTgkZGjabtgWF2Nux8UiVdOAPsKALXm-QbvWsAhmmAQg-Xaa-WiJTbiP9WQGRNecCzxHnASxZTudDTDyeb08KijjPQjXOTxYF_wOelir9CDRUKosZOS-j-kOhAaRehrRslnECVxnVYybYwOskfSZWBSMkTkG_uTQfh9WLblSn_BJNXrh3cP3bW7c" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="573" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhpVPnTgkZGjabtgWF2Nux8UiVdOAPsKALXm-QbvWsAhmmAQg-Xaa-WiJTbiP9WQGRNecCzxHnASxZTudDTDyeb08KijjPQjXOTxYF_wOelir9CDRUKosZOS-j-kOhAaRehrRslnECVxnVYybYwOskfSZWBSMkTkG_uTQfh9WLblSn_BJNXrh3cP3bW7c=w573-h573" width="573" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjexQstvLWLr1k_VY3LG19lOO8fsYI5Kp5HmnaeA0M85tfOTBwQbvumGujTogCbK1fTLwWYyDqn4H9wDdjp4TxiTpSJhXvyZaG0RyhLeW2rLf0mpvwcjrwNieVHfmhJ6mFc3TYzpAp-MWWIbkRvJlxcwQ_7aPV-vW8amNIsXRnJImJmRv8yc1IDlPxD2G4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="567" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjexQstvLWLr1k_VY3LG19lOO8fsYI5Kp5HmnaeA0M85tfOTBwQbvumGujTogCbK1fTLwWYyDqn4H9wDdjp4TxiTpSJhXvyZaG0RyhLeW2rLf0mpvwcjrwNieVHfmhJ6mFc3TYzpAp-MWWIbkRvJlxcwQ_7aPV-vW8amNIsXRnJImJmRv8yc1IDlPxD2G4=w567-h567" width="567" /></a></div></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">UNDERSTANDING PUBLIC SCHOOLS VIDEO 2 (of 4) </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">READY TO VIEW!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhIHNyeIXE0IhQV4AoRFggsiJ1Js-9KnntI-wLXCfLVyXrvNfjD8mrbpi4H1-CWGxMoc0adWZ-YIbJCS-jcsgmOoL9F_MZh0B0DjOzx8cNzdLXx87xNeM_GHeJ-mMbKT01yGIz8WgAck75jiFcfF3b2PmimO7jtoOp3ej7sGfkO1Qqk4BviGubtT9arbI0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="1838" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhIHNyeIXE0IhQV4AoRFggsiJ1Js-9KnntI-wLXCfLVyXrvNfjD8mrbpi4H1-CWGxMoc0adWZ-YIbJCS-jcsgmOoL9F_MZh0B0DjOzx8cNzdLXx87xNeM_GHeJ-mMbKT01yGIz8WgAck75jiFcfF3b2PmimO7jtoOp3ej7sGfkO1Qqk4BviGubtT9arbI0=w439-h212" width="439" /></a></div><br /></div></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Folks can look back at my Feb. 2 Blog Post to get the background on this video series and why they are being created and shared. Bottom line - the first video was very informative and the second one is even better! ☺</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The topic for the 2nd video is "Understanding School Governance" with special community champion guest Kathy Garrard! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you want to better understand how decisions are made in public schools - you should definitely watch! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thank you to Kathy Garrard for being our guest and thank you to our incredible team at GoCAT TV right here in Gorham for producing! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">VIDEO LINK: <a href="https://vimeo.com/911334505/6966fbb2c1?share=copy">Understanding Public Schools - School Governance</a>.</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">FIRST DRAFT OF PROPOSED FY 25 SCHOOL BUDGET PRESENTED TO GORHAM SCHOOL COMMITTEE.</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjSKgvZarvi-pxsKgswDxgVzb9dofkDlEjC4FfWmznUklREkr71XzV22ILqjr0ZRc4qg5-2C1kESqmj640t-fZqdo9sLPHtUvCzn7IGNNScmhcAfBdLTlnOIIq0xsZu6xolxKYbu8yN2qJ1vFU2e0C7OPtwDR46YBJbFZFpJNYoDpompcRZEeqjbq9Ws8M" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjSKgvZarvi-pxsKgswDxgVzb9dofkDlEjC4FfWmznUklREkr71XzV22ILqjr0ZRc4qg5-2C1kESqmj640t-fZqdo9sLPHtUvCzn7IGNNScmhcAfBdLTlnOIIq0xsZu6xolxKYbu8yN2qJ1vFU2e0C7OPtwDR46YBJbFZFpJNYoDpompcRZEeqjbq9Ws8M" width="240" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The first draft of our proposed FY 25 budget was shared with the Gorham School Committee earlier this afternoon. This is JUST THE FIRST STEP in a long and thorough process that will ultimately culminate with a proposed budget vote by the School Committee at their regular meeting in April, followed by a vote by the Town Council in May and a referendum vote by our community in June.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have linked the budget timeline <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uhApSSCBdz98c6d9KdSKrPSkoi4UNM_7Vrs3S0LVBvE/edit?usp=drive_link">HERE</a> for viewing as a reminder. All budget workshop meetings of the School committee will be live streamed this year for the public to view and then recorded and archived on both the Town's website and the Gorham School's website for reference by the voters. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The School Committee is getting their first look at the proposed budget today. Their next task will be to review the proposed budget in detail - all 92 pages - and to pose questions to School Administration that will be answered at their first budget workshop meeting scheduled for March 4, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At this first budget workshop meeting we will present the School Committee with a broad overview of the proposed budget, answer questions they may have, work to establish specific criteria and targets that they would like to meet and then maneuver the first draft budget proposal from there over the course of the next several budget workshop meetings.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You can <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cSroeqQd97fVAGmfFhBDUkoWmxr_hIRgKb7inMsb4r4/edit?usp=drive_link">CLICK HERE</a> to view the School Committee FY 25 proposed budget booklet in its entirety. There is A LOT of information contained within these 92 pages, but the transmittal letter in the very front provides a nice overview if you are looking for a summary to start with. The table of contents for each section is hyper linked for easy navigation. I am happy to answer questions from staff or the public as we go so feel free to email me at heather.perry@gorhamschools.org with any questions you may have. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Again, there is much that will change with this proposed budget over the course of the next month or more. I will continue to provide updates and overviews of important information as we go along through the process. You can <a href="https://www.gorham-me.org/gorham-government-education-television">CLICK HERE</a> to go to the GoCAT TV site for live streaming and recording of videos and you can <a href="https://www.gorhamschools.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=456522&type=d&pREC_ID=1150991">CLICK HERE</a> to view links regarding our FY 25 budget approval process on our website. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">K-5 ATTENDANCE ZONE CHANGES UPDATE</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhq7gwlzdcDZN3afaZarNIAkU7kxguhauO741kfDqV2cMzuN5mpvQKGffP1W7o3hpRsHmiiernA24-pSzeRdtKlQIqAdGBojrFDaskVf8PReYOGQpx6NVZYLSgqPfXSTB7NhlxzcjypvZZ0pxba_I5DzvZoFjMFX6E-0hyIzWoRBPl_M5RNFmWxaQysK_o" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="221" data-original-width="228" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhq7gwlzdcDZN3afaZarNIAkU7kxguhauO741kfDqV2cMzuN5mpvQKGffP1W7o3hpRsHmiiernA24-pSzeRdtKlQIqAdGBojrFDaskVf8PReYOGQpx6NVZYLSgqPfXSTB7NhlxzcjypvZZ0pxba_I5DzvZoFjMFX6E-0hyIzWoRBPl_M5RNFmWxaQysK_o" width="248" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On Feb. 7, 2024 the Gorham School Committee voted to move forward with a shift in attendance zones that will be effective when school opens in the fall of 2024. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Interested individuals that want to view the discussion that took place at this meeting can <a href="https://view.earthchannel.com/PlayerController.aspx?&PGD=gorhamme&eID=624">CLICK HERE</a> to view. The public comment section of the meeting starts around minute 24 of the meeting. The presentation, discussion, and vote of the School Committee on the agenda item regarding the attendance zone shift can be found at approximately the 1 hour and 5 minute mark of the meeting recording.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At this point, all families who are impacted by this vote have been communicated with directly by our incredible building Principals. If you haven't heard from either Mrs. Fortier or Mrs. Mezzanotte then you are not an impacted family.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A reminder that there will be an open informational meeting for impacted families to learn more about process and next steps on the following evenings, hosted by our building principals:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- February 27 at 5:30 p.m. at Great Falls Elementary School</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- February 29 at 5:30 p.m. at Village Elementary School.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Specific transition activities will occur and be hosted by Principal Eppler at Narragansett Elementary School starting in April. I know she and her team have some incredible ideas in mind for making sure that this transition will go as smoothly as possible. Please know that our principals, myself and our entire student support services teams will be walking shoulder to shoulder with families as we navigate this transition together.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">2024-2025 SCHOOL CALENDAR APPROVED</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi14mDpcKVoWA-GxoF4un_8svD7_02bdkFe_sDkCEPB_2LHGI596a11C_TKbBJuvh7bVKPSHNjDJQltq1HLe-LqFVxaIQFZYZFsQwimMMTdF9wPLqpsoTjmnwP8ecJrDhrtIRzxvxtil-BUTsn4dGH7ZrGsr8f6GKAHcckiLKqw8ZtafneQSszadamlLi0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="137" data-original-width="368" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi14mDpcKVoWA-GxoF4un_8svD7_02bdkFe_sDkCEPB_2LHGI596a11C_TKbBJuvh7bVKPSHNjDJQltq1HLe-LqFVxaIQFZYZFsQwimMMTdF9wPLqpsoTjmnwP8ecJrDhrtIRzxvxtil-BUTsn4dGH7ZrGsr8f6GKAHcckiLKqw8ZtafneQSszadamlLi0" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">For those of you that like to get a head start on planning for the coming year, I wanted to let families know that the Gorham School Committee approved of the 2024-2025 School Calendar at its last meeting on February 7. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">You can<a href="https://www.gorhamschools.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=456674&type=d&pREC_ID=990360"> CLICK HERE</a> to view. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The vast majority of the school calendar remains similar to previous years. We have 8 total early release days this coming year which is what we have had for many years. We will also be starting students just a little before the Labor Day holiday in order to "step in" students slowly to the routines of the school year as well as to provide needed time for us to conduct Kindergarten screening and other onboarding activities for students. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The biggest change was in moving one of our professional development days for staff from the opening of school to a new date in October (10/11) in order to allow us to have some shared Professional Development opportunities with other school systems in our region. We hope this small change will really help to amplify and strengthen our already strong professional development opportunities for our teachers, especially our specialists who often don't have many opportunities to receive training with their job alike partners (art, music, PE, Speech, OT, counselors, etc.).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">If you have any questions regarding the school calendar. Please reach out!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">NORTHERN FORCE ROBOTICS PROGRAM</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhP9tE9GYCqpqQhCc6gqSXtMjz0GUbesCWKMdPRQvdmfo07mUcuRxJFlVZo5NMzIav37dbX9Mw_nAhq-cZ5nf1KRzZbI-FubjBp8VuzonC1pBw9_wTXZCYcJVhk7Q0KCKCrNV3XNirusA8p43mbfQ-6_m7OX7Y7YmyKDuMDhaER1zb2LlOYwf67knTL8tw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhP9tE9GYCqpqQhCc6gqSXtMjz0GUbesCWKMdPRQvdmfo07mUcuRxJFlVZo5NMzIav37dbX9Mw_nAhq-cZ5nf1KRzZbI-FubjBp8VuzonC1pBw9_wTXZCYcJVhk7Q0KCKCrNV3XNirusA8p43mbfQ-6_m7OX7Y7YmyKDuMDhaER1zb2LlOYwf67knTL8tw" width="240" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">You may not already know that Gorham High School, in collaboration with Falmouth High School, operates a full fledged robotics program! GO RAMS! Students from this program gave an excellent presentation to the Gorham School Committee at their most recent February 7th meeting. It is most definitely worth the watch to learn more about the program and the incredible skills our students are learning via their participation!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">You can<a href="https://view.earthchannel.com/PlayerController.aspx?&PGD=gorhamme&eID=624"> CLICK HERE</a> to view the recording of the presentation. It is at about the 2 min. 10 second mark!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">MARCH 5 REMOTE LEARNING DAY REMINDER FOR GMS AND GREAT FALLS SCHOOLS!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjliQjwasKeqU7fEN3KiBgRPgFJ13rFYs02AF8HaB-EyHn0qxFh136pwDc1moOqrKBL8kfwXt_Pk1qbTEWBRkHJmE1lLojBi92m8woGX27duJXJL4rgwJdJLHHlQlO19I02rlncxbi5oPPRbP7eg6XRDPBcordvassMJY66l_nx91kqzRp9lkKaajSzVhM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="263" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjliQjwasKeqU7fEN3KiBgRPgFJ13rFYs02AF8HaB-EyHn0qxFh136pwDc1moOqrKBL8kfwXt_Pk1qbTEWBRkHJmE1lLojBi92m8woGX27duJXJL4rgwJdJLHHlQlO19I02rlncxbi5oPPRbP7eg6XRDPBcordvassMJY66l_nx91kqzRp9lkKaajSzVhM" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">I won't be publishing another blog until March 8 - so wanted to get one final reminder out there to families that <u style="background-color: #fcff01;">March 5, 2024 WILL BE A REMOTE LEARNING DAY for students attending Gorham Middle School and Great Falls Elementary School.</u> This is due to the fact that these two schools are used as public polling locations in our community.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Information has either already gone out or will go out to families directly from each school letting you know what to expect for learning expectations on this day. Families from GMS and Great Falls who may have signed up for remote day lunches will have their meals sent home with students on the day before (3/4/24). Please reach out to either Mr. Donahue or Mrs. Fortier if you have questions.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Students who attend our other schools - Village Elementary, Narragansett Elementary, and Gorham High School will have school as normal on this day.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">FEBRUARY ASPIRE NEWSLETTER READY TO VIEW!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCIg9DdKg02760VwDebqSptu6eLbThZ6D8VFsVLn7YcGsray_ijorzTbAMiYNjq1Sz9b3zKU6pDxmNeGC_fzZVgBpvXvdQE6p1k3t3zvTGSXFRubjCFcJ1xoUDQQCSaMa5Py0eh33c-_UoJxLoYOzif8tEg-8KasJSsTAXvgmLkOPuHS9M1zz4lzHjEoM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="418" data-original-width="2126" height="63" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCIg9DdKg02760VwDebqSptu6eLbThZ6D8VFsVLn7YcGsray_ijorzTbAMiYNjq1Sz9b3zKU6pDxmNeGC_fzZVgBpvXvdQE6p1k3t3zvTGSXFRubjCFcJ1xoUDQQCSaMa5Py0eh33c-_UoJxLoYOzif8tEg-8KasJSsTAXvgmLkOPuHS9M1zz4lzHjEoM" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tD-1E9_1BlyDeTkrDXt73uV_nvABzd30/view?usp=sharing">CLICK HERE</a> to view the February edition of the Aspire Gorham newsletter to find out what incredible things are happening in our schools around career aspirations for our students across all grades! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Remember - EVERYONE has a future story! Our Aspire work makes sure that our students are thinking about theirs and that our instructional programming is making sure to <b>EXPOSE</b> students across grades PK-5 to these various future stories and making sure our students in grades 6-10 are able to more deeply <b>EXPLORE</b> these stories and finally, our Aspire program makes sure students in grades 9-12 are able to <b>EXPERIENCE</b> these stories!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Thank you to our business partners for making this work possible for our students in Gorham!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Check it out - it is most certainly worth the read!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">GHS THEATER PRESENTS RADIUM GIRLS IN MARCH!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">If you were impressed (as I was) of our GHS student's most recent presentation of Mamma Mia, then you will be impressed with this next performance!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The GHS theater will present its performance of Radium Girls by DW Gregory coming up in March. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Shows will be on March 1st and March 2nd at 7:30 p.m. and then a matinee on Sunday, Marcy 3rd at 2:00 p.m. all at the Gorham High School Performing Arts Center. Tickets are sold at the door and will be $5.00 each for Gorham students and $10.00 each for Adults! Break a leg Rams!😉. Check out the flyer below for details!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiawP03GjiiKpknKMpS_3tVYlCCJ9dsM8j7bMgMsqssmjEQ-L9urUV65QYF3AHHXufD716sRWjtRbLMNWHR-_-WG0MQp9RflARRbH9XFNzCkCMMORmqB6WD300iuPzuZ9FtTxOBJj5vum6oNtXZ3leblSFonjyrRrg9beBDcNjZeETEDvowCpeqtZzhdBw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1224" data-original-width="792" height="633" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiawP03GjiiKpknKMpS_3tVYlCCJ9dsM8j7bMgMsqssmjEQ-L9urUV65QYF3AHHXufD716sRWjtRbLMNWHR-_-WG0MQp9RflARRbH9XFNzCkCMMORmqB6WD300iuPzuZ9FtTxOBJj5vum6oNtXZ3leblSFonjyrRrg9beBDcNjZeETEDvowCpeqtZzhdBw=w408-h633" width="408" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">CODE OF CONDUCT COMMUNITY TALKS ANNOUNCED!</span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">The Code of Conduct Committee has been working all year to "refresh" our current Code of Conduct across all schools to make sure that this incredible document that has helped to guide our schools for the past 20 years continues to be relevant and lead our school's expectations into the next 20 years!</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">If you need a refresher on our school's Code of Conduct, <a href="https://1.cdn.edl.io/UZRqpQCKPIV2XwkMNVsQbj05CHGCpmzN8AtrlQe1ZKEzUtxE.pdf" style="color: #2288bb; text-decoration-line: none;">CLICK HERE</a>. If you need a refresher on the Code of Conduct Committee's purpose and work overview -<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1naMn4wXoItGoDjF4fGZ_7zi9H6-J_LcQeDyV0D36T0k/edit?usp=sharing" style="color: #2288bb; text-decoration-line: none;"> CLICK HERE</a>. To view Committee membership, <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1V_ek1czzeLKX0HJKYpb6LRzrcmv54JBWTHZeF7gQKnc/edit?usp=sharing" style="color: #2288bb; text-decoration-line: none;">CLICK HERE</a>. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">We have done some great work to gather initial data and themes and now we are seeking direct community feedback on our work. <u>Check out the flyer below and mark your calendars to attend</u>! Last opportunity will be coming up on Feb. 26!</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhv-1SFpew2D7Nl89ktvSezPZZiIwbuyjTZtjWCrxy741d082CM-rvq_RRIszzyccteFizbRI_QAm-yPKCKF_-8NJCiTK7FY8Rb-Rk4FSO5X-NfozxbQ4j-6B4uoZ6_i1hwLyvp4QHW6jEwy2nVJXPjTG1OlikeMy4Ucuiet1bMr9-XWhS6WrIgHGKodJI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="482" height="632" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhv-1SFpew2D7Nl89ktvSezPZZiIwbuyjTZtjWCrxy741d082CM-rvq_RRIszzyccteFizbRI_QAm-yPKCKF_-8NJCiTK7FY8Rb-Rk4FSO5X-NfozxbQ4j-6B4uoZ6_i1hwLyvp4QHW6jEwy2nVJXPjTG1OlikeMy4Ucuiet1bMr9-XWhS6WrIgHGKodJI=w488-h632" width="488" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">WANT TO WATCH GORHAM ATHLETICS DURING THE BREAK?</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJFoLDp-yxtXUB0q4eq-Hs1eZmCpaQdJvOJDIwBDJUrJaN0F7vlThgCvnZF1CvofIHGL6fLNHKTzR70lG8_CyzEdqNsXvRsqQRaTF9OV6DGWi9QAesrf2GsObEc6YstvKQFnSfjWdisutrj7bLb79tvvJRlQ1HnkyYiUpaDzozoXTa-ePA6pkJ5Ve3Eoc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJFoLDp-yxtXUB0q4eq-Hs1eZmCpaQdJvOJDIwBDJUrJaN0F7vlThgCvnZF1CvofIHGL6fLNHKTzR70lG8_CyzEdqNsXvRsqQRaTF9OV6DGWi9QAesrf2GsObEc6YstvKQFnSfjWdisutrj7bLb79tvvJRlQ1HnkyYiUpaDzozoXTa-ePA6pkJ5Ve3Eoc" width="240" /></a></div><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>All of our winter teams this year have done very well and so they'll be very active this coming week. Below is a summary message sent by our talented athletic director Tim Spear summarizing what to expect for the coming week:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">February vacation!!!! Well this is a great time for HS sports!</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">1st I want to congratulate both the Cheering team and the Girls Ice Hockey team. There seasons have concluded and both teams did fantastic. Cheering went from not competing last year to runner up at SMAA Championship, 3rd at Regionals, and 6th at States. Great job!!</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Girls Ice Hockey had another fantastic season falling just short Cheverus (BOOO!) in the Regional Championship game this past wednesday! Great job by both teams, way to get the play-off season started!!</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Big week coming up!</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Boys hockey will finish its regular season, while other teams compete for their respective championships.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">A busy Monday will have Indoor Track at USM and Boys swim at Bowdoin College competing for State championships! I know both teams have very high expectations!</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Tuesday, Girls swim compete for a state championship at Bowdoin College! Again, high expectations.<br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Wednesday, Girls Basketball will play Sanford in the AA South Semifinals, 8:45pm at the Cross Arena</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Thursday, Boys Basketball will play Deering in the AA Semi-Finals, 8:45pm at Cross Arena.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Basketball Regional finals will be Saturday 2/24 at 7/8:45!<br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Again High expectations for all!!</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Good Luck this week!!<br /><br /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">MONTHLY REPORT TO TOWN COUNCIL</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKANS1ESpprlTeDqOyWnJGG32ZeqIc43Ae76dR_FrvT2JoS8HLtil-UmLNHSzW1YmgCUv9WN_uSOA1Z4GUeCYcNycS4D3kyLltHuLx28_6SxkIJ1OjpjUoxKT9v73yp6fwCJdy3x_aBHjtH7OJopfC-06Lkk3fwyG2Ucl0GjUGheEGawVgNKzVBDDK0Ao" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="526" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKANS1ESpprlTeDqOyWnJGG32ZeqIc43Ae76dR_FrvT2JoS8HLtil-UmLNHSzW1YmgCUv9WN_uSOA1Z4GUeCYcNycS4D3kyLltHuLx28_6SxkIJ1OjpjUoxKT9v73yp6fwCJdy3x_aBHjtH7OJopfC-06Lkk3fwyG2Ucl0GjUGheEGawVgNKzVBDDK0Ao" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;">Each month the chair of the Gorham School Committee reports out an update to the Gorham Town Council. Below, please find a copy of that report with some great information - some of it you may <span style="font-family: times;">already be aware of...but repetition is always good!😊</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-6178cfe5-7fff-39fa-056c-7ab732404490"><span style="font-family: times;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Town Council Report – Feb 6, 2024</span></p><br /><br /><ol style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; margin-left: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Code of Conduct</span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">:</span><span style="color: black; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">The Gorham Schools will be hosting two community conversations regarding our Code of Conduct. One is happening as I speak, and a second meeting will be held on Feb. 26 at 6:30 p.m. at the GMS library. We are looking to "refresh" our Code of Conduct to make sure it lasts another 20 years in our schools and remains as relevant then as it is today. Please see the Superintendent's blog post of Feb. 2 which is linked to our district website for details.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; margin-left: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Anti-Racism and Equity</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">: The Gorham Schools' Anti-Racism & Equity Committee will be hosting an "Eat and Learn" event on March 12 at 5:30 p.m. The theme of this event will be the importance of advocacy. The event will be structured as a gallery walk of artistic submissions of our students on the topic of advocacy. Participants will review the artwork presented by students and then have an opportunity to share feedback and themes from the artwork. More details to come.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; margin-left: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Remote Learning Day</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">: </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">A reminder that March 5 will be a remote learning day for students attending Gorham Middle School and Great Falls Elementary School, due to the use of these schools as polling locations that day. Information will be sent home to families from each school with specific expectations for remote learning on this day. All other students attending GHS, Village, and Narragansett will attend school as usual.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; margin-left: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Budget</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">:</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;"> The School Committee will begin Budget workshop meetings soon and will plan to share summaries following each meeting, to help members of the Town Council and the public to follow along as easily as possible. Here’s a reminder of key dates in the budget process. Those in bold directly involve the Town Council as well. </span></p></li></ol><ul style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Friday, February 16, 2024- Superintendent delivers proposed budget to School Committee</span></p></li></ul><ul style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Monday, March 4, 2024 – SC Budget Workshop Mtg. #1 </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Monday, March 11, 2024 – SC Budget Workshop Mtg. #2</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Monday, March 18, 2024 – SC Budget Workshop Mtg. #3 </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Monday, March 25, 2024 – SC Budget Workshop Mtg. #4 </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Monday, April 1, 2024 – SC Budget Workshop Mtg. #5 </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Wednesday, April 10, 2024 – School Committee votes to approve FY 25 Budget</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Wednesday, April 17, 2024 – FY 25 Proposed School Budget Delivered to Town Manager </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Tuesday, April 23, 2024 – FY 25 Budget Workshop with Town Council, 6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Tuesday, May 7, 2024 - FY 25 Budget Workshop follow up with Town Council, 5:30 p.m. - IF NEEDED</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Tuesday, May 14, 2024 – Public Hearing on FY 25 Municipal Budget (Including School Budget) and Town Council Vote, 6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Tuesday, June 11, 2024 – Public Referendum on FY 25 School Budget</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 18pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">As a reminder, all school budget workshops are open to the public. </span></p><ol start="5" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; margin-left: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">GHS Theater Production</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">:</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;"> GHS Theater is performing Mamma Mia! Remaining shows are Feb. 9th and 10th at 7:00 p.m. and February 11 at 2:00 p.m. at GHS performing arts center. Again, check out the Superintendent's blog post for Feb. 2 for details on how to get tickets online - or you can also purchase at the door!</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; margin-left: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Unified Basketball:</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;"> If you haven’t seen a game, we highly recommend checking out this great athletic event. Upcoming games are:</span></p></li></ol><ul style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Thursday February 8 HOME vs Bonny Eagle 3:30 PM</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Thursday February 15 AT Scarborough 3:30 PM</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Tuesday February 27 AT Windham 3:30 PM</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Thursday February 29 HOME vs Deering 3:30 PM</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Thursday March 5 AT Westbrook 3:30 PM</span></p></li></ul><ol start="7" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; margin-left: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">National School Counselor Appreciation Week</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">: </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;"> Our school counselors are part of the glue that holds us all together. They work to help families and children navigate some of the most difficult and challenging experiences in their lives. They care passionately for the children they serve, and Gorham has some of the BEST IN THE BUSINESS! </span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 18pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">THANK YOU...</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 18pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">- Betsy Anastasoff, Trisha Cherry, Kate Stevens and Samantha Teixeira (GHS)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 18pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">- Emma Ambrose and Heather Richards (GMS)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 14pt; margin-left: 18pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">- Debra Leone and Sawyer (PK-5), Ellen Berry (GF), Rachel Dunbar (Nar.), and Becky Hayward (Village).</span></p><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Any questions, please feel free to reach out: </span><a href="mailto:Sarah.Perkins@gorhamschools.org" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Sarah.Perkins@gorhamschools.org</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">That's it for this rendition of my blog post! I am going to take the February Break off, so the next post will be on March 6! Have a great break everyone! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /></div><p><br /><br /></p>Heather Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902747451985096596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2916890148299174047.post-71385613937807950542024-02-02T07:03:00.000-08:002024-02-05T04:19:22.045-08:00February 2 Blog Post<p>We are out of the month of January! Forty seven more days until spring...but who is counting, really? ☺</p><p>Our winter athletic teams are doing great! GHS theater students are putting on Mama Mia at the MPAC, Read Across America is next week in our elementary schools, and our schools just generally continue to "buzz" with the wonderful sounds of learning! Check out the pictures below to give you just a snapshot of the fun (had to do TWO series as there were just too many pictures to share this time)! </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCIEe6EMo4MLwTo44uviU7K_glMc-sUsOoY9h-qWk4QKZyPhp7z2kh2OP0R_bfluBR3plq7nu4oKjggHo4TvtMA7EoRmHioWoUqrCFlY55ub7irBLW2b0lI6PkoI3HMFdjNvQVVQBqogRnYDmx3sHEdvl_8XWiMcBljcsRUx_ob3G7XrXz6pMow0DiMyY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCIEe6EMo4MLwTo44uviU7K_glMc-sUsOoY9h-qWk4QKZyPhp7z2kh2OP0R_bfluBR3plq7nu4oKjggHo4TvtMA7EoRmHioWoUqrCFlY55ub7irBLW2b0lI6PkoI3HMFdjNvQVVQBqogRnYDmx3sHEdvl_8XWiMcBljcsRUx_ob3G7XrXz6pMow0DiMyY=w554-h554" width="554" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhdXtr0qBs8X7ib_FsahjDD3YLeZqKDvVBSLgWp9vs8_XkkjK0I2QZ2m5nKhVbJ0UEgvtX9485J0cmcwVMLfn7oRYmKGA7eF1vVawEuv5Wx3FOnZDORMEYDOOxDcOWeXJCnNKnlouJeUIiAiu_h0lNuwllFMmlHvYybCkaySt_s9lo3zbheWZAB7TdJ0po" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="549" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhdXtr0qBs8X7ib_FsahjDD3YLeZqKDvVBSLgWp9vs8_XkkjK0I2QZ2m5nKhVbJ0UEgvtX9485J0cmcwVMLfn7oRYmKGA7eF1vVawEuv5Wx3FOnZDORMEYDOOxDcOWeXJCnNKnlouJeUIiAiu_h0lNuwllFMmlHvYybCkaySt_s9lo3zbheWZAB7TdJ0po=w549-h549" width="549" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">GO RAMS! Now, on to the information to share!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">GHS THEATER PRESENTS MAMMA MIA! </span></b></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">GHS theater students opened up Mamma Mia last night to a great opening night...but don't worry - there are still plenty of shows to see! Be sure to get out to at least one showing! Plus, there is no shame in going to multiple nights - its just that good!☺ Check out the flyer below for details on schedule and how to get your tickets today!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.eventbrite.com/o/gorham-high-school-musical-53187805553&source=gmail&ust=1706927677861000&usg=AOvVaw14yeEEHE2D_oHmsJprukEt" href="https://www.eventbrite.com/o/gorham-high-school-musical-53187805553" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">TICKET LINK </span></b></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7tAu6kU37nWLX9W7Iv5EJ6exwUmBE1OmPSWzEQ1VrnFG_jG15fJyU_6mhk3Kb5sTjTE6Y4grl3kAMqmVknYmNzfmDx47QV9pJcVqQ3PpyODxRMh5-VG_BksiTj1rQCWaLNWqaCBAsyYMzS2h3kCQjqvlMYs-fsV7q-qKOI5qbd6nELq9QR23nTbt2vD0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1224" data-original-width="792" height="737" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7tAu6kU37nWLX9W7Iv5EJ6exwUmBE1OmPSWzEQ1VrnFG_jG15fJyU_6mhk3Kb5sTjTE6Y4grl3kAMqmVknYmNzfmDx47QV9pJcVqQ3PpyODxRMh5-VG_BksiTj1rQCWaLNWqaCBAsyYMzS2h3kCQjqvlMYs-fsV7q-qKOI5qbd6nELq9QR23nTbt2vD0=w477-h737" width="477" /></a></div><br /><br /></div></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">UNDERSTANDING PUBLIC SCHOOLS VIDEO 1 (of 4) </span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">READY TO VIEW!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiBBoo_G_vZHM2toY6_UKoE9OE2ZN6A2gmvpXebugQ_S9J7PvXS8cRhhn5Jsphy1veimJPkQSICT7Xs7KIEf0TZK5Obhi9oiAjuThdbCT96tSZT-bBdutJqXezsCSkHOXd9UCsJcy71m4WHro-TY-s1-igMtYqygt36vBsjfyjGvxiqTNtMqbFkgqI-v-4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="1000" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiBBoo_G_vZHM2toY6_UKoE9OE2ZN6A2gmvpXebugQ_S9J7PvXS8cRhhn5Jsphy1veimJPkQSICT7Xs7KIEf0TZK5Obhi9oiAjuThdbCT96tSZT-bBdutJqXezsCSkHOXd9UCsJcy71m4WHro-TY-s1-igMtYqygt36vBsjfyjGvxiqTNtMqbFkgqI-v-4=w400-h209" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>One of the things that became clear during our difficult budget approval processes last summer was that as a school system we needed to do a better job of providing information to our community about what our schools do, how they are governed, what finances look like, and how schools are different today than they were even 10-15 years ago. In other words, we had to do a better job at educating our community about our schools!</p><p>How do we do this? That became the next big question! We already have social media accounts for our district, and for individual schools and programs. We already have our website. We already send home weekly communications to our families. We already tell our stories - What more could we do and who do we need to communicate better with?</p><p>That's when we turned to our friends at GoCAT TV right here in Gorham! We hatched a few ideas and topics, Georgia and her crew provided feedback and we came up with the idea to produce a 4 part video series aimed at helping our community to better understand our public schools. More specifically, the purpose of this video series is to dig more deeply into understandings of what our public schools do, why they do it, and how much it costs to do this important work to benefit our community!</p><p>With this overall purpose in mind, we brainstormed 4 key themes. Those are:</p><p><b><u>Theme #1</u></b> - Public Schools in the 21st Century. How are they the same and how are they different than schools just 15-20+ years ago?</p><p><b><u>Theme #2 </u></b>- Public School Governance. How are public schools governed in Gorham and why?</p><p><b><u>Theme #3</u></b> - Public Schools and Public Funding. How are public schools funded in Gorham?</p><p><b><u>Theme #4</u></b> - Public Schools in the Future. What do we see for our Gorham Schools 10, 15, 20+ years out and how are we planning for this vision?</p><p>For each theme, we plan on inviting a community "champion" to ask specific questions of myself and the schools which we hope will provide a deeper insight into the identified themes from a community member's perspective. </p><p>Each theme's recording is planned for approximately 30 minutes, although this first one is a little longer. Once the video is recorded, we'll blast it out on the school's and town's website and social media for broad viewing by the public.</p><p><u>The FIRST VIDEO is available for viewing.</u> Please click on the link below to view and feel free to send along any feedback that might help improve future recordings to heather.perry@gorhamschools.org.</p><p>THANK YOU to Georgia Humphries and her GoCAT crew for their work on recording this video and future videos in the series. THANK YOU to USM President Jackie Edmondson for her willingness to be our first "champion" and to share her expertise and perspective on how public schools operate in the 21st century. I think folks will find this video and future videos in the series informative. </p><p>Video #2 on the topic of school governance is due to be produced sometime before the end of February - so stay tuned for more then!</p><p><b>UNDERSTANDING PUBLIC SCHOOLS VIDEO LINK </b>- <a href="https://vimeo.com/905676122?share=copy&fbclid=IwAR2pYqjkhkKYnkwE7is1vLSZzxNyfAZJSHAoeYk-KncUHxdUGuvW55vXeao">CLICK HERE.</a> <b>TO VIEW!</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">K-5 ATTENDANCE ZONE CHANGE UPDATE</span></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgERZOj082Hid6eftKqJh7vHNLSarRvwQSQ8KzH8tptkKIls572DT5SNm3Mj8KuXKIPuBsQdwvq9e3HlAHZYNJ5mZ7KVCqv29eoHnLRJqo2Lh1X8CD309EFVCG_AsSozyAIw1d61CxxrGc_9OQYb-axFiuDXfa8QwRCpZa0R98ftXtvmogH_ZyC4NPbEE8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="122" data-original-width="413" height="95" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgERZOj082Hid6eftKqJh7vHNLSarRvwQSQ8KzH8tptkKIls572DT5SNm3Mj8KuXKIPuBsQdwvq9e3HlAHZYNJ5mZ7KVCqv29eoHnLRJqo2Lh1X8CD309EFVCG_AsSozyAIw1d61CxxrGc_9OQYb-axFiuDXfa8QwRCpZa0R98ftXtvmogH_ZyC4NPbEE8" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>I want to begin by saying THANK YOU to those families who were able to attend the Parent Information Forum on our upcoming attendance zone changes that was held on Monday, Jan. 29, 2024 via zoom. It was a very informative meeting and some really great questions were asked.</p><p>I'm very sure there were many parents who likely wanted to attend but could not so we made sure to record the meeting. </p><p><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gAh0dEV7e21jGmzVAQ-2OuF8LBAC-9TZ/view?usp=drive_link">CLICK HERE</a> to view the meeting recording.</p><p>I also wanted to be sure to provide a link to the slide presentation used to guide discussion at the meeting. You can <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/15HD5t1pn_ei50TLHwiwqNxS4xrF-9Dx-fkCjN4f2xUY/edit?usp=sharing">CLICK HERE</a> to view that presentation. Please note - I had somehow messed up the first graph in the slide presentation for the meeting - this link contains the corrected graph that should have been on that first slide! </p><p><u>Highlights of the meeting:</u></p><p>- Currently two of three elementary schools at capacity and have no further room to grow. Narragansett School will be at just 70% capacity with final phase of modular expansion being completed this fall and therefore, has ample room to grow.</p><p>- A target of moving all three schools to 90% capacity has been established, which will allow all 3 schools to continue to grow over the course of the next 10-15 years.</p><p>- In order to meet this target, approx. 100 students will need to be moved from GF and Village towards Narragansett for the opening of school this fall. Students at Narragansett currently will not be impacted.</p><p>- YES these growth targets and capacities were calculated with full knowledge of the upcoming Robie development and what impacts that may have over the next 10-15 years here in Gorham. </p><p><u>Next Steps:</u></p><p><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">- The proposed attendance zone changes will be made public TODAY with the release of the School Committee meeting packets.</span> You can find the full packet on our website, but I'm sure most folks would just like to see the revised maps that list the impacted regions and specific roads list. <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uSFtEHV7LqnTC9NUMNYbs8mUfS2HbbbC/view?usp=sharing">CLICK HERE</a> to view the slide presentation that has this information. Please reach out to heather.perry@gorhamschools.org if you have questions after viewing.</p><p>- This information and more will be shared with the School Committee on Feb. 7, discussed and decided upon at this meeting. The SC may decide it needs additional information and asks could request to postpone the decision until the next scheduled meeting.</p><p>- <b> PUBLIC COMMENT will be heard by the School Committee at their Feb. 7 meeting before a decision is made by the committee regarding the proposed changes.</b> Parents who may be interested in speaking should plan on attending the Feb. 7 School Committee meeting. The meeting will start at 7:00 p.m. and will be held at the Gorham Municipal Building in the Council Chambers.</p><p>- Individuals who are not able to make the meeting, but who have questions or who would like to share their comments may email School Committee chair Sarah Perkins and cc Superintendent Heather Perry using the following email addresses: sarah.perkins@gorhamschools.org and heather.perry@gorhamschools.org. All email correspondence sent to SC members is read by all SC members and will be responded to by the chair.</p><p>- Building principals will reach out personally to families that may be impacted to make sure they are aware and to answer any questions families may have during the week of Feb. 12-16.</p><p>- Great Falls will host an information night for impacted families on Feb. 27 at 5:30 p.m. to address questions and share information. Village Elementary School will host an informational night for impacted families on Feb. 29 at 5:30 p.m. for the same purpose.</p><p>- The remainder of the year will be spent working with families and staff to ensure a smooth and positive transition in preparation for the beginning of the 2024-2025 School year.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">REMINDER - GMS & GREAT FALLS WILL BE FULLY REMOTE ON TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2024</span></b> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6S_VdzyMZAu64MwczeqjcX3kZ8-jQNlTm8w5z7JVyO7XQNNulOHlgMNKXN19zYE2dnX_-2zcI9fg7XZXeuZYbFt1SObsXhBUs7oKCvFgGqw7Xn9rZ0y2D9w6C-rUiqmOjNZ8yIk_-XUyTFY68biyy4uFE_WVtkiX5XfBejgadW4WrvEPxIEm0V7m5R_U" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6S_VdzyMZAu64MwczeqjcX3kZ8-jQNlTm8w5z7JVyO7XQNNulOHlgMNKXN19zYE2dnX_-2zcI9fg7XZXeuZYbFt1SObsXhBUs7oKCvFgGqw7Xn9rZ0y2D9w6C-rUiqmOjNZ8yIk_-XUyTFY68biyy4uFE_WVtkiX5XfBejgadW4WrvEPxIEm0V7m5R_U=w193-h193" width="193" /></a></div><p></p><p>Just a quick reminder to families that GMS and Great Falls Elementary Schools will utilize remote learning days on Tuesday, March 5, 2024 due to these two schools being used as polling locations for the "Super Tuesday" primary elections scheduled on this day. </p><p>Specific information will be sent home to families from each school outlining learning expectations on this day. </p><p>ALL OTHER STUDENTS attending GHS, Village Elem. School and Narragansett Elem. School should report to schools as usual on this day. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">FEBRUARY IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH!</span></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7zA9Ne_EUJtayYCr5AVIo0ZFD1iD-dHvd3mKJ7Fe4arVKTNKlT-z-XeEcHpD2rtK8mCoKr_kcwT4HCY0cnuYd4DvKcRTDBdSxLl5l1yyV9D3mrwCZo5UxSyuVkAJVcHVu3Hh52sL7riIXVMl33Xa15ezhw3LCAXGLpgV2j9TAVIJLEL1oel3_luqdEvI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7zA9Ne_EUJtayYCr5AVIo0ZFD1iD-dHvd3mKJ7Fe4arVKTNKlT-z-XeEcHpD2rtK8mCoKr_kcwT4HCY0cnuYd4DvKcRTDBdSxLl5l1yyV9D3mrwCZo5UxSyuVkAJVcHVu3Hh52sL7riIXVMl33Xa15ezhw3LCAXGLpgV2j9TAVIJLEL1oel3_luqdEvI" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>The month of February is designated as black history month and is a time set aside by Americans to celebrate the achievements made by African Americans and to recognize their important roles in the development of our great country.</p><p>Although every day is a day that we celebrate all students and the incredible diversity they bring to our classrooms, this month is a month that families and organizations around the country emphasize the contributions African Americans have made to our past, our present, and our future.</p><p>As families you might be looking for resources for having these important conversations with your children so I thought I might provide just a few "tried and trusted" resource links for families to use if interested. Our American history is so rich in so many ways and stories told through the eyes of those living their experiences can be a powerful way to add vibrance and context to the beautiful fabric of our world.</p><p>Here are just a few of my favorite resources...</p><p>- <a href="https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/black-history-month">The History Channel - Black History Month</a></p><p>- <a href="https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/free-learning-resources-for-black-history-month-and-beyond">Common Sense Media - Black History Month Resources</a></p><p>- <a href="https://www.pbs.org/parents/black-history-month"> PBS for Kids - Black History Month Resources</a></p><p>-<a href="https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/black-history-month"> National Geographic For Kids - Black History Month Resources</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">NATIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELOR WEEK IS NEXT WEEK!</span></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjD_xXW1HeQiQfbO70cntmUom3k67MMImzBxvJ4gnYM58egiA1qkyiNWNEudnTETPlI4rtkxjplQwrFVyxmysqvIrI03dD8Xu5R5Zu82SiURNOgVPqTZUAHdiybkrfZ1KeWYiVt7inFcCbKn-Q8jSUo_JKwtaOzW37x5mP2ep9_39hT7gerlbjmYeSCRBM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="140" data-original-width="235" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjD_xXW1HeQiQfbO70cntmUom3k67MMImzBxvJ4gnYM58egiA1qkyiNWNEudnTETPlI4rtkxjplQwrFVyxmysqvIrI03dD8Xu5R5Zu82SiURNOgVPqTZUAHdiybkrfZ1KeWYiVt7inFcCbKn-Q8jSUo_JKwtaOzW37x5mP2ep9_39hT7gerlbjmYeSCRBM" width="320" /></a></div>Our school counselors are part of the glue that holds us all together! They are always there for our students, their families, and for our staff! They work to help families and children navigate some of the most difficult and challenging experiences in their lives - and all with a smile on their face and a never give up attitude! They give hugs, and "lectures". They instruct and they listen. They care passionately for the children they serve and Gorham has some of the BEST IN THE BUSINESS! Let's make sure to celebrate our school counselors this coming week and give them the support they so generously give to others each and every day!<p></p><p><u>THANK YOU...</u></p><p>- Betsy Anastasoff, Trisha Cherry, Kate Stevens and Samantha Teixeira (GHS)</p><p>- Emma Ambrose and Heather Richards (GMS)</p><p>- Debra Leone and Stacey Sawyer (PK-5), Ellen Berry (GF), Rachel Dunbar (Nar.), and Becky Hayward (Village).</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">STUDENT SUBMISSIONS NEEDED FOR MARCH 12 "EAT AND LEARN" EVENT!</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgY_6C_FS42_y8GziONzRu6r0SNVyOjU73sA1G0h44OM80ug0MxrasrfKq0eRnixUyqAqR9gQLT6KV_nFZKhlnXEavD3s1ZfakxsdyTlvQ6_vWot4rGLMMNdYhFV_EJ7hcu3TEV9F-wK_TxpHaxtwb0ZRYxi6E0XgtoabLhyPcOzk9b4-oBzXvfX35k9Uc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="189" data-original-width="266" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgY_6C_FS42_y8GziONzRu6r0SNVyOjU73sA1G0h44OM80ug0MxrasrfKq0eRnixUyqAqR9gQLT6KV_nFZKhlnXEavD3s1ZfakxsdyTlvQ6_vWot4rGLMMNdYhFV_EJ7hcu3TEV9F-wK_TxpHaxtwb0ZRYxi6E0XgtoabLhyPcOzk9b4-oBzXvfX35k9Uc" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">The Anti-Racism and Equity Committee and the Community Outreach Equity Subgroup are excited to be hosting the 2nd Annual "Eat and Learn" event. This year, we are looking to showcase, through artistic mediums and expression, the concept of advocacy. As a committee, we understand the many issues facing students, and how our public understanding of how to be an advocate can enhance a positive learning environment. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">We invite any student to sign up and provide an artistic submission that answers the following question: <b>When did you need an advocate, or what has been your experience of advocacy? </b>Through any artistic medium including physical art, sculpture, audio/visual, or spoken word, we want to hear from students on how to understand this concept. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">Submissions are due the last week of February, with an art Gallery to commence on March 12th at 5:30 p.m. If you want to participate, sign up through our online form<a href="https://forms.gle/NFKVq3mGq8FW1oft5"> LINKED HERE</a>.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><u>For those that wish to attend the EVENT but not submit artwork.</u>..</p><p style="text-align: left;">See the flyer below for additional information and <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/second-annual-eat-and-learn-tickets-792577630027">CLICK HERE</a> to RSVP! </p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMMa-v7VaxdrSEOFZRXyHQAsflhTYN77ldAb-Dz2tP6_z59GLb6plKZ55vIuXFM1X3QfMcOIC8L6Ttww1nyntJA51QzqkxCo53LSRPAo5outlEonUKSREb-Oc1590vIDqhViere9SOJeAmwYgq8gRrb6J9n02x9KxMmFzFoFr6BCqY5m7Z8Ur-zt8We9s" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="1224" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMMa-v7VaxdrSEOFZRXyHQAsflhTYN77ldAb-Dz2tP6_z59GLb6plKZ55vIuXFM1X3QfMcOIC8L6Ttww1nyntJA51QzqkxCo53LSRPAo5outlEonUKSREb-Oc1590vIDqhViere9SOJeAmwYgq8gRrb6J9n02x9KxMmFzFoFr6BCqY5m7Z8Ur-zt8We9s=w595-h385" width="595" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">CLASS OF 2024 FUNDRAISER</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>Looking for a way to support our Senior Class as they get ready to walk across the stage in just a few short months to get their diplomas? Check out this opportunity to purchase custom Sea Bags! See flyer below and then click on the link to shop Gorham Rams Sea Bags! </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfaH0QIS28WqiUnrwa83OSc4TAzTjI6TfxYJiLu36fA3bkBnQ/viewform&source=gmail&ust=1706927677132000&usg=AOvVaw2ZsqKMJknVHBD0ZAVugxdR" href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfaH0QIS28WqiUnrwa83OSc4TAzTjI6TfxYJiLu36fA3bkBnQ/viewform" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-indent: 20px;" target="_blank">https://docs.<wbr></wbr>google.com/forms/d/e/<wbr></wbr>1FAIpQLSfaH0QIS28WqiUnrwa83OSc<wbr></wbr>4TAzTjI6TfxYJiLu36fA3bkBnQ/<wbr></wbr>viewform</a><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small; text-indent: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face="arial, sans-serif"> </span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small; text-indent: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face="arial, sans-serif"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span face="arial, sans-serif"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgy79dMn3maVXNhmcIr-viQf3rg7tLKUh4hPPoXzE_VX3Gfm4HSqt3_co6qtIeL3QYcwHcAuFtYsqpUs-u6eRVC3K8XIiIubtcOeJCB_tXtcbyQ6AM7MTW0IwoS5FSpWAOoxe-CxlvhniACbGSroruh4t6oo_DzrjG-JfBwlECMpfJijaWk_hZA0wTk0OU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1596" data-original-width="1246" height="580" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgy79dMn3maVXNhmcIr-viQf3rg7tLKUh4hPPoXzE_VX3Gfm4HSqt3_co6qtIeL3QYcwHcAuFtYsqpUs-u6eRVC3K8XIiIubtcOeJCB_tXtcbyQ6AM7MTW0IwoS5FSpWAOoxe-CxlvhniACbGSroruh4t6oo_DzrjG-JfBwlECMpfJijaWk_hZA0wTk0OU=w452-h580" width="452" /></a></span></span></div><span><span face="arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">CODE OF CONDUCT COMMUNITY TALKS ANNOUNCED!</span></b></p><p>The Code of Conduct Committee has been working all year to "refresh" our current Code of Conduct across all schools to make sure that this incredible document that has helped to guide our schools for the past 20 years continues to be relevant and lead our school's expectations into the next 20 years!</p><p>If you need a refresher on our school's Code of Conduct, <a href="https://1.cdn.edl.io/UZRqpQCKPIV2XwkMNVsQbj05CHGCpmzN8AtrlQe1ZKEzUtxE.pdf">CLICK HERE</a>. If you need a refresher on the Code of Conduct Committee's purpose and work overview -<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1naMn4wXoItGoDjF4fGZ_7zi9H6-J_LcQeDyV0D36T0k/edit?usp=sharing"> CLICK HERE</a>. To view Committee membership, <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1V_ek1czzeLKX0HJKYpb6LRzrcmv54JBWTHZeF7gQKnc/edit?usp=sharing">CLICK HERE</a>. </p><p>We have done some great work to gather initial data and themes and now we are seeking direct community feedback on our work. <u>Check out the flyer below and mark your calendars to attend</u>!</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxsyuN9Awi2GOQKQWrAPfNurfc802uVuBeqb5iNUMUzjjpLD2bhHgHTgUzC7H6X3Jex6jeunFgugLrssswuxes2CwABys5AnUsnAgtFjgTsDQO3D_IS47aoUe14nuqls0rBl9y4qPbtdLa3aPWQAUwbj6iYWrv_ZkdKnv2P4Mt0tbnfxmkFRGK_Smmhpc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="794" data-original-width="612" height="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxsyuN9Awi2GOQKQWrAPfNurfc802uVuBeqb5iNUMUzjjpLD2bhHgHTgUzC7H6X3Jex6jeunFgugLrssswuxes2CwABys5AnUsnAgtFjgTsDQO3D_IS47aoUe14nuqls0rBl9y4qPbtdLa3aPWQAUwbj6iYWrv_ZkdKnv2P4Mt0tbnfxmkFRGK_Smmhpc=w482-h625" width="482" /></a></div><p></p><p>In closing with our Code of Conduct theme...I wanted to share this incredible song that was recorded by one of our Village School Families (Dad and daughter - names are below) and shared with the school after learning about singing sentences in class one day. </p><p><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/17fkMfuf9lfeNZGDKQ7WGKzS5uulR33Io/view?usp=sharing">CLICK HERE</a> to hear the recording...lyrics are below. </p><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><div>Chorus: Responsibility, respect and honesty, courage and compassion how happy we will be</div><div><br /></div><div><div>It’s time to wake up and rap with me</div><div>We live in Gorham it’s the place to be</div><div>Be nice work hard that’s the way to play it cool</div><div>Listen to the lessons that your teachers teach at Village School</div><div>When it gets hard you can never let up</div><div>You can make it through the day just keep ya head up</div><div>I will never give up even if I’m stressed</div><div>I will take deep breaths I will try my best</div><div>If I have a setback I will not fold</div><div>No matter what happens I can reach my goals</div><div>I believe in me I believe in me</div><div>If you have a bad day see Mrs. Mezzanotte</div><div><br /></div><div>Chorus: Responsibility, respect and honesty, courage and compassion how happy we will be<br /></div></div><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">It hard for everybody coming back from vaca</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Listen to the song and try to have a good day</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Negative thoughts you can leave my mind</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Gonna help my classmates and choose to be kind</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Won’t let a setback hurt my self esteem</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Might take a little time to reach my dreams</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">You will notice I’m focused and believe in myself</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I’ll be there for my friends if they need any help</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I can always improve my own attitude</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Treat each other with respect there is no need to be rude</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I believe in me I believe in me</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">If you have a bad day see Mrs. Mezzanotte</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">WORDS TO LIVE BY FOR SURE...And we should all believe that Mrs. Mezzanottee can fix any "bad day"! ☺ Mrs. Mezzanottee - you may be getting a call from me a little later! ☺</span></div></div><p><span style="background-color: #fcff01;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> THANK YOU to John Espejo and his daughters Juliana and Abby for sharing their incredible talent with Village Elementary School! We have such incredible families here in Gorham! Proud to be a Gorham Ram!</b></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span id="docs-internal-guid-e087e080-7fff-81d5-cf03-98c2d733c7a9"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Heather Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902747451985096596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2916890148299174047.post-877779913602904482024-01-19T05:09:00.000-08:002024-01-20T09:40:57.813-08:00January 19 Blog Post<p>We are reaching the end of the 1st half of the 2023-2024 school year! Isn't it crazy how time flies by! Second semester will be starting soon and just in case anyone is counting there are just 60 days left until spring! I'm sorry that may make some of you sad if you enjoy Maine's snow and winter fun. Me, I tolerate the cold winter in Maine and tend to utilize it as a mental note to remind myself why spring, summer and fall are so awesome! </p><p>Of course, our students seem not to mind whatever season it is! When one looks at and listens to the playground in September and in January across any of our schools - the sounds are the same. As an adult, I am thoroughly envious!</p><p>Below, are pictures showing our students doing what they do best - having fun while learning!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEzHOLcLer0JgZvEPMJOcH68FlSMiSZD2hUeYDLlxEtbeNID_R0Vh4RIIIfyZM0t8OcfdRaIzI_V-_XKo3cDFIZumASNhtUxlGekThn9rpZl6h4CFBjQ2rhn7I97V2C8EIMX__2DUk76yRdu8OaltPy380FN_dWv_gH8K3Qe4BuHbSSJUC1o7NI7js9-Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="564" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEzHOLcLer0JgZvEPMJOcH68FlSMiSZD2hUeYDLlxEtbeNID_R0Vh4RIIIfyZM0t8OcfdRaIzI_V-_XKo3cDFIZumASNhtUxlGekThn9rpZl6h4CFBjQ2rhn7I97V2C8EIMX__2DUk76yRdu8OaltPy380FN_dWv_gH8K3Qe4BuHbSSJUC1o7NI7js9-Q=w564-h564" width="564" /></a></div><br /> ...and now on to the information!<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION FOR 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR IS NOW OPEN IN GORHAM!</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLxmHjpKGEWOOpymiJCfLD3J_Z8q-dSi5dS3w9oUxfH37t_zKQqtWQpewW72DUMtuvqOT6ik3hlgB3sB0hQcJfeAaBLAO3-fF6w2nXYXC2cneTJI-Eapo9s7ZLSawSs90wrB1lBxRuxRxH54rpT5mRlUWRcnM_7NztZmKcAbE1l6D79Nu01hm-_pQWO7I" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="140" data-original-width="359" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLxmHjpKGEWOOpymiJCfLD3J_Z8q-dSi5dS3w9oUxfH37t_zKQqtWQpewW72DUMtuvqOT6ik3hlgB3sB0hQcJfeAaBLAO3-fF6w2nXYXC2cneTJI-Eapo9s7ZLSawSs90wrB1lBxRuxRxH54rpT5mRlUWRcnM_7NztZmKcAbE1l6D79Nu01hm-_pQWO7I" width="320" /></a></span></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">Parent information nights will be held at EACH of our three elementary schools on Thursday, March 7, 2024 at 5:30 p.m. Meetings will occur simultaneously at Great Falls Elementary School, Narragansett Elementary School and Village Elementary school. At these information nights, parents will meet 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, receive information on how to schedule your student for a Kindergarten screening, and learn about a future date to bring your student in to see the school!</p><p style="text-align: left;">Remember, in order to be eligible to enter Kindergarten students must be 5 years old by October 15, 2024. If this describes your child - Please click on your neighborhood school below and <u>PRE-REGISTER</u> to attend a Parent information night using the Kindergarten registration link. </p><p style="text-align: left;">If you are unsure of your neighborhood school, please call any of the elementary schools directly and they can help. Links to pre-register are below as well as contact information for folks you can reach out to at each school if you need any assistance. <b style="background-color: #fcff01;">We are so very much looking forward to your child becoming a "Little Ram" in the fall of 2024! </b></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 8px;"><div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="font-family: times;">Great Falls Elementary School – Thursday, March 7th, 2024</span></span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 8px;"><div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: times;">Parent Information Meeting at 5:30 pm</span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 8px;"><div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="text-decoration-line: underline;">Great Falls Kindergarten Survey Link</span><span style="text-decoration-line: underline;"> </span></span></div><div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://forms.gle/Y2oYu3TD6hYKQ68z6&source=gmail&ust=1705675760953000&usg=AOvVaw1SuWbbDmvMgsA_WeatGPl3" href="https://forms.gle/Y2oYu3TD6hYKQ68z6" jslog="32272; 1:WyIjdGhyZWFkLWY6MTc4NzU2Nzc4MjU0ODk2MDgyMiJd; 4:WyIjbXNnLWY6MTc4NzU2Nzc4MjU0ODk2MDgyMiJd" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://forms.gle/<wbr></wbr>Y2oYu3TD6hYKQ68z6</a></span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 8px;"><div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: times;">School Contact - Julie Murray (<span style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="mailto:julie.murray@gorhamschools.org" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">julie.murray@gorhamschools.<wbr></wbr>org</a></span> or 222-1050)</span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 8px;"><div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="font-family: times;">Narragansett Elementary School – Thursday, March 7th, 2024</span></span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 8px;"><div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: times;">Parent Information Meeting at 5:30 pm</span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 8px;"><div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="font-family: times;">Narragansett Kindergarten Survey Link</span></span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 8px;"><div style="direction: ltr;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1v8NsUySSf74g83rrvVZmHUn4FIQBWIR4Q-nkFzD3GO4/viewform?edit_requested%3Dtrue&source=gmail&ust=1705675760953000&usg=AOvVaw2TbMGBYm-Sv14r-OqV2sEr" href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1v8NsUySSf74g83rrvVZmHUn4FIQBWIR4Q-nkFzD3GO4/viewform?edit_requested=true" jslog="32272; 1:WyIjdGhyZWFkLWY6MTc4NzU2Nzc4MjU0ODk2MDgyMiJd; 4:WyIjbXNnLWY6MTc4NzU2Nzc4MjU0ODk2MDgyMiJd" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: times;">https://docs.google.com/forms/<wbr></wbr>d/<wbr></wbr>1v8NsUySSf74g83rrvVZmHUn4FIQBW<wbr></wbr>IR4Q-nkFzD3GO4/viewform?edit_<wbr></wbr>requested=true</span></a></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 8px;"><div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: times;">School Contact - Sarah Palmer (<span style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="mailto:sarah.palmer@gorhamschools.org" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">sarah.palmer@gorhamschools.<wbr></wbr>org</a></span> or 222-1250)</span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 8px;"><div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="font-family: times;">Village Elementary School – Thursday, March 7th, 2024</span></span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 8px;"><div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: times;">Parent Information Meeting at 5:30 pm</span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 8px;"><div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="font-family: times;">Village Kindergarten Survey Link</span></span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 8px;"><div style="direction: ltr;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe-ibM9j-pODT_NnZhv8b9PYBb_3_Z4pxnAfJ2DCCY4kyn6aA/viewform&source=gmail&ust=1705675760953000&usg=AOvVaw2j16epRwxWIjEW1tihIiRp" href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe-ibM9j-pODT_NnZhv8b9PYBb_3_Z4pxnAfJ2DCCY4kyn6aA/viewform" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: times;">https://docs.google.com/forms/<wbr></wbr>d/e/1FAIpQLSe-ibM9j-pODT_<wbr></wbr>NnZhv8b9PYBb_3_<wbr></wbr>Z4pxnAfJ2DCCY4kyn6aA/viewform</span></a></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 8px;"><div style="background-color: white; color: #050505; direction: ltr; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: times;">School Contact - Andrea Nault (<span style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="mailto:andrea.nault@gorhamschools.org" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">andrea.nault@gorhamschools.<wbr></wbr>org</a></span> or 222-1300)</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #050505; direction: ltr; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #050505; direction: ltr; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b style="background-color: #fcff01; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;">PLEASE HELP SPREAD THE WORD!</b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #050505; direction: ltr; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #050505; direction: ltr; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b>PRE K REGISTRATION IS ALSO NOW OPEN FOR OUR 2nd YEAR OF PUBLIC PRE K PROGRAMMING IN GORHAM!</b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #050505; direction: ltr; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHZd6XIoPCenyTpRfpuy0ReLyISJcMqk9KZHiQt4dy76C4aEa_cZi7O_90S3fAeQICUqs7Bo0Jr5jO9GUfz3-xiv5Hdt3AeldMUhZ_GUL1TicyvTR1_1deyK-TEe-CObF-awFBbBXTh6qWMfkI17i5tl2Q8tYP3cSZAATYmnAhaNRDOvlg2pSLrTNdZoc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHZd6XIoPCenyTpRfpuy0ReLyISJcMqk9KZHiQt4dy76C4aEa_cZi7O_90S3fAeQICUqs7Bo0Jr5jO9GUfz3-xiv5Hdt3AeldMUhZ_GUL1TicyvTR1_1deyK-TEe-CObF-awFBbBXTh6qWMfkI17i5tl2Q8tYP3cSZAATYmnAhaNRDOvlg2pSLrTNdZoc" width="320" /></a></div></div></b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #050505; direction: ltr; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">While we are on the topic of enrollments being open - I thought I'd remind folks that we are also currently enrolling students in our public Pre K program for the 2024-2025 School Year. If your child turns 4 years old on or before Oct. 15, 2024 they are eligible to attend our FREE public Pre K program. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #050505; direction: ltr; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #050505; direction: ltr; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Information is below on how to enroll! Call today as space is limited!</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #050505; direction: ltr; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;"><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: black; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Applications for the Gorham's Pre-K Program will open on Monday, January 1st. </span><span style="color: black;">Gorham families with children who will be 4 years old by October 15, 2024 are encouraged to apply for </span><span style="color: #760825;">FREE</span><span style="color: #760825;"> </span><span style="color: black;">half-day Pre-K!</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: black; line-height: 26px;"></p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: times;">Our Pre-K program is conducted at Narragansett School and is open to all Pre-K aged students in Gorham. (If you reside in the Great Falls or Village district, your student will attend Narragansett for Pre-K.)</span></span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: black;">Transportation will be provided for students enrolled in the program.</span><span style="color: black;"></span></span></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: times;">Click the following <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://forms.gle/paQuRSq1HNGvkB5g9&source=gmail&ust=1705683986247000&usg=AOvVaw2uWghjiGjYzG1z5G-OANUF" href="https://forms.gle/paQuRSq1HNGvkB5g9" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Pre-K Application Link</a> to apply today! Please contact Theresa Connolly at 222-1295 if you have any questions or need assistance completing the application.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhn-WYrxO-2OubIhbI55TAb46QteEbS6FPDaA-g8s2ioLdwkf5fEBcVYDcrOr7LFumFOnNkEmOAniPNENOQWtgdidmWJxluqy3vxSYs3bgN-PL7OjVbr6ZjbdF4emoAB7gxOcVN9QIlHYSrc-T3QPUygW-p7Ib1OUmLJ_NOuv6sMoLuREykPkp32W3IjP0" style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large; font-weight: 700; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1545" data-original-width="2000" height="445" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhn-WYrxO-2OubIhbI55TAb46QteEbS6FPDaA-g8s2ioLdwkf5fEBcVYDcrOr7LFumFOnNkEmOAniPNENOQWtgdidmWJxluqy3vxSYs3bgN-PL7OjVbr6ZjbdF4emoAB7gxOcVN9QIlHYSrc-T3QPUygW-p7Ib1OUmLJ_NOuv6sMoLuREykPkp32W3IjP0=w576-h445" width="576" /></a></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">PUBLIC OVERVIEW OF SCHOOL SAFETY PLANNING FOR GORHAM SCHOOLS AVAILABLE TO VIEW!</span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJzvYn2ynK9DPI9KSns1p6haXeqL0mAkHUG1CFPrlqiK5tscpflrWzy453x9K-_Gs-aSGAC0oOeVjzpgLxQWB05De8rQ8CCqypdx2AzEkPondmdLxyN772Dtci4y2Ryzj1GNTWK04yg8_XBd112macFr_UJa1rkhb7SUZms8bqrD8mQtuBKqM1p9joCuE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="223" data-original-width="226" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJzvYn2ynK9DPI9KSns1p6haXeqL0mAkHUG1CFPrlqiK5tscpflrWzy453x9K-_Gs-aSGAC0oOeVjzpgLxQWB05De8rQ8CCqypdx2AzEkPondmdLxyN772Dtci4y2Ryzj1GNTWK04yg8_XBd112macFr_UJa1rkhb7SUZms8bqrD8mQtuBKqM1p9joCuE" width="243" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">At the January 4, 2024 School Committee meeting, Assistant Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian Porter provided the School Committee with a public overview of our school safety planning. Please note this is the public version of our presentation to the School Committee on this important information. We also meet each year with the School Committee in an executive session to review our safety plans for our schools and to make sure that they are up to date and ready to implement if ever needed. </p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">This public presentation provides an excellent overview for families and community members who may be curious about our overall planning process, our current strengths and areas of challenge, and where we see the focus of this work going next. </p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">Please<a href="https://view.earthchannel.com/PlayerController.aspx?&PGD=gorhamme&eID=613"> CLICK HERE</a> and go to the 1 hour, 1 minute mark of the video to view this presentation and feel free to reach out with any questions you may have. The Gorham Schools takes its safety planning very seriously. We want to make sure that families feel safe and secure in sending their children to school knowing that if there ever were an emergency, we would know how to respond appropriately. </p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">After watching the video - please feel free to reach out with questions you may have. My email is heather.perry@gorhamschools.org</p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">UPCOMING FREE PARENT WEBINAR! TOPIC: SOCIAL MEDIA - PROTECTING YOUR FAMILY!</span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;">On Monday, </span><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">January 22nd at 6:00 PM</span><span style="background-color: white;">, the Gorham School Department will be partnering with the Cook Center For Human Connection to provide a <u>virtual</u> mental health training entitled: Social Media: Protecting Your Child By Staying Aware and Involved. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;">If you are a parent/guardian of a student at ANY AGE in our schools - this training is for you!</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;">Check out the flyer below for more details and information on how you can sign up to attend this important training!</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiD_Op3dAJJGiduOLfaTxsgBWuAn-i2yB9PnrobKPlyaBi1Nop9FLz9k0fXIu1p4X8lf3kakopgAxcFOZe44zHpHd5WbYZctD2aOxkym-eWcClgEn-dsRiMQhxQQG4NZjzViMZF4z5MO6Fze_vgGWfDkp_BmmCexmpPdPPpuCiPZ2wOy7ryQP-s4LLdvdQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="1200" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiD_Op3dAJJGiduOLfaTxsgBWuAn-i2yB9PnrobKPlyaBi1Nop9FLz9k0fXIu1p4X8lf3kakopgAxcFOZe44zHpHd5WbYZctD2aOxkym-eWcClgEn-dsRiMQhxQQG4NZjzViMZF4z5MO6Fze_vgGWfDkp_BmmCexmpPdPPpuCiPZ2wOy7ryQP-s4LLdvdQ=w598-h316" width="598" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>GORHAM ANTI-RACISM & EQUITY COMMITTEE EAT AND LEARN OPPORTUNITY COMING IN MARCH! </b></div></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9QAdtd0wyYCfEjnJKF8NU5ywpA2n4xL8J2S0ChH5PxASYJdRhJvl4bdNvnAeRIYG05ZfOteMkh3VNXEn-AinpTdo1rxUzdSsT8w3WZ2qlUB-lAyv_2k2CQAg7-ZDjK1y7r9U62qce0QuICUDePpnaybn0MN2mE5PyN7ET1MadUKiQ3oTOSadxHHXKkbI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="299" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9QAdtd0wyYCfEjnJKF8NU5ywpA2n4xL8J2S0ChH5PxASYJdRhJvl4bdNvnAeRIYG05ZfOteMkh3VNXEn-AinpTdo1rxUzdSsT8w3WZ2qlUB-lAyv_2k2CQAg7-ZDjK1y7r9U62qce0QuICUDePpnaybn0MN2mE5PyN7ET1MadUKiQ3oTOSadxHHXKkbI" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">The Gorham Anti-Racism & Equity Committee continues to meet and work on several different projects to benefit our school community. One project I'd like to highlight before providing a brief summary of some of the other ongoing work of our equity groups, is a project that is being worked on by the Community Engagement equity group (which is a subgroup of the larger Anti-Racism & Equity Committee). This group is planning their 2nd annual "Eat and Learn" event. This year's event will be themed around the topic of advocacy through creative expression. Currently the group is working right now to solicit student input and assistance in providing artistic submissions that reflect an answer to the following overarching question:</span></div><div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>"When did you need an advocate or what was your own experience of advocacy?</i></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Student submissions can be visual art projects, poems, spoken word, or other artistic representations related to this overarching question. </span></div><div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">The idea will be to solicit these pieces of art from students and then on the night of March 12, 2024 we would create a "gallery walk" for parent/guardians, community members, staff and other students to participate in and react to as a way of engaging in the important conversations around advocacy and equity.</span></div><div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;">If you are a student and wish to submit artwork for this event, please <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdYrl2PQfaRoZgCeZyxlg5RNvgIoGDC-pJuc20HT4WqOTDQrQ/viewform?usp=sf_link">CLICK HERE</a>.</div><div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;">If you are interested in attending the "Eat and Learn" event on March 12 - save the date on your calendar and <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/second-annual-eat-and-learn-tickets-792577630027">CLICK HERE</a> to sign up and RSVP so we know how many people to plan for!</div><div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;">Other things being worked on by Equity Committees:</div><div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;">*<u> Professional Development Equity Group</u> - Has worked to develop an activity that can be used in classrooms across all schools called the "What I Wish My Peer Knew" Project. This project would be differentiated for students in alignment with their developmental learning levels. Generally the idea is to engage students in a writing prompt that asks students to write about that very topic and then create structured protocols and supported methods through which these student stories could be shared. </div><div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;"><u>* Policy Equity Group</u> - This group continues to work on the development of a draft policy toolkit that can help policy makers ask critical questions when reviewing and developing school policies that will ensure alignment with our beliefs around educational equity.</div><div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;"><u>*. Student Experience Equity Group</u> - This group is developing a series of questions that can be asked of students in a focus group type of style in an attempt to gather real student voices to better understand how their community, and the issues within Gorham, are affecting, both positively and negatively, their learning within the school. </div><div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;">You can continue to follow the work of this Committee (and other subcommittees of the Gorham School Committee) via our website by <a href="https://www.gorhamschools.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=456522&type=d&pREC_ID=1226843">CLICKING HERE</a>. </div><div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">GHS SOPHOMORES - TIME TO THINK ABOUT CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS!</span></b></div><div style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhanDsvP4DxhtSk_5vT0DNcQtcUNIqw54O91w1xPnV33gVDVzLh5R7eqyn2FVoZivFIVReeDF_Tn-ZAX8Q8CAYKT9PNS4ApMEmiKZ_B1H8dWFlrBx4WC4RtMH6aq6Bib0WkbiG3HOqkB8W-J4XOdHCKTE2IA7qgYlR0I2jwW8n0NqZXCnxI5zE3k1Hh5X0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="744" data-original-width="512" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhanDsvP4DxhtSk_5vT0DNcQtcUNIqw54O91w1xPnV33gVDVzLh5R7eqyn2FVoZivFIVReeDF_Tn-ZAX8Q8CAYKT9PNS4ApMEmiKZ_B1H8dWFlrBx4WC4RtMH6aq6Bib0WkbiG3HOqkB8W-J4XOdHCKTE2IA7qgYlR0I2jwW8n0NqZXCnxI5zE3k1Hh5X0" width="165" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;"><aside class="summary cf" itemprop="description" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.875em; zoom: 1;"><span style="font-family: times;">All sophomore students at GHS recently participated in an assembly to learn more about potential learning opportunities at our local Career and Technical Education (CTE) Centers: <a href="https://www.westbrookschools.org/o/wrvc"> Westbrook Regional Vocational High School</a> (WRVC) and <a href="https://paths.portlandschools.org/programs/cybersecurity">Portland Arts and Technology High School </a>(PATHS). A short list of programs offered by both schools is below:</span></aside><aside class="summary cf" itemprop="description" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.875em; zoom: 1;"><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhaRafPL-9FvHH1TjIXdMP-ejsjBqpRbVK1h30naijG3h9X8U0dyvqxBR-rPLFbdprR9zdiR0soK4e5WYt_BvuIh830JXWZRKTRApHwAMCZ8NizQyB6aFgqhA6QGHquZrgq79Flws2sNMA2KJ8AliPA4yX6dwr97Z2zQZYIqlx6v7wI1U_1U-EfPzDr5vU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1288" data-original-width="620" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhaRafPL-9FvHH1TjIXdMP-ejsjBqpRbVK1h30naijG3h9X8U0dyvqxBR-rPLFbdprR9zdiR0soK4e5WYt_BvuIh830JXWZRKTRApHwAMCZ8NizQyB6aFgqhA6QGHquZrgq79Flws2sNMA2KJ8AliPA4yX6dwr97Z2zQZYIqlx6v7wI1U_1U-EfPzDr5vU=w252-h522" width="252" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyOTGfWBz0YsVmZSsuEwxeQ_0GCGXljYZ4gf4tXyfwwqUcN4lm65x1-d_77fzaev2IJUEzvrr9k3BBiJ9kr4gTUSjwrhpBihNmHbQ6gVf6qgfUBaISjs8IrRuXh_M-SRtYslbRYjc58rWcG6DYAgjVG60i1DV_XnJdwe4_uztsKY-ZeFoXhjC_FqVBhMM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="978" data-original-width="638" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyOTGfWBz0YsVmZSsuEwxeQ_0GCGXljYZ4gf4tXyfwwqUcN4lm65x1-d_77fzaev2IJUEzvrr9k3BBiJ9kr4gTUSjwrhpBihNmHbQ6gVf6qgfUBaISjs8IrRuXh_M-SRtYslbRYjc58rWcG6DYAgjVG60i1DV_XnJdwe4_uztsKY-ZeFoXhjC_FqVBhMM=w268-h410" width="268" /></a></div><br /></div>As I hope you can see - these are NOT the "voc" programs of yesteryear. These programs are high tech, current, and relevant. They are rigorous and they can provide high quality skill attainment that would be beneficial for every student - those perhaps thinking of going directly into the workforce after graduation and for those thinking of post secondary learning experiences in many different fields. </span>These programs can set any student up for success and provide immediate and direct employability skills for students regardless of their future aspirations. </aside><aside class="summary cf" itemprop="description" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.875em; zoom: 1;"><span style="font-family: times;">Students who are interested in a CTE Program should click on the links to each school to check out more information about the incredible learning opportunities offered by these fine schools and then speak with your guidance counselors at GHS if you are interested! </span></aside><aside class="summary cf" itemprop="description" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.875em; text-align: center; zoom: 1;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">NWEA TESTING FOR K-5 STUDENTS WEEK OF </span></b></span></aside><aside class="summary cf" itemprop="description" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.875em; text-align: center; zoom: 1;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">JANUARY 22</span></b></span></aside><aside class="summary cf" itemprop="description" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.875em; text-align: center; zoom: 1;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEilVC_H0s01s492OSDwRek_PlSXfCgX4MrSv_lcX7DLtt8JlQbZcQFsl-mICPEp93y26MmSm9eb_yBrIGXW7ygTxPlS-xuLic78yjKD1nbGVE6xK6saJpog4dd1CnFsKZ8UWjEEFYILGXkEZUkbHintqDNJtrM4iYlvjgAstIKNWoGdOgdkqQnYsOHJlpk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="368" data-original-width="488" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEilVC_H0s01s492OSDwRek_PlSXfCgX4MrSv_lcX7DLtt8JlQbZcQFsl-mICPEp93y26MmSm9eb_yBrIGXW7ygTxPlS-xuLic78yjKD1nbGVE6xK6saJpog4dd1CnFsKZ8UWjEEFYILGXkEZUkbHintqDNJtrM4iYlvjgAstIKNWoGdOgdkqQnYsOHJlpk" width="318" /></a></div></div></span></span></aside><aside class="summary cf" itemprop="description" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.875em; text-align: left; zoom: 1;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span>Students in grades K-5 will be participating in winter benchmark testing using NWEA assessments during the week of January 22, 2024. These assessments will be given in the areas of Reading and Math across all grade levels. Results of these assessments will be used to benchmark student performance at the mid- year point and help inform needed instructional or programming adjustments for students for the 2nd half of the year. </span></span></aside><aside class="summary cf" itemprop="description" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.875em; text-align: left; zoom: 1;">Because the results of these assessments are used to inform potential student programming changes, we would encourage families to please make sure students attend school on these days if at all possible so that they don't miss testing. Of course, if your child is sick, please still keep them home. But if your child can be in school on these days, we'd appreciate it if they could be. We really do use these results to inform instructional practices so the more accurate the information we can gather regarding your child's learning, the better programming we can provide! Thank you!</aside><aside class="summary cf" itemprop="description" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.875em; text-align: center; zoom: 1;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">REMINDER - PREK-5 PARENT FORUM ON ATTENDANCE ZONE SHIFT</span></b></aside><aside class="summary cf" itemprop="description" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.875em; text-align: left; zoom: 1;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWwuxqM0qpB9cMaMfWCKNh6v1Pp-lIcPlpJCHxiWmPZca-QVlRZ1Gv5mKhunACQzCQ5JLkkXtEYSUBN4LNL_OlOCm507uWM06es1fZHsCmUyCyX4EReiTDtHF4hlrbTN5v5Lg8U-XhoXOQs00T2x8CsJCT9gslGT2j_Fd8wmhyyUfjALNrDd_OlGA3VlY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="211" data-original-width="239" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWwuxqM0qpB9cMaMfWCKNh6v1Pp-lIcPlpJCHxiWmPZca-QVlRZ1Gv5mKhunACQzCQ5JLkkXtEYSUBN4LNL_OlOCm507uWM06es1fZHsCmUyCyX4EReiTDtHF4hlrbTN5v5Lg8U-XhoXOQs00T2x8CsJCT9gslGT2j_Fd8wmhyyUfjALNrDd_OlGA3VlY" width="272" /></a></div><br /></span></aside><aside class="summary cf" itemprop="description" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.875em; text-align: left; zoom: 1;"><span>Just one final reminder that we will be hosting a PREK-5 parent forum via zoom on Monday, January 29th, 2024 beginning at 6:30 p.m. for those that may be interested in learning more about the upcoming attendance zone shift that will be made impacting the 2024-2025 school year.</span></aside><aside class="summary cf" itemprop="description" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.875em; text-align: left; zoom: 1;"><span>Learn about the "WHY" and the "HOW" of this process and what to expect moving forward. A link to the zoom meeting is below. It is also on our website under the district calendar of events. The meeting will run no more than 1 hour and will begin with some broad information sharing and then open up pretty quickly to open Q&A and discussion regarding this topic. </span></aside><aside class="summary cf" itemprop="description" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.875em; text-align: left; zoom: 1;"><span>As always - any questions, please feel free to email me at heather.perry@gorhamschools.org. Thank you and Hope to see you there!</span></aside><aside class="summary cf" itemprop="description" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.875em; text-align: left; zoom: 1;"><span><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #3c4043; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Join Zoom Meeting
</span><a href="https://networkmaine.zoom.us/j/88165450119?pwd=WWRzMzY2Zk5zZjd1YkR3a1ducTFvZz09" style="font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">https://networkmaine.zoom.us/j/88165450119?pwd=WWRzMzY2Zk5zZjd1YkR3a1ducTFvZz09</a><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #3c4043; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">
Meeting ID: 881 6545 0119
Passcode: 469219</span></span></aside><aside class="summary cf" itemprop="description" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.875em; text-align: center; zoom: 1;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">GORHAM HIGH SCHOOL CBE STUDENTS ON THE ROAD IN THEIR LEARNING!</span></b></aside><aside class="summary cf" itemprop="description" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.875em; text-align: left; zoom: 1;">As I close this blog post - I just wanted to share some great photos of our Gorham High School CBE students getting their "learning on" with some of our incredible community business partners. Because of these awesome partners (and many more), our students - ALL of our students - are able to gain learning experiences that they would never be able to replicate within the four walls of our schools. It is because of our strong business partners that we are able to think differently about school here in Gorham. It is because of our partners that we are able to break down those classroom walls, and make sure that our students are exposed to, are able to meaningfully explore and are able to deeply experience the "outside" world that awaits them upon graduation and to begin to write their future stories. THANK YOU BUSINESS PARTNERS!</aside><aside class="summary cf" itemprop="description" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.875em; text-align: left; zoom: 1;">The pictures say far more than I ever could...check them out!</aside><aside class="summary cf" itemprop="description" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.875em; text-align: left; zoom: 1;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhw4HhTP-cEGvDVeo2GcKdYpHW7pQde5_TQTp1S8Bb3lkCr2GMnxFy8dGNb9rxuvLcV9s8GKj6cYLCwFtqsQiNvYYcBFQTVWt3Mhy0hWm7XstAakakqEK6mG8Scx1tvNSGexqWbbtmjssj8v-y6GmjRY3A3MWvCfDi_qwZlX9WJokZPvmvNmOXmfgbdcVg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1799" data-original-width="1439" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhw4HhTP-cEGvDVeo2GcKdYpHW7pQde5_TQTp1S8Bb3lkCr2GMnxFy8dGNb9rxuvLcV9s8GKj6cYLCwFtqsQiNvYYcBFQTVWt3Mhy0hWm7XstAakakqEK6mG8Scx1tvNSGexqWbbtmjssj8v-y6GmjRY3A3MWvCfDi_qwZlX9WJokZPvmvNmOXmfgbdcVg=w351-h440" width="351" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-qCBFqsrL13sPhyotlAXohGZh90S7TnuvzeLi9Fv1mLyXYdXrDhp29U6BiLRudUwYo-qKGNoETfEZl9qYWCSdNhhkzxJMEPthfvfcBVE1P61VAsHE3xDbwdtQyuAE9KaCkh7jUHZ3ak0EWyfyf3MXd_LOdIeMJUO1WdXynLbV24u5TChAWRvAMw8-13Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1800" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-qCBFqsrL13sPhyotlAXohGZh90S7TnuvzeLi9Fv1mLyXYdXrDhp29U6BiLRudUwYo-qKGNoETfEZl9qYWCSdNhhkzxJMEPthfvfcBVE1P61VAsHE3xDbwdtQyuAE9KaCkh7jUHZ3ak0EWyfyf3MXd_LOdIeMJUO1WdXynLbV24u5TChAWRvAMw8-13Q=w350-h350" width="350" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2ofGcPcRvvclnU-Y2NxRcGj3HaBTcyo9qmYa9XP6vc2xx8xjGYtespSyWUryPbh99-9L-VGSIPcPPc5bfv5I-fMZ3hnyW4KraGKlFzAY_ed6tqcEknxSkYf7tsj5efJGfJQZRrHmbbOq_zNMzRVQNR66WGNYuzcQQj1nPfzhyGdid5dQjiMm1UtSzAgk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2ofGcPcRvvclnU-Y2NxRcGj3HaBTcyo9qmYa9XP6vc2xx8xjGYtespSyWUryPbh99-9L-VGSIPcPPc5bfv5I-fMZ3hnyW4KraGKlFzAY_ed6tqcEknxSkYf7tsj5efJGfJQZRrHmbbOq_zNMzRVQNR66WGNYuzcQQj1nPfzhyGdid5dQjiMm1UtSzAgk=w360-h360" width="360" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That's it for this post. My next blog post will be on Feb. 2, 2024. See you then!</div></div></aside><div class="body cf" style="background-color: white; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0.875em; zoom: 1;"><div class="gmail_default"><div class="gmail_default"><div class="gmail_default"><br /></div></div></div></div></div><div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><br /></p></div></div>Heather Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902747451985096596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2916890148299174047.post-44840246491290304342024-01-05T04:44:00.000-08:002024-01-05T04:44:11.672-08:00January 5 Blog Post<p>Happy New Year and welcome back to school for 2024! I hope everyone was able to enjoy their breaks. I have to share that at a recent meeting, I had a parent very publicly announce that they were "thankful that the schools had welcomed their children back from the break." Something tells me that a break from school is likely NOT a break for parents/guardians LOL! </p><p>Well even though we've only been back for a few days - we still have plenty of images since my last post to share that allow everyone to get a sneak peak into what is happening in our schools! Enjoy the pictures below and then on to the information!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipctsc1twOqmSY6VurOBAohrKRvgYCMddchENMGB-CzgQ26PCE99DMOldmTQGAOkhM-4wh0tA1b0_bybbbAvwP4NJ1zNMBNGx65I4ITmqFt2B14Zm7d69snYcAjFAobFliE1TeberRYNJlX1I4z8kcytiZooBevOwcw2rZjZIy1GjHkS5mt8Mwauy_7no" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="569" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipctsc1twOqmSY6VurOBAohrKRvgYCMddchENMGB-CzgQ26PCE99DMOldmTQGAOkhM-4wh0tA1b0_bybbbAvwP4NJ1zNMBNGx65I4ITmqFt2B14Zm7d69snYcAjFAobFliE1TeberRYNJlX1I4z8kcytiZooBevOwcw2rZjZIy1GjHkS5mt8Mwauy_7no=w569-h569" width="569" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>PUBLIC PRE K ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN FOR 2024-2025! ENROLL TODAY!</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEXpW-wP_W-Rl94UHYEplf5D4xNkELuc4FdKL1jei_xZs0inMjxcfL0dcGzIux_IVJmzfRF-Yi81jtZ3E5i6iZ07eYWWawTymWn40OjZ-5eFgF7MuADWrnZs14ZKAoZwPQK7hHEN9Qbeb8jzw_AdVLa4K9eC4JPXMpvoknH4WekUrN0b1Uzquo30qGlfA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="299" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEXpW-wP_W-Rl94UHYEplf5D4xNkELuc4FdKL1jei_xZs0inMjxcfL0dcGzIux_IVJmzfRF-Yi81jtZ3E5i6iZ07eYWWawTymWn40OjZ-5eFgF7MuADWrnZs14ZKAoZwPQK7hHEN9Qbeb8jzw_AdVLa4K9eC4JPXMpvoknH4WekUrN0b1Uzquo30qGlfA" width="320" /></a></div></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">We have had an incredible start to our new public Pre K program here in the Gorham Schools. Since September, we've had 57 students attending our new Pre K program with incredible success! Now, building on that success - we are opening up enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year for our Pre K Program! </span></span><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Applications Opened on January 1st! </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;">Gorham families with children who will be </span><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">4 years old by October 15, 2024</span><span style="background-color: white;"> are encouraged to apply for </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">FREE</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">half-day Pre-K!</span></p><p style="background-color: white; line-height: 26px;"></p><ul style="background-color: white;"><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Our Pre-K program is conducted at Narragansett School and is open to all Pre-K aged students in Gorham. (If you reside in the Great Falls or Village district, your student will attend Narragansett for Pre-K.)</span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Transportation will be provided for students enrolled in the program.</span></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: times;">Click the following <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://forms.gle/paQuRSq1HNGvkB5g9&source=gmail&ust=1704505849119000&usg=AOvVaw1Ij2ZE3BwvDPeTnx8kgLK6" href="https://forms.gle/paQuRSq1HNGvkB5g9" target="_blank">Pre-K Application Link</a> to apply today! Please contact Theresa Connolly at 222-1295 if you have any questions or need assistance completing the application. See flyer below for more information!</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzvZx97Xlww6_iebk2MkhG7twa8G8Iu4pBUDAriCIMTXFzdrs_OTZ4UdU0mhFpGrnnvasBLRqIkQSYliN9FxGss3QdaY_CjD2sBZnozrSR9kixIcPrOCcOjp8J5s-vvc8Chvwz_Rad1echxQlSLjoegI1SRfnhqlrM7VdCkkfLImNGp5FJZCtOutDVV1w" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1545" data-original-width="2000" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzvZx97Xlww6_iebk2MkhG7twa8G8Iu4pBUDAriCIMTXFzdrs_OTZ4UdU0mhFpGrnnvasBLRqIkQSYliN9FxGss3QdaY_CjD2sBZnozrSR9kixIcPrOCcOjp8J5s-vvc8Chvwz_Rad1echxQlSLjoegI1SRfnhqlrM7VdCkkfLImNGp5FJZCtOutDVV1w=w560-h432" width="560" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Please help spread the word!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">UPCOMING DECISION & COMMUNICATION TIMELINE FOR PK-5 ATTENDANCE ZONE SHIFT</span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Just one more reminder before we start kicking into actions associated with our planned PK-5 Attendance zone shift to make sure that all PK-5 families are aware of this upcoming important decision. An overview of the anticipated timeline is below...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjR6socnBylroqQ55_xPyzweHfVyvVBzxMKhldaQGfvK6000hZF4t0lauXGImanMiM8fjC555M9kwcIKnvaTwkds13hSdTRhmd3mvCKwaUMz9Fs1tTXP7MeeAkE9W7VrCYyuFWjPjGIDU2jHZW16vzcNCgSjGaLLOAKrpwRvXQWZzx5kqcVriF2obJJrTE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="431" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjR6socnBylroqQ55_xPyzweHfVyvVBzxMKhldaQGfvK6000hZF4t0lauXGImanMiM8fjC555M9kwcIKnvaTwkds13hSdTRhmd3mvCKwaUMz9Fs1tTXP7MeeAkE9W7VrCYyuFWjPjGIDU2jHZW16vzcNCgSjGaLLOAKrpwRvXQWZzx5kqcVriF2obJJrTE=w575-h431" width="575" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><u>A Reminder of the "WHY" . . .</u> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">This move is a planned move as part of our long term facilities needs planning. The long term goal will be to build a new PK-5 Elementary School in Gorham that would consolidate Narragansett Elementary and Village Elementary School. However, this long term plan will take 15-20 years to bring to fruition and we need additional space NOW in order to address a steadily growing student population as well as growing space needs for our specialized student populations across all three schools. Our intermediary plan, then was to build modular expansions at Narragansett Elementary School and shift student populations in that direction. The final phase of that expansion will be ready for Fall of 2024. By shifting attendance zones, we will be able to steer continued growth towards Narragansett while also providing additional room to grow at Great Falls and Village. Bottom line, this shift will allow us to provide needed growth space for all three schools while we work to accomplish our long term goal of a new elementary school.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><u>How Do I Learn More?...</u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">I would encourage all families who wish to learn more about this shift and the rationale behind it to attend a Zoom meeting scheduled for Jan. 29 at 6:30 p.m. A link will be sent out via our messenger system as we get a little closer to this date. This meeting will be open to all PreK-5 families in Gorham.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">At this meeting, I will share the data and rationale behind the need for this move. I will also share the targeted numbers that were established for the move and outline the process through which we are working to create the final draft of our new attendance zones. I will encourage families to follow the Feb. 7 School Committee meeting at which time the draft plan will be unveiled and the School Committee will be asked to take action to approve. Finally, I will also review the expected timeline for communications document and help answer questions from families about the process.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">GORHAM HIGH SCHOOL PARTICIPATING IN NEASC ACCREDITATION PROCESS</span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguRToUvqUtQtce437sCfcacWh4a91BLHvCGnS6i8ZJ8Lotdi_P8qaZkzT8DHwCc2JQxsc7nlsfTro0wtTg6lSyO3KCG-DpVERo2AvwHJ-eKkzQeiIW72ynffydeH53qPcYxOhnB_XMCUlhv7Ak7YjTmcClB-9sNKFLeHBOu2L67WTeJuOZwoxhG85vMp0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="184" data-original-width="644" height="91" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguRToUvqUtQtce437sCfcacWh4a91BLHvCGnS6i8ZJ8Lotdi_P8qaZkzT8DHwCc2JQxsc7nlsfTro0wtTg6lSyO3KCG-DpVERo2AvwHJ-eKkzQeiIW72ynffydeH53qPcYxOhnB_XMCUlhv7Ak7YjTmcClB-9sNKFLeHBOu2L67WTeJuOZwoxhG85vMp0" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Gorham High School (GHS) will be hosting an accreditation visit from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) in March 2024. This accreditation process is a significant event for the school, providing an opportunity to highlight its commitment to high educational standards and continuous improvement.</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-813d2f01-7fff-77b3-7adb-3c6ef14f5fba" style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 15pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The NEASC accreditation visit provides an opportunity for Gorham High School to undergo a comprehensive self assessment of its academic programs and educational environment. To maintain its accreditation, GHS needs to demonstrate alignment with the following five NEASC Standards for Accreditation:</span></p><ol style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 15pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">A learning culture that promotes shared values and responsibility for achieving the school’s vision.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Student learning practices that maximize the impact of learning for each student.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Professional practices that ensure that practices and structures are in place to support and improve student learning.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Learning support that ensures the school has appropriate systems to support student learning and well-being.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Learning resources that ensure the school has the resources necessary to meet the learning needs of all students.</span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 15pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">This fall, in anticipation of its accreditation visit, the GHS faculty has been undergoing a comprehensive self assessment, which includes collecting evidence that demonstrates its progress on each of the standards. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 15pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The accreditation visit is a collaborative effort involving students, educators, parents, and the broader community. Gorham High School encourages active participation and engagement from all stakeholders to showcase the collective commitment to educational excellence. As the school welcomes NEASC representatives, it looks forward to highlighting its achievements, addressing challenges, and working collaboratively to ensure that it continues to provide an outstanding educational experience for all its students. This visit will also allow the school to receive valuable feedback and recommendations for improvement from experienced educators and professionals associated with NEASC.</span></p><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Any GHS parents who would like to be involved in this important process should reach out to Principal Brian Jandreau at 207-222-1128 or </span><a href="mailto:brian.jandreau@gorhamschools.org" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">brian.jandreau@gorhamschools.org</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">.</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Want to learn more about NEASC - <a href="https://www.neasc.org/accreditation">CLICK HERE</a>.</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>THE IMPORTANCE OF ATTENDANCE - A GREAT NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION PERHAPS?</b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhd_TNVm6qFKa2vg0fiGu8gJz18S7idI2cCj0t7iRnZ4tNYkSYysvpEEBRG6sa4tQE8XYcWgQNQCOqY5ojA2A5pQ63XC9AIFEUdPRg-9MjIIX5MSocw0a0R1CR-5Dksbj-KGnWM-Fmay9h2rBJAN3dikUkabm548ynlAYxvI-Ruqp7IpN0llMPIR3DzAwY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="315" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhd_TNVm6qFKa2vg0fiGu8gJz18S7idI2cCj0t7iRnZ4tNYkSYysvpEEBRG6sa4tQE8XYcWgQNQCOqY5ojA2A5pQ63XC9AIFEUdPRg-9MjIIX5MSocw0a0R1CR-5Dksbj-KGnWM-Fmay9h2rBJAN3dikUkabm548ynlAYxvI-Ruqp7IpN0llMPIR3DzAwY" width="320" /></a></div><br /></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;">With a new year comes new opportunities to build new habits and make positive changes! If, perhaps, school attendance has been a challenge for the first half of the year - now is a great time to re-commit to the importance of your child(ren) attending school each and every day!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Want to know more about the importance of school attendance. <a href="https://www.attendanceworks.org/chronic-absence/the-problem/10-facts-about-school-attendance/">CLICK HERE</a> for some great information for parents and families from "Attendance Works". </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Simply put research clearly shows a direct relationship between regular attendance at school and student achievement. Good attendance = higher student achievement!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;">So if you are perhaps still looking for a solid new year's resolution - and your child(ren) may have struggled with regular attendance - now is your chance to recommit! We miss every child when they are absent and want to make sure we get to spend as much time with them as we can!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>MARCH 5 = REMOTE LEARNING DAY FOR GMS AND GREAT FALLS STUDENTS ONLY</b></span></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj6LfIxtECuBFKE6F_Ork_yiz8piUNJFlySfXG9bTbfpAwSCvZfmmVq8Lsy5xyIIm75kCLPuYasHGAqyrVGQ5qYTUHG22RnvEMemA4QQUMb0AXw-TRz4LljIepqbSLA51viQ2S8QBAQHVZGLwD5JSp9HK9xgvQfRw3zaght9SCoIlt3cj4Oo36Tdi1ig5M" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="162" data-original-width="312" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj6LfIxtECuBFKE6F_Ork_yiz8piUNJFlySfXG9bTbfpAwSCvZfmmVq8Lsy5xyIIm75kCLPuYasHGAqyrVGQ5qYTUHG22RnvEMemA4QQUMb0AXw-TRz4LljIepqbSLA51viQ2S8QBAQHVZGLwD5JSp9HK9xgvQfRw3zaght9SCoIlt3cj4Oo36Tdi1ig5M" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: times;">As you may be aware, Gorham Middle School and Great Falls Elementary School are used as polling locations here in Gorham. As you may also be aware maintaining the safety and wellbeing of our students is paramount to our schools. At Great Falls Elementary School, the physical space itself prevents us from being able to separate students from members of the public entering our schools for the purpose of voting.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: times;">At GMS we have sometimes kept school open in the past while the building is being used as a polling location by cutting off student access to the gym area and by using temporary barriers to close off the school to members of the public using the gym to vote.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;">What individuals may not know is that when schools are used as local polling locations, the Federal and State rules and regulations associated with polling locations overtake rules associated with our schools. In other words, priorities shift away from students and instead shift toward making sure voters have free and unrestricted access to the polling location. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;">In our current climate, these two things are becoming more and more at odds with one another. As Superintendent of Schools, it is becoming more difficult for me to ensure the safety of students while at school if the school is also being used as a polling location. Because of this, I am moving instruction on March 5 to remote instruction for students at GMS and Great Falls only. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;">I understand that this decision will impact families. I hope that this communication provides ample time for parent planning and the child care adjustments that may be needed as a result. Additional communications will be coming from GMS and Great Falls directly as we get closer to this day to make sure families are clear on what to expect for remote learning activities.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b>ASPIRE GORHAM JANUARY NEWSLETTER AVAILABLE TO READ!</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsIMgwf_E-nvOM_0gARN9o-o9pG9BYm65ZahAOej_ZzpGUXoc0LkYS-g2DvRZjOvMVCOJTan-CaAPwQ1KoJQ92TLxAqRCZ6_4L1IAYhoza56RnBlGwc-6_SJqt2F_2rGsu-Um6YCk0_2cvGFx6DFv9q8OyZXlA7Rt7IUlxfN-OZbBM6TVD7HJ5oE-evVU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="402" data-original-width="2118" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsIMgwf_E-nvOM_0gARN9o-o9pG9BYm65ZahAOej_ZzpGUXoc0LkYS-g2DvRZjOvMVCOJTan-CaAPwQ1KoJQ92TLxAqRCZ6_4L1IAYhoza56RnBlGwc-6_SJqt2F_2rGsu-Um6YCk0_2cvGFx6DFv9q8OyZXlA7Rt7IUlxfN-OZbBM6TVD7HJ5oE-evVU=w524-h100" width="524" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;">The Aspire Gorham newsletter for January, 2024 is ready to read! Check out all the great stuff happening as part of our Aspirations focus here in the Gorham Schools!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/118nRSMymJU0NkdYEUoTbUQ7Ifwu2_HRJ/view?usp=sharing">CLICK HERE</a> to read!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">RECENT REPORTS TO SCHOOL COMMITTEE - GREAT INFORMATION - CHECK IT OUT!</span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZopm8qY29fE4j5OTCntPqjf18b8OVSesfWjOXxZ4u0QJ47nHi6xa8Uf9dNFVWwd2LNxk7HEwu6zp_tQx3BHIfcvteheK7yiSpfmSyC6HIEWlHi9ZoZwSRP_Tp64UorhDUrj3IOpO91EofRnRW5wJqH_I638xLvQTaXkHcc-6OySE9XgtL5e2PNfizcS0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="966" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZopm8qY29fE4j5OTCntPqjf18b8OVSesfWjOXxZ4u0QJ47nHi6xa8Uf9dNFVWwd2LNxk7HEwu6zp_tQx3BHIfcvteheK7yiSpfmSyC6HIEWlHi9ZoZwSRP_Tp64UorhDUrj3IOpO91EofRnRW5wJqH_I638xLvQTaXkHcc-6OySE9XgtL5e2PNfizcS0" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;">At our January 3, 2024 regular school committee meeting, members of our Gorham Schools team made FOUR different informational presentations to the School Committee that I thought everyone might want to check out. The incredible team at GoCAT live streamed and recorded the meetings. You can <a href="https://view.earthchannel.com/PlayerController.aspx?&PGD=gorhamme&eID=613">CLICK HERE</a> for the link to the overall meeting recording. Below I have listed each presentation and the approximate time on the video that each presentation began. VERY INFORMATIVE...and definitely worth the review!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;">- GMS Student Council Presentation (2:27 minute mark)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;">- PK-12 Library/Media Presentation (13:18 minute mark)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;">- Gifted & Talented Program Presentation (36:52 minute mark)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;">- Public Safety Presentation (1:01:01 minute mark)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;">Thank you to Georgia Humphries and her incredible team at GoCAT for making this information so easily available to the public! </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b>JANUARY'S TOWN COUNCIL REPORT</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhN6BPkdKrf05aYGI4TjJsKhp6CAArffIkZJOKwrgbJNXMhq2dEIMOgGCx-dsg25YM_a_Jmu_rBhzHt-BSopR7puBP9fhYmlcGZeqydHCOyWdIGIBsBzZmodaecERK4-leSkmj4qeXJfsm5xd9L8WTlkG6gvgxGYITpkhW4m05nd-gIMKhngOxXGeHCUY4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhN6BPkdKrf05aYGI4TjJsKhp6CAArffIkZJOKwrgbJNXMhq2dEIMOgGCx-dsg25YM_a_Jmu_rBhzHt-BSopR7puBP9fhYmlcGZeqydHCOyWdIGIBsBzZmodaecERK4-leSkmj4qeXJfsm5xd9L8WTlkG6gvgxGYITpkhW4m05nd-gIMKhngOxXGeHCUY4" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: times;">What follows is the information shared with the Town Council by the School Committee at the Town Council's last regular meeting. . .</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><u>Town Council Report – Jan 2, 2024</u></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-a533877e-7fff-df8e-0665-204dd34e53ad" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></span></p><ol style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; margin-left: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><u><span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">GHS NEASC Accreditation Work</span><span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></u><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gorham High School staff are working to complete their NEASC accreditation self-study process in preparation for their upcoming NEASC site visit scheduled for later this spring. NEASC stands for the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and it has been the accreditation body for Gorham High School for decades. Due to the recent pandemic and some changes in the accreditation process itself, it has been 10 years since GHS has completed this important work. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-left: 18pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">NEASC Accreditation is a respected, effective, and time-tested methodology for school improvement and growth. It is not a single event, but rather an ongoing, voluntary cycle of comprehensive internal and external assessments, short- and long-term strategic planning, and periodic reporting sustained by professional partnership and support. It is intended to serve as a framework for schools to meet their own unique goals for student learning while maintaining alignment with research-based Standards for Accreditation that define the characteristics of high quality, effective learning communities. </span></span></p><ol start="2" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; margin-left: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>Multi-Lingual Learner Population in Gorham</u></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>:</u> At the December 13, 2023 School Committee meeting (available on GoCAT) the Multilingual learner staff provided an important update on the growing population of our ML students and their changing needs. As a reminder, our ML program is mandated at both the state and federal level under what’s known as a Lau plan. </span></span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 18pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 18pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Currently over 25 languages are spoken in Gorham schools:</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 18pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 311px; overflow: hidden; width: 420px;"><img height="311" src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/15dKzpV5QhN5CYu71eoy3hNaUZwlODVZ5yRBqypAg2fyhbACAJ8OpeTzBBWJh-0fB1lZZHfNO0mgx5yE_dEGMlrCmXSJY6ojzmAkmn0dkWwqSFJtll2KuOlNdVo02W9JpU8RipEw79BraEejwQJGKxI" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="420" /></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 14pt; margin-top: 14pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: times;">Our overall population of ML learners has increased by 30% since 2017-28 (24 students). </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 333px; overflow: hidden; width: 574px;"><img height="333" src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/BWAK-7i37djJihqb166-ZLyadV9uA2dWIL2HtRnzC0A598eyasYfQaygC31xvJrwkJX86rcZ0iy18WuH7N__q_aOfqQOJYFZlKkihVsOBH_3CsNTkt1YOr_qFNGKWxfRSuvKu8OQa5omF_h6T0B_reg" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="574" /></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">In addition, the needs of ML students and their families have changed significantly. In the past, incoming students most likely had prior experience with the English language. This has shifted to the majority of incoming ML students having little or no English speaking or writing experience. This requires more intense services for student learning, which cannot be not met with current staffing levels, as you can see below. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 392px; overflow: hidden; width: 660px;"><img height="392" src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/VY7CZR9LyqSWtdF9WDv9jplV2ghSb5V6UL7x-dl_rwF-hJ02Ii5b2RzSX2tmDMTkr8R8JeAQlWLk84gDODaFccVpn0i1b5ss3A0ShFtA4qEqIljH2q8Q4mPmDgQE4Jh9rqEPGKzYWdFg2c_hl3QXXcY" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="660" /></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">This will likely become a discussion point in our FY 25 budget development process.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></span></p><ol start="3" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; margin-left: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>Budget:</u> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once again thank you for attending our Joint Budget meeting held on December 5, 2023, which can be viewed on GoCAT. During the meeting we discussed the creation of a running Q&A document that Town Council members could use throughout the budget development process to ask important questions and get answers well in advance of our more formal budget meetings in May and June. </span></span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 18pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">During the course of the meeting we collected questions that were asked and added them to the document, which can be found at </span><a href="http://www.gorhamschools.org"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">www.gorhamschools.org</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> under "About Us,” "School Committee,” "School Budget Information.” At the top of that page you will see the Q&A sheet link listed. So far there are 19 questions with answers. All Town Council members have editing access to this document so please keep adding questions and we'll check it periodically to provide additional answers. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></span></p><ol start="4" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; margin-left: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><u><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Joint Fiscal Sustainability Committee</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></u><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> We are moving right along in our preparation to hold the first committee meeting. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a reminder, this committee’s purpose is to understand the existing financial landscape for the Town of Gorham and the Gorham School Department. To evaluate the future financial landscape, and to use this knowledge to make recommendations for how to maintain sustainable taxes while continuing to manage the present and future growth of our community over the next 5-10 years. </span></span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 18pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">The Town Manager and Superintendent have met and are close to finalizing a contract with the facilitator. In addition, both groups are working to finalize membership of the committee and anticipate having the first meeting of this group in February, 2024. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-left: 18pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">We are very much looking forward to this important work as a community.</span></span></p><ol start="5" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; margin-left: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>Concerts Coming Up:</u> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our music students are gearing up for some great concerts at the GHS Performing Arts Center. Here’s the schedule:</span></span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Jan. 9 at 7:00 GHS Winter Concert</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Jan. 10 at 6:00 Elementary Winter Concert</span></span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Any questions, please feel free to reach out: </span><a href="mailto:Sarah.Perkins@gorhamschools.org"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sarah.Perkins@gorhamschools.org</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />Well, that's enough information for this post! See you all for my next post scheduled for Jan. 19, 2024!<br /><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p>Heather Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902747451985096596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2916890148299174047.post-16492696991521092392023-12-15T06:58:00.000-08:002023-12-15T10:09:59.901-08:00December 15 Blog Post<p>'Twas the week before vacation and all through the schools, every child was stirring and so were the adults!☺ But don't worry, plenty of great learning is still going on across each and every school in the district! Don't take my word for it - check out the pictures below that show it! </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivkH13dMvnFnzM77r8V5r9y9VvS8LDOIfaFOfggPDJk1skq8zEuaf0FFs5Kx21WDHE5HverQfXOkS7vHGqOBE5C-a3zFZM50A7Nj9widGNgjQtmtV4GZbRylYBbFj64P8hFV0wx246nt8mZ4F32XAcK5Fn5Ft62sa86orwci_D3spiQh48ECJgnnmXmeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="577" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivkH13dMvnFnzM77r8V5r9y9VvS8LDOIfaFOfggPDJk1skq8zEuaf0FFs5Kx21WDHE5HverQfXOkS7vHGqOBE5C-a3zFZM50A7Nj9widGNgjQtmtV4GZbRylYBbFj64P8hFV0wx246nt8mZ4F32XAcK5Fn5Ft62sa86orwci_D3spiQh48ECJgnnmXmeg=w577-h577" width="577" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">MID YEAR UPDATE ON SUPERINTENDENT'S </span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">2023-2024 GOALS</span></b></div><p></p><p>As you know, each year I work closely with the Gorham School Committee to develop annual goals. These goals are developed each summer and then approved each fall by the Gorham School Committee. It is these goals that drive the priorities for our work each year. </p><p>Every year in December I also provide an update to the Gorham School Committee on the work associated with these goals so that they can see the progress that is made, or in some cases not being made. That update was provided to the Gorham School Committee this past Wednesday night at their most recent committee meeting. I thought it would be helpful to share the update with all of you as well. Below are the overview slides for each goal. You can also view the full document update by<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eanVherQ9DVtlTNTfjKlpY785Y5mWdVQfJgHapItyCc/edit?usp=sharing"> CLICKING HERE</a>. </p><p>Overall, things look like they are on track and moving forward as hoped! I will provide a final update to the School Committee in June as part of my annual evaluation process. I'll be sure to share then as well!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvK6zlEMgW5RLWY3rjFBZ7rHTEBiUSwcUrKDjiNBSHSGtty3aXnkI0xBn4xzEl-Mvw4YTAzWbgHWx5nFCmYvgQZLcV3iUkMKH2UZmoFC_n9cE1D4-cMsSoLJrHRlH4p7srDyLeNtEOC2coJeeNYZU0Jb5WY37sQ1ajYVo_-vCv7zxdNyINIr7XB7PP5fs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="996" data-original-width="1816" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvK6zlEMgW5RLWY3rjFBZ7rHTEBiUSwcUrKDjiNBSHSGtty3aXnkI0xBn4xzEl-Mvw4YTAzWbgHWx5nFCmYvgQZLcV3iUkMKH2UZmoFC_n9cE1D4-cMsSoLJrHRlH4p7srDyLeNtEOC2coJeeNYZU0Jb5WY37sQ1ajYVo_-vCv7zxdNyINIr7XB7PP5fs=w572-h315" width="572" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfyuGFIPEy7CMqdopJPEkfiN4QEz8BqHlA4qCb5CLCIMuG7C1LJ0wzYqqGxCIkGC98ZucgsHEzYQBpnLhSmycm3aNDqLjrHI_iQA1gHsSqciFVSA0STz8Yo9akcykwlYSKm235-XJ_L5gJxU3JJRrX08CH2ISsj9LkxYfafPvJZVHdN-bA5MrbPe_al_I" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="996" data-original-width="1814" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfyuGFIPEy7CMqdopJPEkfiN4QEz8BqHlA4qCb5CLCIMuG7C1LJ0wzYqqGxCIkGC98ZucgsHEzYQBpnLhSmycm3aNDqLjrHI_iQA1gHsSqciFVSA0STz8Yo9akcykwlYSKm235-XJ_L5gJxU3JJRrX08CH2ISsj9LkxYfafPvJZVHdN-bA5MrbPe_al_I=w569-h313" width="569" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnd7ylvkgE6obVSFE5P2uhBYppzZH-kFbzsjT9SGCnFOC_KOjAqxYcznxozp8x6SLT4HR8rEfICd0LS4y_35fpBfNkMY57YEED2TXoUQ6T4nzCc3MrPUObpz8EQVRjty0MmqA2sO0nfrC6eB3Wjftfgf3NuOTaUWQse9joSZw9zJeRfM18VR774CpUCn8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="992" data-original-width="1812" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnd7ylvkgE6obVSFE5P2uhBYppzZH-kFbzsjT9SGCnFOC_KOjAqxYcznxozp8x6SLT4HR8rEfICd0LS4y_35fpBfNkMY57YEED2TXoUQ6T4nzCc3MrPUObpz8EQVRjty0MmqA2sO0nfrC6eB3Wjftfgf3NuOTaUWQse9joSZw9zJeRfM18VR774CpUCn8=w574-h314" width="574" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3j6w_EAEz0rCfO9w8l6CPRQZrvX-qEieySt_zDe9iQXnDO2sdpMUEAv9ZI9z4mqNdoxv3cm31uh5XvHtx12LTlY_OHjcCIhaG0V4sAtIXGT7moTpMd34bm_OgRVuEEMIfUhI6E0mFRGv03Pr4HC5dn9KcBF1-opyaNZA20KH7VqjdGvyZCsEjonNc2L0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="994" data-original-width="1828" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3j6w_EAEz0rCfO9w8l6CPRQZrvX-qEieySt_zDe9iQXnDO2sdpMUEAv9ZI9z4mqNdoxv3cm31uh5XvHtx12LTlY_OHjcCIhaG0V4sAtIXGT7moTpMd34bm_OgRVuEEMIfUhI6E0mFRGv03Pr4HC5dn9KcBF1-opyaNZA20KH7VqjdGvyZCsEjonNc2L0=w578-h314" width="578" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHaxD21Zsf9HQLWj8fYt1UYjA4aBO5hUH1qK8VBO_RdV60_DGQalOawc1WarDwVnQTb2HBuIXM8iVR9o3QtEBuPJPGqnIfivta-k8U_WBHk1SPNVjEQ1VOTC2ftVxyqgvCIUFZsImuOXJH2fc_6we5UywDzHan7xPlImt4zjR3GKbx14Y55UjrLb705Nc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="992" data-original-width="1824" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHaxD21Zsf9HQLWj8fYt1UYjA4aBO5hUH1qK8VBO_RdV60_DGQalOawc1WarDwVnQTb2HBuIXM8iVR9o3QtEBuPJPGqnIfivta-k8U_WBHk1SPNVjEQ1VOTC2ftVxyqgvCIUFZsImuOXJH2fc_6we5UywDzHan7xPlImt4zjR3GKbx14Y55UjrLb705Nc=w577-h314" width="577" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiz_hvJ6FVZLpiSGcCb0iA8yTamWipXqI5c8TUKnXmG8DuRU4JX5Kp5X4uPy0PCWE6TUgr7Vvb5CI5h0ksDzvCp3x-Q84AvLxp7IpePJtH1kewnluYaVoYa1lA9JU4uG0P65W6HyLY_uLdyxzUXsRI8mNFJ_aM8ftsVwW8Vy4KpzPoJuTgASomRw70jrf8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1826" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiz_hvJ6FVZLpiSGcCb0iA8yTamWipXqI5c8TUKnXmG8DuRU4JX5Kp5X4uPy0PCWE6TUgr7Vvb5CI5h0ksDzvCp3x-Q84AvLxp7IpePJtH1kewnluYaVoYa1lA9JU4uG0P65W6HyLY_uLdyxzUXsRI8mNFJ_aM8ftsVwW8Vy4KpzPoJuTgASomRw70jrf8=w581-h318" width="581" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As I hope you can see, we are making good progress on each of these goal areas and we look forward to continued work in these areas for the 2nd half of the school year!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><b><span style="font-size: large;">GORHAM SCHOOLS MID-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE</span></b><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNuQTMwWzn9dPQtRCIsUay6j5hv4BijEuUIM7gidTVhHA88YvE3v2fpZElSLZ2gVV61xjRd9jUceoDYQQjH1Dw3wFqZ7zNfPI0fR1ZnhFb5Z21thiOBMRx-aCTwm_kyB_qtcb21i5hJzbomTEpAoeBcI5PG2yWrP2Pk69rfmb0mWpL2iE-U0V7jor_T0w" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="170" data-original-width="296" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNuQTMwWzn9dPQtRCIsUay6j5hv4BijEuUIM7gidTVhHA88YvE3v2fpZElSLZ2gVV61xjRd9jUceoDYQQjH1Dw3wFqZ7zNfPI0fR1ZnhFb5Z21thiOBMRx-aCTwm_kyB_qtcb21i5hJzbomTEpAoeBcI5PG2yWrP2Pk69rfmb0mWpL2iE-U0V7jor_T0w" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Similarly to the Superintendent's goals, we also work to provide an update to the Gorham School Committee each December (mid year point) and each June (end of year) regarding the ongoing priorities and work outlined in our district's strategic plan. Our current strategic plan is a multi-year plan that has been in place since last year (Fall, 2022) and extends through Fall of 2027. You can view the full plan by <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sECJE2CGttOJ7VLmHsxDFEYnetMrAsm-/view?usp=sharing">CLICKING HERE</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Our Strategic Plan has four major sections: </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Our Students</div><div style="text-align: left;">2. Our Learning</div><div style="text-align: left;">3. Our Culture</div><div style="text-align: left;">4. Our Human and Capital Resources</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">For each section, we have identified goals and for each goal there are several action steps that are outlined for completion along with listed resources, measurements for success and suggested timelines.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In the <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LTmKnrwywb_lEwTk7uWWqMaD4IKrZbsZ5SVP6bEN8GQ/edit?usp=sharing">Strategic Plan Update</a> shared with the School Committee on Wednesday night, a column has been added to the far right of each table that contains a written assessment of where the work stands and provides some additional narrative context for the ongoing work. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Overall, when we review all action steps listed between 2022-2024, there are a total of 59 action steps. Of those, 39 have been completed and/or are ongoing and another 16 are in process. This means that 93% of action steps towards our goals for the time frame between 2022-2024 are either completed and ongoing or in process. Considering that any strategic plan or vision documents are aspirational in nature, that bodes well for our continued work moving forward!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">SAVE THE DATE - FREE FAMILY EVENT TO SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH OF STUDENTS!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTviRupgUtMVK6Id5dhU9tYPXmoUZqhYBEWCERmlGkCTjKQoHLL4GmVl-5uv4QydWOjHdRmgWs5H9nOxpuNdHkKRitFevoeZU5cetLjGje4Id6LZ6JMW8JWQBCPvof1qmjgCyUjRJhJ2mjRX4is3R09Xys_lWogprz52piiXl9BnoV1hcvjwciyYkTFeQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="171" data-original-width="294" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTviRupgUtMVK6Id5dhU9tYPXmoUZqhYBEWCERmlGkCTjKQoHLL4GmVl-5uv4QydWOjHdRmgWs5H9nOxpuNdHkKRitFevoeZU5cetLjGje4Id6LZ6JMW8JWQBCPvof1qmjgCyUjRJhJ2mjRX4is3R09Xys_lWogprz52piiXl9BnoV1hcvjwciyYkTFeQ" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As we continue our focus to support the mental health of our students, I wanted to make sure to remind interested families to save the date for a FREE webinar that will be offered to Gorham families on <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">January 22 at 6:00 p.m. via zoom on the topic of "Social Media - Protecting Your Child."</span> More detailed information will come out after the holiday break.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Given the world we currently live in, if you are a parent/guardian of a school aged child this webinar is for you! This webinar is being provided in collaboration<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"> with the <a href="https://cookcenter.org/">Cook Center for Human Connection</a> and <a href="http://parentguidance.org">parentguidance.org</a>. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;">While I'm reminding you to save the date - I also wanted to remind you that the <a href="https://parentguidance.org/all-courses/">parentguidance.org site</a> has free videos created by professional therapists for families on a variety of important topics. Its a great resource! Check it out!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">SO WHAT IS THIS A.I. STUFF AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR MY CHILD'S EDUCATION?</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: times; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQg281MBt03B0mSrDIS7jcNBBhD5zwhr1VdhWpZaOdXM4OujdBbS3M1sWbOChLEV_8dq37Eu4utnPTJYLKiG8NoapXvqlPrU8HpTNd5NVeQQco2lqqiezUs00dYqFw-2kUVm7X_BktIWaF6ua70Sz5REJshOS-Qt5XzE_X7ZI0y39MHJslLNSS-SolqXI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1322" data-original-width="1418" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQg281MBt03B0mSrDIS7jcNBBhD5zwhr1VdhWpZaOdXM4OujdBbS3M1sWbOChLEV_8dq37Eu4utnPTJYLKiG8NoapXvqlPrU8HpTNd5NVeQQco2lqqiezUs00dYqFw-2kUVm7X_BktIWaF6ua70Sz5REJshOS-Qt5XzE_X7ZI0y39MHJslLNSS-SolqXI" width="257" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">- Image created by MDOE using Canva. </span></span></div><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;">Ok, so I'll admit...that title may be a little misleading because I'm not sure I'm going to be able to answer all that in this one piece. I'm not even sure I could answer all that in multiple pieces at this time because so much is changing and evolving in the world of A.I. each and every day. But I thought that as the conversation about A.I. becomes more popular that many of you may be interested to know more and to begin to understand what are we doing here in the Gorham Schools to best utilize these new technologies to "Prepare and Inspire" our graduates for their future success.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><b>So let's start with the basics...What is A.I.?</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;">Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines. It is a machine's ability to perform the cognitive functions we associate with humans such as: perceiving, reasoning, learning and interacting. Typically A.I. is broken into two categories: "predictive A.I." and "generative A.I."</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;">Now, predictive A.I. has been around for a long time. Things like robotics, or chat bots are examples of predictive A.I.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;">What has caused the recent "boom" in the field of A.I. is not predictive A.I. but generative A.I. See predictive A.I. relies on historical data as input to make predictions while generative A.I. uses just an initial input of data to plant a seed in the creative process which it then uses to generate and create. In short, predictive A.I. makes predictions while generative A.I. can actually create deeper learning.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;">The world of generative A.I. is literally exploding with tools like ChatGPT, Jasper, or Google Bard just to name a few. It is expanding so fast that many predict that in just a year we'll all look back at tools like ChatGPT mentioned above and think fondly of its quaintness similar to how our teenagers may now think of facebook (if they think of it at all). Bottom line, it is moving fast!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;">Like anything in today's world, the use of A.I. can have negatives and positives. It is a technology tool, so how it is used will depend a lot upon the humans that using it! Some can think of A.I. and think of the negatives such as: deepfakes, increased hacking, privacy violations, cheating/plagarism and the loss of current jobs that may go away because of A.I. Others can think of A.I. and think of the positives such as: its ability to automate repetitive tasks saving time for more important creative human interactions, or its ability to mine vast amounts of information for productivity increases, or its ability to personalize experiences to individual consumers even in education, or perhaps its ability to improve access to healthcare and much more.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;">Bottom line, A.I. is booming and it is up to us as humans to decide how best to use it.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><b>So What Are Schools Thinking About A.I. and Its Future Uses in Classrooms?</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;">Well I can tell you that the Maine Department of Education is taking a forward focused approach. The MDOE states that...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><span> <span> </span>"</span>It has consistently approached technology as an asset to education and serves to support school districts, <span> </span>administrators, educators, and students in developing a healthy relationship with technology and using it <span> </span>as a tool to enhance and transform teaching and learning experiences. A.I. is being approached the <span> </span><span> <span> </span></span>same way, we are working to inform our stakeholders of the value, importance and potential <span> </span><span> <span> </span><span> </span><span> <span> </span></span></span>implications of this new technology and help them to integrate it into their learning experiences <span> </span><span> <span> <span> </span></span></span>similarly to all other technology. In addition to this, we have ramped up our commitment to helping</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><span> </span>educators and students to be good stewards of technology and center their use of A.I. in digital <span> </span><span> </span><span> <span> <span> </span></span></span>citizenship best practices."</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;">In Gorham we are currently focused on learning about A.I. and seeking to better understand its potential to support our overall mission to "Prepare and Inspire" our students for their future success. We are encouraging our staff to attend workshops and conferences on the topic to learn more. We are encouraging staff to attend webinars or to download ChatGPT (and other A.I. tools) for themselves and begin to "play" with these tools to better understand their implications to our overall mission/vision.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;">Later this winter/spring we will begin to work on the development of some initial draft guidelines for the use of A.I. in our schools that we know will continue to grow and change as the technology does over time. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;">Similarly to the MDOE, we do not see A.I. as "something more" or "another thing" or something that is "good" or something that is "bad". We see A.I. as a technology tool that will have vast implications to our children's futures. We know that our role is to make sure that our students are prepared for their future success and there is no doubt that A.I. will be a part of that future whether we like it or not. We understand that we must make sure our students are prepared for success in a not too distant world where the use of A.I. will become as "game changing" in their lives as the introduction of the automobile was in the early 1900's, or the use of household TV's were in the 50's or the Internet in the 90's or cell phones in the 2000's.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><b>What Can Parents/Guardians Do To Learn More?</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;">I think the biggest thing anyone can do right now to prepare for further conversations about A.I. and its place in our schools and in our communities is to LEARN. There is lots of information out there right now about A.I. but one resource I'd point folks to to start would be a trusted friend in "Common Sense Media". They have started their own A.I. initiative that provides a great place to start for parents seeking to understand A.I. I'd encourage any parent to check out the link below to get started...and then go from there!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.commonsensemedia.org/ai">Common Sense Media: A.I. Initiative - Understanding the Impact of A.I. On Our Kids</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Stay tuned...most definitely more to come!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">P.S. - I thought I'd share this cool clip from "The Today Show" back in 1994 on "What is the Internet Anyway" just to provide some laughs and perspective on the changing world of technology and how we can perceive it in the moment. Check it out by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlJku_CSyNg">CLICKING HERE</a>...like I said, a great way to get a good laugh in - especially if you were old enough to remember these conversations! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS IN GORHAM</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAcyGtYpoQgYNumoDaz7WCj2IKvgDAl5rvNp2L3r868ODeV3yFdFh1lV8fw9zJBMYbvGWHPl2pVVnVlgRFN7HGuwVLwgv89LOQOVErP0itWWuKB3Dp5ADtv2vnL83EvFWQBgac0NO43F6n9Gui1MJwaGkTnrcBBXJjQEhzDNmuytq9A2bOuWSrTHR170I" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="170" data-original-width="297" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAcyGtYpoQgYNumoDaz7WCj2IKvgDAl5rvNp2L3r868ODeV3yFdFh1lV8fw9zJBMYbvGWHPl2pVVnVlgRFN7HGuwVLwgv89LOQOVErP0itWWuKB3Dp5ADtv2vnL83EvFWQBgac0NO43F6n9Gui1MJwaGkTnrcBBXJjQEhzDNmuytq9A2bOuWSrTHR170I" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">On Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023 the Gorham School Committee was treated to an excellent presentation of updated information and data on our district's Multi Language Learners program in Gorham. If you want to watch the full presentation, you can <a href="https://www.gorham-me.org/gorham-government-education-television">CLICK HERE</a> and go to the recording of the meeting to view. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I thought others might be interested in just checking our some of the "high points" of the presentation and the data though...so that is what I've shared below...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEio_E-HnPZsWNTRSpW-YGeXOMM9VjD0fFQC8e5Rcthz6HpEMnjEXYWbWZhsnhoSu9MStJBrh3LSfJTl1BlqPgX66rPFHGFFCKVpdSIfhxfEwV5px_MVJQORq4gsJdMrVGZ0zc6ylmdK02qwUoBQxBiHBgZjtt_H2Y-QlNjKuld4DtKLTicJM2GkO7ya4-g" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1016" data-original-width="1770" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEio_E-HnPZsWNTRSpW-YGeXOMM9VjD0fFQC8e5Rcthz6HpEMnjEXYWbWZhsnhoSu9MStJBrh3LSfJTl1BlqPgX66rPFHGFFCKVpdSIfhxfEwV5px_MVJQORq4gsJdMrVGZ0zc6ylmdK02qwUoBQxBiHBgZjtt_H2Y-QlNjKuld4DtKLTicJM2GkO7ya4-g=w603-h347" width="603" /></a></div>This chart shows historical data from 2017 - 2023 regarding overall ML students in our schools. In that time frame the total population has grown from 78 to 102 ML students requiring language services. What is more important isn't just the overall number but the very different TYPES of services that are required in our classrooms today as well. What we are seeing today is more students coming into our schools needing levels 1,2,3 supports (which means they come in knowing very little english) vs. in the past we often had more students coming in at levels 3,4, and 5 (which means they could speak english, but mostly just needed content learning supports). As you might imagine, services change significantly based on the level of english language students may or may not have coming into our schools.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjb8nppLa6NK6j5qKmq8DJVFj-9-XywrWxcX9cMBzBrtbHju5cFm6jddC5P36kiggcRXaRQXoAiBdMXhqmWd-7EiMFyM2j312ISREfZlyC2cxYct6pWnNlr-KbMd5YpwywFoHUijMgNdJrlgtwjcXWyOhoSqsgummpak1cT2JvL6AnAIJ4WOsVjCZ7nVyI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1058" data-original-width="1768" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjb8nppLa6NK6j5qKmq8DJVFj-9-XywrWxcX9cMBzBrtbHju5cFm6jddC5P36kiggcRXaRQXoAiBdMXhqmWd-7EiMFyM2j312ISREfZlyC2cxYct6pWnNlr-KbMd5YpwywFoHUijMgNdJrlgtwjcXWyOhoSqsgummpak1cT2JvL6AnAIJ4WOsVjCZ7nVyI=w625-h373" width="625" /></a></div><br />This chart takes the same data as above but breaks it out by school so you can see the differences across our five schools.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjAVI8YEVaETGNJpl0n6BDPx2yV4THqluBb3EDYIACbroICjEkixHyWPeKuExNqrmBM2jDZsgS8W1lLVM2lfad6lCpYfdusL12pKgY1Rb6Im9y0jkNbmkdHAmdzwdVU-aXMDRQqrGqCdxaSo6HUi48o65w7H3VU7izYKW8Ui29Djj_3FIUII9cOraGUOE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="994" data-original-width="1764" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjAVI8YEVaETGNJpl0n6BDPx2yV4THqluBb3EDYIACbroICjEkixHyWPeKuExNqrmBM2jDZsgS8W1lLVM2lfad6lCpYfdusL12pKgY1Rb6Im9y0jkNbmkdHAmdzwdVU-aXMDRQqrGqCdxaSo6HUi48o65w7H3VU7izYKW8Ui29Djj_3FIUII9cOraGUOE=w577-h325" width="577" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This slide lists the different language that are CURRENTLY spoken across our schools. There are 25 different languages.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisQi3SbOf47ChRoWh69b-gb49DOk9TkndFK3_U-gVWIryfY3IJJV9Hfrb9wosnoG4XgoqhBLMMhx9xVH1tJwXPh1u_7cqwOqJXrSnILSGdlbwv_0uZj2Sj3AWxX9zq-lXOPSTadUBlFPKlbQ5f0zWXEjPGz2H53llRaxb9tw9nS3LyGIN1pjfsk-bYf1A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="956" data-original-width="1598" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisQi3SbOf47ChRoWh69b-gb49DOk9TkndFK3_U-gVWIryfY3IJJV9Hfrb9wosnoG4XgoqhBLMMhx9xVH1tJwXPh1u_7cqwOqJXrSnILSGdlbwv_0uZj2Sj3AWxX9zq-lXOPSTadUBlFPKlbQ5f0zWXEjPGz2H53llRaxb9tw9nS3LyGIN1pjfsk-bYf1A=w614-h366" width="614" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This chart demonstrates that we are currently not fully meeting the needs of our ML families in the district due to the changing demographic of ML learners entering our schools with less knowledge of english. Because of this, our ML staff are spending far more time accommodating for basic needs of families such as clothing, food, or just help in navigating our various community systems and less on direct instruction for students. The blue lines are the recommended service times we should be providing based on language levels for students. The green lines are what we are actually able to provide with our current 3 full time staff.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As one of our long time ML staff members (who is also a life long resident of Gorham) put it - "Our community is change and changing for the better, but our services have not yet changed to meet these needs". Because of this, the school is placed in the position of being the primary service provider for these families. Needs in this area will likely become a significant talking point as we work to develop our FY 25 proposed budget. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">TOWN COUNCIL MONTHLY REPORT - SHARED!</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiceC_M8CeIP9aowX4r266639mk_w6h8b0gUBbosRcdje8LJfJ0Icl7XzfaV7wB1r2vHmVS-5iycbnpjIkgpw89kp1Q2eCPmOaFW5tttcYMCyXR_PJA8pPTxqs-ozvYSO-PeJHghMjoL4tqqdmtH1an_y6bFFAlO28-jjDsfC-w2jXaDEICdGfjaIifkVo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="176" data-original-width="286" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiceC_M8CeIP9aowX4r266639mk_w6h8b0gUBbosRcdje8LJfJ0Icl7XzfaV7wB1r2vHmVS-5iycbnpjIkgpw89kp1Q2eCPmOaFW5tttcYMCyXR_PJA8pPTxqs-ozvYSO-PeJHghMjoL4tqqdmtH1an_y6bFFAlO28-jjDsfC-w2jXaDEICdGfjaIifkVo" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Each month the Gorham School Committee chair, Sarah Perkins shares a report with the Town Council. Below is what was shared at their most recent meeting held on December 5, 2023.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p></p><ol style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; margin-left: -18pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Thank you!</span></span></p></li></ol><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-7ef2168f-7fff-35ea-54b2-0cb71c6a6b12"><span style="font-family: times;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Thank you for the opportunity to meet together earlier this evening in a joint workshop meeting to discuss our FY 25 budget development process. We truly appreciate the feedback and open dialogue that was created via this meeting. We will work to ensure your thoughts and ideas are addressed in the upcoming FY 25 budget development work. </span></p><ol start="2" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; margin-left: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Dessert and Discuss</span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Thank you to Counselors Lavoie, Gagnon, Simms and Siegel who were able to attend the recent Dessert & Discuss meeting between the School Committee and District Leadership Team. We very much appreciated having our “counselors’ corner” present to listen and ask questions. For those of you that were unable to attend, a video recording was shared and is available online to view. </span></p><br /><ol start="3" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; margin-left: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Budget</span></p></li></ol><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The proposed FY 25 budget will be presented to the School Committee in early February. The School Committee will then meet several times to review the proposed budget in depth. Those meetings are scheduled as follows for those that would like to follow along. The meetings will be recorded and/or live streamed and linked to our website as well.</span></p><br /><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">3/4/24 at 7:00 p.m. - Budget Workshop #1</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">3/11/24 at 7:00 p.m. - Budget Workshop #2</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">3/18/24 at 7:00 p.m. - Budget Workshop #3 (if needed)</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">3/25/24 at 7:00 p.m. - Budget Workshop #4 (if needed)</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">4/1/24 at 7:00 p.m. - Budget Workshop #5 (if needed)</span></p></li></ul><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The School Committee will VOTE on a proposed FY 25 budget at its April 10, 2024 </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">regular meeting. We will keep you informed as we go and welcome questions along the way. </span></p><br /><ol start="4" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; margin-left: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Bond Payment</span></p></li></ol><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A reminder that in November 2022 the voters of Gorham voted to support the completion of our third phase of modular expansion at Narragansett Elementary School as well as to support much needed HVAC repairs and upgrades at GHS. As a result, the first principal payment will come due for this bond in FY 25. We estimate that payment to be just over $842,367.00. Last year’s FY 24 budget only included the interest payment of $289,330.00 so this is an increase of $553,036.00 in FY 25’s proposed budget.</span></p><br /><ol start="5" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; margin-left: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Elementary School Attendance Zones</span></p></li></ol><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Gorham School Committee is preparing to make decisions regarding our upcoming PK-5 Attendance zone shift. This is anticipated to be the last attendance zone shift for several years. A decision making and communication time line is available via the Superintendent’s blog and will be updated as the process moves ahead.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><ol start="6" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; margin-left: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Winter Athletics</span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Our winter athletic events are in full swing. Please check out our website for full details on all of our winter sporting events for both GMS and GHS. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><ol start="7" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; margin-left: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Concerts Coming Up</span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Our music students are gearing up for some great concerts. Here’s the schedule:</span></p><br /><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Dec. 7 at 6:00 GMS Choral Concert</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Dec. 14 at 6:00 GMS Band Concert</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Jan. 9 at 7:00 GHS Winter Concert</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Jan. 10 at 6:00 Elementary Winter Concert</span></p></li></ul><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Any questions, please feel free to reach out: </span><a href="mailto:Sarah.Perkins@gorhamschools.org" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Sarah.Perkins@gorhamschools.org</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. </span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">SOME INTERESTING DATA TO SHARE REGARDING PHONES AT GHS</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfsd5dZ7V3CrqhxUDCgCrhBFDfuZq_V_9O0NjRjdWsHn8TsldP6nUF6e5Aw0LltqBqBC587TnLHuE4Zc8c4SRRUWbkhu8FL7qTk5qHE0NrH2u6v1shYsICc_bkVg6ETUv8croAcMolyVx7kePieXRj96eS0fyeZTQZeWWG_CfkYmkX_PQIVZ_fMGuBp0M" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="175" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfsd5dZ7V3CrqhxUDCgCrhBFDfuZq_V_9O0NjRjdWsHn8TsldP6nUF6e5Aw0LltqBqBC587TnLHuE4Zc8c4SRRUWbkhu8FL7qTk5qHE0NrH2u6v1shYsICc_bkVg6ETUv8croAcMolyVx7kePieXRj96eS0fyeZTQZeWWG_CfkYmkX_PQIVZ_fMGuBp0M" width="146" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Last year a GHS teacher shared the results of a survey her 10th graders took regarding their device usage. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A few weeks ago she gave her students the same survey. The results were noticeable different. Now it is hard to say that this has anything to do with our new cell phone policy at GHS, but it is interesting to see the difference in the responses. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div><br /></div><div><b><u>The question:</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div>The Teacher asked students the following, first regarding their phone use, then regarding their use of other devices. </div><div><br /></div><div><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><b>How much time do you spend on your (phone, question 1)/(other devices, question 2) on average per day? Include all social media apps (TikTok, Instagram, snapchat, etc) and games. DON'T include time just listening to music or even watching TV or movies.</b></span></span></div><div><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><u>LAST YEAR's Results: Jan 3/4 2023: (64 current juniors, took survey as sophomores)</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><u><br /></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: small; font-weight: bold; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2VgplB-bWiFkhm8kKWoBoYHSuo-mzvGCMiZ9MD30oITLZJPcGQMfBfUwCDxuxnk42RYj7GNKbPC-uCr1UWx7-uUwKZPDrFaoc1HsA_M-N5GK8GJE7PxmuTdT39ThHMtljYYz3lozFCFtOsaA9oJ-_wNd2b4qs7qESfefD8UJptMv1SSg6jEd9QUFeebY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="2196" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2VgplB-bWiFkhm8kKWoBoYHSuo-mzvGCMiZ9MD30oITLZJPcGQMfBfUwCDxuxnk42RYj7GNKbPC-uCr1UWx7-uUwKZPDrFaoc1HsA_M-N5GK8GJE7PxmuTdT39ThHMtljYYz3lozFCFtOsaA9oJ-_wNd2b4qs7qESfefD8UJptMv1SSg6jEd9QUFeebY=w625-h264" width="625" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: small; font-weight: bold; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: underline;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: small; font-weight: bold; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: underline;"><b><u>THIS YEAR's Results: Dec 5/6 2023: (60 current sophomores)</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: small; font-weight: bold; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: underline;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: small; font-weight: bold; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg12nAb9kpi_rPZSG303QuYxT16dC07DNhhMAreilOqzOBY-DRroDKSvXefEW1pfnjqf54tBTZMP86aChiq6bB7fwRdmp72mloasn_kv80sAIeo3RSvgOgfpKBARe0xRI4w8VfMoYCi74q3yuU3WMf-0nxroS6HTGsvnh9P4Vcr81f-hcp8VWGQ2rjrjmE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="2196" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg12nAb9kpi_rPZSG303QuYxT16dC07DNhhMAreilOqzOBY-DRroDKSvXefEW1pfnjqf54tBTZMP86aChiq6bB7fwRdmp72mloasn_kv80sAIeo3RSvgOgfpKBARe0xRI4w8VfMoYCi74q3yuU3WMf-0nxroS6HTGsvnh9P4Vcr81f-hcp8VWGQ2rjrjmE=w661-h279" width="661" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: small; font-weight: bold; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: underline;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: small; text-align: left;">INTERESTING! THANK YOU Mrs. Tierney-Fife for sharing!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: small; font-weight: bold; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: left;"><h3 class="iw" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: auto; color: #5f6368; font-family: "Google Sans", Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.75rem; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 20px; margin: inherit; max-width: calc(100% - 8px); overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-wrap: nowrap;"><br /></h3><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">ASPIRE GORHAM DECEMBER NEWSLETTER </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">READY TO VIEW!</span></div><div style="font-size: small;"><br /></div></div></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6CljCUKqsqLj6eOWnyz9xRXHe2Cq8hMwcmSyWH3F7u5Nsrw7lL9RtKjswn-h7r86ircZ7HDpF1oeKT5mmSFbtoG3TYxPp3GkOg7Kw7TQu7RkzM3WKblamQ9Vr_SRbrLP2AHRoFXGDt9hmfsD0C7Dnhq9bwG9UtFWO5ktnanjNQXXHPani0pojd5DVaYU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="2142" height="92" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6CljCUKqsqLj6eOWnyz9xRXHe2Cq8hMwcmSyWH3F7u5Nsrw7lL9RtKjswn-h7r86ircZ7HDpF1oeKT5mmSFbtoG3TYxPp3GkOg7Kw7TQu7RkzM3WKblamQ9Vr_SRbrLP2AHRoFXGDt9hmfsD0C7Dnhq9bwG9UtFWO5ktnanjNQXXHPani0pojd5DVaYU=w452-h92" width="452" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The December, 2023 Aspire Gorham Newsletter is ready to view! Please click on the link below and check out all the incredible work going on to engage our students in exploring their aspirations across grades Pre K - 12 and beyond!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cOSRgVjPVcfEGyYSBDkUqjlX1IioT5Tt/view?usp=sharing">December Aspire Newsletter</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">SHARING MORE STUDENT VOICE!</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6Ss734ludWhqh1v6cPG40Fn7s0IbZSccXPs0-OOQ2z6GosTAS1IEAg4mf1f3Ege1PUF39h5NSWrfEtB61_v8OGYomw0rucjBQpvdGw0e9yzG5bXCYBiyhq_UNCwWpbtQEF3FzvtTNe7ZbkxxwMqON45S4xbCuHX0TXHiZfRrwm3wsaxX53uqrjwGz3Wk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="165" data-original-width="305" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6Ss734ludWhqh1v6cPG40Fn7s0IbZSccXPs0-OOQ2z6GosTAS1IEAg4mf1f3Ege1PUF39h5NSWrfEtB61_v8OGYomw0rucjBQpvdGw0e9yzG5bXCYBiyhq_UNCwWpbtQEF3FzvtTNe7ZbkxxwMqON45S4xbCuHX0TXHiZfRrwm3wsaxX53uqrjwGz3Wk" width="320" /></a></div></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of the programs under our Aspire Gorham initiative is our Extended Learning Opportunities program (ELO's for short). I thought it might be fun to share a recent piece of feedback from a student in our ELO program. I think it speaks volumes towards the importance of ELO's and our overall Aspire Gorham initiative. In our student's own words...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="background-color: white; border-left: thin solid grey; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 5px; padding-left: 10px;" type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><div><span id="m_2190958469581796890gmail-docs-internal-guid-ef035f76-7fff-3963-c714-4f93eb473634"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">"The Extended Learning Opportunity (ELO) program at Gorham High School is an extremely valuable and life changing program. It truly has given me the opportunity to get a glimpse into my potential career and future. Focusing juniors and seniors towards a career path and helping them choose their career should be an extreme focus. I had the opportunity to do this program out of needing another credit and not wanting to take another class.</span> <b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">I started off not caring that much about it but as it went on I began to really develop strong relationships with the students and teacher. I began to realize and truly value spending time with the children, and helping them work through problems and challenges.</span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">I was able to work with the students on many different things: math centers, reading and writing journals, working through tests, playing games and many other things. I was given the opportunity to help lead a class along with teaching a small lesson. It was extremely valuable and gave me an immense amount of knowledge on my career. I think that this opportunity needs to be more widespread and I would love to help make this process easier for the students.</span> <span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Because, I genuinely think that this has been one of the most important and life changing things I have done in my life.</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">This process gave me a huge opportunity to look at a career and experiment and see what works for me. I now know what to do with my career and it has given me an incredible look on teaching and my distant future.</span> <span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>I would tell other students to just give it a try even if they are nervous or don’t want to do it. They truly don’t know what they are missing as this is a huge opportunity."</b></span></p></span></span></div></div></blockquote></div><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well that's enough for this post for sure! Have a great weekend everyone and I'll see you back at the blog posting after the Holiday break! HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL! Enjoy the extra time with family and friends! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My next blog post will be on Friday, Jan. 5, 2024. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div></div></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-867dedfa-7fff-112b-6da5-eaee6ce940a5"><div><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /></div><p><br /><br /></p>Heather Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902747451985096596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2916890148299174047.post-37865997749821474302023-12-01T05:04:00.000-08:002023-12-01T05:04:22.581-08:00December 1 Post<p>Another two weeks have gone by and there is much to discuss. You would think that because we didn't have school for several days due to the Thanksgiving break that perhaps we'd have a hard time finding cool pictures of our students having fun learning - but nope - not the case! Check out the pictures below and then on to the information!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgurZ7O84R8pAyknhe88YrklSbBaDPFnoDVLxMc8HYZT1Fcod3lC-9cUyZmc_HaPaKsiZ3N61NMx76aFhaCl3VKhoX86sx43AW76qbq2NHLkf8YM3BOWTqCe7wXcpN8UR1eQYsioBmmjMlKe8n1FUc3B_EzdKcZpa7eYzWhCI3AXWgzbWuhXX8k129-4GA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="559" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgurZ7O84R8pAyknhe88YrklSbBaDPFnoDVLxMc8HYZT1Fcod3lC-9cUyZmc_HaPaKsiZ3N61NMx76aFhaCl3VKhoX86sx43AW76qbq2NHLkf8YM3BOWTqCe7wXcpN8UR1eQYsioBmmjMlKe8n1FUc3B_EzdKcZpa7eYzWhCI3AXWgzbWuhXX8k129-4GA=w559-h559" width="559" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">UPCOMING DECISION MAKING TIMELINE FOR PK-5 ATTENDANCE ZONE SHIFT </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhdsJMZfPW5Em12M-prx-GJjLjgsH-fYp9GUbk6_TC9qJR3Q8ZkFUC5UEjgpcYerwOQWbTK4Jf5Khmfapl0v0yPyDatKEpIJ10O5RmmISDeQTuE-TxykE5Kue1Rq-xBFi4ETVb96NQgbNHcuM0X9jiELHWS99DLTsV9cIBrT1UpJ4Vyzn6AwYXyx-FzD_U" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="252" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhdsJMZfPW5Em12M-prx-GJjLjgsH-fYp9GUbk6_TC9qJR3Q8ZkFUC5UEjgpcYerwOQWbTK4Jf5Khmfapl0v0yPyDatKEpIJ10O5RmmISDeQTuE-TxykE5Kue1Rq-xBFi4ETVb96NQgbNHcuM0X9jiELHWS99DLTsV9cIBrT1UpJ4Vyzn6AwYXyx-FzD_U=w261-h207" width="261" /></a></div><div><br /></div>As has been shared previously, the Gorham School Department is seeking to shift our PK-5 attendance zones between our three elementary schools one more time as part of our long term capital planning. This is being done in order to ensure all three schools have ample space to continue to grow over the next 10+ years. The last planned attendance zone shift for our K-5 schools occurred in 2020. The 2nd attendance zone shift would take effect for fall of 2024, this coming school year.<p></p><p>Our long term plan is to eventually gain approval for a state capital project that would consolidate Narragansett Elementary School and Village Elementary School into one new school. Of course, this is going to take considerable time to bring this vision to a reality and in the meantime we need to allow all three of our schools additional room to grow.</p><p>The general standard for schools in terms of planning for future growth is that you should try to keep school buildings at 90% capacity or less. This 10% then allows for that room to grow. If we were to NOT make an attendance zone shift for the coming year, each school's capacity would be as follows:</p><p>- Great Falls - 97%</p><p>- Village Elementary - 97%</p><p>- Narragansett Elementary (with additional modulars open) - 71%</p><p>Clearly, what this data says is that we need to drop enrollments at both Great Falls and Village Elementary School and increase enrollments at Narragansett in order to ensure all three schools have this needed room to continue to grow over time while we wait for this needed new consolidated elementary school. This has been part of our long term capital planning for the past 6 years.</p><p>In order to make sure we have appropriate time to make this shift possible in a well-done and positive manner for students and families decisions will be made starting soon. We are currently working behind the scenes to determine best adjustments to our attendance zones as well as to determine what shifts will be needed in staffing across the three schools as a result of these changes for the coming year. Decisions will be made fairly soon after we return from the Holiday break. Because of this, I wanted to give all PK-5 families a sense of what to expect for communication from the School Department and what to expect in terms of a timeline for decision making. Below is that overview:</p><p><u>- January 17, 2024</u> - All Pre-K Staff meeting via zoom @ 7:30 a.m. Superintendent Perry will review the following with staff: WHY the attendance zone shift is needed; WHAT outcomes we hope to achieve; and WHEN we will be making decisions and communicating with parents and staff.</p><p><u>- January 29, 2024</u> - All Pre-K Parent/Guardian meeting via zoom @ 6:30 p.m. Superintendent Perry will review the following with families: WHY the attendance zone shift is needed; WHAT outcomes we hope to achieve; and WHEN we will be making decisions and communicating with parents and staff.</p><p><span style="background-color: #fcff01;"><u>- February 7, 2024</u> - School Committee public decision to adjust attendance zones.</span></p><p><u>- February 12 - 16, 2024</u> - Individual phone calls to impacted families will be made by Great Falls Principal and Village Principal to notify families of the upcoming changes.</p><p><u>- February 27, 2024 </u>- Great Falls Parent night to explain process and answer questions for all GF parents impacted. This meeting will be hosted by Principal Fortier at Great Falls with time TBD.</p><p><u>- February 29, 2024 </u>- Village Elem. Parent night to explain process and answer questions for all Village parents impacted. This meeting will be hosted by Principal Mezzanotte at Village with time TBD. </p><p><u>- After April Break, 2024</u> - Specific transition activities will occur and be hosted by Principal Eppler at Narragansett Elementary School with dates and times TBD.</p><p>An email will be sent to all PK-5 families after the Holiday break with a reminder about the Parent/Guardian meeting and a zoom link for folks to join. Please pencil this in on your calendars if you think you might like to attend. As always - if you have questions, please reach out to me at <a href="mailto:heather.perry@gorhamschools.org">heather.perry@gorhamschools.org</a>. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">SHARING HIGHLIGHTS OF RECENT CODE OF CONDUCT THOUGHT EXCHANGE</span></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRFz2TyiLNCu43hnMcG9cbyGBUE39hbJIj3WaIPB5zuyP2NnxWdOay5V0q7trspRO3N71ZLt4jh0qe2vDMu0lDWOneM5BvRi2aiEgvPSGsUuzq03U7iHzrtOXGC6AESM6pA1-_Wlxw7vwwd6Z-SWNKWJMXfIzxBayuWvfhHNA3NOET01RqCrcj6hWap4A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="267" data-original-width="189" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRFz2TyiLNCu43hnMcG9cbyGBUE39hbJIj3WaIPB5zuyP2NnxWdOay5V0q7trspRO3N71ZLt4jh0qe2vDMu0lDWOneM5BvRi2aiEgvPSGsUuzq03U7iHzrtOXGC6AESM6pA1-_Wlxw7vwwd6Z-SWNKWJMXfIzxBayuWvfhHNA3NOET01RqCrcj6hWap4A" width="170" /></a></div><br /></div><p></p><p>Thank you to everyone that participated in the most recent Thought Exchange survey regarding our <a href="http://www.gorham.k12.me.us/policies/sectionJ/JICDA%20Code%20of%20Conduct.pdf">Gorham School's Code of Conduct</a>. </p><p>If you recall this Thought Exchange is part of a larger data/feedback gathering process sponsored by the Code of Conduct Revision Committee. The purpose of this committe<span style="font-family: times;">e is to <span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">revitalize and refresh the Gorham Schools Code of Conduct</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> originally developed 20+ years ago. The existing document continues to provide a strong foundation for school community expectations and core values that is utilized daily in the Gorham Schools. The Steering Committee will facilitate a community-wide review of the Code of Conduct to ensure the document reflects today’s contexts while reinforcing our core values for another 20+ years.</span></span></p><p>You can view an overview of this committee's purpose and work by <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1V_ek1czzeLKX0HJKYpb6LRzrcmv54JBWTHZeF7gQKnc/edit?usp=sharing">CLICKING HERE</a> and you can follow along with meeting agendas and notes by <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Mw9Sfx90gvkARqZ-ESwCyfANDCnomdaRUnkmhtZvAZE/edit?usp=sharing">CLICKING HERE</a>.</p><p>The recent Thought Exchange was open between October 16, 2023 and November 11, 2023. The question that was asked was:</p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #231f20;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">Schools should be safe, caring, respectful and welcoming. As we refresh our current Code of Conduct to address the unique conditions within our schools and community today, what are some important areas that we need to consider and why?</span></b></span></p><p>The following provides a summary of participation rates:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKHJmiwleQFOuOUJck_d8m-EC0qtvLHVGozohgtqmKPXwd8XjZjVQ5XhqMnSIEdlfQo23IDiPT0dYNg4MsE268gaL-M1dntDGYfSx1Vz_JNezCeys2mKeCLTrvCa8vQZXF8J5WEW6A7CIzjp9Yu7hpLBR2-XrxV1pXOGz4_5R3rpFUdVMjgM_oHEzdacA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="414" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKHJmiwleQFOuOUJck_d8m-EC0qtvLHVGozohgtqmKPXwd8XjZjVQ5XhqMnSIEdlfQo23IDiPT0dYNg4MsE268gaL-M1dntDGYfSx1Vz_JNezCeys2mKeCLTrvCa8vQZXF8J5WEW6A7CIzjp9Yu7hpLBR2-XrxV1pXOGz4_5R3rpFUdVMjgM_oHEzdacA" width="227" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Of the 865 participants shown above, 72% were students, 16% were staff and the remaining 12% were parents/guardians. Out of all participants 87% stated they were familiar with the Code of Conduct. Below is a word cloud of the TE results:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjef4NTK-J2djkvtlGtjaLZPB9YrTEAKFXLHNlaSD0ayqODkSVQoKbYqOAcv1lsilc_UyItM6GABEv8BJiItYVPMuCNSEx-58aGgQRDRCrYnZQZoPr6o_Z2Oo_GXv97MEOfsumnBD67zrYD9lxZLogd6jviF1p2RSWdzXQw9PK26hsp5kBSV7OMgCNZElY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="1416" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjef4NTK-J2djkvtlGtjaLZPB9YrTEAKFXLHNlaSD0ayqODkSVQoKbYqOAcv1lsilc_UyItM6GABEv8BJiItYVPMuCNSEx-58aGgQRDRCrYnZQZoPr6o_Z2Oo_GXv97MEOfsumnBD67zrYD9lxZLogd6jviF1p2RSWdzXQw9PK26hsp5kBSV7OMgCNZElY=w493-h288" width="493" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Below is a set of the top themes from the Thought Exchange results:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQ7eyMfoXtTHAhi2TW5GfWdHHl-S9eiYsPrTBpDTbPW_jcQzoLuWcdsnNXqvKcbNr9E5jDqpSj3R_cblHVnUHaec6cTSMAo-k0D5CprhrEcxlCjIh5ybNTay_dYenbhAwkwgEFMzDDddxm4jtXHpFzfHlbXyr6a6DqvZuEaNs3B2BvdT7Xrt1TFQq-wEc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="832" data-original-width="1712" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQ7eyMfoXtTHAhi2TW5GfWdHHl-S9eiYsPrTBpDTbPW_jcQzoLuWcdsnNXqvKcbNr9E5jDqpSj3R_cblHVnUHaec6cTSMAo-k0D5CprhrEcxlCjIh5ybNTay_dYenbhAwkwgEFMzDDddxm4jtXHpFzfHlbXyr6a6DqvZuEaNs3B2BvdT7Xrt1TFQq-wEc=w631-h307" width="631" /></a></div><br />Hard to see, but the top ten items listed were (in order from highest responses to lowest) - (1) Community, (2) Respect, (3) Protect Students, (4) Inclusiveness, (5) Digital citizens, (6) Living with integrity, (7) Social Media, (8) Social Media, (9) Bullying/Cyberbullying and (10) Mental Health.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You can view a full summary of thoughts generated by the Thought Exchange by <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1zj9j5B4CW1IA37SAPIQFZtUL6A3uiM0Hht2uU6BCVyY/edit?usp=sharing">CLICKING HERE</a>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Code of Conduct Committee met on November 20 to review in more detail the results of the Thought Exchange and the data from the first survey conducted in September. The group determined that inclusivity, community, digital citizenship and student safety (physical and emotional) all came up as key items that warrant additional discussion in relationship to our current Code of Conduct. The group continued to discuss the differences between values and behaviors and after much discussion determined that the likelihood is high that our five big value statements (i.e. honesty, compassion, etc.) will still be the bedrock of our Code of Conduct, but what we will likely need to do is update our definitions, behaviors and perhaps create a procedure that goes more in depth regarding the specific behaviors that make these values come to life and bring these values into current times and real context. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The next steps for this group's work will be to develop some highlights of the data and use these highlights to sponsor several focus group meetings with the public, with students, and with staff to gain additional insights about how to best move forward. The Committee will be working on this and scheduling forums between January - March. The data collected will then be shared with the full committee when they meet again in March, 2024.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall some great feedback from survey participants and great work by the Code of Conduct committee in breaking all the data down into actionable next steps! More to come! Please stay tuned for upcoming focus group meetings...we would LOVE to have your participation!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">SCHOOL COMMITTEE KICKS OFF FY 25 BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES WITH THEIR ANNUAL "DESSERT & DISCUSS" MEETING!</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Each year the Gorham School Committee officially "kicks off" its budget development cycle with a meeting we lovingly refer to as the "Dessert & Discuss" meeting. It is given its name due to the incredible desserts that our school nutrition workers put together each year for meeting participants. Below is a picture of this year's yummy treats just so you have a clear reference and understand just how incredibly talented our school nutrition staff are!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwhorir9ss2t2h1j7cDGHGi9Q5gmGbLE219D6UbnqBdRxcHCn4tam3ZSNkaxavK0_QFxYQ3CzwI8QZqLoIaXXfT6w5x15UYPrPtySBE5m5O2XClBWdjLklQ1ONrHOADbMrI9ao86bw-oePtK14i5aCQf1ElvW0gpnX3ac_yemgaWjhMN1EfyvbJL4yMrw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwhorir9ss2t2h1j7cDGHGi9Q5gmGbLE219D6UbnqBdRxcHCn4tam3ZSNkaxavK0_QFxYQ3CzwI8QZqLoIaXXfT6w5x15UYPrPtySBE5m5O2XClBWdjLklQ1ONrHOADbMrI9ao86bw-oePtK14i5aCQf1ElvW0gpnX3ac_yemgaWjhMN1EfyvbJL4yMrw=w267-h356" width="267" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Typically this meeting is attended by all school administrative team members as well as all School Committee members. This year we also had the added bonus of having 4 Town Council Members attend. Thank you Seven Siegel, Rob Lavoie, Phil Gagnon and Lou Simms!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There are NO DECISIONS made at this meeting and purposefully so. There will be ample time and opportunity for decisions later in the budget development process! Instead this meeting is geared towards making sure School Committee members gain information and insight into student data and information about our schools and programs that will help them to navigate the difficult choices they must make further on down the line.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The meeting starts with some fun activities, then on to the dessert and after that we use the "sugar high" provided to share lots of information with the School Committee about our schools and programs. It is an extremely informative meeting! If you are interested, you can <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rcBb9X_Qd3Z9v9L-PMS7c2fGPzugkndD8eJW0CeCHBg/edit?usp=sharing">CLICK HERE</a> to view the agenda that contains all the information links that are open to the public. You can also <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XOoHoey0gurW99xJBtIY51tuAFJFAOiy/view?usp=sharing">CLICK HERE</a> to view a recording of the meeting. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">With this meeting...we've begun the process! A timeline for FY 25 Budget Development can be found by <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uhApSSCBdz98c6d9KdSKrPSkoi4UNM_7Vrs3S0LVBvE/edit?usp=sharing">CLICKING HERE</a>. I've also updated the <a href="https://www.gorhamschools.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=456522&type=d&pREC_ID=1150991">School Committee budget website link</a>. This web page is where we will archive all our FY 25 Budget development information as we move along through the myriad of meetings and decisions required to create our best proposed budget. Its a long but valuable road - I encourage folks to follow along with the good work! I will do my best to share along the way too!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">SUPERINTENDENT'S LISTENING TOUR INFORMATION AND REMINDER OF FUTURE DATES!</span></b></div><br />So I had my first listening tour meeting on November 13 and unfortunately no one showed! 😐 I am going to choose to take this as a good sign that no one has questions about our schools...but somehow I doubt that! So I thought I'd share some of the information I prepared for the meeting and then remind folks when the next three "Listening Tour" events are and encourage those who want to learn more, ask questions, and share their perspectives with me to attend!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In regards to information - I put together several charts/graphs that outlined some key facts about our schools and where we see our major challenges moving forward. Here's some selected data slides:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Lots of folks ask me how old our schools are. So I shared this chart below:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKI_qqd3bZjcCOc0senl7rF7LNwOgamXB-ZDfPeBj3Hbr2wd3vZ0tLrooEVKfa1nxHArNABUrLpYP4i93Hy8taI8ew9FZXF-kFobcqSkPSUK_YJv9s_JZcP0vxfC5SdSVEXZe68nTgdOfhP0acV0BxB-qsPCWYawvl_VKkYPi9FBswSVAtbKSI_ORHbbs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="820" data-original-width="1458" height="349" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKI_qqd3bZjcCOc0senl7rF7LNwOgamXB-ZDfPeBj3Hbr2wd3vZ0tLrooEVKfa1nxHArNABUrLpYP4i93Hy8taI8ew9FZXF-kFobcqSkPSUK_YJv9s_JZcP0vxfC5SdSVEXZe68nTgdOfhP0acV0BxB-qsPCWYawvl_VKkYPi9FBswSVAtbKSI_ORHbbs=w621-h349" width="621" /></a></div><br />Then I share with folks a chart that shows pretty clearly the "hole" we have "dug" for ourselves regarding capital renovations and improvements to our school facilities. This chart is based on a 2% reinvestment of total facilities value annually which is the standard set by the State of Maine. Our annual capital reinvestment deficit is shown in the red bars below. This is not a slide any of us are proud of.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-8b3fe3a5-7fff-e718-626a-1cbbca68ec38"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 360px; overflow: hidden; width: 610px;"><img height="360" src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/-TNdI3ey79nK2QLaXb-h0MtUhVksha1U3UuxXWDK0sGbWuZDo7nNhFRy5Hj3foO0tAw8ssyrFKz_ZXIshjhDDu1Ltk7_ol8D-Pi2Hz-L1_3_m1zIdlsI9UUr0WytEitOhuqU6dcp4V6OvI8mcljb7ck" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="610" /></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also tend to get a lot of questions about our enrollment history - so I included this data chart showing historical projected enrollments in blue and actual enrollments in orange.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinMddBUw_7FGiKtor-HgvljpsQIFstv5EB1-ErEEpwRA71bW3klCjTAMUElJ45o5bd9Sk4N31cNmx9QdLwQJ68C17hlUskM4Ud1HCmR2v9wDt4tV-pLI8ToljVJxmgLT_FL-zl7DKMhmHyJKhlR_E_WmrPycJmC4ulLbTiknBNmvYzJiYdKGR71yVwfuk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="678" data-original-width="926" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinMddBUw_7FGiKtor-HgvljpsQIFstv5EB1-ErEEpwRA71bW3klCjTAMUElJ45o5bd9Sk4N31cNmx9QdLwQJ68C17hlUskM4Ud1HCmR2v9wDt4tV-pLI8ToljVJxmgLT_FL-zl7DKMhmHyJKhlR_E_WmrPycJmC4ulLbTiknBNmvYzJiYdKGR71yVwfuk=w442-h323" width="442" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Current enrollment is 2841 which includes 87 new Pre K students, hence the spike in the data chart on the right hand side. Without Pre K the height of our enrollment was in 2019 with 2799 students. Our lowest enrollment (again without Pre K) was in 2014 with 2631. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also tend to get a lot of questions about historical budget increases. So I shared this graph below. As you can see the FY 24 budget was a continued increase on paper - but please know that included a new Pre K program and associated expenses. If we removed those costs (that had corresponding revenues) the actual increase would have been 5% which would have been even with FY 23. The largest increase then would have been back in 2014 when our budget increased by over 5.5% in one year.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAO1fyU41HTLEa9yGkhb9vN3UCa4ecqXatuwFO5pbMbnLQL4km4NWgarSnyqlpjd27J9iyn54sPT8LbyejAo3FGZwPGD_Hx2Zj1sCOvjCRDtr8_Y2W4jdZUwYmcb1-d_TyQ6YKYeCMBX3FpTofNTFwKBTxk2esW5V0jtUnGpluHSuil1nZw02ckIRPpMc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="826" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAO1fyU41HTLEa9yGkhb9vN3UCa4ecqXatuwFO5pbMbnLQL4km4NWgarSnyqlpjd27J9iyn54sPT8LbyejAo3FGZwPGD_Hx2Zj1sCOvjCRDtr8_Y2W4jdZUwYmcb1-d_TyQ6YKYeCMBX3FpTofNTFwKBTxk2esW5V0jtUnGpluHSuil1nZw02ckIRPpMc=w415-h301" width="415" /></a></div><br />It is interesting to compare/contrast the expenditure budget graph above with the one below though too. The graph below shows that our state property values have increased at the same rate or greater than our expenditure increases each year. Last year's state property value increase, for example, was 8% over the previous year. This is the figure the state uses to determine a community's ability to pay for its public education system.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhcdZ85f8LV43LM1p4QnCZVWQfjei71CqpKeRWH1d2LavBenwxhax-qzE-scGRvv547z7yb1Kc4xJFj5fXfrwmuVUMo-J_6pJy24qa_FajJoGhSw367DJg7aGR2Q__nK8xxl8JNr9NJu3G8f71GtEHMUAo39N_Fj1Wv30aPIvoBuyzeQYTz0-EDoU5zJHk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="502" data-original-width="950" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhcdZ85f8LV43LM1p4QnCZVWQfjei71CqpKeRWH1d2LavBenwxhax-qzE-scGRvv547z7yb1Kc4xJFj5fXfrwmuVUMo-J_6pJy24qa_FajJoGhSw367DJg7aGR2Q__nK8xxl8JNr9NJu3G8f71GtEHMUAo39N_Fj1Wv30aPIvoBuyzeQYTz0-EDoU5zJHk=w468-h247" width="468" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This last graph below shows our per pupil costs compared to all other school districts in Cumberland County for FY 23. As you can see (in red), our per pupil cost is the 2nd lowest at $17,000.00. The Cumberland County average for this year was $19,446.00 per student, which is $2,446.00 more per student than we expended.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj6tmvGmtjJPOL0UjcLiZPYCQU5BTVzODWLArxe7xaO8w5BtrnYhJgPVDzoxnGDn-RM51_inQo4v2NCC_9aTROFuUuNf0meFTjbrbP7QUlByd5OCZMOqRwA8uBlzHLKZpSRkmyO4CBcvrZZD1uxJp07OsWxuZfy94wzMRuzAq1TgFjeAcA39e6IK2wWlLQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="728" data-original-width="1370" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj6tmvGmtjJPOL0UjcLiZPYCQU5BTVzODWLArxe7xaO8w5BtrnYhJgPVDzoxnGDn-RM51_inQo4v2NCC_9aTROFuUuNf0meFTjbrbP7QUlByd5OCZMOqRwA8uBlzHLKZpSRkmyO4CBcvrZZD1uxJp07OsWxuZfy94wzMRuzAq1TgFjeAcA39e6IK2wWlLQ=w580-h308" width="580" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I then included a slide outlining what I see as the top challenges our schools face moving forward. Those are:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwvklowbXKKSnkC79P0KEPFJcl9FJ33F88qvppP8XPg02V4jwM0YZkB8cMSS_vTStpFAVD2QXgbBGofoMC7GPNjYp3TLxEViMweD5Iox9O4-BBojNhHJyIxwpOn4vRNDhfto-6ZxgQdLcNSGKG-lszqgHpEqo1u7s6EIcpEocS5elYuTk0XVSFlK6IEhU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="728" data-original-width="1616" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwvklowbXKKSnkC79P0KEPFJcl9FJ33F88qvppP8XPg02V4jwM0YZkB8cMSS_vTStpFAVD2QXgbBGofoMC7GPNjYp3TLxEViMweD5Iox9O4-BBojNhHJyIxwpOn4vRNDhfto-6ZxgQdLcNSGKG-lszqgHpEqo1u7s6EIcpEocS5elYuTk0XVSFlK6IEhU=w504-h227" width="504" /></a></div><br />My hope was that this data would spur some great conversation and thinking and help lead into a discussion about what people want to see for the future of Gorham. At that point - after introducing my three leading questions below - my goal would be to sit back and listen to whoever is present and take notes to help inform future thinking. Here are the three questions...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifKnG4S2hCccBnKQngDa6n_FVPFsiqWeImzZ2SxSuk6iCjz-JTP_9TVrwo2Z1kewqbx_Wd_AD3ME_gRBp6aLD-j6xyV6lUt7U57RA7WpPLuumbc8yj-uf7uKwshVMg7SDJRho3px4apaYet5TO9wElTFsYvZ4InJUriOJGiKC0UV8zYOkiZnJSPn8cN9E" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1694" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifKnG4S2hCccBnKQngDa6n_FVPFsiqWeImzZ2SxSuk6iCjz-JTP_9TVrwo2Z1kewqbx_Wd_AD3ME_gRBp6aLD-j6xyV6lUt7U57RA7WpPLuumbc8yj-uf7uKwshVMg7SDJRho3px4apaYet5TO9wElTFsYvZ4InJUriOJGiKC0UV8zYOkiZnJSPn8cN9E=w568-h215" width="568" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since no one came to the first meeting - I wouldn't mind at all if folks perhaps wanted to send me some of their thoughts on these 3 questions via email! I promise to read them just as I would have listened to them in person! Or perhaps this little piece has sparked your curiosity and you'd like to attend a future planned "Listening Tour" meeting? If so - here's the information on the remaining planned events!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Dates:</u></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">- January 22, 2024</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">- March 26, 2024</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">- May 20, 2024</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><u><span style="font-family: times;">Times</span></u></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">- All meetings will begin at 6:00 p.m. and last no longer than 1 hour.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><u><span style="font-family: times;">Location</span></u></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">- Summit Community Church, Gorham ME. (26 Cressey Road, Gorham ME)</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">Note: I may move the location for each meeting just to get different audience members. This will be the 2nd location for sure. After that - stay tuned for possible change in locations.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><u><span style="font-family: times;">Food</span></u></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">- Light munchies, coffee, tea and water will be provided</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">GHS STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN THE "CAN WE" PROJECT!</span></b></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCD7xJ0C-nz5uoGXE2UU6Tlj4hZQKUqd55DZwfCza_mSdnWUKgq-6zk8LX5_xvoAb9z2dFOUeXx-P6dhCEy2jjpJyFluCsaByqWQpX31qy9hbCn9VZ7edCFl8lfHYuwkjK8oDV4v5pPFahwaQaqyh-9nZv5p2qs4xmD1YWX-_sOQWR4kbJmxSW9Hy8PIs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="734" data-original-width="1238" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCD7xJ0C-nz5uoGXE2UU6Tlj4hZQKUqd55DZwfCza_mSdnWUKgq-6zk8LX5_xvoAb9z2dFOUeXx-P6dhCEy2jjpJyFluCsaByqWQpX31qy9hbCn9VZ7edCFl8lfHYuwkjK8oDV4v5pPFahwaQaqyh-9nZv5p2qs4xmD1YWX-_sOQWR4kbJmxSW9Hy8PIs=w458-h272" width="458" /></a></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Pictured above are GHS students and staff who are participating in The Can We? Project.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;">The Can We? Project is an experiment in revitalizing democracy through dialogue across differences. The project brings together groups of students within schools to take part in three day-long retreats with the goal of uniting students from different backgrounds and places on the socio-political spectrum. Experienced facilitators engage students in conversations to find a shared vision for the future. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #202124; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Can We?</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Project is an opportunity for students interested in working together within and across schools in Maine to learn and practice the skills of civil dialogue and to collaborate on common ground issues in order to have a positive impact on our communities. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; white-space-collapse: preserve;">This year the project is working in </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UsfVhkGwMguR3bf8LpsMFt7HPOe9Wo9lyaotaTYOs_A/edit?usp=drive_link" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; white-space-collapse: preserve;">15 partner schools </a><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; white-space-collapse: preserve;">across Maine including Gorham.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">It is exciting to see our students participate and to hear the incredible conversations and ideas that they are generating. Thank you to those students who are putting themselves "out there" to participate. You are modeling our Code of Conduct for everyone when you do! GO RAMS!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;">If you’re interested in learning more, visit aspiregorham.live/CanWeProject. For even more info including video clips and news articles, visit aspiregorham.live/CWInfo</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>GHS SCHOOL STORE HOLIDAY SALE IS UNDERWAY!</b></span></span></div><br />WOW...is it me or did the Holidays sneak right up! I know one place I can go to do a little quick shopping and make sure I can get some good quality Gorham "swag" while at the same time benefiting GHS students! Check out the flyer below if you are interested in perhaps doing the same! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhyzFZyB_hgS36tYovA6OCdr9BN1bSdQqx42nZQBPJ7-ej2n5uaPnizEWvqSwsliVug6Ux_niv3VGWJil4ICTgehZfQfRDKwJ1Bcc93L0rygLEWg2l8BQPRQkmTnck7fSI4rGIsSz6fUP76ykdMsWM7D1YkOfMq9XYOycVmxqXv3lYBkbVsq9wvTBAE_vs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1941" data-original-width="1500" height="678" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhyzFZyB_hgS36tYovA6OCdr9BN1bSdQqx42nZQBPJ7-ej2n5uaPnizEWvqSwsliVug6Ux_niv3VGWJil4ICTgehZfQfRDKwJ1Bcc93L0rygLEWg2l8BQPRQkmTnck7fSI4rGIsSz6fUP76ykdMsWM7D1YkOfMq9XYOycVmxqXv3lYBkbVsq9wvTBAE_vs=w523-h678" width="523" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well that is enough "stuff" for this blog post. I would encourage everyone to keep your eyes open on your individual school's calendar of events...there is always LOTS happening this time of year across all our schools! I know I have several upcoming concerts on my calendar in the near future! You can access all school activity calendars from our district website (<a href="http://www.gorhamschools.org">www.gorhamschools.org</a>) and then click on each school to view calendars! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 360px; overflow: hidden; width: 610px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Heather Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902747451985096596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2916890148299174047.post-34956241776995829722023-11-17T06:44:00.000-08:002023-11-17T06:44:20.533-08:00November 17 Post<p>Another two weeks have gone by already! WOW! So much to share...I'm gonna get right to it after some pictures highlighting the great work going on in our schools since my last blog post - just love that active learning!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN68Zn29C_4PJnJBXbbas0bsTmT3B7TL_eeU7_cjZqCbrFODDsepKdjoGipb99JY6QcwjkMFtQZULvlrFVx7-vJd5BmObkjWyoASYOgbwMk6AnLe5hpArRjEL0F1xDWQkDZrtOk_3IDqAnV745YbgHdhQ-dcu9G8btbMrqEBdGjB2kptdhHbvcZPPLysw/s3264/Nov.%2017.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="575" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN68Zn29C_4PJnJBXbbas0bsTmT3B7TL_eeU7_cjZqCbrFODDsepKdjoGipb99JY6QcwjkMFtQZULvlrFVx7-vJd5BmObkjWyoASYOgbwMk6AnLe5hpArRjEL0F1xDWQkDZrtOk_3IDqAnV745YbgHdhQ-dcu9G8btbMrqEBdGjB2kptdhHbvcZPPLysw/w575-h575/Nov.%2017.jpeg" width="575" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">UPCOMING SCHOOL CALENDAR REMINDERS!</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpURoxQQ5bF3AM3owBmQxvCJBgKU-ogu47SRiBpVV7loG6AzidXKaEiIG_Aninjc3G0tVvHlPxvFga3hd0qXfsid_YuRlGWxFQDVTTRbVd6A2LxA3PsfXo0Ih0RRqYgCZz8OFKTb58BT-sVjoTpa1RZSPwt1OOUdxXQMQgWH9Gux7SUTVmgB6mtWZgu4Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="212" data-original-width="237" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpURoxQQ5bF3AM3owBmQxvCJBgKU-ogu47SRiBpVV7loG6AzidXKaEiIG_Aninjc3G0tVvHlPxvFga3hd0qXfsid_YuRlGWxFQDVTTRbVd6A2LxA3PsfXo0Ih0RRqYgCZz8OFKTb58BT-sVjoTpa1RZSPwt1OOUdxXQMQgWH9Gux7SUTVmgB6mtWZgu4Q" width="268" /></a></span></div><span><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>As we enter into the holiday season, I thought a reminder about our school's calendar might be in order. Here are the highlights for November and December!:</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>* There will be NO SCHOOL next week 11/22, 11/23 and 11/24 due to the Thanksgiving break. Monday and Tuesday of next week (11/20& 11/21) will be full school days.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>* We will have an early release day on Wed. Dec. 6, 2023 so please plan on ER schedules for this day.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>*. Our Holiday break will begin with NO SCHOOL on 12/22. There is also NO SCHOOL 12/25 - 12/29 for the following week and NO SCHOOL on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. We will return to school on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>You can always view our full school calendar on our website by <a href="https://www.gorhamschools.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=456674&type=d&pREC_ID=990360">CLICKING HERE</a> and you can also follow along on our district calendar found on the home page of our website - <a href="http://www.gorhamschools.org">www.gorhamschools.org</a>.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>UPDATE ON DISTRICT WIDE SUBCOMMITTEE WORK</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEhH_7hRvQQyz4-d45wrtJl06GYbD02Wm9tE8rFC5CCudU0cotOqjDgUu35XlM4wUZFGnJtvduDhS9Jhz1yf3mmn__3LyJillDu_vK3Pb9H0Rsb_XS7MfT7PGIvBml4LehwhGTUz-xMdOvMKGTFIHovtZ0-Qc1aHvyrcryyuWhjhIf9aw7MR0bgU8mz88" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="177" data-original-width="285" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEhH_7hRvQQyz4-d45wrtJl06GYbD02Wm9tE8rFC5CCudU0cotOqjDgUu35XlM4wUZFGnJtvduDhS9Jhz1yf3mmn__3LyJillDu_vK3Pb9H0Rsb_XS7MfT7PGIvBml4LehwhGTUz-xMdOvMKGTFIHovtZ0-Qc1aHvyrcryyuWhjhIf9aw7MR0bgU8mz88" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">This year the Gorham Schools have several committees working on several "bigger ticket" items that I wanted to make sure the general public was aware of. There are FIVE that I'd like to highlight in this section. <span style="font-family: times;">Those are:</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>1. </b> <b>Code of Conduct Revision Committee</b> - the purpose of this committee is t<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">o revitalize and refresh the Gorham Schools Code of Conduct (</span><a href="https://1.cdn.edl.io/UZRqpQCKPIV2XwkMNVsQbj05CHGCpmzN8AtrlQe1ZKEzUtxE.pdf" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Gorham School Committee Policy JICDA</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">) originally developed 20+ years ago. The existing document continues to provide a strong foundation for School Community Expectations and Core Values that is utilized daily in the Gorham Schools. The Steering Committee will facilitate a community-wide review of the Code of Conduct to ensure the document reflects today’s contexts while reinforcing our Core Values for another 20+ years.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>2. PK-12 Alternative Education Vision Committee</b> - The purpose of this committee is to <span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">develop a comprehensive K-12 vision & plan for Alternative Learners within the Gorham School Department that ensures their educational needs are met.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>3. Fiscal Sustainability Committee</b> - The purpose of this committee is to </span></span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;">understand the existing financial landscape for the Town of Gorham and the Gorham School Department. To evaluate the future financial landscape, and to use this knowledge to make recommendations for how to maintain sustainable taxes while continuing to manage the present and future growth of our community over the next 5-10 years. </span><i><span style="color: red;">(NOTE: This committee has not yet met. Its first meeting is planned for February, 2024)</span></i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>4. Anti-Racism & Equity Committee</b> - The purpose of this committee is to a</span></span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">dvise and support Gorham Leadership on the implementation of:</span></span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-fe05c2e4-7fff-230b-28c4-f539d8e1fe1c"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">a) Equity Education Throughout the District</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="text-wrap: nowrap;"> </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">b) Equity Policies and Toolkits</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">c) Culture changes towards Equity, and Anti-Racism</span></span></p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">The School Committee stands on the principle of rejecting all forms of “racism as (it is) destructive to the district’s mission, vision, values, and goals.” The Anti-Racism & Equity Committee continues these efforts by establishing a path to eliminate all forms of racism, intolerance, inequity, and disparity in the school system. Ensuring each school creates a welcoming and equitable culture, with an inclusive environment and reflects and celebrates the diversity of the district’s student population, their families, the community, and an environment that reflects the Code of Conduct.</span></span><span style="font-family: Avenir, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Avenir, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>5. Teaching & Learning Committee</b> - The purpose of this committee is: </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-5ca88bdb-7fff-e7e6-3f86-224b84db53c3"><ul style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">To stay informed and up to date about the successes/challenges of the district in terms of student achievement, student/staff supports and impacts of specific programs.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">To make recommendations to decision making bodies (i.e. DLT, SC) regarding all aspects of our learning system from curriculum, to assessment, to grading practices and most things in between. </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">To review and pass along recommendations on all matters related to Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction prior to changes in these areas being made. </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">To review professional development plans and ensure alignment to our strategic plan.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">To communicate both internally and externally to all stakeholders in order to make clear the expectations of our learning system and how it all works together across the K-12 continuum.</span></p></li></span></ul></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">As you can probably tell by reading these overviews, there is A LOT of important work going on in these committees on behalf of the students in Gorham. That is why I wanted to make sure everyone knew they exist. I also want to make sure folks know how to follow along with the work of these committees if you would like to. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">Please click on the links below for each Committee to follow their work. Most of these committees have what we call "running agendas and notes" which is one document where you can see meeting agendas with notes for those meetings. A few committees have a whole folder to look at and view. As is always the case you can also just reach out directly with questions!</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Mw9Sfx90gvkARqZ-ESwCyfANDCnomdaRUnkmhtZvAZE/edit?usp=sharing">Code of Conduct Revision Committee</a></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Wg4ZgOGd-JB1IAduYLzMLENK_Ltx7wf8ze4xQ5wk6Ao/edit?usp=sharing">PK-12 Alternative Education Vision Committee</a></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nFBVxXb4Ou0rDaj2Tiu_4oTbXHjuOtxuSXEKrSn6Mwc/edit?usp=sharing">Fiscal Sustainability Committee</a> (<span style="color: red;">Note: </span> <span style="color: red;">won't meet til February, 2024</span>)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1DgKMHqUdP-dgbZ3o44MbA36x1iuFGWwv?usp=sharing">Anti-Racism & Equity Committee</a></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ok6H2CMcGa0MZQHe9sbll-edOOk6Vd2XGE81s0xdaG4/edit?usp=sharing">Teaching & Learning Committee</a></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><div><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">Of note for those that may be interested - we will be seeking 2 parent/guardians from the Gorham Schools to serve on the Fiscal Sustainability Committee. I will wait until after the Holiday break to reach out and see who is interested more formally...but please be thinking if you are interested in serving and let me know if you are!</span></span></div><div><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b>FOURTH COHORT OF EDUCATOR APPRENTICES GETTING READY TO START JANUARY 8, 2024!</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizjVIzUj47v8dZBDQo-k8bmuDxXnipW5PoCfJFOb25nI_PhJIPAgABITNp3zb8wJpCwZa5btqxTG7ibfv_1ycPH2uUExowTNIeBLFQ-1Jd2pyLJdVqCAnMxDDe7JO6FDg0-doqhE1qAEPlShGDi5cy7Inbzt2gJCtGMYzvqrq5jgW6ziOqjeYdmX4-Fao" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizjVIzUj47v8dZBDQo-k8bmuDxXnipW5PoCfJFOb25nI_PhJIPAgABITNp3zb8wJpCwZa5btqxTG7ibfv_1ycPH2uUExowTNIeBLFQ-1Jd2pyLJdVqCAnMxDDe7JO6FDg0-doqhE1qAEPlShGDi5cy7Inbzt2gJCtGMYzvqrq5jgW6ziOqjeYdmX4-Fao" width="240" /></a></div><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">To date we have had 28 Educator apprentices serving in our schools that were part of the three previous cohorts of apprentices. This program first began in August of 2022 and has grown very quickly!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">So what is the Educator Apprentice program? It is a program to help people interested in a career in education earn a living as they learn. Participants can eventually become certified Ed. Tech. II's (in Phase I) or even continue on to become certified Ed. Tech.III's and Special Education Teachers (in Phase II). </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Phase I of the program in partnership with Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) takes about 18 months to earn 61 college credits. This is done via a combination of traditional college classes but also via workplace learning experiences where participants demonstrate competencies to earn college credits! You begin here with a week long "bootcamp" course that introduces you to the program and allows you to earn 4 college credits. Once done with this, you will take one course every 10-12 weeks one night a week (typically on Mondays).</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Phase II of the program in partnership with the University of Southern Maine (USM) takes at least another 2 years and allows participants to earn another 60 credits. This allows participants to end Phase II with a full Bachelors degree and certification to teach Special Education in Maine's public schools with a full 282 endorsement.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">BOTH PHASES are done while individuals are working full time in schools, with full pay and with full benefits and within a reasonable time commitment.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">And on top of all of this...the program provides for free tuition at this time too!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Gorham Schools operates this program in collaboration with many of our neighboring school departments such as: MSAD 6, Scarborough School Department, South Portland School Department, Falmouth School Department, MSAD 15 and these partners are growing!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">In Gorham alone we will be seeking 3 full time apprentice positions to begin January 8, 2024. Our partner school districts are also seeking additional apprentices. So if you are interested in this program - here's what you should do - ASAP:</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">1. Review the flyer below.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">2. Go to the link/URL and register with SMCC. Please indicate which school you might be interested in working at. If you have no preference, that's fine too...we can help you find one!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">3. Once you are registered with SMCC, they share your information with us. We will then reach out to you directly to identify which partner school you want to work in. Once we know this, we will direct you to that partner school's online application process where you will be asked to apply for the position. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">4. Once you apply, you will go through a hiring process. If hired, you will then be prepared to begin your apprentice "bootcamp" the week of Jan. 8, 2024. You will start working in schools that next week and go from there!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">It really is an incredible program that provides the right supports and the right schedule to earn your certifications and degree while working full time with pay, at no cost! </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">If you are interested - please follow the steps above to apply today! Feel free to spread the word!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3rWNCrN2h-jd4SywSoWf1RbKBRx8TBzsDeMlfEZYjCkg4zAB3Hoq2mhMyJ-tXI4QUwOe9rljCRKBNxibkTdzOkYTUCZvlYoogweSdgmxWc_gACrJHIEQ7rBeqqqdOKEpfYhmkbqgfOZPcTcpTvzB06TrsNJKrAyxcqgPBkhiIrW5PS432TUQ6DbI1_kY/s792/Ed%20Tech%20App%20Flyer%20Jan%202024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="612" height="699" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3rWNCrN2h-jd4SywSoWf1RbKBRx8TBzsDeMlfEZYjCkg4zAB3Hoq2mhMyJ-tXI4QUwOe9rljCRKBNxibkTdzOkYTUCZvlYoogweSdgmxWc_gACrJHIEQ7rBeqqqdOKEpfYhmkbqgfOZPcTcpTvzB06TrsNJKrAyxcqgPBkhiIrW5PS432TUQ6DbI1_kY/w540-h699/Ed%20Tech%20App%20Flyer%20Jan%202024.jpg" width="540" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">UPDATE ON GHS EXTENDED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbBNJaejm_nvNJhAX5RzDpV6XqFPa_B9o5WZIRpBYqrxIv17IM3NNIu93toXan2brVX7__HrynVYht16MWxwENmgg0mDKLGmU7dW7YuzTj24xQJdf9chRrBS1aAmHY02AwvaVQ7n4U0i8Qy493BjgREI9enajhjYPgTWEhelLpxp96ACgih7Kj3jsSDY0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="260" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbBNJaejm_nvNJhAX5RzDpV6XqFPa_B9o5WZIRpBYqrxIv17IM3NNIu93toXan2brVX7__HrynVYht16MWxwENmgg0mDKLGmU7dW7YuzTj24xQJdf9chRrBS1aAmHY02AwvaVQ7n4U0i8Qy493BjgREI9enajhjYPgTWEhelLpxp96ACgih7Kj3jsSDY0" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span>At the last Regular School Committee meeting held on November 8, 2023 members of GHS's ELO program team presented an update on ELO's to the School Committee. What is an ELO might you ask? Watch the video and find out! You can also go to <a href="https://sites.google.com/gorhamschools.org/elo/home">THIS LINK</a> to learn more about ELO's at GHS!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span>Video Link (Starts at 3 min. 25 second mark): <a href="https://view.earthchannel.com/PlayerController.aspx?&PGD=gorhamme&eID=600">https://view.earthchannel.com/PlayerController.aspx?&PGD=gorhamme&eID=600</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">GORHAM HIGH SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT ON TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRjlTrDA0XXOUNklaiDLvg63r3ssO3mQCW01sDnqpxf4vgMoHf74_LMcOjR8ikomXKRKIOmYA6L-3xkriC5tOkUix-WxaJi1zMmGTc19AUM99M6LSdDaaon4G4bNg9aGJ-B7IjJPo4H7O16KYQHfZRVleoGANndlGbaVgulwqUHAYgjuCOoHJbBk-44Gs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="185" data-original-width="272" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRjlTrDA0XXOUNklaiDLvg63r3ssO3mQCW01sDnqpxf4vgMoHf74_LMcOjR8ikomXKRKIOmYA6L-3xkriC5tOkUix-WxaJi1zMmGTc19AUM99M6LSdDaaon4G4bNg9aGJ-B7IjJPo4H7O16KYQHfZRVleoGANndlGbaVgulwqUHAYgjuCOoHJbBk-44Gs" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span>At the last Regular School Committee meeting held on November 8, 2023 members of the Gorham High School Technology Department were asked to present on what learning looked like in their classrooms. I AM VERY SURE YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED! For those of you that may pine for the "good ole days" of Industrial Arts and making sure that children know how to hold a hammer...I think you might be impressed with what this program offers our young people here in Gorham!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span>I'd strongly encourage you to watch the presentation. It is about 30 minutes long...but oh so informative and students wrap it all up nicely at the end with their all important voices! The presentation starts under section 2.0 at the 30 minute and 15 second mark.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Video Link: <a href="https://view.earthchannel.com/PlayerController.aspx?&PGD=gorhamme&eID=600">https://view.earthchannel.com/PlayerController.aspx?&PGD=gorhamme&eID=600</a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">ASPIRE GORHAM NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER READY TO VIEW!</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgzIKhmxfHh28EmKMjS-VPf-B-z3GZDayVtrPEzRjgP3wSbEa83ftiH0dVER926Rz7CfpbbQWm1PBIVM1bZlm7pwwTuTSOWNNnBi3Ho7UyKHeJQLVodyv7MH33_ZjQdTUhEGXPbVRXCodKV3WNwSV8Qfp3RQ269aXGdtCUvbyJZafIuAuD9fAs9Xo73TmY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="436" data-original-width="2126" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgzIKhmxfHh28EmKMjS-VPf-B-z3GZDayVtrPEzRjgP3wSbEa83ftiH0dVER926Rz7CfpbbQWm1PBIVM1bZlm7pwwTuTSOWNNnBi3Ho7UyKHeJQLVodyv7MH33_ZjQdTUhEGXPbVRXCodKV3WNwSV8Qfp3RQ269aXGdtCUvbyJZafIuAuD9fAs9Xo73TmY=w427-h88" width="427" /></a></div><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span>Please <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dP2RCxtz9c_XCnP61fRrDZdgVAzp1ysn/view?usp=sharing">CLICK HERE</a> to view the November newsletter for our Aspire Program! Always informative - such great work across all our schools and community!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">FINAL CHANCE - SCHOOL NUTRITION SURVEY FOR THOSE THAT WANT TO ORDER SCHOOL LUNCH OFOR ANY UNPLANNED REMOTE LEARNING DAYS WE MAY HAVE THIS YEAR!</span></b></div><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJs2lR1juHvwfAOl4f3fjj6K7BkvnzphWiPsiN5IEtCygnU9zu2li5Jsuk1_GuTp1PeTsqj7zyEY8xxpVVBHV9WTlT3t4VHium--RkmCXB1QjqviIOeaAa-GaFEseG9XAQ-pbC_-iVWMMu-Pq0cukjJXawwZxvrK8dHiLSE6i1oCsV8uNb56PzLUbsqcw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="161" data-original-width="314" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJs2lR1juHvwfAOl4f3fjj6K7BkvnzphWiPsiN5IEtCygnU9zu2li5Jsuk1_GuTp1PeTsqj7zyEY8xxpVVBHV9WTlT3t4VHium--RkmCXB1QjqviIOeaAa-GaFEseG9XAQ-pbC_-iVWMMu-Pq0cukjJXawwZxvrK8dHiLSE6i1oCsV8uNb56PzLUbsqcw" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">This link was shared earlier in the year by individual schools, but I wanted to give families ONE MORE CHANCE to complete the survey IF you are interested in having your child be provided a school lunch on any unplanned remote learning days we may have this year. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">If you are NOT interested in having your child be provided a lunch on these days, no need to participate.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">If you have ALREADY completed the survey - no need to do it again.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">If you want lunches provided - click on the link below and provide the information requested:</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfdUpxaTjgW35kfldcSvKbvporrUBR-VOf8uixAlBtFTpN6ew/viewform?usp%3Dsf_link&source=gmail&ust=1700245532935000&usg=AOvVaw2-YQU_xDHq8RozJqGQKLoL" href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfdUpxaTjgW35kfldcSvKbvporrUBR-VOf8uixAlBtFTpN6ew/viewform?usp=sf_link" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "comic sans ms", sans-serif; font-size: small;" target="_blank">https://docs.google.com/forms/<wbr></wbr>d/e/<wbr></wbr>1FAIpQLSfdUpxaTjgW35kfldcSvKbv<wbr></wbr>porrUBR-VOf8uixAlBtFTpN6ew/<wbr></wbr>viewform?usp=sf_link</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As a quick recap...please know that we have FIVE traditional snow days built into our school calendar so we will use these FIRST. Then, if we use those five and still have an unplanned snow day...we will move to remote learning days so that we do not have to extend the last day of school in June. For those of you that may be wondering the two days we had to cancel school in October have been waived by the Maine Department of Education so we will not have to make those days up. This means we still have a full five traditional snow days to use this winter!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As always, any questions - please ask! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">SCHOOL COMMITTEE MONTHLY REPORT TO </span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">TOWN COUNCIL</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEils0pH0emhAu5GfOWZIHobP5qwLbDqldfxAm9PeWTA6bv5VPhBh6NNQfrVMp666JuOSpJSVPjtadyA06eP618fsGDr7fdDLMhpecYPdFOaMWWmJFxPp6pUkLN4FFmcYSAxaoWk3M-3zOeuZn6_ddiVfOplTPm_KgugdGLCgVFuqh8WUqFkbUbM2z9jXrM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="224" data-original-width="224" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEils0pH0emhAu5GfOWZIHobP5qwLbDqldfxAm9PeWTA6bv5VPhBh6NNQfrVMp666JuOSpJSVPjtadyA06eP618fsGDr7fdDLMhpecYPdFOaMWWmJFxPp6pUkLN4FFmcYSAxaoWk3M-3zOeuZn6_ddiVfOplTPm_KgugdGLCgVFuqh8WUqFkbUbM2z9jXrM" width="240" /></a></div></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">Unless you are an avid "watcher" of Town Council meetings on GoCAT, you may not know that each month the School Committee chair delivers a report to the Town Council to keep them up to date on what is happening in our schools. This report has been an ongoing communication tool that the School Committee and Town Council have used for many years (at least 10 years that I know of). </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Recently, it occurred to members of the Gorham School Committee that members of the public may not know we do this and that the information contained within these brief reports may be beneficial for folks to see. So, starting with this blog post and then each month thereafter, I will take a moment to link in the report shared with the Town Council.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">The link to November's Report to the Town Council is below:</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/16qgELmJm3NgrgRigChOguX9piGYC43-Z/view?usp=sharing">https://drive.google.com/file/d/16qgELmJm3NgrgRigChOguX9piGYC43-Z/view?usp=sharing</a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b>RECENT HONOR FOR ONE OF OUR GMS GIFTED & TALENTED STUDENTS...AND A QUICK STORY!</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfOIdryOlDMgtmit6Pp6WyiM4Ud1G7AtT8_IMRZMmhxdlevn9y_ADEKiRfcRI-Rfs-Dbhav_AcckbHwJ_9ohx1cc3Ieo4ELfBMLxTJK1C-8BshxLU9rSB6nL2JQaY1AtHuyJJpq1tSWMLu4cfi3oLl1PbbFOKBfQ5mEJx0-91ripVc0dlHaYmjaRnlI4Y" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="181" data-original-width="278" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfOIdryOlDMgtmit6Pp6WyiM4Ud1G7AtT8_IMRZMmhxdlevn9y_ADEKiRfcRI-Rfs-Dbhav_AcckbHwJ_9ohx1cc3Ieo4ELfBMLxTJK1C-8BshxLU9rSB6nL2JQaY1AtHuyJJpq1tSWMLu4cfi3oLl1PbbFOKBfQ5mEJx0-91ripVc0dlHaYmjaRnlI4Y" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Mrs. Quimby, one of our talented (pun intended) Gifted & Talented teachers at GMS recently shared this incredible announcement with the GMS staff. I thought it warranted a little wider audience to congratulate one of our GMS students, Jessica Loiselle for her awesome achievement!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Jessica's pin design has been accepted to be the designed use for the Odyssey of the Mind World Competition Finals in 2024! This is awesome! Check out Mrs. Quimby's blog post <a href="https://gorhammiddleschoolsail.blogspot.com/2023/11/gorham-middle-school-7th-grader-maine.html">LINKED HERE</a> to learn more! Nice job Jessica!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Also, while I'm on the subject of our Gifted and Talented students - I wanted to share this cool little story. GMS students were asked to write a two sentence horror story for a competition. The stories are shared, judged, ranked and celebrated. I think this is incredible work for two reasons (1) I have no idea how anyone can write anything in that short a time period - clearly if you read my blogs you know what I am talking about! I am in awe of their brevity! (2) the depth of these very short stories is awesome and worth sharing!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Here are the winners from each grade (shared with permission of the authors):</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87);"><u>6th grade winner: Riley Peters </u></b><br style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87);" /><span color="rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87)" face="Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #757575;"> I just had a terrible nightmare, and wake up to the absence of color that is a blind person’s life, when I hear my mother’s voice say “Don’t worry, it was just a dream.” My mom died 13 years ago today. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87);" /><br style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87);" /><b style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87);"><u>7th grade winner: Max Moreno</u></b><br style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87);" /><span color="rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87)" face="Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #757575;">My husband asked what kind of meat was in our soup. Funny that he didn't notice that our two kids weren't at dinner that night.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87);" /><br style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87);" /><b style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87);"><u>8th grade winner: Dexter Vance</u></b><br style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87);" /><span color="rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87)" face="Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #757575;">The driver of my Uber was utterly silent, only talking at the beginning of the ride, saying that he was locking the doors from the outside “for your own safety.” I heard my phone ding and checked it; it was from Uber; the message said: “I’m out front.”</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span color="rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87)" face="Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #757575;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span color="rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87)" face="Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><b>TOWN OF GORHAM TREE LIGHTING</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMBt-DEyn-AInrWN02qd6Fu8NkQFRQx4xIBi2kWT_LdZw9pcuigWNseBLH6J0ohOjIN9lPmyk68ClGz4AaSx09uIFkuMnC5TIF7T6ASQEDgbc6w_fWk621ylLhJdRBfpK-djhWmwV4RXHhCnsOn9v1L9UL69fSg-oRv1iXSnYz0uWWrDq_dFSUI5zdL6I" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMBt-DEyn-AInrWN02qd6Fu8NkQFRQx4xIBi2kWT_LdZw9pcuigWNseBLH6J0ohOjIN9lPmyk68ClGz4AaSx09uIFkuMnC5TIF7T6ASQEDgbc6w_fWk621ylLhJdRBfpK-djhWmwV4RXHhCnsOn9v1L9UL69fSg-oRv1iXSnYz0uWWrDq_dFSUI5zdL6I" width="240" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Just wanted to send a quick notice out there to folks that may be interested that the annual Tree Lighting and Light parade will be happening on November 26, 2023 starting at 4:00 p.m. at the Gorham Municipal center. Its a great family event. Hope to see you there!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Well that is all the space I have for this blog post. My next post will be Dec.1 after the Thanksgiving break. As we think about the upcoming holiday it always provides us a moment to pause and think about what we are truly grateful for. I know I am truly grateful to be able to work with the students, staff, and families of this great community! I hope you all enjoy your upcoming break! GO RAMS!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div></span>Heather Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902747451985096596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2916890148299174047.post-60153435557438521822023-11-03T05:41:00.000-07:002023-11-03T05:41:30.011-07:00November 3 Post<p>To start this blog post, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the events of Oct. 25, 2023 in Lewiston Maine. </p><p>No community should have to endure what the community of Lewiston and surrounding communities have had to endure this past week. While there are no words to describe the negative aspects of this tragedy, what we have all witnessed since then has been some of the best Maine has to offer. Communities helping communities, people helping people, organizations coming together for a common purpose - in support of those impacted. </p><p>There have been tears, there has been anger, there have been hugs, testimonials, and much support. We have all had the unfortunate experience of watching just how quickly a community can be torn apart, but in just a short period of time we have also had the pleasure of watching how communities in Maine band together to support one another and roll up their sleeves to heal and rebuild. </p><p>As we all continue to send our support to the community of Lewiston, and as people are looking for specific ways to help - I thought I'd share this information link created by Governor Mills that provides some ideas on what we as individuals can do to assist. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigpOft80hi17XUpykX8jFAv0_tbjCgwm6Crb2dAFfV3018bsLhPBTdWxfZmWg8afqsH4DFb8UhSY2T6na6HRPRoIhOMlc266kIohs2nPv2L5LxzuWXI5mrcCdy-Yeo6BbOTYX4JZLsdhM8xwqbMm-KKkQtSQFA5Sqhhjd0UK5JDbyDnpc3_z30l2NwXXw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="487" data-original-width="480" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigpOft80hi17XUpykX8jFAv0_tbjCgwm6Crb2dAFfV3018bsLhPBTdWxfZmWg8afqsH4DFb8UhSY2T6na6HRPRoIhOMlc266kIohs2nPv2L5LxzuWXI5mrcCdy-Yeo6BbOTYX4JZLsdhM8xwqbMm-KKkQtSQFA5Sqhhjd0UK5JDbyDnpc3_z30l2NwXXw=w182-h185" width="182" /></a></div><p></p><p>Page Link: <a href="https://www.maine.gov/governor/mills/lewiston"> https://www.maine.gov/governor/mills/lewiston</a></p><p>Another idea from Tree Street Youth is also below, although this may be a little late. They are sponsoring a "Love Lewiston Day" going on TODAY (Friday, Nov. 3) til 6:30 p.m. </p><p>Love Lewiston Day Link: <a href="https://treestreetyouth.org/love-lewiston/"> https://treestreetyouth.org/love-lewiston/</a></p><p>Finally, if you want to support some of our students working to support Lewiston, please participate in this fundraiser being conducted by our GHS Interact Club Students called "Just a Kid From Gorham". Proceeds from this fundraiser will go directly to support Lewiston and/or mental health needs in our community. </p><p><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/10adRnHKgwJgcobo8K6Qg7gxiqUbPFZu3/view?usp=sharing">CLICK HERE</a> to learn more about this Interact Club Fundraiser and then use the link below to order if you are interested.</p><p><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.cfcwear.com/gorham&source=gmail&ust=1698966522746000&usg=AOvVaw3xMtBG1uA7-fKIJLac92aw" href="https://www.cfcwear.com/gorham" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: times;">JUST A KID FROM GORHAM ORDER LINK</span></a></p><p>Let's make sure we all continue to roll up our sleeves and do what we can to support our neighbors! Thank you!</p><p>Our Schools have continued to be busy places of learning even with two unexpected days away from one another last week. Check out the images below to get a sense of what's been happening in the Gorham Schools these past few weeks...</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUKup07H7O1NeNt8RnqRfVnxQ9waCxMv7upI8WWvPzNYRy0WI0En_4q10EyUGj0V4yDq2Txn--HEsJUjhsC7DWBbPiPqdUXnCHkBW_njdV3cvhk49aRMpX8mT3XiG_sC-gwp5ZZxaGVqS_T0X_I-bP5gegXtKzEtyIG3Sc5WlUC9slU1L1fT_gblsCgl4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="595" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUKup07H7O1NeNt8RnqRfVnxQ9waCxMv7upI8WWvPzNYRy0WI0En_4q10EyUGj0V4yDq2Txn--HEsJUjhsC7DWBbPiPqdUXnCHkBW_njdV3cvhk49aRMpX8mT3XiG_sC-gwp5ZZxaGVqS_T0X_I-bP5gegXtKzEtyIG3Sc5WlUC9slU1L1fT_gblsCgl4=w595-h595" width="595" /></a></div><br />Now on to the information!<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">CONTINUED FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH & <u>FREE</u> UPCOMING RESOURCE FOR FAMILIES</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Our recent Alex Boye visit was VERY WELL received by our students and staff. Those families that were also able to attend his evening performance enjoyed his music and message too. Below is a quick excerpt from the student survey:</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhYmdbg3ba1OihDMzkFDzPHZylXIhYZvHFKYtCwneWwtUbvTg5T85BzDYBXRxCF6BP31OeYeRjkj2WLh8wJCQYwXB5ywVUkweI2aadJkWP8dOz7GQSP0jQpVApus6O1SRUYNXlqDtQhEdh_we6LeEdKLhKetdujVHy7fpwiVaYUjdSg8hoKqrDlh2RzgEY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="1498" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhYmdbg3ba1OihDMzkFDzPHZylXIhYZvHFKYtCwneWwtUbvTg5T85BzDYBXRxCF6BP31OeYeRjkj2WLh8wJCQYwXB5ywVUkweI2aadJkWP8dOz7GQSP0jQpVApus6O1SRUYNXlqDtQhEdh_we6LeEdKLhKetdujVHy7fpwiVaYUjdSg8hoKqrDlh2RzgEY=w585-h279" width="585" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">It is clear our students are talking about their mental health and they want to learn more about how to support each other and themselves in these sometimes difficult to talk about areas. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">In keeping with our work to continue to support families in having these important conversations with their children - <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">we would like to invite ALL FAMILIES to attend an upcoming FREE zoom webinar sponsored by parentguidance.org and the Cook Center for Human Connection on the topic of <b>Anxiety</b>. </span><span style="background-color: white;">This webinar will be held on Monday, November 6 at 6:00 p.m.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">This program will help parent’s support their child(ren) to identify anxiety and develop tools to manage it. This program is beneficial for parents with students of all ages. In order to participate, please sign up by clicking the link below. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Sign Up Link: </span><a href="http://cookcenter.info/Nov6Gorham" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">http://cookcenter.info/Nov6Gorham</span></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">You can also learn more by viewing the flyer below and using the QR code to sign up. For families raising children of any age right now - I would strongly urge you to take advantage of this FREE resource! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">We will be hosting another similar FREE event for families on the topic of social media later in January. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">These are high quality programs! Please take advantage! Our children need all of us to lock our arms together and wrap around them to support them in these important conversations!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgClMHTX6ifZbKY2aS9nhJQWU7PtYRVtfmFQrOMoIJnoB0qj8k4GxiojZCtq1Szuf5Ckbz3GYFFcU7-90ywvKB2mfCz7LLSkdb6bFqXy679Kle8TRMhjJLyS0z1-Pqa1p5B0zvrCXc7P_etvgBhJRVOiLgbsJRz4-2cOE2MIacKm1PbSY_ihWwMzTBEWhI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="791" data-original-width="612" height="655" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgClMHTX6ifZbKY2aS9nhJQWU7PtYRVtfmFQrOMoIJnoB0qj8k4GxiojZCtq1Szuf5Ckbz3GYFFcU7-90ywvKB2mfCz7LLSkdb6bFqXy679Kle8TRMhjJLyS0z1-Pqa1p5B0zvrCXc7P_etvgBhJRVOiLgbsJRz4-2cOE2MIacKm1PbSY_ihWwMzTBEWhI=w507-h655" width="507" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br />As another FREE resource for families, the Cook Center is sharing with us a monthly newsletter. Each newsletter has a specific topic focus for parents. This one is for the month of November and the focus is on managing financial stress. Financial stress can significantly impact mental health, and as a parent, you play a crucial role in helping your child navigate these challenges. Understand the profound link between financial stress and mental well-being. Gain insights into strategies that can equip your child with the resilience to face financial challenges head-on. Learn how to foster a healthy financial mindset in your child, setting them on a path to a brighter future. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Cvwr-zV8ww1cIIIbzyPMyXcHr4RD0D7I/view?usp=sharing">CLICK HERE</a> to view the Newsletter</span></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">As always, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">check out the </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://parentguidance.org/&source=gmail&ust=1698966521744000&usg=AOvVaw0ibef_mSBxLvAIGoHhIN-f" href="https://parentguidance.org/" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">ParentGuidance.org</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> resources where you can access <u>free </u>courses led by licensed therapists on more than 50 topics. To access the course, simply navigate to ParentGuidance.org and click courses. </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-8ccd6f5c-7fff-d020-ddfe-f4a2cdd52a5a"></span></div><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;">UPDATE ON SCHOOL CONFIGURATION STUDY & TIMELINE FOR NEXT STEPS</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQuTPEIokqPwXAgrV8_2dSy6Gm9pD5CggBD6dqZEMXHbPNn0daDIOiR_jBPpEayZLkynDNjmVZu3TCablXbC_o1barLzucZGOb2h-T-hHxfYmCGul8Qk0uayfSpA_erzBtVWftrgh9BhWw7El0mp5J1szD97Xvu8dMbw6peFCKYOqSPnAWSmjtxQFXkmg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQuTPEIokqPwXAgrV8_2dSy6Gm9pD5CggBD6dqZEMXHbPNn0daDIOiR_jBPpEayZLkynDNjmVZu3TCablXbC_o1barLzucZGOb2h-T-hHxfYmCGul8Qk0uayfSpA_erzBtVWftrgh9BhWw7El0mp5J1szD97Xvu8dMbw6peFCKYOqSPnAWSmjtxQFXkmg=w252-h203" width="252" /></a></div></span></b><span style="font-family: times; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">I wanted to take a moment and provide an update to families on the configuration study process I described in my September 22 blog post earlier this fall. As a quick recap - the Gorham School Committee has been looking at data to try and determine if the community may be better served with a different grade configuration system. This preliminary work is focused on gathering just enough initial data to assist the School Committee in determining if it may be financially worth it to "veer" from our original long term facilities plans and instead move in the direction of a possible grade configuration change. This move would only be made if there were enough cost savings to warrant such a move as determined by the School Committee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">If folks are wondering what the original plan is that would need to be "veered from", the original plan that we have been working from for the past 5 years now is to complete the third phase of modular expansion at Narragansett Elementary School. Once done we would then shift attendance zones one more time (first time was in 2020) to push growth towards Narragansett and to free up continued growing space at Great Falls and Village that should last approximately 6-8 years. This attendance zone shift is scheduled to occur this fall if we stick with this original plan. This would in turn "buy" us enough time to apply for and hopefully receive approval from the MDOE school construction program to build a new PK-5 school that would consolidate Narragansett and Village into one school. Applications for the state construction process will be opening this spring (Spring, 2024) and we would know how we rank by spring of 2025. If we were to score in the top 10 across the state we could see a project come to fruition as described within ten years.</span></div></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">We have been working since August to pull together the data needed for this initial configuration study. This information was presented to the School Committee at its last workshop meeting held on Oct. 25, 2023. You can <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Kx6CyaHOohkTRIelPW1LXBrvH0AH8_P1/view?usp=sharing">CLICK HERE</a> to view the video recording of that meeting. You can <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1P23qygxyPn6eLbo9aqrU7CoxX3qslxFkVG9SfEXJ4tQ/edit?usp=sharing">CLICK HERE</a> to view the data spreadsheet that was presented. You'll find the topic of School Configuration study starts at about the 21 minute mark on the video. My apologies in advance for the volume - we had to move the meeting to GMS last minute so it wasn't the best conditions. If you crank the volume though you should be able to hear what is being discussed. I am also more than happy to answer any questions folks have so please reach out if you have them. My email is heather.perry@gorhamschools.org.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;">The next steps in the decision making timeline are that the School Committee will make a determination at its November 8 regular meeting what direction they would like to pursue. <u>Option #1</u> - dig more deeply into possible configuration changes that could be implemented in Fall of 2025. This would be selected if the School Committee feels there is enough evidence to suggest that a significant savings could be found by moving in this direction. <u>Option #2</u> - continue on the original path towards attendance zone shifts, state capital construction project applications and hopefully a state funded project that would consolidate two of our elementary schools into one over the next 10 years or so.</p><p style="text-align: left;">If Option #1 is selected, we would then dive much more deeply into studying the programmatic impacts and conduct larger scale financial analysis of a possible reconfiguration. This work would involve the larger community and would likely take the remainder of this year and the beginning of next year to complete with a possible move to adjust configurations in the fall of 2025.</p><p style="text-align: left;">If Option #2 is selected, we would move forward to determine needed attendance zone shifts this winter. We would bring a plan forward to the School Committee to vote on in January/February of 2024 and we would then work diligently with staff and families impacted in order to make the needed shifts for Fall of 2024.</p><p style="text-align: left;">This is pretty "big stuff" - so please reach out with questions if you have them! I will do my best to continue to keep folks informed as we go!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">A REMINDER - REMOTE LEARNING DAY PLANS!</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqhFTqWP3RZ6TzJHKjl_2qlb1B-8jUgYi6k6uevw9TUlHm_3iXufXvmtZcC6Gf2qMcMdasmpx6GTL3Gt8T5CGhOfx2OIXxoyRZANUNN3qoaJZe0Jz2lW59mFgnzPiOlA_5kcKHKCh1POqr7Jmc0Q8ez2IC1EG6scjRlFvOd2rpCytjMK0VJM5GP3snn4s" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqhFTqWP3RZ6TzJHKjl_2qlb1B-8jUgYi6k6uevw9TUlHm_3iXufXvmtZcC6Gf2qMcMdasmpx6GTL3Gt8T5CGhOfx2OIXxoyRZANUNN3qoaJZe0Jz2lW59mFgnzPiOlA_5kcKHKCh1POqr7Jmc0Q8ez2IC1EG6scjRlFvOd2rpCytjMK0VJM5GP3snn4s" width="320" /></a></span></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">If there was one good thing that came from COVID, it was the ability to add remote learning days to our "toolbox" when it comes to dealing with unplanned events that may require us to close school to in person learning. Remote learning days are not necessarily something we WANT to use often (because we all know that in person learning is the best for our children and families), but it is nice to know we can use these days if we need to.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Because we want to make sure to have these days in our toolbox - I wanted to take a moment to remind families what the expectations would be if we used a remote learning day for school. Each grade level is slightly different, so I've included an overview for each below.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Please know that our plans are to only use remote learning days as a last resort. For snow days, we would use all five of our traditional snow days in the calendar before moving to remote learning days. If we used all five of our traditional snow days and then still had to cancel school due to snow, we would then use a remote learning day so that we did not have to extend the school year further into the summer in June. On remote learning snow days, school lunches would be provided to students on the day before if families indicate they want to have lunches provided via a survey that will be going out soon. Please keep your eyes open for that survey. In the meantime, review the expectations below and reach out to your child's school(s) with any questions you may have!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>K-5 Expectations:</b></p><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span id="m_-3000169791830977637gmail-docs-internal-guid-71ed02df-7fff-4937-c866-58e2e60a01a7"><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Within 24 hours of a teacher being notified that a student will be absent for longer than three days…</span></p><div align="center" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin-left: 0pt;"><table style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none;"><colgroup><col width="77"></col><col width="540"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr style="height: 72pt;"><td style="background-color: #e6b8af; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 0.99609pt; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: middle;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Teachers</span></p></td><td style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 0.99609pt; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Prepare current, in class work to be completed at home.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Consider providing independent reinforcement activities.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Communicate with the family that students should complete work only if they feel well enough.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Arrange for materials to be picked up, if needed. </span></p></li></ul></td></tr><tr style="height: 47.25pt;"><td style="background-color: #f4cccc; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 0.99609pt; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: middle;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Students</span></p></td><td style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 0.99609pt; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">If feeling well enough, engage in work sent home.</span></p></li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">2032-24 </span><span style="font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Short Term </span><span style="font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Full Remote </span><span style="font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">(Snow Day, Teacher Shortage, Outbreak Status),</span><span style="font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">K-5</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></p><table style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><colgroup><col width="77"></col><col width="540"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr style="height: 72pt;"><td style="background-color: #e6b8af; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 0.99609pt; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: middle;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Teachers</span></p></td><td style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 0.99609pt; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Prepare 2-3 days of tasks that reinforce/maintain learning</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Send home with students to keep at home just in case, with communication</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">If well, and school is not closed to all staff, engage in PLC work</span></p></li></ul></td></tr><tr style="height: 47.25pt;"><td style="background-color: #f4cccc; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 0.99609pt; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: middle;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Students</span></p></td><td style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 0.99609pt; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Bring home, and keep at home, 2-3 days of independent work</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Utilize packets and teacher directions to reinforce/maintain learning</span></p></li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">GMS Expectations:</span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><img alt="Screenshot 2023-11-02 at 9.31.13 AM.png" class="CToWUd a6T" data-bit="iit" data-image-whitelisted="" height="287" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=f6f2ca1295&attid=0.1&permmsgid=msg-f:1781459350636427027&th=18b903d7407b7713&view=fimg&fur=ip&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ-w-oyfqlhqCgRYdtmoAGyslwwAw-ToEysM8GoJNHyMdRTCvE1dXkLAmBtZgWYDxpVpP2m6B4aaoIQEHyPw_yF3h7zmulI5gkL0JFqXpvackwodAyei3xHckZw&disp=emb&realattid=ii_loh86aol0" style="cursor: pointer; outline: 0px;" tabindex="0" width="518" /><br /></p><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img alt="Screenshot 2023-11-02 at 9.31.34 AM.png" class="CToWUd a6T" data-bit="iit" data-image-whitelisted="" height="361" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=f6f2ca1295&attid=0.2&permmsgid=msg-f:1781459350636427027&th=18b903d7407b7713&view=fimg&fur=ip&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ-XMucj32cQridlXDXE3sQqRCTMbKo40bC9AtfGOvUI3vYJpOfgPlPtB9GaQT_WxqAMW_oOZ5u__4JD-VQW6bZJn6KDEE9M-GsusJFTTNBAH5rpnyHNC6Pp0gc&disp=emb&realattid=ii_loh86qny1" style="cursor: pointer; outline: 0px;" tabindex="0" width="518" /><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img alt="Screenshot 2023-11-02 at 9.31.59 AM.png" class="CToWUd a6T" data-bit="iit" data-image-whitelisted="" height="206" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=f6f2ca1295&attid=0.3&permmsgid=msg-f:1781459350636427027&th=18b903d7407b7713&view=fimg&fur=ip&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ-96LHy_bhVBPQGfpiWDgpbu7nNuo03PsztCWMz5C_35WtwZ1JvvQDkeUeHwgfTD_texEhg-fS46Jwojdy1sWunfrvohuOT1OHwUinJySvG6PcbcGhM_XuWR4s&disp=emb&realattid=ii_loh87h8v2" style="cursor: pointer; outline: 0px;" tabindex="0" width="518" /><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img alt="Screenshot 2023-11-02 at 9.32.24 AM.png" class="CToWUd a6T" data-bit="iit" data-image-whitelisted="" height="344" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=f6f2ca1295&attid=0.4&permmsgid=msg-f:1781459350636427027&th=18b903d7407b7713&view=fimg&fur=ip&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ_VM8OmOaujvbVvJl9jZ0NXqTz_VUZ8MXyxNsHeGefl_7Ha3OCy4TC_4vMYEvZ2KM8prsYks19Xr5Yr0YT9C6FJCkZ8Yq3t7Fk--wll4pHoFX0Zwj54Rvgx5ng&disp=emb&realattid=ii_loh87tha3" style="cursor: pointer; margin-right: 0px; outline: 0px;" tabindex="0" width="283" /></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-family: times;">GHS Expectations (From Student Handbook)</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></div><div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: transparent;">During a remote-learning day, GHS teachers will provide asynchronous activities that are meaningful and designed to ensure students progress in the curriculum. By 8:00 AM, teachers will email their students or post to their Google Classroom the plan for their classes. Each plan will include a lesson (e.g. a presentation, video, reading, etc.) or instructions for an activity and “office hours” (a minimum of two hours) when the teacher will be available to assist students, answer questions, or provide feedback. “Office hours” are intended to be a block of time when students know that their teacher is available to respond in a timely manner to questions or to meet via Google Meets or Zoom for help.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: transparent;">Students are expected to have their iPad and check their email and each of their teachers’ Google Classroom to find out what the lesson or activity is that they need to complete before the start of the next class period.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: transparent;">When students are engaged in remote learning, either synchronously or asynchronously, school expectations still apply. Students attending virtually over mediums like Zoom or Google Meets are expected to:</span></span></div><ul><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black;"><span style="font-family: times;">Arrive to class on time</span></span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black;"><span style="font-family: times;">Be prepared with class materials</span></span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black;"><span style="font-family: times;">Follow school dress code expectations</span></span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black;"><span style="font-family: times;">Limit distractions around you and direct attention to the class. </span></span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black;"><span style="font-family: times;">Be in an environment conducive to learning (IE: desk, kitchen table, workspace, etc). Students should not be in their cars, in bed, or other places that are not conducive to learning. </span></span></li></ul><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: times;">Students violating school policies and procedures will be held accountable consistent with the student handbook.</span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div></div><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">ANOTHER SUBSTITUTE TRAINING CLASS IS AVAILABLE!</span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHyVxZJ1hhIUYQOWpghJLNoWwbMUQmoqSnL2XekA9m984h0TjhzDS4RsIBFOJY40X1XCwb-MJl8bpzafva7raiZNyc-0N4ld2JL3gZarECKL3ZzWrlYtEn_6MoBVIsG_by1COgCPkgYedb2eiDu3oyEv-uDjJsoI5hsRFNLpPkpOHU0q0odMP66tKn1Bw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="239" data-original-width="211" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHyVxZJ1hhIUYQOWpghJLNoWwbMUQmoqSnL2XekA9m984h0TjhzDS4RsIBFOJY40X1XCwb-MJl8bpzafva7raiZNyc-0N4ld2JL3gZarECKL3ZzWrlYtEn_6MoBVIsG_by1COgCPkgYedb2eiDu3oyEv-uDjJsoI5hsRFNLpPkpOHU0q0odMP66tKn1Bw=w170-h192" width="170" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: times;">Our last substitute training class offered just two weeks ago FILLED UP! So we already have plans to hold a SECOND substitute training class for individuals that would like to substitute in the Gorham Schools! Please see the flyer below for details and help spread the word. </span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">You can complete the intake form here: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSega6xalNFImiJ9ThUKbsMPogl4xOUk1wofa0feCKl_u06WtA/viewform&source=gmail&ust=1699038790679000&usg=AOvVaw2yT0hjAc5StF-q9LfurojA" href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSega6xalNFImiJ9ThUKbsMPogl4xOUk1wofa0feCKl_u06WtA/viewform" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" target="_blank">https://docs.google.com/<wbr></wbr>forms/d/e/<wbr></wbr>1FAIpQLSega6xalNFImiJ9ThUKbsMP<wbr></wbr>ogl4xOUk1wofa0feCKl_u06WtA/<wbr></wbr>viewform </a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">You can register for the new class here: </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://gorham.coursestorm.com/course/substitute-teacher-training4%23!&source=gmail&ust=1699038790679000&usg=AOvVaw3A0CKmVVyDFLpJWg09XFLf" href="https://gorham.coursestorm.com/course/substitute-teacher-training4#!" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" target="_blank">https://gorham.<wbr></wbr>coursestorm.com/course/<wbr></wbr>substitute-teacher-training4#!</a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">This course is for existing substitutes that would like to get a "bump" in daily pay (from our base of $105.00/day to new rate of $115.00/day) or it is for folks that might want to start subbing so you can learn more about expectations and processes and feel more confident to boot! And yes - the bump in pay is good for new folks too!</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">We can ALWAYS use more substitutes!</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjA-AlxaXrXpp8nyucCQB9j9vMhv3KRjplJp9TUYaWhw02k0KYltzB0Q0Gb0b0kCQkVL4I-gqKfIK_GAQJ76x34z1YePgdQJ3mtoRLx324WPU1nH6_ApQrAKfNeSktZKU62atqGo-21GCigJECpWPELAQlrgNPezHZK6db80VLeSM0zR214fhoi8Vuvyw0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1612" data-original-width="1245" height="623" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjA-AlxaXrXpp8nyucCQB9j9vMhv3KRjplJp9TUYaWhw02k0KYltzB0Q0Gb0b0kCQkVL4I-gqKfIK_GAQJ76x34z1YePgdQJ3mtoRLx324WPU1nH6_ApQrAKfNeSktZKU62atqGo-21GCigJECpWPELAQlrgNPezHZK6db80VLeSM0zR214fhoi8Vuvyw0=w480-h623" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p></p></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">FY 25 BUDGET DEVELOPMENT WORK HAS BEGUN! </span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-fAbyYc8drHiz1en_jlkyiqoCWypaRftb3m9-yA75s1BzFL2zSuHaEoRh5lioj2suZ8pccpr4X0hedkz9P05z-_6obeqX8bifJ0ZOgF31wUetz4HeBY5fivSrYEgvkzhRRB2Xdy2k3KlJnLAyicAnaOBPwK6zZGBd1KjOqLikGyYl5zPEAzBGv_8uQ3s" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-fAbyYc8drHiz1en_jlkyiqoCWypaRftb3m9-yA75s1BzFL2zSuHaEoRh5lioj2suZ8pccpr4X0hedkz9P05z-_6obeqX8bifJ0ZOgF31wUetz4HeBY5fivSrYEgvkzhRRB2Xdy2k3KlJnLAyicAnaOBPwK6zZGBd1KjOqLikGyYl5zPEAzBGv_8uQ3s=w252-h189" width="252" /></a></span></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">I know, I know! It seems like we just passed the FY 24 budget...but alas...it is already that time to begin in earnest the hard work required to build our FY 25 proposed School Budget.</p><p style="text-align: left;">There are MANY many steps to our budget development process. You can <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uhApSSCBdz98c6d9KdSKrPSkoi4UNM_7Vrs3S0LVBvE/edit?usp=sharing">CLICK HERE </a>to view a detailed timeline of what to expect, but generally speaking we start now to work with staff at the school and program levels to build our initial draft budget. Those school and program level budgets are due to my office by mid-December. We then spend a full month meeting individually with building and program leaders to review each and every request to ensure need and to ensure alignment with our mission/vision and strategic plan as well as with our budget priorities. </p><p style="text-align: left;">At the same time all this is happening, the district leadership team has already met to establish draft budget priorities for FY 25. These draft priorities will be shared with the school committee at their informal "kick off" to budget season meeting we call our "Dessert & Discuss" meeting. That meeting is scheduled on Nov. 16 at 6:30 p.m. Additionally the school committee has met to establish an initial budget development target that will also be reviewed at the Dessert & Discuss meeting. You can listen in on the School Committee's initial conversation about establishment of a target by watching their Oct. 25 meeting (<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Kx6CyaHOohkTRIelPW1LXBrvH0AH8_P1/view?usp=drive_link">same link as above</a>). This discussion begins at about the 58 minute mark.</p><p style="text-align: left;">As Superintendent, I use all this up front work to build my initial draft budget that is presented to the School Committee in early February. Once this budget is presented to the School Committee they will then meet several times over the course of the next 2 months to mold my proposed budget into their proposed budget. In April the School Committee votes to approve a proposed budget. That budget is then delivered to Town Council in May and voted on. The results of that vote is then brought to voter referendum in June.</p><p style="text-align: left;">My fingers get tired just typing that timeline...but its important that you all know just how thorough a process this is, and how important it is to stay informed and follow along as we go. If you are waiting to see what happens at the end and then think you can catch up on the important information to inform your vote in June - well - you can try, but you will be missing a lot of important information to help in your decision making process if you do. A school budget is a complex budget and the best way to thoroughly understand it is to follow its development from initial "birth" (my proposed budget to the School Committee) through to its "infancy, childhood and even teenage years" (School Committee's budge work) and then on to its "maturity" (Town Council and voter referendum).</p><p style="text-align: left;">I'll continue to update folks via this blog as we go. You can also follow along as we get deeper into the process on our website where I will post all the work from my initial proposed budget through voter referendum. If you <a href="https://www.gorhamschools.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=456522&type=d&pREC_ID=1150991">CLICK HERE</a> you will see FY 24's information. I'll add to this same page as we go for FY 25. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">BEST PLACES TO WORK IN MAINE DATA HIGHLIGHTS</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCH7JBHpNPTfMTkxCAau8MEgh7GyxLwiB52sQTRo5crDbCqqnkupfIU0eiWgMH7l69y5nG5aYm_LwCBSS1L3jz4mlH2QHXiPbcEE07q5A2Lf1DOuZwcxrISRcaoKRf8Ge8wV7K6UxDXsi8BWxF6AF1G7v7EOpXRVhd0WT1smRJgE9gJD6JEJz9zKrva_A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="139" data-original-width="455" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCH7JBHpNPTfMTkxCAau8MEgh7GyxLwiB52sQTRo5crDbCqqnkupfIU0eiWgMH7l69y5nG5aYm_LwCBSS1L3jz4mlH2QHXiPbcEE07q5A2Lf1DOuZwcxrISRcaoKRf8Ge8wV7K6UxDXsi8BWxF6AF1G7v7EOpXRVhd0WT1smRJgE9gJD6JEJz9zKrva_A=w441-h135" width="441" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">As you may have heard from earlier this year, the Gorham School Department was named one of Maine's Best Places to Work for 2023! Well over 120 large businesses in Maine participated in this program and we were selected as one of the top 26 - competing against large employers like Bath Iron Works, Bangor Savings Bank, and others. To say we were extremely honored to be in the top 25 of this group in our first year of participation is an understatement! Congratulations to Consigli Construction Company with offices here in the Portland area for taking the top spot among large employers in 2023. The Gorham Schools ended up ranking #25.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The reason why the Gorham Schools participated in this program has little to do with the accolades we wound up receiving as a result. Instead, the major reason we participated in this program was to learn more about what we can do to strengthen our already strong school cultures for our staff and to make sure that Gorham remains a place where employees want to come and work and stay and work! As traditional educator recruitment pipelines slow to a "trickle" the Gorham School Committee wanted to get ahead of the curve in this important work. This is just one way in which we are doing that very thing.</p><p style="text-align: left;">As part of this program we had to have at least 40% of our almost 700 employees voluntarily participate in a survey to collect perceptions data directly from staff. An independent third party ran the survey anonymously and compiled the data. It is the collection of this data that was the driving force behind our participation in the program. This is our first baseline year - but it certainly showed us some really great things that we should celebrate, and some areas that we need to continue to improve upon if we want to remain one of Maine's top "Best Places to Work"!</p><p style="text-align: left;">There were three major reports that were shared. The summary data for each is linked below for you to view at your leisure if you are interested, but I will also pull out just a few key "nuggets" that we have identified as points of emphasis moving forward.</p><p style="text-align: left;">- <b><a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1m9e1LZwNYAzaDx3ZxTQWg88-ymsa-zHN/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=117245879173718482246&rtpof=true&sd=true">Gorham Schools Detailed Report</a></b> - This is the summary data from only Gorham participants in the survey. You can see results broken out by topic headings, by individual questions, and by some of the key demographics of the respondents. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>- <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1EPI0_oMoEknfhoEAsfAZ933-g77N7g2z/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=117245879173718482246&rtpof=true&sd=true">Gorham Schools Narrative Report</a></b> - There was one open ended question that was asked of all survey participants. This is the raw narrative responses from Gorham staff that participated in answering this question.</p><p style="text-align: left;">- <b><a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1uQPWidhzTAT5jG06VIsRMkM8T66AgKZK/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=117245879173718482246&rtpof=true&sd=true">BPWM Benchmarking Report</a></b> - This report compares Gorham School's results with all other large employers that participated in the program. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><u>Key Take-Aways Thus Far:</u></b></p><p style="text-align: left;">The question that was asked in the narrative portion of the survey was this: <i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">What does this organization do that makes it a place where people would want to work?</span></i></p><p style="text-align: left;">When we take all the narrative responses and we pull those into a word cloud - this is what the results look like:</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrtfjnZv8mGNjQy3GFzpKoJR75QwT7gx5-xU8JdfqE8jdx2MROjbKxs4o4JzjF39hBSESPW02O2L7sM5aYDTAwsLmi4A9-8G5GdOafYpK8g27BUhXW_Vres3F-RVhHj6wA5scaHhJjP4FM2ZCQWpoz50UR3iaWzkgeSxYT8zdYpt1mISrsyT7ixHzK4BI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="1258" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrtfjnZv8mGNjQy3GFzpKoJR75QwT7gx5-xU8JdfqE8jdx2MROjbKxs4o4JzjF39hBSESPW02O2L7sM5aYDTAwsLmi4A9-8G5GdOafYpK8g27BUhXW_Vres3F-RVhHj6wA5scaHhJjP4FM2ZCQWpoz50UR3iaWzkgeSxYT8zdYpt1mISrsyT7ixHzK4BI=w487-h306" width="487" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>What you can see in the results is a strong sense of community, the ability to work with positive, caring people, solid leadership, good support structures and a sense of pride in what staff are able to accomplish with students. These are all at the heart of what our staff feels makes us a "best place to work" in Maine.<p></p><p style="text-align: left;">In the other data, one can see the following highlights of both organizational strengths and challenge points that we should continue to focus on moving forward:</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0zgxFeoSdZmzT4iAesFstjzIM_qt6bGiuRXT5Tnk4F8rKsxsmgs2F5HH1Ao0mr9OixKXvNPAvTFdQI2InpgLuPsYCruCNPBKkSz18oEDJtFg0tpSoTisN9hU3JH3NUJLZeLL5tNmgOu13H58_30bu0vDrDVP6vDyPI0GZ_Q5rzPssH8AgaAHnbkPisiY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="982" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0zgxFeoSdZmzT4iAesFstjzIM_qt6bGiuRXT5Tnk4F8rKsxsmgs2F5HH1Ao0mr9OixKXvNPAvTFdQI2InpgLuPsYCruCNPBKkSz18oEDJtFg0tpSoTisN9hU3JH3NUJLZeLL5tNmgOu13H58_30bu0vDrDVP6vDyPI0GZ_Q5rzPssH8AgaAHnbkPisiY=w567-h390" width="567" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Another pattern in the data that was seen was when the data was broken out by demographics. When looking through this lens, a piece of data that jumped out and is likely in need of further conversation moving forward was that our overall engagement numbers were high (92%), but when we look across that data through years of experience, we notice a troubling trend that those scores drop off in the 5-10 years of experience category before jumping back up again after ten years of experience. We will dig more deeply into this data set to understand more of what we can do to remedy those numbers for sure. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">There is so much more that can be gleaned from this data, but I don't want to take up a whole blog post! </div><div style="text-align: left;">Overall - please know that we will continue to use this data to inform our processes moving forward! As is always the case - data is only as good as how an organization uses it to improve their practices!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">REMINDER - IMPORTANT CODE OF CONDUCT THOUGHT EXCHANGE OPEN NOW THROUGH NOVEMBER 17!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjF8QLEiFB82Y_EK9RBA-CE1YVcFWn-LGnJbZVa_HCWIKXIzada1B3ZxndH1NMHP_XuXlQ9sH7vjKNyCYPAGub4Uc-9PtHurZhRGwL6mVggHRfyRwV0gTKOduQ0Ez8uhLHH0rL_j9_HtcfmUjgnQD3Y0edEya-w03BuKVJCGn_a3qrhVn_6ct9vUPObp10" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjF8QLEiFB82Y_EK9RBA-CE1YVcFWn-LGnJbZVa_HCWIKXIzada1B3ZxndH1NMHP_XuXlQ9sH7vjKNyCYPAGub4Uc-9PtHurZhRGwL6mVggHRfyRwV0gTKOduQ0Ez8uhLHH0rL_j9_HtcfmUjgnQD3Y0edEya-w03BuKVJCGn_a3qrhVn_6ct9vUPObp10=w280-h187" width="280" /></a></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="color: #222222;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;">Parents/Guardians and Community Members -</span><b style="background-color: #fcff01;"> WE NEED YOUR VOICE!</b><span style="background-color: white;"> We have opened an important Thought Exchange Survey on the topic of our Code of Conduct that we need your input on! </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Data collected will be reviewed by the COC steering committee to determine what the priority areas may be to strengthen our existing Code of Conduct and ensure it remains rock solid for another 20 years in our community!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">The leading question is this:</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">Schools should be safe, caring, respectful, and welcoming. As we refresh our current Code of Conduct to address the unique conditions within our schools and community today, what are some important areas that we need to consider and why?</span></b></div></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">You can view our CURRENT Code of Conduct by <a href="https://1.cdn.edl.io/UZRqpQCKPIV2XwkMNVsQbj05CHGCpmzN8AtrlQe1ZKEzUtxE.pdf" style="color: #2288bb; text-decoration-line: none;">CLICKING HERE</a>. </span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">You can enter the Thought Exchange Survey using the link below. Staff, families, students and community members are encouraged to participate! </span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">Remember, first share your answers to the leading question and then go in and rate the thoughts of others. Then don't forget to wait a little bit and log back in to rate more thoughts as we go! The Exchange will remain open until Nov. 17, 2023.</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><u><b>Survey Link: </b></u> </span><span style="color: #231f20; text-align: center;"><a href="https://tejoin.com/scroll/577970716" style="color: #2288bb; text-decoration-line: none;">https://tejoin.com/scroll/577970716</a></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">or you can use the QR code below to access the survey...</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizCxCNzxFDYXNbqp6FUI9DPMDfmstuNALOJ163TWeAavUA-L5nSsJYdHhUOdT9TxUpdy16dcoqgb2dooLcb_bUAN11rzIJ5zlvmx-Lliz7PY-t6hfzV2oSRswhp5deGDHvnadKSYCjV7tDj380HhdJuCqkGTErL91eooxign5Cw3PywLXhgkXmyRoVIAE" style="color: #2288bb; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="240" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizCxCNzxFDYXNbqp6FUI9DPMDfmstuNALOJ163TWeAavUA-L5nSsJYdHhUOdT9TxUpdy16dcoqgb2dooLcb_bUAN11rzIJ5zlvmx-Lliz7PY-t6hfzV2oSRswhp5deGDHvnadKSYCjV7tDj380HhdJuCqkGTErL91eooxign5Cw3PywLXhgkXmyRoVIAE=w174-h174" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="174" /></span></a></div><b><span style="font-family: times;"><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><b><br /></b></div>THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS IMPORTANT CONVERSATION!</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">P.S. - Feel free to share with others in Gorham and encourage them to participate too!</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b>SUPERINTENDENT'S UPCOMING LISTENING TOUR REMINDER</b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZXkY57u9obnpUiTIBv-G9pYD3QAomCpfCklWTbv44R5H0sgsYpvuJjoBH46oB6IL6kAsBXDtTfQ5n2epCeNPlBIOs3Kyrxo9suydkVZpVL4ee0EjNFMUtiEtY7kLITbYDA-VOMNcC9KWptEo-Rdp_G0WjgrVjaf_FVgZxoY7trIYLt9PCvwEqrr1QkwE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="186" data-original-width="270" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZXkY57u9obnpUiTIBv-G9pYD3QAomCpfCklWTbv44R5H0sgsYpvuJjoBH46oB6IL6kAsBXDtTfQ5n2epCeNPlBIOs3Kyrxo9suydkVZpVL4ee0EjNFMUtiEtY7kLITbYDA-VOMNcC9KWptEo-Rdp_G0WjgrVjaf_FVgZxoY7trIYLt9PCvwEqrr1QkwE=w284-h195" width="284" /></a></div></b></span></div></div></div><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Please feel free to refer back to my Oct. 6 blog post for more details. The cliff notes version is this: I am going to be hosting a series of FOUR "listening tour" meetings with the community of Gorham. Any Gorham resident is invited to attend. The overall purpose of these meetings is for me to LISTEN to you as community members so that I can gain better understandings of what YOU want for your community and how our public schools here in Gorham can work to strengthen alignment to those needs. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I will begin each meeting with a very brief "state of the schools" introduction that highlights some key areas that I think members of the public should be aware of to better understand the conditions within which our current public schools must operate. After that introductory piece, I will use three guiding questions to engage the community in conversation and then my role is to simply LISTEN and take good notes that can be compiled and reported back to the District Leadership Team, to the Gorham School Committee, to the Gorham Town Council, and more broadly to the public.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Those three leading questions are purposefully broad because this isn't really just about our public schools. This is about our whole community and then secondarily the role our public schools can play in continuing to support our community. The three questions are:</div><p></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">1. What are the top TWO things you value most about living in our community?</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">2. What are the top TWO things you find challenging about living in our community?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">3. If you had a magic wand and unlimited funds - what ONE thing would you do in our community in order to maintain our vibrancy over the next 3-5 years?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">I hope folks are interested in participating. Here are the logistics for these FOUR listening meetings. I'll get flyers and other materials out via social media as we get closer...</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><u><span style="font-family: times;">Dates </span></u></p><p style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><b style="background-color: #fcff01;">- November 13, 2023 (Yup - that is coming right up)</b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">- January 22, 2024</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">- March 26, 2024</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">- May 20, 2024</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><u><span style="font-family: times;">Times</span></u></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">- All meetings will begin at 6:00 p.m. and last no longer than 1 hour.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><u><span style="font-family: times;">Location</span></u></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">- Summit Community Church, Gorham ME. (26 Cressey Road, Gorham ME)</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">Note: I may move the location for each meeting just to get different audience members. This will be the first location for sure. After that - stay tuned for possible change in locations.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><u><span style="font-family: times;">Food</span></u></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">- Light munchies, coffee, tea and water will be provided</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">Please mark your calendars and feel free to spread the word! It would be hard for me to listen just to myself! Even I get tired of that! ☺</span></p></div><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">A MIDSUMMER'S NIGHT'S DREAM REMINDER!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">GHS Theater students are working hard right now practicing scenes and creating sets in order to prepare for their upcoming performance of a classic Shakespeare play! Performances will be held on November 10, 11, and 12. Check out the flyer below for more details!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQ-kxu6Kb61QYlW0VHRzGSawfoHSMRNYU1Y6fSehAyhkasoL3pELM1GkMViHo3q8NDG1NgTzsKYdFnr2xYNl59N-Sxv0Je77zJ2KC8gYEzljtSt7S3cGZXZYR7jiHqezzj1DhdvfQGDclYNWlbe3BrxrdcOIlcj3zoLhzhjoZ0n6bWRKlJys5rWfKv4fo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="612" height="676" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQ-kxu6Kb61QYlW0VHRzGSawfoHSMRNYU1Y6fSehAyhkasoL3pELM1GkMViHo3q8NDG1NgTzsKYdFnr2xYNl59N-Sxv0Je77zJ2KC8gYEzljtSt7S3cGZXZYR7jiHqezzj1DhdvfQGDclYNWlbe3BrxrdcOIlcj3zoLhzhjoZ0n6bWRKlJys5rWfKv4fo=w522-h676" width="522" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">26th ANNUAL BURN OFF THE TURKEY RUN </span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">COMING SOON!</span></b></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgMqJPhHmIgFd67UctZHhl0O8iALoBqF45UHvjJsKs2J4ogbu9CvGBpFfS2nW2QgOvd0RSmHSSi8dke677H60ve8SJPkQVFHw6vAJyyNlZidp4hFzrkMldcFuMEHNKAgdfiQTQVwcIrw0Mg2V6JI66tombMbN2fcy2xBaQ_THjAWdu5tHSlD8RhsnxY-U" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1060" data-original-width="1240" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgMqJPhHmIgFd67UctZHhl0O8iALoBqF45UHvjJsKs2J4ogbu9CvGBpFfS2nW2QgOvd0RSmHSSi8dke677H60ve8SJPkQVFHw6vAJyyNlZidp4hFzrkMldcFuMEHNKAgdfiQTQVwcIrw0Mg2V6JI66tombMbN2fcy2xBaQ_THjAWdu5tHSlD8RhsnxY-U" width="281" /></a></div><br />If you have never participated or watched this fun annual event here in Gorham...you should! The run will take place on November 25, 2023. Details are below as well as a link to register if you are brave enough to participate! It is certainly fun for all ages!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;">Burn off the Turkey 5k race start at 9:00am</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">$100 Prize for men and woman</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">$250 prize for winners who break a course record!</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Record times (Ryan Jara: 15:08 - Christine Snowe-Reaser: 17:34)</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Race results will be published on www.active.com</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Online registration closes Nov 20th! </span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Race day registration 7:00am to 8:00am Saturday morning at Gorham Recreation</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Race fee with shirt for first 150 registered - $25</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Race fee with no shirt $15.00</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Free registration for those over age 65 (no shirt) </span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Race fee after Nov 21st - $25.00 for all registrations (no shirt guaranteed)</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><br />Kids Fun Run</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Distance: .5k around Robie Park</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Start time: 8:15am </span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Cost: Free</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">Link to Register: </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times;"><a href="https://gorhamme.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=14960">https://gorhamme.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=14960</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">CONGRATULATIONS GHS VOLLEYBALL TEAM!</span></b></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYKfkbfDoPT_5W_g-ECvLrK5CG6w4dc4FVC4-HUmsgUJvpjj61rXLTwiV_BZbTEIek03qPZzBFGVtcUQLj9zixwkVHoVrl2ea7G6XC0Vo-iDe_BolX3u-s1F6e5bXx3a0g513XNgTTagqYefj1fH_j_UXdafCoPpXNI_g52jUSiPsDLhSX0kqVH5aj30o" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="954" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYKfkbfDoPT_5W_g-ECvLrK5CG6w4dc4FVC4-HUmsgUJvpjj61rXLTwiV_BZbTEIek03qPZzBFGVtcUQLj9zixwkVHoVrl2ea7G6XC0Vo-iDe_BolX3u-s1F6e5bXx3a0g513XNgTTagqYefj1fH_j_UXdafCoPpXNI_g52jUSiPsDLhSX0kqVH5aj30o=w457-h203" width="457" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">I would be remiss if I didn't take the time to congratulate our GHS Girls Volleyball team for their state championship win on Tuesday night. I was so impressed with our student section who decided to dress up in Blue and White colors to honor their neighbors in Lewiston. I was also so impressed with our student athletes. Not only did they play well, but they represented our values well too as they have all season long. Over the course of the season these athletes have demonstrated passion, commitment, teamwork, perseverance, and a willingness to roll up their sleeves to work hard in attainment of a common goal. As if that weren't enough they've accomplished what they have accomplished with our <a href="https://village.gorhamschools.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=450386&type=d&pREC_ID=994932">Code of Conduct</a> at the forefront. Demonstrating Courage, Respect, Honesty, Compassion and Responsibility!</p><p style="text-align: left;">Check out <a href="https://vimeo.com/880031061/58a0a89c5b?fbclid=IwAR03yx9_wpfoEcG0uNq4HCOy0HXZRWP6XAXA1gS6UtSy0lltoQMIDiHI0Ug">this brief video</a> Mr. Parvanta put together honoring their accomplishments! GO RAMS!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p>Heather Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902747451985096596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2916890148299174047.post-64184211273584892582023-10-20T08:12:00.000-07:002023-10-20T08:12:40.230-07:00October 20 Post<p>As I am writing this blog post, parent/teacher conferences are ongoing across all of our schools. I hope you have each had a chance to meaningfully connect with one another with our incredible students at the center of these discussions. Whether it be from the perspective of our teachers, or from the perspective of our families - conferences are an important part of building relationships and partnerships that strengthen student's abilities to succeed in their learning. Although we want to be clear that this is definitely NOT the only time we expect these important conversations to take place between school and home, it certainly is an important component that I hope everyone has found value in!</p><p>It has been a busy two weeks since my last post. Check out the photos below to get a sense of the cool stuff happening across our schools!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8D7BZb2zP74Msb-16e6xd5KMoCKOImhtvLPWdvKqGAYUAjlt8FM44GZDCZ3cA_NepHfdNasgV8CLcsUQmIwk4cS15UldMeDUwVy9OJuxF9NnciJQVdQInwvg4wMRgRcSt2CzowrarQcEJwvSrZ_zfc23QnriscKDNPAfC5oOvasnQWU1fFIg2RO1id5c" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="558" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8D7BZb2zP74Msb-16e6xd5KMoCKOImhtvLPWdvKqGAYUAjlt8FM44GZDCZ3cA_NepHfdNasgV8CLcsUQmIwk4cS15UldMeDUwVy9OJuxF9NnciJQVdQInwvg4wMRgRcSt2CzowrarQcEJwvSrZ_zfc23QnriscKDNPAfC5oOvasnQWU1fFIg2RO1id5c=w558-h558" width="558" /></a></div>Now on to the updates!<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">THANK YOU TO ALL WHO CELEBRATED GMS's </span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">20th BIRTHDAY!</span></b></p><p>Just wanted to send a quick "shout out" to everyone who came out to celebrate GMS's 20th birthday! It was a great celebration! Happy Birthday GMS!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRmaaXRvdWJTFvsCGFBmwi607Mxc7WfjZdTmabBMWtmN8TkBVIvatnC0m9_7bIykrDDh8C7K8rbqR_7Jrct4e7mAsgfRYLwmpuQWu58TLpJgeKDAQvf7-F4izmaDm_y35eGiYf72J0jVXfCGqZCAyiOAlCjrZ1zrZ22olCxYxXRE2DVcU-MM-x6IUpyLc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRmaaXRvdWJTFvsCGFBmwi607Mxc7WfjZdTmabBMWtmN8TkBVIvatnC0m9_7bIykrDDh8C7K8rbqR_7Jrct4e7mAsgfRYLwmpuQWu58TLpJgeKDAQvf7-F4izmaDm_y35eGiYf72J0jVXfCGqZCAyiOAlCjrZ1zrZ22olCxYxXRE2DVcU-MM-x6IUpyLc=w377-h283" width="377" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">CODE OF CONDUCT STEERING COMMITTEE </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">WORK UPDATE</span></b></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;">If you recall this committee was set up t<span id="docs-internal-guid-0e76b5e3-7fff-bf36-ac4b-5422407b54f9"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">o revitalize and refresh the Gorham Schools Code of Conduct </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">(</span><a href="https://1.cdn.edl.io/UZRqpQCKPIV2XwkMNVsQbj05CHGCpmzN8AtrlQe1ZKEzUtxE.pdf" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Gorham School Committee Policy JICDA</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">)</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> originally developed 20+ years ago. The existing document continues to provide a strong foundation for School Community Expectations and Core Values that is utilized daily in the Gorham Schools. The Steering Committee will facilitate a community-wide review of the Code of Conduct to ensure the document reflects today’s contexts while reinforcing our Core Values for another 20+ years. </span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Committee met for the first time earlier this week to begin this important work. One of the things they did was to review the initial data collected from a survey seeking to understand various stakeholders awareness levels were of the school's Code of Conduct. Over 1,700 individuals participated in the survey including students, staff, families and community members. Here's what they said:</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjtRCn9AeLACYkB7D1k1F1WuGxWDFpMyESxf5KEg8TCOYGiBubc9BljqRc9iWMXofJbmWNGMpL-6RFBYoiAZ1Jq1HL4Jx3rchEoJC87wcMMb2ZU3cGanqRUc03axRQvAgDsItGrOR9hK49AEoJvc5hkFmV1afdo3OWjsXvdefLo2uOrRYIw39doSeX1kTk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="588" data-original-width="1236" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjtRCn9AeLACYkB7D1k1F1WuGxWDFpMyESxf5KEg8TCOYGiBubc9BljqRc9iWMXofJbmWNGMpL-6RFBYoiAZ1Jq1HL4Jx3rchEoJC87wcMMb2ZU3cGanqRUc03axRQvAgDsItGrOR9hK49AEoJvc5hkFmV1afdo3OWjsXvdefLo2uOrRYIw39doSeX1kTk=w532-h253" width="532" /></a></span></div><p style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3zahTo5-KVGrfaYf8ZcuotVPip9UW8ZUeJ0gBGtQzwfq1RQRiK36ACiW5mrZMrou6phOM3xwasw0pBpQjICG3jdy5f4MDmpGYUo8yW4ZD9ulZeLoGTm_xI4izTT9CxcoF8uS-Ao3RnP4SpAxkOSa5HQ9uVDVd-8DVwQzeNG2mx3jsGfe0RCFpPTh8uZg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="1292" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3zahTo5-KVGrfaYf8ZcuotVPip9UW8ZUeJ0gBGtQzwfq1RQRiK36ACiW5mrZMrou6phOM3xwasw0pBpQjICG3jdy5f4MDmpGYUo8yW4ZD9ulZeLoGTm_xI4izTT9CxcoF8uS-Ao3RnP4SpAxkOSa5HQ9uVDVd-8DVwQzeNG2mx3jsGfe0RCFpPTh8uZg=w529-h251" width="529" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7PThyxoK0Fi3tnlC3cIFSGn-DO_vxpha8qTjswqS0oFf_kCGjz7m1_-APS63ohpsEYx2rKyAOInAeF91kviDohAOwckb3nvWPzdXOEA9J9HlJLm9d5wvDYe2dd9A6X5oUWVx_KrD4JsNRoZQ0KJxqZpEHEwY_gLQFUJkpOGukNxZELdRvO1IVdPhmfl4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="1136" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7PThyxoK0Fi3tnlC3cIFSGn-DO_vxpha8qTjswqS0oFf_kCGjz7m1_-APS63ohpsEYx2rKyAOInAeF91kviDohAOwckb3nvWPzdXOEA9J9HlJLm9d5wvDYe2dd9A6X5oUWVx_KrD4JsNRoZQ0KJxqZpEHEwY_gLQFUJkpOGukNxZELdRvO1IVdPhmfl4=w509-h250" width="509" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">The group then reviewed some of the narrative responses and did a brief activity that asked them to respond to the following prompts:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">I See... (what did they see in the data)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">I Think... (what do you think that means)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">I Wonder...(what do you think are the larger implications for our work).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">As you can imagine some great discussions emerged that will help drive the work moving forward. The group then spent some time helping to finalize the Thought Exchange Survey that will be used to get the "next level deeper" in our understandings of the work needed. That Thought Exchange is below!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">***NEW*** CODE OF CONDUCT THOUGHT EXCHANGE SURVEY - PLEASE PARTICIPATE!</span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-jvCInj_qBPiNOIPHvJk9fQqOct60BljUcF_TNdNOLx0NBfv3FvJecejo8KHJ7wSQxpX3ETK6Ia0LFl7zFH9F6H68aNzLbrGk3o19aJ4fQmf-u37A5zyB2MJ4NahMl0GwhH3QL2mN9VD_OIMWL_I7YcxtEgL8dC__CBkG8OQqOyQUi8dj5Kp5aRWdxsc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="124" data-original-width="452" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-jvCInj_qBPiNOIPHvJk9fQqOct60BljUcF_TNdNOLx0NBfv3FvJecejo8KHJ7wSQxpX3ETK6Ia0LFl7zFH9F6H68aNzLbrGk3o19aJ4fQmf-u37A5zyB2MJ4NahMl0GwhH3QL2mN9VD_OIMWL_I7YcxtEgL8dC__CBkG8OQqOyQUi8dj5Kp5aRWdxsc" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">If you read the piece above, you know that the first survey that was put out regarding the Code of Conduct was really intended to be just an initial "snapshot" survey. This was a typical google forms survey that really didn't offer up much of an opportunity for folks to deeply engage in helping the Code of Conduct Committee figure out what adjustments may need to be made to "refresh" our Code of Conduct and make sure it is reflective of the needs of our present and future community.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">One tool we use in Gorham to get at these deeper conversations is our Thought Exchange Survey Tool. Many of you have participated in these before for lots of other topics, but for those of you who are new to our school community - the Thought Exchange Survey is like your average survey on steroids! The survey is a digital open discussion driven by a leading question. Participants are asked to share responses to the leading question and then (here's the fun part) go back and rate the thoughts of others. Participants are encouraged to go back into the survey periodically as more responses are shared and rate those responses too. This iterative process allows LOTS of different people to share their ideas and to weigh in on the ideas of others. It creates a virtual conversation. The software is then able to use this data to identify key themes, priority areas, and "sticky" topics that the steering committee can use to then better focus its work. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">We are now ready to launch our Code of Conduct Thought Exchange! <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">The exchange is open NOW through November 17, 2023.</span> Data collected will be reviewed by the COC steering committee to determine what the priority areas may be to strengthen our existing Code of Conduct and ensure it remains rock solid for another 20 years in our community!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">The leading question is this:</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Schools should be safe, caring, respectful, and welcoming. As we refresh our current Code of Conduct to address the unique conditions within our schools and community today, what are some important areas that we need to consider and why?</b></span></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">You can view our CURRENT Code of Conduct by <a href="https://1.cdn.edl.io/UZRqpQCKPIV2XwkMNVsQbj05CHGCpmzN8AtrlQe1ZKEzUtxE.pdf">CLICKING HERE</a>. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">You can enter the Thought Exchange Survey using the link below. Staff, families, students and community members are encouraged to participate! </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Remember, first share your answers to the leading question and then go in and rate the thoughts of others. Then don't forget to wait a little bit and log back in to rate more thoughts as we go! The Exchange will remain open until Nov. 17, 2023.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><u><b>Survey Link: </b></u> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #231f20; font-family: Lato, "Trebuchet MS", Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://tejoin.com/scroll/577970716">https://tejoin.com/scroll/577970716</a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">or you can use the QR code below to access the survey...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizCxCNzxFDYXNbqp6FUI9DPMDfmstuNALOJ163TWeAavUA-L5nSsJYdHhUOdT9TxUpdy16dcoqgb2dooLcb_bUAN11rzIJ5zlvmx-Lliz7PY-t6hfzV2oSRswhp5deGDHvnadKSYCjV7tDj380HhdJuCqkGTErL91eooxign5Cw3PywLXhgkXmyRoVIAE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="240" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizCxCNzxFDYXNbqp6FUI9DPMDfmstuNALOJ163TWeAavUA-L5nSsJYdHhUOdT9TxUpdy16dcoqgb2dooLcb_bUAN11rzIJ5zlvmx-Lliz7PY-t6hfzV2oSRswhp5deGDHvnadKSYCjV7tDj380HhdJuCqkGTErL91eooxign5Cw3PywLXhgkXmyRoVIAE=w174-h174" width="174" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><b>THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS IMPORTANT CONVERSATION!</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">P.S. - Feel free to share with others in Gorham and encourage them to participate too!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">REMINDER ABOUT COVID 19 RETURN TO SCHOOL PROTOCOLS...</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpmk2yq8D35DYWOUvGxBfFZXaIKnI3jpqioerwzKUBWJRp5icncjVIfTOK3mBqx499UB6e4-JZzXeefE8yGojN8xogLqgQNUwz_QYf3jYDItj6QCIupeU7lNtnXAgY56WPjMAG79wzOzXLHCOuCLC3MlUCI39duibovpOgncxsv1IS2yDVSBq_76tYgh8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="164" data-original-width="306" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpmk2yq8D35DYWOUvGxBfFZXaIKnI3jpqioerwzKUBWJRp5icncjVIfTOK3mBqx499UB6e4-JZzXeefE8yGojN8xogLqgQNUwz_QYf3jYDItj6QCIupeU7lNtnXAgY56WPjMAG79wzOzXLHCOuCLC3MlUCI39duibovpOgncxsv1IS2yDVSBq_76tYgh8=w250-h134" width="250" /></a></div><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">I've had a few questions recently about what protocols we are following as a school when a student or staff member has COVID 19 and how they can return to school afterwards. Our nurses and I thought it would be good to simply remind everyone that we follow all</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> CDC guidelines regarding isolation, masking, and return to school/work. The CDC's "isolation calculator" is a great tool to help understand what to do and for how long if you test positive for COVID 19. You can find the full protocol by <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/isolation.html">CLICKING HERE</a>, but basically the "cliff notes" version is this:</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">*. If you test positive, you should stay home for at least 5 days.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">*. If after five days your symptoms are improving and you are fever free, you can end isolation but should wear a mask through day 10.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">*. If after five days your symptoms are not improving, and/or you are not fever free, you should continue your isolation until that is the case.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">*. Wear your mask through day10 regardless.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Again, that is a little simplistic but it covers the key points. If you want more detail for the nuances that can always occur, click on the link to the CDC site above and it gives you all the scenarios to work from!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;">As always, if you have questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to your school's nurse and they can help! Thank you!</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>IMPORTANCE OF SCHOOL ATTENDANCE</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpWGsT0xeSht_mx-sjwguvzD7RS-Po_zDPdUo59iRzt6gvVJ1BiErDXqSf0qwkoYvaXLsJXITBNwv8DbY9BwFyE4Z9HgL5wQU59-EFeeJkqJt8GTdIGheGFE_ng4DYjgbUXtPo8CvHOCYJBPLMUONY6MyLYc9VA2wKaHX6xuShLGzk6ak1cNVNFZNXUsc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="315" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpWGsT0xeSht_mx-sjwguvzD7RS-Po_zDPdUo59iRzt6gvVJ1BiErDXqSf0qwkoYvaXLsJXITBNwv8DbY9BwFyE4Z9HgL5wQU59-EFeeJkqJt8GTdIGheGFE_ng4DYjgbUXtPo8CvHOCYJBPLMUONY6MyLYc9VA2wKaHX6xuShLGzk6ak1cNVNFZNXUsc" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;">A necessary step to make sure that all students benefit from all that our schools have to offer is to support student's consistent presence in the classroom.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;">It really does come down to the old adage: The first step to success is being there! More studies than I can name find very clear evidence that school attendance is closely linked to student success. School absences take a toll on student grades. It is a key predictor for student drop outs, diminished health, and exposure to the criminal justice system. Poor school attendance has even been linked via research to poor labor market prospects for adults.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;">Did you know that since the Pandemic, chronic absenteeism in our nation's public schools has nearly doubled? Chronic absenteeism is the % of students in a school that have missed 10% or more of the total school year for any reason. For Maine students that is a student who has missed 18 or more days of school during the course of the school year. </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;">Sometimes it is easy to dismiss national data - but let's put this in very local terms... </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;">*. In the</span><u style="background-color: white;"> 2018-2019</u><span style="background-color: white;"> school year we had 7.79% of our students that were chronically absent. This means that approximately </span><b><span style="background-color: white;">217 Gorham students were absent for 18 or more days of school.</span></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;">*. In the </span><u style="background-color: white;">2022-2023</u><span style="background-color: white;"> school year we had 15.8% of our students that were chronically absent. This means that approximately </span><b><span style="background-color: white;">430 Gorham students were absent for 18 or more days of school. </span></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;">This is right in line with the larger national concerns regarding school attendance. </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;">There is no question that school success and attendance go hand in hand. As a school system we will continue to remain focused on helping students know we want them to come to school regularly. We will continue to message the importance of attending school and we will continue to work hard to make sure our schools are places where students WANT to be. We will continue to focus on building positive relationships and working together with families to remove barriers to student attendance. </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;">We need your help in this important message to our students as well. What can you do? Resources from CountME In say these are some of the best things families can do to help:</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">- Set regular bedtime and morning routines</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">- Lay out clothes and backpack the night before</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">- Introduce yourself to your child's teacher and be as involved as you can be in supporting and attending school functions</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">- Avoid family trips when school is in session</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">- Schedule medical appointments outside the school day if possible</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">- Come up with backup plans with family, neighbors or other parents to get children to school</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">- If you see a pattern of your child avoiding school, contact their teacher, principal or school counselor so we can all work together to make learning a positive experience.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">- Make conversations about attendance strength based. Celebrate what is going well.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Interested in resources for families about Attendance? CountME In has some good resources. <a href="https://countmeinmaine.org/explore-resources-for-families/">CLICK HERE</a> to view.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Thank you all in advance for helping us to send consistent messages to students about the importance of attending school! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">FREEDOM OF ACCESS ACT (FOAA) - HOW DOES IT WORK AND WHAT IS PUBLIC VS. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION WHEN IT COMES TO STUDENTS?</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglYiMTV5e923hugOyQbckWoT0Cr9GBQPdXKC-m6h8uvQvXJ8CD4q90qQWHUIkbKAOGGUlEssIcRWt8pE7baucVz38HDWeyFw59lJCbuzvwM6Ssbjv8-8sWAIG93kkihJnJk8Mtz4PD_akmQJr5LpPVnjKiWFf27Xpp5mgGmTdolkdhSobg214inFaVO9Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="190" data-original-width="266" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglYiMTV5e923hugOyQbckWoT0Cr9GBQPdXKC-m6h8uvQvXJ8CD4q90qQWHUIkbKAOGGUlEssIcRWt8pE7baucVz38HDWeyFw59lJCbuzvwM6Ssbjv8-8sWAIG93kkihJnJk8Mtz4PD_akmQJr5LpPVnjKiWFf27Xpp5mgGmTdolkdhSobg214inFaVO9Q" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div></div><span style="font-family: times;">With a recent uptick in FOAA requests once again this year, I've had several families ask me to explain FOAA, what it is, how it works, and what happens when FOAA interacts with the confidentiality rights associated with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act commonly referred to as FERPA?<p></p><p>Maine's Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) grants the people of this state a broad right of access to public records. The act is intended to ensure the accountability of the government to the citizens of the state by requiring public access to the meetings of public bodies, and by granting access to existing public documents that may be held by the public body. Public schools are public bodies and therefore, meetings of our school committee must be open to the public for example. Digital and written documents that are held by public schools are also subject to FOAA requests to include materials in email and on google classroom for example.</p><p>It is important to note, however, that FERPA laws regarding the confidentiality of student records is also a law that schools must adhere to. In cases where FOAA and FERPA may conflict, it is the responsibility of the school department to protect legitimate governmental interests and the privacy rights of our students and families. </p></span><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;">The best way to explain how this works is to first explain how FOAA requests are made and what we do as a school system to process these requests and then point out how we handle circumstances where the two laws may be in conflict with one another...</span></span></p><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: times;">Typical Process for FOAA Requests:</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">We use a pretty formulaic set of procedures to process any FOAA request because state statute is pretty clear what must be done. Below is an overview:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">Step 1:</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"> A FOAA request is made. This can be done in writing or via phone and then transcribed into a written document by our designated public access officer. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">Step 2:</span><span style="font-family: times; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"> The School Department acknowledges receipt of the request within 5 days.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">Step 3:</span><span style="font-family: times; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"> The School Department may reach out with clarifying questions to better understand the request before fully processing and moving forward with the request.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Step 4:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> The School Department will communicate a sense of how long it will take to complete the request and let the individual making the request know if there may be any fees associated with the request. By </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: times;">law, the school may charge reasonable fees to cover the costs of copying and/or may charge $25.00/hour after the first two hours for time spent searching for, retrieving, compiling, or redacting confidential information from the requested records. If the cost is more than $30.00 the School Department will notify the individual making the request. If the cost is more than $100.00 the School Department may require payment in full for services prior to completing the request.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: times; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Step 5:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: times; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> The FOAA officer works with appropriate admin. To fulfill the request. This often involves working with our technology team to search emails. It may also require our FOAA officer to work with Principals and individual teachers or other staff to gather curriculum information, lesson plans, assessments, etc. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: times; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Step 6: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: times; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> Once the information is collected by our FOAA officer, they then review each and every piece of information to determine what information may need to be redacted due to FERPA or other confidentiality laws.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: times; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Step 7: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: times; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Once the request is completed, the School Department will notify the individual that the information is ready to be reviewed. This may involve simply sending the individual the information digitally, or it may require that the individual come into the office to literally view the materials being requested.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: times; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Step 8:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: times; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> Once the information is shared, it becomes public information and will be posted on our website so that others may also view the information requested.</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">If you would like to learn more about Maine’s FOAA laws, you can </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.maine.gov/foaa/&source=gmail&ust=1697843357659000&usg=AOvVaw3DbO44LZdLsGT_FRpQZA8G" href="https://www.maine.gov/foaa/" style="color: #1155cc; text-align: justify; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">CLICK HERE.</span></a> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: times;">What is CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION When It Comes to FOAA?</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">As mentioned above, as a school we are required to follow all laws related to </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/faq/what-ferpa&source=gmail&ust=1697843357659000&usg=AOvVaw1DyuAJ-Y3lJQPfNc1yYCJH" href="https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/faq/what-ferpa" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">FERPA</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> when it comes to sharing student information. Therefore, any student records, or identifiable information regarding students is always redacted or removed before sharing information via FOAA. This would include parent emails to staff asking questions about grades, or emails between staff and parents that might discuss student placements, or student disciplinary matters, etc. This would also include emails that are sent between staff dealing with student information. For example: information contained within an email where one teacher is corresponding with another teacher about strategies to improve an individual student’s performance.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black;"><span style="font-family: times;">What is likely NOT confidential information would be an email between staff members talking about schedules, or making sharing information regarding working conditions, or an email from a parent to a staff member asking how their weekend was or trying to set up a meeting when/if a student is not being discussed. A general rule of thumb is that if the email is not about a student, or about a confidential employee related issue, or to school legal counsel, it is likely subject to FOAA.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Bottom line - when it comes to potential conflicts between FOAA and FERPA. FERPA "wins"!</p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">I hope this helps better understand how these two important laws may intersect. Please reach out if you have further questions.</p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">INTERNATIONAL PERFORMER ALEX BOYE TO PROVIDE A <u>FREE</u> COMMUNITY CONCERT IN GORHAM ON TUESDAY NIGHT! </span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjtQan-xW2EucEHd0a3r_meO1NWtG4-LTq_EBVf2geJkjLXCMudRjEKtMGHnszOgIT5WBCD39vVNxNhZsw4qEdVCjx6iaPIMblN-0f78NxYovy_x27XODt9tUF9ZwIFEu_5Tv2zDJSOsDY7vmEtgJrMPhi2ZptzF6ApU2G8UHUNJ0le815iSN5nHKPTmGw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="351" data-original-width="282" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjtQan-xW2EucEHd0a3r_meO1NWtG4-LTq_EBVf2geJkjLXCMudRjEKtMGHnszOgIT5WBCD39vVNxNhZsw4qEdVCjx6iaPIMblN-0f78NxYovy_x27XODt9tUF9ZwIFEu_5Tv2zDJSOsDY7vmEtgJrMPhi2ZptzF6ApU2G8UHUNJ0le815iSN5nHKPTmGw=w321-h399" width="321" /></a></span></b></div><p></p><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">The Gorham Schools have partnered with the Biddeford School Department to bring world renowned performer Alex Boye to Maine on October 24 & 25 to visit our two communities to deliver his inspirational message of hope and confidence. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">Alex will be working with GHS students in the afternoon of Tuesday, Oct. 24 and then he will provide our GMS and GHS staff with a training before coming to hang out with our community for a FREE evening workshop! </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">Alex's community performance will be at GHS in the MPAC at 6:30 p.m. on the night of Oct. 24. Please come to hear Alex's inspiring performance focused on reducing stigma around mental health, hope and helping our young people understand that "You are a 10!"</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;">Families and community members are welcome to attend! </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>FALL ATHLETIC PLAYOFFS BEGIN NEXT WEEK!</b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi17MVbwtcwQ-lzzf4Lo6o6ClCP-bPcVdEtRE6cW6GNRpxqipshlckHtbSKr9MXYv8AnCgnPt1PrKj3MICHEg_cNAdYUVUSvyUBgDuUlsN8sMaVDpKMx4iG_yn9F_6oxpO6rxY8PPmnrhRUlBAOY_R7sFVfi5RW5wge9cymaNUCiN7Rgpsk48Np9MqwYkQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi17MVbwtcwQ-lzzf4Lo6o6ClCP-bPcVdEtRE6cW6GNRpxqipshlckHtbSKr9MXYv8AnCgnPt1PrKj3MICHEg_cNAdYUVUSvyUBgDuUlsN8sMaVDpKMx4iG_yn9F_6oxpO6rxY8PPmnrhRUlBAOY_R7sFVfi5RW5wge9cymaNUCiN7Rgpsk48Np9MqwYkQ=w200-h200" width="200" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times;">Well thanks to the hard work and dedication of our GHS fall student athletes, we are going to have a VERY BUSY week next week! All of our teams have have made the playoffs and most of our teams will be hosting home games as a result! Volleyball, Field Hockey, Boys & Girls Soccer, Football...oh my! </span></p><p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times;">Our campus will be very busy for sure! Check out the <a href="https://www.gorhamschools.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=456677&type=d&pREC_ID=1064308">athletics website</a> to get updated game schedule information. Be sure to wish all of our fall athletes the best of luck going into the playoffs! GO RAMS!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b>NOVEMBER 7 VOTING DAY IS COMING RIGHT UP! REMEMBER - NO SCHOOL ON NOV. 7</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJF51FDqfyqD_oR-Kz43RETGH_YKN_9pBErbmLmtbShT4XxKnphAeHHgsY7tgBOrM9oz4j9E-PDXxA4tc0mLKD7-KIqtRF9mh2L4A_a2iz1Xbocpq1FpUdDTpVJuYVdIVsvCjc_y-PUcywwEXxzRBYd-BzApWRYP2ErvOR7U_PgkHADqz_vu7erKGf_OU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJF51FDqfyqD_oR-Kz43RETGH_YKN_9pBErbmLmtbShT4XxKnphAeHHgsY7tgBOrM9oz4j9E-PDXxA4tc0mLKD7-KIqtRF9mh2L4A_a2iz1Xbocpq1FpUdDTpVJuYVdIVsvCjc_y-PUcywwEXxzRBYd-BzApWRYP2ErvOR7U_PgkHADqz_vu7erKGf_OU=w185-h185" width="185" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times;">Just a quick reminder that November 7 election day is coming right up. Because two of our schools are used as polling locations, we have adjusted our school calendar this year to utilize Nov. 7 as a teacher workshop day instead of a student day. Therefore, there will be no school for students on Nov.7.</span></p><p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times;">Want to learn more about what is on the November 7 ballot? Check out <a href="https://www.gorhamtimes.com/whats-on-your-ballot-9/">this great resource</a> from the Gorham Times explaining the referendum questions. You can also learn about the candidates for the Gorham School Committee by <a href="https://www.gorhamtimes.com/school-committee-candidates-4/">CLICKING HERE</a> and you can learn about the candidates for the Gorham Town Council by <a href="https://www.gorhamtimes.com/town-council-candidates-5/">CLICKING HERE</a>. </span></p><p>Absentee voting is available now. Want to learn more about absentee voting in Gorham? <a href="https://www.gorham-me.org/town-clerk/pages/absentee-voting"> CLICK HERE.</a> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">GHS THEATER PRESENTS A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM...</span></b></p><p>GHS Theater students are working hard right now practicing scenes and creating sets in order to prepare for their upcoming performance of a classic Shakespeare play! Performances will be held on November 10, 11, and 12. Check out the flyer below for more details!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimrjsdxY4OKX9-Yu5V8bKZgaC6N6Nc2WqpB4IyTwxoDA_VQ6H96KC4XKcPQHj2kflFDpkJo-MpcxMR5cyRq87qdSvpvrnYn8pGRBEgpOOPFUZkYCl9nn-uuZ-5npdjwo0xrVeEipwklUMBCD8IOnpZ4W8dGXurFDV0BoYFirrx5uXnLs1pjeKQATLheCw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="612" height="695" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimrjsdxY4OKX9-Yu5V8bKZgaC6N6Nc2WqpB4IyTwxoDA_VQ6H96KC4XKcPQHj2kflFDpkJo-MpcxMR5cyRq87qdSvpvrnYn8pGRBEgpOOPFUZkYCl9nn-uuZ-5npdjwo0xrVeEipwklUMBCD8IOnpZ4W8dGXurFDV0BoYFirrx5uXnLs1pjeKQATLheCw=w536-h695" width="536" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT SPACE? CHECK OUT THIS UPCOMING EVENT...</span></b></div><br />This interesting event is being sponsored by SEED (Students Empowered to End Dependency)...<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8P2RLqI6cdEPoUj0bzIlm9nywANgI60OoutvJ3uThR5pwT9e8iZt0hQMetTlrg7FFtP5QZo41CmpBZlqWE8vEDYHW4eCR_9g31d7DP0jBcNWzzqNiZ9vAPXHh-PdlEko3f_xEHoQ90E61kXZmLRnrrbjmR_3yqJzcSZj6ri4snRU4KUEyJV_o4POr4cM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8P2RLqI6cdEPoUj0bzIlm9nywANgI60OoutvJ3uThR5pwT9e8iZt0hQMetTlrg7FFtP5QZo41CmpBZlqWE8vEDYHW4eCR_9g31d7DP0jBcNWzzqNiZ9vAPXHh-PdlEko3f_xEHoQ90E61kXZmLRnrrbjmR_3yqJzcSZj6ri4snRU4KUEyJV_o4POr4cM=w498-h498" width="498" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">UPCOMING COMMUNITY DINNER...</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Just sharing this community dinner opportunity for those that might be interested. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMXkAf5qS66o9APj3KqoWNhrxlZARIUGBZ7YLInDaxK-D6ZZr3Ieqd0a48-utNRamVf9lAea6637SSGshJwjHsO6m2im5DZLOYrJC1-UWfSRgWM0lcx3a8SrHb6fWBW9f9LIzaqRCJzzopp6jaI2ZAEplZlN-7qzDbP2KE1n3zXG4Ly1eZ4HbCgAl0LFo/s792/Community%20Thanksgiving%20Dinner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="612" height="586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMXkAf5qS66o9APj3KqoWNhrxlZARIUGBZ7YLInDaxK-D6ZZr3Ieqd0a48-utNRamVf9lAea6637SSGshJwjHsO6m2im5DZLOYrJC1-UWfSRgWM0lcx3a8SrHb6fWBW9f9LIzaqRCJzzopp6jaI2ZAEplZlN-7qzDbP2KE1n3zXG4Ly1eZ4HbCgAl0LFo/w452-h586/Community%20Thanksgiving%20Dinner.jpg" width="452" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That's it for this week! As I close I did want to give one more "shout out" to our INCREDIBLE BUS DRIVERS from across the district. I thought perhaps sharing this cute poem might remind us how important it is to appreciate our drivers every day...not just during bus driver appreciation week! Enjoy!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhi4MbDfpi9fW3bBS-QGlyCYhGnsOA3ViBI6BA7FJZPpempn5MkEHPfUFmBOHc3-6DYjakKotPywoluEmx2GAmxhpzokedpyygYOGAnyaQ8Itu2hVIo2yCgTTu-CsApCULdH6xqZM2rkafLdVZUWy-ZNkN9EJ87GOuBjV-O7eCf9FFxD1bATt4wsfMYmH8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="433" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhi4MbDfpi9fW3bBS-QGlyCYhGnsOA3ViBI6BA7FJZPpempn5MkEHPfUFmBOHc3-6DYjakKotPywoluEmx2GAmxhpzokedpyygYOGAnyaQ8Itu2hVIo2yCgTTu-CsApCULdH6xqZM2rkafLdVZUWy-ZNkN9EJ87GOuBjV-O7eCf9FFxD1bATt4wsfMYmH8=w433-h433" width="433" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p>Heather Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902747451985096596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2916890148299174047.post-46196634274418591642023-10-06T04:09:00.001-07:002023-10-06T04:09:48.394-07:00October 6 Blog Post<p>Funny how it seems we didn't have much of a summer during the actual summer months, but it now wants to make appearances this fall! Oh well! I know our students have certainly enjoyed the warmer (but not too warm) weather. Our teachers have also taken advantage of the additional time for outdoor learning opportunities along with their usual fun lessons! Check out the images below to get a glimpse into the past two weeks across our schools!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQ34vGEMRdjWTrlNttXQH9R9ac1J0o7PKIZwoE9hBMQvzQScGa3q9ku6d_tmy0j4796fiiLPnK9Gl6ADWZnvaPy9-5e_aKKHs_ghFyNNnpimoVlTku_wJnTrWsyzdiaPeDrySDqEPpJRmSmAwON-q63i9hgX2ma0Hw8GG1nzVH-SX62Irgz4X0IQ_H5dM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="571" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQ34vGEMRdjWTrlNttXQH9R9ac1J0o7PKIZwoE9hBMQvzQScGa3q9ku6d_tmy0j4796fiiLPnK9Gl6ADWZnvaPy9-5e_aKKHs_ghFyNNnpimoVlTku_wJnTrWsyzdiaPeDrySDqEPpJRmSmAwON-q63i9hgX2ma0Hw8GG1nzVH-SX62Irgz4X0IQ_H5dM=w571-h571" width="571" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Now - On to the information!<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">SUPERINTENDENT'S UPCOMING COMMUNITY LISTENING TOUR ANNOUNCED!</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifGv1DfTPKF5Z4l_1KFuUWJJjcHvvo0wORMXr1-LMxrOknAssT1dpYn6JGQ-jduw3Qg86Twif0N4jAsUY0QYsBtoceJS4Lb3F9zMueYuY-aDLAvVGQ9JCjytsoR7ovoHX26-7vK5NQMwzYIcbExvthMXaXH0ix1ylAzVqLG5JetbzEXYVpm0iVUD8TB8c" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifGv1DfTPKF5Z4l_1KFuUWJJjcHvvo0wORMXr1-LMxrOknAssT1dpYn6JGQ-jduw3Qg86Twif0N4jAsUY0QYsBtoceJS4Lb3F9zMueYuY-aDLAvVGQ9JCjytsoR7ovoHX26-7vK5NQMwzYIcbExvthMXaXH0ix1ylAzVqLG5JetbzEXYVpm0iVUD8TB8c=w163-h163" width="163" /></a></span></b></div><p></p><p>Gorham is an incredible community! We have an incredible public school system. We have an awesome university right in our back yard. We have active churches. We have strong businesses. We have an energized downtown area. We have beautiful farms and rural lands. We have strong services for our community like police, fire, and recreation. There is no question that Gorham is a vibrant and continually growing community. People want to live and thrive here. But with continued growth, comes the need to continually learn, and adapt to changing conditions while holding on to the core tenants of who we are as a community.</p><p>As a Superintendent of Schools, I know that our public schools play a key role in the continued vibrance of our great community. People want to move to communities with good public schools, buy houses, work, and buy their gas and groceries there. People want to stay in communities with good public schools where children are supported by the whole community, where there are low crime rates, and active volunteerism by our youth who positively contribute to the whole. Good public schools have a positive impact on workforce development and the ability to attract and retain business to an area, which in turn supports more jobs and continued economic development. </p><p>As a school system we cannot control the growth of our community. We cannot control what is being asked of our public schools at the state and federal levels of our government. We can't control inflation. We can't control childhood hunger, or mental health needs or special education needs or any other of the large societal challenges facing our schools. However, what we can do is work to be as efficient as possible in the provision of our services and seek to understand more fully the conditions within which our community is working to support our schools. We can also work to help our community better understand what is being asked of today's public schools. We can then use this information collectively as a community to better plan for our future in ways that ensure we are able to remain a vibrant and growing community where people continue to want to move to, live in, and thrive in over the short and longer term.</p><p>This is the purpose behind my setting up FOUR evening community listening events. Each event will begin with a short informational presentation about our schools and then I will simply make myself available to do exactly what the title of these events suggests - I will sit and listen while community members present talk and share your thoughts and ideas.</p><p>I will use THREE leading questions to spur conversation among those in attendance...but we can wander in whatever directly those present wish to in terms of sharing information with me. I will take copious notes and I will then collect the information gathered and share the key themes that I hear with our school committee, and with our larger community (including Town Manager and Town Council) for use in future planning. The three leading questions will be:</p><p>* What are the top TWO things you value most about living in our community?</p><p>* What are the top TWO things you find challenging about living in our community?</p><p>* If you had a magic wand and unlimited funds - what ONE thing would you do in our community in order to maintain our vibrancy over the next 3-5 years?</p><p>I hope folks are interested in participating. Here are the logistics for these FOUR listening meetings. I'll get flyers and other materials out via social media as we get closer...</p><p><u>Dates </u></p><p>- November 13, 2023</p><p>- January 22, 2024</p><p>- March 26, 2024</p><p>- May 20, 2024</p><p><u>Times</u></p><p>- All meetings will begin at 6:00 p.m. and last no longer than 1 hour.</p><p><u>Location</u></p><p>- Summit Community Church, Gorham ME. (26 Cressey Road, Gorham ME)</p><p><u>Food</u></p><p>- Light munchies, coffee, tea and water will be provided</p><p>Please mark your calendars and feel free to spread the word! It would be hard for me to listen just to myself! Even I get tired of that! ☺</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">GORHAM SCHOOLS REAP CLEAR REWARDS FROM SOLAR ENERGY PROJECTS!</span></b> </p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5F2iryUXTlVbBFN-47V5rEr0_9OSOsP9bjy49r_OCSDFRj0gyVDIW4Ij76njnpx1FN8LOddOnJOJwCg4poP78ntJAywGUywBVcJtGdLbxnP_5N072Cp5wqCUvlM82xucaUPyjF8V9pzvCl1WVgWfuqNIhAYzaEKiGhlcEPnG_4zz2uVyTqtf5r0jA8q0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="171" data-original-width="295" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5F2iryUXTlVbBFN-47V5rEr0_9OSOsP9bjy49r_OCSDFRj0gyVDIW4Ij76njnpx1FN8LOddOnJOJwCg4poP78ntJAywGUywBVcJtGdLbxnP_5N072Cp5wqCUvlM82xucaUPyjF8V9pzvCl1WVgWfuqNIhAYzaEKiGhlcEPnG_4zz2uVyTqtf5r0jA8q0" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>The Gorham Schools made agreements with CEP (Competitive Energy Solutions) back in 2021 to support three large scale solar projects. One of these projects is now fully up and online, a second project should be completed later this spring and a third project is scheduled to be completed by the Fall of 2024. The three solar projects (all in Maine) are:</p><p>1. Littlefield Solar</p><p>2. USS Togus Solar </p><p>3. Rensola Solar</p><p>With just one of these projects up and fully operational for 10 months now, we have already saved just over $17,000.00 in energy costs for our schools. In addition to saving these costs we have also used these projects to creatively increase revenues for our schools. We have accomplished this task by selling REC's (Renewable Energy Credits) that we own as a result of being partners in these three projects. Thus far with just the one project online for 10 months we have added $15,000.00 in revenue by selling 500 REC's. </p><p>Therefore, with just one project online for 10 months we have already "saved" $17,000.00 AND added $15,000.00 move to our revenue streams - having a total impact of reduced costs to taxpayers of $32,000.00.</p><p>When all three projects are fully online, we anticipate a total of $60,000.00 in reduced costs and a total of $90,000.00 in annual REC sales revenue. Combined, investments in these projects will save the taxpayers of Gorham approximately $150,000.00 annually.</p><p>Individuals can view our first year's report for the Littlefield Solar project by <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v2w9J9W_RC1QzV73dUfGAHTILCT5p_Ed/view?usp=sharing">CLICKING HERE</a>. Once we get the other projects online, we'll share that information as well!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">CONTINUED LONG TERM CAPITAL PLANNING FOR THE GORHAM SCHOOLS</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4Utfp1Br0kmiC75J_EWILRAjrN1BMNSoHUxEK-ZV-0gki3Ab_p9W3KL1qjD5uoUO4Lte0mLR9tUvsJOwviN71knGk_h5Xm7ugYm4CZMZowiBZWOVKlZmISlQsHpZJmXrVZPOxXVygw-QManX9XUS9uWw6D3y8TtWA0jPvqTmO00KusySorSFWOEHeqfs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="195" data-original-width="258" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4Utfp1Br0kmiC75J_EWILRAjrN1BMNSoHUxEK-ZV-0gki3Ab_p9W3KL1qjD5uoUO4Lte0mLR9tUvsJOwviN71knGk_h5Xm7ugYm4CZMZowiBZWOVKlZmISlQsHpZJmXrVZPOxXVygw-QManX9XUS9uWw6D3y8TtWA0jPvqTmO00KusySorSFWOEHeqfs" width="318" /></a></span></b></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In February of 2022 the Gorham Schools, in collaboration with the Town of Gorham completed a long range facilities planning study with a company called CHA. You can view the results of that study by <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RYul8r3yCH-2ciyeGJqy1sj34QhuJIBf/view?usp=sharing">CLICKING HERE</a>. The Gorham Schools then once again worked collaboratively with the Town of Gorham to create a ten year capital needs plan for the schools. You can <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gx9PKY8sDvJZjCYLtr_ihEx5yNer0mw_/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=117245879173718482246&rtpof=true&sd=true">CLICK HERE</a> to view that. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The cliff notes version of our overall plan was/is this:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1. Complete expansion of Narragansett modulars as a TEMPORARY space solution to address elementary classroom space needs for next 5 -6 years (note since 2017 we have added 22 classroom spaces via modular expansion at Narragansett in alignment with this long term plan).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2. Seek to fund via bonds as many "immediate" needs possible as listed in the CHA facilities study over the next 5-10 years. (For example, addressing GMS and GHS HVAC needs and lighting upgrades). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3. Seek to create temporary classroom spaces at GHS in a three phase, mostly modular, expansion project that would address needs for cafeteria space, add space to re-locate adult education offices to the GHS site, and add up to 10 classroom spaces.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4. Apply for TWO capital building projects when the MDOE application cycle re-opens in spring of 2024. The two projects would be for a new high school project and a new elementary school project that would combine Narr. and Village schools and build in continued growth capabilities for both.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The overall idea being to add temporary space at Narragansett and GHS to address immediate growth needs while seeking capital funding from the state to fund the construction of at least one school, possibly two to address long term needs. We are working now to make sure we are prepared to put these applications in as soon as the process opens this spring. Of course, even in the best case scenario of the state approving TWO school construction projects in Gorham - the absolute earliest we would see a new school being opened would be fall of 2029.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While we are continuing to focus on our long term capital plans, we also continue to explore possible reconfigurations and other efficiencies to try and do the most with what we have. This work will be shared with the School Committee in November, 2023.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We are due to complete Phase III of the Narragansett Modular expansion this spring/summer. We just completed GMS HVAC upgrades this past summer. We completed Phase I of II of planned HVAC upgrades at GHS this past summer and will complete Phase II by Fall of 2024. As I hope you can tell - we are making continued progress on our long term capital planning, but that progress is slow and while it is ongoing other needs continue to compound. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">All of this is good progress - however - when a plan seeks $14M in funding and we only get $10M, we need to re-work the plan. When student populations continue to drastically change, placing greater stress on our specialized programs for students and when our overall classroom space needs increase, we need to re-work the plan. When development in our community is set to continue with possible large scale implications for our schools, we need to re-work the plan. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Therefore, I wanted you to all be aware that we are indeed working to revise our 10 Year Capital plan this fall. That updated ten year plan will be be shared with the Gorham School Committee and the Gorham Town Council in November, 2023. Once it is completed I will be sure to share it with all of you!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Please stay tuned!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">OCTOBER IS BULLYING PREVENTION MONTH</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifv-h5eVNunVndcP1eB_xxrQuPkTGSrP0GQZZnfRuUkjG68RO4FS3vhNrvdHWvdW2sAqOyh8EHuklxPiJ2NGFD4baMsnDm6wz8Nx_u3TcAD3WYzoeNb4Z8Nlvq_a8R6ce1oSWzkiR_vvaQakX4ug_b-WDiAQKmseDsRyFs0Fx4jIdnUOLrXhKy-1flEoo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="174" data-original-width="290" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifv-h5eVNunVndcP1eB_xxrQuPkTGSrP0GQZZnfRuUkjG68RO4FS3vhNrvdHWvdW2sAqOyh8EHuklxPiJ2NGFD4baMsnDm6wz8Nx_u3TcAD3WYzoeNb4Z8Nlvq_a8R6ce1oSWzkiR_vvaQakX4ug_b-WDiAQKmseDsRyFs0Fx4jIdnUOLrXhKy-1flEoo" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The month of October is bullying prevention month across our country. I thought this would be a great opportunity to remind folks about our bullying policies and prevention practices as well as to share some great resources families can use to have conversations about bullying at home.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our Policies:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">* <a href="https://1.cdn.edl.io/LygJosvzXP7xPDwrkapAU45YXS1VGamSh7T9uXNH60ANaECk.pdf">Policy JICK</a> defines what bullying is in our schools.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">* <a href="https://1.cdn.edl.io/zq9gQn989BfbZPdFGm7RZcpRr50iptWENDjtAiqsoPtZkreZ.pdf">Procedure. JICK-R</a> outlines the processes that our schools use to address reports of bullying.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">* <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DjDm-eenLrHCXUdzz4e1-hCV8ViUrbOK/view?usp=sharing">Procedure JICK-E1</a> is the actual reporting form we use for students/staff/families to report bullying. Please know we accept all forms of reporting, so it doesn't have to be on this form for us to take action!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*.<a href="https://1.cdn.edl.io/UZRqpQCKPIV2XwkMNVsQbj05CHGCpmzN8AtrlQe1ZKEzUtxE.pdf"> Policy JICDA</a> is our Code of Conduct. This policy outlines what are our expectations for student conduct across all of our schools so our students have a clear goal of what those behaviors should be rather than just a list of "what not to do".</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our Prevention Practices:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We do a lot in our schools for prevention practices. I'll list some but know that all of this work begins both at home and in the regular classrooms of our schools. The specific things listed are all part of creating a larger culture that simply does not tolerate bullying. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">* PreK - Gr. 2 - Classroom Guidance allied arts rotation using Second Step Curriculum.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*. Gr 3-5 - B.A.R.R. (Building Assets and Reducing Risks) program with built in U-times.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">* Gr. 6-8 Advisory program using Second Step Curriculum.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*. Gr. 9-12 Advisory program</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*. Pre K - Gr. 12 Guidance Support programs.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*. Pre K - Gr. 12 Social Worker Support programs.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*. Elementary School Student Leadership Teams</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*. GMS Student Leadership teams (ie. student council, civil rights teams, etc.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*. GHS Student leadership organizations (i.e. Key Club, Interact Club, Civil Rights team, etc.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*. School Resource Officers</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*. Adopt a Classroom Program</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*. Book buddy programs</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In addition to all of this, our classroom teachers work closely with students across all grades to create classroom rules and expectations that honor our Code of Conduct and make clear that bullying is not acceptable behavior in our schools. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Some Resources for Families:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Below are some links to various resources that families might find helpful in talking with their children about bullying. Feel free to use those you may find valuable and trash the rest!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">* <a href="https://www.pacer.org/bullying/parents/helping-your-child.asp"> PACER National Bullying Prevention Center.</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">* <a href="https://parentguidance.org/all-courses/">Parent Guidance from Cook Center on Bullying</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">* <a href="https://www.parentcenterhub.org/bullying/">Center for Parent Information and Resources</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">* <a href="https://www.stompoutbullying.org/parents-page">Stomp Out Bullying</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">* <a href="https://www.maine.gov/doe/schools/safeschools/bullying">Maine Department of Education Bullying Prevention Resources Page</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our schools work hard to try and make our learning environments free of bullying. Have we removed bullying entirely from our schools? No, of course not. But do we continually strive to achieve that goal in collaboration with our families, students and staff? Yes, we do and we will continue to do so. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Please reach out to your child's classroom teachers, or building leaders if you have any concerns regarding bullying or if you are interested in learning more about how you can perhaps do more to help. Thank you for all you are already doing as families! This issue is not just a school issue and can only be tackled together and in partnership with our incredible families.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">REMINDER - MENTAL HEALTH EVENTS COMING UP!</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguhK9-pHsRMUKEZRYuPTt6bccGbetsu4Mc9DxUTKyh7yoB98T8iB8S9-DscurZ4D_9cDp3edbEmYODNZelcSD44vO9x451CRgNDKz1z2T3cFaE138ajM8RWAt51jEfcRqQmqjwLS0ssgqfuKdMVDeZQoeFOxJkVhqol-Qplg5idPprSTZXkYG_csFGSsI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="244" data-original-width="207" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguhK9-pHsRMUKEZRYuPTt6bccGbetsu4Mc9DxUTKyh7yoB98T8iB8S9-DscurZ4D_9cDp3edbEmYODNZelcSD44vO9x451CRgNDKz1z2T3cFaE138ajM8RWAt51jEfcRqQmqjwLS0ssgqfuKdMVDeZQoeFOxJkVhqol-Qplg5idPprSTZXkYG_csFGSsI" width="204" /></a></div></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;">A reminder of some incredible programs coming up aimed to help support families in supporting children with mental health concerns! Check them out below:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />*. <b>FREE VIDEO LESSON SERIES</b> (OPEN NOW) found on <a href="http://parentguidance.org/" style="color: #2288bb; text-decoration-line: none;">parentguidance.org</a>. These are FREE videos specifically geared towards parents and teenagers that help provide common language and real experiences for families to talk about. Topics ranging from suicide prevention to de-cycling cycles of conflict with your child, to how to help instill confidence in children and lots in between. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;">*. <b>FREE Virtual Family Mental Health Night – Talk to a Therapist - </b>Gorham School District is partnering with The Cook Center for Human Connection to host a free virtual Family Mental Health night on<span style="background-color: #fcff01;"> October 11, 2023 from 8:00 pm – 9:00 pm.</span> Participants will hear from a leading clinical psychologist, be able to ask questions, and learn about free resources available.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;">Register now by going to : <a href="https://events.parentguidance.org/FMHNOct11" style="color: #2288bb; text-decoration-line: none;">https://events.parentguidance.org/FMHNOct11</a> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;">If you miss this event or can’t make it live, check out <a href="https://parentguidance.org/" style="color: #2288bb; text-decoration-line: none;">https://ParentGuidance.org</a> where you can</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;">access on-demand virtual courses, professional support, and a safe community for parents to</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;">learn how to support their children and get answers to mental health questions. There are</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;">courses on anxiety, depression, self-worth, grief and loss, suicidal ideation and other mental</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;">health concerns. All courses are created by therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists and other</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;">certified mental health practitioners. There is even a portal where you can “Ask a Therapist”</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;">your tough questions, as well as see questions and answers from other parents.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;">* <b>Student, Staff, and Community SPECIAL EVENT - <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">Guest Speaker & Performer - Alex Boye</span></b><span style="background-color: #fcff01;"> </span>- The Gorham Schools have partnered with the Biddeford School Department to bring world renowned performer Alex Boye to MAINE on October 24 & 25 to visit our two communities to deliver his inspirational message of hope and confidence. Alex will be working with GHS students in the afternoon of Oct. 24 and then he will provide our GMS and GHS staff with a training before coming out to hang out with our community for a FREE workshop and performance at GHS in the MPAC at 6:30 p.m. on the night of Oct. 24. More details will be coming on this - but in the meantime - Mark your calendars for an important evening event on Oct. 24 at 6:30! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGJvFV0KH04XrSm_M8G7ArR2iKYHx5XqXo_3IUTBgyXTJGASZ13FJzlhXKLbPrT8rty0dg9zfS5-tEXvUxNLXm_KqDdb8xrZ9LCwWoEJX43NT6f3BjY2B8Z-DgdMdIdja_3MJ88gSXliiJqe3tOOHTSoFITH-aX3QZcT1c9NQvbIGPg_CBgMcQiNlVb3w" style="color: #2288bb; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img alt="" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="738" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGJvFV0KH04XrSm_M8G7ArR2iKYHx5XqXo_3IUTBgyXTJGASZ13FJzlhXKLbPrT8rty0dg9zfS5-tEXvUxNLXm_KqDdb8xrZ9LCwWoEJX43NT6f3BjY2B8Z-DgdMdIdja_3MJ88gSXliiJqe3tOOHTSoFITH-aX3QZcT1c9NQvbIGPg_CBgMcQiNlVb3w=w282-h351" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="282" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13.2px;" /></div></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">WE NEED SUBSTITUTES !!!</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGOa7Es5do6gugJWmywP8Zk7GlIXv1BNncXbrGZtKS-hc5Ix4Ui5db6fZVwYQ5ebW-U5HnfXk4WFP5PT6ty-UHXrKp9KpGtZD5ywVzOZmWC-wxUUH89aPwwiWJdheG5DZTI34bj0u6pmIdLELSxkDUjDAD00MEiz_XFJr2WN8HIyy1ovZfByvI2WVFSuA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="315" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGOa7Es5do6gugJWmywP8Zk7GlIXv1BNncXbrGZtKS-hc5Ix4Ui5db6fZVwYQ5ebW-U5HnfXk4WFP5PT6ty-UHXrKp9KpGtZD5ywVzOZmWC-wxUUH89aPwwiWJdheG5DZTI34bj0u6pmIdLELSxkDUjDAD00MEiz_XFJr2WN8HIyy1ovZfByvI2WVFSuA" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- Do you want to make a positive difference in the lives of children?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- Do you want to make a positive difference in our community?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- Are you looking for ways to support our schools?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- Would you be interested in making a little money while doing all the things listed above?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well then, perhaps being a substitute in our schools is for you! We are in desperate need of substitutes in our schools, all grade levels, and all programs! Even if you can do just one day per week you can help! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What does it take to be a substitute in Gorham?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- HS diploma or equivalent.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- Completion of online application</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- Approved CHRC fingerprinting through MDOE (we'll reimburse costs).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What is the pay?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- If teaching certified - $120.00/day</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- If not teaching certified, but have completed our training course - $115.00/day</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- If HS diploma or greater but have not completed training and are not certified - $105.00/day.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When are upcoming substitute training classes being offered?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- First course will be four nights on 10/16, 10/17, 10/23 and 10/30. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- We're also offering a second course over the nights of 11/27, 11/28, 12/4 and 12/5.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Interested? Reach out to lori.frederick@gorhamschools.org to learn more!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What are the steps to becoming a Sub in Gorham:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1. Complete online application. Link: <a href="https://www.applitrack.com/gorham/onlineapp/default.aspx?Category=Substitute"> https://www.applitrack.com/gorham/onlineapp/default.aspx?Category=Substitute</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2. Complete online CHRC application (save receipt, we'll reimburse these costs later). Link: <a href="https://www.maine.gov/doe/cert/fingerprinting">https://www.maine.gov/doe/cert/fingerprinting</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3. Complete onboarding and hiring processes with our business office (Sue Huff will reach out to you once #1 is completed).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4. Login to AESOP (training will be provided during onboarding).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Off you go!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: #fcff01;">PLEASE CONSIDER BEING A SUBSTITUTE IN OUR SCHOOLS! FEEL FREE TO SHARE WITH FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS AS WELL! THANK YOU!</b></div></b><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">IMPORTANT DATES COMING RIGHT UP...</span></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-81qcsNaHDSmRNQ0gFR3AYIJ_lY1Bj_RIF0VtNrxtwr2Edwo_fhzEhFyEZlIfjJgSM_i907GEus-qBk9U3eFvd0ugXyq9wheSNFggK9MVVbG4De_jy6HTei0RyCGsCqWKe4RC13dWYrOKLDlm-a93ugYftloZZ3xPlxWHZQNj-D09DZ9h_eVicPdht20" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="204" data-original-width="247" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-81qcsNaHDSmRNQ0gFR3AYIJ_lY1Bj_RIF0VtNrxtwr2Edwo_fhzEhFyEZlIfjJgSM_i907GEus-qBk9U3eFvd0ugXyq9wheSNFggK9MVVbG4De_jy6HTei0RyCGsCqWKe4RC13dWYrOKLDlm-a93ugYftloZZ3xPlxWHZQNj-D09DZ9h_eVicPdht20" width="291" /></a></div><br /></div>Remember you can catch district wide events by going to our website and looking on the right hand side of the home page...but here's a few things coming right up that should be on your "radar"...<div><br /></div><div>- No School on Monday, Oct. 9 in order to celebrate Indigenous People's Day.</div><div>- Week of Oct. 16 is Bus Driver Appreciation Week! Be sure to say "thank you" to our incredible drivers!</div><div>- Week of Oct. 16 will also be our Parent/Teacher Conference times. Please reach out to your school for details on sign ups and remember there is NO SCHOOL for students on Friday, Oct. 20!</div><div>- Oct. 18 will be our second Early Release Day. Students will be dismissed early on this day.</div><div><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">ASPIRE GORHAM FIRST MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF 2023-2024 AVAILABLE TO READ!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5xZT87zgnhU5uc9mzt9LgrGKOTgRPhLSCfAiQWCinxdS4Blbp5rGlaUTlFC92CwuIgiHm3qUoYcgJNc7k-fNyDb-hZ4Ob7uJ3g_hG-ACTOBSU0-_JDNsgRvee8LJP_2g5XnCoAXIWgCGVNO54G-E8aQl_7kOyaNRVtQsz9-VnZ2_enqkmAbxlqx5r3F8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="396" data-original-width="728" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5xZT87zgnhU5uc9mzt9LgrGKOTgRPhLSCfAiQWCinxdS4Blbp5rGlaUTlFC92CwuIgiHm3qUoYcgJNc7k-fNyDb-hZ4Ob7uJ3g_hG-ACTOBSU0-_JDNsgRvee8LJP_2g5XnCoAXIWgCGVNO54G-E8aQl_7kOyaNRVtQsz9-VnZ2_enqkmAbxlqx5r3F8" width="320" /></a></div></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Aspire Gorham is going strong in the Gorham Schools! Each month a newsletter is published to help folks keep up to date with the great things happening in our schools as a result of this incredible program that serves our youth ages birth to adult! Check out the link below to learn more about Aspire Gorham and to read the September newsletter (once on the page just scroll down to view the newsletter)!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Newsletter Link: <a href="https://www.gorhamschools.org/apps/pages/aspire-gorham">https://www.gorhamschools.org/apps/pages/aspire-gorham</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">OCTOBER IS COMMUNITY PLANNING MONTH!</span></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhYQ8-jxD73cbkKxaG4V0wURM8zPTdR8N9QhqtiUIi_w7pXBQh3Qn_W-LY_N5AlNn5OWr_mYlxoj4aKosEOV9ToCi6nBT2CKU8Wsi9rT7AZreSYpdHl-7R7Ets5yZkDrxCEmllBcaSgnSNQyNkQKQ1Us7WzVUL_HEuu70723CiRrUmJ0xABi7fd_RBGc3A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="207" data-original-width="244" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhYQ8-jxD73cbkKxaG4V0wURM8zPTdR8N9QhqtiUIi_w7pXBQh3Qn_W-LY_N5AlNn5OWr_mYlxoj4aKosEOV9ToCi6nBT2CKU8Wsi9rT7AZreSYpdHl-7R7Ets5yZkDrxCEmllBcaSgnSNQyNkQKQ1Us7WzVUL_HEuu70723CiRrUmJ0xABi7fd_RBGc3A" width="283" /></a></div><br /></div><div>Tom, Carol and Damon from the Gorham Town Planning Office wanted to remind folks that the month of October is Community Planning Month! They wanted to share the following information with folks that may be interested:</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span class="gmail_default"><span>Gorham </span></span>Planning Staff are excited to celebrate Community Planning Month this October. We hope you will participate, and help us spread the word! The attached flyer includes details on how you can participate. This includes:</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #555555;">●<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><b><span style="color: #555555;">Ask The Planners Day</span></b><span style="color: #555555;"> – Please join us for sweet treats on October 12, 2023 between 9:00 and 3:00, to ask the planners about the plans Gorham has in place.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="color: #555555;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #555555;">●<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="color: #555555;">Submit <b>games and puzzles</b> with name, email and phone number to the Planning Office to enter to win one of two gift bags worth $150. For puzzles and to find out more check out the town’s website.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: blue;">o<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><u><span style="color: #1155cc;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdZ2i7xySvZwdMsV3NcQ20fdaZB-eJx-kd-1ybAirAEePl1zA/viewform?usp%3Dsf_link&source=gmail&ust=1696634176591000&usg=AOvVaw1u4v8IzUEILiDgJhwfUVns" href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdZ2i7xySvZwdMsV3NcQ20fdaZB-eJx-kd-1ybAirAEePl1zA/viewform?usp=sf_link" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Scavenger Hunt</a></span></u><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeLpnx1SK24ZMRUkYjhIWPCSn3UA9Kvb27n3B1ZLM7HfoCbBg/viewform?usp%3Dsf_link&source=gmail&ust=1696634176591000&usg=AOvVaw3k1n2uraBBDsAT_EubWLjW" href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeLpnx1SK24ZMRUkYjhIWPCSn3UA9Kvb27n3B1ZLM7HfoCbBg/viewform?usp=sf_link" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"></span></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: 13.91px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: blue; line-height: 13.91px;">o<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><u><span style="color: #1155cc; line-height: 13.91px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MF3-wJ03nS7rpq-Fatzv2aBmJvou9eUH/view?usp%3Ddrive_link&source=gmail&ust=1696634176591000&usg=AOvVaw0lXSO4HgPuaQyjKTJDcrJ9" href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MF3-wJ03nS7rpq-Fatzv2aBmJvou9eUH/view?usp=drive_link" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">BINGO</a></span></u><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.gorham-me.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif4456/f/pages/community_planning_month_bingo.pdf&source=gmail&ust=1696634176591000&usg=AOvVaw2-UobqxqJWuo_VkUKAUNu5" href="https://www.gorham-me.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif4456/f/pages/community_planning_month_bingo.pdf" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; line-height: 13.91px;"></span></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: 13.91px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a name="m_-7380253656458465816_m_-1949934202180239652__heading=h.1fob9te"></a><span style="color: blue; line-height: 13.91px;">o<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><u><span style="color: #1155cc;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TmrfdQmXRVgREKpwCvM_EIPdv0lOaPIC/view?usp%3Ddrive_link&source=gmail&ust=1696634176591000&usg=AOvVaw1w44pEsFvKOLh0vr-m5fdN" href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TmrfdQmXRVgREKpwCvM_EIPdv0lOaPIC/view?usp=drive_link" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Crossword </a></span></u><u><span style="color: #1155cc; line-height: 13.91px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TmrfdQmXRVgREKpwCvM_EIPdv0lOaPIC/view?usp%3Ddrive_link&source=gmail&ust=1696634176591000&usg=AOvVaw1w44pEsFvKOLh0vr-m5fdN" href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TmrfdQmXRVgREKpwCvM_EIPdv0lOaPIC/view?usp=drive_link" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Puzzle</a></span></u><u><span style="color: blue; line-height: 13.91px;"></span></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: 13.91px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: blue; line-height: 13.91px;">o<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><u><span style="color: #1155cc;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pHJd0CRbUzWX9vJ3GYS6n3NizaRZXG7z/view?usp%3Ddrive_link&source=gmail&ust=1696634176591000&usg=AOvVaw3LRRNXJ_UOxlr-myLjHc2U" href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pHJd0CRbUzWX9vJ3GYS6n3NizaRZXG7z/view?usp=drive_link" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Word Search</a></span></u><span style="color: blue; line-height: 13.91px;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: 13.91px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in;"><u><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: 13.91px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.gorham-me.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif4456/f/pages/puzzle.pdf&source=gmail&ust=1696634176591000&usg=AOvVaw0mFCUQjWiAEMblt26gf-5M" href="https://www.gorham-me.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif4456/f/pages/puzzle.pdf" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: blue; line-height: 13.91px; text-decoration-line: none;"></span></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: 13.91px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #555555; line-height: 13.91px;">●<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="color: #555555; line-height: 13.91px;">Stop by the <b>Baxter Memorial Library</b> for planning must reads and great suggestions for your book club!</span></span></p></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">That's enough information for this blog! Next one will be on October 20! </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><br /></p></div></div></div>Heather Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902747451985096596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2916890148299174047.post-29470612404850202322023-09-21T17:56:00.000-07:002023-09-21T17:56:40.435-07:00September 22 Blog Post<p><span style="font-family: times;">That was a quick two weeks since my last post! Check out the pictures below to get a sense of the exciting things that have happened in our schools since then! I hope you see what I see...students of all ages having FUN while learning!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhwAkZShfOlbyRIGq6fIICAzLRXGt1lcuCigcOB90qnB4u_WUicitVja5x79_ycXu-jzRgeUqumbuXxqtRGaZv2L1_PYgXbgD2732SeK0Xo8djpivvVAVZJTtJztXvVGvbRVdoQ98BbfiK1_cUJvalNljmYGnKZ3a-FueOU9PVFy72ZR9Us53C2BlqwWI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="567" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhwAkZShfOlbyRIGq6fIICAzLRXGt1lcuCigcOB90qnB4u_WUicitVja5x79_ycXu-jzRgeUqumbuXxqtRGaZv2L1_PYgXbgD2732SeK0Xo8djpivvVAVZJTtJztXvVGvbRVdoQ98BbfiK1_cUJvalNljmYGnKZ3a-FueOU9PVFy72ZR9Us53C2BlqwWI=w567-h567" width="567" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Now on to the information!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">NWEA THROUGH TESTS - FALL TESTING WINDOWS BEGIN DURING MONTH OF OCTOBER!</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0QR_b4X_HQdamYAZAj9WKe4P7TDmG58ggCLOx8MQ2eEeCGwDprVAhilhPqwuGj358BGD2i_IMCNUQrsS0W9EkzdZBp7J946hngER27qb0g8vZBA7j4KVH7tfzrIkSPHSlzin_9U6Td7KxK79ondtTV306azOeqrDFOQnoaOhieNDnEnCTQT-TKGqoErU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="252" data-original-width="200" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0QR_b4X_HQdamYAZAj9WKe4P7TDmG58ggCLOx8MQ2eEeCGwDprVAhilhPqwuGj358BGD2i_IMCNUQrsS0W9EkzdZBp7J946hngER27qb0g8vZBA7j4KVH7tfzrIkSPHSlzin_9U6Td7KxK79ondtTV306azOeqrDFOQnoaOhieNDnEnCTQT-TKGqoErU" width="190" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-f826da87-7fff-57d8-3677-2b75c6fc9a94"><h4 dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Assessing student learning is an essential aspect of education, as it provides valuable data to districts, schools, families and students. The federal </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> and state law requires every school to administer annual tests in reading and mathematics to students in grades 3-8 and 10. In addition to meeting state and federal accountability needs, we use assessment data to identify areas of strength and areas for growth within our school communities so that we can make adjustments in curriculum and instruction, as well as in supports that will benefit our students.</span></span></h4><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #141414; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Maine Department of Education has partnered with NWEA </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">(Northwest Educational Association) </span><span style="color: #141414; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">to provide students in grades 3-8 and 2nd year of high school an assessment for mathematics and reading. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The NWEA Through Test offers a variety of embedded questions directly related to grade level standards, thus allowing full compliance with federal guidelines. The NWEA Through Test will serve as the official MEA (Maine Education Assessment) state level test.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #141414; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The assessment is computer-based and adaptive, adjusting the difficulty level of the questions presented to the student based upon student response. Student achievement is measured both according to grade-level Common Core State Standards as well as according to a RIT score which allows for comparisons of academic growth across students and time.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">Because NWEA also acts as our universal screener, we will continue to administer the NWEA-MAP Tests (Northwest Educational Association - Measures of Academic Progress) to students in grades K-2 and 9. These assessments are also computer-based and adaptive.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">Students in grades 1-5 participate in fall, winter and spring testing (K winter and spring only).</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">Students in grades 6-10 participate in fall and spring testing. Individual schools will communicate testing dates. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">While we encourage students to do their best, we also recognize that this assessment is an in-the-moment snapshot and not the final word on a student’s understanding or skill. That being said, a good night’s sleep and a healthy breakfast will go a long way toward ensuring a positive experience and outcome, and we appreciate your support in this regard. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">If you have any questions about these assessments, please reach out to your school's principal to learn more. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b>A CONTINUED FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH - EXCITING UPCOMING COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES!</b></span></span></p><div><span face="Abel, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgj1U_PLMNHBhp3PUtaKqXstU468raOBl_dB9Bvq67AnvvSf-Ly5hP1hRFsPu6oSpNikLbzdAXgA3MMO9nJyRS-Uwrw2r5rAD4tpUaq-37JdHxezp6rp_qjSZUUxoIkX3BMLH2haTPPV267yvCIsI0h6kVavth2EWw3Akrx6ycSSYZVOs3daCKPMHrZ_PU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgj1U_PLMNHBhp3PUtaKqXstU468raOBl_dB9Bvq67AnvvSf-Ly5hP1hRFsPu6oSpNikLbzdAXgA3MMO9nJyRS-Uwrw2r5rAD4tpUaq-37JdHxezp6rp_qjSZUUxoIkX3BMLH2haTPPV267yvCIsI0h6kVavth2EWw3Akrx6ycSSYZVOs3daCKPMHrZ_PU" width="240" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As the Gorham Schools continue to focus on supporting the mental health of our staff, students and families we have some exciting events coming up and some strong resources for our families that we would like to announce!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Throughout the months of September, October and November (and beyond) we will be focusing on Mental Health across all our schools. Here's an overview of what to expect for students at each grade level:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- <b>Pre K - Gr. 5</b> - <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hCi5p8O0JVHDB6EW8oBBq7WIj7ykDnHd4qc31CDHsEE/edit?usp=sharing">30 day challenge</a>, Second Step Curriculum, implementation of U-time from BARR grant (Building Assets, Reducing Risks), kindness sidewalk chalk activities, and kindness rock painting <span style="font-family: times;">activities.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">- <b>Gr. 6-8</b> - <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wmMBVWZdYb8Ek_vif-D5PTqvLlm9-HiAR4oKMWco9Dc/edit?usp=sharing"> 30 day challenge</a>, hope bulletin boards by advisory, Second Step curriculum implementation, kindness sidewalk chalk activities, and kindness rock painting activities.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">-<b> Gr. 9-12</b> - Development of a mental health page on GHS website, Staff training on resilience, kindness sidewalk chalk activities, <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wmMBVWZdYb8Ek_vif-D5PTqvLlm9-HiAR4oKMWco9Dc/edit?usp=sharing">30 day challenge</a>, Specific mental health focused advisory activities, use of <a href="http://parentguidance.org">parentguidance.org</a> lessons (2 in advisories), and kindness rock painting activities.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">In addition to these activities, we have some special events prepared that we <u>ALSO WANT PARENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN!</u> Here's what is coming up:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">1. <b> FREE VIDEO LESSON SERIES</b> (OPEN NOW) found on <a href="http://parentguidance.org">parentguidance.org</a>. These are FREE videos specifically geared towards parents and teenagers that help provide common language and real experiences for families to talk about. Topics ranging from suicide prevention to de-cycling cycles of conflict with your child, to how to help instill confidence in children and lots in between. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">2. <b>FREE Virtual Family Mental Health Night – Talk to a Therapist - </b>Gorham School District is partnering with The Cook Center for Human Connection to host a free virtual Family Mental Health night on<span style="background-color: #fcff01;"> October 11, 2023 from 8:00 pm – 9:00 pm.</span> Participants will hear from a leading clinical psychologist, be able to ask questions, and learn about free resources available.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;">Register now by going to : <a href="https://events.parentguidance.org/FMHNOct11">https://events.parentguidance.org/FMHNOct11</a> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;">If you miss this event or can’t make it live, check out <a href="https://ParentGuidance.org">https://ParentGuidance.org</a> where you can</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;">access on-demand virtual courses, professional support, and a safe community for parents to</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;">learn how to support their children and get answers to mental health questions. There are</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;">courses on anxiety, depression, self-worth, grief and loss, suicidal ideation and other mental</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;">health concerns. All courses are created by therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists and other</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;">certified mental health practitioners. There is even a portal where you can “Ask a Therapist”</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;">your tough questions, as well as see questions and answers from other parents.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;">3. <b> Student, Staff, and Community SPECIAL EVENT - <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">Guest Speaker & Performer - Alex Boye</span></b><span style="background-color: #fcff01;"> </span>- The Gorham Schools have partnered with the Biddeford School Department to bring world renowned performer Alex Boye to MAINE on October 24 & 25 to visit our two communities to deliver his inspirational message of hope and confidence. Alex will be working with GHS students in the afternoon of Oct. 24 and then he will provide our GMS and GHS staff with a training before coming out to hang out with our community for a FREE workshop and performance at GHS in the MPAC at 6:30 p.m. on the night of Oct. 24. More details will be coming on this - but in the meantime - Mark your calendars for an important evening event on Oct. 24 at 6:30! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGJvFV0KH04XrSm_M8G7ArR2iKYHx5XqXo_3IUTBgyXTJGASZ13FJzlhXKLbPrT8rty0dg9zfS5-tEXvUxNLXm_KqDdb8xrZ9LCwWoEJX43NT6f3BjY2B8Z-DgdMdIdja_3MJ88gSXliiJqe3tOOHTSoFITH-aX3QZcT1c9NQvbIGPg_CBgMcQiNlVb3w" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="738" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGJvFV0KH04XrSm_M8G7ArR2iKYHx5XqXo_3IUTBgyXTJGASZ13FJzlhXKLbPrT8rty0dg9zfS5-tEXvUxNLXm_KqDdb8xrZ9LCwWoEJX43NT6f3BjY2B8Z-DgdMdIdja_3MJ88gSXliiJqe3tOOHTSoFITH-aX3QZcT1c9NQvbIGPg_CBgMcQiNlVb3w=w282-h351" width="282" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;">4. <b> Parent Mental Health Series - Your Child's Anxiety</b> - November 6, 6:00 p.m. - More details to come, but mark your calendars!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;">5. <b>Parent Mental Health Series - Social Media - Protecting Your Child</b> - January 22 at 6:00 p.m. - Again, more details to come but mark your calendars!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;">The Gorham Schools, in collaboration with the Cook Center for Human Connection has made these resources available to help increase hope in a time of continuing uncertainty and growing mental health concern. There are good people in your community working to provide solutions and help for those who are struggling. If you or anyone you know is in a mental health emergency, reach out immediately to the suicide prevention lifeline here: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text HOME to 741741.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">A.L.I.C.E. SAFETY PROTOCOLS AND TRAINING OVERVIEW</span></b></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUNxLLxRXM3qF6EGyPgQl34vjfCfcRQD8xZzETl_Fj1evAKmXCDCHnPHQr4PPpopsd_qTFSpjkdrehhER8BBDmiXHz_W4qmi3TpO3vtMgk10MQ0_PXv9iWUZbZbCm8EkkZfAC0kV24n46YzjCdmzm0WjAg3P98tJmCPs36qtHRPHyldiOfr_XcNiVVt8o" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="113" data-original-width="446" height="101" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUNxLLxRXM3qF6EGyPgQl34vjfCfcRQD8xZzETl_Fj1evAKmXCDCHnPHQr4PPpopsd_qTFSpjkdrehhER8BBDmiXHz_W4qmi3TpO3vtMgk10MQ0_PXv9iWUZbZbCm8EkkZfAC0kV24n46YzjCdmzm0WjAg3P98tJmCPs36qtHRPHyldiOfr_XcNiVVt8o=w398-h101" width="398" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">The safety of your children is our priority. We take safety procedures and protocols very seriously in the Gorham Schools and work diligently to ensure that our staff and students are well prepared in case of an emergency. We hold regularly scheduled safety drills, including fire drills, playground drills, and emergency drills. Following each practice drill, building staff members evaluate the effectiveness of the drill to determine if any adjustments need to be made to ensure our overall preparedness.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">In 2019, we adopted some changes to the District’s Emergency Management Plan, specifically implementing a safety framework called </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A.L.I.C.E</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">ALICE</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> is a research-based, proactive, options-based, empowering program for responding to a dangerous incident. </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">ALICE</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> is an acronym for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">With regard to classroom messaging to students, as with years past </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">we continue to keep this information developmentally appropriate and low-key</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. Students know that we regularly conduct emergency lessons for everyone’s safety; including evacuations during a Fire Alarm and locking down in the event of an active threat emergency. Using ALICE protocols is an integral part of this practice.</span></span></p><p><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">For our students and staff members, the biggest shift over the last 5 years has been that there is no longer only one response during a Lockdown (moving to a predetermined safe spot in the classroom and staying there). Instead, they now focus on the teacher for specific directions that may include a ‘shelter in place’ option, locking down and barricading a room, evacuating a space when safe to do so, or any number of other responses depending on the situation. Our staff are all trained to respond in a variety of ways, making a decision that will best ensure the safety of the students in their care. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">In order for these actions to be met with success, our students at the </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Elementary Level</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> are being coached to </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">stop, look, listen</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> and </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">follow directions without questions</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> in these variable situations.</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJO4Jr7fXNdH0aDy8rYG20nusw-UKmJCfz2JXti7kw1WmFqFFbT0kqqSvQsVDGqT41a9Nty7Omeu8kkQKNe4AmLQTM8CZuB3iFvnqA7XUamR1Br80S-AuaaDSnMa1uQXSrcil_7hRdLifhpYc2TlU4zngEAuJg3Jk8eanWsaSGUfrE32VsL1jQJuPA9hA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="912" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJO4Jr7fXNdH0aDy8rYG20nusw-UKmJCfz2JXti7kw1WmFqFFbT0kqqSvQsVDGqT41a9Nty7Omeu8kkQKNe4AmLQTM8CZuB3iFvnqA7XUamR1Br80S-AuaaDSnMa1uQXSrcil_7hRdLifhpYc2TlU4zngEAuJg3Jk8eanWsaSGUfrE32VsL1jQJuPA9hA=w370-h175" width="370" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-5980641d-7fff-4cb4-a67b-b2583586ccef"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">At the </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Secondary Levels, </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">students take a more active role in mitigating their safety during an active threat situation. As noted below, students at both Gorham Middle School and Gorham High School all participate in informational sessions around school safety and preparedness, including active safety drills. </span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSvqqnSFMjt8p7eoCjMYYNiq3XSrh-_wDSwIYZTcAPrcyWOiiTTM7SUZM5kgwbTw1JwK6oWMK-jDqiYb_Pp5wNDlQSeoK_cUvqc35WXZyWNfECa-fB_ymBfudZn7_9mqwUR3Chqvly5qB8K-xYRb4ZdT1pAsp6czfe26xjC1scxZTc6lcQOu73tRphsxY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="920" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSvqqnSFMjt8p7eoCjMYYNiq3XSrh-_wDSwIYZTcAPrcyWOiiTTM7SUZM5kgwbTw1JwK6oWMK-jDqiYb_Pp5wNDlQSeoK_cUvqc35WXZyWNfECa-fB_ymBfudZn7_9mqwUR3Chqvly5qB8K-xYRb4ZdT1pAsp6czfe26xjC1scxZTc6lcQOu73tRphsxY=w378-h182" width="378" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></span></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Additionally, all staff members are trained annually in Emergency Preparedness Response situations, including using the ALICE Framework to make safety response decisions as needed in the moment, to reduce any risk to our students. During this year, all staff members in the Gorham Schools also participated in ALICE Scenario Trainings, as a refresher to reinforce their previous knowledge. </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-b8c94e69-7fff-daef-a665-af2e8352e22d"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: times;">ALICE has been instrumental in changing the way we react in the case of emergency situations, with the greatest factor being that of empowering staff and students to make decisions in real time that make sense to ensure their safety and well-being.</span></span></p><div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">SCHOOL COMMITTEE LOOKING AT CONFIGURATION STUDY AND POSSIBLE SHIFT OF ATTENDANCE ZONES TO BETTER ADDRESS LONG TERM NEEDS</span></b></div><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9IGDLpbiN0osxHV2a9jzHyqpHICi3_INkQ0EUmALv4UQHtGfOFZ8SA_44tNrjV87WXoZH_0SEb1mlJpDeQpy9vUqioOjEE5c8kVg7zNT0S6lDfUMPzjty5L_g_8HK9UBzCB89DvOxZvgPGP0ra6b-R3vYJ2rYjR1ERTOxjjHhQIwJL4uTODxr_qeeVJo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9IGDLpbiN0osxHV2a9jzHyqpHICi3_INkQ0EUmALv4UQHtGfOFZ8SA_44tNrjV87WXoZH_0SEb1mlJpDeQpy9vUqioOjEE5c8kVg7zNT0S6lDfUMPzjty5L_g_8HK9UBzCB89DvOxZvgPGP0ra6b-R3vYJ2rYjR1ERTOxjjHhQIwJL4uTODxr_qeeVJo" width="240" /></a></div></span></span></span></span></div><p>If you were reading my previous blog post, you probably noticed that one of my goals for this coming year is to help the School Committee work through a process to determine how to most efficiently maneuver our schools through continued growth while acknowledging our current facilities and financial limitations.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">In </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Iywh8yTE5opQePx3OACtdJ3LtVE9l14SSSy8jMe0LI8/edit?usp=sharing" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">November of 2017 A report </span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">was presented to the Gorham School Committee that studied the potential +/- of moving away from our existing K-5 “Neighborhood Schools” configuration and back to the “Grade Level Schools” configurations that had previously been in place. At the time, and after having reviewed the report in its entirety, the School Committee voted to remain with the “Neighborhood Schools” configurations. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Since then, much has changed. We have gone through a Global Pandemic, our enrollments have stabilized, we have added two phases of modular expansions at Narragansett Elementary School (22 additional classroom spaes), and our special education costs (specifically for our specialized programs in the area of Autism) have increased significantly to name just a few.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">During the FY 24 budget development process the School Committee requested to re-look at the “Grade Level Schools” configurations study purely from a financial lens to determine if this direction may allow us to identify significant savings vs. the “Neighborhood Schools” configuration. The School Committee tasked the Superintendent to:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Re-look at the grade level school configuration from a financial perspective to determine if significant savings would be possible to the district if we moved in this direction.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Then based on that determination:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>EITHER…</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">- Move to transition to a different grade level configuration for Fall of 2024 (if significant cost savings were possible)...</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>OR</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">- As originally planned to address future growth in the district, move to adjust PK-5 attendance zones for Fall of 2024 implementation.</span></p><p>At this time, we are beginning the process of studying possible configuration options within the district at a high level to determine potential cost/benefit analysis of these options. These will be presented to the Gorham School Committee during their October workshop meeting near the end of the month. The School Committee will then be asked to determine what direction they would like to take from there at their November meeting. While we are looking at several configuration options, the choice the school committee will need to make in November will be to EITHER...(1) pursue one of these configuration changes or (2) not consider configuration changes and instead look to re-zone our 3 neighborhood elementary schools to maximize future growth potential.</p><p>As this work goes forward, I will include information in my blog posts to keep parents, students, staff and community updated. Please know if you are hearing "rumors" around the community about what is definitely happening - <u>NO DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE</u>. I'd strongly encourage folks with questions to reach out to me directly so that we don't allow the rumor mill to swirl too much! My email is heather.perry@gorhamschools.org. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">GMS 20th BIRTHDAY BASH COMING SOON!</span></b></p><p>Check out the flyer below if you want to come out and help us celebrate GMS's 20th birthday! There will be live music, a brief commemorative ceremony and then lots of games and family fun!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_nqsm98Z3aq-5kf8lWUFNG_MXTUqlk7zxB5cm0VPoQk0KjDs7rBcWY3vluTiZm3X9rNNQaVW5OPD_CL1U-k4vOaaJfTTaQbxP0uRT6AeWmT1SPNKXKdboz-HLFtEST4rsyGKEMg4gaLgUx1A6ZgRjOGFViDShqEkGugRn11Cjp8reUqw2fcAOXZeNrEU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="792" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_nqsm98Z3aq-5kf8lWUFNG_MXTUqlk7zxB5cm0VPoQk0KjDs7rBcWY3vluTiZm3X9rNNQaVW5OPD_CL1U-k4vOaaJfTTaQbxP0uRT6AeWmT1SPNKXKdboz-HLFtEST4rsyGKEMg4gaLgUx1A6ZgRjOGFViDShqEkGugRn11Cjp8reUqw2fcAOXZeNrEU=w572-h442" width="572" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">POSSIBLE SCHOOL CALENDAR CHANGE & A REMINDER - FALL PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES ARE COMING RIGHT UP!</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTMBoNGSB_XeYQzZlnWSdKGPe_U9aL2GeMOGzwRI1MxdDaAVicgar1Q4THHAR9Rob331M7qRflJyUQFa-pP5scmc0gCvWgJZHjkQzXpZoiNPGwxzwNAUpHWF9xTwHVSytXU2NNtteNG6ZWfWeT-eAZlW8kvIEhr1GcwdxH6PJeDos3pwVngSb5gFRDHVI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTMBoNGSB_XeYQzZlnWSdKGPe_U9aL2GeMOGzwRI1MxdDaAVicgar1Q4THHAR9Rob331M7qRflJyUQFa-pP5scmc0gCvWgJZHjkQzXpZoiNPGwxzwNAUpHWF9xTwHVSytXU2NNtteNG6ZWfWeT-eAZlW8kvIEhr1GcwdxH6PJeDos3pwVngSb5gFRDHVI" width="320" /></a></div></div>First off, I want to give families an early "heads up" that we may be moving schools to remote learning on March 5, 2024. This is because the Town of Gorham has asked to use our schools for the upcoming "Super Tuesday" March primary due to the anticipated high volume of voters. GMS and Great Falls Elementary School will be utilized as polling locations on this date.<p></p><p>Due to the fact that we anticipate a large number of voters to turn out, and due to the fact that we cannot safely hold elections at Great Falls School while students are on campus, we may have to move schools to remote learning on this day. We will be discussing this more as a district leadership team and with the School Committee before a final decision is made but I wanted to give families as much warning as possible to help plan.</p><p>On a related calendar note - just wanted to make sure families know that there will be NO SCHOOL on Oct. 20 due to fall parent/teacher conferences. Schools should be sending out information shortly (if not already) to have parents sign up for conference times. </p><p>Finally, just a reminder you can view our school calendar on our website at <a href="http://www.gorhamschools.org">www.gorhamschools.org</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">BUS DRIVER APPRECIATION WEEK COMING UP!</span></b> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNIm449rYG8zjkR02vFFBsv1sa1NeQqrDQOzGINb9VN5fxpsd0g3tL4BqkbSGnXivebFOMnDqMVfytlt-hPl-SSR7He1oEtce9d7SomNpqKDVtoD-WCMZZYJrxpfGpaVcoDy0wWfdRVHu0D5HmQH_xzWmyDkNngC-1KcvPTgAdKwdftjml1Zz7JkUh4mU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="195" data-original-width="259" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNIm449rYG8zjkR02vFFBsv1sa1NeQqrDQOzGINb9VN5fxpsd0g3tL4BqkbSGnXivebFOMnDqMVfytlt-hPl-SSR7He1oEtce9d7SomNpqKDVtoD-WCMZZYJrxpfGpaVcoDy0wWfdRVHu0D5HmQH_xzWmyDkNngC-1KcvPTgAdKwdftjml1Zz7JkUh4mU" width="319" /></a></div><br />Please help us celebrate our AWESOME bus drivers during the week of Oct. 16! They love cards, or other little "thank you's"...or you can put signs out on your lawns, or perhaps say something nice on a social media post! We have INCREDIBLE BUS DRIVERS IN GORHAM! They are often the first "smiles" your children see each day and the last "laughs" they hear each afternoon! Let's make sure to give them all some Gorham Love! <p></p><p>That's it for this post! Catch you next time on October 6! </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Heather Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902747451985096596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2916890148299174047.post-79419889096659883502023-09-08T12:10:00.001-07:002023-09-08T12:10:07.532-07:00September 8, 2023 Blog Post<p>WOW! What a summer! What an awesome community! And what an incredible start to the 2023-24 School Year! Lots to share...so let me first share some opening of school pictures and then get right to the information part! We've been having so much fun opening schools - I had to make TWO sets of pictures and spotlight just a few with our new Pre K students!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIoBSUAYf2vTPxoXySOhIXuVG1sFwVIDkY6MyW72IdRQOlLQooSduK_jj9SkX6Ai9po_V9K56m8LAUwcOPmaG-cYScMKsA1CJF_6YmLyedRmso9T2rCmvqtkDZ-yYRT60aTCb6xVaLQp0pLZGkHJ5vfVVor85j_SYNbiNX-Ytz1yYGsx8fXFbxcRTdCXM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="604" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIoBSUAYf2vTPxoXySOhIXuVG1sFwVIDkY6MyW72IdRQOlLQooSduK_jj9SkX6Ai9po_V9K56m8LAUwcOPmaG-cYScMKsA1CJF_6YmLyedRmso9T2rCmvqtkDZ-yYRT60aTCb6xVaLQp0pLZGkHJ5vfVVor85j_SYNbiNX-Ytz1yYGsx8fXFbxcRTdCXM=w604-h604" width="604" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZLHrNhv01-U9fXt4xGR4v_8k4UREICceUsoxUrEbjlsL_HFLgM68UNRqYvzyqqRViyqqIEZofs9XakAAZvs9QQm6n3cya4N6wHOFqB9_H1ZX9VekgLEj5htmkrHaIWvOOehytIxGrdmdU5buetyuB1Z0d-We8s-G-8iBNid-Va-I0FeqtUBf1dw50kvY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="589" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZLHrNhv01-U9fXt4xGR4v_8k4UREICceUsoxUrEbjlsL_HFLgM68UNRqYvzyqqRViyqqIEZofs9XakAAZvs9QQm6n3cya4N6wHOFqB9_H1ZX9VekgLEj5htmkrHaIWvOOehytIxGrdmdU5buetyuB1Z0d-We8s-G-8iBNid-Va-I0FeqtUBf1dw50kvY=w589-h589" width="589" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And here are just a couple Pre K photos as well. Welcome to our youngest RAMS! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We are so Happy to have you join our family!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjeLx8-Erl8NC13fL8swQzRZbO_hG473Q-z_HwjLSVj7W1IMnJ2tj3zHMID-Vesj_CQAibSGP2La6vTwdngpjKbZ5BJffg3TPDexsQwlcYcMU_tL5LJhooNp0PRxwA9_hFh5YU9rtJqcUocjs3jD9YuGtWqhNCPMs3QBRdrzvn752DiWTyvbOoNm-PP-84" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2000" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjeLx8-Erl8NC13fL8swQzRZbO_hG473Q-z_HwjLSVj7W1IMnJ2tj3zHMID-Vesj_CQAibSGP2La6vTwdngpjKbZ5BJffg3TPDexsQwlcYcMU_tL5LJhooNp0PRxwA9_hFh5YU9rtJqcUocjs3jD9YuGtWqhNCPMs3QBRdrzvn752DiWTyvbOoNm-PP-84=w500-h500" width="500" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">OK, so now on to the information!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">A REMINDER TO COMPLETE FREE/REDUCED LUNCH FORMS! </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span>Just wanted to start off with a quick reminder to please take a moment to complete free/reduced lunch forms. I realize this seems ridiculous because LUNCH IS FREE...but hear me out for a minute! There is a reason! </span>The reason is that other funding streams that the school operates from depend upon these forms! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgN5_WnSHCRhIayOUaz0gVAJa-QNsB2t27i71VxeC_59O5DoJp_hFxS7aJYCzS2NrYWPEx9oAjHAt3J1LTsXxaqCxiI8zwgcnr4n2ie1uSqlA4q7Bm6gOqVdf3pMOgqIn8467XycPoKGOW7ss3hHzGFEkaPuNIbjn_rgurIMOu5gph1nDMmnSFzBr6G5_U" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="1204" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgN5_WnSHCRhIayOUaz0gVAJa-QNsB2t27i71VxeC_59O5DoJp_hFxS7aJYCzS2NrYWPEx9oAjHAt3J1LTsXxaqCxiI8zwgcnr4n2ie1uSqlA4q7Bm6gOqVdf3pMOgqIn8467XycPoKGOW7ss3hHzGFEkaPuNIbjn_rgurIMOu5gph1nDMmnSFzBr6G5_U=w501-h276" width="501" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span>Did you know that our district lost just 1% of eligibility last year and that resulted in a loss of over $200,000.00 in state subsidy towards public education in Gorham? </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div>So this information is used to help schools in ways that far exceed the free lunch program we currently have...<br /><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMlFpYPGDJXLGArEy7WJWd3yOjl1WgRIJGN9ujjcQrTFPjROGYjEXu3XJYQF5O7NLjkHV7bEhc1jA55p0FDNCJQV5CO2npwVejwvnlZlyYrylIc-Zo8O_xJopKJwEbc1gC5ECctrSg5M8Wn5jsx7KALkt1-gG-u2fwvCSCS7e3LQ8rVBRSnoOY4Y1e2cQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1020" data-original-width="1980" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMlFpYPGDJXLGArEy7WJWd3yOjl1WgRIJGN9ujjcQrTFPjROGYjEXu3XJYQF5O7NLjkHV7bEhc1jA55p0FDNCJQV5CO2npwVejwvnlZlyYrylIc-Zo8O_xJopKJwEbc1gC5ECctrSg5M8Wn5jsx7KALkt1-gG-u2fwvCSCS7e3LQ8rVBRSnoOY4Y1e2cQ=w531-h274" width="531" /></a></div><br />So when you get a minute, complete the form that was sent home with students in opening packets OR go ahead and just complete it online - even if you don't think you will qualify! It is 100% confidential! Link is below...THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><u><br /></u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><u>Online Application Link:</u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><a href="https://www.nlappscloud.com/">https://www.nlappscloud.com/</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">SUPERINTENDENT'S GOALS FOR THE COMING 2023-24 SCHOOL YEAR</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhF3pNa55-t7o3TkCY1SD-uSR8qqpKFaZlIjWovhz-vw7_7siM9OQfCR5OLHmoGWcEXPdYQ4CcWGt3ULhtnsokzOrrsi0kDwui4hHNnZSxf6TjRnXjbfE5NUMGzDcvZ4wLy3MuLP0HUAe6ImMvLOtbk7q_Bjb9wpSTGMb131GmA7W5scGMlWui5MI6s9bg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="184" data-original-width="275" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhF3pNa55-t7o3TkCY1SD-uSR8qqpKFaZlIjWovhz-vw7_7siM9OQfCR5OLHmoGWcEXPdYQ4CcWGt3ULhtnsokzOrrsi0kDwui4hHNnZSxf6TjRnXjbfE5NUMGzDcvZ4wLy3MuLP0HUAe6ImMvLOtbk7q_Bjb9wpSTGMb131GmA7W5scGMlWui5MI6s9bg" width="320" /></a></div></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Each year I work with the Gorham School Committee to develop 5-6 goals for the year. These goals are based upon our Strategic Plan and many conversations with the Gorham School Committee that help me to identify the top priorities for work in the coming year. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since these goals drive the work that I do, and since these goals then trickle down to become focus points for the whole district, I wanted to take some time to share them with you. They aren't anything horribly fancy, but they are definitely important and I think help provide to you a sense of what to expect for the coming year. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipOaLVH5PTV0NfqbSs4JUs_4LXTnyu3CzUwYqzIyKmlHCAYHXq72yl4qqt3y3O4Gttbxo--0hyw1G9L47griM1CORoGzpbOzg2KK8ViPnk8QFuPdzKgUQNOCpfp6mWKjWlbsyB5HnMdJni-V_a75bZmnubXYIqyopG01vtCdrD6r53XEb1w5i7TB-mSF8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="402" data-original-width="1162" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipOaLVH5PTV0NfqbSs4JUs_4LXTnyu3CzUwYqzIyKmlHCAYHXq72yl4qqt3y3O4Gttbxo--0hyw1G9L47griM1CORoGzpbOzg2KK8ViPnk8QFuPdzKgUQNOCpfp6mWKjWlbsyB5HnMdJni-V_a75bZmnubXYIqyopG01vtCdrD6r53XEb1w5i7TB-mSF8=w477-h165" width="477" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbbARja5YKksoeBZueqDsCWSCcBhiP_XtAHWJpAwVBYVaCpdWmsCBv4RJFwGnrCBSMK_xn7YuZoApyotAI-yJQr5KAnuqFtPHMd-LDI2yvPLWTw8ZMBZZPfPIbvCUgoHSk-1kr_1ifJrzfwi9z9dgBtzozqb0IQX-JL0XmWa5jwnP3KQKXpkJjRdHugw8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="1200" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbbARja5YKksoeBZueqDsCWSCcBhiP_XtAHWJpAwVBYVaCpdWmsCBv4RJFwGnrCBSMK_xn7YuZoApyotAI-yJQr5KAnuqFtPHMd-LDI2yvPLWTw8ZMBZZPfPIbvCUgoHSk-1kr_1ifJrzfwi9z9dgBtzozqb0IQX-JL0XmWa5jwnP3KQKXpkJjRdHugw8=w476-h153" width="476" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnndVZ4fEMCABoWw4Q-1gCNsDO0osZLNFHfSuCCTrKKqjV2Lwhw6g_9ceI46jk8IXLt6bdCrpM2nqa_FJWNHHRceaTz_XK5PBY4mxaYLYFJb99l9YuAZ98qXRu6vLZhpPk7iQ3LMiBcAeL1s2cb0jSV15waFGxWvmkUteSeLPBbaIiotAz5-0uqYcqS3U" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="1180" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnndVZ4fEMCABoWw4Q-1gCNsDO0osZLNFHfSuCCTrKKqjV2Lwhw6g_9ceI46jk8IXLt6bdCrpM2nqa_FJWNHHRceaTz_XK5PBY4mxaYLYFJb99l9YuAZ98qXRu6vLZhpPk7iQ3LMiBcAeL1s2cb0jSV15waFGxWvmkUteSeLPBbaIiotAz5-0uqYcqS3U=w478-h130" width="478" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgM28FnT-PTge2fHmvCZLVM2EYR9kCIuGSQtS9WOaZ9qNprMTSRv4rqXXsV2re1x8m8VgjQ0oPJmt4t7xvMJx0Sn3bTqATzheZ1dp2z0V2g7UTXAQdoGNF3dWKuzF9oi1jqoWruuNk_kNAL6o13RZjNLEcpJTpgW3w94css1eodKkKD3dm4ajylTT-ibps" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="1208" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgM28FnT-PTge2fHmvCZLVM2EYR9kCIuGSQtS9WOaZ9qNprMTSRv4rqXXsV2re1x8m8VgjQ0oPJmt4t7xvMJx0Sn3bTqATzheZ1dp2z0V2g7UTXAQdoGNF3dWKuzF9oi1jqoWruuNk_kNAL6o13RZjNLEcpJTpgW3w94css1eodKkKD3dm4ajylTT-ibps=w475-h161" width="475" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXdW9TshU766HNNRRr2k40qQnMvQn7nMzjQOoB6yZZZb9Zu9mhGJSBo_SufRKuwEoIvk9xOFwJgIPHQWBNKpNAeOp7vvmIjtzIvmIyVj51pAGAAr7cUbeFgGP1B8Tq4ONabIIl5_Nn6ImMKfMHLWhSWXhvr4xf887DfwaxYOIDbW5GdZJ1YwcftOCRl4o" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="1210" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXdW9TshU766HNNRRr2k40qQnMvQn7nMzjQOoB6yZZZb9Zu9mhGJSBo_SufRKuwEoIvk9xOFwJgIPHQWBNKpNAeOp7vvmIjtzIvmIyVj51pAGAAr7cUbeFgGP1B8Tq4ONabIIl5_Nn6ImMKfMHLWhSWXhvr4xf887DfwaxYOIDbW5GdZJ1YwcftOCRl4o=w475-h196" width="475" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You can <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eanVherQ9DVtlTNTfjKlpY785Y5mWdVQfJgHapItyCc/edit?usp=sharing">CLICK HERE</a> to view the full set of goals with narrative, action steps, timelines and measurements. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">WILL NEED YOUR HELP - GORHAM CODE OF CONDUCT REFRESH</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhs8bGUj0y_atxh-fIsOip0wHMuytHzZowM9P7pIVBG6TKyBkiCQUEvSn-qfPc4lfETYnnt6u3FHscqiGEcoNaIk4lWtijDVi7j-o2ohBYA-MaVohaxG0QWYh0SbUqXtBWSMUxrjEoNlfDvf5p8fv0rb1Ql70hhtEc_RhBBPBDIZRIWGmD74ayRXJ3GlZk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="221" data-original-width="228" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhs8bGUj0y_atxh-fIsOip0wHMuytHzZowM9P7pIVBG6TKyBkiCQUEvSn-qfPc4lfETYnnt6u3FHscqiGEcoNaIk4lWtijDVi7j-o2ohBYA-MaVohaxG0QWYh0SbUqXtBWSMUxrjEoNlfDvf5p8fv0rb1Ql70hhtEc_RhBBPBDIZRIWGmD74ayRXJ3GlZk" width="248" /></a></div><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As you can see, one of the goals listed above that is part of our district's strategic plan is to revitalize the <a href="http://www.gorham.k12.me.us/policies/sectionJ/JICDA%20Code%20of%20Conduct.pdf">Gorham Code of Conduct</a> (goal #1 above). Now I want to be clear and up front that we have no intentions of "scrapping" the current code of conduct in favor of some new flashy language. Please know that is not the case. Our current code of conduct has been with us and a core part of our work here in Gorham for almost 20 years now! Can you believe it? Twenty years! Our schools use this code (often referred to by students and staff as "the code") each and every day. It is a powerful document and one we do not wish to lose or diminish in any way.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The goal of this work is to look at the code through a fresh set of eyes and to see if there are ways that we can make sure that this document lives on for another 20 years in our schools! Can we/should we update the language to reflect 2023 conditions in our schools and in our community? Can we/should we update what our code looks like in today's contexts? Can we/should we better define what each standard means? These are all questions we hope to answer through this process and we are going to need everyone's input to make sure that our code remains strong.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If anyone was around back when the code of conduct was first created, you know that it was created through a year long process that involved the entire community. This process was led by our Superintendent of Schools and our School Committee. A key person that led this work 20 years ago was a person you might all know, Jon Smith From Great Falls Construction. THANK YOU Jon, and let's keep thanking him because Jon has agreed to chair this new committee to work on refreshing our code! I will be meeting with Jon and our facilitator coming up next week to put the finishing touches on the plan for how we are going to do this work. Once this is complete we will be reaching out to involve community members in various ways, so please stay tuned...and if you see Jon, be sure to THANK him for being willing to help lead this important work once again for our schools!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">WHAT TO EXPECT FOR COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE GORHAM SCHOOLS</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiE3_t1XT8prFVEgzgZh6lNbvdOW1KmglhNMcqxgYEVCnkXaqzl-8x8EGLYI_myVVxsQNipZPK52b2CSTVlRMXhcZnUjikwUkHeS3QbR0qV7EHzcxwysmAHQGJepslBCmIuJw70vsgyW62-X-CkkNwaUTM5tVEVJXLB21Ag5oZh6eGu2XxMjGC3RVUUGW8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="177" data-original-width="285" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiE3_t1XT8prFVEgzgZh6lNbvdOW1KmglhNMcqxgYEVCnkXaqzl-8x8EGLYI_myVVxsQNipZPK52b2CSTVlRMXhcZnUjikwUkHeS3QbR0qV7EHzcxwysmAHQGJepslBCmIuJw70vsgyW62-X-CkkNwaUTM5tVEVJXLB21Ag5oZh6eGu2XxMjGC3RVUUGW8" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">With our schools being back in session, I wanted to take a moment to review with families overall expectations regarding communications. Whether you have been with us for many years or whether this is your first year, there is a lot of communication that is required to run a school system. So an overview never hurts! I thought I'd share a bit about what you should expect for communications coming from the schools and also what we can expect for communications coming from you. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We have an incredible school system here in Gorham and a large portion of what makes us such a strong school system is our strong partnerships with our families. We care about this partnership and a core part of that partnership is excellent communication!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u style="background-color: #fcff01;">How WE Share Information With You:</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As a school system, we have "regular" communication systems we use to get information out to families. Those are:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- <b>Website</b> (<a href="http://www.gorhamschools.org">www.gorhamschools.org</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- <b>Superintendent's Blog Post</b> (shared every other Friday with a few exceptions due to Holidays or breaks)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- <b>Social Media Sites</b> (district has FB, Twitter and Instagram, each school has at least one as well, sometimes more than one).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- <b>Weekly Updates</b> (K-5 uses Thursday folders, GMS posts daily announcements online, GHS sends out weekly email).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- <b> School Messenger</b> (this is used for general communications via email and/or text across the district and by each school. This system is also for emergency communications with phone, email, and text...more on that shortly).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- <b> Individual emails and phone calls</b> (if we need to touch base with you as a family, we know how to get you ☺! We will call if it is important, and if it is something that can wait we may email you as well).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- <b>Regular mail</b> (there are still some times when we may drop you a letter in the mail too, but that is less often in today's digital world. This is mostly used in special education). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- <b>Student messenger </b>(this is really just used PK-5, but parents at this age level should be sure to check those backpacks when students come home! That is often a method through which classroom teachers share information with you!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As a school system, we may also have times when we need to communicate with families in an emergency type of situation. First, it is important for you to know that if there is an emergency we will absolutely communicate with you about it in a timely manner. It is important to know this because if you ever hear rumors about something happening, and you haven't heard from the school directly it is probably good form to be a little suspicious and perhaps reach out with questions before assuming something is going on.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In a true emergency situation involving a single student, or small number of students we will communicate directly via phone and/or text with the families impacted. If we can't get ahold of the primary caregiver, we will move on down the list of emergency contacts until we can get in touch with someone you have listed. So please make sure to pay attention to those emergency contact forms when you fill them out to make sure they are accurate! Examples of these smaller emergencies would include a fall on the playground that may have resulted in injury or perhaps a student with an allergic reaction, or even a bus/van that has gone off the road. Bottom line - please know if there is an emergency involving your child you will know about it, because we will reach out to you (or someone on your emergency contact list) directly.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In a true emergency situation involving a larger number of students we will also communicate directly via our school messenger system using email and text if it is precautionary in measure. Or we might also communicate via email, text, and phone if it is a significant large scale emergency. An example of a precautionary measure might be that we place a school in lockout because a questionable person was spotted outside of a school or perhaps we have received a threat to a school and are working to determine its validity but we want families to know about it. Again, in those precautionary situations, we'll use just email and text. If a significant large scale emergency occurs, we would also use the phone in addition to the email and text. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The only circumstance where all three (phone, email, and text) are used to communicate that is not an immediate emergency is to call snow days. You can review snow day protocols by <a href="https://www.gorhamschools.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=455068&type=d&pREC_ID=990348">CLICKING HERE</a>, but generally speaking, a phone call, email and text will be sent by 5:30 in the morning for a full day cancellation or a late start. If we are looking to perhaps release students early due to inclement weather you will be notified via phone, email and text typically by 10:00 a.m.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u style="background-color: #fcff01;">How You Share Information With Us:</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Your first and primary contact for all things related to your child is your school's office. We have folks manning the phones every school day who are happy to take your call, answer your questions, and provide you with the information you need as a parent/guardian. If you have an urgent need, this is the best place to start and our talented staff can direct you from there. You can find school phone numbers on our website linked above.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We also encourage families to reach out directly to your child's teachers if you have questions about what students are learning, how your student is performing or if you wish to share information related to your child's learning with them. Email is a convenient method for communication as is a phone call. Just keep in mind that teachers are with students all day long so they may not get a chance to respond during the day. Our goal is to try and respond to communications within 24 hours. This is a goal. There may be times when responses could take longer depending upon what teachers are juggling at any given time. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you have any concerns or complaints, we do strongly encourage families to share these concerns or complaints at the lowest possible levels first and to then move up from there if needed. We know from years and years of experience that it is at these lowest levels that the best solutions to any problems are found. For example, if you have a concern regarding your child's math class we would encourage you to share that concern with your child's math teacher first to see what can be done at that level to alleviate your concern. If you have communicated with the math teacher and do not feel as though your concerns were addressed, you would then bring your concern to the assistant principal. Similarly if you have communicated your concerns with the assistant principal and still feel as though your concerns were not addressed, you would then bring your concern to the building principal, then to me as Superintendent and on to the School Committee if needed. Very rarely do concerns not get satisfactorily addressed at the lowest levels, but as a parent/guardian it is important to know that you have all these other people to go to if needed! We are here to support you. Bottom line, we all want the same thing - success for your child(ren) - and with that common goal and partnership we can work through most things TOGETHER to that ultimate end.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">WANT TO VOLUNTEER? WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU! HERE'S HOW...</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUqVxatycvM_pJiRj11KbjVnHCfLqmeBPinv_dyaKS4w8CzPrHSyZJ2wfyvZsJs0Bgo7o1M80pb-a7ZBNH418m4q3D3-lkbDluqWjPCWeeRRBqL3D792lh5rsZEjoOqINJjGZ5X6L8LNJK4eTjx6Gs-YdTMwxmmV9_SFbzyl72cgABNDSTYPp3TEl0Kis" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="159" data-original-width="316" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUqVxatycvM_pJiRj11KbjVnHCfLqmeBPinv_dyaKS4w8CzPrHSyZJ2wfyvZsJs0Bgo7o1M80pb-a7ZBNH418m4q3D3-lkbDluqWjPCWeeRRBqL3D792lh5rsZEjoOqINJjGZ5X6L8LNJK4eTjx6Gs-YdTMwxmmV9_SFbzyl72cgABNDSTYPp3TEl0Kis" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;">First of all, I want to take a moment to thank all of our families and community members for taking the time to volunteer to assist our schools! Your time means so much to our staff and students! We LOVE our volunteers! Here's the good news...there are lots of different ways to volunteer in our schools! Folks can sign up to volunteer to work directly with students under the supervision of the classroom teacher, or folks can volunteer to help teachers with classroom preparations or bulletin boards, or volunteers can chaperone field experiences, or a host of other possibilities! We can work with folks that want to volunteer daily or 2-3 times a week, or with those that just want to volunteer once in a while for specific things. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Interested? Well here's how to go about getting signed up...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">First, go to our website at <a href="http://www.gorhamschools.org">www.gorhamschools.org</a> and then click on "Human Resources". Once there you should see a tab that says "Volunteer Program". Click on that and it will bring you to our volunteer home page. Once there, just follow the prompts. The forms and everything are all linked. If you have questions, Kelly Reed is the coordinator and her email address is listed right there on that page as well. Generally speaking, once you fill out the form you will need to complete a quick training. Once that is done you will be placed on the approved volunteer list for that school. Teachers can then see your name and contact information and your area of interest in volunteering and reach out to you directly to set up opportunities. Its really that simple, so if you are interested and have a little time to spend - please feel free to sign up! Our schools are far better places because of our volunteers! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">NEW CURRICULUM GUIDES READY TO VIEW!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgTyvX7Xk9N7kmI9xHy5i4z4I1iy01fDqsyIFQNRoXMiLVPcmhlymEEygS2MMZTqA7WYCDeoaEqFMliuhLcSzkUt5F93VdZIR_QHjiR0Z98a4z4VnGjrTXtpqFyX9o-710hYql-GEijNblSzWM441Clh8wCujHS1_4rDlQwNHgCGQP8tBF5S7zyEEdZcY0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="226" data-original-width="223" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgTyvX7Xk9N7kmI9xHy5i4z4I1iy01fDqsyIFQNRoXMiLVPcmhlymEEygS2MMZTqA7WYCDeoaEqFMliuhLcSzkUt5F93VdZIR_QHjiR0Z98a4z4VnGjrTXtpqFyX9o-710hYql-GEijNblSzWM441Clh8wCujHS1_4rDlQwNHgCGQP8tBF5S7zyEEdZcY0" width="237" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As a means to help parents better understand what our curriculum is (and just as importantly sometimes, what it isn't) for all of our students across grades Pre K - 12, we have added a new section to our website that allows us to post what we call "curriculum guides". These guides are shared by grade level at the Pre K - 5 level and then by content area at the grades 6-12 levels. In the guides you will find useful information about our instructional philosophy, the specific standards and learning performance indicators used as the basis of our curriculum. In addition you can see core learning curriculum information, an overview of the units of study, information on assessments, and resources to help parents reinforce learning at home. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Please check out this incredible resource <a href="https://www.gorhamschools.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=455382&type=d&pREC_ID=1300633">BY CLICKING HERE</a> and feel free to reach out with questions!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">HEAT WAVES, STORM DAYS, REMOTE LEARNING DAYS, AND MORE!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgiD1GhS-QwU7-aJagEcKhh-YRPVCs7FaU_h5-ZvjB6Vnh2zUk4enH2Qhn-cJy-2ClbjZ45_qOdwjSRCFVpUOLcrpCR9QZ48xT6NUOIYRTaDJg1er-HM2RgtlIhev1kieGHMlr8k8W0oIslE40EJxhfLhBeaiTC_Xv_EFg6k8QHCn3s3wQLCcBuu6bBFOc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgiD1GhS-QwU7-aJagEcKhh-YRPVCs7FaU_h5-ZvjB6Vnh2zUk4enH2Qhn-cJy-2ClbjZ45_qOdwjSRCFVpUOLcrpCR9QZ48xT6NUOIYRTaDJg1er-HM2RgtlIhev1kieGHMlr8k8W0oIslE40EJxhfLhBeaiTC_Xv_EFg6k8QHCn3s3wQLCcBuu6bBFOc" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Well if this past week has shown us nothing more, it has reminded us that the possibility always exists that we may have to consider changes to our school scheduled days based on whatever Maine's weather and other things may have in store for us! We wound up sticking it through this tough week with the heat (Thank you to all of our staff, students, and families for your parts in making that happen by the way), but at times we did strongly consider the possibilities of things like early release days or fully remote learning days. So I thought it might be a good idea to remind everyone of what tools we have at our disposal to deal with these types of unplanned schedule changes and what you can expect as parents/guardians in the event that we have to make some of these adjustments as we go throughout the year.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">At this point, we have the following "tools" in our toolbox to address these kinds of issues:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">- Late start days</div><div style="text-align: left;">- Early dismissal days</div><div style="text-align: left;">- School Cancelations (traditional)</div><div style="text-align: left;">- Remote Learning days</div></div><br />For each of these we would use the same procedures we use for "storm days" that are <a href="https://www.gorhamschools.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=455068&type=d&pREC_ID=990348">OUTLINED HERE. </a><p></p><p>For typical school cancelations we would notify parents by 5:30 a.m. in the morning using our school messenger system's phone message, email and text notifications. For a late start day we would use the same timing and notifications. For an early release or dismissal day we would typically notify families by 10:00 a.m. and dismissals would follow the same time lines as outlined for storm days. </p><p>Remote learning days could be called by individual schools based upon conditions in those schools, or we can also call a fully remote learning day for the whole district. If a remote learning day is being called for something OTHER THAN a snow day (get to that in a minute) we would try to give families as much forward notice as possible and at the very least let families know the night before a remote learning day is called.</p><p>In regards to remote learning days vs. traditional snow days, our philosphy is that we would use the five scheduled snow days we build into our school calendar each year first as traditional snow days, and not ask students to be online learning during those days. Once those five days are used, however, if we have to call school for inclement weather purposes we would move to utilization of a remote learning day so that we do not have to extend the school year into the summer. This allows us to be clear about our last day of school each year and make sure we don't have to move things like graduation due to a large number of snow days.</p><p>If we do have to move to remote learning for whatever reason (inclement weather or other), we would follow the same protocols we have regarding learning expectations for our students. Those are outlined below by grade level. We will of course share this information again if we have to use remote learning as a tool moving forward. I just want folks to know what to expect early on...as I'm sure you are like me and hate "surprises"! ☺</p><p>*. <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SZK5FCdSTpf_7tP74NwmPze64o4IJkREbFN-YXZxE34/edit?usp=sharing">GHS Remote Learning Overview</a></p><p>*. <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rw-TNh9VHknf0dglwcxR0stP0G_mjisoicgVXAFYO-w/edit?usp=sharing">GMS Remote Learning Overview</a></p><p>*. <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Lwt5bCev-Q-GYw7S6P_p33dOw7mwi_gu8gzbADAFzgU/edit?usp=sharing">K-5 Remote Learning Overview</a></p><p>*. <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Wee9oWJtr35Wj59hb3l5fQpdWaRZwJvOyIr1LBKN8IY/edit?usp=sharing">School Nutrition Expectations for Remote Learning Days</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">GORHAM SCHOOLS NAMED ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO WORK IN MAINE, 2023</span></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh96K9qNwt5uPI3XChccZm4T_bMUKJ44Gn-2qhW2ruelawYWSEiXCLBgzg8dIcF6sKuT-_yug1xkFj6hiRl8dRolkB2I8vnlf4PiT8JlwWyzBDJq353SK9CJOjOT-tj4ziuEfUiZ-NDU46LOMSwjpS3Rd1iMwDFJzR8r7w9EZ08B3l7KJVfu3Hlib-ASkY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="139" data-original-width="455" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh96K9qNwt5uPI3XChccZm4T_bMUKJ44Gn-2qhW2ruelawYWSEiXCLBgzg8dIcF6sKuT-_yug1xkFj6hiRl8dRolkB2I8vnlf4PiT8JlwWyzBDJq353SK9CJOjOT-tj4ziuEfUiZ-NDU46LOMSwjpS3Rd1iMwDFJzR8r7w9EZ08B3l7KJVfu3Hlib-ASkY=w415-h127" width="415" /></a></div><p>As part of our Strategic Plan, the Gorham School Committee has been focused on doing more to recruit new, and retain our already existing, excellent employees. One of the tools that we are using to do this is by participating in the Best Places to Work In Maine process. This process does require some money, but this expense is what pays for a comprehensive perceptions survey to be delivered to staff. This survey allows us to harness from their perspectives the things that are working well in our system and the areas where challenges may exist. The survey also has reports and recommendations for moving forward. </p><p>We entered into this process this year thinking that we would be very happy to just get the survey results. Well, after a comprehensive study of our policies, handbooks, and this survey we found out that we were designated as one of the actual best places to work in Maine. We are among 26 large employers designated by this process along side of incredible businesses like Bangor Savings Bank, Hussey Seating, and many more. As far as I can tell we are the first public school to receive such a designation. </p><p>This designation will now help us to recruit new high quality staff to join our teams. This in conjunction with the report will also allow us to work on retaining our already existing incredible staff. All around a great honor and a great investment in our school's future! We will find out in mid October how we faired against those 26 others when they announce the actual BEST place to work in Maine at that time. We are honored to just be on the list - but who knows what will happen then! Will keep you informed! While we wait - can I just say how proud I am to be a Gorham Ram! GO RAMS! </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">GHS STUDENTS LEARNING OUTDOORS & WITH LITTLE PARTNERS! </span></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgiHi2eZoVQUZou04SkOQHv3IyfwwnBwm88zXPdeCzUEXXA80jKzzszv6ibZpGgCJk0O3FUxYwv-6RG_HAQheuxWLEY03pZluk-K5EUJOf98N7iUJggudQfIi0Xq6PZDitv45twG4JPscMDC54l2_7IWWLUa07Uojq_Huc2w-lEbrsKV9JdVqMpmGeKoAk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="170" data-original-width="297" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgiHi2eZoVQUZou04SkOQHv3IyfwwnBwm88zXPdeCzUEXXA80jKzzszv6ibZpGgCJk0O3FUxYwv-6RG_HAQheuxWLEY03pZluk-K5EUJOf98N7iUJggudQfIi0Xq6PZDitv45twG4JPscMDC54l2_7IWWLUa07Uojq_Huc2w-lEbrsKV9JdVqMpmGeKoAk" width="320" /></a></div><br />Just wanted to share this great video of some of our GHS students learning about math incorporating outdoor experiences and mentorships with our younger learners. This was filmed last spring, but the work continues! Check it out as a great example of what learning in our schools looks like!<p></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #00adef; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: currentcolor; text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration-style: solid;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/861451594/a81d557051">https://vimeo.com/<wbr></wbr>861451594/a81d557051</a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">REMINDER FOOD TRUCKS STILL AT LITTLE FALLS THROUGH THE END OF SEPTEMBER!</span></b></p><p>I hope you've had the chance to check out this fun food truck experience right here in our back yard! If you haven't - there's still time! Check out the flyer for details!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfROV4lrliIiQXNvyd6S-adk56XIWN1ryxHtKFfMgKxLj0N7PWK33TVhvQTt9ebL02vSJ7YxN9O1oY8RxsI480NfAfns5RrpVgd0ENRg54MvIo1ocEhujHHFA69v4Fp2_C9XXXysQwuzEwONPSgUSZF1e1h6wXxBXPh-waa-Wr6sO3yTZpb4qHZdzoxSk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfROV4lrliIiQXNvyd6S-adk56XIWN1ryxHtKFfMgKxLj0N7PWK33TVhvQTt9ebL02vSJ7YxN9O1oY8RxsI480NfAfns5RrpVgd0ENRg54MvIo1ocEhujHHFA69v4Fp2_C9XXXysQwuzEwONPSgUSZF1e1h6wXxBXPh-waa-Wr6sO3yTZpb4qHZdzoxSk=w613-h345" width="613" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">THANK YOU TOWN OF GORHAM!</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjR6oxfG2kNzGoHTSJ569KfKVLKZ7IGqlIV4Rdy4Db5rzhsA99vm8h7O4gvi2hTVaKEceHrl8j5RiTjnuEfm-ICiWVwG5axO4xZIZDyAgFNv5uDbqpejtDQTJopCGELiE7JajVb8Se0x9MhehEmqWAIyM86Y1sA4HKUK2S9B9CgbMUL2kTXzxU7YwPBXrs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="159" data-original-width="317" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjR6oxfG2kNzGoHTSJ569KfKVLKZ7IGqlIV4Rdy4Db5rzhsA99vm8h7O4gvi2hTVaKEceHrl8j5RiTjnuEfm-ICiWVwG5axO4xZIZDyAgFNv5uDbqpejtDQTJopCGELiE7JajVb8Se0x9MhehEmqWAIyM86Y1sA4HKUK2S9B9CgbMUL2kTXzxU7YwPBXrs" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div>With the recent heat wave, I just wanted to take a moment to THANK our municipal partners! It was warm this past week in our schools without cooling systems (understatement I know). It was particularly warm for our GHS students who had classes on the 2nd floor of the building. When Principal Jandreau and I were brainstorming how to help improve learning conditions for our students during this time, our partners in the Town of Gorham stepped up immediately! Students went to the Municipal building for classes in the council chambers, they used conference room spaces at the municipal building, and they used classroom spaces. Then on top of that Baxter Library stepped up to assist as well by opening up some of their spaces to our students to go and cool down. This really meant a lot to our schools and especially to our students and families and it just points out what an incredible community we have here in Gorham! THANK YOU!<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">WELCOME BACK VIDEO</span></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieaHNU4kGx2TNa4V2Hdej_Cqvdco9juR7UVX50wse4hiRYzylkXB3hjuEUry_NVAek2Ohc-eoyzPs-Drz5vUvkAXRXFhuX35M_okQHJSojNB5_F5WUhLaCLYDf9KMXlV7wMY4PspG8SzcEOGaPgxb-54EEbISV8lroTJwQO4GkS1sMgsySQQYAqaDVlV0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="125" data-original-width="404" height="99" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieaHNU4kGx2TNa4V2Hdej_Cqvdco9juR7UVX50wse4hiRYzylkXB3hjuEUry_NVAek2Ohc-eoyzPs-Drz5vUvkAXRXFhuX35M_okQHJSojNB5_F5WUhLaCLYDf9KMXlV7wMY4PspG8SzcEOGaPgxb-54EEbISV8lroTJwQO4GkS1sMgsySQQYAqaDVlV0" width="320" /></a></div><br />I know some of you may have already seen this video on our social media links, but I thought it was an awesome welcome back video that is worth sharing again. In closing this first blog, I just want people to know how very happy we all are to have our students back in our schools and to have our schools vibrant again with laughter, fun, and learning! We've certainly got a lot to accomplish this year - but we are up for the challenge and look forward to working TOGETHER as a full community to continue to support our students and to ensure that ALL students are "Prepared and Inspired" for their future success as they graduate from our schools!<p></p><p><u>Video Link:</u></p><p><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://vimeo.com/855587859/e084f13746&source=gmail&ust=1694262743726000&usg=AOvVaw2AHD1o8IRP9tKuKfsBvkIt" href="https://vimeo.com/855587859/e084f13746" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" target="_blank">https://vimeo.com/855587859/<wbr></wbr>e084f13746</a></p><p>See you for my next blog scheduled for Sept. 22! GO RAMS!</p><p><br /></p><br /><p></p>Heather Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902747451985096596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2916890148299174047.post-8248183091769650052023-06-16T04:25:00.000-07:002023-06-16T04:25:28.902-07:00June 16 Blog Post <p>WOW! Final blog post for the 2022-23 School Year! That went by crazy-fast! Here's a "sneak peak" into the last few weeks...</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi20UIWjMI6nS0W7jNm8DNG5Yo_9wG5bJd2FY1Wh6tR16SsfISgRzIFdmOxJFr7nnP5XoPwfz_Rm1psm_H1yKskIQMtK6bdAdrzqzbCHSTfHw0BJxpNqPviQNiSgSX_EciPVrFLIE2bvCFxtDdPS3CFeYp8UX5sKXIyVaMWwH4IV1H43GuCCEEvTO0O" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="577" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi20UIWjMI6nS0W7jNm8DNG5Yo_9wG5bJd2FY1Wh6tR16SsfISgRzIFdmOxJFr7nnP5XoPwfz_Rm1psm_H1yKskIQMtK6bdAdrzqzbCHSTfHw0BJxpNqPviQNiSgSX_EciPVrFLIE2bvCFxtDdPS3CFeYp8UX5sKXIyVaMWwH4IV1H43GuCCEEvTO0O=w577-h577" width="577" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">FY 24 PROPOSED BUDGET PROCESS NEXT STEPS - REFERENDUM #2!</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGf0qmAmlTYkLghQtALxLkspldDt-WYpd1uDOXKklJu-mQVb4kLtGjS1fQSc3MQzDlMJ1LS1GF_73OcAK7Dr6YCvXhqsvRsVTk0gZklr2l-JCBzHuGjz6bnIWGA2AXbvzSL7FPxU57YfbIQQNnh4vSQWY_uEbjNAPLSlCCVGPMKa_GmFxCGvej0e3Z" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="190" data-original-width="266" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGf0qmAmlTYkLghQtALxLkspldDt-WYpd1uDOXKklJu-mQVb4kLtGjS1fQSc3MQzDlMJ1LS1GF_73OcAK7Dr6YCvXhqsvRsVTk0gZklr2l-JCBzHuGjz6bnIWGA2AXbvzSL7FPxU57YfbIQQNnh4vSQWY_uEbjNAPLSlCCVGPMKa_GmFxCGvej0e3Z" width="320" /></a></span></b></div><p></p><p>First of all, THANK YOU to those of you who got out to vote at the first referendum. Regardless of what that vote was, we are all thankful that you participated in this important process!</p><p>While the results of the first referendum were not what we had hoped for as a school, we trust our budget approval process and we trust the voters of our community to direct us as to what they need. We understand that this vote is not an "ending" to the conversation but an all important continuation. This vote continues very important conversations that our community needs to have as we seek to find balance between costs associated with meeting the needs of our students while also balancing those costs with the needs of our community's taxpayers that must pay for them. </p><p>We have full faith that these conversations will continue via respectful and civil discourse and that ultimately this appropriate balance will be found. <u>Gorham is too strong of a community to allow anything else to occur</u>! ☺</p><p>The School Committee has already worked with the Town Council to draft a schedule for next steps in the process. Please be clear that I say "draft" because the Town Council must approve of the revised timeline at their meeting on Tuesday 6/20 in order to finalize the referendum date.</p><p>With this understanding - the DRAFT schedule to move forward is outlined below and should be finalized by the Town Council early next week. That is:</p><p><b style="background-color: #fcff01;">- June 20 - Town Council meets to approve new referendum schedule.</b></p><p><b style="background-color: #fcff01;">- June 20 - School Committee meetings in a budget workshop meeting to discuss priorities and next steps.</b></p><p><b style="background-color: #fcff01;">- June 28 - School Committee approves of revised FY 24 proposed school budget.</b></p><p><b style="background-color: #fcff01;">- July 11 - Town Council votes to approve of revised FY 24 proposed school budget.</b></p><p><b style="background-color: #fcff01;">- July 25 - REFERENDUM #2 IS SCHEDULED - Regular polling locations and regular polling hours.</b></p><p>As explained earlier - any school budget must be approved following <u>THREE</u> crucial steps:</p><p>1. Proposed budget must be approved by the School Committee.</p><p>2. Proposed budget must be approved by the Town Council</p><p>3. Proposed budget must be approved by the voters of the community via a budget validation referendum.</p><p>All three steps must meet with approval in order for a school's budget to finally be approved. If all three steps are not met, the process must be repeated until all three steps are approved. At each juncture the schools operate from the budget last approved by the Town Council until all three steps are fulfilled.</p><p>I'll continue to keep parents and staff updated via email on each step outlined above. If you are wondering what YOU can do to HELP - I have a good answer - <b style="background-color: #04ff00;">PLEASE BE SURE TO GET OUT AND VOTE ON JULY 25!</b> 😎</p><p>Absentee ballots will be available, although due to the tight timeline mail in options may not be possible. Folks can pick up absentee ballots and drop them off rather than mail them after the Town Council vote on July 11.</p><p>Any questions - Please ask! Thank you!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">HOW DO THE SCHOOLS HANDLE CONFLICTS/COMPLAINTS?</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZgg4-dhbD63HATp_D9dp7T0CZWwn8WBWuh77QeBnti6wzo7y2aUPWCmjKj0GesX0-gGwe90d6AjM2F4BovKkNKoJPYD4BGyiqKsCbhXuwrrGDrl0WFO3ZSfCyTeXvgOMKH2bDgfm_Cv0p3aZLyi2tuwDuINCI3-uarFaIRhC_-6KJ6OdMS7B8Qa6d" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="133" data-original-width="380" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZgg4-dhbD63HATp_D9dp7T0CZWwn8WBWuh77QeBnti6wzo7y2aUPWCmjKj0GesX0-gGwe90d6AjM2F4BovKkNKoJPYD4BGyiqKsCbhXuwrrGDrl0WFO3ZSfCyTeXvgOMKH2bDgfm_Cv0p3aZLyi2tuwDuINCI3-uarFaIRhC_-6KJ6OdMS7B8Qa6d" width="320" /></a></span></b></div><p></p><p>Given some recent events I thought it might be helpful to spend some time clarifying for families and community members the various policies, procedures and state and federal statutes that govern how we as a school must respond to any complaint made by students, staff, families or community members. </p><p>It is important to be clear about what these processes and procedures are in order to help families and community members know (1) how to appropriately communicate complaints so that issues are dealt with early on before they can grow to potentially larger issues and (2) that even though schools can't make public information regarding students or employees while these complaint processes are ongoing, that does not mean that nothing is being done and in fact much more is going on behind the scenes than can be seen by the general public.</p><p><b>So how does one lodge complaints - either formally or informally?</b></p><p>We have a strong belief here in Gorham that the best solutions to any problems are often (but not always) found at the lowest possible levels, closest to where the conflict/complaint may be. We believe this because these are the individuals who are most knowledgeable about the various conditions that may be at play. So the first step in any general complaint is to communicate. I will outline what to do for more significant complaints a little later - i.e. bullying, harassment, etc.</p><p>Our general complaints process is clearly outlined in our <a href="https://4.files.edl.io/96f8/05/11/23/144825-4af49548-421d-452c-a1ac-aa18dac299a7.pdf">Policy KE</a> - Public Concerns and Complaints. In the policy, we encourage individuals to use what we call the appropriate chain of communication. For example - in a situation where an employee has a conflict with another employee we ask that employee first to communicate directly with the other employee about the conflict if at all possible. Then if that doesn't resolve whatever the conflict is, the employee is expected to go to their next immediate supervisor to share their concerns and to see if that next person can help resolve the conflict. This continues up the "chain" all the way to the Superintendent and in some cases even to the School Committee if needed. Example: Ed. Tech concern about another Ed. Tech - Talk with Ed. Tech - then talk with supervising teacher - then talk with building principal - then talk with Superintendent.</p><p>Rarely do issues involving general complaints come to the School Committee because they are more often than not resolved at the lower levels. </p><p>For general complaints this same process is encouraged for students, parents and community members as well. Start at the lowest level and then work up the chain. </p><p>If these conflicts are more serious (rather than general), or are repeated then, the steps in the chain can and sometimes should be skipped depending upon the situation. Our building level leaders are often the ones that help to navigate these decisions. </p><p>General guidelines for expectations of student behaviors are outlined in each school's student handbook. For those students who participate in extra and co-curricular activities there may be additional expectations such as those outlined in our athletic handbook. Our district also makes clear overall expectations via our <a href="https://1.cdn.edl.io/UZRqpQCKPIV2XwkMNVsQbj05CHGCpmzN8AtrlQe1ZKEzUtxE.pdf">Code of Conduct Policy</a> and we work diligently to uphold these ideals each and every day in our schools.</p><p>There are also conflicts/complaints which can arise that are more serious in nature. Many of these are serious enough to have their own policies associated with them. For example, we have a specific policy and clear set of procedures to communicate complaints about bullying. We also have specific policies and procedures about how to make complaints about harassment and sexual harassment. For ease of reference, I've linked those below:</p><p>- <a href="https://1.cdn.edl.io/LygJosvzXP7xPDwrkapAU45YXS1VGamSh7T9uXNH60ANaECk.pdf"> Policy JICK</a> - which includes associated procedures of JICK -R, JICK-E (reporting form), JICK-E2 (Response form), and JICK-E3 (Summary of disciplinary action) - all of these can be found by <a href="https://www.gorhamschools.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=456650&type=d&pREC_ID=990338">CLICKING HERE</a></p><p>- <a href="https://4.files.edl.io/6531/11/10/22/172719-de49f15f-751d-41f3-b843-c5f4665b81bd.pdf">Policy ACAA</a> - Student discrimination, harassment or sexual harassment - which includes procedures <a href="https://4.files.edl.io/be2b/12/20/22/160734-d8288294-ccbe-4d77-8ac8-7a38db600c8a.pdf">ACAA-R</a></p><p><i>Note: All of our district's policies can be found on our website by<a href="https://www.gorhamschools.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=456650&type=d&pREC_ID=990321"> CLICKING HERE</a>.</i></p><p>By sharing this information, please know we do not expect students, parents, or staff members to navigate these processes on their own. Teachers, coaches, support staff, guidance counselors, social workers, building leaders and program leaders are all trained in these policies and practices and can help individuals with complaints navigate the various policies that may be at play. The first step is always to communicate the complaint and be prepared to go to the next level on the chain if the complaint is not adequately addressed. </p><p>For each complaint that is launched, and depending upon the specific type of complaint we respond in accordance with the policies and procedures shared above. Some are more prescriptive than others. Some require that full "investigations" occur with written outcomes and filing of those outcomes with my office and even reporting to the state in some cases. Others do not. Complaints regarding bullying and harassment/sexual harassment are handled in a much more regimented manner for example than complaints made about buses being late picking up students.</p><p>In all circumstances, any information collected as part of dealing with complaints or conflicts that relates to students or to employees directly is confidential information and therefore cannot be shared publicly by the school department. This is in alignment with Maine Labor relation laws and in alignment with student privacy laws such as FERPA. Because of this, the reality is that in many cases, information that is being shared by private citizens in social media land or via the general media is not representative of all information that may be available at any given time. What the school can say in these public forums is limited. </p><p>At the end of the day, I hope people walk away from this portion of my blog post with the knowledge that as a school system we want to engage with students, families and community members about any complaint/conflict our important stakeholders may have. Ultimately we all want the same thing - for those complaints/conflicts to be resolved. Communicating complaints/conflicts then is something we wish to encourage from all stakeholders because it is only then that we can work together in partnership to seek resolution that allows all partners to move forward in a positive manner. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">MORE THAN 130 GHS SENIORS EARN MAINE CAREER EXPLORATION BADGE!</span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2839972727272726; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i></i></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-C0F1trtOo5hn_md7LRxWwoQldSrrn2MJILwyClwERNaWw0wsNuhjgztK-NL131gJzVake2uUFGH3orW3C9PtQu1QtsOjiej23rPvka01OK5wORNXjUC4gXWq2ju1oL-BlKhdtKIGG5RA0ej-xOzhxWb2_4XLK8Fqre3Emuq9mXAiQaZGsjGB8uep" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="187" data-original-width="270" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-C0F1trtOo5hn_md7LRxWwoQldSrrn2MJILwyClwERNaWw0wsNuhjgztK-NL131gJzVake2uUFGH3orW3C9PtQu1QtsOjiej23rPvka01OK5wORNXjUC4gXWq2ju1oL-BlKhdtKIGG5RA0ej-xOzhxWb2_4XLK8Fqre3Emuq9mXAiQaZGsjGB8uep" width="320" /></a></i></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><i><br /></i></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2839972727272726; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>Note: This Media release will go out on Tuesday to all local press! You all get a "sneak peek"! ☺</i></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2839972727272726; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">More than 130 Gorham High School seniors participate in workforce experiences to earn the Maine Career Exploration Badge</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e94a08d1-7fff-f04c-0615-607faf65ea32"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2839972727272726; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">GORHAM, Maine - Aspire Gorham, a partnership with MELMAC Education Foundation, the Gorham School District, and JMG, proudly announces that 136 seniors have completed workplace learning experiences to earn the Maine Career Exploration Badge.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2839972727272726; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">JMG’s Maine Career Exploration Badge for Maine high school juniors and seniors is an opportunity to participate in 40 hours of meaningful work experiences facilitated through an intentionally designed exploration and reflection process. Students receive an academic award of $500 upon completion.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2839972727272726; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">Aspire Gorham, with the support of JMG, collaborated with more than 100 local businesses, organizations, and professionals to provide students with authentic work experiences aligned with their career interests. Experiences included traditional internships, job shadows, volunteer projects, and approved extended learning opportunities. These partnerships allowed students to gain invaluable exposure and fostered connections within their community.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2839972727272726; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">"We are proud that so many of our Gorham High School seniors were able to earn the Maine Career Exploration Badge this spring through their internship experiences. This $500 scholarship validates these important learning experiences for our students and demonstrates how a strong organization like JMG can work hand in hand with business owners and public schools to develop and strengthen our future workforce in Maine,” said Gorham School District Superintendent Heather Perry. “Our Gorham High School students had learning experiences that will last a lifetime and built skills that will serve them well in their future success as a result. Thank you to JMG for sponsoring such an incredible opportunity for our students."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2839972727272726; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">These dedicated students have demonstrated exceptional commitment and enthusiasm in pursuing diverse career paths, showcasing their preparedness for future success.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2839972727272726; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">We congratulate our Maine Career Exploration Badge recipients on their remarkable accomplishments. Their career exploration journeys have laid a strong foundation for lifelong learning and personal growth, instilling a sense of purpose and direction in their chosen paths.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2839972727272726; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-weight: 700; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">About JMG</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2839972727272726; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">JMG partners with public education and private businesses to offer results-driven solutions to ensure all Maine students graduate, attain post-secondary credentials, and pursue meaningful careers. JMG is the largest statewide education nonprofit in Maine and is the only educational organization that provides a continuum of support to students from middle school, throughout high school, and onto post-secondary education and career pathways.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2839972727272726; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">About Aspire Gorham</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2839972727272726; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">Aspire Gorham represents a partnership among Gorham School District, the MELMAC Education Foundation, and JMG, to continue to advance how Gorham prepares students for life after high school.</span></span></p></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">ANTIRACISM & EQUITY COMMITTEE </span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">END OF YEAR UPDATE...</span></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5oRjzeLj3dni4XF2tcYg4KwPKFOx6HYGRW3rWtDsDAKUi431tV7ENlgJrKTLqi1M3FNIj75MfM5rGRKNS1MWRn6gv4UqH1ToXdNSizVpEHJeBQ-_yk5DTN30pFyE1r_faatauiXuFT-1nhcDFB3szKP_6akc-KGjCgnku30FRjQP2m8T65HFz5-J2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="221" data-original-width="228" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5oRjzeLj3dni4XF2tcYg4KwPKFOx6HYGRW3rWtDsDAKUi431tV7ENlgJrKTLqi1M3FNIj75MfM5rGRKNS1MWRn6gv4UqH1ToXdNSizVpEHJeBQ-_yk5DTN30pFyE1r_faatauiXuFT-1nhcDFB3szKP_6akc-KGjCgnku30FRjQP2m8T65HFz5-J2=w214-h207" width="214" /></a></div><p></p><p>At our last regular school committee meeting of the 2022-23 school year (held June 14th) the Anti-Racism & Equity Committee delivered a comprehensive report to the School Committee on its work for the year.</p><p>You can view the written report by<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NsIuFLw5lhwbqmEMhOOZf3P2h3HdH8kT/view?usp=drive_link"> CLICKING HERE</a>.</p><p>You can view the video of the report (minute 2:45) provided by <a href="https://view.earthchannel.com/PlayerController.aspx?&PGD=gorhamme&eID=570">CLICKING HERE</a>.</p><p>We remain excited about these important conversations continuing across our schools and community. The committee's work will continue after the summer break. If there are members of the public who are interested in joining the work, please email me at heather.perry@gorhamschools.org. We are always seeking additional participation from our community! </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">SUPERINTENDENT'S 360 EVALUATION SURVEY </span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">OVERALL RESULTS</span></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisA0L0ul8JAoGkhSZUs59_CLUgVMLGR3oVDf-lQa9LGraovTXTbaIOlJ948vc5bKPi5eDgQhi34L2SWL1VS6Qzgv8BXVsPgptmVrD_4t8ShmcfbypL8Sp1AFdQ4noXr_vsU3DYE8AHz4ZVzlPDtoXGXywhluxgiECkrvxNjoVjQdSq5YHQ6V6ZQvfV" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisA0L0ul8JAoGkhSZUs59_CLUgVMLGR3oVDf-lQa9LGraovTXTbaIOlJ948vc5bKPi5eDgQhi34L2SWL1VS6Qzgv8BXVsPgptmVrD_4t8ShmcfbypL8Sp1AFdQ4noXr_vsU3DYE8AHz4ZVzlPDtoXGXywhluxgiECkrvxNjoVjQdSq5YHQ6V6ZQvfV" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p>Each year as part of my annual evaluation process, the School Committee conducts a 360 survey process that engages staff, parents and the School Committee members in the provision of the essential feedback that helps to guide my annual goal setting and the direction and focus of our work moving forward. </p><p>Each year, I try to share the summary information gathered from that process. Please know that we had over 150 staff participants, over 200 parent/family participants, and of course full participation from the 7 members of the school committee. That is A LOT of great data, but likely a little too much to share in this blog post. </p><p>Please know that the School Committee thoroughly reviews each and every comment made by participants in these surveys so even though I am not sharing them all here below - they are so very valuable. Instead, I wanted to share the overall results of each group's summary question which is this: </p><p><i>Overall, I support our Superintendent strongly disagree/disagree/agree/strongly agree. </i> </p><p>Here are the summary charts for each stakeholder group:</p><p><u>Parents/Families:</u></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1qhTQlsL3flO7vtRL6R-3b8oAgmhfLFe5ET0e10J2XyXIkmBF0vdmZYkva4ozug2KViA3Gt_VIAFuKP8muXIa4pgW_N9uLFPx-wSXaxU2KRscppVnXZNKI0YVVFQyf1bV3MiC4KFm-uFIa9LLu_98hVtWeRAzS8w1l1FQd5XhODzIiYOOZ50r3Wzp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1270" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1qhTQlsL3flO7vtRL6R-3b8oAgmhfLFe5ET0e10J2XyXIkmBF0vdmZYkva4ozug2KViA3Gt_VIAFuKP8muXIa4pgW_N9uLFPx-wSXaxU2KRscppVnXZNKI0YVVFQyf1bV3MiC4KFm-uFIa9LLu_98hVtWeRAzS8w1l1FQd5XhODzIiYOOZ50r3Wzp=w569-h257" width="569" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>Staff:</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjAyuvihEB_ez3anDch5E_ivPj_3uR3xTM7M8b9bPZKbUBsNEzyoxe4IktgmxgfuL2G67V8CdwdYpebopvBswWluBeru62WgfzaFjceijdnmEnstIlPXkMPUibVVMHcGcMuN0jbTscAX4t5Wzg4mOcRtQc4eVz2NHLbwemwZ4KWoDAFDIkD8qT5GwyO" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="1304" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjAyuvihEB_ez3anDch5E_ivPj_3uR3xTM7M8b9bPZKbUBsNEzyoxe4IktgmxgfuL2G67V8CdwdYpebopvBswWluBeru62WgfzaFjceijdnmEnstIlPXkMPUibVVMHcGcMuN0jbTscAX4t5Wzg4mOcRtQc4eVz2NHLbwemwZ4KWoDAFDIkD8qT5GwyO=w626-h272" width="626" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><br /><u>School Committee:</u><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghHE4NYwbwJ135oQt3UEljAf_mSWD8stJN7cKznrT3NdjgLKssL-53vCa6_WNnEVDj-dU3jKhhx9esh_KM7vqcTZaDmI6_1Ut9WQp4xDp3y5qIQ-CuQg-LEp4x8FLF8ZEdZ00z8VC4r2OZ1CSjtAZWGK4IlKjWWT5EWzNG1zeC_ZqqL98D7tBWGfgJ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="1292" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghHE4NYwbwJ135oQt3UEljAf_mSWD8stJN7cKznrT3NdjgLKssL-53vCa6_WNnEVDj-dU3jKhhx9esh_KM7vqcTZaDmI6_1Ut9WQp4xDp3y5qIQ-CuQg-LEp4x8FLF8ZEdZ00z8VC4r2OZ1CSjtAZWGK4IlKjWWT5EWzNG1zeC_ZqqL98D7tBWGfgJ=w633-h273" width="633" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p>Again - so much more valuable data in there! It has already been used to provide incredibly strong feedback to me to help me to continuously improve my practices as a leader. I hope you will see a considerable amount of that reflected in my upcoming goals for the 2023-24 School Year! Thank you to everyone that participated!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">ASPIRE GORHAM FINAL NEWSLETTER FOR 2023-24</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYvSMqQmZE-dyOmUKMM3hLwyyl7UJVUhoOgsPay1k3YN5deq-yUF4sRjHf2jmRWFKJe109o197usq1lNwHpQcGGbeqepb0CUSOmmLOQFNPE8cnbZ1J1ktQpExF7YCtriFnnQHnO5-ehptHbI_rQXbi_7JpnkkZeNcba7PeZXhwa2moGgBJL2LtRcXI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="2150" height="102" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYvSMqQmZE-dyOmUKMM3hLwyyl7UJVUhoOgsPay1k3YN5deq-yUF4sRjHf2jmRWFKJe109o197usq1lNwHpQcGGbeqepb0CUSOmmLOQFNPE8cnbZ1J1ktQpExF7YCtriFnnQHnO5-ehptHbI_rQXbi_7JpnkkZeNcba7PeZXhwa2moGgBJL2LtRcXI=w487-h102" width="487" /></a></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><p></p><p>Please <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MAFyyvKyAFUX-INEyPgqjVUZ0uT7M37w/view?usp=sharing">CLICK HERE</a> to view the final Aspire Gorham Newsletter for June, 2023. Some incredible activities and some great learning! Definitely worth the read!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">FULL STUDENT VOICES VIDEO SERIES </span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">ALL SEVEN IN ONE PLACE!</span></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLBXed7Y3Mdv-PavmimxqBXFtx5e_2-eCYxisg1vKfEvSpyCugpABljONABJrbQN4Gz1PgsjP1q95vx5Z47KVayxXtul2dkr2I-VfB4s6lsSOAHbm8qd3UODFQ8SgWjL1NGUJI3yAviE6Shb7MP3DCXWhk6J8PN0YAFModycjvvFaz8WU5VuC24X-K/s243/download.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="208" data-original-width="243" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLBXed7Y3Mdv-PavmimxqBXFtx5e_2-eCYxisg1vKfEvSpyCugpABljONABJrbQN4Gz1PgsjP1q95vx5Z47KVayxXtul2dkr2I-VfB4s6lsSOAHbm8qd3UODFQ8SgWjL1NGUJI3yAviE6Shb7MP3DCXWhk6J8PN0YAFModycjvvFaz8WU5VuC24X-K/s1600/download.png" width="243" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p>For the past month or more I've been sharing our student voices video series. Well, the seventh and final video is linked below. Please check out episode #7 and all previous episodes below to get a strong perspective from our students what it is like being a "Gorham Ram" across grades 6-12. It is indeed their voices you hear!</p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><div style="clear: both;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://vimeo.com/811806070/7e106c9422&source=gmail&ust=1686970947460000&usg=AOvVaw2UTamBudaMso8u3b8L4OgD" href="https://vimeo.com/811806070/7e106c9422" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Episode 1</a> - 6th grade <span class="il">video</span> (Gabe)<br /><br /><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://vimeo.com/811803990/324da41b08&source=gmail&ust=1686970947460000&usg=AOvVaw2TKWtE0Mlk2NUXodNtgI9q" href="https://vimeo.com/811803990/324da41b08" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Episode 2</a> - 7th grade <span class="il">video</span> (Sadie)<br /><br /><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://vimeo.com/811814744/d05360853b&source=gmail&ust=1686970947460000&usg=AOvVaw1IPsR4PmNqfjoPuheZ6Tpm" href="https://vimeo.com/811814744/d05360853b" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Episode 3</a> - 8th grade <span class="il">video</span> (Alex)</b></span></div><div style="clear: both;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="clear: both;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://vimeo.com/826638096/6f39860848&source=gmail&ust=1686970947460000&usg=AOvVaw1eo4E1Y0WvIBWD7WjNr7Xd" href="https://vimeo.com/826638096/6f39860848" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Episode 4</a> - Class of 2023 <span class="il">Video</span> (Klarha)</b></span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://vimeo.com/828386249/0beefa072b&source=gmail&ust=1686970947460000&usg=AOvVaw356HP-oMhvu9Pobbyykgz1" href="https://vimeo.com/828386249/0beefa072b" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Episode 5</a> - Maddie - The Arts<br /></b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://vimeo.com/831249364/ffc792356d&source=gmail&ust=1686970947460000&usg=AOvVaw3nwLSoiGHXbiGsT6qwniV2" href="https://vimeo.com/831249364/ffc792356d" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Episode 6</a> - Gabe - Athletics</b><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://vimeo.com/833085962/3da8cb0f9c&source=gmail&ust=1686970947460000&usg=AOvVaw25_3r5V2tx4ylOCFgyKqMe" href="https://vimeo.com/833085962/3da8cb0f9c" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Episode 7</a> - Julia - Do Your Own Thing</span></b></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span><u>Gorham Pride Celebration</u></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span><u></u></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><u><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJt5sachuKkupYWahq1126oYg860X2Uwoy7CiFpNXagMvfQurQy3tTyqFrBeziVLk0CeQcaQwN0TTc_t7fTTdIbdGFF9r7a3HvFD0_B80Gm20y_IqCAF6uGw3bTtmenqKi-v976T2J4IGJBh435kCHqzPXiKAy5T96IXZqk3Q5Eh5hLkZVoQlYnlgH" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="870" data-original-width="1700" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJt5sachuKkupYWahq1126oYg860X2Uwoy7CiFpNXagMvfQurQy3tTyqFrBeziVLk0CeQcaQwN0TTc_t7fTTdIbdGFF9r7a3HvFD0_B80Gm20y_IqCAF6uGw3bTtmenqKi-v976T2J4IGJBh435kCHqzPXiKAy5T96IXZqk3Q5Eh5hLkZVoQlYnlgH" width="320" /></a></u></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>Gorham Pride is hosting its first annual pride month celebration on June 24 at the gazebo outside of the municipal center. All ages are invited to attend. Events will begin with an opening at 11:00 a.m. followed by a Lavender choir performance, a drag storytime, a Maine Marimba Ensemble and then drag performances. Activities are scheduled to end around 2:00 p.m. There will also be face painting, food trucks and other vendors. You can get more information by going to <a href="http://gorhampride.org">gorhampride.org</a></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><u>Gorham Municipal Office Hours Changing</u></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RwsHVckwRs1pZsV7LQQJtzG3OMlkZnKG/view?usp=sharing">CLICK HERE</a> to view the press release from the Town Manager.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><u>Baxter Library Summer Reading Kick Off Events</u>!</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbB_-mqdyNOcbz8ImEMguBa4CRD06nVs3Bg7GSYH5c7hiJguzJTvCOd3wlQGi6p27hXYPm8TJPrVvL3qXxlWcg2s8ihE36HzRRHkKW6coPOyGujC5iAjP5MqRm2A6OtVdJBtpd6IyZl3J-JK2Dl2RAYxvXXy7eWpG1U8v_c5lFuhEgkif8py3gSQbO" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1545" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbB_-mqdyNOcbz8ImEMguBa4CRD06nVs3Bg7GSYH5c7hiJguzJTvCOd3wlQGi6p27hXYPm8TJPrVvL3qXxlWcg2s8ihE36HzRRHkKW6coPOyGujC5iAjP5MqRm2A6OtVdJBtpd6IyZl3J-JK2Dl2RAYxvXXy7eWpG1U8v_c5lFuhEgkif8py3gSQbO=w343-h444" width="343" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhI98e0AmwURv4DobM18qR6UC8GoCri-ciGCmUQxH4pUMAVBuei4CJi0FyL-_WlX7ozTpt0_nlny1Jn493Egu6pQGn-I2-P1HZp7s2aUYEasqDwJS4KjO8LC5PYrKR1c5E_S58VTzL_p543AIE75swsqfXhq8noewa9sU6OehPHEc_F-hYxdc6tPKwl" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1545" height="451" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhI98e0AmwURv4DobM18qR6UC8GoCri-ciGCmUQxH4pUMAVBuei4CJi0FyL-_WlX7ozTpt0_nlny1Jn493Egu6pQGn-I2-P1HZp7s2aUYEasqDwJS4KjO8LC5PYrKR1c5E_S58VTzL_p543AIE75swsqfXhq8noewa9sU6OehPHEc_F-hYxdc6tPKwl=w348-h451" width="348" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><u>Presumpscot Summer Trail Challenge</u></div></div><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEga8A0vuWYnR99ZUAY0_10esHbRZSQGeepJNjdy9UZgtzx8J5RWebElT_ArWNfkcf6UD3HoR-Jpux7N4EUKNBjkYPpXAZCYzrzWjDkDf22qVQJF1wbGuKT9PkPIQhMfvXQ15JZxpKjSU7_7UfsTuHpL56UVhgZGlGdO3i28j_ZWYJ2BIaIZ5OdT232o" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="1116" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEga8A0vuWYnR99ZUAY0_10esHbRZSQGeepJNjdy9UZgtzx8J5RWebElT_ArWNfkcf6UD3HoR-Jpux7N4EUKNBjkYPpXAZCYzrzWjDkDf22qVQJF1wbGuKT9PkPIQhMfvXQ15JZxpKjSU7_7UfsTuHpL56UVhgZGlGdO3i28j_ZWYJ2BIaIZ5OdT232o" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Join Presumpscot Regional Land Trust for the first-ever summer trail challenge, which highlights local trail destinations.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The challenge is to visit and photograph six Land Trust Preserve destinations from June 15th – August 31st. At each location, you will be challenged to identify a landmark at the preserve.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The six trails of the challenge are each 1-2 miles long. Throughout the trails, there are scavenger hunts, fairy houses, and story walks, making this a family-friendly adventure. This challenge is free and intended for all ages and hiking experience levels.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">You could find yourself discovering centuries-old trees in Windham, exploring the ruins of a 150-year-old mill along the Presumpscot River in Gorham, enjoying meandering meadows in Standish, and following a wild river in Westbrook.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The challenge is sponsored by REI Co-op of Westbrook, and the first 100 participants that complete the challenge will receive a co-branded custom REI Co-op and Land Trust water bottle. Every participant will be eligible to receive a co-branded REI Co-op and Land Trust sticker.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">To learn more and register for this trail challenge </span><a data-saferedirectreason="2" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://prlt.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u%3D9098f68b308d7ae0dd6dfaa33%26id%3D964fef0987%26e%3Db36de22dff&source=gmail&ust=1686971085236000&usg=AOvVaw0wyDPcLcucRE_WkIjU2O8G" href="https://prlt.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9098f68b308d7ae0dd6dfaa33&id=964fef0987&e=b36de22dff" style="background-color: white; color: #007c89;" target="_blank">click here</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">. </span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">A LITTLE CLOSING REFLECTION ON THE 2022-23 SCHOOL YEAR</span></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0_-C2X-2EjtCxP8NstqS3MpgGFJqv6a07EwZjrENIUXPz-Y3D74TZdzTzeHAJM8gXQrHCc8u2cEGoAV01t5ZdklCWh_gdYu6_i74N6jYJO30fvcCR8ghv_C_bpEpsXW1V3j-x37UKDVo0XeHCE_mKZqAXUA9HJqp76KCgPSOi4x5TMpCYQubgabVH" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0_-C2X-2EjtCxP8NstqS3MpgGFJqv6a07EwZjrENIUXPz-Y3D74TZdzTzeHAJM8gXQrHCc8u2cEGoAV01t5ZdklCWh_gdYu6_i74N6jYJO30fvcCR8ghv_C_bpEpsXW1V3j-x37UKDVo0XeHCE_mKZqAXUA9HJqp76KCgPSOi4x5TMpCYQubgabVH" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>There is no question that the 2022-23 School Year has had its fair share of challenges, but we've also had ample success across all our schools! </p><p>Our challenges are not news to anyone as we've talked about them at length. The social/emotional and mental health of our students and staff remains a strong concern across all of our schools. Screen time, bullying and cyberbullying, gaps in social skills, harassment, depression, anxiety are just a few of the issues our schools are challenged by each and every day. On the staff side, long working hours, divisive political climates, and just the sheer weight of the work have been challenging. These are mostly just the relational challenges we face, all of this on top of the challenges of teaching our students the strong academic skills they will need to be successful too! Oh yeah - and did I mention funding and the increasing costs of "doing school"? Nope, there is no shortage of challenges, but the good news is that we know where the solutions to these challenges can be found - and that is within us all - within our strong community! </p><p>We know that the solutions to these problems are found within our incredibly talented, caring and passionate staff. They can be found within our supportive and loving families. They can be found within our community organizations, business owners and others who volunteer their time to help our schools and the children we serve. Gorham is a strong community. It is a family. And although at times we may have our differences (as any good family does), at the end of the day we come together to support one another and to wrap our arms around one another to problem solve and lift one another up in support of our children. </p><p>Don't think our students feel that support or know that it exists? I go back to results of our most recent MIYHS survey where 92.5% of GMS students and 83.1% of GHS students said that their family loves and supports them (State average was 85% and 79% respectively). In another question students were asked if they felt like they mattered to their community. 61% of GMS and 61% of GHS students said that they did while the state average was 54% for Middle School and 51% for High School students answering in the affirmative for this same question. Bottom line - although they may not sometimes show it - they know we care!</p><p>So the good news is that although we have our fair share of challenges moving forward, we also have our fair share of answers for how we address them together! We just need to continue to work together to uncover them!</p><p>In more good news - we also have much to celebrate together! </p><p>It would be a very long reflection if we tried to share everything here but I think it is fair to say that what we are most proud of has been the work that we have done to fully re-open our schools to our families and to our community this past year! From STEAM nights, to literacy nights, to community picnics, to the Amazing Race, to Aspire Gorham and open houses and everything in between I hope you have seen our concerted effort to engage our incredible community in our important work with students! </p><p>All of you have responded by fully participating as well! Our volunteer numbers are almost back up to pre-pandemic times, community events have been well attended, and whenever we as a school need something we know we can reach out to our families and to our community and support will be there! THANK YOU!</p><p>Overall, when I think of what we do as a school community to support our school children, it isn't any one glamorous or flashy "big thing". It is all of the "little things" that build up over time that we do to support our children that matter the most. A smile on a bad day. A pat on the back of encouragement when a small failure occurs, or simply saying: I believe in you. These are the little things that make a BIG difference over time. </p><p>All of this is evidenced in our annual Senior Walk. This is when our graduating seniors get a chance to go back and visit the "littles" and to celebrate their achievements. This is when former elementary and middle school teachers get to see the "fruits of their labor" come into being in our graduates. This is when we all get to see just how much our children grow and learn over their years with us! Each ed. tech., each bus driver, each teacher, each secretary, each parent, each business partner - all of us - making small contributions along the way to help each individual child succeed. We get to watch each student discover themselves and build pride and confidence in themselves and what they can do. Each with their own special gifts to share with us all. </p><p>I know - I know - I've gotten far too "mushy" here - but to me - our senior walk is a walk of pride. It is a culmination of all their hard work, of our hard work as a school community. It is our vision and mission in action! Its the seniors themselves showing pride in who they are, who they have become and who they are yet to be - but also pride for all of us who helped them to get to this point in ways both "big" and "small". </p><p>So I think it is only fitting to end my final blog post for this school year by sharing the link to the <a href="https://vimeo.com/835020459/8ade907cc4?fbclid=IwAR2CJwB-P4JRcme6W4pQTmoVJrf0hDz89rYp46-o-vCqoJtfRJ9B9rsrA7A">Class of 2023 Senior Walk Video</a>. When you watch it - check out that sense of pride in our greater Gorham family seen in the reflections of this experience. It is most definitely there!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/835020459/8ade907cc4?fbclid=IwAR2CJwB-P4JRcme6W4pQTmoVJrf0hDz89rYp46-o-vCqoJtfRJ9B9rsrA7A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="672" data-original-width="1356" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRp4gOHHro9BEtSC0rgBNLy6IslhvGfurSmTeACYjXKClHcaZ2Gow_J5bl2XNTTIhODBu9wzOs6K8Mf6Lh4DS1JmNcME0lnI6YXParxew0wHYnNc20oIu3DzC3hPBcAU7YT4JD2cj9NwgBl-S_sivjC2ze7bOFKA3b7MYUF9nH3wD8E5hQWiRvvGze=w532-h264" width="532" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>THANK YOU ALL FOR AN AWESOME SCHOOL YEAR! I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYONE AGAIN IN AUGUST! PROUD TO BE A RAM!</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>ENJOY YOUR WELL-EARNED SUMMER BREAKS!</b></div><br /><br /><p></p><p><br /></p>Heather Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902747451985096596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2916890148299174047.post-80281386497254792652023-06-02T07:18:00.001-07:002023-06-02T07:28:12.393-07:00June 2 Blog Post<p>June has arrived, and the end of the 2022-23 School Year is most definitely upon us! Some pictures below to get a glimpse into what our students are up to and then on to the important information! No time to lose! Here we go!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhihfOB-xh4ph3P81Dws2PErR_zkkXCrNwXZi2X-vQ4eOjuP-R6UH4VE9_BrWMmF8zcrh5BY-3BAzbPnU0oCmZC5yhiSXBnZdyrOGSWVlCWvC9P6VdU8GwQ1CDcsLAMnrpuR028qjbLCPn-t0Q9Tu6Ss2l8ohtQy_O5HPC1X2OSPQqmJ9T1PHJ3qZPV/s3264/June%202%20one.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="598" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhihfOB-xh4ph3P81Dws2PErR_zkkXCrNwXZi2X-vQ4eOjuP-R6UH4VE9_BrWMmF8zcrh5BY-3BAzbPnU0oCmZC5yhiSXBnZdyrOGSWVlCWvC9P6VdU8GwQ1CDcsLAMnrpuR028qjbLCPn-t0Q9Tu6Ss2l8ohtQy_O5HPC1X2OSPQqmJ9T1PHJ3qZPV/w598-h598/June%202%20one.png" width="598" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6KYsqctWwzpmIxDmcD4TAUFFPHdJAVG2uZdIdr7xPBWP3wS1sVxwj2fFjqTRd27x0cigmTc7Of3iVA1G3TPhIj--r-15Tj_t_kIRKuYQg0XjMpmGpzqxd6PPMwGf2mr5LNd27d-Wg2YEaTm_IdKjKD32Xh6tuVhHgVjsexXEwdNdQtJq9W1mfu7XA/s3264/June%202%20two.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="597" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6KYsqctWwzpmIxDmcD4TAUFFPHdJAVG2uZdIdr7xPBWP3wS1sVxwj2fFjqTRd27x0cigmTc7Of3iVA1G3TPhIj--r-15Tj_t_kIRKuYQg0XjMpmGpzqxd6PPMwGf2mr5LNd27d-Wg2YEaTm_IdKjKD32Xh6tuVhHgVjsexXEwdNdQtJq9W1mfu7XA/w597-h597/June%202%20two.png" width="597" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So much going on...I could have added more but I think two is a good sampling! Now on to the information!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">PROPOSED FY 24 SCHOOL BUDGET INFORMATION</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2JRqvUO2PxomdBPzisX2PNxBdRTCNkVROpYUxO5iBlu7ogAdi9atnGunzKu1IfB3U6IlyLInjBO3XtlAeXvbuTFW2rTp7AzARJ5M1hHK--WFUbk5vVLJI2_j3eIBIKcUoEcidbj4Eb8HJJy2PEEoBLU0xV6rD8xQWCMCCtoSlAHk3DMCcq5_6df6B" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="210" data-original-width="240" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2JRqvUO2PxomdBPzisX2PNxBdRTCNkVROpYUxO5iBlu7ogAdi9atnGunzKu1IfB3U6IlyLInjBO3XtlAeXvbuTFW2rTp7AzARJ5M1hHK--WFUbk5vVLJI2_j3eIBIKcUoEcidbj4Eb8HJJy2PEEoBLU0xV6rD8xQWCMCCtoSlAHk3DMCcq5_6df6B" width="274" /></a></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As a quick re-cap of the process thus far, we began our FY 24 budget development processes back in October of 2022 with the development of priorities and refreshers on process with members of the district leadership team. This work culminated in the Superintendent's initial proposed FY 24 budget that was shared with the Gorham School Committee in February, 2023. The School Committee then met over the course of 5 different meetings and cut almost $2 million dollars from the original proposal before voting unanimously on April 12, 2023 to approve of the proposed budget. The budget was then sent to the Town Council and on May 16, 2023 the Town Council voted unanimously to approve of the budget after it reduced an additional $800,000.00 from the proposed budget. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The total proposed budget for FY 24 now stands at $51,494,845 and represents a 10.91% increase in expenditures over FY 23's total budget of $46,427,320.00. This represents an approximate $1.31 anticipated increase in the mil rate for FY 24. For a home valued at $400,000.00 this would represent a little over $500.00 in increased tax for FY 24.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There is no doubt that this is a significant increase to taxes for FY 24, especially in a fiscal year directly after a re-evaluation year and the corresponding impacts to taxpayers that occurred as a result. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There is also no doubt that these funds are needed to provide adequate educational programming to our community's children. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Gorham Schools continues to have the 2nd lowest per pupil expenditures in Cumberland County. Our staffing levels are the most efficient in Cumberland County according to the EPS funding formula. Our administrative costs at both the school and district level are either average or below the average for all other Cumberland County Schools and over 70% of our overall budget goes directly to support students in our classrooms. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If additional reductions are made they will result in larger class sizes, fewer course options for HS students, reductions to allied arts programs, and fewer overall supports for struggling learners (learning labs, 504 services, alternative education programs, etc.).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The School Committee and administrative team are committed to trying to find more creative ways to both reduce costs and increase revenues to offset continued needs. We will be studying the following methods of cost reduction (this is not an all inclusive list):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">* Potential Movement back to grade level elementary schools</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">* Reductions to transportation routes</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">* Increased early intervention services</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">* Participating in Solar options and efficiency upgrades of mechanical systems</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">* Increased shared services</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We will be studying the following methods of increasing revenue streams to offset taxpayer expense (again, this is not an all inclusive list):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">* Increased collaboration with Greater Sebego Education Alliance Regional Service Center</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">* Increased tuition students</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">* Maine Care billing for medical service provision</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">* Child Development Services (CDS) billing for provision of services</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">* Creative agreements for solar energy and selling of Renewable Energy Credits</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The School Committee has wrestled with this budget for several months. The Town Council has also wrestled with the implications of this proposed budget on the community. Both have voted unanimously to approve of this proposed budget while doing the best they could as our elected officials to balance the needs of the children with the needs of our taxpayers. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It is now time for the taxpayers of Gorham to decide to either "validate" the proposed budget via referendum, or not. On June 13, voters will be asked to either vote "YES" on the proposed FY 24 School budget, which means you approve of the budget passed by the Town Council on May 16 or voters will be asked to vote "NO" on the proposed FY 24 School budget, which means you do not approve of the budget passed by the Town Council on May 16.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If a majority of voters vote "YES" then the FY 24 budget will be validated and it will be fully passed. If a majority of voters vote "NO" then the FY 24 budget will fail and it must go back to the drawing board. The School Committee would then need to go back and approve a new proposed budget and bring that to the Town Council for approval and bring it back to the voters to be validated. A school budget is only fully approved after it has passed ALL THREE STEPS and the process must be repeated as often as is needed for this to occur. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">GET OUT AND VOTE ON JUNE 13!</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMcgbHIfOxIQ7NNIlD4aWsetitST46kLULkiAN4PtfnuKbYVaw7QymApQEmk_XXGLCiYI4rdmrQBpk06QMJwjzjfDyG41MRIq136k_uDZf779b_6TOIvBaaaz6oNPztH7MKd5h3a0rcEA4zcUtryxEnD_uZSNrk_vMqgevVljjdimOlwyHfnKkT5N0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMcgbHIfOxIQ7NNIlD4aWsetitST46kLULkiAN4PtfnuKbYVaw7QymApQEmk_XXGLCiYI4rdmrQBpk06QMJwjzjfDyG41MRIq136k_uDZf779b_6TOIvBaaaz6oNPztH7MKd5h3a0rcEA4zcUtryxEnD_uZSNrk_vMqgevVljjdimOlwyHfnKkT5N0" width="240" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hopefully you read the previous piece on the budget, so you know why it is important to get out and vote on June 13! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In preparation for your vote, I'd encourage folks to get informed by going to the district's website where you can review the following information:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- Videos of all School Committee budget meetings held</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- Videos of all Town Council meetings held</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- Q&A documents used by School Committee and Town Council to understand proposed budget and implications.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- Detailed Town Council Budget booklet</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- One page summary data</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">and more!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Whatever your vote is on June 13 - let's be sure it is informed! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Check out the information listed above and much more by <a href="https://www.gorhamschools.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=456522&type=d&pREC_ID=1150991">CLICKING HERE</a> and then</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #fcff01;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fcff01;"><b> BE SURE TO GET OUT AND VOTE ON JUNE 13!</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">SPEAKING OF VOTING - OUR SCHOOLS AS </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">POLLING LOCATIONS</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyRLv7RgjkbrBBJ074DusMEDAWXJIy9_g-OxKXeYFsUGfRV6AzIK8cR1JDBHOys4kLPFAcqJKBLu6rWEsK4KQMnzYoXA4Zl3BBFnKNoKPBaTiiCHCDocSJBT9FNDnyBa89CeAqhTQ_pDOCb1AaHTZR-KAM4UvmUe5bzAuQMf-afMyunBKV1_pSQEHo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="153" data-original-width="330" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyRLv7RgjkbrBBJ074DusMEDAWXJIy9_g-OxKXeYFsUGfRV6AzIK8cR1JDBHOys4kLPFAcqJKBLu6rWEsK4KQMnzYoXA4Zl3BBFnKNoKPBaTiiCHCDocSJBT9FNDnyBa89CeAqhTQ_pDOCb1AaHTZR-KAM4UvmUe5bzAuQMf-afMyunBKV1_pSQEHo" width="320" /></a></div><br /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">State polling place regulations require specific conditions to be met in order to hold elections safely and securely each year. Elections are the lifeblood of our democratic processes and are therefore a very important part of our community's operation. Many of these specific conditions require accessibility for all citizens, access to restrooms, and specific square footage allocations for space. As you might imagine there are limited locations within Gorham that would meet these kinds of requirements for elections and our schools are most definitely one of them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">TWO of our schools are now used as local polling locations by the Town of Gorham for the purpose of general elections. Gorham Middle School has been used as a polling location for many years. During the Pandemic, Great Falls Elementary School also became a new polling location as our growing community outgrew the Little Falls building as a previous polling location for the residents in the northern part of our community.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As you might imagine, we spend a great deal of time thinking about the safety of our children and how that absolute priority interacts with the whole community's needs. At Gorham Middle School, we are able to very easily separate out those members of the public coming in to vote from the students who remain in the building for school on election days. In collaboration with the Town of Gorham and the Gorham Police Department, we basically turn the use of the GMS gymnasium over for polling purposes in November and June each year. VIPS personnel help to guide traffic and parking concerns and make sure that voters know to enter the gym doors and not the main doors. We move our gym classes outdoors for the day or to alternative indoor activities if the weather is inclement. We use town staff to monitor the gym doors in the interior of the building to make sure voters don't go into the school and students don't go into the voting areas. We have extra police offers on hand and it all works very very smoothly and safely.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Unfortunately, the same physical set up of the building does not exist at Great Falls Elementary School. There is no accessible way to require voters to enter the gym area directly and exit directly without going through the main part of the school. During the Pandemic we tried once to have students on site while voting was taking place using additional police and VIPs to try and direct traffic and prevent mixing between students and voters, but with the location of the cafeteria being where it is there was just no way to keep folks completely separated throughout the day. Since then we have made the decision that on election days our students will move to learning remotely for the day when the school is being used as a polling location.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Beginning with next year's school calendar we will be minimizing this interruption by moving one of our teacher professional development days to the November election date so that students will not be in any of our buildings on that day. This addresses one of the two typical days required for elections. The plan then is to continue to use these two schools in June as polling locations and to have students at Great Falls move to remote learning for the election day in June each year.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We understand that this is not an ideal situation, however we believe it is an appropriate balance between addressing the needs of our broader community while making sure that our students continue to learn in a safe and secure manner.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">All this as a reminder that Great Falls Elementary School will move to a fully remote learning day on June 13, 2023 while the school is used as a polling location for voters.</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you have questions, please feel free to reach out to either myself or Ephrem Paraschak via email. Our email addresses are below:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- heather.perry@gorhamschools.org</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- eparaschak@gorham.me.us</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">THANK YOU!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">TWO MORE STUDENT VOICE VIDEOS!</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtW5MkhUlbOoDCG8kbCmt8pDtZVcv_huqk-ityTl3EQ9dFi2KlmEC1N75mwzRPn_Su5204ROGo6NcDGcvF_M3L6P9jkI_rue7hcvYGMi0MBPNEGVJyG1y0za3xuhWdVzL_q4ClKkpzWkz99bS3WLsqSTl3H81o1a10t7Sx9fScL0YdCZbd_QAC_T19" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="124" data-original-width="408" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtW5MkhUlbOoDCG8kbCmt8pDtZVcv_huqk-ityTl3EQ9dFi2KlmEC1N75mwzRPn_Su5204ROGo6NcDGcvF_M3L6P9jkI_rue7hcvYGMi0MBPNEGVJyG1y0za3xuhWdVzL_q4ClKkpzWkz99bS3WLsqSTl3H81o1a10t7Sx9fScL0YdCZbd_QAC_T19" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We have two more student voice videos to share with you with this blog post and one more coming for my last blog post on June 16!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">So far you have seen 4 student voice videos as linked below:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://vimeo.com/811806070/7e106c9422&source=gmail&ust=1684539576178000&usg=AOvVaw27LAStqLvjQL33GLoHJbbG" href="https://vimeo.com/811806070/7e106c9422" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Episode 1</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> - 6th grade video</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://vimeo.com/811803990/324da41b08&source=gmail&ust=1684539576178000&usg=AOvVaw1m4sKlGzgSJRNiPqdbF-ai" href="https://vimeo.com/811803990/324da41b08" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Episode 2</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> - 7th grade video</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://vimeo.com/811814744/d05360853b&source=gmail&ust=1684539576178000&usg=AOvVaw0XCC7kwXQvENgZohKM4DvL" href="https://vimeo.com/811814744/d05360853b" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Episode 3</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> - 8th grade video</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/826638096/6f39860848" style="background-color: white; color: #2288bb; text-decoration-line: none;">Episode 4</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> - Class of 2023 Video</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">Now we can share our <b><u>NEW</u></b> Episodes 5 & 6!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Episode 5 follows Maddie, a GHS student who loves music and the arts! Check it out using the link below:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><a href="https://vimeo.com/828386249/0beefa072b">Episode 5</a> - Maddie</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Episode 6 follows Gabe, a GHS student who prides himself on being a student athlete! Check it out using the link below:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><a href="https://vimeo.com/828386249/0beefa072b">Episode 6</a> - Gabe</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our hope is that through these student voices videos you are able to get a sense of the student experience here in the Gorham Schools. We hope you see the array of learning opportunities that our students have to choose from in figuring out their "Future Stories" during their time with us! There is no question that we have incredible students here in Gorham, but that isn't by accident! That is because we have incredible families, incredible staff, and an incredible community all focused on modeling our <a href="https://village.gorhamschools.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=450386&type=d&pREC_ID=994932">Code of Conduct</a> and making real the values contained within!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">PROUD TO BE A RAM!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">REMINDER - LAST STUDENT DAY WILL BE JUNE 16</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXubW-0vAWDgrELVYMOEWKspNDEa0qaXuwkcYE4MgjcgXfZ3fYl3vqoaUiJ-CWshuLqg32FmGQcQRfSp6gPGB7oK5DLJP2D0OOKUJKi62_GNr5HCxJnUJMGOVEBqe3xod4ndCIeinOEUQ2l_ZKiU1UxDWPbFuLquxMscvLhzRRdR_ttLX4FpxGnuvl" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="233" data-original-width="216" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXubW-0vAWDgrELVYMOEWKspNDEa0qaXuwkcYE4MgjcgXfZ3fYl3vqoaUiJ-CWshuLqg32FmGQcQRfSp6gPGB7oK5DLJP2D0OOKUJKi62_GNr5HCxJnUJMGOVEBqe3xod4ndCIeinOEUQ2l_ZKiU1UxDWPbFuLquxMscvLhzRRdR_ttLX4FpxGnuvl" width="222" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Just a quick reminder that our last student day for the 2022-2023 School year will be Friday, June 16, 2023. Students will be dismissed using our early release schedule on this day. Please reach out to your schools with any specific questions you may have!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">SENIOR WALK - JUNE 9 AND </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">GHS GRADUATION JUNE 11, 2023</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3SNpUodDSyg6SW9ZNi0XeUrGIZtLP91MgcIUMddQIJxap_zhdEggeWLFHQ8_CP3KBTXmHBll4Pasj-oHeFx3QnBwZG89EThqSjuoejEVfybQw_FV9Rn6-WloxY-_YfovLuqzGJC2q3MIQcaMjusq4jrjpTeoM_4dzj-y6eRurhEnTWMeSMQpJcI5f" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="229" data-original-width="220" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3SNpUodDSyg6SW9ZNi0XeUrGIZtLP91MgcIUMddQIJxap_zhdEggeWLFHQ8_CP3KBTXmHBll4Pasj-oHeFx3QnBwZG89EThqSjuoejEVfybQw_FV9Rn6-WloxY-_YfovLuqzGJC2q3MIQcaMjusq4jrjpTeoM_4dzj-y6eRurhEnTWMeSMQpJcI5f" width="231" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">GHS class of 2023 will be doing their senior walk on June 9, 2023. The walk will once again be live streamed using our district's FB site for folks that want to watch. We will begin at Great Falls Elementary School somewhere around 9:00 a.m. and then go from there to Narragansett Elementary School, then to Village Elementary School and then to Gorham Middle School after that. This is always a special treat for our graduating seniors and fun to watch so feel free to tune in!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Graduation for the class of 2023 is scheduled for Sunday, June 11. Folks with special seating arrangements will be allowed in starting at 2:30. The ceremony will begin promptly at 4:00 p.m. The event is scheduled to take place on the football field at GHS. If there is inclement weather the plan will be to move the ceremony inside to the GHS gymnasium and MPAC at the same scheduled time. Please stay tuned for communications regarding this event as we get closer and closer and know more about the weather. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR GHS SENIORS, THE CLASS OF 2023!</b> You've not had an easy road during your high school careers (with a global pandemic) but you have represented our school system well and are ready to take on any challenge life has to offer you moving forward! We are proud of you and your accomplishments thus far and know you will have continued success in whatever you endeavor to take on next! I know our motto as a school system is to "Prepare and Inspire" our students - but I must say - YOU HAVE INSPIRED US ALL! We are all looking forward to celebrating your accomplishments on June 11th!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">A REMINDER OF NEXT YEAR'S SCHOOL CALENDAR</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXHu_2EEyd7ZI1X7vUlE8LPC6mo5dJOMHtHxX-wTa2aIkYxMr-Dt-3rXpvzJCyng5zGMBNyeDXvn-EKn33HQMAB4aVWIf7DzjMMXERl0wI2MYfJToFA3CXRKD0nzOhtgfg9HWiEAW4EVxyMce5ZzWSf1eV6KU0VcMYVZ5cCrM90UPUK9FC8X9V2w0S" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="195" data-original-width="259" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXHu_2EEyd7ZI1X7vUlE8LPC6mo5dJOMHtHxX-wTa2aIkYxMr-Dt-3rXpvzJCyng5zGMBNyeDXvn-EKn33HQMAB4aVWIf7DzjMMXERl0wI2MYfJToFA3CXRKD0nzOhtgfg9HWiEAW4EVxyMce5ZzWSf1eV6KU0VcMYVZ5cCrM90UPUK9FC8X9V2w0S" width="319" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As another school year is quickly coming to an end, we just wanted to take a quick moment to be sure folks have the calendar for the upcoming 2023-24 School Year. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You can <a href="https://www.gorhamschools.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=456674&type=d&pREC_ID=990360">CLICK HERE</a> to view the calendar. Please note that we will use the same method we did this year regarding use of snow days. We have built five snow days into the calendar. We will use all five (if needed) as traditional snow days and then if we go over that, we will move to remote learning days. Therefore, the last possible student day for next year will be June 13 for those of you who are already thinking about summer of 2024! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">OTHER GREAT HAPPENINGS</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I just wanted to share a few more examples of other great happenings in our schools these past few weeks. Of course, this isn't representative of everything but its a great snapshot! For more information, I would encourage folks to continue to follow us on our social media pages!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>GHS Students go back to Narragansett for Math in Nature Program!</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">Math in Nature Project detail:</span></span></div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">9th graders on Academy M recently completed an interdisciplinary project in Math & English to create children's e-books. The books include original photography and writing that teach about math concepts found in nature. Today the GHS students shared their work with 3rd graders at Narragansett Elementary School. This was not only some relevant speaking & listening practice, but also rigorous math discussion, and new relationships were formed. Some of the GHS students were excited to be reunited with their former elementary teachers, too. Wonderful outdoor learning experience all around. </span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBbryM2YLAzP4aZVZSAf-a7U_ZaEUc45MWJJMNsfpLxyP0WIpv_vwBhFAhbnIfaHF2-Lmyl2ULDXShg08qXU6tpR0CYB2Ox9pi69lLIldQCxutBXvItO66-fMwXFSHIENB5Nnlrw49eXafTA4fO4ng42iOb7t6ZY308zXl7mv-bxtX_pALoyRluK9/s4032/602C154E-9E82-4AED-9F37-7382A4938C0A.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBbryM2YLAzP4aZVZSAf-a7U_ZaEUc45MWJJMNsfpLxyP0WIpv_vwBhFAhbnIfaHF2-Lmyl2ULDXShg08qXU6tpR0CYB2Ox9pi69lLIldQCxutBXvItO66-fMwXFSHIENB5Nnlrw49eXafTA4fO4ng42iOb7t6ZY308zXl7mv-bxtX_pALoyRluK9/s320/602C154E-9E82-4AED-9F37-7382A4938C0A.heic" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTEnGiPe2XXN6WOp8vMv7b2eVeiCdAlemV_sAlLZu3vhPThRoAvxtJbS-wl7Vqi2shbTx4XbcmWQ2i4d2qbfdIUD7CJrI9tnTI6kVwtNmMFq-edfv4ICQWlH1dRPaDptDGdcA8fAjgpBU1uYtYu1799B3v6dQ13VF5B9PfuSs7A7T4sOGVoFwYKdAG/s4032/1BA2CFBD-7A07-48C4-9311-E610C0452A02.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTEnGiPe2XXN6WOp8vMv7b2eVeiCdAlemV_sAlLZu3vhPThRoAvxtJbS-wl7Vqi2shbTx4XbcmWQ2i4d2qbfdIUD7CJrI9tnTI6kVwtNmMFq-edfv4ICQWlH1dRPaDptDGdcA8fAjgpBU1uYtYu1799B3v6dQ13VF5B9PfuSs7A7T4sOGVoFwYKdAG/s320/1BA2CFBD-7A07-48C4-9311-E610C0452A02.heic" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>Odyssey of the Mind and Cube Projects:</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;">Two huge 8th-grade projects have now come to an end: Odyssey of the Mind World Finals and the USM CubeSat Challenge. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;">Odyssey of the Mind team came in 26th place at the World Finals competition. They had a goal of beating half of the other teams, and they did exactly that. As a bunch of first-time OMers (myself included), they did an amazing job and worked so hard all year. I have created a presentation with pictures and videos documenting their Odyssey journey. Click on the link if you'd like to check it out: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1iRdi48Mrp--Kb6ChxYZu_Wwl4dF7dAggNasEJaIOMHA/edit?usp%3Dsharing&source=gmail&ust=1685798411643000&usg=AOvVaw3fYGEIJgqcd85qtRwSyZIp" href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1iRdi48Mrp--Kb6ChxYZu_Wwl4dF7dAggNasEJaIOMHA/edit?usp=sharing" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">8th-grade Odyssey of the Mind Slideshow</a>.</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;">CubeSat Project: I had a group of 4 eighth graders that competed in the UMS CubeSat Challenge. They won the Best in Show Award because their CubeSat design and build were exemplary. <span style="color: #222222;"> The motors, 3-D print, wiring, parachute design, etc. were all above expectations. To learn more about this project and to see pictures and videos please click on the following link: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/15R0XUepIr3wRqaqVdty6VLJXHIM3Xw9q2_MNvZmNxlI/edit?usp%3Dsharing&source=gmail&ust=1685798411643000&usg=AOvVaw2upHn43cH1-lNNtkgwwOCY" href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/15R0XUepIr3wRqaqVdty6VLJXHIM3Xw9q2_MNvZmNxlI/edit?usp=sharing" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">CubeSat Project</a></span></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHKUNLaj8p7vm-tY75KhSDR1_stcaSsY6zGxXfp8Tu6lfv1eyqthjQRD3sSObqP4FkMspyZIH-JQn8l8DewddgZwvQuGT_9sajQSppWeGd2J44boHSu_mNG5BVPxWSNA8MC1z9bxsaAJXOgITgMGzYQ1NO_MB-tCdehVy_n3CVqX6HOLnuJYIX8ska/s838/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-02%20at%2010.13.06%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="614" data-original-width="838" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHKUNLaj8p7vm-tY75KhSDR1_stcaSsY6zGxXfp8Tu6lfv1eyqthjQRD3sSObqP4FkMspyZIH-JQn8l8DewddgZwvQuGT_9sajQSppWeGd2J44boHSu_mNG5BVPxWSNA8MC1z9bxsaAJXOgITgMGzYQ1NO_MB-tCdehVy_n3CVqX6HOLnuJYIX8ska/s320/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-02%20at%2010.13.06%20AM.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Congrats to all of our Odyssey of the Mind Participants this year! GO RAMS!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>Adaptive Biking Event at GHS</u>!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Recently our community based education students at GHS were treated to a learning adventure using adaptive biking equipment. Thank you to David and Northeast Passage of UNH for creating such a wonderful learning experience for those students that were able to participate!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Check out the video by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB28nAh2N3g">CLICKING HERE</a>!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>GMS Students Featured on NewsCenter Maine for their Tick Research</u>!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Students in Mrs. Gospodarek's Science classes at GMS have been participating in a year long study of tics. Check out the video below and try to focus on the incredible learning of our students during this project rather than the tics themselves! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/health/tick-and-lyme/students-skills-training-identifying-ticks-tickborne-diseases-protection/97-66bf3cc2-07df-4a2d-aa8d-cc12cbad338e">CLICK HERE</a> to watch the news feature!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>PATHS Students (including GHS students) win Video Award</u>!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-family: times;">PATHS New Media students earn first place for the second year in a row in the ABC CTE Works For Me video contest. <b><u>Sadie Fiore</u></b>, GHS, was a co-creator on this project. </span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pcd2bZOq1A">CLICK HERE </a>to watch the video!</span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-family: times;"><u>Ultimate Frisbee Team</u>! </span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-family: times;"><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">The Gorham Ultimate Frisbee team swept the Class B State Tournament on Saturday at South Portland winning all 3 games!</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRsviWrHyFLSeeqKzDIyNNNxxh8tia2LLRpQSYovVHU9Tt-nwOQ26Nm5A31CPB5ZlH7XyrTuZaet2F4-PVursyYOILT-s5_wt-sWfz0VKKHzaa7TtwdiCCH_wUl259V2mtN-Vf70YBs51q6bxEXb6EELYg2mKNO1hpKedgKtXZfQ0Hj67k8s8hWncu/s888/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-02%20at%2010.25.02%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="888" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRsviWrHyFLSeeqKzDIyNNNxxh8tia2LLRpQSYovVHU9Tt-nwOQ26Nm5A31CPB5ZlH7XyrTuZaet2F4-PVursyYOILT-s5_wt-sWfz0VKKHzaa7TtwdiCCH_wUl259V2mtN-Vf70YBs51q6bxEXb6EELYg2mKNO1hpKedgKtXZfQ0Hj67k8s8hWncu/s320/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-02%20at%2010.25.02%20AM.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><p></p></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b>OTHER COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS!</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature" dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" /></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><u>Baxter Library Summer Reading Series</u></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">Baxter Memorial Library is once again planning a spectacular summer reading program. The kickoff event is June 21st from 2-6 and includes many fun activities, music, touch a truck, snow cones, and hot dogs. You can sign up for the summer reading program and get your Bingo sheet at the event and online (soon). This year's theme is Power Up at the Library and activities will be largely superhero and STEAM themed! I'll even be present helping to serve hot dogs and snow cones - so definitely come out to enjoy the fun. See the flyer below for more details!</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">Our new youth services librarian at Baxter is Jill O'Connor. Stop by the event and introduce yourself! </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCApvpREQkFoIBo74rY-hV-Rh_JWQqSuXE1PxrXckoiI55vsWjCEiaUJxSl3JBQK9nMv9RKfGTKD0ht2I3gPoBt0EFotgIw4bv0IQ9jJXEa8vcURxyueRPtjtK-fVfaNbKekmdflVyA-nQTxopTmolvVNA0Vxdh2tFDkPlLlk0wLFy_LBH__KniLKa/s2000/Power%20Up%20Flier.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1545" height="651" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCApvpREQkFoIBo74rY-hV-Rh_JWQqSuXE1PxrXckoiI55vsWjCEiaUJxSl3JBQK9nMv9RKfGTKD0ht2I3gPoBt0EFotgIw4bv0IQ9jJXEa8vcURxyueRPtjtK-fVfaNbKekmdflVyA-nQTxopTmolvVNA0Vxdh2tFDkPlLlk0wLFy_LBH__KniLKa/w503-h651/Power%20Up%20Flier.jpg" width="503" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>Reminder - Food Truck Thursdays in Little Falls Has Begun!</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The first food trucks showed up last night. They'll be coming back EVERY Thursday night through September 28! Check out the flyer below for details and be sure to check go visit!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizHhrsHFCrxEJul_fkZBuYoz2_mlZTslaxyofU8mpziniSiqjphs_2QOg2hFK3iR75z17VZnNy3irFBUp9_jRNhh5xBjM4X5WOze11PPDx3UWz_XQ5GOnupO8FBGrB5p2pIgpCm1W7Z472TNxKRYHXzfJ18MieL3RcKmlpfcUwZ_BfYuxHcFgqOQ8H/s791/Summer%20Thursdays%202023%20Flyer%20(Final).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="791" data-original-width="612" height="713" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizHhrsHFCrxEJul_fkZBuYoz2_mlZTslaxyofU8mpziniSiqjphs_2QOg2hFK3iR75z17VZnNy3irFBUp9_jRNhh5xBjM4X5WOze11PPDx3UWz_XQ5GOnupO8FBGrB5p2pIgpCm1W7Z472TNxKRYHXzfJ18MieL3RcKmlpfcUwZ_BfYuxHcFgqOQ8H/w551-h713/Summer%20Thursdays%202023%20Flyer%20(Final).jpg" width="551" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well that's it for this installment! My last blog for the 2023-24 School Year will be on Friday, June 16th. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p><p><br /></p>Heather Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902747451985096596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2916890148299174047.post-40340113216558791582023-05-19T11:11:00.000-07:002023-05-19T11:11:34.620-07:00May 19 Post<p>WOW...we are certainly on the "home stretch" when it comes to the 2022-23 School Year! </p><p>It is hard to believe that we only have four weeks left of school (for those students who may be counting, that is 19 school days). I happened to be at GHS with students this week and the H.S. seniors made sure to let me know, they are "done" with "formal" classes today as many seniors will be participating in a two week internship experience to round out the school year (more on that below). </p><p>Bottom line, we are all working hard across our schools to make sure students end the year on a positive note! Here's some pictures below that I hope show the great learning that is happening in our schools!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgK56hHXFCFi7AMDKZvs0Kn5ifnLV2jd8yqB5uWxFhu08kFXn2eTMaOnFgwtgq83BU9px2M89ucaFZj5_FZKDZzO3DLRyQExPP_2fLBtJ3Fg4ddUJ_2473XWyrsEZRhznaF4Gn_ym2Z8bXaTMp3cQF8wntuKct8zLBn-IqYoaNkOrfua-EgDKnbp2u/s3264/May%2019.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="587" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgK56hHXFCFi7AMDKZvs0Kn5ifnLV2jd8yqB5uWxFhu08kFXn2eTMaOnFgwtgq83BU9px2M89ucaFZj5_FZKDZzO3DLRyQExPP_2fLBtJ3Fg4ddUJ_2473XWyrsEZRhznaF4Gn_ym2Z8bXaTMp3cQF8wntuKct8zLBn-IqYoaNkOrfua-EgDKnbp2u/w587-h587/May%2019.png" width="587" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On to the information!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">FY 24 PROPOSED BUDGET UPDATE</span></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQCX_XeU9cxsxfZSwgb1qilsZ7z96wNtzQUlt8Z2twkhfp5bqStOcJ3oDWEIXqSk9G2AdLRoxfkyNT4IlEzdOTBtLvh3MGVhCzXKlhXB8tDnso1naJFPrj3jy_x7ti8Va69rTQ9InIhRBh334OoZV8w39LPhUDCiHlZyusCp3uGQs3n1JnL_D-GqGk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="210" data-original-width="240" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQCX_XeU9cxsxfZSwgb1qilsZ7z96wNtzQUlt8Z2twkhfp5bqStOcJ3oDWEIXqSk9G2AdLRoxfkyNT4IlEzdOTBtLvh3MGVhCzXKlhXB8tDnso1naJFPrj3jy_x7ti8Va69rTQ9InIhRBh334OoZV8w39LPhUDCiHlZyusCp3uGQs3n1JnL_D-GqGk" width="274" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On Tuesday night, May 16, 2023 the Gorham Town Council met during a special meeting to approve of the overall FY 24 proposed town budget, which includes the school's budget. After public testimony by several members of the public, and after considerable discussion and debate, the Town Council voted unanimously to approve of the school's budget in an amount $800,000.00 less than originally proposed by the School Committee. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Folks that are interested in watching the recording of this meeting can click on the link below:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://view.earthchannel.com/PlayerController.aspx?&PGD=gorhamme&eID=565">https://view.earthchannel.com/PlayerController.aspx?&PGD=gorhamme&eID=565</a></div><br />With this adjustment, the revised FY 24 proposed school budget now represents an overall increase over FY 23 of $5,067,525.00 or 10.91% (down from 12.64%) and represents an overall increase to the mil rate of approximately $1.31 (down from original $1.58). With this mil impact, the estimated impact to taxpayers who own a home valued at $400,000.00 would see an increase of approximately $525.00.<p></p><p>The School Committee will meet on Wednesday, May 24, 2023 to decide what specific items will be reduced from their original proposals to reach the $800,000.00 reduction required. </p><p><b style="background-color: #fcff01;">The next and FINAL STEP in the budget approval process is the budget validation referendum vote that will take place on Tuesday, June 13, 2023</b>. Voting will take place at the typical polling locations in Gorham from 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Voters may also vote via absentee ballots. </p><p>On the referendum question, voters will be asked to vote "yes" if they approve of the proposed budget passed by town council on May 16 or voters may vote "no" if they do not approve of the proposed budget passed by town council on May 16.</p><p>Overall, although the $800,000.00 reduction will have its impacts to the school, the impacts will not significantly impact current staffing or programming for students in FY 24. </p><p>Please see the revised one pager summary sheets below and reach out to heather.perry@gorhamschools.org with any questions you may have for more information and <b style="background-color: #04ff00;">BE SURE TO GET OUT AND VOTE ON JUNE 13! </b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYoN5lF6r1tPLzLbDR_Z5MO9Jez0X4TUcVs6oHKDqus-gekY5GGznUHHaBPzWD-VT5ZYsHRVnDh5pD01tT2ArrOST7IPTuQoaejw-ZpoTKMBbpCQFKkJUmAirHYIDVxEViTFgXg6j9OcYVy0e1HVE8AVBHnJMp6barsHAKCL--mcIK03OM8X2ZIXi4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1268" data-original-width="956" height="736" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYoN5lF6r1tPLzLbDR_Z5MO9Jez0X4TUcVs6oHKDqus-gekY5GGznUHHaBPzWD-VT5ZYsHRVnDh5pD01tT2ArrOST7IPTuQoaejw-ZpoTKMBbpCQFKkJUmAirHYIDVxEViTFgXg6j9OcYVy0e1HVE8AVBHnJMp6barsHAKCL--mcIK03OM8X2ZIXi4=w555-h736" width="555" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxKfVzfn-F3c7_QHgAgj1sVPcMzQQPK0afh2C6bhZpoy7TTV72ZbmF8RUfA9mLXyzA3jr-ioySnkN2a-QAud-YVFtYfXFqSHhIWK45bYLmvOe0fGiIXJih8ITXdrY7Y6gbsNO-CcFY3EBYz2jInnedrlkWJl4L18ha2mjoAjzyW1iEjZdaRewH0hTF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1270" data-original-width="952" height="742" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxKfVzfn-F3c7_QHgAgj1sVPcMzQQPK0afh2C6bhZpoy7TTV72ZbmF8RUfA9mLXyzA3jr-ioySnkN2a-QAud-YVFtYfXFqSHhIWK45bYLmvOe0fGiIXJih8ITXdrY7Y6gbsNO-CcFY3EBYz2jInnedrlkWJl4L18ha2mjoAjzyW1iEjZdaRewH0hTF=w556-h742" width="556" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">PRE K SLOTS FOR FALL 2023 STILL AVAILABLE</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjsz-ihNBvADtWTNhIb2i7a0JdwIu0EBpq5L-Vp9yNqycP3-cMuc7yyArfhYVpsoNzFWeBbkkgMSw4jWmAOjb_TTeSo-IQkQSPVtglKi9xyV2V7xd8g7OVlf94fxdYeFWWHQjCZVnyYMB-bUxzo751cHNVpv8-W58TdBpAwiL_zamRuN61iCfemxQs4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="125" data-original-width="402" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjsz-ihNBvADtWTNhIb2i7a0JdwIu0EBpq5L-Vp9yNqycP3-cMuc7yyArfhYVpsoNzFWeBbkkgMSw4jWmAOjb_TTeSo-IQkQSPVtglKi9xyV2V7xd8g7OVlf94fxdYeFWWHQjCZVnyYMB-bUxzo751cHNVpv8-W58TdBpAwiL_zamRuN61iCfemxQs4" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We still have a limited number of Pre K slots open and available for our new 1/2 day pre K program that will be offered at Narragansett Elementary School beginning in the Fall of 2023. We will likely have rolling admissions through the summer months to try and be sure we fill all slots available. So if you were considering the program but holding back - feel free to reach out to see if there are still slots available!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Remember, transportation to and from home/child care each morning/afternoon and transportation from the program back to home/child care each afternoon will be provided. The program is free to all residents of Gorham and if folks are looking for child care the other half of the day (either a.m. or p.m.) our partners at Seedlings to Sunflowers are able to provide child care slots for families in need of this service. Children have to be 4 years of age by Oct. 15, 2023 in order to participate.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Sound interesting? See the flyer below and reach out with questions you may have today!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnqqGHdp33DG2BF5B7NBgGnH_6vZHancRhMPWvIdmd1FOJVuBA7S2nymPtLVYVxA4HCjCRYM7znD79Q1iGTamJBb0u05778YXe4w16uwACwJEPc_lcGt2AJxpEaVKyGLO1STs2En9hY1Wj-LPKREnJu2jrHdn_crP2k-fVjiBH0EgCqUmrt93XucrF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1545" data-original-width="2000" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnqqGHdp33DG2BF5B7NBgGnH_6vZHancRhMPWvIdmd1FOJVuBA7S2nymPtLVYVxA4HCjCRYM7znD79Q1iGTamJBb0u05778YXe4w16uwACwJEPc_lcGt2AJxpEaVKyGLO1STs2En9hY1Wj-LPKREnJu2jrHdn_crP2k-fVjiBH0EgCqUmrt93XucrF=w581-h448" width="581" /></a></div><br /><br /></div></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">GHS GOES OUTDOORS FOR LEARNING!</span></b></div></b> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxgFDPhVsb0lGnjaHQOe_knfAYAUEuHyG_i2b5KDSphFMo5KJz9PyonHCh4Aco0Rai4JmcDOWtVOPeCiADLrkLtz19pvH2SDzoz08YxGIShG8NNsc6xAGqE9zPZ6bKNj1Ub8KreBncQrl_bkoQD2czVYAF2rCmeWIhjSZdHsjz6mWLfAFodqsiFP_y" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="224" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxgFDPhVsb0lGnjaHQOe_knfAYAUEuHyG_i2b5KDSphFMo5KJz9PyonHCh4Aco0Rai4JmcDOWtVOPeCiADLrkLtz19pvH2SDzoz08YxGIShG8NNsc6xAGqE9zPZ6bKNj1Ub8KreBncQrl_bkoQD2czVYAF2rCmeWIhjSZdHsjz6mWLfAFodqsiFP_y" width="239" /></a></div><p></p><p>Over this past year our GHS staff have been working hard to incorporate and weave in meaningful learning opportunities for our students OUTDOORS! Whether it is mathematically plotting changes in land features or going outside to enjoy the new outdoor seating areas to utilization of the incredible bike and walking trails located right in our back yards and much more! Our students are getting outside to learn - and why not? We live in such an incredible state with so many natural learning environments! </p><p>It has been wonderful to see the students enjoy these outdoor learning experiences and integrate them into their regular core curriculum of math, science, social studies and english in authentic ways!</p><p>The video linked below shows just one "outing" for our students earlier this spring who got to enjoy the bike trails on bikes that were rented for them to utilize for the day. Check out the video below to see how much fun our students had getting outside for some great exercise on our incredible local trails!</p><p><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DAIo4pB5p7SM&source=gmail&ust=1684539577199000&usg=AOvVaw3VDVsEghBhpMwIRdJK6nuZ" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIo4pB5p7SM" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?<wbr></wbr>v=AIo4pB5p7SM</a></p><p>This work has been made possible by an incredible grant through the Maine Department of Education written and conducted by our very own GHS staff! Nice work!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">UPDATED ELO DATA AND UPCOMING SENIOR INTERNSHIPS!</span></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBCc2kZfe8B7siwKgwdsX5XnDo-xUullhrZmCsZsZ4uoQbb5v16x3zb5HUDMSyizSmS4-8zRMKIzhXmq9F59Zg24O7w_yPfHoqeREY1Oaa-u5ZmCA1czhLHzqbGE4Wa2FyGwrYArJivRWgwrIOpc3EDFdWbLDg7OLzVR3btCS398_uF8XePKPQLE5y" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="314" data-original-width="1586" height="117" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBCc2kZfe8B7siwKgwdsX5XnDo-xUullhrZmCsZsZ4uoQbb5v16x3zb5HUDMSyizSmS4-8zRMKIzhXmq9F59Zg24O7w_yPfHoqeREY1Oaa-u5ZmCA1czhLHzqbGE4Wa2FyGwrYArJivRWgwrIOpc3EDFdWbLDg7OLzVR3btCS398_uF8XePKPQLE5y=w592-h117" width="592" /></a></div><br />Just as a reminder, ELO means "Extended Learning Opportunities". Our ELO program is housed at Gorham High School with the focus of getting our students out and experiencing their learning in our community and in ways that are directly connected to their aspirations. Students can learn through independent projects, internships and job shadowing experiences and much more!<p></p><p>We have been working to implement ELO programming in Gorham for three years now, and this year was the big growth year thanks to an incredible grant by the Maine Department of Education that allowed us to add a specific ELO instructor to our staff to work directly with students. Thanks to this program we have so many more students able to access these incredible learning opportunities! The data speaks for itself ...</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdhFZl4CJ5x24CeFZqxaXxf6jsAgup0e5tZ_l5plVnnndWNu7jqhtS48yEDUzRZgmOsJO6HFcFs1OFcdksyLuLT-J_rIjF3SUqFSOO-s-8q6_Y4CzdicLmd1mbi8qe6fwAP7Y5Y5qsGiMnUsSxFQpvVNcJqo_a7-Eo_QkPzxCzOvr3La1waKnhKzlg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="1454" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdhFZl4CJ5x24CeFZqxaXxf6jsAgup0e5tZ_l5plVnnndWNu7jqhtS48yEDUzRZgmOsJO6HFcFs1OFcdksyLuLT-J_rIjF3SUqFSOO-s-8q6_Y4CzdicLmd1mbi8qe6fwAP7Y5Y5qsGiMnUsSxFQpvVNcJqo_a7-Eo_QkPzxCzOvr3La1waKnhKzlg=w542-h305" width="542" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjEGIgZg126Ds2_aa7h7RXv0X0U9vivuzCvycYRZlMcYJcdo3Xzp8fp1fKLPXHlWCow1rgLzKJuSpPkOpHgJC9btv93VBfZQ0XnOt_8ClPEcCTCu92tgPDPqWX9J_NV_xgHFzLv5cVlOpu6x6jnk-FaIqfsoguhI8kCW6V8okSRDEIdE0kuhtoTY1M" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="828" data-original-width="1436" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjEGIgZg126Ds2_aa7h7RXv0X0U9vivuzCvycYRZlMcYJcdo3Xzp8fp1fKLPXHlWCow1rgLzKJuSpPkOpHgJC9btv93VBfZQ0XnOt_8ClPEcCTCu92tgPDPqWX9J_NV_xgHFzLv5cVlOpu6x6jnk-FaIqfsoguhI8kCW6V8okSRDEIdE0kuhtoTY1M=w558-h322" width="558" /></a></div><br /></div>Overall, our new ELO program has allowed us to more than double the number of students who are able to participate in internships, job shadowing experiences, and independent studies helping our students to get the hands on experiences they need to discover their passions and to connect those passions to their learning in truly meaningful ways.<p></p><p>One additional aspect of the work has been our new partnership between our ELO program and JMG's (Jobs for Maine's Graduates) Career Exploration Badging program. Through this new partnership, our GHS seniors, who have annually participated in a two week internship program during the month of May can now strengthen this experience by earning a career exploration badge through JMG. This badge is a credential of value that students can use on their resumes and also makes them eligible to be paid a scholarship of $500.00 each upon completion! This year we will have 142 students participating in this experience! That will be over $70,000.00 awarded to our seniors if they complete the program! AWESOME!</p><p>In addition to all of this exciting work, our ELO program has also allowed us to greatly expand our local business partnerships. These partners can now work directly with our schools to provide our students with meaningful learning experiences that help our students explore their future stories right here in our incredible community! Check out this list of Partners - <span style="background-color: #fcff01;"><b>AND THANK YOU TO ALL OUR BUSINESS PARTNERS</b></span> who have helped our students access these authentic learning experiences this past year! </p><p>This work really shows what an incredible COMMUNITY Gorham truly is! So very proud to be a Gorham Ram!</p><p>ELO Partners:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnQA5JNqJNJQK7IFii3-BmZRLAQlc8iC0UqASp2vDorLZLDZtZ-xmQKT__ZULsoYKIMTwLpu8vTvrIFBeCkBOomeT_djUUVzIUINHUVVt4Du6r-9oXriiHWRFpnXKRm3f1-2ZBkv9UENtWw4p5SxoMByd3GXDElX7Wsa7UiZReiKFWy3_bmMoBRGu_" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="868" data-original-width="1558" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnQA5JNqJNJQK7IFii3-BmZRLAQlc8iC0UqASp2vDorLZLDZtZ-xmQKT__ZULsoYKIMTwLpu8vTvrIFBeCkBOomeT_djUUVzIUINHUVVt4Du6r-9oXriiHWRFpnXKRm3f1-2ZBkv9UENtWw4p5SxoMByd3GXDElX7Wsa7UiZReiKFWy3_bmMoBRGu_=w615-h342" width="615" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Senior Internship Partners:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2NZTRrwvGT58VL_tsgwLRV5wf-_bAfXU-5yhmmiZOSVdZvk0_aLzKdP5YLJDkP1yyfj2MS2vtIWo8REI8PQRjMB5j4A04M64IDrC9DnKeaXhcERuCBMgqFho77cTV_-ImIhT6nceJS7XJnHV6W59PVuIkyixwUZR7RmYw2mZ6p0Mg0S_anxSL0tJz" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="870" data-original-width="1552" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2NZTRrwvGT58VL_tsgwLRV5wf-_bAfXU-5yhmmiZOSVdZvk0_aLzKdP5YLJDkP1yyfj2MS2vtIWo8REI8PQRjMB5j4A04M64IDrC9DnKeaXhcERuCBMgqFho77cTV_-ImIhT6nceJS7XJnHV6W59PVuIkyixwUZR7RmYw2mZ6p0Mg0S_anxSL0tJz=w635-h355" width="635" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">STUDENT VOICES VIDEO SERIES RELEASES NEW </span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">GHS STUDENT VIDEO!</span></b></div></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUOPEKfjuMKusjYlNx8JDFpmGEZgY9LGuicMxJBgmx-ox7_Drbp5UiQl5hO6yPNx2POvts3Z9I5rvRXXEgF-aA7efEeLmTr9WErrgWxgWLiUWvk_P5-t5ViMBzeDayFwUT7m83PPHq1117BvjfTrYwwprH3tPh2NnjDD45I-LccvVoTJKgwGQVgGJA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="698" data-original-width="1168" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUOPEKfjuMKusjYlNx8JDFpmGEZgY9LGuicMxJBgmx-ox7_Drbp5UiQl5hO6yPNx2POvts3Z9I5rvRXXEgF-aA7efEeLmTr9WErrgWxgWLiUWvk_P5-t5ViMBzeDayFwUT7m83PPHq1117BvjfTrYwwprH3tPh2NnjDD45I-LccvVoTJKgwGQVgGJA" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>Over the past year our students at GMS and GHS have worked to create a series of videos showcasing their real experiences in our schools using their own voices to tell their stories and to share their perspectives. In case you missed the previous three videos from our GMS students (one from 6th grade, one from 7th grade and one from 8th grade) you can view them by clicking on the links below:</p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://vimeo.com/811806070/7e106c9422&source=gmail&ust=1684539576178000&usg=AOvVaw27LAStqLvjQL33GLoHJbbG" href="https://vimeo.com/811806070/7e106c9422" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Episode 1</a> - 6th grade video<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://vimeo.com/811803990/324da41b08&source=gmail&ust=1684539576178000&usg=AOvVaw1m4sKlGzgSJRNiPqdbF-ai" href="https://vimeo.com/811803990/324da41b08" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Episode 2</a> - 7th grade video<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://vimeo.com/811814744/d05360853b&source=gmail&ust=1684539576178000&usg=AOvVaw0XCC7kwXQvENgZohKM4DvL" href="https://vimeo.com/811814744/d05360853b" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Episode 3</a> - 8th grade video</span></p><p>Just this past week, students from GHS finished up their first student voices video. It was released via social media, but I wanted to make sure to include it in my blog post as well. So, check out the FOURTH video in our series by clicking on the link below!</p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/826638096/6f39860848">Episode 4</a> - Class of 2023 Video</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Stay tuned for more to come! GO RAMS!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b>BAXTER MEMORIAL LIBRARY HOSTING AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM FOR UPCOMING EARLY RELEASE DAY!</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Baxter Memorial Library will be hosting a fun scavenger hunt for interested children to participate in during the upcoming Early Release day scheduled for May 24! Check out the flyer below for more details!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4lH_yqg5nhU_mbAyXTl3mlZt91driYH5M19KFfUjSIYlgzXtcCr6UBEss78hCj2BqOrhbEDxGt6VQmk59jfkgeWAKKgEHubvajwJ6j_lDd3RfQj9s5Btq1QbwuMwYgqUG8mngL3hmwGW1_0AprtBgOvxavuYukqOLqS92Zvz-lIlVRHbwdz_GTvRr" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="1728" height="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4lH_yqg5nhU_mbAyXTl3mlZt91driYH5M19KFfUjSIYlgzXtcCr6UBEss78hCj2BqOrhbEDxGt6VQmk59jfkgeWAKKgEHubvajwJ6j_lDd3RfQj9s5Btq1QbwuMwYgqUG8mngL3hmwGW1_0AprtBgOvxavuYukqOLqS92Zvz-lIlVRHbwdz_GTvRr=w470-h625" width="470" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b>FOOD TRUCK THURSDAYS ARE RETURNING FOR YEAR TWO SUMMER FUN!</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">Summer Thursday Food Trucks return to the Little Falls Recreation Area, starting June 1st at 4pm and lasting through the end of September. Similar to last year, the event will have a rotating group of food vendors, so the selections will be a little different each week. A total of 24 vendors are signed up for this season!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Please see flyer below for more details and know that interested families are encouraged to check out the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.facebook.com/GorhamEconomicDevelopmentCorporation&source=gmail&ust=1684539576190000&usg=AOvVaw2hGcZlv8F5VBEPFbL6fH0_" href="https://www.facebook.com/GorhamEconomicDevelopmentCorporation" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Gorham Economic Development Corporation</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> page on Facebook for weekly updates on the vendors! ENJOY!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjT_wp6zllOioJJA7LehTc3bg-65UPQcFH5KY41j7KtLFQYrjGYVMlJPjzz3ZW4nYH1CcO6uCUDM_U8gWomci66c9c92y5YED-VuYy1J3h9HBLD7exiSi9bbrbdzzf5cCTYh0snwTZJbG_fUWCsqwK8I2GJQR3NI2SD7C5n16Oa4bcfrigVZjS7r7ID" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="791" data-original-width="612" height="709" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjT_wp6zllOioJJA7LehTc3bg-65UPQcFH5KY41j7KtLFQYrjGYVMlJPjzz3ZW4nYH1CcO6uCUDM_U8gWomci66c9c92y5YED-VuYy1J3h9HBLD7exiSi9bbrbdzzf5cCTYh0snwTZJbG_fUWCsqwK8I2GJQR3NI2SD7C5n16Oa4bcfrigVZjS7r7ID=w549-h709" width="549" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">WANT TO MARCH IN THE MEMORIAL DAY PARADE? HERE IS YOUR CHANCE!</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>"We Love Gorham Schools" is looking for students, families, staff and community members to march in the Memorial Day Parade to demonstrate their support of Gorham School Teachers. This is intended to be the "finale" for Gorham Educator Appreciation Month and they are calling all interested community members who want to show support for our teachers to march in this year's parade! If you are interested, check out the flyer below and reach out today!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgp2Qfm3O5HW96Pz-fikMx8jVxOEbAA3CtKMsqBQPLjdZldZJH1wAMKAYUp6G0c0WDWH3sctzqLAh2-mnIgj9gSGLv_3nwZrkD283R3hDnCLI4LFT8HRwyziUlOnvTOt9xIiGf9NmtgBL33mE_IFXIP1henZN_BKBBxFE27EXATVJw9uksCMmacBme7" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="575" data-original-width="430" height="707" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgp2Qfm3O5HW96Pz-fikMx8jVxOEbAA3CtKMsqBQPLjdZldZJH1wAMKAYUp6G0c0WDWH3sctzqLAh2-mnIgj9gSGLv_3nwZrkD283R3hDnCLI4LFT8HRwyziUlOnvTOt9xIiGf9NmtgBL33mE_IFXIP1henZN_BKBBxFE27EXATVJw9uksCMmacBme7=w527-h707" width="527" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That is it for this month's blog post. As we continue to race towards the end of the 2022-2023 School Year there are LOTS of activities that are going on in our schools! I have listed a few below - but know this is NOT an all inclusive list of activities coming up! For the best list, you should visit our website and click on each school's calendar for details and as always - if you have questions - please do not hesitate to reach out and call your school's office! We know there is a lot going on and we are always here for you to help answer questions and make sure you don't miss anything important!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">- May 19 - Spring Dance (GMS)</p><p style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">- May 22 - June 1 - Senior Internships (GHS)</p><p style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">- May 23 - GHS Academic Awards Night.</p><p style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">- May 25 - Spring Chorus Concert (GHS)</p><p style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">- May 30 - All Gorham Steel Band Night </p><p style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">- May 31 - K-5 Field Days Begin</p><p style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">- June 1 - JMG awards night</p><p style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">- June 1 - Great Falls Family Picnic Night</p><p style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">- June 2 - Senior Class Trip</p><p style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">- June 7 - Step up day (GHS)</p><p style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">- June 7 - Spring Sports Awards night (GHS)</p><p style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">- June 8 - Senior Celebration (GHS) & Spring Fling Event (Village)</p><p style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">- June 8 - incoming 6th grade parent night at GMS </p><p style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">- June 9 - GHS Senior Walk (will live stream on FB) & BBQ</p><p style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">- June 11 - GHS Graduation</p><p style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">- June 13 - Budget Validation Referendum</p><p style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">- June 14 - 5th grade step up day to GMS</p><p style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">- June 15 - K-4 Step up day & Gr. 5 Celebration Picnic & Field Day & GMS 8th grade celebration</p><p style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">- June 16 - Last Student Day of School</p></div>Next blog will be June 2! <br /><br /><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p>Heather Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902747451985096596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2916890148299174047.post-49851720031524823022023-05-05T05:43:00.000-07:002023-05-05T05:43:49.065-07:00May 5 Post<p><span style="font-family: times;">Well we are back from the April break and time is just FLYING BY! We have just over 1 month left in the 2023-24 school year and our staff are working hard to make sure it is the most positive and productive month yet for student learning! Here's some action photos showing just a sampling of the incredible things that have been happening across our schools since returning from the break!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhYgKWTvJbF4D-nCV8eHH3OXk08jofnBrJ_w_AP4b1o_2KBYcEaqihLRqpM8-jpA9b68GlbmI4EgNX_ba7A0W4Is22soFQ8A97qk5MSbUmrO2XBKoK2faEI50maz9V-yatoSHz7L9TfNePyHNvg0gQ6dIIroxvg_MW40uXqqVQEWOtpN19Pf5qd3TfR" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="565" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhYgKWTvJbF4D-nCV8eHH3OXk08jofnBrJ_w_AP4b1o_2KBYcEaqihLRqpM8-jpA9b68GlbmI4EgNX_ba7A0W4Is22soFQ8A97qk5MSbUmrO2XBKoK2faEI50maz9V-yatoSHz7L9TfNePyHNvg0gQ6dIIroxvg_MW40uXqqVQEWOtpN19Pf5qd3TfR=w565-h565" width="565" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Now on to the updates...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">UPDATE ON PROPOSED FY 24 SCHOOL BUDGET APPROVAL PROCESS</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">The Town Council met jointly with the School Committee on April 25 to review the proposed budget, its potential impacts to the community and the reasons for the increases seen in the FY 24 budget request. You can view the meeting by <a href="https://view.earthchannel.com/PlayerController.aspx?&PGD=gorhamme&eID=560">CLICKING HERE</a>. You can also review the slide presentation that was shared with Town Council that evening by <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1j3lDMWaePTD_CvScqt9FSOSVp0irnlKbuW13MrrcVPo/edit?usp=share_link">CLICKING HERE</a>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Additionally, I had the distinct pleasure of being a guest at Baxter Memorial Library last night (May 3) for a public informational forum on the proposed budget. We had about 15 members of the public present and about 7 more watching on the live stream offered by GoCat. It was a very good meeting and I think folks walked away appreciative of the information shared and with a greater understanding of the overall budget and process. You can also view the budget "one pager" that was shared with those present by <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ydt9C8EstUt-_pF-aLRrQCeYd5mMvkV7/view?usp=share_link">CLICKING HERE</a> or viewing below (I'll send the link to the recording as soon as I get it):</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnfMQxOxqjMm-iXDj_dsNUOITNWc3alwrMmqSx1d2BLDt1XJEoRWj8IdDX9YZHQnnI3d950EIOd-4gFpOGs4uTPSTRf7ipAeMAXnKNVLZWlhWjJtfraJ0z3Qr3_Fy9P5MsrKG7k8f5Zqv6e7luLAoTZBigjJpPNQ1QKCVfUDsyaUuGVuyZm1hhVojZ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1272" data-original-width="958" height="719" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnfMQxOxqjMm-iXDj_dsNUOITNWc3alwrMmqSx1d2BLDt1XJEoRWj8IdDX9YZHQnnI3d950EIOd-4gFpOGs4uTPSTRf7ipAeMAXnKNVLZWlhWjJtfraJ0z3Qr3_Fy9P5MsrKG7k8f5Zqv6e7luLAoTZBigjJpPNQ1QKCVfUDsyaUuGVuyZm1hhVojZ=w543-h719" width="543" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0gITL3cbvchKMosrhl-17PKEpgIpms_BBNEufbxs-pTju7YBbhQWcTgMET7RTGAi9PHFq5XsTa--ZmmwZjMGOkFiBFkoN_wimzQv8dBroAGWYjh2D6fjCtza8i7a4HU-6ik7TaLUHfQqQPMVTgOmAvjOiX1zJtOWoaxeiQ1xMoq6TkI7Pugn7Q4CX" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1274" data-original-width="952" height="726" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0gITL3cbvchKMosrhl-17PKEpgIpms_BBNEufbxs-pTju7YBbhQWcTgMET7RTGAi9PHFq5XsTa--ZmmwZjMGOkFiBFkoN_wimzQv8dBroAGWYjh2D6fjCtza8i7a4HU-6ik7TaLUHfQqQPMVTgOmAvjOiX1zJtOWoaxeiQ1xMoq6TkI7Pugn7Q4CX=w542-h726" width="542" /></a></div><br /></div></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once again - next steps for decision making and timeline:</span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e058e65c-7fff-1108-478d-58880a25fdfc"><ul style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">May 16, 2023</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - Town Council Vote on the proposed budget. The Town Council can elect to approve the budget as is, increase the proposed budget by a specific dollar amount, or decrease the proposed budget by a specific dollar amount at this meeting.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: times; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">May 31, 2023</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: times; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - Open Forum on Proposed FY 24 School Budget with Superintendent Perry (sponsored by North Gorham Public Library). <u>SEE FLYER BELOW FOR DETAILS</u> if you'd like to attend to learn more.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">June 13, 2023</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - Budget Validation Referendum Vote. Polling locations open at 8:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m. - Be sure to vote!</span></span></p></li></ul><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Many people may now be asking -<span style="background-color: #04ff00;"><b> HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED IN THE CONVERSATION</b></span>? </span></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Participating in our democratic decision making processes is a key component of positive citizenship in our community - SO I WOULD DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO GET INVOLVED! Here is how:</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">* Become informed.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Research the proposed budget. What is the request? How is it different than last year? What is the reason behind these changes? What are the impacts of these changes to our children? What are the impacts of these changes to our community? A great place to go to "one stop shop" for all data related to the FY 24 budget process is to </span><a href="http://track.spe.schoolmessenger.com/f/a/kZhWRbnZQdwlVPYuFNmTPA~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmK8Q3P0RYaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29yaGFtc2Nob29scy5vcmcvYXBwcy9wYWdlcy9pbmRleC5qc3A_dVJFQ19JRD00NTY1MjImdHlwZT1kJnBSRUNfSUQ9MTE1MDk5MVcHc2Nob29sbUIKZEa3kEpk35vHllIfSGVhdGhlci5QZXJyeUBnb3JoYW1zY2hvb2xzLm9yZ1gEAAAAAQ~~" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CLICK HERE</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on our website. You can also go back to </span><a href="http://track.spe.schoolmessenger.com/f/a/05ca0Ycd2smFBhW_eSB24A~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmK8Q3P0QqaHR0cHM6Ly9nb3JoYW1zdXBlcmludGVuZGVudC5ibG9nc3BvdC5jb20vVwdzY2hvb2xtQgpkRreQSmTfm8eWUh9IZWF0aGVyLlBlcnJ5QGdvcmhhbXNjaG9vbHMub3JnWAQAAAAB" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">my blog pages</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from the past to learn more, or you can just email myself or school committee members directly to ask questions to help inform your analysis of the proposed budget and whether or not you may support it or not and why. I might suggest steering clear of social media as your main source of information, although some of it may be accurate, there may also be accidental misinformation in there too.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">* Express Your Opinion & Reach out to your Town Council</span><span style="background-color: lime; color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Let them know what you think about the proposed budget and why Be respectful, and try to be brief. They represent the entire community of Gorham and need to know how everyone feels in order to inform their vote. You can reach out via email by going to the Town's website - </span><a href="http://track.spe.schoolmessenger.com/f/a/TzaTw2iRezTt-33VnZdlBg~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmK8Q3P0QmaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29yaGFtLW1lLm9yZy90b3duLWNvdW5jaWxXB3NjaG9vbG1CCmRGt5BKZN-bx5ZSH0hlYXRoZXIuUGVycnlAZ29yaGFtc2Nob29scy5vcmdYBAAAAAE~" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Linked HERE</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for your convenience.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">* Clear Your Calendars To Vote On June 13.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The validation referendum is an open referendum where voters are asked to either approve the budget that is voted on by the Town Council on May 16 or not. Citizens vote "yes" if you approve of the Town Council's vote made on May 16 or "no" if you do not approve. Your voice matters - so be sure to vote!</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">It is important to know that in order for a school budget to be fully and finally approved, it must be approved by (1) the School Committee, (2) the Town Council and (3) the voters. If a budget isn't approved by all three - it has to continually go through these three steps until it is approved by all three entities.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">I will continue to provide updates as we move through the process. Again, please reach out with any questions you may have and if you want to ask them in person - please come out to the event on May 31 (flyer below) at the North Gorham Public Library. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxEBMOWxpWDF_RNtzttaBgYdv0VZKcYkK_f0gzYpLBYKPp7lPvNYZ0wDmBnL4674Ggz5Gfwzlc2ArAqZw_SW3-oRScaXujzQ9kF-08MfoDU74t17IG6NL4keoz18eMMnHNsmITB3zFeLi3Y-cfm6q--aeaUjkxN76sVk9Cex1lbeMOd-a4IH_4vQQ5" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="649" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxEBMOWxpWDF_RNtzttaBgYdv0VZKcYkK_f0gzYpLBYKPp7lPvNYZ0wDmBnL4674Ggz5Gfwzlc2ArAqZw_SW3-oRScaXujzQ9kF-08MfoDU74t17IG6NL4keoz18eMMnHNsmITB3zFeLi3Y-cfm6q--aeaUjkxN76sVk9Cex1lbeMOd-a4IH_4vQQ5=w487-h649" width="487" /></a></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">STUDENT VOICES VIDEO! LET'S HEAR FROM 8TH GRADER ALEX TUKEY</span></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSdTYbhWgMA0P6f4VtOInBRNGTxumOOEVsyfb1GVyMUH56LaL6IP7RxdaXhse3ivDRI1VT8uo2vMXd-3j3hy61cP49iT0PPA1R0dshmLpD5q_n0sLs8cuAz_PW0p0jurSMirP7TgxlppphxfNMp74ANlOTRCbSUj3Kd9DoA50TVPF9npiHVZPGaJoX" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="301" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSdTYbhWgMA0P6f4VtOInBRNGTxumOOEVsyfb1GVyMUH56LaL6IP7RxdaXhse3ivDRI1VT8uo2vMXd-3j3hy61cP49iT0PPA1R0dshmLpD5q_n0sLs8cuAz_PW0p0jurSMirP7TgxlppphxfNMp74ANlOTRCbSUj3Kd9DoA50TVPF9npiHVZPGaJoX" width="320" /></a></span></b></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: transparent; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent;">In my pst several blogs I have shared a quick video of our student voices and what they think of their experiences at Gorham Middle School. Previously we have heard from a 6th grade student, and a 7th grade student. Now, its time to hear from an 8th grade student! Please take a moment to listen to the voice of Alex as he talks about his experiences as a student at GMS.</span></div></span><p></p></span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Video Link:</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/811814744/d05360853b">https://vimeo.com/811814744/d05360853b</a></span></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Once again, thank you to the student video crews who made these video series possible! </span></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span></span></p><div style="color: #222222; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-size: large;">RECENT APPRECIATION DAYS/WEEK</span></b></span></div><p></p></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">May has been a bit of a "blur" with all the appreciation days that we have had and that we will have. I wanted to take time to particularly thank those of you who have participated in showing our principals, our teachers and other staff your appreciation for all that they do for our schools and the children we serve!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Monday, May 1 was Principal Appreciation Day and we have five of some of the best in the state seen below:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCD0A0iWR0cmY2-0_xYWRuQ0XR1Z1sVOzT2B9QHC8vsX-L0UibuGXYaxsIsHMaI34M8owBXg0xmpUwOow_d2JUJ8dbt4px91dzb6jEhiaFCDLuBeINU-sgXJu9ebXZjpsANqPxj__x1lawF6T8dypd93iILcX9JAAO-vIcKpT9nE9y_TYGzHuIn5y1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1274" data-original-width="1236" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCD0A0iWR0cmY2-0_xYWRuQ0XR1Z1sVOzT2B9QHC8vsX-L0UibuGXYaxsIsHMaI34M8owBXg0xmpUwOow_d2JUJ8dbt4px91dzb6jEhiaFCDLuBeINU-sgXJu9ebXZjpsANqPxj__x1lawF6T8dypd93iILcX9JAAO-vIcKpT9nE9y_TYGzHuIn5y1=w342-h352" width="342" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(top from left to right - Quinton Donahue GMS, Jodi Mezzanotte Village Elementary. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bottom from left to right - Brian Jandreau GHS, Erin Eppler Narragansett Elementary, </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">and Becky Fortier Great Falls Elementary)</span></div><br />Then Monday through Friday of this week (week of May 1) was also Teacher Appreciation Week - and once again we have some of the best teachers in the state! Our staff have enjoyed the food, the sugary treats, the cards, and emails thanking them for the important work they do in our community. Folks have especially loved the signs that were put out so they can read them daily as they drive by to work!<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKtRQtTP5LxIwKbFJOkqEd2qy1zm6b5LjkGINYMec3Wh-5khHAQkNzcw4hIOmfiWnKrj5iKY5mH33PZNpF3TNZR3hbJP2nK4DcfTWC6mt6h812J1GEBxGLd31VnaYRb1OKdgCGytflb7-0EFsYmgqsoEUVsAvhmWu4JeOL83bFWV-_OnTVpY0OGcpj" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="900" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKtRQtTP5LxIwKbFJOkqEd2qy1zm6b5LjkGINYMec3Wh-5khHAQkNzcw4hIOmfiWnKrj5iKY5mH33PZNpF3TNZR3hbJP2nK4DcfTWC6mt6h812J1GEBxGLd31VnaYRb1OKdgCGytflb7-0EFsYmgqsoEUVsAvhmWu4JeOL83bFWV-_OnTVpY0OGcpj" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Friday, May 5 is "Lunch Hero" Appreciation Day. This is a day set aside to honor our incredibly hard working School Nutrition Staff who provide nutritious and fulfilling meals (breakfast and lunch) to our students daily. Whether you talk to a student in Kindergarten, 7th grade, or in high school - often their favorite part of the day is lunch. Now, I'm sure part of that is the social time students get during this period, but I am also sure it has something to do with the awesome food our students are able to eat each day! Please join me in celebrating our caring School Nutrition Staff on Friday! </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOodtCjmCwPgH8HHQR8x8BoLtotEQAcgr-JaCOHj30_Eu7COe8k6PI07nFreNcIxMYLCdmr0W5wF1ghmAgG8oY8aEbyEOpDHavgN6M_dZGdnWv_kw2JxZ6XrhZobqS2BcNQgPvjUWPaWmZQ6KsRZhPvP3dbQHdDe7MZyOceYOSyn2MYTHK0qc9M0Va" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOodtCjmCwPgH8HHQR8x8BoLtotEQAcgr-JaCOHj30_Eu7COe8k6PI07nFreNcIxMYLCdmr0W5wF1ghmAgG8oY8aEbyEOpDHavgN6M_dZGdnWv_kw2JxZ6XrhZobqS2BcNQgPvjUWPaWmZQ6KsRZhPvP3dbQHdDe7MZyOceYOSyn2MYTHK0qc9M0Va=w536-h536" width="536" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And then finally, if you want to get ahead of the game a bit...School Nurse Appreciation Day will be next week Wednesday (May 10). Our nurses do so much to help make sure our students are healthy and safe each and every day. Thank you to our school nurses (a little early) for all you do! Our School Nurses are pictured below:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0F4sPuTMRcNmPalRijANxImGCMjvi4MGBrwcRTJgTTGN3XCg5qWNvBnMRb852KmK9lOFsD2udeR2NJaCWJag_LU1HK_zSTZUTTQKDpY1gn1vpbbQ4e32eTJKPJ_jiBA7oQX4UF03qikFhyi5-MB78KNxsEiYMKrGl16Dg0OmrSI-0Sy-6P5BR8Q97" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="497" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0F4sPuTMRcNmPalRijANxImGCMjvi4MGBrwcRTJgTTGN3XCg5qWNvBnMRb852KmK9lOFsD2udeR2NJaCWJag_LU1HK_zSTZUTTQKDpY1gn1vpbbQ4e32eTJKPJ_jiBA7oQX4UF03qikFhyi5-MB78KNxsEiYMKrGl16Dg0OmrSI-0Sy-6P5BR8Q97=w497-h497" width="497" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It has been a great week (and soon to be more) celebrating everyone with everyone! Our staff are so incredibly committed to the Gorham School and the students we all serve. We really appreciate it with others see that and acknowledge it! THANK YOU!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH!</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj12NzFzJXPYpQ_npbfKZQ-Efj3FsqflyViY-iN1h1aFVBaPxnxoX3UQy3wE5qP2FapILdenPKW-EYghqCnKPRajAu4ZgdDBPnEhWbDM-yf-TPGlX1-XvqqlQgVEOXAmv0w-R9HiiyEgPAIH7SJ-OnE7TyvGypCVY3x1Pd8SWA0VeeHxKJhgcIYGHlf" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="129" data-original-width="389" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj12NzFzJXPYpQ_npbfKZQ-Efj3FsqflyViY-iN1h1aFVBaPxnxoX3UQy3wE5qP2FapILdenPKW-EYghqCnKPRajAu4ZgdDBPnEhWbDM-yf-TPGlX1-XvqqlQgVEOXAmv0w-R9HiiyEgPAIH7SJ-OnE7TyvGypCVY3x1Pd8SWA0VeeHxKJhgcIYGHlf" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #353535; font-family: times;">Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed in the U.S. since 1949. During this month, communities work together to fight stigma, provide support to one another, educate the public and advocate for policies that support the millions of people in the U.S. affected by mental illness. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #353535; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #353535; font-family: times;">Did you know that nearly 3 million youth report living with severe depression across the US? Did you know that at GHS the percent of students feeling "sad or hopeless" for 2 weeks in a row has risen by 13% since 2009? Did you know that 16% of students at GHS have self reported that they have considered suicide? Just so you know, that is over 130 students right here, in Gorham. This is most definitely a serious conversation - so I thought it would be good to provide some resources to families who want to make sure to spend a little extra time thinking about the importance of mental health. I've provided links below to some of these resources. They range from interesting articles to foundations and trusted resources for families to dig further in understanding issues around mental health among youth. These resources are in no particular order - but I thought folks might find them valuable enough to at least dig a little further if you like. At the end, I share a little calendar that has been shared around the schools showing a 30 day Happiness Challenge that can be done by students (a lot of items also look good for adults too)!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #353535; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #353535; font-family: times;">* Article -<a href="https://www.eduporium.com/blog/eduporium-weekly-digital-wellness-screen-time-and-mental-health/?goal=0_d47a66f373-c27b97ab67-179075449&mc_cid=c27b97ab67&mc_eid=0f10ce500f"> Student Mental Health and Screen Time.</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">* Article - <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-mental-health-crisis-among-children-and-teens-how-parents-can-help-202203082700">The Mental Health Crisis Among Children and Teens: How Parents Can Help</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;">* Article - <a href="https://parentandteen.com/teen-mental-health-research/">How Parents Can Improve Teen Mental Health</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">* Website -<a href="https://www.namimaine.org/"> NAMI Maine</a> (Check out their caregivers section or their youth and teen section)</div><div style="text-align: left;">* Website - <a href="https://parentguidance.org/">Cook Center for Human Connect Connection</a> (check out their Parent Guidance. org site and free online course series for caregivers.</div><div style="text-align: left;">* Website - <a href="https://www.unicef.org/parenting/mental-health">Unicef Parenting: Mental Health and Well-Being, How to Support Your Child and Yourself</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #353535; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRYjf76OmRnLnJ3EWe8PHiJVxrGKuBZB79ksxGpJzikHsrnzhp3Rr6uw2at4YoC5iREFfjnDvbnMCWQwcyxS-M0cqxakqprGi9ME5QyC0TA7wzw4TRZaolWUy31zWhmgIVZ1KNsybRy1ixZX6hKKUepKHoLwFjd-ruJPdWqSfSfdk8ZNnJnb3HsX8y" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRYjf76OmRnLnJ3EWe8PHiJVxrGKuBZB79ksxGpJzikHsrnzhp3Rr6uw2at4YoC5iREFfjnDvbnMCWQwcyxS-M0cqxakqprGi9ME5QyC0TA7wzw4TRZaolWUy31zWhmgIVZ1KNsybRy1ixZX6hKKUepKHoLwFjd-ruJPdWqSfSfdk8ZNnJnb3HsX8y" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRYjf76OmRnLnJ3EWe8PHiJVxrGKuBZB79ksxGpJzikHsrnzhp3Rr6uw2at4YoC5iREFfjnDvbnMCWQwcyxS-M0cqxakqprGi9ME5QyC0TA7wzw4TRZaolWUy31zWhmgIVZ1KNsybRy1ixZX6hKKUepKHoLwFjd-ruJPdWqSfSfdk8ZNnJnb3HsX8y" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoS4VLadhHiWpaQjupCA_VcijI9amGLBnhvZLdVkxkhTagBQAHpdA_o11y7SabKEKTV7KOHyo0T5Y3BML1Szd_1yNUrvPBcoTFAdzaKXvj7n_a0HVY97EvsCMEpWJ6CcbqpS54Kp7KHLiKVUz8jJb8dbN7C0ok-VOFu2Ru3JT9dxKRpBQ3meXw9ir4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="276" data-original-width="550" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoS4VLadhHiWpaQjupCA_VcijI9amGLBnhvZLdVkxkhTagBQAHpdA_o11y7SabKEKTV7KOHyo0T5Y3BML1Szd_1yNUrvPBcoTFAdzaKXvj7n_a0HVY97EvsCMEpWJ6CcbqpS54Kp7KHLiKVUz8jJb8dbN7C0ok-VOFu2Ru3JT9dxKRpBQ3meXw9ir4" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheUPZF6EXF3RKTvHb6Lja8iMikwJRxiwZGGhgs0bU5DdIKbdGxTkfB1kbbJtt9rbA9c1F_Xw9mXQ48bje6baTpt3ucPi0e9lW0FNfskl0qn-JWaRDq8PgBoX8DCTzxtZxwMMmfInONrCvSSoqOgsBD4FhVWSRpZwm5PIT-KSA2-P1M_FwHBk7BoqnY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="681" data-original-width="784" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheUPZF6EXF3RKTvHb6Lja8iMikwJRxiwZGGhgs0bU5DdIKbdGxTkfB1kbbJtt9rbA9c1F_Xw9mXQ48bje6baTpt3ucPi0e9lW0FNfskl0qn-JWaRDq8PgBoX8DCTzxtZxwMMmfInONrCvSSoqOgsBD4FhVWSRpZwm5PIT-KSA2-P1M_FwHBk7BoqnY=w562-h490" width="562" /></a></div></div><br /></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">ASPIRE GORHAM NEWSLETTER READY TO VIEW!</span></b></div></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguFoTp5QlHXorHNzVDU0P2kYzJ0d4-vb_o9KEc_I5V1YdVzWWzpu9_S_tgzO8KHoYfb0YmYSYaGp6ZyS0b1BzORdoRU95U-Pk3BJD7mpfWPxP9gLgmKGDKEEbDTbeDN5hkPGLFysaqIOMo5pb_fw5DHbij5I8YfRpMUtPWMWvdoxDWdKV6twXsFH0p" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="314" data-original-width="588" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguFoTp5QlHXorHNzVDU0P2kYzJ0d4-vb_o9KEc_I5V1YdVzWWzpu9_S_tgzO8KHoYfb0YmYSYaGp6ZyS0b1BzORdoRU95U-Pk3BJD7mpfWPxP9gLgmKGDKEEbDTbeDN5hkPGLFysaqIOMo5pb_fw5DHbij5I8YfRpMUtPWMWvdoxDWdKV6twXsFH0p" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div>May's Aspire Gorham Newsletter is ready to view! Some great pieces in there about the most recent English X event, Gorham's School Business Roundtable, Recent STEAM nights for students and much more! Check it out using the link below:<p></p><p>May Aspire Newsletter Link:</p><p><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EFaCiQrkmgAuUTL2KpHPPHXG9twJbkVe/view?usp=share_link">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EFaCiQrkmgAuUTL2KpHPPHXG9twJbkVe/view?usp=share_link</a></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>SOCIAL STUDIES X EVENT COMING TO GHS!</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1OIVfe0bfzVugjNc95KRRRfHu72hnQ30KHttQRU48FeG6a3daFkXsjv2NzUFV_4T4TQaXWwRJlsxKudVIzeuLZC1ljMaCVAGuGHhAAhRe4jpcf7mjn05Qy2rvIz8SkhzOMKl-1ahWBYF1dBJyeWEhrsEV8nZU_pdJTXAby1EEM7DfkOv2JzV_z643" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1414" data-original-width="1938" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1OIVfe0bfzVugjNc95KRRRfHu72hnQ30KHttQRU48FeG6a3daFkXsjv2NzUFV_4T4TQaXWwRJlsxKudVIzeuLZC1ljMaCVAGuGHhAAhRe4jpcf7mjn05Qy2rvIz8SkhzOMKl-1ahWBYF1dBJyeWEhrsEV8nZU_pdJTXAby1EEM7DfkOv2JzV_z643" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">Over the course of the 2022-23 School Year, Aspire Gorham has sponsored a "Math X" event, a "Science X" event and an "English X" event. The final event of this series will be our "Social Studies X" event.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-717ae4c1-7fff-447f-d31d-ed945f21ab2e"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">SOCIAL STUDIES X is designed to expose students to people who use the skills and knowledge gained in social studies class in their career or community life. It is an opportunity for students to explore career options and network with professionals. On Tuesday, May 16th and Wednesday, May 17th, students will participate in a session of their choice during their social studies class. <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FqztpQ6BHqU2iCp0EtIoY04amezGxUvy/view?usp=share_link"> CLICK HERE</a> to view the current draft of program offerings. Its a great experience for students to see how what they are learning in school actually APPLIES to the "real world" in different ways that may interest them while simultaneously getting students to think about their own aspirations and interests for the future! </span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Thank you to Aspire Gorham staff, GHS staff and our volunteer presenters who have helped to make these incredibly rich learning opportunities available for our students this year! </span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>NEW (but not so new) STATE SPRING ACCOUNTABILITY TESTING: THE MAINE THROUGH YEAR ASSESSMENT</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2g5xjBsA5oh7A6V0S9Jxgr4dpQOoJggYKPLoNq70fR3Fc1r2CymCj9aTGjgcA-6NGGsTIWzoCqJ1xWBF8Ao6vBuvJakgm631qZ2-_sHuzCuTiIypWAX_EB556M6f4uhhVJdm3kHzksqjhYvA6bqIF-MQnB55AdOrMIG4qdXhAzYk5LdBq39UG6Tjq" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="202" data-original-width="250" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2g5xjBsA5oh7A6V0S9Jxgr4dpQOoJggYKPLoNq70fR3Fc1r2CymCj9aTGjgcA-6NGGsTIWzoCqJ1xWBF8Ao6vBuvJakgm631qZ2-_sHuzCuTiIypWAX_EB556M6f4uhhVJdm3kHzksqjhYvA6bqIF-MQnB55AdOrMIG4qdXhAzYk5LdBq39UG6Tjq" width="297" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">Achievement testing using the State of Maine's new (but not so new) Through Year Assessment started this week for students in grades 3-8 and in the 2nd year of high school (10th graders). </p><p style="text-align: left;">If you recall, during the Pandemic, the state of Maine switched its assessment system to the utilization of the <a href="https://www.nwea.org/">NWEA assessment</a>. This assessment had been used in the Gorham Schools for our benchmarking purposes for several years prior to the state of Maine's adoption. The state of Maine is required to conduct achievement testing annually as part of the <a href="https://www.ed.gov/essa?src=rn">Every Student Succeeds Act</a> which mandates an accountability system. This system tests achievement of common core standards in math, and reading for students in the grades mentioned above in the opening paragraph. Testing occurs each spring and results are typically shared with schools late the following fall. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Below the state of Maine DOE explains why we are making the change to this slightly new assessment:</p><p style="text-align: left;">The NWEA MAP Growth assessment was adopted as an emergency measure during the pandemic to
meet schools’ needs for immediate, actionable data. MAP Growth was an interim assessment solution
while the Department of Education worked collaboratively with NWEA to develop a state assessment
that meets all federal requirements, including interpretive guidance provided as part of the federal peer
review process. The Maine Through Year Assessment will provide the opportunity for Maine educators
to continue utilizing an assessment tool that they find helpful and necessary in instructional decision
making. By maneuvering to a through year approach, students will now be assessed on grade-level
content with a performance level assigned, and they will also receive a RIT score which provides
continuity of longitudinal data for those Maine SAUs that have used NWEA for some time. Additionally,
in order for a state assessment to meet federal peer review requirements, it must include a criterion referenced, summative portion that aligns with grade-level state standards. The Maine Through Year
Assessment will continue to address the need for actionable data while also meeting federal peer review
requirements for a criterion-referenced statewide assessment.</p><p style="text-align: left;">So what is the same and what is different about this new test? Below the state of Maine DOE provides a nice summary of that information too:</p><p style="text-align: left;"><u>What is NOT changing</u>: </p><p style="text-align: left;">o MAP Growth assessments were required in Fall 2022 and were optional in Winter 2023. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><u>What IS changing</u>: </p><p style="text-align: left;">o MAP Growth will not be administered as the Spring assessment. Instead, the Spring 2023
will be the first administration of the Maine Through Year Assessment. </p><p style="text-align: left;">o Beginning in the Fall of 2023, students will take the Maine Through Year Assessment in the
fall, winter (optional), and spring. MAP Growth will no longer be provided by the State to
SAUs. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><u>Subject Areas
What is NOT changing</u>: </p><p style="text-align: left;">o Students will be assessed in Reading and Math. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><u>What IS changing</u>: </p><p style="text-align: left;">o Language Usage will not be a part of the Maine Through Year Assessment. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><u>Grade Levels Assessed
What is NOT changing: </u></p><p style="text-align: left;">o Students in grades 3rd – 8
th grade will participate in the assessments. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><u>What IS changing:</u> </p><p style="text-align: left;">o Grade 10 is required and no longer optional. </p><p style="text-align: left;">o Grade 11 will not be assessed.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The Gorham Schools uses the results of the spring state testing annually as part of our <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/18Nl_5z_iCNiUjFnyNKKEL_kJROvLVeHOVIhZ09LKdGM/edit?usp=share_link">State of The Schools Report</a> and to help determine overall success of district programming. Summary scores help us to determine if district or school wide programs are effective or not, and help us to make adjustments to these programs to improve overall results over time. Scores are used as part of a wholistic system of data that we review annually to determine our overall success as a district. That wholistic system is our "<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SWDNAHd_knD72_kPTEpZXIHz4Z1j_4nmxft47-NgDAY/edit?usp=sharing">Metrics for Success</a>". Therefore, although this test is important, it is also not the only data point we look at for decision making purposes. </p><p style="text-align: left;">As parents you can gain a stronger understanding of our overall assessment system in Gorham by checking out the assessment section in our <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QcZvpX7n1-3Ys635luA33ifwOCrUMxCrHmmygvlibjY/edit?usp=sharing">Teaching and Learning Handbook</a>. Parents can also learn more about the Through Year Assessment by visiting the<a href="https://www.maine.gov/doe/Testing_Accountability/MECAS/NWEA"> MDOE website</a>.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>END OF YEAR HAPPENINGS</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijTj0-cmvaCVVtZbasAvu68eJhFKYGqWIGzQP2qnbmux_o6DjEmR-AlZBvpzLoWQUr5fDfaq6dcujo_XpDitViQA_UbSh6ZRMOt44IUx4aRCkacxC-n7ctmbRB9Cz9EaOLG9BHStA-LS7rIKxYgWWJwuQjyq6lapMS-5tGHQbfNXPnNjw0wUrbm9pw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijTj0-cmvaCVVtZbasAvu68eJhFKYGqWIGzQP2qnbmux_o6DjEmR-AlZBvpzLoWQUr5fDfaq6dcujo_XpDitViQA_UbSh6ZRMOt44IUx4aRCkacxC-n7ctmbRB9Cz9EaOLG9BHStA-LS7rIKxYgWWJwuQjyq6lapMS-5tGHQbfNXPnNjw0wUrbm9pw" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">It is definitely getting to that time of the school year where there are LOTS of things happening! I thought it might be helpful to share a spattering of some of these end of the year activities with folks so you are aware of the depth and breadth of all that is done in our schools during this busy time. Please know <u>THIS IS NOT AN ALL INCLUSIVE LIST OF ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS.</u> If you want to keep track of those the best way is to use each school's website and their calendar of events. Just go to www.gorhamschools.org and then click on schools, select the school and view the calendar.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Here's some highlights:</p><p style="text-align: left;">- May 1- 12 AP Exams - GHS.</p><p style="text-align: left;">- May 1 - 26 NWEA Reading and Math Assessments - all Schools</p><p style="text-align: left;">- May 8 - GHS Spring Concert</p><p style="text-align: left;">- May 16 - Town Council Budget Vote</p><p style="text-align: left;">- May 19 - Spring Dance (GMS)</p><p style="text-align: left;">- May 22 - June 1 - Senior Internships (GHS)</p><p style="text-align: left;">- May 23 - GHS Academic Awards Night.</p><p style="text-align: left;">- May 25 - Spring Chorus Concert (GHS)</p><p style="text-align: left;">- May 30 - All Gorham Steel Band Night </p><p style="text-align: left;">- May 31 - K-5 Field Days Begin</p><p style="text-align: left;">- June 1 - JMG awards night</p><p style="text-align: left;">- June 2 - Senior Class Trip</p><p style="text-align: left;">- June 7 - Step up day (GHS)</p><p style="text-align: left;">- June 7 - Spring Sports Awards night (GHS)</p><p style="text-align: left;">- June 8 - Senior Celebration (GHS) & Spring Fling Event (Village)</p><p style="text-align: left;">- June 9 - GHS Senior Walk (will live stream on FB) & BBQ</p><p style="text-align: left;">- June 11 - GHS Graduation</p><p style="text-align: left;">- June 13 - Budget Validation Referendum</p><p style="text-align: left;">- June 14 - 5th grade step up day to GMS</p><p style="text-align: left;">- June 15 - K-4 Step up day & Gr. 5 Celebration Picnic & Field Day & GMS 8th grade celebration</p><p style="text-align: left;">- June 16 - Last Student Day of School</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">IN CLOSING</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;">Well that is it for this blog. Just wanted to end with an awesome video made by our students and sent out to our teachers...if this doesn't warm your heart AND make you laugh, not sure what would! Be sure to watch the bloopers at the end! Someone I know might just have future aspirations in acting!</p><p style="text-align: left;">Teacher Appreciation Week 2023 Video Link:</p><p style="text-align: left;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://vimeo.com/822599255/7265a44be0&source=gmail&ust=1683338295507000&usg=AOvVaw1H7rtg2MTjLvYx3oguzh8j" href="https://vimeo.com/822599255/7265a44be0" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">https://vimeo.com/822599255/<wbr></wbr>7265a44be0</a></p>Heather Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902747451985096596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2916890148299174047.post-46469194891491432512023-04-14T11:07:00.001-07:002023-04-14T11:07:55.591-07:00April 14 Post<p>Happy upcoming April Vacation for everyone! I hope everyone enjoys their much deserved change of pace this coming week as we pause in our incredible learning activities and shift to re-focus on rest, relaxation, and family! We will be "hitting the ground running" (as my father always said) when we return from the break and enter the sprint to the finish line that is always the months of May and June in our schools! </p><p>Lots to talk about, so I will get right to it after sharing some images from the past few weeks from our schools! So much fun happening...I had to do TWO series! Enjoy!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmSp3gEMnmgLK_TFfvHsWuDFp_9AO2ZPJpgm8zhe4ZJ96Bkl5Z2sYeYiINWV3lWQaa46hMSqbpplZVLxoVpIt537NkwvjBHabi6dOcxK9Kdsm3D4CH2u0AHfxNSekUAPxk4Vf02DTSKoSp5T0EulBF-Z_L6UmhZ-t-nLfkYd10e2J9SpzZZifj8bL0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmSp3gEMnmgLK_TFfvHsWuDFp_9AO2ZPJpgm8zhe4ZJ96Bkl5Z2sYeYiINWV3lWQaa46hMSqbpplZVLxoVpIt537NkwvjBHabi6dOcxK9Kdsm3D4CH2u0AHfxNSekUAPxk4Vf02DTSKoSp5T0EulBF-Z_L6UmhZ-t-nLfkYd10e2J9SpzZZifj8bL0=w562-h562" width="562" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEje4TG_CAfYPkARIBfpXLWl0DPg9ESgGARA86HfILyjphea3x4dMFlY6IHYk-Di2XkLVF5GdGwGDWWdAkmM1vKbiipkJ-mEhRhNTUr8Uvc2KYiXyQB3McYJxdKV90FL5D3JKHsyesJ_kLTp4xqxX7I2LavwiT7vbi4SZmZksbJz9WHF2-ZUJ6BBdFy5" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="555" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEje4TG_CAfYPkARIBfpXLWl0DPg9ESgGARA86HfILyjphea3x4dMFlY6IHYk-Di2XkLVF5GdGwGDWWdAkmM1vKbiipkJ-mEhRhNTUr8Uvc2KYiXyQB3McYJxdKV90FL5D3JKHsyesJ_kLTp4xqxX7I2LavwiT7vbi4SZmZksbJz9WHF2-ZUJ6BBdFy5=w555-h555" width="555" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now on to the informational part!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>DID YOU KNOW - WE ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS IN GORHAM?</b></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0ERK5P4yB228P_3aiSrmykO8_NDQ5BmToArQMB3soL9NtzjUeaeGFbv4kABwYzNXpKTaVOqOip9wHhNvgdWJ7CvQcu-PuSiwcbmHfc28d-5ydkSO5QnsZzJa1lZU5NSEi0PPWIm7weDvOCSr1AxQAU9zlljEmNDTL1KwguJUwp0pkpkwAkZLforNQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="204" data-original-width="247" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0ERK5P4yB228P_3aiSrmykO8_NDQ5BmToArQMB3soL9NtzjUeaeGFbv4kABwYzNXpKTaVOqOip9wHhNvgdWJ7CvQcu-PuSiwcbmHfc28d-5ydkSO5QnsZzJa1lZU5NSEi0PPWIm7weDvOCSr1AxQAU9zlljEmNDTL1KwguJUwp0pkpkwAkZLforNQ" width="291" /></a></div><br /></div>Of course, we have had multilingual families in Gorham for a long time, but it has been a while since I shared some information regarding our Multilingual Learner (ML) student populations across our school district. Like all schools in our area, we are seeing an increase in this population of learner in our schools. We are so excited about our ML learners and to see the diversity of our community literally grow before our eyes! <p></p><p>Did you know that we have 24 different languages spoken by Gorham Ram families across our schools? Check out the list below...</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-E2Kma9uvISPFBXDwPNcPoGii-slpt0idA1hVm6sR_oa4AppMNrz3zKsk17GnIicfwB8LBBBQtvzJBv7drMVuoFv4q_B8JDkEgdAcQ2WjrFdoomUPPQeCdOvBC8cUOyahQaUey40iRsQwoSW652VBhspMoTBum2KyULKYoQw6fQEfMCBKfdYFWze_" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1012" data-original-width="1420" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-E2Kma9uvISPFBXDwPNcPoGii-slpt0idA1hVm6sR_oa4AppMNrz3zKsk17GnIicfwB8LBBBQtvzJBv7drMVuoFv4q_B8JDkEgdAcQ2WjrFdoomUPPQeCdOvBC8cUOyahQaUey40iRsQwoSW652VBhspMoTBum2KyULKYoQw6fQEfMCBKfdYFWze_=w466-h332" width="466" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These languages ebb and flow. Currently Portuguese seems to be the newest language popping up in the greatest numbers across our schools. If you happen to know Portuguese and are looking to volunteer in schools let us know! ☺</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We currently serve 91 multilingual students across our five schools. You can see a six year history by school in the graph below:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFgAClE5_p0hxZOPi1_Hg24XtEbwSf84zbq8kdpH2_RQqqEiEHlqz8qPkBs4DSeAT_ktStHYlTJHtg5DpOGKaeNIkYCWN2TUJZONls_93mCziuxpK8gHxbwjtRtOcTHD06DjPIaPpGGUEOeJ_0k6rncvYrk5EZF3ze4yDwPNwNDWK9Ua_hdtQP8V_S" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="956" data-original-width="1598" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFgAClE5_p0hxZOPi1_Hg24XtEbwSf84zbq8kdpH2_RQqqEiEHlqz8qPkBs4DSeAT_ktStHYlTJHtg5DpOGKaeNIkYCWN2TUJZONls_93mCziuxpK8gHxbwjtRtOcTHD06DjPIaPpGGUEOeJ_0k6rncvYrk5EZF3ze4yDwPNwNDWK9Ua_hdtQP8V_S=w558-h333" width="558" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The students that we serve are served with a myriad of language learning needs ranging from students and families who are just now entering into learning a new language in English (often on top of the 2-3 languages that are already spoken in the home) to those who are fully capable of communicating in English as well as multiple other languages. ML student needs are rated on a scale of 1 to 6 with the following designations:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1=Entering</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2=Beginning</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3=Developing</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4=Expanding</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5=Bridging</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">6=Reaching</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These scales are also aligned to assessments taken by our ML students. Students who test at a level 5 or above may have monitoring services, but likely don't require much for additional multilingual learning supports. Those that test 1-4 are receiving direct services of varying degrees from our multilingual team. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What is most interesting and exciting about our overall numbers of ML students is that it seems that the number of students in our schools in that early "entering" or "beginning" phase of learning have increased the most. You can see that in the data below broken out by school and compared between last school year and this school year:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjddj_94aVsipUxK9aJ6NOxaF13-oOUi2zeuMOt9hk_Y2bXQKWYkOQIO-D0QgUOnkqoLEEdRTfuNRytbDFzFQcbF035GCMBb-znOpozt0RbdbsM8hc7mHITBlvKi9_v_bKT8iH6Q9GWK_FhIyDgWyAmPFtoARTeJ6D93KIF-mqhKgWCgkpe1i0OUQE_" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="948" data-original-width="1356" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjddj_94aVsipUxK9aJ6NOxaF13-oOUi2zeuMOt9hk_Y2bXQKWYkOQIO-D0QgUOnkqoLEEdRTfuNRytbDFzFQcbF035GCMBb-znOpozt0RbdbsM8hc7mHITBlvKi9_v_bKT8iH6Q9GWK_FhIyDgWyAmPFtoARTeJ6D93KIF-mqhKgWCgkpe1i0OUQE_=w352-h246" width="352" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3kDxVkl1EYvBM9rVYPzw6brYbO4wWFhirdZZqu83TEsnV8z77fjHoGkmCZPxwwoo37QOdLqtS4sgtoqYi_mWiu448BdyG9oJNJQ9GRP9gSnavxMTg_mb30wrap4rhoOREUimjjelYmeEo_XxtBeSI80tedRUrtrqpqm-UFblEpZecod6Sf52-4vAT" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="1340" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3kDxVkl1EYvBM9rVYPzw6brYbO4wWFhirdZZqu83TEsnV8z77fjHoGkmCZPxwwoo37QOdLqtS4sgtoqYi_mWiu448BdyG9oJNJQ9GRP9gSnavxMTg_mb30wrap4rhoOREUimjjelYmeEo_XxtBeSI80tedRUrtrqpqm-UFblEpZecod6Sf52-4vAT=w352-h229" width="352" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUI5Qk8aIVyxVyBWU78RWci7LVt8jEP4iDsx91a_Z9IpO3PyoGlaHmJBgm25ViwqNH0ozaC4-eSyjSkRsUR9mtCddpl-wyQh2Aqx4YEDR162nieJt9bxJ5p6lbCKUZ8wwQzHTY89ECX5fHgZvOMB2Yll7G7R2oAovZ_ePY-h6Yx4Pa05VaTN02tnHF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="834" data-original-width="1268" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUI5Qk8aIVyxVyBWU78RWci7LVt8jEP4iDsx91a_Z9IpO3PyoGlaHmJBgm25ViwqNH0ozaC4-eSyjSkRsUR9mtCddpl-wyQh2Aqx4YEDR162nieJt9bxJ5p6lbCKUZ8wwQzHTY89ECX5fHgZvOMB2Yll7G7R2oAovZ_ePY-h6Yx4Pa05VaTN02tnHF=w357-h234" width="357" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEia_TD5_Vf7UBNo4lmt-xFp5Wu-yCBV7zs7CEZZEchPD3jJKHgeD8Hl7RGy1Fy-osvDKY02UvtDlnZtWvmMbYyMZvwZuaSN6XFXP-CZIU2pnyyV8TmvWNgHntVCSKuf2ZRKUajaCJswYi7DyGvRGAb0TX_gya20AY4pYoYy8NiEKFC-QaPb4_0eAMui" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="890" data-original-width="1346" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEia_TD5_Vf7UBNo4lmt-xFp5Wu-yCBV7zs7CEZZEchPD3jJKHgeD8Hl7RGy1Fy-osvDKY02UvtDlnZtWvmMbYyMZvwZuaSN6XFXP-CZIU2pnyyV8TmvWNgHntVCSKuf2ZRKUajaCJswYi7DyGvRGAb0TX_gya20AY4pYoYy8NiEKFC-QaPb4_0eAMui=w376-h249" width="376" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_N-iHG_bprwl4l9lvdzSkLr087Azmvl1yOGn5C7uSINkJO6asMsCQRhOaorSNRJNl2Z-VtoPy9Cx6sJhF5hWPO4igicQoxDIIxtSVxmzd0x99bPtC7MyuNCPHd0rwQu-2RUHKDrvm95iwvKnO2UC4BNZKlXWvwXOIKm3_gdTUr1-dATICNGFdSDTJ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="820" data-original-width="1278" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_N-iHG_bprwl4l9lvdzSkLr087Azmvl1yOGn5C7uSINkJO6asMsCQRhOaorSNRJNl2Z-VtoPy9Cx6sJhF5hWPO4igicQoxDIIxtSVxmzd0x99bPtC7MyuNCPHd0rwQu-2RUHKDrvm95iwvKnO2UC4BNZKlXWvwXOIKm3_gdTUr1-dATICNGFdSDTJ=w372-h238" width="372" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">In the Gorham Schools we are excited by the opportunities this diverse population of students and families can bring to our awesome community and to our schools! THANK YOU to our team of just three multilingual teachers who work with our teachers, administrators, these students and their families each and every day to make sure these students and their families are an integral and celebrated part of our Gorham Ram community. Thank you Erica Woods, Cecely Conrad, and Heather Alden!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">PERSPECTIVES FROM A GMS 7TH GRADER!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLJMeZyIc-UKMuBXGmrz2pJ3kJ1Ce9-NeDVY1oN64J1RvsyD026F0AbCY0jNXL4WTPdcIwRGtODOZknW_sB67dz8Hl6a3WILPnEnThEmTAt4almoTvekEDIxc8g50LQxLOLjccbEoEGOJoPGyoRxxHxTZK-IsD-j_WKJgIUB-_gSa1KOGE03uLMDeq" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1106" data-original-width="982" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLJMeZyIc-UKMuBXGmrz2pJ3kJ1Ce9-NeDVY1oN64J1RvsyD026F0AbCY0jNXL4WTPdcIwRGtODOZknW_sB67dz8Hl6a3WILPnEnThEmTAt4almoTvekEDIxc8g50LQxLOLjccbEoEGOJoPGyoRxxHxTZK-IsD-j_WKJgIUB-_gSa1KOGE03uLMDeq" width="213" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In my last blog I shared a video recently recorded by our students to show one 6th grader's perspective on his experiences as a student at GMS. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In this blog, we have a special treat to hear from Sadie Woodman, a 7th grader at GMS who shares her perspective about what it is like to be a student in our schools. Thank you Sadie for sharing your voice and again - THANK YOU to the students who worked together to put this video series together! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Let's hear what Sadie has to say! Please click on the link below to watch!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">7th grade- </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://vimeo.com/811803990/324da41b08&source=gmail&ust=1681506792010000&usg=AOvVaw3CBZ2x-56ha-VYcLFoe5IW" href="https://vimeo.com/811803990/324da41b08" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://vimeo.com/811803990/<wbr></wbr>324da41b08</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Note: In my next blog we'll hear from an 8th grade student at GMS...stay tuned!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">CURRICULUM CORNER</span></b></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkDwO2JFffvIwf6oE8AaJatXQidnvhurXszFgEmFUjScLxC_azSIiEqZsq-7cUj1JEjy79mobUwVUAG7sptrDQqclP-04dmvI0qpPltkEbofRJyE-zCVyMoJhoUlLzbTBYkO8cJ1HiSBb5rCEoqxYjnU3zVyeDGpCbpD8u63_jRVYCik6S0TOgqINo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="201" data-original-width="250" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkDwO2JFffvIwf6oE8AaJatXQidnvhurXszFgEmFUjScLxC_azSIiEqZsq-7cUj1JEjy79mobUwVUAG7sptrDQqclP-04dmvI0qpPltkEbofRJyE-zCVyMoJhoUlLzbTBYkO8cJ1HiSBb5rCEoqxYjnU3zVyeDGpCbpD8u63_jRVYCik6S0TOgqINo" width="299" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">Before I begin going through each question shared in our second survey series and our responses, I wanted to preface by sharing a little context for why these surveys were put out to Gorham parents/guardians in the first place.</span></div></div></div></div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-b4c4e59e-7fff-4a51-1316-3c6db1ee590e"><span style="font-family: times;"><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Over the past two years or so parents across the nation have expressed a greater desire to be informed about what their children are experiencing during the school day. Many parents, including here in Gorham, are </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">understandably </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">interested in the details of our curriculum and our commitment to diversity and equity initiatives. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here in Gorham, we value our partnership with families and share in the goal of preparing and inspiring Gorham students for their future success. We believe that TOGETHER, in partnership, we can meet the challenges facing our community, our families, and our schools now and in the future.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That is why we have stepped up our efforts, through our communications, and our Committee meeting agenda, to increase the level of transparency with our families so that you have a much clearer understanding of what we are doing and why we are doing it. <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-CEQ9FpDlsMTnRULUJjYkU3czQ/view?usp=share_link&resourcekey=0-aFIDlNw5b6xMkkSqmV95JA">Our mission</a> is not a secret. Our schools are committed to ensuring that we provide a welcoming, safe, and supportive learning environment for ALL our students where each child that walks through our doors feels that they are a positive and contributing member of our school community. We strive to create an inclusive environment where each child feels loved, and welcomed. These environments can only be created based on love, love for every human that walks through our doors. In Gorham, we cherish each of our students regardless of their backgrounds, beliefs, or identity.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is with this lens that the Gorham Schools sought out Parent and Community input into these important topics using a multi-pronged approach. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">First, we launched a Thought Exchange Survey asking the question of all Gorham staff, students, families and community members: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“What can we do to make our schools more welcoming to students, staff and families of all diverse backgrounds and identities?”</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Folks can go back and view my </span><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__gorhamsuperintendent.blogspot.com_2022_10_october-2D14-2Dblog-2Dpost.html&d=DwMFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=dxo2lGvHfWaMc0Ypqn3NegP5wgVh4RRXc-k_9J_td6E&m=_YOioQm71DUT6HuqHrVfwjEfmivkceYRCPXDVUwEaqI&s=-K18mC80njT4zl2cu4hWz54KpnINX0Ngv2w1ivRVgfE&e=" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Oct. 14 Blog</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for the results of this survey. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Next, we worked to re-strengthen our Anti-Racism & Equity District Wide Committee to include more community, parent and student voices. In October the newly revitalized group began meeting with well over 25 members and continues its work. You can follow this committee’s work by going to our </span><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.gorhamschools.org_apps_pages_index.jsp-3FuREC-5FID-3D456522-26type-3Dd-26pREC-5FID-3D1226843&d=DwMFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=dxo2lGvHfWaMc0Ypqn3NegP5wgVh4RRXc-k_9J_td6E&m=_YOioQm71DUT6HuqHrVfwjEfmivkceYRCPXDVUwEaqI&s=rYIrweYmUkuwlcPYRGA6QoAX5WcssZI8u1LX43BKZKo&e=" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">district’s website to view subcommittee work</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of the school committee. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In October of 2022, we launched our parent & community “Listening Tour” to visit and meet face to face with families interested in learning more about what we teach in our schools and who were interested in sharing their questions and feedback with us. Folks can go back and view my </span><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__gorhamsuperintendent.blogspot.com_2022_12_december-2D2-2Dblog-2Dpost.html&d=DwMFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=dxo2lGvHfWaMc0Ypqn3NegP5wgVh4RRXc-k_9J_td6E&m=_YOioQm71DUT6HuqHrVfwjEfmivkceYRCPXDVUwEaqI&s=mfu_vodD9hE2gSGFVCkWBBlF7YgE4RTUPhh3wXFsov8&e=" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">December 2nd Blog</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for the results of this listening tour. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Also in October, we launched a family survey asking: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“What do you want to know most about your child’s learning in our classrooms?”</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> We had 26 individuals participate in this survey, asking approximately 30 questions which were then answered directly in the Superintendent’s blog posts each month under the heading of “Curriculum Corner” information. You can</span><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__gorhamsuperintendent.blogspot.com_&d=DwMFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=dxo2lGvHfWaMc0Ypqn3NegP5wgVh4RRXc-k_9J_td6E&m=_YOioQm71DUT6HuqHrVfwjEfmivkceYRCPXDVUwEaqI&s=3XiIkW_LFZ4jgjDmlwmyCbNnqfdNyplij84sdTxt7W8&e=" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> CLICK HERE</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to view all blog posts. The curriculum corner posts were usually the first blog of each month. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Later, in January, we issued a second survey to families asking the same question: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“What do you want to know most about your child’s learning in our classrooms?”</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> There were 10 families that participated in this survey and it is these questions that are responded to below. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our world is not becoming less complex and the skills our children need to be successful aren’t either. Our children need to be able to navigate difficult and challenging topics and situations in age appropriate ways in order for us to make </span><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__drive.google.com_file_d_0B-2DCEQ9FpDlsMTnRULUJjYkU3czQ_view-3Fusp-3Dshare-5Flink-26resourcekey-3D0-2DaFIDlNw5b6xMkkSqmV95JA&d=DwMFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=dxo2lGvHfWaMc0Ypqn3NegP5wgVh4RRXc-k_9J_td6E&m=_YOioQm71DUT6HuqHrVfwjEfmivkceYRCPXDVUwEaqI&s=-sLDzSpJc3Pi_pHKc8_SfXkc2wc9M9eJj42rHMbDZAc&e=" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">our vision</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> a reality. We continue to believe that every child deserves access to a high quality and age appropriate education. It is both the challenge and the distinct privilege our public schools have to provide this important resource to our community. Together, we absolutely can achieve this goal. A huge THANK YOU for our Gorham families, students, staff, and community members for being on this incredible journey with us! </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now on to that last series of questions…</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">___________________________________________________________________________________</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Question:</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Is the school teaching my kids about gender identities other than the regular male and female? I don’t think it is appropriate for young kids. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Answer: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Via our school’s health curriculum in grades 5-12 we cover a variety of topics including</span><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">male anatomy, female anatomy, conception to birth, birth control and STD's (these two issues are covered in greater detail in 8th grade). As part of these discussions, and in order to ensure that all in the class feel welcome, we touch upon the fact that there are individuals within our communities and in our broader American society who may identify with a gender other than the biological sex they were assigned at birth. Consistent with the Maine Learning Results and the Maine Human Rights Act, we remind students of the importance of accepting other human beings for who they are and we instruct students on the importance of being kind to everyone regardless of difference. This reminder about kindness and respect is emphasized in our student code of conduct across all grades K-12. If questions arise as to sexual orientation / gender identity, etc. our staff work to answer these questions in a respectful, age appropriate and non-judgmental manner while encouraging students to discuss these issues with their parents and/or our school counselors.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Question:</span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Are kids being taught CRT (Critical Race Theory) in Gorham public schools? </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Answer: No</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Question:</span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Are kids that are white being taught to that they are racist because of their history. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Answer: No</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Question:</span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Are kids being taught about other identities that are the latest trend, i am hearing rumors about kids identifying as animals, which seems absurd to me, but yet I am hearing this?? </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Answer: No.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Question:</span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Are kids being taught about the actual percentage of people who are actually LGBTQ in this country…..seems like it is being glamorized even though it is a small percentage and that it is confusing middle school kids. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Answer: In appropriate settings, we share specific and factual data related to subsets of our cultural diversity here in Gorham, in our state and in our country such as: % people of color or % of students with disabilities, or % Gifted and Talented or % speaking a language other than english, or socio-economically disadvantaged, etc.. We stress that our students make us a community and that all students are welcome and loved in our Gorham Schools.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Question: </span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Are kids being taught that having a best friend and loving your best friend does not make you gay? It seems kids are being sexualized at a young age, should we be teaching these kids about sexual preferences at such a young age?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Answer: No. We teach kindness and respect and do not encourage students to be sexually active. Consistent with the Maine Learning Results, our students do learn about healthy choices, development, nutrition, and health conditions, etc.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Question:</span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Which school wide tests determine whether your child is eligible for extra help in math or reading? Are the parents always notified if the child tests poorly?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Answer: There isn’t really just one school wide test that determines eligibility for Response to Intervention (RTI) programming in math or reading across grades K-12. We do use NWEA data as our benchmarking data but we also “triangulate” data from several sources to determine additional supports that may or may not be needed. Other sources of data include classroom observations, results of formative and summative classroom assessments, etc. You can learn more about our RTI process by going to our district website </span><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.gorhamschools.org_apps_pages_index.jsp-3FuREC-5FID-3D456509-26type-3Dd-26pREC-5FID-3D989757&d=DwMFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=dxo2lGvHfWaMc0Ypqn3NegP5wgVh4RRXc-k_9J_td6E&m=_YOioQm71DUT6HuqHrVfwjEfmivkceYRCPXDVUwEaqI&s=eM-o13oOTqOBL4PNaiW6nPrTNQGTpjz9goJareaLVLw&e=" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HERE</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> <span style="color: #2b00fe;">If our teachers have concerns regarding our student's learning we absolutely reach out to our parents to let them know of these concerns.</span></span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Question:</span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> What system(s) does the school use to track SEL metrics? Casel? </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Answer: At the K-5 level, our SEL curriculum (Second Step) and our Literacy Curriculum (Collaborative Classroom) include the CASEL framework. Our K-2 students participate in a pre-post screener via the Second Step curriculum.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While the Maine Learning Results do not have specific SEL standards, and does not recommend an SEL assessment for accountability, it does fully encourage schools to integrate the following:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Systematically teaching, modeling, and facilitating the application of social and emotional competencies in ways that allow students to apply them throughout their days</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Establishing safe, caring, and highly engaging learning environments involving peer and family initiatives and school wide community-building activities.</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Across our K-12 learning community, we teach and reinforce these competencies through establishing classroom communities, explicitly teaching executive functioning skills, teaching and reinforcing our Code of Conduct and providing multiple opportunities for a safe, and successful school experience. We are able to monitor student response and need based on their ability to access academics and peer/classroom engagement. In addition, students that have a SEL Personal Learning Plan or Individualized Education Plan have specific goals that data is collected and reported on each trimester or quarter.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Question:</span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> What plans do you have to teach gender identity in elementary schools? </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Answer: We do not teach gender identity in our schools. We acknowledge that there are individuals in our schools who may associate their gender with something other than their biological sex and work to ensure that every child in our schools is welcomed and treated with kindness and respect regardless of their perceived difference. We teach kindness and respect.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Question:</span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Do you teach any of the following critical race theory tenets, either directly or indirectly, including in less direct "age appropriate" forms? </span></p><br /><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Permanence of racism? </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Whiteness as property? </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Counter storytelling and majoritarian narratives? </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Interest convergence? </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Critique of liberalism? </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Intersectionality? </span></p></li></ul><br /><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Answer: As noted above, we do not teach Critical Race Theory in our schools. We do teach history, which necessarily involves looking at how our society acts at different points in time. I understand that Whiteness as Property is a law school article written back in 1993. I am not aware that this article is part of our curriculum. At the high school level, we teach the concept of historiography - that history is often written from the perspectives of the prevailing side of any issue and that perspectives can change over time. We urge our students to remember that it is incumbent upon us as learners to try to dig more deeply into understanding multiple perspectives of any issue prior to coming to conclusions about what may or may not have occurred and why. In regard to the question about "interest convergence" and "intersectionality," in age appropriate ways and within a larger context or grounding topic, we also discuss with students the concept of intersectionality, which is - as defined by the Oxford dictionary: “the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage”. In other words, that characteristics such as these can have a compounding effect to create greater disadvantage. For example, if a person is a disabled person and is economically disadvantaged, those disadvantages can compound one another to create more difficult circumstances for the individual to overcome when striving for success. In regards to the Critique of liberalism, there seem to be several references to different theories here and I'm not sure which one may be being referenced in this question. Generally speaking though, and at age appropriate times and within appropriate contexts, we do discuss what it means to be liberal or conservative. This is often done with social studies classes when students are learning about our American system of Government, whereby parties are an established part of our government processes. We discuss what political parties exist in the US both now and throughout our history. We do not, however, make judgements about any political parties, affiliations or beliefs, we teach students that they exist and why they exist and how they work in our government as an integral part of our democratic process.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ultimately, we believe that teaching our students to be critical thinkers, to read to understand an issue in all its complexity, and to be empathetic are essential to ensuring that we can honor our mission as an educational institution. The mission of the Gorham School Department is to educate all students in a nurturing and challenging environment to become highly competent and ethical citizens who possess the knowledge and skills required for success in the 21st Century.</span></p><br /><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Question:</span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> What types of changes/additions have been made to curriculum in concert with MICC, It Is Time and/or Carney Sandoe?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Answer: The largest changes have been in the areas of seeking to ensure that our curriculum can be seen by students as both mirrors and windows. In other words, that our students - all of our students- can both see themselves and others within the context of their learning. A primary example of this work has been adding books to our classroom libraries that better represent the experiences of our more diverse student populations so they can see themselves reflected in their learning (mirrors), but to also add context to stretch people’s understandings of other cultures not their own (windows). </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Question:</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> In what way does SEL in Gorham Schools adhere to the SEL goals, structure, guidelines of CASEL? Or in other words, is it safe to assume what I am reading about CASEL is the same or similar to SEL in Gorham Schools?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Answer: No, although some of our core curriculum uses CASEL tenants in their frameworks they may not be the exact same as whatever you may be reading about.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Question:</span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> How does the school define being "white"? -What makes a white person? -The World Economic Forum in Davos took place last week, in what ways does the school align with the WEF's agenda? </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Answer: We do not define what it means to be white. Families may self-report their race on enrollment forms that are reported to the state. Our curriculum is available online or upon request. I have not studied the WEF agenda to assess how it aligns or does not align with the Maine Learning Results.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Question:</span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Does the school teach about "global citizenship"?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Answer: We teach kindness and respect and we believe part of our role in meeting our </span><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__drive.google.com_file_d_0B-2DCEQ9FpDlsMTnRULUJjYkU3czQ_view-3Fusp-3Dshare-5Flink-26resourcekey-3D0-2DaFIDlNw5b6xMkkSqmV95JA&d=DwMFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=dxo2lGvHfWaMc0Ypqn3NegP5wgVh4RRXc-k_9J_td6E&m=_YOioQm71DUT6HuqHrVfwjEfmivkceYRCPXDVUwEaqI&s=-sLDzSpJc3Pi_pHKc8_SfXkc2wc9M9eJj42rHMbDZAc&e=" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">mission/vision</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is to prepare our students to be successful in their futures that may very well exist outside of the community of Gorham. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Question:</span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Does the school notify parents about which books our kids are reading or what books are read aloud to our children by the teacher?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Answer: No, teachers do not notify parents about every book they decide to read aloud to children. However, any parent may request information on what books are available in our libraries (all online) or what books are being utilized by our teachers in the classroom. Our teachers work to meet the students where they are in their learning and to move them forward towards meeting all standards required. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Question:</span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Does Gorham Schools practice "culturally relevant pedagogy", as popularized by Gloria-Ladson Billings, in any or all of the grades?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Answer: We believe in teaching and supporting the whole child. Every part of them. Whoever they are.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Question:</span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Why does the school integrate drag queens into the curriculum?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Answer: I believe that this question concerns the decision of one of our art teachers to utilize the work of a master basket weaver in her art class. The artist was Geo Neptune. Geo Neptune is a Wabanaki basket weaver who upholds the tradition of Passamaquoddy basket weaving art having learned this skill from their grandmother. They are a Maine native, a graduate from Gould Academy and Dartmouth College. Our art teacher appropriately recognized how students could benefit from understanding the work of such an accomplished Maine artist.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Question:</span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Does the school rely in any way on the fundamentals of Theory, or critical postmodern theory, in curriculum and/or practices?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Answer: No</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Question: </span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> In what ways does curriculum align with the agenda of UNESCO?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Answer: I’ll be honest, I had to look this one up as I wasn’t sure of the reference. If the UNESCO being referred to is the United Nations UNESCO - it is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization whose major focus is to contribute to peace and security for the world by promoting international cooperation in education, sciences, culture, communication and information. The group also promises knowledge sharing and the free flow of ideas to accelerate mutual understanding and a more perfect knowledge of each other’s lives (taken from their website). Although I have not studied their agenda to assess how it aligns or does not align with the Maine Learning Results, it seems as though their goals of kindness, promoting education and critical thinking, and preparing students for their future success do align with our core values. As a school system we do not depend upon any single source for information or data, but instead look broadly at data of all kinds with great interest, and encourage our students to do the same.</span></p><div><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span></span></div></div><span style="font-family: times;"><div style="text-align: left;">I thank everyone who has taken the time to read and review my "curriculum corner" posts throughout this school year. I hope you have found them informative and useful. The Gorham Schools will continue to work closely in partnership with our families to make our mission/vision and core beliefs a full reality for our students so that they graduate from our schools fully "Prepared and Inspired" to take on the complex challenges facing our current and future world!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><b><span style="font-size: large;">PROPOSED FY 24 BUDGET DEVELOPMENT UPDATE</span></b><br /><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWUD4EPTTet-4wFBoUO2-KHrCo-JHkAIRzREFLWSmq3O8ygFnZwkwVgS22RKFV7ABpmUUcD_oRy7rWGoq-jELUS01lnLhzQyk9g37k0_rZECnOEKh-VNGxa8pZ3Q6fMCm6WVM-zLFr3FguO_VKEM7DuyWFTkG8_h7QSem36TGmBuJQ3mvbxKnTinH7" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="210" data-original-width="240" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWUD4EPTTet-4wFBoUO2-KHrCo-JHkAIRzREFLWSmq3O8ygFnZwkwVgS22RKFV7ABpmUUcD_oRy7rWGoq-jELUS01lnLhzQyk9g37k0_rZECnOEKh-VNGxa8pZ3Q6fMCm6WVM-zLFr3FguO_VKEM7DuyWFTkG8_h7QSem36TGmBuJQ3mvbxKnTinH7" width="274" /></a></div><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: times;">The Gorham School Committee voted to approve of a proposed FY 24 School Department Budget at their meeting on Wednesday night (4/12). Interested individuals can watch the video from this meeting by <a href="https://view.earthchannel.com/PlayerController.aspx?&PGD=gorhamme&eID=556">CLICKING HERE</a> (budget discussion begins at 1:17:48 mark). I would strongly encourage folks to listen to each School Committee member as they speak to the proposed budget and the reasons why they support it. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Below is the summary information regarding the proposed FY 24 budget that was unanimously approved by the School Committee at this meeting.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- Total Requested FY 24 School Budget: $52,294,845.00</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- This proposed budget is an overall increase of $5,867,525.00 (or 12.64%) over the FY 23 School Budget. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- This proposed budget has an ESTIMATED impact to the mil rate of an additional $1.58 on the mil or $19.55% over the FY 23 School Budget.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>A quick break down of the 12.64% requested increase is as follows</u>:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">* Of the total 12.64% increase, 6% is based solely on taking existing positions in this year's budget and moving them forward in this year's budget with agreed upon salary and benefits increases. This year's health insurance increase was 6%.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*. Of the remaining 6.4% increase, 2.5% is due to the new Pre K program that will be opening up in the Fall of 2023 at Narragansett Elementary School. In the first year, all but $140,000 of these costs is offset by corresponding revenue from the state. After year 3 of the program, 99% of the total costs for this program will be paid for via state or CDS revenue streams.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*. Of the remaining 3.9% increase (approximately $1.8 million), these increases are due mostly to the following:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- Capital improvements for facilities - $580,000.00 increase over FY 23</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- Energy Costs - $340,000 increase over FY 23 (due mostly to electricity costs)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- Increased Special Education Needs - $340,000.00 increase over FY 23 (due mostly to anticipated incoming numbers in Kindergarten)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- Increased Technology Needs - $270,000.00 over FY 23 (to replace 6+ year old staff laptops that were postponed last year for replacements as a cost cutting measure).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- Increased Textbook needs - $150,000.00 over FY 23 (for writing program K-5 and science programming 9-12).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">- Central Office needs - $120,000.00 over FY 23 (for new financial software system licensing fees and the addition of a payroll clerk position).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>Next steps in the budget approval process are as follows:</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*. Budget booklets will be delivered to Town Council by April 19, 2023</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*. A joint budget workshop meeting will be held between the Town Council and School Committee on <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">April 25 starting at 6:30 p.m.</span> in council chambers. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*. Town Council votes on the School Committee's proposed budget on May 16, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. in council chambers</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*. Budget Validation Referendum will be held on June 13, 2023 at local polling locations.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We encourage anyone interested in learning more about the proposed school budget to please reference materials shared on our website (<a href="https://www.gorhamschools.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=456522&type=d&pREC_ID=1150991">CLICK HERE</a> for a quick link). You can also reach out to Superintendent Perry with your budget related questions (heather.perry@gorhamschools.org). Once you have become informed, please feel free to respectfully reach out to School Committee members or members of the Town Council with any questions or concerns you may have. Links to their contact information is below:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /><a href="https://www.gorhamschools.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=456522&type=d&pREC_ID=1150991">School Committee contact info</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.gorham-me.org/town-council">Town Council contact info.</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">More information will be shared via this blog and via other means as we move through the process. Thank you!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b>RECENT STUDENT PRESENTATIONS TO THE GORHAM SCHOOL COMMITTEE</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: red;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUR_Mdn1_9TvO9pKht_nhJ-bcOt0pNCNfOGVP8pcNDq2hLLI0yy0ReszAIHyiW8EyBBAz2_MFDcRLt9oiBn2hcOvuTsXX-N0NQjZEubDIwO0QlGFIMedgDu4Ad9jUlEhCMmje6XGIlwZ40NwnbxYWSS80Hz6pc49G6Pgwcw-PrsLweEKasyhrmxwzi" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="201" data-original-width="251" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUR_Mdn1_9TvO9pKht_nhJ-bcOt0pNCNfOGVP8pcNDq2hLLI0yy0ReszAIHyiW8EyBBAz2_MFDcRLt9oiBn2hcOvuTsXX-N0NQjZEubDIwO0QlGFIMedgDu4Ad9jUlEhCMmje6XGIlwZ40NwnbxYWSS80Hz6pc49G6Pgwcw-PrsLweEKasyhrmxwzi" width="300" /></a></div></div><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: times;">It was a busy night on Wednesday night (April 12) for the Gorham School Committee! Before they got to action items on the agenda, they heard from TWO incredible student groups. The first was a presentation by the Village Elementary School Civil Rights team and the second was a presentation by our GHS winter athletic captains. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">WOW...just WOW. Both presentations were incredible! I have been a Superintendent for 16 years in Maine and listened to many student presentations, but I must say that the Village Elementary School presentation was by far the best! The high school presentation was great too! Both clearly demonstrate the important voices of our students and how programs that lie outside of our core content area classes have such tremendous positive impacts on our students in preparing them for their successful futures beyond our schools and in the greater world "out there". </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">When you watch presentations like these - I'm sure you too are VERY PROUD TO BE A GORHAM RAM! Check it out!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://view.earthchannel.com/PlayerController.aspx?&PGD=gorhamme&eID=556">CLICK HERE</a> to view the presentations...the Village one begins at the 3 minute mark and the high school athletics presentation directly follows.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">ANOTHER REMINDER - OUR CHILDREN ARE WATCHING.</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjthlub1AXKg6-zSmiqyYvTRMQIcWmgIU1Qg_OmO0jDPAC6E_dMldLTMPZ4Hjdiqipgzc44KC8ICyXNnlT5Xzr4THwnR0tsSc85DWW5l5ZGcVN2ltPXbH56uj4MwbQAnOITMd6M1sIgvDYOvEhunl2PJN0Emtyaju4v6-CxN5uIyFYimttr-s5LAW3o" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjthlub1AXKg6-zSmiqyYvTRMQIcWmgIU1Qg_OmO0jDPAC6E_dMldLTMPZ4Hjdiqipgzc44KC8ICyXNnlT5Xzr4THwnR0tsSc85DWW5l5ZGcVN2ltPXbH56uj4MwbQAnOITMd6M1sIgvDYOvEhunl2PJN0Emtyaju4v6-CxN5uIyFYimttr-s5LAW3o" width="320" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Back in October of this past fall, as elections were heating up, I sent out a little reminder video to folks regarding our School's Code of Conduct and the fact that our students watch us as adults to see how we adhere to this code in our own actions inside and outside of school.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">With recent events across the country, across our state and in neighboring communities (and some even closer to home perhaps), I thought this message might bear repeating. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Feel free to <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">watch this </span><a href="https://youtu.be/Now8C6ffg9A" style="background-color: white; color: #2288bb; text-decoration-line: none;">BRIEF video message</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> from me reminding us all of our School's Code of Conduct and how important it is to model for our children even when it may be so very difficult to do so!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b>SUPERINTENDENT'S 360 SURVEY NOW OPEN!</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b>STAFF, GORHAM PARENTS/GUARDIANS AND GORHAM COMMUNITY MEMBERS WELCOME TO PARTICIPATE!</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9SW1GpNuH2mWxq51ly2o4LNuKAQKesZVq3_Gb7SMeq3QIZTp9DzWqqJ8YY1MeSQ-BVHLyT0LM7IqzWtuQW8YsZGWFotK1SX_7jpJ_dgAbHQMk9idTJKCTGiSKzRbzUG2MNf8WUZ-eeDKGBn_GR88c_NibPSRliRCx_Ebw6CbO3OBJqiyCChzR_O4r" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="174" data-original-width="290" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9SW1GpNuH2mWxq51ly2o4LNuKAQKesZVq3_Gb7SMeq3QIZTp9DzWqqJ8YY1MeSQ-BVHLyT0LM7IqzWtuQW8YsZGWFotK1SX_7jpJ_dgAbHQMk9idTJKCTGiSKzRbzUG2MNf8WUZ-eeDKGBn_GR88c_NibPSRliRCx_Ebw6CbO3OBJqiyCChzR_O4r" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: times;">Each year the Gorham School Committee conducts a full 360 Survey as part of my annual evaluation process. Feedback gathered from staff, parents/guardians and community members on this survey is compiled and shared directly with the Gorham School Committee. This data is used to help them evaluate my effectiveness as a School and Community Leader. It helps them (and me) identify areas of particular leadership strength that may exist, and also areas of challenge where my skills may need to be sharpened. This information is also then used each year to inform my annual goal development processes.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">I would LOVE to see a large participation rate as that makes the data gathered more meaningful to all involved! If you haven't already done so - please take a moment to complete this important survey. Links are below:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-8bc8f6bf-7fff-fa5f-53ec-98840097d442"><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://forms.gle/1tR2YimSZzf5AgrY9" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parent/Community Survey</span></a></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://forms.gle/caY1Me2BysbQoN18A" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Staff Survey</span></a></p></li></span></ul></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><u>Surveys are due by end of day on Monday, April 24, 2023</u></b>. THANK YOU!<br /><br /></span></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: large;">ASPIRE GORHAM NEWSLETTER READY TO VIEW!</span></b></div><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_OKDnCC3vSZivBxsl_B40KTNltnup7b-GjqtAE7p9nT3LiIHgSeBirgeU4JgLYdwedb9-atFsFalHlNYkGBEuoWyGcmRz6mL7H5eVRZ0vL0-bBOKvYFXWRwvmX_a9GrOV7fKank6t480FauURygH6bb2sfj-YMJy02joWUQ8cgjAYngHjAhqD0gTk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="592" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_OKDnCC3vSZivBxsl_B40KTNltnup7b-GjqtAE7p9nT3LiIHgSeBirgeU4JgLYdwedb9-atFsFalHlNYkGBEuoWyGcmRz6mL7H5eVRZ0vL0-bBOKvYFXWRwvmX_a9GrOV7fKank6t480FauURygH6bb2sfj-YMJy02joWUQ8cgjAYngHjAhqD0gTk" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span><span style="font-family: times;">April's Aspire Gorham Newsletter is ready for viewing! This month's edition focuses on Baxter Memorial Library and our "Little Rams" partnerships and celebrating the week of the young child! Also, a nice write up on Try it Day at GMS and specific student spotlights as part of the focus on the Terezin Promise one act play recently conducted by our GHS Thespians! CHECK IT OUT!</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Newsletter Link: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GsbikXxpEeBMHWQlP51X3bnvJyMeLQ5y/view?usp=share_link"> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GsbikXxpEeBMHWQlP51X3bnvJyMeLQ5y/view?usp=share_link</a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">GORHAM HIGH SCHOOL INTERACT CLUB - UPCOMING RELAY FOR LIFE EVENT!</span></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgD_u--PjcnkC08AZgIqGqO6pFr1WkKDHQl3a4CNTYWcFzqFWRuZvJrjsxckt409CD3j8IBYi1phf-wuVRWljG7mbETnAMZ5vT6J1AQ3bBB-Q1Xfr5ZzGJlys64lnHKTQBFTpiPsftpkC9sCIGeMvqwwZLTkfkD8LIDKtfYvQqXen_-1-OwZTZDlJmM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="112" data-original-width="450" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgD_u--PjcnkC08AZgIqGqO6pFr1WkKDHQl3a4CNTYWcFzqFWRuZvJrjsxckt409CD3j8IBYi1phf-wuVRWljG7mbETnAMZ5vT6J1AQ3bBB-Q1Xfr5ZzGJlys64lnHKTQBFTpiPsftpkC9sCIGeMvqwwZLTkfkD8LIDKtfYvQqXen_-1-OwZTZDlJmM" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>I wanted to share the message below from the Interact Club's advisor - GHS teacher Neile Nelson regarding an upcoming event our students are planning to support the American Cancer Society via the Relay for Life Event! Please read Neile's message below:</p><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: times;">Hi Friends / Family / Staff,</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: times;">The Gorham High School Interact Club is doing a satellite RELAY FOR LIFE event of our own on Sunday, April 30th at the Gorham High School Track, under the umbrella of the Relay for Life of Greater Portland. Our club currently has approximately 165 members involved and we are hoping to have 100% participation throughout the day. We will be walking/running the Gorham High School track from 8:00AM until 5:00PM. Our members and I are actively trying to solicit donations on behalf of our team - Gorham Interact Club. The donations help raise money and awareness for the American Cancer Society directly. Please consider a donation to this worthwhile cause on behalf of the American Cancer Society. Our club is hoping for 100% participation in the event and we are shooting to exceed our donations from last year. We have set a club goal of raising over $5,000. Please help and donate if you can by clicking on the link below, and also feel free to share this email with anyone!!! <br /></span></p><p><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://secure.acsevents.org/site/STR?fr_id%3D104667%26pg%3Dpersonal%26px%3D44947936&source=gmail&ust=1681503370654000&usg=AOvVaw3L5wdMwIg3zG3JMUKort4I" href="https://secure.acsevents.org/site/STR?fr_id=104667&pg=personal&px=44947936" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: times;">https://secure.acsevents.org/<wbr></wbr>site/STR?fr_id=104667&pg=<wbr></wbr>personal&px=44947936</span></a></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: times;"><br /><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://go.relay.org/8rMsm&source=gmail&ust=1681503370654000&usg=AOvVaw356JY8QeXoKyB216KZ5Het" href="http://go.relay.org/8rMsm" target="_blank"></a>If any of you are interested in joining us for a bit walking or running, please do so at any point throughout the day. Our club members will be decorating luminari bags in honor of friends, family members, neighbors, that have been affected by cancer in some way. We will place these bags around the GHS track at 5:00 that evening. <br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: times;">With one in three people expected to experience cancer in their lifetime, it’s likely we all know someone who’s been affected by the disease — friends, loved ones, maybe even yourself.</span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: times;">Our club is participating in this year’s Relay For Life to help the American Cancer Society change all that. Please donate to our fundraising page, so we can continue to see fewer people diagnosed, and more people surviving cancer. Give what you can. Every gift — large and small — makes a big difference.</span></p></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;"><div dir="ltr"><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: times;">Sincerely,</span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></div><div><i><b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: times;">Neile Nelson</span></b></i></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: times;">Math Teacher</span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: times;">Interact Club Advisor</span></b></div></div></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">HELP US SEND 8TH GRADE ODYSSEY OF THE MIND TEAM TO WORLD FINALS!</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhC1dxp3RralmqepKf_HQ3qO755w-ghcgF7-kWbBJqb9Rdw4UgvGhQ3nA5F4nhpj-2jnSz130mrA2HDGpuIUwB-O23ADXQ3AwLzNL0dmgb5AqibgHv9aajCpNWhIZn_VU3NZ-DBD5jXuc1xwxM1FHWLjg-xNY6LCghLGBUAEmzT_eas-WJJU_tPKtI-" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhC1dxp3RralmqepKf_HQ3qO755w-ghcgF7-kWbBJqb9Rdw4UgvGhQ3nA5F4nhpj-2jnSz130mrA2HDGpuIUwB-O23ADXQ3AwLzNL0dmgb5AqibgHv9aajCpNWhIZn_VU3NZ-DBD5jXuc1xwxM1FHWLjg-xNY6LCghLGBUAEmzT_eas-WJJU_tPKtI-=w385-h289" width="385" /></a></span></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>Check out the message below from Danielle Quimby, our Gifted and Talented Coordinator for the Gorham Schools!</span></p><div style="background-color: white;"><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: times;">Help us send the 8th-grade Odyssey of the Mind team to World Finals! </span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On March 25</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="vertical-align: super;">th</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, five middle school teams competed in the Odyssey of the Mind State Tournament, and four out of the five teams placed in their division. The 8th-grade team earned 1</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="vertical-align: super;">st</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> place in Classics...The Walls of Troy and the 7th-grade team came in 2nd place. A 6th-grade team came in 2nd for the vehicle problem, and another 6th-grade team came in 3rd for the performance problem. The teams that came in 1st and 2nd place qualify to attend World Finals. These students have worked very hard over the last several months, and being invited to this competition is a great accomplishment. </span>World Finals is taking place from May 23rd-28th and is at Michigan State University.</span></p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: times;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: times;">Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational organization that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students from kindergarten to college. Students work on long-term and spontaneous problems requiring dramatic presentations, creative props, structural devices, and verbal solutions. Participants build self-confidence and skills for life through problem-solving, creative thinking, and teamwork. The program’s goal is to engage students in their learning. A unique aspect of Odyssey is that no one can provide assistance in the actual solution, including coaches; everything the team brainstorms, designs, creates and builds comes from their imagination and talent. </span></span></p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: times;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The 8th-grade team would love the opportunity to compete at World Finals this year! Our goal is to raise $10,000 to pay for the transportation, registration, room and board fees for the students who will be attending. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We can give these students a wonderful and unforgettable educational experience with charitable donations from our wonderful Gorham Community. The following link can be used to make a donation:</span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://gorhamschools.revtrak.net/odyssey-of-the-mind-msu/&source=gmail&ust=1681503370709000&usg=AOvVaw3hJGNfUUWIYMxMkyannYOO" href="https://gorhamschools.revtrak.net/odyssey-of-the-mind-msu/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Odyssey of the Mind World Finals Donation</span></a><span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">. Thank you so much for your support!</span></span></span></p></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: georgia, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: georgia, serif;"><b>Danielle Quimby, NBCT, M.S.Ed.</b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: georgia, serif;"><b>G<div style="display: inline;">ifted and Talented Coordinator </div></b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: georgia, serif;"><b>Gorham Schools </b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><div style="display: inline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: georgia, serif;">(207) 222-1376 </span></div></b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><div style="display: inline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: georgia, serif;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://gorhammiddleschoolsail.blogspot.com/&source=gmail&ust=1681503370709000&usg=AOvVaw2A6-ctBZzGn2pb8QrgHjKw" href="https://gorhammiddleschoolsail.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Check out the SAIL Blog!</a></span></div></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">UPCOMING EARTH DAY EVENT FOR 4-8 YEAR OLDS!</span></b></p><p>If you are looking for a way to get your 4-8 year old involved in celebrating earth day - check out this great opportunity below!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWB5KLwNqy0TNiCfYw2vQK8g9ODUg7M8KBl6W3hY4F7oQxEAhTR8sntzX0GRxuEPk8fuDrnI30o4g6B1ZBTPjhAWLQl0MMMR1t3liFnJ_J6OGLeyqZ_UJIb6ZJBxwPt2Z6Z9LBFtXoJ_huEJa-KDl8fiMRZKfy0_8gxjEfSijk-of2TnOWqTd0j_ng" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" height="453" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWB5KLwNqy0TNiCfYw2vQK8g9ODUg7M8KBl6W3hY4F7oQxEAhTR8sntzX0GRxuEPk8fuDrnI30o4g6B1ZBTPjhAWLQl0MMMR1t3liFnJ_J6OGLeyqZ_UJIb6ZJBxwPt2Z6Z9LBFtXoJ_huEJa-KDl8fiMRZKfy0_8gxjEfSijk-of2TnOWqTd0j_ng=w540-h453" width="540" /></a></div><br />That's it for this blog post. As I close, I thought I'd share a quick spring poem of hope and renewal...I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY YOUR APRIL BREAKS! <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj755oDpDCzkrWHCocNBtdBrThtgmd9qyVPkKfzFuUhb2pfJ5pfoNHWo3x3TI75rhLXQ60wt3sE5EHev849zFfCC6-5WFAHlZMlaP29ZuQY0Qhmy8mXnp_0vkuHZE8sF54Aazr0F7Rfi2_QS94sk2zSPmdcBTA_O6KsXm9fo23VO461AdMVYalVBVyj" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="650" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj755oDpDCzkrWHCocNBtdBrThtgmd9qyVPkKfzFuUhb2pfJ5pfoNHWo3x3TI75rhLXQ60wt3sE5EHev849zFfCC6-5WFAHlZMlaP29ZuQY0Qhmy8mXnp_0vkuHZE8sF54Aazr0F7Rfi2_QS94sk2zSPmdcBTA_O6KsXm9fo23VO461AdMVYalVBVyj=w390-h245" width="390" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Heather Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902747451985096596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2916890148299174047.post-58249842826984980702023-03-30T15:30:00.001-07:002023-03-30T15:30:46.293-07:00March 31 Post<p>Tomorrow begins the month of April - and no - that is NOT an April Fool's joke!☺ The school year continues to march forward at a seemingly increasing rate as we end the third quarter and launch into the fourth and final quarter of the 2022-23 School year! Time sure flies by when you are having fun - while learning as the pictures below show!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaaNcp58olIJMvvWJfMKhLkaEvYYEWAkvDUfn6p-WrFAoU6t6EjpGXxYyo5GPrvUhCiFubjYZmL88rAFU9U6GAafYotb_RiPi1k5nshB-_a3YfMYh6xQ9wKFh3w9pkkRHV0wrIU2XF8R4oL8XFU3BDnfbsUt9OYeqTTbMbRwu1CN-zD_FgMtNWDzEN" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="569" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaaNcp58olIJMvvWJfMKhLkaEvYYEWAkvDUfn6p-WrFAoU6t6EjpGXxYyo5GPrvUhCiFubjYZmL88rAFU9U6GAafYotb_RiPi1k5nshB-_a3YfMYh6xQ9wKFh3w9pkkRHV0wrIU2XF8R4oL8XFU3BDnfbsUt9OYeqTTbMbRwu1CN-zD_FgMtNWDzEN=w569-h569" width="569" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>What I love most about these images is that it shows our students learning outside of what one would call a "traditional classroom". Now don't get me wrong, plenty of that still takes place, but what we strive for in our educational programs is to get our students "out there" and engaged in our community as the incredible learners they are so that their learning is contextualized and authentic. This allows our students to showcase what they can do, and what our community can do to support them! <p></p><p>Our schools are so lucky to have our community visibly present in our learning environments! </p><p>Now on to the informational parts of this blog!...</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>RESULTS OF MOST RECENT THOUGHT EXCHANGE ON FISCAL YEAR 24 BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PRIORITY AREAS</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEioGo98WsS66FETned6W2A7AOCBOKqR-oyiS9G-k8Xc9npYRwGOKQGXo86d4FcopS3O0ci9ylypYqMQXG0SxxLEM9xygvxIvP1evtlBJMRJmfO9xcGvCdSJI91Lv1OMiU8A89u3su_jJEq_ZPnTB1uS3vmIaKVAhZA69c25EKvYadN61pzXSCpNV1TK" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEioGo98WsS66FETned6W2A7AOCBOKqR-oyiS9G-k8Xc9npYRwGOKQGXo86d4FcopS3O0ci9ylypYqMQXG0SxxLEM9xygvxIvP1evtlBJMRJmfO9xcGvCdSJI91Lv1OMiU8A89u3su_jJEq_ZPnTB1uS3vmIaKVAhZA69c25EKvYadN61pzXSCpNV1TK" width="320" /></a></b></span></div><p></p><p>I wanted to take a moment to thank those of you who participated in our most recent Thought Exchange regarding priority areas in our ongoing FY 24 budget development processes. The question that was asked in this exchange was:</p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: times;">As we begin our FY 24 Budget Development Process for the Gorham Schools, what 2-3 things do you want our School Committee to prioritize moving forward?</span></i></span></p><p><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;">Below is a summary of participation information:</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAoFweS54GwzItXgr0XS2iPeUfbPt03V_2XDuMcWt3LeZlGrH51t3y_comjy9WguFE-cSyerKvLoNbb0bV17r6b_tutbGeugGQT6wi5mEnJu8Hp-l46Hza8BDsLv8sZWAw_eO8qr-ATrWAiyfc83HzJbS4ZUVCp98N3W19gyn64O0PcT5gl-1waH94" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="134" data-original-width="1396" height="47" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAoFweS54GwzItXgr0XS2iPeUfbPt03V_2XDuMcWt3LeZlGrH51t3y_comjy9WguFE-cSyerKvLoNbb0bV17r6b_tutbGeugGQT6wi5mEnJu8Hp-l46Hza8BDsLv8sZWAw_eO8qr-ATrWAiyfc83HzJbS4ZUVCp98N3W19gyn64O0PcT5gl-1waH94=w489-h47" width="489" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><br />As you can see, we had 457 participants sharing 293 thoughts and then those thoughts were rated by participants a total of 14,869 times to create the themes I will share momentarily. </span><p></p><p><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;">Participants broke out as follows... </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipjTCUGV82P0m1Toae6SYbhUBkNMVKqiDUGnOA_-ybWHDt3h0gv4yZ3_2Sz6N_2T-C9QGHTBqe_vqWD1FhCf2c7yC-6RogBMez_mBkJ3-4lpxyRjDSAY6HLYwYCO94vtI1GRrBvysj4LBj5wbrH5QvgyP13_riR_8fDzq8zz2ikbDbkoT3Btjn1BNO" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="1556" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipjTCUGV82P0m1Toae6SYbhUBkNMVKqiDUGnOA_-ybWHDt3h0gv4yZ3_2Sz6N_2T-C9QGHTBqe_vqWD1FhCf2c7yC-6RogBMez_mBkJ3-4lpxyRjDSAY6HLYwYCO94vtI1GRrBvysj4LBj5wbrH5QvgyP13_riR_8fDzq8zz2ikbDbkoT3Btjn1BNO=w542-h239" width="542" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;">As you can see, approximately 31% of participants were school staff members, 63% were school families and then 6% were community members. It is important to understand that the vast majority of folks participating in the survey are directly related to the schools, which may or may not represent the larger or broader 18,000+ population of the greater community of Gorham. As is the case with any data set, it is important to be clear about what the limiting factors may be.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;">With that understanding, I wanted to share the highlights of data collected. First up for information to share are the top themes that were generated by the data. Those can be seen in the graph below:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjt8mEAgmXLqlY9Wvk9q81NzATPEb9qvpbhD1RhPJgNO-j53kYqVhDZERCsJaDhAYBc4iFMWkpbFLXYIQwtVChwIPoYbpUSl0jgJR_-egyq7z1C0rr4iNag23xN8oL1YhEpYehxY7i32OgFy9IWevLQxyh9EdkBXnM_IgyDzQK-btvfq-XrykPbdAVD" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="786" data-original-width="1690" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjt8mEAgmXLqlY9Wvk9q81NzATPEb9qvpbhD1RhPJgNO-j53kYqVhDZERCsJaDhAYBc4iFMWkpbFLXYIQwtVChwIPoYbpUSl0jgJR_-egyq7z1C0rr4iNag23xN8oL1YhEpYehxY7i32OgFy9IWevLQxyh9EdkBXnM_IgyDzQK-btvfq-XrykPbdAVD=w561-h260" width="561" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;">The top three themes were ensuring a high quality staff and educational program in our schools, followed closely by making sure the schools continue to offer important support programs to students, which was then followed by keeping class sizes at a reasonable level.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;">The top three thoughts for each of those three themes were as follows:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><u>High Quality Staff and Education Programs</u>:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjvF4F1wZmkjLtYOM2TO5Ls6dt0rnkYcEMovfNp3h5HnzfU-UgEMzL2Nb2TxiRiHPdJKvS2Zy6XlOBfpzPjXJVHFIqCqzFj5Tz1iGRwefqCmPFqlI5z2hoPLppsnz5BXsvsuZ8ZOebtjZlrR7bgZrkoMwUPlkbqCTwyNaT0R9Cch0QHepydKUS6tATT" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="1656" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjvF4F1wZmkjLtYOM2TO5Ls6dt0rnkYcEMovfNp3h5HnzfU-UgEMzL2Nb2TxiRiHPdJKvS2Zy6XlOBfpzPjXJVHFIqCqzFj5Tz1iGRwefqCmPFqlI5z2hoPLppsnz5BXsvsuZ8ZOebtjZlrR7bgZrkoMwUPlkbqCTwyNaT0R9Cch0QHepydKUS6tATT=w606-h218" width="606" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><u>Student Support Services:</u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwXp3QmmCrsuOhg8hGyOh_xc-XejB1NZKYXCd0lEP2dS9vtk9sVmQjfAq1nnEao5sboI7bMt5rnrlYXcuJb0vlCf7eVS26gosag0q7fIdA7KggCo8rT9A_3vQYBaSbgTwpIm8a1vXfHlNeF13pbgfHwtJiqQdHnNouZ1Wb6i3sFxskbDTDXyivoTKi" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="688" data-original-width="1658" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwXp3QmmCrsuOhg8hGyOh_xc-XejB1NZKYXCd0lEP2dS9vtk9sVmQjfAq1nnEao5sboI7bMt5rnrlYXcuJb0vlCf7eVS26gosag0q7fIdA7KggCo8rT9A_3vQYBaSbgTwpIm8a1vXfHlNeF13pbgfHwtJiqQdHnNouZ1Wb6i3sFxskbDTDXyivoTKi=w611-h254" width="611" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><br /><u>Class sizes:</u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEii7thaUwN-3RjftjVzbvuDhUJwZcsybWl2a-eJPBV9qQJP85C3E2_mPgxMIXAOKrTIOWcueZze31AHFxWatRaOWEjtATyj4xDCUYgGBdN23HW1f6tbrgUYVbDPzNfybASeMFwVHiFrrV5t5zt34kVbbM5DYlRwtFB58E2ozkWGOvPqV15tGwIxJQnh" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="1656" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEii7thaUwN-3RjftjVzbvuDhUJwZcsybWl2a-eJPBV9qQJP85C3E2_mPgxMIXAOKrTIOWcueZze31AHFxWatRaOWEjtATyj4xDCUYgGBdN23HW1f6tbrgUYVbDPzNfybASeMFwVHiFrrV5t5zt34kVbbM5DYlRwtFB58E2ozkWGOvPqV15tGwIxJQnh=w610-h221" width="610" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><u>The TOP TEN thoughts shared overall were:</u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9GgmiJGtt5aR8dmDJ_nxZPKPynJW86toHxb_W41yJWwBAnPP3FgA2bxXjj0ae66_e7MG5WfWhMzvOXrv1cvoQgitzkNNVxA-wUke6oDltP2Y6GcZpxfjzZHHp2u4yIkJe3kARJRfjKhckSvU92BFvw8t_EW4LrGLC44TWIH-KyVGiEH3hgvDJUY4f" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="946" data-original-width="1924" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9GgmiJGtt5aR8dmDJ_nxZPKPynJW86toHxb_W41yJWwBAnPP3FgA2bxXjj0ae66_e7MG5WfWhMzvOXrv1cvoQgitzkNNVxA-wUke6oDltP2Y6GcZpxfjzZHHp2u4yIkJe3kARJRfjKhckSvU92BFvw8t_EW4LrGLC44TWIH-KyVGiEH3hgvDJUY4f=w602-h295" width="602" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh18_fLS1wCt1kqdZF8gcbQJ4PX_JK6SUjKKXJ2Gdbb2Z2TGUMXnEGVtqwwKg8s_sNNT7QGGCOzebPAZ3f6vXW34eRy8DvIXt-6ALfuCyVvUSm_gSAD-pq4m5Xq0XgNw_E121yXbt16_W6nihmzddTN4gSGgiLy929mlQBmIXh2uiZBRMIh_pHcejUH" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="708" data-original-width="1892" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh18_fLS1wCt1kqdZF8gcbQJ4PX_JK6SUjKKXJ2Gdbb2Z2TGUMXnEGVtqwwKg8s_sNNT7QGGCOzebPAZ3f6vXW34eRy8DvIXt-6ALfuCyVvUSm_gSAD-pq4m5Xq0XgNw_E121yXbt16_W6nihmzddTN4gSGgiLy929mlQBmIXh2uiZBRMIh_pHcejUH=w599-h225" width="599" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj6mPrsRSwMhkjpACr6PMQLgnIegafUPqZtd3GmFn4Nr8a5G9gBViW_xyp6uoP-CmVxWp-_hSrxxGBcstMEXmBmI7y97dAWFAnpuaZgQ2XsxpePEWSIkoIG97-uJbVqQvLLhgtyHy57g3hlVweHmYhBvpbNzOUDrqHmrYm7xYnuUEFjj_9Y9Z6f9xuh" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="1926" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj6mPrsRSwMhkjpACr6PMQLgnIegafUPqZtd3GmFn4Nr8a5G9gBViW_xyp6uoP-CmVxWp-_hSrxxGBcstMEXmBmI7y97dAWFAnpuaZgQ2XsxpePEWSIkoIG97-uJbVqQvLLhgtyHy57g3hlVweHmYhBvpbNzOUDrqHmrYm7xYnuUEFjj_9Y9Z6f9xuh=w606-h341" width="606" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;">What was clear from the results of this Thought Exchange is that respondents wanted to ensure we maintain existing high quality programs for our students. A primary way to do that is via maintaining the high quality staff that works directly with our students. It was also clear that respondents felt that those staff should have the supports needed to feel as though they are able to perform the tasks asked of them with high quality results so things like keeping class sizes to a minimum, providing PD and other ways to retain staff were important.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;">You can view the full slide presentation of survey results by <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1FnYBdnY010hvyAV5mfKHe_XWvs2GJYpbRKibAnyu7L0/edit?usp=sharing">CLICKING HERE</a> if interested. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: times;">These results were shared with the Gorham School Committee at their last Budget Workshop meeting held on March 21, 2023 and is now a resource that they can review as they continue this important work in preparing the school's budget for the coming year.</span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">FY 24 BUDGET DEVELOPMENT WORK UPDATE</span></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOwFapCqnCjfZute2pjiMmlDzlkZ1xLRxY4qp_7CwiaEhA7Q0rjzOaC7w2gO8d5DevXssQbry7dMIpPv6vQ9QYDdC8FaTAe9xSLSdh48zrZLztgvbaJmFRHmL1yddkWy7WY7BhpE7XwvX28nIwlOCMVRnqzvNYo_9UrMKK-dHrseaU7PoImmLblNzq" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="210" data-original-width="240" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOwFapCqnCjfZute2pjiMmlDzlkZ1xLRxY4qp_7CwiaEhA7Q0rjzOaC7w2gO8d5DevXssQbry7dMIpPv6vQ9QYDdC8FaTAe9xSLSdh48zrZLztgvbaJmFRHmL1yddkWy7WY7BhpE7XwvX28nIwlOCMVRnqzvNYo_9UrMKK-dHrseaU7PoImmLblNzq" width="274" /></a></div><p></p><p>Keeping with our budget theme from above, I did want to provide an update to folks on our actual budget development processes, timelines and next steps. </p><p>WE HAD A BIG WEEK THIS PAST WEEK with a few significant changes that will definitely impact our discussions moving forward. Let me start with updating you on these items.</p><p>First, in continued conversations with the Town Manager we were able to increase the total value of the town (our tax value base) from an overall anticipated increase of $10 million in value to a new anticipated increase of $25 million in value. This helps when calculating the impacts of our proposed budget on taxpayer expense and estimating a mil rate impact.</p><p>Second, we found out on Tuesday from Anthem (our health insurance carrier) that they have been able to establish the caps for premium rate increases across the state for teachers. This isn't what we will actually pay, mind you, but it establishes what the highest increases will be. The newly established cap is 6%. This is good news because we had started our budget process with a conservative 10% projected increase. With this new information, we now know we can safely reduce our proposed budget by $240,000.00 without impacting any positions/programs or quality of health services being provided to our incredible staff. Good news indeed.</p><p>Third, (and also occurring late Tuesday evening) school systems across the state were made aware of a calculation error made by the Maine Department of Education to state subsidy allocations. Superintendents had been pushing back at the MDOE for some time wondering why they weren't really seeing the impacts of additional funding for education in our actual subsidy allocations and kudos to the state for continuing to dig and look until they were able to identify the problem. The end result was a release of about $40 million dollars back into the distribution side of the EPS funding formula to schools. This ultimately allowed the state to move the min. mil expectation for schools (this is the amount of money the state requires local municipalities to pay before being eligible to receive state subsidy dollars) from the originally calculated 7.29 mils to a new 6.97 mils. For Gorham, this resulted in a much needed increase of just under $700,000.00 in state subsidy allocation. Also Good news!</p><p>On a personal note, I rushed home late on Tuesday night and was sure to buy a lottery ticket! We'll see if anything comes of that! ☺</p><p>On a more serious note, it is important to know that although these pieces of new information are helpful to our budget discussions, they don't truly resolve some fundamental issues that we must grapple with as a school committee and as a greater community. Issues such as increased overall costs of doing "business", or the increases in needs of the student populations we serve, or issues such as annual increases in property values that exceed the state's average are all still significant issues that we must face and that still put us in a difficult spot for our FY 24 budget development processes.</p><p>With that said, the School Committee, the Town Council, and ultimately each of you as voters will determine how we move forward to address these issues as we continue our budget development work. The School Committee will next meet in a budget development workshop on April 4, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. at the Municipal Center. This meeting will be recorded and shared with the public asap afterwards. There is then one more budget workshop scheduled with the School Committee on April 11, 2023 (same time and location) prior to the School Committee being asked to vote on the total proposed budget at their April 12 regular school committee meeting. Once that is done - the next steps are as follows:</p><p>- Proposed Budget Booklets are delivered to Town Council on April 19</p><p>- Joint Budget workshop is held with School Committee and Town Council on April 25 at 6:30 p.m.</p><p>- Town Council Votes on school and municipal budget on May 16 at 6:30 p.m.</p><p>- Budget Validation Referendum takes place on June 13, 2023 all day at the polls.</p><p>As I close, just one more reminder that you can find "all things FY 24 budget" on our website at <a href="http://www.gorhamschools.org">www.gorhamschools.org</a>, then go to "About Us", then "School Committee" and then to "School Budget Info. "</p><p>As always, please reach out with questions if you have them! My email is: heather.perry@gorhamschools.org</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">A FEW PUBLIC PRE-K SLOTS STILL AVAILABLE!</span></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhuRbygx-Ptk6H5Zr-eHM1AwSjatCgrYuuXHjiVi2cEqVYSdqUTokxlbXCPu-oWYxRgFWwdwx9l7N9_MUzNy78shtkyhYioFbeqPaP2joyU2D7tiYxXpGkmEH2YIKjg0ZxY3R_MTqS3aFVw_xNmFHWVduTIEJDuC4GtC0WXr58C-22XzzwfKvXvX_UO" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="135" data-original-width="372" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhuRbygx-Ptk6H5Zr-eHM1AwSjatCgrYuuXHjiVi2cEqVYSdqUTokxlbXCPu-oWYxRgFWwdwx9l7N9_MUzNy78shtkyhYioFbeqPaP2joyU2D7tiYxXpGkmEH2YIKjg0ZxY3R_MTqS3aFVw_xNmFHWVduTIEJDuC4GtC0WXr58C-22XzzwfKvXvX_UO" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>I wanted to take just a moment to let folks know that we still have a few slots available for our new Public Pre K program to be housed at Narragansett Elementary School starting in the Fall of 2023. Applications were initially opened earlier this month and we have had an awesome response...but there are still a handful of slots left if folks are still interested! Because of this we have re-opened the application process and will be taking rolling applications until all slots are filled. Use the QR code below to apply today if you are interested.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8DnxFKLDXbDlQzfKuvAtUEm89phAOE0Ame-uLULmM9JtPXcYTzX-duyUuFCfmiK9D8FJxrUxRu5mV5Qw3xblwRjLxOeDoJa9QJ0ASspXMKDG1R8-dS5_XgWMvrIy5NyWnLER98lKButo8FofOEtviF462mVtfSiYdXHWIo3V_bKHJM1NbuNYFXq7R" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="590" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8DnxFKLDXbDlQzfKuvAtUEm89phAOE0Ame-uLULmM9JtPXcYTzX-duyUuFCfmiK9D8FJxrUxRu5mV5Qw3xblwRjLxOeDoJa9QJ0ASspXMKDG1R8-dS5_XgWMvrIy5NyWnLER98lKButo8FofOEtviF462mVtfSiYdXHWIo3V_bKHJM1NbuNYFXq7R=w590-h590" width="590" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As a quick recap - to be eligible a child must be 4 years old by Oct. 15, 2023. All children and families that reside in Gorham are eligible to apply for these slots. The program will serve students in a half day program (am/pm) format. Transportation will be provided from home/daycare to school and back to home/daycare each day. Feel free to call 222-1295 if you have ANY questions. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We are so looking forward to the start of this program! Such exciting work! As a quick update, we've begun screening appointments with families. We have ordered key supplies and equipment, and have accepted a new playground design to move forward specifically for Pre K aged students. The playground may not be fully ready by start of school, but it will be ready shortly there after and we have plans for the interim. We will begin hiring processes for staff later in the month of April, and we are currently meeting with Child Development Services (CDS) to nail down agreements for needed services to begin. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Additionally, we have solidified our partnership for a second year with the Gorham Arts Alliance to host up to 10 public Pre-K students and we have recently solidified our new agreement with Seedlings to Sunflowers to host up to 32 public Pre-K students. Much more work is planned and going on behind the scenes and things are moving along nicely! We have no doubt that we will be ready for programs to begin this fall! We can't wait to better serve our "Little Rams" via these programs and it is awesome to BEGIN to see some of our work outlined in the "<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1X7biIa1JFvuIsqHpK_gfu4fuzsaKQ70V/view?usp=share_link">Bright Futures For Little Rams</a>" document come to life!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">LET'S HEAR FROM STUDENTS ABOUT OUR SCHOOLS!</span></b></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZjrI1PYDxFsWgouyssgcCXz6XelnhxP_1Gz1c_6snSTXYSyqcT2oRxXQf3tScpYwWm9Nk-BQ50bMeIVLcbgA_cEcHkyQuOm4xotN5UM7TNvtB33la-KnRHWwasmtmy_FiRP-yB_BPQHHOlPR4RJNWY2CImynxAYNkebwzx2bhHKfvS8BvL4zrgteJ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZjrI1PYDxFsWgouyssgcCXz6XelnhxP_1Gz1c_6snSTXYSyqcT2oRxXQf3tScpYwWm9Nk-BQ50bMeIVLcbgA_cEcHkyQuOm4xotN5UM7TNvtB33la-KnRHWwasmtmy_FiRP-yB_BPQHHOlPR4RJNWY2CImynxAYNkebwzx2bhHKfvS8BvL4zrgteJ" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>With all the political turmoil going on across our country and some of the stories of what is or isn't happening in our public schools that are out there, it is sometimes hard to know what is really happening in our schools. As a parent, especially of a MS or HS aged student (which is often when students start to clam up when asked what did you do today in school) it is hard to know. You can't go to school and sit with your child each day. We can't live stream our classrooms to the public. You can look into google classroom to see the "stuff" that students may be working on, but you don't necessarily have the context within which that "stuff" is being taught. When asking about curriculum, grading, and reporting practices the level of information that is out there can sometimes be overwhelming. <p></p><p>We do our best as school professionals to provide "windows" into our schools. We publicly share our standards, performance indicators, and learning targets, we share syllabi, and summary achievement data. We have weekly updates, we have blog posts. We have see saw and other software to share information. We schedule Parent/Teacher Conferences and we encourage parents to reach out to our teachers directly with questions you may have. We do a lot...but sometimes the student voice is missing. </p><p>Earlier this winter, as a school system we asked ourselves: "What do our students think about our schools and how can we better allow them to tell their stories? An idea was born. What if we did just that? What if we allowed students to share their stories about what they think of our schools?</p><p>We have some pretty talented videographers in our schools (both staff and students) and so we reached out to them to help tell our student's stories. So far, we have been able to create THREE video stories using the voices of our students. One student from 6th grade, one from 7th grade and one from 8th grade. Each video is under three minutes in length. We are working now on putting together stories from the HS as well, but that is going to take a little longer.</p><p>These stories are told by the students themselves, recorded by students and then with a little help from some of our talented staff, put together in some brief videos. My plan is to share one of these in each of my next three blogs and then share the high school ones when they are completed as well.</p><p>Below is our first story from Devon Paradis, a 6th grade student at Gorham Middle School. </p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">6th Grade Video Link</span><span style="font-size: x-large;">: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://vimeo.com/811806070/7e106c9422&source=gmail&ust=1680283627653000&usg=AOvVaw10GRpkdT9raRB9CYGfMwdl" href="https://vimeo.com/811806070/7e106c9422" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">https://vimeo.com/811806070/<wbr></wbr>7e106c9422</a></p><p><b>A SPECIAL THANK YOU</b> to the following student videographers who made this work possible and learned a lot in the process! (check out their pictures below too)...</p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">8th grader - Cohen Landry</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">Freshman - Colby Jordan</span></span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">Sophomore - Aidan Madore</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">Junior - Cole Allen</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">Seniors - Mikaela Pellerin & Tabitha Ishimwe</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoZu7IP3q98vhjsQf0ehqJRwGHhElLYadhSO5O0ZJQwwKcHZkB5iO5UVbnupuPUA3UK-4Ls0zpasWlgP1U7rWsHPBJna0N1dB_hKX4cG9AhGTH0TIol3TziKr3ycmSgE4ovtW7naXZCE2DupOqelzjhXXr8B6F57MpZ0fnhz8p4yabZ94-F5jZmb1S" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="584" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoZu7IP3q98vhjsQf0ehqJRwGHhElLYadhSO5O0ZJQwwKcHZkB5iO5UVbnupuPUA3UK-4Ls0zpasWlgP1U7rWsHPBJna0N1dB_hKX4cG9AhGTH0TIol3TziKr3ycmSgE4ovtW7naXZCE2DupOqelzjhXXr8B6F57MpZ0fnhz8p4yabZ94-F5jZmb1S=w584-h584" width="584" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>THE POTATO TORNADO IS BORN!</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikLyny91QfVsZHEN1thy7BJE7xYlOSSXLfoOIONr_E7THsVdK4nIncpaApUnHaRQzh_tP2D_oPfbRgeKtqEQFx2ZchFWMb0SEwcuICwehSkvaJCbIE9bt1MwM8KUd7h6Hq4rLQTZ4B90Q-AdMwAJTsjBzraPvw7mYp5sLfhMs66PmXGjvIuq_J58_-" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="208" data-original-width="242" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikLyny91QfVsZHEN1thy7BJE7xYlOSSXLfoOIONr_E7THsVdK4nIncpaApUnHaRQzh_tP2D_oPfbRgeKtqEQFx2ZchFWMb0SEwcuICwehSkvaJCbIE9bt1MwM8KUd7h6Hq4rLQTZ4B90Q-AdMwAJTsjBzraPvw7mYp5sLfhMs66PmXGjvIuq_J58_-" width="279" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you follow some of our social media feeds, you would have seen earlier this year that some of our 5th grade Gifted and Talented students at Village Elementary School started learning about how to develop business plans. As a result, they invited Kate into their learning spaces. Kate is the owner of Mow's Munchies Food Truck. Students got to tour the food truck and talk to Kate directly about how she started her business and some of the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur. Students immediately wanted to learn more and immersed themselves in figuring out the question of: How do you start a food truck business? Students from Great Falls also got involved and well - student curiosity took over! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">More recently, Kate challenged students to develop a new food item. Students accepted the challenge and worked together to create a tasty new fry burger that Kate loved and will be including in her summer 2023 menu! Students named it, and Kate agreed to keep the name - the new burger will be called "The Potato Tornado"! WHAT FUN!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is the great stuff that can happen when our students connect with our incredible community! Check out the photos below, and check out the new menu...perhaps you can be sure to stop by Mow's Munchies Food Truck this summer for a taste! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: "comic sans ms", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtlb-2EHp7uM4XDOd2Od9DCj3Bl0QVsZnppI2Wod-MOHz_pYfYTBC-WiujpzSaRuLOrP08A014CI3LtXRPXlAxof0y2nnbzE2FIooKLAI5URjUVp6m0oZBqstWCnSTz3iWzv5W_PNaLmHF1dNpRqPcmxo1WtzDeLeYjrJ6j5U_AHcN2U3XISQUb6_-" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="790" data-original-width="1842" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtlb-2EHp7uM4XDOd2Od9DCj3Bl0QVsZnppI2Wod-MOHz_pYfYTBC-WiujpzSaRuLOrP08A014CI3LtXRPXlAxof0y2nnbzE2FIooKLAI5URjUVp6m0oZBqstWCnSTz3iWzv5W_PNaLmHF1dNpRqPcmxo1WtzDeLeYjrJ6j5U_AHcN2U3XISQUb6_-=w607-h260" width="607" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiy6b0Jqie65FPb0V69xeqs0dNlX7wmrLGYW3tnXRWB6GbIEYBsc_9weyJ80GQZcnHkpimN2EPivoKzXPRAO6iM_VseiwkB6eA9lLCjV67j7taqAbgWeA78eItV_-ZP8PgfrfSBqZ1y8w7POF6Lj3WjkjgQHv1UjRvgiJ-NrT5odCy2Yr0bse-TTkNY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1612" data-original-width="1209" height="544" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiy6b0Jqie65FPb0V69xeqs0dNlX7wmrLGYW3tnXRWB6GbIEYBsc_9weyJ80GQZcnHkpimN2EPivoKzXPRAO6iM_VseiwkB6eA9lLCjV67j7taqAbgWeA78eItV_-ZP8PgfrfSBqZ1y8w7POF6Lj3WjkjgQHv1UjRvgiJ-NrT5odCy2Yr0bse-TTkNY=w409-h544" width="409" /></a></div><br /></div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">BAXTER MEMORIAL LIBRARY CELEBRATES THE WEEK OF THE YOUNG CHILD!</span></b></div><br /></span></div><p>The week of the Young Child is coming up NEXT WEEK! If you are curious to learn more, check out my last blog post from March 17 for details and how you as a family can celebrate...but I also wanted you to know that Baxter Memorial Library right here in Gorham is celebrating this special week and they INVITE YOU to join them! Check out the flyer below and call 222-1190 with questions!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiu5xpVw2zVfAoWIfzF-ah4s6_iV_eXxNUpPqLbJNTGTeGBIp-00UuloeQmN7Pkmx0rR4YpIjVc4P7cgWduLQkhjlYkLpJmj-f_f6pi0NqxeIzfjb2joKKs4utjZvCmAHfNqqOFVHmgGXBd6NY9p2RiGEbSDrPT2aiaj42HsO8RXxWm8rcOuKlgILsf" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="791" data-original-width="612" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiu5xpVw2zVfAoWIfzF-ah4s6_iV_eXxNUpPqLbJNTGTeGBIp-00UuloeQmN7Pkmx0rR4YpIjVc4P7cgWduLQkhjlYkLpJmj-f_f6pi0NqxeIzfjb2joKKs4utjZvCmAHfNqqOFVHmgGXBd6NY9p2RiGEbSDrPT2aiaj42HsO8RXxWm8rcOuKlgILsf=w495-h638" width="495" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">DO YOU HAVE A 7TH or 8TH GRADER INTERESTED IN THE TRADES?</span></b></div></b><br /><p></p><p>Check out the information below and <a href="https://gorhamme.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=29309&AdminPreview=1">CLICK HERE</a> to learn more about a summer Trades camp being sponsored by Gorham Recreation Department in collaboration with Moody's Collision, JMG, CMP, Harvey Performance, Gorham Sand and Gravel and Portland Ship Yard! Wish they had these camps when I was a kid! Details about how to apply are on the flyer and website! </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvbQIA8Qlqlz0SpzWQgJZw09xnq58I6sD3Z83yCaJI-O-8d2EPpLyNpgmDdLWPygRDEAozoh92fNLYCSdKSuH-ISUMTBTBQ3GojCqzhTJbBGezI1y9SoFjGEQAI34C5_J_hL23IfhNBOn-F-_ehmmxxuNuz_O4V1Oz-PzvhzMH5PIB6uHceUy3NZrh" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="572" data-original-width="449" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvbQIA8Qlqlz0SpzWQgJZw09xnq58I6sD3Z83yCaJI-O-8d2EPpLyNpgmDdLWPygRDEAozoh92fNLYCSdKSuH-ISUMTBTBQ3GojCqzhTJbBGezI1y9SoFjGEQAI34C5_J_hL23IfhNBOn-F-_ehmmxxuNuz_O4V1Oz-PzvhzMH5PIB6uHceUy3NZrh=w500-h638" width="500" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well that's enough for this Blog Post! My next post will be April 14 just before vacation week! I'm sure by then spring will have fully "sprung"...ENJOY!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /><br /></p>Heather Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902747451985096596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2916890148299174047.post-32816065027977660512023-03-17T07:26:00.037-07:002023-04-04T08:39:51.286-07:00March 17 Post<p><span style="font-family: times;">What a week! A recent full moon, time changes, snow storms, snow days, power outages, early releases and P/T conferences. And through it all, we keep focused on our student's learning here in the Gorham Schools! Check out these photos from the past two weeks to see what I mean!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHCCzjZjTHndEVQ-5RS0_YziRYlTIQALBc693FqzVf3WpNzg3XAKhlXcd_v6OqPcaWcpDM2a6bjBsaADhVrj9IukDunhF2W_PUrFkfrJYFIJGBxrSmun5JQL6EFVvNTYWfDAbFWxu6h46Jrm7_k1Qt_I5XZp3qdGFB1-smolRsU3QaoAvGx-EIr7E4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHCCzjZjTHndEVQ-5RS0_YziRYlTIQALBc693FqzVf3WpNzg3XAKhlXcd_v6OqPcaWcpDM2a6bjBsaADhVrj9IukDunhF2W_PUrFkfrJYFIJGBxrSmun5JQL6EFVvNTYWfDAbFWxu6h46Jrm7_k1Qt_I5XZp3qdGFB1-smolRsU3QaoAvGx-EIr7E4=w562-h562" width="562" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Plenty to share this week, so will get right to it!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">FY 24 GORHAM SCHOOL BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS UPDATE</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1mC3YuruIAqurPUMz15AFt-gwerK6MDdRXn4gzoscQQhv440D5cUb9LqbW3NaKPaSYqPCq06WwO3M_EppV-rXCzBUimCw7C-w06FdJh0jeBgLi1v0HDx3psgTlflby1EZkAdklL7UNAiu9H-oZgSL7EIEJtDz-THcfDBcG3LM8DjhuV1rTUCU8BAi" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="210" data-original-width="240" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1mC3YuruIAqurPUMz15AFt-gwerK6MDdRXn4gzoscQQhv440D5cUb9LqbW3NaKPaSYqPCq06WwO3M_EppV-rXCzBUimCw7C-w06FdJh0jeBgLi1v0HDx3psgTlflby1EZkAdklL7UNAiu9H-oZgSL7EIEJtDz-THcfDBcG3LM8DjhuV1rTUCU8BAi" width="274" /></a></div></span></b></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;">As I said I would, I'm going to devote a section of my blog post each time to budget updates so that folks can follow along as we go and/or so that folks can go back and reference this information if wanting to learn more later on as we work our way through the process.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">At this point, the Gorham School Committee has been presented with the initial draft proposed FY 24 budget (Feb. 8, 2023) and they have had two full workshop meetings on the proposed budget (3/7 and 3/14). You can view all information presented thus far by going to our website linked below:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Website Link:</span></p><p><a href="https://www.gorhamschools.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=456522&type=d&pREC_ID=1150991"><span style="font-family: times;">https://www.gorhamschools.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=456522&type=d&pREC_ID=1150991</span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">To this point in the process the first meeting was spent providing a significant amount of background information to the School Committee. The second meeting was spent talking about big picture ideas and philosophies to make sure the remaining work is grounded in what we believe to be in the best interest of students. Our second meeting was cut a little short due to power outages but we got a lot accomplished for sure. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Our next SC budget workshop meeting will be Tuesday, March 21 at 7:00 p.m. and will be held at the Municipal Building in the second floor conference room. We will also record this meeting and share it with the public as soon as is possible after the meeting is done. At this meeting, the intention is to work with the SC to set a mil rate impact target, share the results of the most recent Thought Exchange and then to dive deeply into potential cost reduction measures. That cost reduction conversation will likely continue strongly into the March 28 and April 4 scheduled budget workshop meetings as well. All of which leads up to the School Committee's vote on a proposed budget scheduled for April 12, 2023 at their regular meeting beginning at 7:00 p.m.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">If you want to learn more about the process thus far, please check out that link above. There is A LOT of great information there! Still have budget development questions? Please reach out to me at heather.perry@gorhamschools.org. and ask away. I'm happy to answer direct questions and far prefer addressing those than the social media "rumor mill" that can sometimes go a little astray. Thanks!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">RESOURCES TO HELP PARENTS TALK TO CHILDREN ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxyLxdD1QwEik9r9VKyXO2St560yMKJZcGjDTC1EIxp4Q0tyuZVzMp6Z9WzwPr-GxskcOCgmbZp-iGDfJnTVnplYeWucfK_O9njc9iLGLxjbkEGRmwSUomHP7lW3dT645lQQsir4QaY21HgfvfFaKsEVe-m40I4JTfmZ5SHNg9rGC3iU60G4PjS6TF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxyLxdD1QwEik9r9VKyXO2St560yMKJZcGjDTC1EIxp4Q0tyuZVzMp6Z9WzwPr-GxskcOCgmbZp-iGDfJnTVnplYeWucfK_O9njc9iLGLxjbkEGRmwSUomHP7lW3dT645lQQsir4QaY21HgfvfFaKsEVe-m40I4JTfmZ5SHNg9rGC3iU60G4PjS6TF" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times; text-align: left;">March in Maine is a really long month, challenging even the most optimistic of sorts (such as me) to remain optimistic! Its that time of year when you know spring is almost here, but it just isn't yet...and the long winter days just seem to get longer!</span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Recently the Gorham Schools has been working to bring in a nationally known speaker and performer to work with our students, staff, and families on the topic of Mental Health. Things are looking good to get this person into our schools in October of 2023 as part of Mental Health Awareness Month, but as with any good training or professional development - it's not just about the individual. It is about the resources and materials shared with students, staff and families leading up to the event and after the event that contextualizes the learning in a way that ensures it is not just a "one and done" thing. If there is something we all know about the topic of mental health, especially after the Pandemic, there is NOTHING that is "one and done" when it comes to working to meet the increasing mental health needs of our children.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">One organization that we are working with on this important topic is the <a href="https://cookcenterforhumanconnection.org/">Cook Center for Human Connection</a>. This is a nationally known and recognized foundation whose mission is to bring together the best organizations, programs and products to prevent suicide, provide mental health support, and enhance human connections essential for people to thrive. One of their focus areas is on providing specific resources for families. This leads me to the information and resources I wanted to share with all of you today via my blog today.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">As part of the FREE resources this organization offers, they provide a specific cadre of resources for PARENTS via their website <a href="http://parentguidance.org">parentguidance.org</a>. <span>ParentGuidance.org is an online service by licensed therapists that provides trusted and
<a href="https://parentguidance.org/all-courses/">specialized courses</a>, professional support and a safe community for parents to learn how to
support their children and get answers to mental health questions. The courses are all online and asynchronous so that they can be viewed at any time. I will be adding a direct link to these resources from the front page of our district website. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">I would encourage families to click on the links above and do your own research before perhaps sitting down and viewing some of the courses offered. As is always the case, these resources may work well for some, and not so well for others. My only hope in sharing these with you is that at least some of you find value in these resources. If there is one thing I do know it is that the mental health needs of our children is paramount to us all. If you do participate in any of the courses, I'd love to hear your feedback!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">In addition to this new national resource, I also wanted to make sure families were aware of another resource on the topic of mental health, more specifically on suicide prevention and this resource is much closer to home!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjAMMF2n8P2TQR5xHU0zMd4-CLswzbG-VmHdoauLRjHAzp5LFRyB4tQ5fqwEml4puDWew-lyiUJUGalfeIaGNBULujZuLIBNOtDGEq28TjjfQbtSdAdYoGfksd3lOiMe5nQWhBIM0esmA19b_3pQWoz2xhACL3y8ue9lmqosh8DRTMf1Ke-JTqIgF3T" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="1016" height="85" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjAMMF2n8P2TQR5xHU0zMd4-CLswzbG-VmHdoauLRjHAzp5LFRyB4tQ5fqwEml4puDWew-lyiUJUGalfeIaGNBULujZuLIBNOtDGEq28TjjfQbtSdAdYoGfksd3lOiMe5nQWhBIM0esmA19b_3pQWoz2xhACL3y8ue9lmqosh8DRTMf1Ke-JTqIgF3T" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;">Community Action 4 Mental Health is a new local nonprofit with very local roots. One of the leading team members and board president is our very own Kristin Tugman, PhD who lives right here in Gorham. Their mission is dedicated to raising awareness, reducing stigma, and improving access to mental health care. They are just getting up and fully running so I am sure they would love to have folks reach out with questions. You can view their website by <a href="https://communityaction4mh.org/">CLICKING HERE</a>. </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjO3fIdBciHNGco-bcqja6E-Euju9pAHKk_7xrwinulU7vvDiK2UKivQCA7-rYXi8SCYwilc1OpSNESf5McZZihHst5clChw_pfxFBLGSme3tb25A_9Es_-n1KRKk7yM2Qxk-JfliHVZNf4jgzNoOKLQpcwJH33qV5EPADtCvPtPkfh-Fj0WMDjb6H8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="172" data-original-width="468" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjO3fIdBciHNGco-bcqja6E-Euju9pAHKk_7xrwinulU7vvDiK2UKivQCA7-rYXi8SCYwilc1OpSNESf5McZZihHst5clChw_pfxFBLGSme3tb25A_9Es_-n1KRKk7yM2Qxk-JfliHVZNf4jgzNoOKLQpcwJH33qV5EPADtCvPtPkfh-Fj0WMDjb6H8" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Finally, I wanted to remind folks of some great resources provided through the Maine Department of Education. These resources were created by the MDOE during the pandemic, but they have been kept up to date and remain a great place for parents to go and search by grade level or content for resources you can use with your children to talk about a wide range of topics from helping children to deal with issues of confidence to issues of body image to issues of suicide prevention and lots more. If you haven't already logged in as a parent to check out these free resources - I would encourage you to do so! It only takes a minute to set up an account! Here's the link: <a href="https://sel4me.maine.gov/loggedout#sign_in"> https://sel4me.maine.gov/loggedout#sign_in</a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">WEEK OF THE YOUNG CHILD IS COMING </span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">APRIL 1 - APRIL 7!</span></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGd0G2aGRv6X_Ycey05fLRTiXCp9rMMdIIuEN_fFoj-CwWTGyqC5YQEngVP4OVQKEtTkQSfsVFlfBbGXpt0U0ipwChem6wJq1zdcpxfxKxnctl2XYK7a-PaCCoEopraRpGN1abGP2AFKudaNKh9ZNs6L5tZTz_wIynEhiW1pwexstZ4jEeGRlxOr95" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="1188" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGd0G2aGRv6X_Ycey05fLRTiXCp9rMMdIIuEN_fFoj-CwWTGyqC5YQEngVP4OVQKEtTkQSfsVFlfBbGXpt0U0ipwChem6wJq1zdcpxfxKxnctl2XYK7a-PaCCoEopraRpGN1abGP2AFKudaNKh9ZNs6L5tZTz_wIynEhiW1pwexstZ4jEeGRlxOr95" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: times;">The Week of the Young Child is a national event promoting the importance of high-quality early learning sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). It celebrates children from Pre K to grade 3 and their unique needs as the little learning "sponges" that they are! </span><p></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1e1e1e; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><span style="font-family: times;">This year the Maine Department of Education, Maine’s local NAEYC affiliate, Maine AEYC, are teaming up with local school systems such as ours to support early childhood educators across the state to join the celebration and promote the vital work they do every day in their early childhood programs and Pre-K through third grade classrooms.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1e1e1e; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><span style="font-family: times;">The event takes place the Week of April 1st – 7th with a Kickoff on Saturday and interdisciplinary daily themes for the following week! We'd love for families to join in as well! Here are the Monday - Friday themes...</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1e1e1e; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Music Monday:</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Lora, serif; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhoyLnF7ZoKr64wUHUsfKHO_iO-jt5Fx0XDQckXiu18b6n0Z5alHs3NeuNqY81V4QUamsDHSSVrYqNSp_TZDzQfLeQ4W9gtV_2ILW6lDsjgwESZd-QIzlhW9sbf5ijzVwAi610qtyU2zK6XN5BAz9QODLvmwJgPqgyC1le8khl6nYSqSvngmnsCgpmx" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1360" data-original-width="1818" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhoyLnF7ZoKr64wUHUsfKHO_iO-jt5Fx0XDQckXiu18b6n0Z5alHs3NeuNqY81V4QUamsDHSSVrYqNSp_TZDzQfLeQ4W9gtV_2ILW6lDsjgwESZd-QIzlhW9sbf5ijzVwAi610qtyU2zK6XN5BAz9QODLvmwJgPqgyC1le8khl6nYSqSvngmnsCgpmx" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">Tasty Tuesday:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOpCRm3cXGv7Pu-Ph4gO136WhuD1Z5sbXSe-q4uVS_vCC096Yg4vu7yD16xPWOcmd-89n66u_556kQpcmmZQTHbo0DJ_TfaAS1KAqnzbhRJP9DHT1LCOULKb36-feykKtB0bcAblp9MDSWi29m38Ve0pxhx28SGEdkjLaiLWSLjsHl3ImF4LGBRNxG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1470" data-original-width="1776" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOpCRm3cXGv7Pu-Ph4gO136WhuD1Z5sbXSe-q4uVS_vCC096Yg4vu7yD16xPWOcmd-89n66u_556kQpcmmZQTHbo0DJ_TfaAS1KAqnzbhRJP9DHT1LCOULKb36-feykKtB0bcAblp9MDSWi29m38Ve0pxhx28SGEdkjLaiLWSLjsHl3ImF4LGBRNxG" width="290" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">Work Together Wednesday:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJvRsgpLneftRuct-jhHtLamdZdLZTcPPeRiBSJuvreC1piYCr4jZ-Wz7jFCZtAfKCucl5bBbFGCAbKApCIiJUXH3KrGsQEZ8qN6ufdsxxl3qwupccx7UPLTxIS95xlFJDaubOFF1KTq5htme70kEEgLa2RMfZtlpmQT5yFJc3vhuFBrhxBfQNno_a" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1524" data-original-width="1810" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJvRsgpLneftRuct-jhHtLamdZdLZTcPPeRiBSJuvreC1piYCr4jZ-Wz7jFCZtAfKCucl5bBbFGCAbKApCIiJUXH3KrGsQEZ8qN6ufdsxxl3qwupccx7UPLTxIS95xlFJDaubOFF1KTq5htme70kEEgLa2RMfZtlpmQT5yFJc3vhuFBrhxBfQNno_a" width="285" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">Artsy Thursday:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFNVLh0Fd6ZjWa7X3QU4qcDuyP_x67XdQSaSyFKaMsJ3L4n7ataJih_IZenRMWXvLmFnSORKSsZeq2YnMhNaU7O1os2_915Qc9Krg9yKIJ1fOsnr28TR-SS_a5DD0_Tkf4O1nrvbvucFrMkwmE2z8SfxoIvCItVUGivCZWQLVqfSzFHWOeXl0jla2b" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="1800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFNVLh0Fd6ZjWa7X3QU4qcDuyP_x67XdQSaSyFKaMsJ3L4n7ataJih_IZenRMWXvLmFnSORKSsZeq2YnMhNaU7O1os2_915Qc9Krg9yKIJ1fOsnr28TR-SS_a5DD0_Tkf4O1nrvbvucFrMkwmE2z8SfxoIvCItVUGivCZWQLVqfSzFHWOeXl0jla2b" width="286" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">Family Friday:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhGoKserqWXpfq3uvWwICkR_eClnBLZWWGwAOyKOyl9LbhE4g6zhxzSAIZ_UQ9OkEPa1bipW6g1wU3NGJGGAEYS_BlmyCaidx81gfGZMVEqu9UR9VDZYAZKpHDNzbuFmkP3IiLlvZ_UoQ0ap1IMog454UcVpwHOPGkV8ADaVjkWfTslfg4wXRC8bcd" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1520" data-original-width="1806" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhGoKserqWXpfq3uvWwICkR_eClnBLZWWGwAOyKOyl9LbhE4g6zhxzSAIZ_UQ9OkEPa1bipW6g1wU3NGJGGAEYS_BlmyCaidx81gfGZMVEqu9UR9VDZYAZKpHDNzbuFmkP3IiLlvZ_UoQ0ap1IMog454UcVpwHOPGkV8ADaVjkWfTslfg4wXRC8bcd" width="285" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">I can't wait to see what kinds of creative things folks come up with to do with their early learners in alignment with those themes! <strong style="box-sizing: inherit;">We hope that you will join us in celebrating the Week of the Young Child!</strong> Today more than ever we need to help our communities understand the importance and value of quality early care and learning. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">To spread the word and highlight the critical role that early childhood educators play, please share photos through social media to show how you celebrate the Week of the Young Child. Be sure to use the hashtags: #WOYCMaine and #WOYC23.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">You can find MORE RESOURCES to assist in your celebrations of the Young Child at MDOE's Week of the Young Child website! Check it out! <a href="https://www.maine.gov/doe/learning/earlychildhood/woyc">https://www.maine.gov/doe/learning/earlychildhood/woyc</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">5 SNOW DAYS HAVE BEEN USED - WHAT IS NEXT???</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQTgmxjl4Zfh1VRYEA8Cm8_oDPP1zpIEdCfkGx_OWdcJS6kiur3pbInInNPybE_esEw1P7TyIKbrhOu8kdglp0W0Dt7shQa4aiRWMLQVGR8-3zu27UAUFEh5IoEOeaoY9qofFL0Ofdb_nDkH4_j9ReCkfeh_Te-cCIuaTbAv-Xze6qLoeKR371V_Lx" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="255" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQTgmxjl4Zfh1VRYEA8Cm8_oDPP1zpIEdCfkGx_OWdcJS6kiur3pbInInNPybE_esEw1P7TyIKbrhOu8kdglp0W0Dt7shQa4aiRWMLQVGR8-3zu27UAUFEh5IoEOeaoY9qofFL0Ofdb_nDkH4_j9ReCkfeh_Te-cCIuaTbAv-Xze6qLoeKR371V_Lx" width="311" /></a></div></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Just a reminder that our plan has been to utilize the existing 5 "traditional" snow days in our calendar and to then consider use of remote learning snow days from there so that we are not having to extend the last day of school into the summer.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Well, I didn't want it to happen, but we have used all five of our snow days at this point. I would like to think that Maine's winter is done with us, but I've lived in Maine all my life and I know it would be a mistake to think that so early yet in the month of March!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">So what is next? </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">What is next is that we will continue to keep a close eye on the weather and as we see a potential storm approaching, we will prepare for the possibility of a remote learning snow day. If we see that possibility, we would send lunches home with students whose families ordered them earlier this year on the day before the storm. We would also make sure student learning packets were sent home and that all google classroom materials and assignments were up to date to support student's remote learning during a remote learning snow day. Teachers would be sure to make clear to students and families what the learning expectations are for their remote learning days as well so additional communication would be provided.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">With any luck, we won't have to use one...but if we do we will. By doing this, we will ensure that our last student day of the school year will remain June 16 and that we will not go beyond that.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">The good news is - we now know our last day of school will be June 16! Seniors can all be happy we used the maximum number of snow days allowed! Yes - seniors - I expect some sort of a gift or acknowledgement at graduation for that one! ☺</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Please reach out with any questions you may have...and know that if we have another storm that requires us to cancel school...we will be learning remotely on that day!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>WE ARE ALL "BETTER TOGETHER" IN THE GORHAM SCHOOLS</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiieeO93i0xyogvJ7PY3eL4Ne2Na2wgiq_1wc3cqebcIhuA6UuNrSmpkvVQF7aRRI3dQ6kO-CafsarEBDw0wGWM-agfx90mAeYHpGA8JIMsJZ-iP4AMfPXav5cG3aeBO93JocZyqERwYxJRDyhs4NMT7qz0METOOMaXTE-5JRV1bYSYsOM-kBqXGHLi" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="190" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiieeO93i0xyogvJ7PY3eL4Ne2Na2wgiq_1wc3cqebcIhuA6UuNrSmpkvVQF7aRRI3dQ6kO-CafsarEBDw0wGWM-agfx90mAeYHpGA8JIMsJZ-iP4AMfPXav5cG3aeBO93JocZyqERwYxJRDyhs4NMT7qz0METOOMaXTE-5JRV1bYSYsOM-kBqXGHLi=w213-h300" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">As we wrap up a week of Parent/Teacher Conferences, I hope that families had an opportunity to meaningfully interact with your children's teachers. This is such an incredible time of the year when we can celebrate the great success of our children and their growth as learners. Not everyone makes that growth at the same time, but growth is ALWAYS evident in every child by the time we get to spring conferences and I hope parents walked away with a sense of that growth for your children and a sense of pride in the work they have accomplished as learners.</span></div><span style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">In Gorham, we truly do believe that parents and families are our partners in education. We share a common goal of "Preparing and Inspiring" ALL our students for their future success! Do we fall short sometimes? Yes, none of us is perfect. But do we constantly strive to ensure our families and community members feel a full part of our incredible schools - AND - that our schools feel a full part of our incredible community? Oh the answer there is a resounding YES!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">As some of our neighboring states move towards implementing additional laws regarding things like <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZOgGKkTAvcR1iO5zDiT4GrZyogHJZzF9/view?usp=share_link">Parents Bill of Rights</a>, I feel it is important for our families to know we already care tremendously about you and want you to reach out to us directly with concerns you may have. We also already have some pretty big and far reaching laws in place to protect parent's and student's rights that I'm not sure all families know and understand. I wanted to take just a moment to review TWO of those key laws: the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (F.E.R.P.A.) and the Protection of Pupil Rights Act (P.P.R.A). Here's a little about each:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">F.E.R.P.A.:</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">F.E.R.P.A. stands for the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and it is a federal law that has governed the issue of confidentiality and privacy of information in schools since the mid 1970's. I know this isn't usually the case, but the best summary of the law I could find actually comes from the U.S. Department of Education website <a href="https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html">LINKED HERE</a>. On this site you'll find a complete overview with links to FAQ's and other resources.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">But for the "cliff notes" version...what this law does is ensure that student information in all its various forms (even in today's digital world), is kept confidential. It also ensures that parents have the right to view their student's records, to inspect them, and to request that information they feel to be inaccurate be corrected via a specific process. It requires that schools post this information and parent's FERPA rights in a visible area. In Gorham, we have this information on our website <a href="https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html">LINKED HERE</a>. </span></div></span></div></span></div></div></div></div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">P.P.R.A.:</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">In the 1980's a companion law was passed known as P.P.R.A. This stands for Protection of Pupil Rights Act. Folks can find an overview of this law also created by the Department of Education by <a href="https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/sites/default/files/resource_document/file/20-0379.PPRA_508_0.pdf">CLICKING HERE</a>...but generally this law ensured that as software programs, testing programs, and digital surveys were becoming more widely used - that student information privacy extended into these more digital areas as well and that parents had clear rights to opt students out of participation in some of these areas.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">A very simplified way of distinguishing between these two laws is to understand that basically FERPA protects information that the school district already has about a student and PPRA protects information that the district does not have, but might otherwise obtain from students that is private in nature.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Of course, both laws are far more complex than these summaries can provide - but I wanted to provide parents with this information and resource links as discussions at the federal and state level talk more and more about parental rights when it comes to their child's public education. As a starting point, it is important for parents to know what rights you already have and understand how to utilize them when and if you feel the need. I'd encourage you to click around on those links to learn more and to please reach out with questions if you have them.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: times;">In Gorham, we know what the research tells us. Students succeed when schools work to connect to the larger community and when their families are active parts of that school community. Our students are "out there" whether it be through Aspire programs like internships co-op experiences, or our "X" learning series or whether it be through community service projects by our student clubs and organizations or our littles partnering with Gorham House and others to visit seniors, or when our littles visit our public safety and municipal buildings or when our GMS alternative education program grows food in their garden to donate to the Gorham Food Pantry and ...well I hope you get my point!☺ </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">Additionally, our families are active members of our schools via our Partners In Education (P.I.E.) groups, or through our vibrant volunteer programs. We work hard to communicate effectively with our families via weekly updates, social media, our website school based family nights and more. We seek feedback from families via Thought Exchange, other surveys, public forums, listening tours, and more. We share what students are learning in our classrooms, we share how our grading practices work, and we share our policies and procedures for how families can express any concerns they may have with our curriculum via our policies published on our website. We transparently share our governing conversations by streaming/recording School Committee meetings, posting agendas and minutes of all meetings, sharing our budget development processes, all also on our website. I've actually gotten feedback in the past that perhaps we share too much information and it is hard to keep up. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">I'm not sharing this to "brag" - although I could do that all day long about the Gorham Schools as well! </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">I'm sharing this because I feel it is important for our families to feel a part of our schools and for our schools to feel a part of our community and I know that goal is shared by our School Committee and by our entire staff. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">It is this kind of "village" that most benefits our children's learning experiences and this is something we constantly strive for in our schools. If we are somehow "missing the mark" for a large group of our families, I want to know about it and would encourage families to reach out to me directly or to reach out to your school admin. directly to let us know what realistic ideas you have that would help us to improve in these areas. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">Folks on all sides of the political spectrum can argue about what new laws and regulations need to be passed and for what reasons impacting our schools. I leave that to our elected officials to eventually decide. As a public school leader, what I believe we all need right now is more community, more dialogue and positive relationship building and I want to empower all of you as Gorham families and community members to reach out to establish that important dialogue and we'll do our best to do the same!</span></div></div></span></div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">GETTING INTO THE BUSY SPRING!</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhr8bFmikQ07sbRBl3qGf45QKYcP39osWrPVaGE2I6Y7BZogCLtgltBgnF-ZzVIUWpKSaESpZWgFHdKIRuxFENFZzg_YOSNfAEmmD_uIknH3pquChH9nFnbwacKaaX-_RNVV9LWctAh2uEbi2PEJcYZCCbxONXZuihyjR0In4bz6OaknoouZVnjwrIe" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="262" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhr8bFmikQ07sbRBl3qGf45QKYcP39osWrPVaGE2I6Y7BZogCLtgltBgnF-ZzVIUWpKSaESpZWgFHdKIRuxFENFZzg_YOSNfAEmmD_uIknH3pquChH9nFnbwacKaaX-_RNVV9LWctAh2uEbi2PEJcYZCCbxONXZuihyjR0In4bz6OaknoouZVnjwrIe" width="320" /></a></div></span></b></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;">It is hard to believe that in just a few more weeks we will be entering the month of April! It won't be long and we'll be seeing that green grass, we'll blink and we'll be at the April break, and then - well then the rest of the school year will be a BLUR of all kinds of fun and exciting activities! Graduations, year end projects, internship experiences, finals, grade level transitions, athletic and theater/music productions and so much more! I mention this only to say that the best way to follow all the action is on our website! District level activities can be seen on the front page calendar...but you can also click on each school and see each school's activities on their calendars. You can also follow our district and school based social media pages for all the exciting events and activities.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">So as we get geared up to hit this most exciting time of the year - be sure to follow the action there!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">District Website: <a href="http://www.gorhamschools.org">www.gorhamschools.org</a></span></div><br /><br /></div><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Lora, serif; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><b></b></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><b><span style="font-size: large;">ASPIRE GORHAM MARCH NEWSLETTER</span></b></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgE33dsWoXMPXTNdPAJgrO4obOWCK1DUZT7M-BascYXkIu-xOaybqLdHjgEiufP4GdsXRGHYk06FRykAemcJxxUemKAa38gnGLY8Pleap8bLUJJds_PGZqxosWgEFvYjWbX1Hmz5p9BQzr3XYfut4o487xPTD9EWAQauwyEkNerWGFUNMTLQGyKwJFw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="2138" height="90" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgE33dsWoXMPXTNdPAJgrO4obOWCK1DUZT7M-BascYXkIu-xOaybqLdHjgEiufP4GdsXRGHYk06FRykAemcJxxUemKAa38gnGLY8Pleap8bLUJJds_PGZqxosWgEFvYjWbX1Hmz5p9BQzr3XYfut4o487xPTD9EWAQauwyEkNerWGFUNMTLQGyKwJFw=w431-h90" width="431" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><span>Aspire Gorham's March newsletter is ready to view. </span><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-l7VTae5ao5HUpcNg9Jj9CvYWoy9KZ_L/view?usp=share_link">CLICK HERE</a><span> to read about our recent Math X events, to read our most recent student spotlight and to follow all the other incredible work going on in our Aspire programs! </span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Lora, serif; margin: 0px 0px 24px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">G.A.T.Y OFFERS FREE NARCAN TRAINING IN COLLABORATION WITH PORTLAND PUBLIC HEALTH</span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1e1e1e; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">Gorham Action Team For Youth (GATY) is hosting a FREE event in collaboration with Portland Public Health on March 21st. The event/training will focus on harm reduction, substance use resources, and then also cover Narcan administration. Those 18 and over will be given a free Narcan spray should they encounter an overdose in our communities. Interested in learning more...see the flyer details below:</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1e1e1e; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikuNcrvwAXvTVGfd3S0-rv4y2s3V4_3r91YFvr8FNYzmoAdnq3hVFkibzzU-X9TninHQObsWshkOm919LR8LaSXsC8FTlinpxrXg4M6JaKc5dMqfoyXcNeXbyj69BmuGXyvSMQ0M1dFxi42KuWbFnqJWzXGKe8X473W24Z4YMqqOBV8BSCiN0jD_dJ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="5100" data-original-width="3300" height="751" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikuNcrvwAXvTVGfd3S0-rv4y2s3V4_3r91YFvr8FNYzmoAdnq3hVFkibzzU-X9TninHQObsWshkOm919LR8LaSXsC8FTlinpxrXg4M6JaKc5dMqfoyXcNeXbyj69BmuGXyvSMQ0M1dFxi42KuWbFnqJWzXGKe8X473W24Z4YMqqOBV8BSCiN0jD_dJ=w484-h751" width="484" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 24px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b>GHS INTERACT CLUB HOSTING ANIMAL REFUGE DONATION DRIVE!</b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1e1e1e; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">The GHS Interact will be hosting an ANIMAL REFUGE LEAGUE DONATION DRIVE on SATURDAY, APRIL 8th from 10:00-12:00PM at the Gorham High School gym parking lot. We are collecting the following items for the ARLGP. Please bring your furry friends with you so we can treat them to a PUP CUP!!!! See flyer below for more details!</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1e1e1e; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfUpZv-LEln59eZtoAnl-IB1ubho8vagU1JbykIccAKVhJo7R81vaXhbIw6gEPgkcmYlbmzDXcYiX7uubj3Wkwktu32waNnJWOTb1Dwx5xt8Ha2KNHVtJZZfttukseKJXDTjTTU20ujFL8Mh7cQ2WUBVseFWUo0CslGoeE7WSwo-SABBypbrhRxDVd" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="487" data-original-width="758" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfUpZv-LEln59eZtoAnl-IB1ubho8vagU1JbykIccAKVhJo7R81vaXhbIw6gEPgkcmYlbmzDXcYiX7uubj3Wkwktu32waNnJWOTb1Dwx5xt8Ha2KNHVtJZZfttukseKJXDTjTTU20ujFL8Mh7cQ2WUBVseFWUo0CslGoeE7WSwo-SABBypbrhRxDVd=w616-h397" width="616" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">RESCHEDULED "EAT AND LEARN EVENT" DATE ANNOUNCED!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div></span><div><span style="font-family: times;">Please see flyers below for more details, but the Eat and Learn Event has been rescheduled to Tuesday March 28 at 5:00 p.m. at GHS. Same agenda as was originally planned! Child care will be provided! Remember to RSVP on the eventbrite link provided! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDvPMWzXksSLbOJaV40_e-9M6La84A6NVC86Ha76-tb0OJ1Pc-RE_uU86H2L6OnVwCbvy3nJjJKqHwZ_7Dc9R9GG4PE2RlPDk0qW1hTLVpU6XY0hmffOFjgHWjg_HG4tVF_c7BOWRpQSSsFl2kst6p41xYA5IKrGukkt8OUXA6F8r91GmIaMLCuKX9" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1545" height="646" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDvPMWzXksSLbOJaV40_e-9M6La84A6NVC86Ha76-tb0OJ1Pc-RE_uU86H2L6OnVwCbvy3nJjJKqHwZ_7Dc9R9GG4PE2RlPDk0qW1hTLVpU6XY0hmffOFjgHWjg_HG4tVF_c7BOWRpQSSsFl2kst6p41xYA5IKrGukkt8OUXA6F8r91GmIaMLCuKX9=w497-h646" width="497" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqCckDeC24vmQK7mxDDGxvuJvXxJuUKOobyVFYWl15v34emkGLVnyRRHmLIw6073wp5oYKUFNP66522hLUYQuK-G3WVA4ZfUtT1xjuhkRwK6DxzUF8sCI5fkAol3MpxJddOUpYq5rBH_G-XRfiXHb-kIFDRLegsH_qBlP_suqDdm9nIRVTszS5SJ8N" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1545" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqCckDeC24vmQK7mxDDGxvuJvXxJuUKOobyVFYWl15v34emkGLVnyRRHmLIw6073wp5oYKUFNP66522hLUYQuK-G3WVA4ZfUtT1xjuhkRwK6DxzUF8sCI5fkAol3MpxJddOUpYq5rBH_G-XRfiXHb-kIFDRLegsH_qBlP_suqDdm9nIRVTszS5SJ8N=w492-h638" width="492" /></a></div><br /><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">Well that is enough information for this blog! My next one is scheduled for March 31st! See ya then and as always, please reach out with any comments/questions! Have a great weekend everyone!</span><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p>
<p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>Heather Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902747451985096596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2916890148299174047.post-17418081596478702122023-03-03T12:11:00.003-08:002023-03-03T12:11:12.199-08:00March 3 Post<p>Well it has been a little while since my last blog post due to the February break! I hope everyone enjoyed the break! Based upon what I have seen so far this week and in the pictures below, it looks like everyone has come back refreshed and ready to keep on learning - having a good amount of fun while doing it!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyLYsghJkD7enrlHfdiXd42pLz08Huc4jGXBsT4BdWPvoJlSWavwqCTFJDMbmFUvdN4cAlfNs-d5U-gFUYua0yTsjX_vHB4NNCxkz0ByDuspvKljNIsZJFe6k3U76KwscFTk4zoVzL-tpgvVYOUNJZr0SqkirRrC7RRaN56tyfzY4_fLcx2_UH_tjp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="589" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyLYsghJkD7enrlHfdiXd42pLz08Huc4jGXBsT4BdWPvoJlSWavwqCTFJDMbmFUvdN4cAlfNs-d5U-gFUYua0yTsjX_vHB4NNCxkz0ByDuspvKljNIsZJFe6k3U76KwscFTk4zoVzL-tpgvVYOUNJZr0SqkirRrC7RRaN56tyfzY4_fLcx2_UH_tjp=w589-h589" width="589" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Love those pictures! Now on to the update!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">GORHAM PUBLIC PRE K APPLICATIONS ARE NOW AVAILABLE - IF ELIGIBLE - APPLY TODAY!</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: times; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: times; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Gorham Schools has opened up our initial application process for any Gorham Resident who has a child that will be four years old by Oct. 15, 2023 to apply for our new Public Pre K program that will begin in the fall of 2023. </span></div><p></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xdj266r x126k92a" style="color: #050505; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;">If this is the first time you are hearing about this program and want to learn more - I'd suggest you click on the link to our <a href="https://networkmaine.zoom.us/rec/play/AXTifhsN8CpFZ54Id_j0KG-OnL9URhy0b1PFfNymbFnMRD6zuEblQU9q5CMjXBZbsQee1h9cqzd15v3A.XrEwo5OsTLoT8D6O?continueMode=true&_x_zm_rtaid=WaIPunooQcGbrb1QglMs6g.1677856974969.167b0f993fd56105d49105fee7d43963&_x_zm_rhtaid=325">Pre K Informational Night Video</a> to get many of your questions answered. If you still have questions and want to reach out, please feel free to email me at heather.perry@gorhamschools.org.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>The initial applications will be open now through March 20, 2023. </b> From there we will work with interested families to make screening appointments and go from there. The full outline and link to the online application is below in the flyer. You can use the QR code or the link to access. If you have any trouble, feel free to call 222-1295 and we can help!</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b style="background-color: #fcff01;"><u>Bottom line - if you have a young child in Gorham who will be 4 years old by Oct. 15, 2023 - </u></b></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b style="background-color: #fcff01;"><u>YOU SHOULD APPLY TODAY!</u></b></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg01Cy1zojHQwQgUxVTXx8NN5bCP_o-UKoQqHNEu2LZBgu4kwGepH9loPvtLaAiTV9FNKHVgFf7Obwj7jGNVEc_8dcFShaaWDDyCet9h1sLtGndsmjX8HkWG3Q4zDJ1qxqH9J83_pqUIm9Kft0jO_gSrrREq-3SAiiP-QE78_dp-5vBikdE7B19_7q-" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg01Cy1zojHQwQgUxVTXx8NN5bCP_o-UKoQqHNEu2LZBgu4kwGepH9loPvtLaAiTV9FNKHVgFf7Obwj7jGNVEc_8dcFShaaWDDyCet9h1sLtGndsmjX8HkWG3Q4zDJ1qxqH9J83_pqUIm9Kft0jO_gSrrREq-3SAiiP-QE78_dp-5vBikdE7B19_7q-=w586-h586" width="586" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">And just in case the link didn't work on that image, the link for the application is here:</span></div></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1fey0fg" href="https://forms.gle/pNScGUm5qzGgvv2T8?fbclid=IwAR1srnMlcDiMaoIyA18BqmuM426BTKl_TNZqmHSnRWWZ1aHSzk1SwcdWT4k" rel="nofollow noopener" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://forms.gle/pNScGUm5qzGgvv2T8</a></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">FY 24 BUDGET DEVELOPMENT UPDATE</span></b></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcv_KEvsSdrKNwT0yeeH2cS-h2N2B6O-j69zUwDmXMEuE1QoIpWqjNrF64WGadFZiNYrw8t4dn_eJ9MBPWYXbBz-Dp_Adqdtr4thEKFG6ISBXi4tdkDELsx_PMexQY0ca_uIhMPB27ihI94eQe3VHq6oNfBEr0bFVe0mKaj_0e45K1hRVDOOc8uPRJ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="210" data-original-width="240" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcv_KEvsSdrKNwT0yeeH2cS-h2N2B6O-j69zUwDmXMEuE1QoIpWqjNrF64WGadFZiNYrw8t4dn_eJ9MBPWYXbBz-Dp_Adqdtr4thEKFG6ISBXi4tdkDELsx_PMexQY0ca_uIhMPB27ihI94eQe3VHq6oNfBEr0bFVe0mKaj_0e45K1hRVDOOc8uPRJ=w237-h208" width="237" /></a></div></span></b></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Well it seems like mother nature wants to have Maine's "second winter" in the month of March this year doesn't it? Weather has certainly played a role in delaying our budget development processes and throwing off our scheduled meeting timelines. Not to despair however, we've simply shifted things down a week and will still be able to fit it all in as planned!</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">We've now shifted our budget timeline to start with our first meeting on March 7 at 7:00 p.m. at the Municipal Center in Conference Room A (downstairs). This meeting will be recorded and a link shared with the public as soon as is possible. If you are interested, you can also attend the meeting in person. Just remember, budget workshop meetings are meetings for the School Committee to do their work, they are open to the public to attend, but not necessarily to participate. If you have thoughts/ideas we'd still love to hear them though. I will soon be putting out a Thought Exchange to the broader public asking the following question:</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">"During what looks to be an upcoming difficult budget development process, what 2-3 things do you want our School Committee to prioritize moving forward?"</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">We will definitely use input from this exchange to contribute to our thinking as we navigate the budget development process. </span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">You can find a link to all budget workshop meeting agendas by going to our website and clicking on "About Us" and then "School Committee" and then "Board minutes and Agendas" and then click on the link at the top of that page for the most recent meeting folders. Once there, know you can see all active folders, but you are looking for Workshop Meetings. Then just follow the appropriate folder for the appropriate date and you are there! If that seems a little hard to follow - I'll "cheat" and give you the direct link to SC meeting packets by <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B-CEQ9FpDlsMLVJUMW1JRVAwUDA?resourcekey=0-KwNvb6cP-yx5Cb3ARy3UfQ&usp=sharing">CLICKING HERE</a>. </span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">You can also<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kyiLevOmLY9bXpCWzCtSzgkJkmPgLvOzOWo3zqma7gA/edit?usp=share_link"> CLICK HERE</a> to directly view the March 7 Budget Workshop agenda with links. This is a "treasure trove" of information that will be presented to the School Committee at that meeting to help provide the full context and background for where we are and where we need to go in this important process. </span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Finally, to make sure folks know what the full Budget Development process looks like in its revised form, you can view the schedule below.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhaN-Qf2uup0XfE30ONk64YYS4HD9n3u7y_QowZ52AwkXg275IiGTCAtVouFsBhlyKL1fXre0imFsKRweJEJgAZcuCnr9EX-CBYaqEncOtLuB9zZdzBCL0B1KNHsUc1oTSVzxp9Ka4lHrd0jP-LHEfIRYAAkSx_D0UsDW-8m9dJSRkQJxpCEVoRV1I-" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1142" data-original-width="1216" height="538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhaN-Qf2uup0XfE30ONk64YYS4HD9n3u7y_QowZ52AwkXg275IiGTCAtVouFsBhlyKL1fXre0imFsKRweJEJgAZcuCnr9EX-CBYaqEncOtLuB9zZdzBCL0B1KNHsUc1oTSVzxp9Ka4lHrd0jP-LHEfIRYAAkSx_D0UsDW-8m9dJSRkQJxpCEVoRV1I-=w573-h538" width="573" /></a></div><br />All budget workshop meetings will begin at 7:00 p.m. and will be held at the Gorham Municipal Center. The April 25 workshop meeting with Town Council will start at 6:30 p.m. and the May 16 Town Council vote will also start at 6:30 p.m.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Any questions, at ANY TIME, please reach out to me via email at heather.perry@gorhamschools.org.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">CURRICULUM CORNER</span></b></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjtipgAsNALCDgVW6g4WHWXyinSxvJgKuuo6QpGmtq_1QYiJpo6ufE5BJTRKX-d-a8g547tqZFsBeG-jAZ4S7Jt2tGX4gY5R2Ek12ovMkCfgUWYGZfhjHbhpl_cAXz99mjPF-SBu2lp_kmfmp4CgpDrfEi_Lok6uyCpE8x8BLBLxjHYLu-Kgtmh1sy9" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="263" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjtipgAsNALCDgVW6g4WHWXyinSxvJgKuuo6QpGmtq_1QYiJpo6ufE5BJTRKX-d-a8g547tqZFsBeG-jAZ4S7Jt2tGX4gY5R2Ek12ovMkCfgUWYGZfhjHbhpl_cAXz99mjPF-SBu2lp_kmfmp4CgpDrfEi_Lok6uyCpE8x8BLBLxjHYLu-Kgtmh1sy9" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></b></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Here's the last round from our first survey of Curriculum Corner "Q&A". Apologies in advance for formatting...sometimes the copy and paste feature in the google blogs is a little challenging! Feel free to reach out with follow up questions!</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Question: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> My child has interests in foreign language, I know the K program doesn’t include learning foreign language but will there be any classes offered thru the rec program? Does K have any social clubs for kids like space club or science club?</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-fb03a9b1-7fff-0add-f8d2-bc57cb3e1683"><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 3pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Answer:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> We are not aware of any world language programs that have been offered by </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">Gorham Recreation, but perhaps this is something that could be pursued through Cindy Hazelton. There are no school sponsored clubs like this. Gorham Recreation offers an after the bell program. A community partner offers a “Girls on the Run” program that all K-5 students may participate in and other community organizations use our school facilities to meet such as brownies, girl scouts, cub scouts, etc. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Question</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> Do all students learn basic sewing skills, like how to sew on a button, etc.?</span></p></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-27077475-7fff-4479-71b2-a3b8be1afc8e"><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 3pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Answer:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> We do not currently offer a specific course like the old “home economics”. At GHS, we introduced a course called Senior Seminar where students do learn how to sew a button on a shirt, check the oil level in the car, create a budget, menu, and simple day-to-day tasks like this. The purpose of this class is to prepare students to enter the world after graduation. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 3pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 3pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Question:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> How are you grading our children's learning? What is the criteria for how your teachers grade?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 3pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Answer:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> We use the following grading scales:</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 3pt;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RlgiU_FnwM4Ou3NSBTyKSzHjyNzZMC8a/view?usp=sharing" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">K-8 Grading Scale</span></a></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1g6X0cGRwjLUTTrj6eEpl8uLVhlD1njtR/view?usp=sharing" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">9-12 Grading Scale</span></a></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1M1_JwXsbSkvyK74tA9pVV3uLqqPr2T71sIqeU0YeJy0/edit?usp=sharing" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">2022-23 Grading Guide</span></a></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 3pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-63578f69-7fff-e213-063b-96d1643d9e47"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">At the K-5 level, we use common assessments in all content areas. We’ve designed these to align with our grade level performance indicators and common scoring criteria. K-12 grade based on grade level performance indicators and scoring criteria. </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/12EpAeIvOMzWK1RzkhePATEDOmwA8EaaslwFTKcRFIko/edit?usp=sharing" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline;">K-12 Graduation Standards, Performance Indicators and Scoring Criteria</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></span></p></span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-d9d9bdb3-7fff-5cbe-6e56-dffab791735e"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Question</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> How can parents access their child’s full curriculum so we can see what is being taught as the year goes on? Now everything is on computers I have no idea what my children are doing in school. Would be nice to see or know what they are learning.</span></span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: Times New Roman;"><b>Answer: </b> The best place to access this information as a family would be to ask your child what they are learning in school. Of course, I realize that as students get older, the answers to those questions get a little more broad and unhelpful from your child. That being said, at the grades 6-12 levels much of our daily work is housed in google classrooms. You can ask your child to login and view those materials. Those are just a few quick ways. Another great way to get this information is to reach out and to start a dialogue with your child's teacher, especially if you have any concerns. The relationship between the classroom teacher and parents is something we take very seriously and want to ensure is the first place parents feel comfortable going to for information about their child. Parents can also reach out to our building principals to ask broader questions regarding curriculum if you have any. Parents of students at GHS can go on the GHS website and click on the syllabus for each class as well as the program of studies, which outlines each course offered at the HS. </span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: Times New Roman;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: Times New Roman;">As part of my listening tour with parents this past fall, one thing we gathered for great feedback and are currently trying to figure out how to do is to perhaps look at some additional information being shared for K-8 classrooms. Of course we can't do full blown syllabus for each of those grade levels because they simply don't work the same ways, however we are looking to create something more than the K-12 standards document linked above that perhaps outlines larger projects by quarter or trimester to help parents gain a broader understanding of what is being learned at these grade levels. We hope to have some of these things in place for Fall of 2024.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: Times New Roman;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: Times New Roman;">In the meantime, my best and always first answer would be to talk to your child, and then talk to your child's teacher. </span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Question:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> How do parents have a voice in what’s being displayed or taught at the school?</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-42848ebb-7fff-14e3-64d4-ab3f234f0b99"><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 3pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Answer:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> We would always suggest to any parent that has questions or concerns about </span></p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">what is being taught in the classroom to first reach out to your child’s classroom teacher to discuss your concerns and to follow up with the building principal as may be needed. If there are still concerns, parents may utilize policy </span><a href="https://1.cdn.edl.io/dBxs4aYss7gt998Ih9f5vf2bJdQMCN9IGd3NdEXZRD59hTB7.pdf" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline;">IMBB</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> (Accommodation of Sincere Beliefs in Required Instruction) to request that their child not participate in specific learning activities or a parent may utilize policy</span><a href="https://4.files.edl.io/ac7c/03/17/22/144051-ee69a166-cfab-4835-b330-d9b06dd9181e.pdf" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> IJJ-RR</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> and </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/11AwrPKrZYKsIRbrIRaHZgHCJJV6zrxpO/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=117245879173718482246&rtpof=true&sd=true" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline;">IJJ-E</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> to request that specific curriculum materials be removed.</span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Question</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> What is the handoff of individual student information (academic/social) process from one teacher to the next? For example, from third grade to fourth grade.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Answer: </span><span style="color: #202124;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">Report cards are filed in the student’s cumulative file, along with any Personal Learning Plans reflecting support/goals received in addition to the classroom.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Question: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> How does the district intend to help kids close the learning gap acquired during the pandemic? What can parents do to help overcome this?</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Answer:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> First, it is important to know that we feel as though we did a great job at mitigating the growth of learning gaps during the pandemic. That isn’t to say that some gaps were not created, its just to say that we believe we did minimized those gaps greatly due to what we did for instruction and supports during the pandemic. That being said, we continue to offer a multi-tiered system of supports for all our students based on achievement data. RTI teams review student data on an every six week cycle to ensure students are not falling between the cracks. We assess student proficiency each fall and spring (and in the winter as well for our youngest learners). Data from these assessments is then used by our teachers to target specific instruction and supports for students who need it. Additionally, we have offered summer programming for those students most in need for the past two summers. Overall, we will continue to monitor data closely for each child, identify specific support needs, and provide individualized supports for students who need them through RTI, Alternative learning programs, special education, and other support structures.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Question</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> What books are they expected to read as part of the curriculum in high school? I'm fascinated that my 10th grader is reading new books(not the same old classics) but would LOVE to be able to share that and maybe learn something new. So would love to know what books they are reading and why so I can help facilitate conversation at home and maybe add to her list.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-278227be-7fff-8455-901b-ad9394d3fa3b"><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 3pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Answer: </b> In each course, we strive to reach a balance that will engage student interest and expose students to both classics and contemporary perspectives. You can find detailed lists of titles on the course syllabus for each class posted on our Gorham High School website under school info at </span><a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1S-3hG88uuEkwYDS693lVl5XTE-QT9zmJ" style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline;">GHS Course Syllabi</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 3pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 3pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Question</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> What does the social skills curriculum look like?</span></p></span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-8ee73c13-7fff-ffaa-d101-a56c1cedc49b"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Answer:</b> At the K-5 level, we are fortunate that our English Language Arts and Math curriculum offer a dual focus of both academic and social emotional learning. In addition, k-2 students receive social emotional learning through our Second Step curriculum taught by our teaching counselors each week. More information about Second Step curriculum: </span><a href="https://www.secondstep.org/social-emotional-learning" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline;">https://www.secondstep.org/social-emotional-learning</span></a></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Question: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> How does the math curriculum carry over from one year to the next? (If you don’t make it through all material, do some students have gaps?)</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Answer: </span></b><span style="color: #202124;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">Classroom teachers do communicate with next year’s teachers, including 5th to 6th. We have experienced some gaps in learning due to the pandemic. Teachers are differentiating to meet student need, and supplementing with IXL, K-5 and Aleks, 6-8.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Question:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> What does Alternative Education curriculum look like at the elementary level?</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Answer:</span></b><span style="color: #202124;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">Alternative education has the same goal of meeting grade level standards, but work toward achieving those goals through pathways that are different from what is offered in the classroom. At the elementary levels services for alternative learners are "push in" models and are delivered within the regular classroom environment for the most part while as students get older, these services may be provided in a combination of "push in" and "pull out" models.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Question</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> In what ways do teachers diversify curriculum to meet the needs of all learners, ensuring that students get the support or the opportunity to move along at their own pace based on strengths and needs?</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-2ec967a5-7fff-276d-f096-cec796dcabec"><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 3pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Answer:</b> The Gorham School Department provides an array of instructional programs aligned to our mission/vision and geared towards meeting the needs of all students. These programs include:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">In Gorham, we believe that all students can learn and that every student is entitled to outstanding instruction throughout their time in our schools. We believe that student engagement and achievement improve when the components of our learning system – clear learning targets, aligned instruction and assessment, timely interventions, and grading/reporting that reflect those targets – are fully implemented in all grades and content areas.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Classroom instruction:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> Comprehensive grade-level instruction in all content areas </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">(ELA, Math, Science & Technology, Social Studies, Visual & Performing Arts, World </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Languages,Career and Technical Education and Health/PE) across all grades, K-12. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Additionally, we provide a full suite of multi-level courses at the high school level </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">(general, honors, advanced placement, dual enrollment, online, and more) as well as </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Career/technical courses at both WRVC and PATHS as well as a comprehensive Adult Education program for our adult Learners.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 3pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Targeted Instructional programs:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> These programs offer support and/or extension </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">opportunities for individual student learning. These programs include: Title I Reading </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">and Math (K-5), English Language Learner (K-12), Alternative Learning (K-12), Gifted </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">and Talented (3-12), Literacy and Math Labs (6-12), Daily intervention/enrichment periods (6-8).</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 3pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Special Education Programs & 504:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> These programs offer support for students who </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">have been identified with specific learning disabilities or health related conditions that </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">require them to access our educational programming via specific Individual Education </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Plans (IEP’s). These programs include: Resource Room, Functional Life Skills </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Program, Behavioral Skills Program, Autism Program, Occupational Therapy, Physical </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, and Social Work.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Other Instructional Support Programs:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> These programs offer additional academic </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">and social/emotional supports to our students in grades K-12. These programs include </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">a comprehensive K-12 Guidance Program, Drug and Alcohol Prevention Programs </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">through our School Resource Officers, and our Response to Intervention (RTI) Program.</span></p><div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-f26eea64-7fff-d13d-c2bf-b34ed3215eab"><div><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">I would also like to share some of the comments at found at the end of the survey:</span></div><div style="color: #050505;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #050505;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-41c0529e-7fff-002f-408a-475fe9e6583e"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Comments:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">No concerns with the curriculum - thank you to all teachers, admins and staff!!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">None, I think communication is great in the district. I’m committed to the district values around inclusion if that’s what’s implied by this survey.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">I think the curriculum is great the way it is!!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">None at this time</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #202124; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">I just want to write in to support any and all education that you are doing regarding LGBTQ+ and sex education. I know most parents support this, but only unhappy people usually write to you so I wanted to counterbalance that.</span></p><div><span style="color: #050505; font-family: times;"> </span></div></span></span></div></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b>ANTI-RACISM & EQUITY COMMITTEE WORK UPDATE </b></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_ounbP1XcF08IMz3Gd_rQ8JS3WvAon9J_z_oYGBQzk9Lj3fr2Vjqeq5Atj0YjBsy3DMSZ3QVGki_kb82aOzT5hbkb0svrzSRO82ICGwRPgsmkOC1yj3bg0dKEHKqsBTThNodEwtwmh4B4sFW0255QwTD2qSh89HW8joxWzxunft4oaeCPS7goweQm" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="221" data-original-width="228" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_ounbP1XcF08IMz3Gd_rQ8JS3WvAon9J_z_oYGBQzk9Lj3fr2Vjqeq5Atj0YjBsy3DMSZ3QVGki_kb82aOzT5hbkb0svrzSRO82ICGwRPgsmkOC1yj3bg0dKEHKqsBTThNodEwtwmh4B4sFW0255QwTD2qSh89HW8joxWzxunft4oaeCPS7goweQm" width="248" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">The great work of our district wide and community based Anti-Racism and Equity committee continues to move forward. The committee itself is made up of 30 community members and is lead by a planning group that consists of myself, Assistant Superintendent Brian Porter, School Committee member and chair of the committee Nicole Hudson, and our two facilitators. Our facilitators for this work are Mr. Dustin Ward from "<a href="https://www.itistime.me/">It is Time LLC</a>" and Mr. James Ford, a well known community support person who works in the Lewiston Public Schools, and is also a member of the State Board of Education.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">You can view full membership of the Committee by<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/144mOH6KP3jFTVwXaT9JLpOqYDuJklEe1wQxx8qRIB3U/edit?usp=sharing"> CLICKING HERE</a>.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">The large committee meets at least quarterly and you can follow those meetings by <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/15SaQa9tNXLdDK2vJWZQLRPeog8J7bCMvd97JfBJb8IQ/edit?usp=sharing">CLICKING HERE</a>. In addition to the large group committee meetings, the group is divided into four regular meeting "equity groups" who have more specific focus area for their work and who meet monthly. Those four groups are:</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">- Professional Development Equity Group</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">- Public Policy Equity Group</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">- Community Engagement Equity Group</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">- Student Experience Equity Group</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">You can follow the notes from these group meetings by <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1feSMK_T7Z6LM0GUGfC501l9xUi7Xnd_Q?usp=sharing">CLICKING HERE</a>.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">There is lots of great work going on in these meetings. A quick run down of areas of focus for each is below. Please know this doesn't represent everything each group is working on, but is intended to let folks know the key items these groups are focused on at this time.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Professional Development Equity Group</b> - This group has been meeting and working to identify ways in which we can better support Gorham Schools staff and students in areas of training and professional development that are in alignment with the goals outlined in our Anti-Racism Policy. Recent discussions have focused on trying to work with USM to perhaps create a D.E.I. certificate program or at least a series of professional development opportunities that teachers in Gorham could participate in to earn continuing learning credits that can be used to assist them in requirements for teacher certification. We have brainstormed some ideas and are working to set up meetings with our partners at USM to figure out what is possible.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Public Policy Equity Group</b> - this group has been working from the policy perspective and is currently working to create a draft "policy toolkit" that could be used by the Gorham Schools Policy Committee to review its policies through the lens of equity. The group is also working on making recommendations to the Gorham Policy Committee on how we might be able to strengthen our existing Anti-Racism policy and work to create a larger equity policy that perhaps can then have different components of focus within it such as Anti-Racism, LGBTQ+, Gender and gender identity, religion, socio economic status, disability, etc. </span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Community Engagement Equity Group</b> - This group has been working diligently to help organize our upcoming "Eat and Learn" event planned for March 14, 2023 at Gorham High School from 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. MORE ON THAT BELOW. They are also focused on trying to map out additional ways to engage our community in this important conversation and developing timelines for when these activities can take place, defining their purpose, and identifying target audiences, etc. All to ensure we work to improve community engagement in these important conversations moving forward.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Student Experience Equity Group</b> - This group has been working to develop methods to increase our abilities to hear directly from students when it comes to issues of climate and culture across our K-12 schools. We've always listened to our students, but this group is working to strengthen these opportunities and amplify their voices. Right now members of the group have toured our schools to learn more about our K-12 experience and the group is working to develop a mechanism to conduct focus group meetings with students across all five schools to gather their input on how to structure these ideas in a way that is most meaningful for our students.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">All of this work is really beginning to pick up momentum and we are excited by the future potential for our community to continue to learn and grow together in ways that make sure our schools can truly deliver on our promise to "Prepare and Inspire" ALL Gorham students for their future success!</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">UPCOMING "EAT AND LEARN EVENT</span></b><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Please see the fliers below for details and make sure you RSVP to attend by using the link below! </span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: #fcff01; font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222; white-space: normal;">Eventbrite Eat and Learn: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.eventbrite.com/e/533981281387&source=gmail&ust=1677947022033000&usg=AOvVaw0I1y9gZQp5XTwg30WnDixL" href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/533981281387" style="color: #1155cc; white-space: normal;" target="_blank">https://www.<wbr></wbr>eventbrite.com/e/533981281387</a></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><u>Child Care will be provided!</u></b> Hope to see you all there!</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #050505; font-family: times; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJB6StHcqLZ1O97WZewzMFu2okjRWxr8qOGMnswpWSU1EOr_bRlO3pSfOmZM1lYZr94bSERjpoITSPKGt44QjPmweV3b2z70KSuwQ3W9QHHdNAb2Y9Nier7s7WA7nKaib26T7iULSN149q9RtqHlb9wfxsC1L3xnMEFeIOFLSZOOwnr4TTERlE3n8P" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1406" data-original-width="1086" height="746" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJB6StHcqLZ1O97WZewzMFu2okjRWxr8qOGMnswpWSU1EOr_bRlO3pSfOmZM1lYZr94bSERjpoITSPKGt44QjPmweV3b2z70KSuwQ3W9QHHdNAb2Y9Nier7s7WA7nKaib26T7iULSN149q9RtqHlb9wfxsC1L3xnMEFeIOFLSZOOwnr4TTERlE3n8P=w575-h746" width="575" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #050505; font-family: times; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #050505; font-family: times; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnWH96WpOd4w6iHzEeOyTUFtn8_NLdETZjo7SirmenUhWClEuj_paDwpgNKFLkOT3h0d01_62k1REwXqcBMSsartyIcJCgTqxL6ar29bHva8kTolDKA-QTAHlHvrDpC-Pn8yGsxEeXgBOfiZHWtYUQSveFxwVscliz276QDz9GUBMxfaWAlvemCHgy" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1408" data-original-width="1072" height="751" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnWH96WpOd4w6iHzEeOyTUFtn8_NLdETZjo7SirmenUhWClEuj_paDwpgNKFLkOT3h0d01_62k1REwXqcBMSsartyIcJCgTqxL6ar29bHva8kTolDKA-QTAHlHvrDpC-Pn8yGsxEeXgBOfiZHWtYUQSveFxwVscliz276QDz9GUBMxfaWAlvemCHgy=w572-h751" width="572" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #050505; font-family: times; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: times; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you have any questions, please reach out via email (heather.perry@gorhamschools.org)!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: times; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: times; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">ONE ACT PLAY TEREZINE PROMISE THIS WEEKEND!</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: times; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: times; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our GHS thespians are at it again with our one act play entitled "The Terezine Promise". </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: times; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: times; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shows are TONIGHT at 7:30 p.m., Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. Of course, keep your eyes on the weather for tomorrow...not looking good there - but tonight's show and Sunday's show are absolutely open to the public.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: times; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: times; white-space: pre-wrap;">Run time is 40 minutes plus a 10 minute tech. demonstration.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: times; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: times; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tickets are $5.00 for students and $10.00 for adults. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: times; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: times; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seats may sell out, so first come, first serve! Hope to see you there...and just to entice you a little more, click on the link below to watch their trailer! We have such talented students - Break a leg Rams! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: times; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: times; white-space: pre-wrap;">Trailer Link: </span><span style="text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: times;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pZq4scnpHu0mTdO5ASXiBPjeh6iPLfYu/view?usp=share_link">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pZq4scnpHu0mTdO5ASXiBPjeh6iPLfYu/view?usp=share_link</a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: times; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: times; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>GORHAM MIDDLE SCHOOL MUSICAL COMING SOON!</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: times; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: times; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVlhpA62NMw52hT0qvkBNzJa0q420woRZeCvLfZvs6tUpI0-3_iOcy4XtA6ppBpp4aBRdeJxKAOazqTlBCphsOTxR2KRo_Wrbbu5bjpk9O-yrbwC1lJScSxlTSsEh-WSXsKD0iHKcNCllkCPjn1D_EL1KLlno5AHhp2M8uy8h-pHKPX7vt8n48Luym" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="1955" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVlhpA62NMw52hT0qvkBNzJa0q420woRZeCvLfZvs6tUpI0-3_iOcy4XtA6ppBpp4aBRdeJxKAOazqTlBCphsOTxR2KRo_Wrbbu5bjpk9O-yrbwC1lJScSxlTSsEh-WSXsKD0iHKcNCllkCPjn1D_EL1KLlno5AHhp2M8uy8h-pHKPX7vt8n48Luym=w616-h152" width="616" /></a></div><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Not to be outdone by their high school counterparts with their recent showing of "Mary Poppins"...our Gorham Middle School students are getting ready to perform their own musical classic in their rendition of "Beauty and the Beast". Shows are planned for March 10 and 11th at 7:00 p.m. at GMS and at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday at GMS. I'm sure our middle school thespians would love to see you at the show! Break a leg to these awesome Rams as well! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">For more information, feel free to call the school at 222-1220.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">GHS UNIFIED B-BALL TEAM VIDEO</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIC4nmVhOMGspp5KbQ5vHKavh28tB03j2dIQSY6kDc_CNE60EhGiRyH0YJiynM34HMfZRbZbomoRLVzlQnufLGp8Al42T2D0p7t1-6kSuzL1wZ7_Be-gm1qLoiCl3p0KNwAaqY9g3kihc_C9SaotkNV4RjfD7heExGnHPCAOs5XtBxtMEIsXmETLvZ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="232" data-original-width="217" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIC4nmVhOMGspp5KbQ5vHKavh28tB03j2dIQSY6kDc_CNE60EhGiRyH0YJiynM34HMfZRbZbomoRLVzlQnufLGp8Al42T2D0p7t1-6kSuzL1wZ7_Be-gm1qLoiCl3p0KNwAaqY9g3kihc_C9SaotkNV4RjfD7heExGnHPCAOs5XtBxtMEIsXmETLvZ" width="224" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I had the distinct pleasure of attending three of their games this year. What an incredible experience for everyone who is able to make it. The students have so much fun cheering for and supporting one another. The athletes enjoy the game and have an opportunity to learn all the important lessons about TEAM that only a participation in said teams can teach you and the adults just get to watch it all unfold and think to themselves - we have AWESOME STUDENTS and be proud for that fact.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">At the end of the season Mr. Parvanta and his team always puts together a little video. If you haven't already seen it - WORTH THE WATCH! Take two minutes, grab the tissues, and check out the video below. After watching it, I just have to say how PROUD I AM TO BE A GORHAM RAM and I know I'm not the only one who feels that way! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Video Link: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CUbZKoRL0YKQC-3y8dkTZYI2Qznco-Nm/view?usp=share_link">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CUbZKoRL0YKQC-3y8dkTZYI2Qznco-Nm/view?usp=share_link</a></div></div><br /><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b>CLOSING OUT NATIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS WEEK</b></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmJIgb9x0QePtKATv9YRIswAFMaXrec7BUGn4slueTC9c2ugtGuLTGoVBjhLvgQ5d5cRyRf35DtBlpg5ggCaMIr1pNzsMSWsszgYU2m5G6OcXZoj_pj5-4X9T99HhLJMqjhzwo2JsqabRRnxuuNpyAR7povamEoFDrp8cf2XwlF20uW0oONOy5PnND" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="1200" height="68" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmJIgb9x0QePtKATv9YRIswAFMaXrec7BUGn4slueTC9c2ugtGuLTGoVBjhLvgQ5d5cRyRf35DtBlpg5ggCaMIr1pNzsMSWsszgYU2m5G6OcXZoj_pj5-4X9T99HhLJMqjhzwo2JsqabRRnxuuNpyAR7povamEoFDrp8cf2XwlF20uW0oONOy5PnND=w545-h68" width="545" /></a></div><br />February 27 - March 3, 2023 has been National Public Schools Week across our great country. This was a week to celebrate all the incredible things that occur in our nation's public schools each and every day...and there is A LOT to celebrate.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Public schools take every child, regardless of background and we work to make them feel welcomed in our schools. We work to make sure they can read and write and do arithmetic but we also work to make sure they have full bellies, we make sure they can play, we make sure to support them in learning how to positively interact with others and follow our code of conduct. We work to provide mental health support, nursing support, support for learning how to live healthy lives, and support in learning how to be productive citizens in our democracy. We teach students how to critically think and problem solve in a collaborative world. We provide opportunities for clubs and activities, sports and music, theater and the arts. We expose students to potential careers and help them to develop their future aspirations and connect those aspirations to their learning. We provide co-op programs, CTE programs, internships, apprentice programs, and financial literacy programs. We help students learn how to create resumes and interview for jobs and YES we teach students how to shake hands! We do all of this with the passion, love and care that is second only to you as their parents and family. </span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">As we close this week of celebration. I think about what our world would be like without public schools and I'm not sure I like that picture. Public schools may not always be perfect, but they are one of the bedrocks of our democratic society. They are most definitely worth celebrating. THANK YOU as parents and family who choose to send your children to our public schools. The Gorham School Department remains committed to delivering on the promise of our<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-CEQ9FpDlsMTnRULUJjYkU3czQ/view?usp=share_link&resourcekey=0-aFIDlNw5b6xMkkSqmV95JA"> Mission and Vision</a> and we look forward to continuing to serve this incredible community! GO RAMS!</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">As I close...</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Just wanted to give a quick shout out to all our winter athletes...INCREDIBLE JOB this season! Our girls bball team is still playing, but most have wrapped up. Here's a few pictures to showcase our incredible student athletes and their accomplishments this past winter! See you again on March 17 for my next blog post!</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgjKckK3foZH3CxAgdjQzdD1mBvH6cEpGlQPThmt9IoiygmCPRoOtDhwjqzQRhpNYRwBBwBafhEyv77slFXH2VWjsrvadJy7ynsyM2CQeDuUi1MHcI6w-XVEpqJpfdEImsBF5OWxLvtApaY5Xwxr7T6Ov-ikvEStpmJmKgFAyny2ROaqm93NVblAVNB" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="662" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgjKckK3foZH3CxAgdjQzdD1mBvH6cEpGlQPThmt9IoiygmCPRoOtDhwjqzQRhpNYRwBBwBafhEyv77slFXH2VWjsrvadJy7ynsyM2CQeDuUi1MHcI6w-XVEpqJpfdEImsBF5OWxLvtApaY5Xwxr7T6Ov-ikvEStpmJmKgFAyny2ROaqm93NVblAVNB=w662-h662" width="662" /></a></div><br /><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div></div>Heather Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902747451985096596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2916890148299174047.post-78836856589204644852023-02-10T16:31:00.010-08:002023-02-10T17:57:02.737-08:00February 10 Blog Post<p>The school year continues to roll on here in Gorham in a positive way. There's lots to talk about and share, so let's get right to it. Of course, before we do that, we have to start with some pictures from our schools!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhaEyDiZg5v_a-g71o-Jz0GsioEihBaK7TCBVftPmw3FZBv3CutZLDG2j_0bSFPbrNksv9X8mUmxEOxWQFaZn4FT75-RcVWDVlkEloatuLmpZzer6NPY2jxnol3cCSeHjektu6wE7zTXnii4Oz2RSUi-K0GAUU595mI7FnVtUs0DjL1oq1Hpsb5JFRy" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="561" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhaEyDiZg5v_a-g71o-Jz0GsioEihBaK7TCBVftPmw3FZBv3CutZLDG2j_0bSFPbrNksv9X8mUmxEOxWQFaZn4FT75-RcVWDVlkEloatuLmpZzer6NPY2jxnol3cCSeHjektu6wE7zTXnii4Oz2RSUi-K0GAUU595mI7FnVtUs0DjL1oq1Hpsb5JFRy=w561-h561" width="561" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Love those smiles! Now on to the information!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">GORHAM SCHOOL COMMITTEE BEGINS WORK ON FY 24 BUDGET DEVELOPMENT</span></b></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgu97f3bBiefiav-P2PJxDrlqyQfU-1HVa5dFRqzKVNEGSq9uEQWPaqiMxdHvwiZ2BUuCt9M8YQG3Ch5vY_EPh1kCTqgzWy7_KhtBCFBypb_CkuLC1CtEbcj_jwe9MaPbkXXyecqObEkUpitz17wdcUjg0tn_hKj9FFKKe786THjShHQj2u8_OKlNLV" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="176" data-original-width="287" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgu97f3bBiefiav-P2PJxDrlqyQfU-1HVa5dFRqzKVNEGSq9uEQWPaqiMxdHvwiZ2BUuCt9M8YQG3Ch5vY_EPh1kCTqgzWy7_KhtBCFBypb_CkuLC1CtEbcj_jwe9MaPbkXXyecqObEkUpitz17wdcUjg0tn_hKj9FFKKe786THjShHQj2u8_OKlNLV" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>On Wednesday, February 8, 2023 The Gorham School Committee was presented with their INITIAL Proposed FY 24 budget booklet. From this point forward, the Gorham School Committee has 5 intense budget workshop meetings scheduled (see schedule below) to "dig in" to the specifics of the initial proposal created by the administrative team. During that time the School Committee works to make adjustments as they feel necessary to finalize the School Committee's proposed FY 24 budget that will eventually be voted on by the School Committee in April,. The budget is then voted on by the Town Council in May, and validated by voters in June, 2023. More on the specific process shortly.<p></p><p>Each year the Gorham School Committee wants to ensure the most transparent budget development process possible. As just one means to this end, I wanted to make sure that folks knew that you can view the initial proposed budget by <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sJTOeCNn641VLFVLp8fduYufUTRqENLQ/view?usp=share_link">CLICKING HERE</a>, <b>but before you do</b> - I'd ask that you understand a few key aspects of the process at these early stages:</p><p>1. This is just the first step (among many) of the budget process. The numbers you see on this initial proposed budget WILL NOT be the final numbers voted on by the School Committee in April, and may very well also not be the final numbers voted on by voters via referendum in June.</p><p>2. There are still A LOT of "unknowns" regarding the revenue side of the picture. This information typically does not become more clear until closer to the end of March as we get a more solid sense of total town value, state subsidy, and other information. This side of the budget is something I typically direct the School Committee not to focus on until after the 3rd budget meeting or so as the potential for significant movement is so great.</p><p>So bottom line, feel free to view the numbers, but know that these will not be the final numbers and that the School Committee will work diligently to do as it annually does - produce a proposed budget that they feel best meets the educational needs of our children while doing our best to balance the ability of our incredible community to support these needs via taxation.</p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;">During this process, the School Committee will remain focused on its FY 24 budget priorities which are:</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;">1. <span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Strengthening and broadening student access to learning experiences that partner academic excellence with real world applications while supporting SEL needs. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">2. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Ensuring that our learning environments are welcome and accessible for all students in ways that celebrate the diversity of our students, our families, our community, and our world.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">3. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Ensuring that our facilities provide safe and engaging learning and working environments.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">4. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Improving workforce development by recruiting and creatively working to retain excellent employees.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">5. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Working to remain competitive with surrounding schools and changing trends within business/education.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">This WILL BE yet another challenging budget year for Gorham. In fact, this is gearing up to be the most challenging budget development season I've ever experienced in my 16 years of being a Superintendent of Schools in Maine. There are several key reasons for this, which include the following:</span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">* State property values in Gorham increased by 8%, resulting in a requirement for the community to pay $1.5 million more to support schools in order to be eligible to receive state funding.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">*. GMS school's bond payments ended last year, which results in an almost $700,000.00 loss in state subsidy.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">* Just moving forward existing staff 1 year (which we call our "status quo" budget) is a 5.93% increase on its own (over $2.1 million dollars)</span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">* Significantly increased costs for utilities (almost $400,000.00 in electricity alone).</span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">* A significant increase in special education needs, especially in our autism program at the elementary level. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Much more detailed information can be found in the budget booklet - but the bottom line is that costs are increasing significantly just to do the same things we've always done, let alone work to address the new and emerging needs of our students. </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; white-space: pre-wrap;">Add this onto the fact that the community just went through a property re-evaluation last year, and certainly the complexities of the process increase.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Even with these challenges, I have great faith in our budget development processes and in the fact that our processes are transparent and welcome the voices of many stakeholders. At the end of this grueling process, I have always believe that the "right" budget is always passed for our children and for our community. Please know that the Gorham Schools Administrative team, the School Committee, and others are ready to roll up our sleeves and get to work so that this year's process will have that same important outcome.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you want to get involved, we encourage you to view our upcoming budget workshop meetings and to share your thoughts with myself or members of the Gorham School Committee directly. All of our budget workshop meetings this year will EITHER be live streamed or recorded and posted online and shared. The schedule is below. I'll keep you informed along the way!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqtkAJaRBatyyMwzn7ge4_4zz6mPF4xVuJHa18m1OQEUJpjqk8MC6ukStbsYkXnlpNT797oPTZF_KAKsg7iVSfeZupoqK2wD2ProK81QFGRgANwxI2vulVku5pelORWd_ME8G_8l8DXnOlvCiIkMqS8mDzCVoZIsaHhgT4ko_v_u7ponNdXQeg2TcI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="424" height="443" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqtkAJaRBatyyMwzn7ge4_4zz6mPF4xVuJHa18m1OQEUJpjqk8MC6ukStbsYkXnlpNT797oPTZF_KAKsg7iVSfeZupoqK2wD2ProK81QFGRgANwxI2vulVku5pelORWd_ME8G_8l8DXnOlvCiIkMqS8mDzCVoZIsaHhgT4ko_v_u7ponNdXQeg2TcI=w205-h443" width="205" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhH-cOfE1q_W9QDBkdvHs5CIfrn1vllDy9bWeCFogtZbUEzN1WZCWURKzIoHXPdQ2z6XyasQZoRPLWeCanDNj54KpLaLNmj27NJE1E9p_r1mzvSNgas3F7GMTsU3EN0EMSpyWrvcVGNl6CcZyRLYFg-iBJoOAF8sP5XW29s8MnCirvufaM6hc5ARsAB" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="418" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhH-cOfE1q_W9QDBkdvHs5CIfrn1vllDy9bWeCFogtZbUEzN1WZCWURKzIoHXPdQ2z6XyasQZoRPLWeCanDNj54KpLaLNmj27NJE1E9p_r1mzvSNgas3F7GMTsU3EN0EMSpyWrvcVGNl6CcZyRLYFg-iBJoOAF8sP5XW29s8MnCirvufaM6hc5ARsAB=w203-h302" width="203" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The first budget workshop meeting on Feb. 28 will be live streamed on GoCat! See you then!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">2023-2024 SCHOOL CALENDAR APPROVED</span></b></span></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitKQgkIIC2Cfn28auV8iAJQkjqz4_yXb2vGXiqSjy3CZRQlPpEQ50pyVlG6kKLT0WYXbby9tUYkw3iMu8jtaF1V1O_v_yb5A6Ff00QXUpUhZRIoTTD_RbxKNt-34z3fpe6pzkuWVV6mx7j1TvQeRjsq7P2CtZG6akEL3EdkDyVvfXFMi_JlDaIOUOe" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="245" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitKQgkIIC2Cfn28auV8iAJQkjqz4_yXb2vGXiqSjy3CZRQlPpEQ50pyVlG6kKLT0WYXbby9tUYkw3iMu8jtaF1V1O_v_yb5A6Ff00QXUpUhZRIoTTD_RbxKNt-34z3fpe6pzkuWVV6mx7j1TvQeRjsq7P2CtZG6akEL3EdkDyVvfXFMi_JlDaIOUOe" width="285" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">On Feb. 8 the Gorham School Committee approved the 2023-2024 School Calendar. There was one relatively significant change on this coming year's calendar. Over the past few years, due to the Pandemic, we had "front loaded" all four of our full day Professional Development days for teachers in the month of August before school began just so we could accomplish all the things that needed to be accomplished to open our schools each year smoothly and effectively for our students. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">For the 2023-2024 year we decided we no longer needed to do that so, we have just 3 workshop days before school begins in August for Teachers and then the fourth professional development day is being used on the November elections day so that our schools can be used as polling locations without the need for students to be present, or the need to add a day to our overall calendar. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Other than that, the calendar is very similar to this year's calendar. You can view it by <a href="https://4.files.edl.io/ac94/02/09/23/155933-88a8efcd-9432-41df-8bf2-060db8f4abe6.pdf">CLICKING HERE</a>. Please reach out if you have any questions!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">UPDATE ON PRE K INFORMATION</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div></div><span style="font-family: times;">Before I go into working to answer 3-4 of the questions from the Q&A document, I wanted to make sure that families knew that we will be having a Pre K "Listen and Learn" event on Monday, Feb. 13 at 6:00 p.m. via zoom. We would love ANYONE who is interested in learning more about our Pre K program to please attend. We are especially asking that those families who have current 3 year olds who will be 4 years old by Oct. 15, 2023 to attend.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;">The agenda for the evening will be to welcome everyone, provide some overview information, and then to simply take open questions from the audience and answer as many as we can! Check out the flyer below for details.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiE0Xnzys_BgKtONRfdW9mx7NXQb20DhWL7T3yFx8XSiw97G0ajIqmc-tsHOEAlerHZlzfaqAp7-ltTbMAzX-PnEm7LINlmjlDnc_7Wtgtsd_idtQz6BEXo8i0t2vn2Qvc5v4-lK9_SjGguHCldXI-wMruvbUZuyygqYaDtLY7l-pEeHWL-a-PYmVRa" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="612" height="653" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiE0Xnzys_BgKtONRfdW9mx7NXQb20DhWL7T3yFx8XSiw97G0ajIqmc-tsHOEAlerHZlzfaqAp7-ltTbMAzX-PnEm7LINlmjlDnc_7Wtgtsd_idtQz6BEXo8i0t2vn2Qvc5v4-lK9_SjGguHCldXI-wMruvbUZuyygqYaDtLY7l-pEeHWL-a-PYmVRa=w505-h653" width="505" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">OK, now to answer a few questions from the Q&A document...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Question: <span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">How do you know if your child is eligible for the Pre K Program and what will be the application process if your child is eligible?</span></b></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><b>Answer: </b> First, your child needs to be 4 years old, but not 5 years old by Oct. 15, 2023. Above and beyond that ALL Gorham 4 year olds would be eligible to attend. However, we have a limited number of slots so we will have selection criteria for those slots. A certain number will be set aside for CDS eligible families, a certain number will be set aside for income eligible families and the remaining number will be open slots for all interested families. I would STRONGLY SUGGEST that if you are even a little interested in the program and you will have a 4 year old that meets the age criteria described above, that you complete the initial interest application and then we can go from there. We will be launching the initial interest application on Feb. 17, 2023. Details of this process will be shared at the "Listen and Learn" event.</span></span><p></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;">Question: </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Will there be any options or partnerships for aftercare/before care?</span></span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Answer: </b> Yes. In partnership with some of our local early care providers we have thus far identified 16 slots for interested families and hope to identify additional partnerships before the end of the school year for those families who are interested. <br /></span></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Question: Once we have completed the initial application, <span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">When will we find out if our child was accepted into the program if they are currently working with CDS?</span></span></b></p><p><b>Answer: </b> We will notify all families, regardless of CDS eligibility by early May, 2023 whether or not your child was accepted into the program.</p><p><b>Question: Will the program eventually expand to offer more slots at school?</b></p><p><b>Answer:</b> No. Our schools simply do not have the space to offer universal Pre K to all 4 year olds (typically over 200 students each year). HOWEVER, we do anticipate significant increases in the number of private partner slots that will allow Pre K eligible children to attend public Pre K over time.</p><p>That's it for now...hope to see folks at the "Listen and Learn" event on Monday for more!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">REMINDER - SURVEY OPEN TO FAMILIES TO ASK ADDITIONAL CURRICULUM QUESTIONS!</span></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNRqvhghH99t__7L0bOfJv0FKKfWwkQ1dWyOKAZpWchjg758ew92Eik9XNVnlsCIkunkVfwOGhxSgSfB89635SKoscVyvMVYLXHGupVLXdSDr7k9ai6FG8274GJRUZw8LPP53DN80xE-5O9EZ36qR5HKroUOYkj837cWqyp8k6xVl834B8l7kUTyg5" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="226" data-original-width="223" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNRqvhghH99t__7L0bOfJv0FKKfWwkQ1dWyOKAZpWchjg758ew92Eik9XNVnlsCIkunkVfwOGhxSgSfB89635SKoscVyvMVYLXHGupVLXdSDr7k9ai6FG8274GJRUZw8LPP53DN80xE-5O9EZ36qR5HKroUOYkj837cWqyp8k6xVl834B8l7kUTyg5" width="237" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>I put this out in my last blog, but thus far have had just 8 parents participate. I can't imagine there aren't more questions out there that families are curious about regarding what we teach in our schools (i.e. curriculum) across grades K-12! </p><p>So I just wanted to remind families who have questions, to simply complete the anonymous survey below to ask those questions and I'll include them in my upcoming "Curriculum Corner" blog posts each month. I have enough questions for one more blog post from our first round of questions. I would love to have enough questions to keep it going at least through the end of the school year - so don't be bashful...ask your questions both big and small and I'll do my best to answer them! Link is below:</p><p><a href="https://forms.gle/g6sRuDd4Cvc4zerPA">https://forms.gle/g6sRuDd4Cvc4zerPA</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">EXCITED TO LEARN! </span></b><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">SAN ANTONIO HERE I COME!</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUkX9rZW9y2kxMGqgX5YQBNfYcKeyNtQ1vD-NnrxVsFUVzq8kUnNrmTbVyyEbNW7RBi2L3md7dfDundhSL5m2jQnbrVuCFlX1z5b4MYzoco9kY5p4oGAMZTxRdhNLM_I0KwfscBFj3AIfeeg9VN1cxyvQ8_J1afep7kmp-k19SMCu4eW_I_TrYPYV2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="1016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUkX9rZW9y2kxMGqgX5YQBNfYcKeyNtQ1vD-NnrxVsFUVzq8kUnNrmTbVyyEbNW7RBi2L3md7dfDundhSL5m2jQnbrVuCFlX1z5b4MYzoco9kY5p4oGAMZTxRdhNLM_I0KwfscBFj3AIfeeg9VN1cxyvQ8_J1afep7kmp-k19SMCu4eW_I_TrYPYV2" width="309" /></a></span></b></div><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">As the lead learner in the Gorham Schools, it is important for me to continue to learn and grow as an educational leader. Goodness knows I can always learn something new, and improve in areas that I need to work on as a leader. This isn't a sign of challenge as a leader - its a sign of strength to continually be open to new ideas and new ways of thinking.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Next week I will be heading to San Antonio, Texas to attend the National Conference on Education. This conference is sponsored by AASA the National Superintendent's Association. It is two days worth of the most intense professional learning possible for those of us in the highest leadership positions in our public schools. This conference brings in national speakers and experts on the most cutting edge educational approaches from across the country. We can learn with large numbers of our peers in settings with keynote speakers such as Alex Boyle, a performer and mental health advocate or in smaller settings with break out groups facilitated by Superintendents sharing their skills and expertise with their peers and everything in between! Last year almost 6,000 educational leaders attended the Conference in Nashville and this year looks to be shaping up to perhaps top that historic number!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Also during the conference there will be great focus on this year's theme of "Live Well, Lead Well". Encouraging Superintendents to figure out ways to better take care of ourselves so that we are able to take care of others. The conference offers a Health and Wellness center and may different session break outs to learn more about this important topic for us all. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Awards are also given out during this conference for the National Superintendent of the Year and each State's Superintendent of the Year is celebrated. In Maine, that would be Jeremy Ray, Superintendent of Schools in Biddeford, Dayton, and Saco, ME. Other awards such as our humanitarian award are also presented during this conference so we can be sure to celebrate the great leaders of our public schools from across the country.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Finally, another important aspect of this conference is in working with our Governance Board. Governing Board members from AASA come to the conference a day early to participate in discussions regarding our legislative agenda and priorities and help to ensure our organization remains focused on its overall beliefs and values as we advocate for the needs of children across this great country.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">This will be my second year in attendance at the National Conference and I must say that last year I came back energized and full of new incredible ideas about how we can continue to improve our public schools to better serve our students and families. The ability to talk with peers and learn with peers from school districts of 100,000+ students to districts with just 200 students is something only a conference of this caliber can provide. It is also a great time to "brag" a bit about some of the awesome things happening in Maine's public schools and for me, more specifically about the awesome things happening in Gorham. It is always a rush to go to a conference like this to learn about "cutting edge" educational programs that we have already been doing here in Gorham for several years - like ASPIRE! </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">I will be blogging each day from the conference and individuals can follow the events from the conference by <a href="https://nce.aasa.org/conference-daily-online/2023-february-15/">CLICKING HERE</a>. If you want to know what I am learning about - check it out on the site linked - otherwise, just wait a little bit and I'll be sure to bring those incredible ideas back to Gorham and you'll see them soon!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b>ASPIRE NEWSLETTER READY TO VIEW</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPzopf6ILPYQCYuAtH-iH9ZLN36vHFukrZ3m9LdafVGA1XdF2-ML6CN2zs09WHCkA33eexuOk2XJjrbzIBBGhZkzWXU-ELl-IalmcKGIlRKQltw8oY-ZGOtBe2KM7rAqhC-q2gqUR12GZjOof51sCsbBlUEsHCdCbuSeB0QCJugdXuMvCO84LFSEgF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="804" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPzopf6ILPYQCYuAtH-iH9ZLN36vHFukrZ3m9LdafVGA1XdF2-ML6CN2zs09WHCkA33eexuOk2XJjrbzIBBGhZkzWXU-ELl-IalmcKGIlRKQltw8oY-ZGOtBe2KM7rAqhC-q2gqUR12GZjOof51sCsbBlUEsHCdCbuSeB0QCJugdXuMvCO84LFSEgF" width="320" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ArE_dJL4WFrDABHUT3g8XFBh0q4fYg0o/view?usp=share_link" style="font-family: times;">Click here</a><span style="font-family: times;"> to View January's Aspire Gorham Newsletter - you will be surprised at just how much this program is doing in our schools and community! Check it out!</span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b>A FEW SUMMER CAMP OPPORTUNITIES</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">As the month of February all too quickly begins to come to a close, I know many families begin thinking about summer learning opportunities for their children. I came across these TWO the other day that I thought were worth sharing for those that might be interested. Check them out!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><u>USM Music and Theater Camps</u>:</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKpPwP7g8HKyGtz99mEscybcrGztNEVFbCEVpF2me47Isi_sR1OKs4KUJEUTfRigdKAEzXEjpS8YwgbX5L1xRX1cY0IskVHrUz0f9dU8OKgG6vzvLslKlN-o0I9S7Xqrsu_TnVw_c7VLxrD_N9pHSE52aU62833ogbhjI4DdqJTCyRgVHJr5xk_71f" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="612" height="694" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKpPwP7g8HKyGtz99mEscybcrGztNEVFbCEVpF2me47Isi_sR1OKs4KUJEUTfRigdKAEzXEjpS8YwgbX5L1xRX1cY0IskVHrUz0f9dU8OKgG6vzvLslKlN-o0I9S7Xqrsu_TnVw_c7VLxrD_N9pHSE52aU62833ogbhjI4DdqJTCyRgVHJr5xk_71f=w535-h694" width="535" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://www.tellingroom.org/programs/camps">Telling Room Camps</a>:<p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiK17XKvDWbUu7hGnNgi2nOsPXzEIq-2WeWvOCJOakc2FvUaeo8DPasOGab1L5U6oenwjFzeO67b6cwwj4cPtviaWVWreZ7qLeFX1vW5D-jYyXjaSg7Jt9IF3Gc4Lzpf4femWYdIITcg9gth2Hqbzg5wUgyVFaE3GgTbuGIQTFGDJ8GveGa0bkQNCG5" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1402" data-original-width="2414" height="337" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiK17XKvDWbUu7hGnNgi2nOsPXzEIq-2WeWvOCJOakc2FvUaeo8DPasOGab1L5U6oenwjFzeO67b6cwwj4cPtviaWVWreZ7qLeFX1vW5D-jYyXjaSg7Jt9IF3Gc4Lzpf4femWYdIITcg9gth2Hqbzg5wUgyVFaE3GgTbuGIQTFGDJ8GveGa0bkQNCG5=w580-h337" width="580" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">MARY POPPINS - THERE IS STILL TIME!</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>There are TWO MORE SHOWS, one tomorrow night (Saturday) and one on Sunday afternoon. If you haven't seen it - you should - it is an incredible show! Our GHS musical students outdo themselves this time. Incredible stunts, incredible set design, great acting, awesome singing and dancing. Fun for the whole family! Check out the flyer below and enjoy!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhf-ZEoyuBK_S4i8vu1ePgdcqJhwcGlI0EP6KyeKR1NIOLd3epi44M1mpeVnlNRpVmYlupAERXyRbgcZyY8N6EcKVY06XHzPMShjSUESTzaOJBlFTh3t6GieQzrY5PglWXfxlNCyniEDORPyLuYEvLtq8Qu5d-QOZzkvxOxtNp9OtBSVceQHU8WYWvU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="824" data-original-width="538" height="893" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhf-ZEoyuBK_S4i8vu1ePgdcqJhwcGlI0EP6KyeKR1NIOLd3epi44M1mpeVnlNRpVmYlupAERXyRbgcZyY8N6EcKVY06XHzPMShjSUESTzaOJBlFTh3t6GieQzrY5PglWXfxlNCyniEDORPyLuYEvLtq8Qu5d-QOZzkvxOxtNp9OtBSVceQHU8WYWvU=w585-h893" width="585" /></a></span></div><span><br />That's it for this Blog! Next one will be March 3 due to the Feb. date being over the vacation. Feel free to reach out with any questions you may have in the interim! </span><p></p>Heather Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902747451985096596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2916890148299174047.post-9540353293728073412023-01-27T08:06:00.001-08:002023-01-27T08:06:26.215-08:00January 27 Post<p>Well for the longest time we probably thought winter was gonna pass us by here in Maine and then...last week happened! ❆😑❆ Mother Nature sure does have a great way of reminding us who is in charge around here! I have to admit though, that even though I hate the early morning snow calls and the potential for white knuckle driving, when I look around now the white snow makes me feel a lot better than the brown mud did earlier. Maine sure is a beautiful place even in the winter! But just to be clear - students - you can STOP doing your snow dances now! 😉</p><p>Here's some great pictures from the past few weeks in the Gorham Schools!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0HiEHJqNn86k1QIb23JeOhRtsQQs7uh9E6OeRjMixji6q8O0HZp7KfLDCipRVxn_e501xMg5vsm0qEs7SNu7cvtPD_dfRfsJsgQK4rj2K4XoJAysfdPwRoIQughSTlvZ33L6GAInB7esXP9Rru9I2sfZY1PiuKrBC09WYYND1f2ZmDjhr29LQ1HLQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0HiEHJqNn86k1QIb23JeOhRtsQQs7uh9E6OeRjMixji6q8O0HZp7KfLDCipRVxn_e501xMg5vsm0qEs7SNu7cvtPD_dfRfsJsgQK4rj2K4XoJAysfdPwRoIQughSTlvZ33L6GAInB7esXP9Rru9I2sfZY1PiuKrBC09WYYND1f2ZmDjhr29LQ1HLQ=w562-h562" width="562" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">OK, now on to the informational part! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">PLANS FOR POSSIBLE REMOTE LEARNING SNOW DAYS</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmoqXiFFRuLVNMzqhyrfspIK1rLe4jUCsqn14Z4f-IKfTEaGwFb5wUSbrNoLu2TNx_f33shAAUn91qFy_9m-X3dIw9Il3nIQvZmG8kXtbEWgc6XWAQbXtxJ8fpgPzaMvuMfUxvnefS1bP9kD3w-jV1n42-nklMSS5IY-ENdG3jSPpE49PoCmU0DCkU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="173" data-original-width="291" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmoqXiFFRuLVNMzqhyrfspIK1rLe4jUCsqn14Z4f-IKfTEaGwFb5wUSbrNoLu2TNx_f33shAAUn91qFy_9m-X3dIw9Il3nIQvZmG8kXtbEWgc6XWAQbXtxJ8fpgPzaMvuMfUxvnefS1bP9kD3w-jV1n42-nklMSS5IY-ENdG3jSPpE49PoCmU0DCkU" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></b></div>Earlier on in the fall I had talked about snow days and our plans for the use of snow days for the year. In those earlier communications I had talked about the "what if's" that MAY occur if we use all five of our planned snow days in the calendar. At the time, it was still beautiful fall weather in Maine so I'm not sure everyone really "picked up what I was putting down" sort to speak. Recent weather has likely now brought the conversation more fully to the front of our minds!<div><br /></div><div>We've now used 3 of our 5 snow days with just two left and we still have a ways to go this winter before we are out of the woods. All that being said, I thought it was time to REALLY emphasize what remote learning snow days might look like in Gorham since there is a pretty good chance we might have to use one or two yet this year.<p>To be clear, <b>we will continue to use traditional snow days for two more days</b>. We will only use remote learning snow days for any days we may have to cancel school due to snow above and beyond those total five. In the event that we do have to move to remote learning snow days, here's what you should expect as parents:</p><p>First - in order to meet requirements outlined by our state and federal laws, we must offer lunches to students and families on the days we do remote learning snow days. We will do this by asking families who are interested in having a lunch sent home with their children the day before a snow day to please sign up using the survey that is OUTLINED BELOW. Yes, this means we are going to have to pay extra special attention to the weather and on days that might look questionable, send meals home the day before so families have them.</p><p>Second, our goal would be that remote learning snow days allow us to strengthen and maintain learning for our students. Unlike the pandemic where we might need to be prepared to have multiple remote learning days in a row, a remote learning snow day is more than likely just one day so the learning materials that will be sent home (K-5) or posted online via google classroom (6-12) will be primarily aimed at making sure learning is strengthened and maintained rather than focusing on new learning.</p><p>Our building leaders have worked closely with our talented staff to develop a more detailed overview of what to expect on remote learning snow days by grade level. I have outlined these below:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhgZtMkStKZq9KTkh3cMsRgAIl1T-PR9mNKL_4tCaXep73RX-TYQSwUofW1PVVNYL4VmMdOh1kVAni99662QbNb7FAJM7VtwcX3BQQzJrUZ9sbs3uCMqDhhBzJKkP5ZY0jEJTG20RZ23Xq-Ohio8kzdropFbRe3GgqTV7MuiXWGh2O_11GpwDwnXBvE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="1334" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhgZtMkStKZq9KTkh3cMsRgAIl1T-PR9mNKL_4tCaXep73RX-TYQSwUofW1PVVNYL4VmMdOh1kVAni99662QbNb7FAJM7VtwcX3BQQzJrUZ9sbs3uCMqDhhBzJKkP5ZY0jEJTG20RZ23Xq-Ohio8kzdropFbRe3GgqTV7MuiXWGh2O_11GpwDwnXBvE=w630-h248" width="630" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnMzeRaZe52aLd5EUrS7DxYsEVettUrbRsWk0zttOh2lwN4GKr8OG5RMfgZIVdS8PDPmQ_E9eAM5taEiw9CauqNQWLtWPwRxkNCnjlKre54zNOMLcK9RxaeHQVgcyjn47u5D3xW5ylMW8kgJDvaF4wZzBLb5HpncKBKlf-4367Jw2ZBV6br5Y3-5ac" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="1316" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnMzeRaZe52aLd5EUrS7DxYsEVettUrbRsWk0zttOh2lwN4GKr8OG5RMfgZIVdS8PDPmQ_E9eAM5taEiw9CauqNQWLtWPwRxkNCnjlKre54zNOMLcK9RxaeHQVgcyjn47u5D3xW5ylMW8kgJDvaF4wZzBLb5HpncKBKlf-4367Jw2ZBV6br5Y3-5ac=w623-h438" width="623" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Special Education Services Expectations:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our Special Education staff will also continue to provide remote learning snow day instruction to students. Their expectations for services are outlined <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SYygxXhzIkpdGzBYb8fpj--PotlmoOvsJibQeObgDHw/edit?usp=sharing">HERE</a>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These will be the expectations for our remote learning snow days IF WE NEED TO USE THEM later this winter. If you have questions, please feel free to reach out to your child's teacher or principal to ask and to learn more. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the meantime - <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">below is the survey link for families that would like to request that a lunch be provided for remote learning snow days.</span> I'll also share broadly on social media and on our website. <b>Please complete the survey as soon as possible as who knows what mother nature has in store for us next week</b>! 😆</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u><br /></u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>Remote Learning Snow Day Survey Link: </u> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdxeLbTIfP8IrZWNHQ_cKU_GLNgKsMtDQrG2Mq2x0gZIPUFjg/viewform?usp%3Dsf_link&source=gmail&ust=1674905902087000&usg=AOvVaw0-VzkloPEtE1a0Fe_rbQzn" href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdxeLbTIfP8IrZWNHQ_cKU_GLNgKsMtDQrG2Mq2x0gZIPUFjg/viewform?usp=sf_link" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "comic sans ms", sans-serif; font-size: small;" target="_blank">https://docs.google.com/forms/<wbr></wbr>d/e/1FAIpQLSdxeLbTIfP8IrZWNHQ_<wbr></wbr>cKU_<wbr></wbr>GLNgKsMtDQrG2Mq2x0gZIPUFjg/<wbr></wbr>viewform?usp=sf_link</a></div><br /><br /></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">PRE K QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8uffFEFNhVWIlepXL2P2jYgx-v2dGtgz6sgoHf5tMc9sACc5lXWKWo6luZkj1NdMzS2DiSM-CGJdTwo0Qd7od5cxCcmW0H_4LpOsqZ5dAeRlt3XjARa_RLRm4ROyKpKVVSIymTlp5WWCLXVkXYnO64LEfv0wJ-B8DgNRzM1MRzbCiv77r4YXOYsvj" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="142" data-original-width="355" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8uffFEFNhVWIlepXL2P2jYgx-v2dGtgz6sgoHf5tMc9sACc5lXWKWo6luZkj1NdMzS2DiSM-CGJdTwo0Qd7od5cxCcmW0H_4LpOsqZ5dAeRlt3XjARa_RLRm4ROyKpKVVSIymTlp5WWCLXVkXYnO64LEfv0wJ-B8DgNRzM1MRzbCiv77r4YXOYsvj" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></b></div></b>In my last blog, I sent out a survey asking folks to ask questions they may have regarding our new Pre K program opening in the fall of 2023 at Narragansett Elementary School. I got some GREAT QUESTIONS. I haven't had a chance to answer all of them yet, but I thought I'd take the time to highlight a few here on this blog post and then link to a Q&A sheet with all the questions that I'll continue to post answers to over the course of the next few weeks. So please keep checking the Q&A link below for additional answers! Here's a few highlighted questions now:<div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: #fcff01;"><b>Question:</b> </span><span style="background-color: #fcff01; white-space: pre-wrap;">What are the typical credentials of specialists(OT, PT, S/L) providers for Pre K? Are they the same for Kindergarten or early primary, or are they birth-5? What levels are teachers and ed techs certified for?</span></span><br /><p></p><p><b>Answer:</b> All specialists that will be utilized in our Pre K program will have full licensure to perform the duties required of them for the age level they will be working with. Speech, OT's, PT's all will have full approval to work with Pre School Aged children. Teachers working with Pre K students will have the 081 early childhood certification endorsements required by the state of Maine. Educational technicians are certified to work with all age levels including early childhood. The Gorham Schools will be conducting hiring processes for all new staffing positions in April of this year. If you are interested in applying, or know someone who is, please keep your eye out on our website or <a href="http://servingschools.com">servingschools.com</a> for postings then!</p><p><span style="background-color: #fcff01; font-family: times;"><b>Question:</b> <span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">More of a clarification: the Arts Alliance and Seedlings will be providing Pre-K services in addition to the two classrooms at Narragansett AND they will be free of cost too? Will we have to work with those organizations directly to utilize their program or will enrollment all be done through the Gorham school system?</span></span></p><p><b>Answer: </b> Yes, our partnerships with the Gorham Arts Alliance (for 8 student slots) and Seedings to Sunflowers (for 32 student slots) will be funded by the State of Maine as public Pre K slots. These are in addition to the 64 new slots that will be housed at Narragansett Elementary School. These are all approved public Pre K programs. This means families will not be charged for these costs. Please keep in mind, however that before or after care services may still be charged by our partners, but the Pre K programs themselves will be free to families. Enrollment for the Gorham Arts Alliance programs and the Seedlings to Sunflowers Programs will be conducted directly through those two organizations, although we hope that the Gorham Schools can help families make the necessary connections later this spring if needed. If you have questions regarding the Gorham Arts Alliance program, you may contact Amy Valentine at <a href="mailto:gorhamarts@gmail.com">gorhamarts@gmail.com</a>. If you have questions regarding the Seedlings to Sunflowers program, you may contact Meghann Carrasco at <a href="mailto:meghann@seedlingstosunflowers.org">meghann@seedlingstosunflowers.org</a>.</p><p><span style="background-color: #fcff01; font-family: times;"><b>Question: </b> <span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Will transportation be provided or will the parent(s) be responsible for the transportation for their child? </span></span></p><p><b>Answer: </b> YES. Transportation will be provided from home/childcare to school and from school back to home/childcare to any location in the community of Gorham for the classrooms housed at Narragansett Elementary School. This will be the case for BOTH the a.m. and p.m. sessions. For students participating in the Gorham Arts Alliance and Seedlings to Sunflowers programs families will have to provide transportation.</p><p><span style="background-color: #fcff01; font-family: times;"><b>Question:</b> <span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Will there be any options or partnerships for aftercare/before care? </span></span></p><p><b>Answer:</b> The Gorham Schools is working with many of our local child care providers to ensure there are appropriate slots available for before/after care. We have had several meetings and will continue to meet in order to work on building out these partnerships for families as we realize this is a strong need. So far we have been able to identify 16 slots with one of our partners and we are looking to continue with the hopes that by the time we get to the April/May time frame we will be able to host an evening event for families and interested providers to do a little "match making". Ultimately, however it will be the parent's responsibility to work with individual providers to secure these slots - but we will do our best to make sure those slots are available and well communicated later this spring.</p><p>That's it for now...I have A LOT more questions to answer from the survey, which I will do via the <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1H3-_OqTukvyu8XpB0x6f49gptsESHPSvi2loRWTysk4/edit?usp=sharing">Pre K Questions and Answers Document.</a> Please keep your eyes on this and check in over the course of the next few weeks for more information!</p><p>P.S. - I did notice folks asking for the video link...<a href="https://youtu.be/o-2r1BsrrdM">CLICK HERE </a>to view!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">UPDATE ON SUPERINTENDENT'S GOALS AND </span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">STRATEGIC PLAN</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiBU7hb3avVy8RReCYsRQomoxoAC9mEJBQKsikBQHmbBBxOBfjFA1-JIfyr08W1qN351V7lZc412nwh1o-c2YgiCKXKBV8MShhoJXTWUggC8kz0m1BXygFhf3vYUnpB0RHLeu4Rw1kYLpPmGZW_wBdOWjKnB0qxHopKdqeV7bPjeymKIEadF_qQPN-u" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="224" data-original-width="225" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiBU7hb3avVy8RReCYsRQomoxoAC9mEJBQKsikBQHmbBBxOBfjFA1-JIfyr08W1qN351V7lZc412nwh1o-c2YgiCKXKBV8MShhoJXTWUggC8kz0m1BXygFhf3vYUnpB0RHLeu4Rw1kYLpPmGZW_wBdOWjKnB0qxHopKdqeV7bPjeymKIEadF_qQPN-u" width="241" /></a></div><p></p><p>At the last Regular School Committee meeting held on January 18, I updated the School Committee on my 2022-23 goals and on our work thus far in implementation of our 5 year Strategic Plan. I thought folks who weren't able to make the meeting might also like to get those updates. Please click on the links below to view. I think you will see we continue to be VERY BUSY here in Gorham meeting the needs of our students, staff and families!</p><p>* <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1grA8DjilPLqm9q6HUBb50xDTkpg_m6Iq_pmOmzufnP0/edit?usp=share_link">2022-2023 Superintendent's Goals Update</a></p><p>*. <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/111XKU3-7gV6i4CXUyc8iHEmh2-Jmq0jsKaAjzv7X-2Q/edit?usp=share_link">2022-2027 Strategic Plan Work Update</a></p><p>Please check it out and reach out if you have questions!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">NEW CURRICULUM SURVEY - WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT OUR DISTRICT'S CURRICULUM?</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhujUyeAlr0fsFqQ-5Jr8MbY29MGeXrKPDcYu8700v1MGY2cngGNQfNg_2ZmEAr8HpA6NXZInNQYj3GpMpPgsvI-VPKx9ZqegQy7CJkQ2ezn51Y4LZUwLJvAD8fTFZqNdkrRIBRk09bKxnD4aUQi17_3yRY5JCDD4_hCmSEhruMAK9Tat6siGE2xGTV" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="217" data-original-width="233" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhujUyeAlr0fsFqQ-5Jr8MbY29MGeXrKPDcYu8700v1MGY2cngGNQfNg_2ZmEAr8HpA6NXZInNQYj3GpMpPgsvI-VPKx9ZqegQy7CJkQ2ezn51Y4LZUwLJvAD8fTFZqNdkrRIBRk09bKxnD4aUQi17_3yRY5JCDD4_hCmSEhruMAK9Tat6siGE2xGTV" width="258" /></a></span></b></div><p></p><p>If you have been following my blog posts this year you will know that I have created a "Curriculum Corner" spotlight each month in my blogs. This was done by sending out a survey earlier in September asking families a simple question: <span style="background-color: white; color: #202124;"><span style="font-family: times;">What Do You Want To Know Most About Your Child's Learning In Our Classrooms? That survey in the fall produced many great questions which I have been answering each month. I am about out of those original questions, so I thought I'd develop a second survey to hopefully keep it going! No question is "too big" or "too small"...I want to know - what are you curious about? I will then take the questions received and use them as the basis for my continued "curriculum corner" articles.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124;"><span style="font-family: times;">So, please take a moment to complete the survey below. I'll also share the link on social media. The more questions you ask - the better my articles will be! So please TAKE FIVE MINUTES TO COMPLETE TODAY!</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124;"><span style="font-family: times;">Survey Link:</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #202124; font-family: docs-Roboto;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://forms.gle/Tu8y5222wtsjVR7A7">https://forms.gle/Tu8y5222wtsjVR7A7</a></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">PROUD OF OUR STUDENTS! JUST SHARING!</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidCUyWgdVKUoiLxmSJTOfLiFX5kxYRtDpJ57XAhzNpHJhFpG9umJKu25Ldodk17vVgURn_bqR9G_qKx1y4htfH2dGepC1x4eAOFKx5XqA3HQH_-W6iRTM1VKWaBnXY78TfR10T6iStgfFdM4bRV_wunP318kpRNS51TYPDH7cKFKJ58KQZN4AVVngJ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1536" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidCUyWgdVKUoiLxmSJTOfLiFX5kxYRtDpJ57XAhzNpHJhFpG9umJKu25Ldodk17vVgURn_bqR9G_qKx1y4htfH2dGepC1x4eAOFKx5XqA3HQH_-W6iRTM1VKWaBnXY78TfR10T6iStgfFdM4bRV_wunP318kpRNS51TYPDH7cKFKJ58KQZN4AVVngJ=w283-h283" width="283" /></a></span></b></div><p></p><p>Each month when the Gorham School Committee meets on camera for their regular meetings, we try to have students present to share information about the ongoing work they doing in our schools that they are passionate about. This past meeting, on Jan. 18, 2023 Narragansett Elementary School's Student Leadership Group presented to the School Committee about their work and how they help to lead their school in living our <a href="https://village.gorhamschools.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=450386&type=d&pREC_ID=994932#:~:text=The%20Gorham%20School%20Committee%20is,ethical%2C%20responsible%20and%20involved%20citizens.">Code of Conduct</a>. </p><p>Their presentation was awesome! Rather than ruin it by trying to describe it in my own words, I thought I'd encourage you to watch it yourself. Click on the link below and look at minute 22:30 to enjoy. That presentation (and others like it) are WHY we do what we do in our schools! So very proud of those students, and all our students in the incredible work they do each day in learning and growing to become the strong citizens of tomorrow! PROUD TO BE A RAM!</p><p><b>Video Link:</b> <a href="https://view.earthchannel.com/PlayerController.aspx?&PGD=gorhamme&eID=544">https://view.earthchannel.com/PlayerController.aspx?&PGD=gorhamme&eID=544</a></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">MARY POPPINS IS COMING TO TOWN! </span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>Our GHS musical theater students will be presenting Mary Poppins coming up soon! Check out the flyer below to learn more and see you at the show!</span></p><p><span id="docs-internal-guid-b8cbfdf1-7fff-d1f5-a82b-a167294d4cdf"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 968px; overflow: hidden; width: 629px;"><img height="968" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/A9cUvQ2Rc0bRG2Wdyyf-1qGl96-Kw5NEISrVWRU7sMzPVxUiUqFe71uLD6enRAShpk6QaiNwPG7joPmOPifDZiDp8xzgsyMVEb3XB7b_-fOrlDC3pyfdEDi8Okxax26rXSda1-JiiFWt8Nn0QdnZYw-ll2mCLNaMb7yj5Q6YirkpWYrRw49o38sj7wvtGA" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="629" /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">WORLD READ ALOUD DAY COMING UP!</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjWThhSWdk61gOanjyG5422vD5jG1o2r0GyBEoJWEC1LCtby4w4xq_6d87h3sHdnRf3NWqPYY9cANci5CqG-7xsmm6QeJ00PQ-E0n2aa4o1E-ZOzI0l5xT8EgFBJBM3QbRmqly890bOspbtlbYYgYuF-r95wsrN58ABU7CSwos5HmXbmJRB6Cm56jVO" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="218" data-original-width="231" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjWThhSWdk61gOanjyG5422vD5jG1o2r0GyBEoJWEC1LCtby4w4xq_6d87h3sHdnRf3NWqPYY9cANci5CqG-7xsmm6QeJ00PQ-E0n2aa4o1E-ZOzI0l5xT8EgFBJBM3QbRmqly890bOspbtlbYYgYuF-r95wsrN58ABU7CSwos5HmXbmJRB6Cm56jVO" width="254" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Did you know that World Read Aloud Day is coming up next week Wednesday (2/1/23)? If you didn't - you do now! I love to read and there is nothing more special than reading aloud to children. One on one, at home, or in large classroom groups, at the Library, or wherever - children of all ages love to listen to books being read! </p><p>Our schools will definitely be celebrating this day with students - but YOU CAN TOO as parents and community members! The only action step needed is to pick up a book and read aloud to a child or children. Grandparents can participate, parents, aunts, uncles, older siblings, ANYONE! You can learn more about World Read Aloud Day by<a href="https://www.scholastic.com/worldreadaloudday#:~:text=FEBRUARY%201%2C%202023&text=The%20global%20effort%2C%20created%20by,in%20all%20of%20our%20communities."> CLICKING HERE</a> or by simply googling "world read aloud day 2023" for lots more information and resources!</p><p>And just in case you might try the excuse of not having any books around the house to read...Great Falls Librarian Jessica Mason has you covered with <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1jX-58jgzmqHDROx56TO29jj203CCmXsQhfnxnJgrZ-U/edit?usp=sharing">this link</a> to some great World Read Aloud Day resources!</p><p>HAPPY READING!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">WEBINAR OPPORTUNITY FOR INTERESTED PARENTS FROM CENTER FOR GRIEVING CHILDREN</span></b></p><p>The Center for Grieving Children is presenting a webinar open to educators and families entitled: "Little Folks, Big Feelings: Understanding and Supporting Early Childhood Grief."</p><p>Clearly none of us wants to be in the situation where we are having to support young children in navigating loss, but if you find yourself in this situation, tools such as this webinar might become very helpful. So I thought I would share. If you are interested in learning more, information is below:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgoztiyyW0mp85y36yFmj3G47cfgHmO1E3nY8cnWDCYXmRX4InRTpL9-OPy9su12DTZ-K3EiWU2nohYEdBnBjWp-GpyY9uchjUTZCJm8tPbuoOIwO_d9-ndLUsS65EB8ns9_yMDv5UYv7qdyhDMAzH5gLgzA4qmDdfFwrz7DqiaBVFovxJdrxKwC1BE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="1238" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgoztiyyW0mp85y36yFmj3G47cfgHmO1E3nY8cnWDCYXmRX4InRTpL9-OPy9su12DTZ-K3EiWU2nohYEdBnBjWp-GpyY9uchjUTZCJm8tPbuoOIwO_d9-ndLUsS65EB8ns9_yMDv5UYv7qdyhDMAzH5gLgzA4qmDdfFwrz7DqiaBVFovxJdrxKwC1BE=w520-h476" width="520" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkpru2NtoPDkWBCEVrU6H69LlJNUkJw7TG63vpeyhInQb0nVJ7x_ieMVATwShtOH6c2Xkik8ZILbdbFi1PNB5S05CTsg6IK7XE3bkxEpVUCshGjXUkx4fUxCZchsADXzxuLC83Ljtis09MyAHSb7m8N6-AmQzQkjOq8qf6GTEdI9vWophavbzIvSq8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1076" data-original-width="1166" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkpru2NtoPDkWBCEVrU6H69LlJNUkJw7TG63vpeyhInQb0nVJ7x_ieMVATwShtOH6c2Xkik8ZILbdbFi1PNB5S05CTsg6IK7XE3bkxEpVUCshGjXUkx4fUxCZchsADXzxuLC83Ljtis09MyAHSb7m8N6-AmQzQkjOq8qf6GTEdI9vWophavbzIvSq8=w472-h436" width="472" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhte-i-jGntEnGqO16PcybHxSnFwKRfcEmd7bVxeXvIeMfCCGsF7uWMThljZrTD9CXFUrnCc89VbfWBkpPz7WZjZfqGlSd56RMSJa44s705HX5z_NjWWBf2wgcWmBKAEnQIw5KEUKI3w1sPttYkRJg8-gLr0oo_qI1XTXJu_Ze8W_zO46kcI7ycWLxl" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="276" data-original-width="1204" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhte-i-jGntEnGqO16PcybHxSnFwKRfcEmd7bVxeXvIeMfCCGsF7uWMThljZrTD9CXFUrnCc89VbfWBkpPz7WZjZfqGlSd56RMSJa44s705HX5z_NjWWBf2wgcWmBKAEnQIw5KEUKI3w1sPttYkRJg8-gLr0oo_qI1XTXJu_Ze8W_zO46kcI7ycWLxl=w520-h118" width="520" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qHMx3C3hRhiKAmsa5BS32A">CLICK HERE</a> to Register if interested.</div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Well that is it for this blog. As I close this blog, I did want to mention that I am going to have several additional blogs coming up in February that are outside of my "normal" two-week schedule. My next scheduled blog is for Feb. 10, but you might see additional blog posts either before or just after this date as well. The reason for this is that I've been asked by <a href="https://www.aasa.org/">AASA</a> to be a "blogger" for them as Superintendents from across the country attend the National Conference on Education coming up Feb. 16 - 18, 2023 in San Antonio. During the conference I will be sending out daily blogs sharing events and learning from the conference. I thought this was a pretty cool way to give you all a chance to "peek in" on what Superintendents are talking about and learning about from across the country and its a great way to share learning with my colleagues as well! Hope you enjoy...and if you don't - well...no worries that's the beauty of blogs! You only have to read what you WANT to read! 😀Til next time! GO RAMS!🐏</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><br /><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div></div>Heather Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902747451985096596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2916890148299174047.post-55444083330560121362023-01-12T18:23:00.019-08:002023-01-13T11:53:51.052-08:00January 13 Blog Post<p><span style="font-family: times;">Hard to believe we are almost 1/2 way through the 2022-2023 School Year! This school year sure is going fast, but unlike the previous few years - this year isn't going fast due to the frantic and insane things we were having to navigate together as a community due to the pandemic. This year is the "good" kind of time passing quickly. The type of time that passes quickly when folks are engaged, and participating and doing good work together as a community! I'm sure you all know what I mean and can feel the difference too! As always, great things are happening in our schools and I'd like to start with sharing some pictures from the past few weeks that demonstrate that...</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjm5ZRBv_gpAHuMkJUkvlwXqrvbAF4u2YU0Gft5Wn-SKM13SmTkYXucm3aTSeqBx_pRoBs9lPRaMXzMB-i-VTVU9QXnuR3dFZkiQWNNSI3jn_89uyjD_K1ve04IeAZnGqd5YrPBulVotq5xiVepb-lzJDw5ppDBW-Prr19g55XPblV_qzcETj5qRdlo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjm5ZRBv_gpAHuMkJUkvlwXqrvbAF4u2YU0Gft5Wn-SKM13SmTkYXucm3aTSeqBx_pRoBs9lPRaMXzMB-i-VTVU9QXnuR3dFZkiQWNNSI3jn_89uyjD_K1ve04IeAZnGqd5YrPBulVotq5xiVepb-lzJDw5ppDBW-Prr19g55XPblV_qzcETj5qRdlo=w562-h562" width="562" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>PRE K VIDEO UPDATE FROM </b></span><b style="font-size: x-large;">SUPERINTENDENT PERRY</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;">Updated Friday, Jan, 13, 2023 @ 3:00 p.m.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKUNWLq1pZQmZSdtmuQsJH53AHzisDnWsIj2CIDXqlC5-xG08t0983I0ln1mMIbmR9k-C3bxtQKsNs6mIIAjCQ474NftGeIFWgjmTPB_SYYRz3BfxCwdPu57fTq_Q1q24BBbpIShKh2K8CizcXyvPiBfWS0aH_23XSJM_ziDaF5z1KKqanPtkeotmd" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="247" data-original-width="204" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKUNWLq1pZQmZSdtmuQsJH53AHzisDnWsIj2CIDXqlC5-xG08t0983I0ln1mMIbmR9k-C3bxtQKsNs6mIIAjCQ474NftGeIFWgjmTPB_SYYRz3BfxCwdPu57fTq_Q1q24BBbpIShKh2K8CizcXyvPiBfWS0aH_23XSJM_ziDaF5z1KKqanPtkeotmd=w172-h209" width="172" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I haven't shared a video in a while, so thought I'd use a video to provide an update to everyone on our ongoing Pre K work. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Please click on the video link below and <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">once you have viewed, please click on the survey link below</span> to help create a Questions and Answers sheet that I can use to answer YOUR questions in a quick turn-around time!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://youtu.be/o-2r1BsrrdM">INSERT VIDEO LINK HERE</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">After watching the video, Please click on the link below to complete a brief survey! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://forms.gle/q6pRXyMxs5SBdx8x8">https://forms.gle/q6pRXyMxs5SBdx8x8</a></div><br />Also, in the video I referred to the <b>"Bright Futures For Little Rams" Report</b>. You can <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/17C5-bknhBoMkFoAc0kiLyNVpVpXQ04Uq/view?usp=share_link">CLICK HERE</a> to view the finalized report to learn more about how this Pre K work is just one small part of the incredible things happening in the community of Gorham on the early childhood front!<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">JANUARY'S CURRICULUM CORNER!</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpD2OB0UjAKcPbvU6eLDOyKqsxQSAbOHlex548LRxWJDsgfc6OSj1LIALrykKqs5wsCimrfCiLLeGLe3oqXCEtzcY67R5CW5Di6Qv0BwvUwYcsF0UeRAGyHUk454rcs0yKYHb0e6D4wTTGE4iBRJIB4WVIgN6YC3CnXdrIcQljfxZLbkOqdnv584gZ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="201" data-original-width="250" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpD2OB0UjAKcPbvU6eLDOyKqsxQSAbOHlex548LRxWJDsgfc6OSj1LIALrykKqs5wsCimrfCiLLeGLe3oqXCEtzcY67R5CW5Di6Qv0BwvUwYcsF0UeRAGyHUk454rcs0yKYHb0e6D4wTTGE4iBRJIB4WVIgN6YC3CnXdrIcQljfxZLbkOqdnv584gZ=w259-h208" width="259" /></a></span></b></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">This month I've selected three questions from the parent survey this past fall to answer. I probably have enough to share the last set of answers in February's blog and then I'll run out. I'm likely going to share another survey in February for parent/guardians to complete to see what other questions folks may still have - so be thinking of those additional questions!</span></p><p><b><span style="background-color: #fcff01; font-family: times;">Question #1: What topics are covered in health class for 6th, 7th and 8th grade?</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Answer:</b> Please click on the link provided below to view a full list of all units and topics covered in health classes for grades 6-8. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EIGlhzNILnmFuwEM_cabT4YQYbl0B3Ia8bogQyZSNZo/edit?usp=sharing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">GMS Health Unit</span><u>s</u></a></span></p><p><b><span style="background-color: #fcff01; font-family: times;">Question #2: What information are parents able to get about what's being taught in classrooms across all Gorham Schools?</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Answer:</b> The best and most current information would be via the classroom teacher. Many teachers across all grade levels send home information regarding what is being taught. At K-5 levels, this is often done through weekly updates. At 6-12 levels this is done via google classrooms (which parents have access to through their students) and for an additional layer of information at grades 9-12, all course syllabi can be found on the GHS website <a href="https://ghs.gorhamschools.org/">LINKED HERE</a> (then click on "School Info." and then on "GHS Course Syllabi"). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">You can also review a few key documents that outline concepts/content taught by grade level. <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Science content is aligned to the</span><span style="color: blue; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="https://www.nextgenscience.org/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">NGSS standards, K-8</span></a> <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TvkzqmCQSpDMYVac1KFcN5etCd7ElNN2JY9ZZRi2BKE/edit?usp=sharing"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Social Studies, K-8</span></a><span style="color: blue; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Bp8-ffqmPGfjpdT_n0L5qIakG3zPvldV/view?usp=sharing"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Reveal Math, K-8</span></a><span style="color: blue; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="https://www.collaborativeclassroom.org/scope-and-sequence/?_program_taxonomy=being-a-writer"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Being a Writer, K-5</span></a><span style="color: blue; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="https://www.collaborativeclassroom.org/scope-and-sequence/?_program_taxonomy=being-a-reader"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Being a Reader, K-2</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: blue;">. </span>And <a href="https://www.maine.gov/doe/learning/content">Maine's Learning Results</a> (K-12 Standards)</span></span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">As a result of my fall listening tour, we are also looking to add more regular communications on specific projects on a quarterly or trimester basis across grades K-8 for the coming school year. </span></span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Finally, and as has been clearly demonstrated more recently, if families feel the need to ask for information via Maine's Freedom of Access Act (FOAA), the district also shares information as required by statute in this manner. You need only email your request to me (heather.perry@gorhamschools.org) or Rhonda Warren (rhonda.warren@gorhamschools.org) and we will follow all required processes to respond to your request in as timely a manner as possible. </span></span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Ultimately, we believe strongly that the best way to gather information about what your children are learning while at school is by talking with your children and/or by reaching out to your child's teacher. Our incredible professionals understand </span></span><span style="font-family: times; white-space: pre-wrap;">the importance of home and school connections and would be very willing to share what your children are learning. They like to "brag" (just like parents do) about the awesome stuff happening in our schools! So don't hesitate to ask and give them the chance to "brag"! ☺</span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="background-color: #fcff01; font-family: times;">Question #3: I would like to know what students are getting K-8 for social/emotional education, tech education, health education (beyond sex ed), and life skills education?</span></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Answer:</b> <u>SEL:</u> At the K-5 level, we are fortunate that our English Language Arts and Math curriculum offer a dual focus of both academics and social emotional learning. In addition, K-2 students receive social emotional learning through our Second Step curriculum taught by our teaching counselors each week. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">At the 6-8 level the school counselors provide 6th grade levels that address anxiety and managing stress, the 7th grade lessons focus on strategies to manage thoughts, feelings and behaviors and the 8th grade theme is mental health and suicide prevention. They also all pull students together in groups to support students' friendship and social skills. They are planning to present information to students related to Executive Functioning (i.e. organization, task initiation, goal setting, etc.)with some follow up activities for teachers to use throughout the year. One other resource that will be used this year is from a company of girls called Empowered Girls Empower Girls and is a tool we hope will encourage self-reflection and inner strength and good conversations. Our social worker presents to 6th and 8th grade students. Here are copies of her presentations. <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iS8v-OcmIeA1nIfEVYSNC5fKOvjUjBcO/view?usp=sharing" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">6th Grade Presentation</span></a><span style="color: blue; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1F5YDG3XG82OtYbxV2trl6UvAyB4UDD8t/view?usp=sharing" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">8th Grade Presentation</span></a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><u>Technology Education</u>. Digital Citizenshiop across the K-5 span, including Safety in my Online Neighborhood, Media Balance, Pause and Think Online, Digital Footprint, Privacy and Security, and Bullying. Some coding, some keyboarding. All under controlled website access. At grades 6-8 all students receive digital citizenship presentations their first week of school. Technology education is then embedded in our daily curriculum by leveraging the power of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) in all grades and curriculum. We are using Book Creator in 6th and 8th grade english as an example. This skill teaches our students how to become published digital authors and teach the beginnings of graphic design. We use 3D printing and design thinking and robots in our science classroom to model simulations of genetic codes and their relationships. We have multiple subscriptions available to teachers like Brainpop, Flocabulary, Gimkit, and Newsela that enhance current events and other specific learning activities asynchronously. We also empower our students with creative design tools in all content areas with Cospaces, and Breakoutedu. Cospace allows students to create a virtual world that students can use in many ways such as virtual museums, storytelling and physics simulation experiments. Our students can also advance to use coding and make the scene literally interactive. Utilizing AR and VR with CoSpaces and Quiver, our students develop important design thinking strategies that align with the 4C's (Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking and Communication). These important skills benefit our students in many ways as they deepen their approach to learning. Breakout edu is a game based platform used in all grade levels and is again centered around the 4C's as it allows our students to create content based games for others to play.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Health Education</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Grade 4: </span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">physical body changes, acne, emotional changes, personal hygiene</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Grade 5: </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Further explain menstrual cycle (with diagram) - egg is the female sex cell. Sperm cell is male sex cell - explain path of sperm (with diagram). Reproduction process - on a basic biology level. Human reproduction occurs when egg and sperm unite. Watch video on reproduction and stages of human development during pregnancy. This is also available online. We base a lot of our curriculum off of "Puberty Happens" curriculum - from Maine Family Planning. We talk about being accepting of everyone going through puberty at their own pace. We also talk about making healthy choices from the 53210 - Eat fruits/veggies, limit recreational screen time, daily physical activity and zero sugary drinks. And, getting adequate sleep.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">In 6-8, Here is a copy of the topics in the Health class by grade level (also shared earlier). </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EIGlhzNILnmFuwEM_cabT4YQYbl0B3Ia8bogQyZSNZo/edit?usp=sharing">GMS Health Units</a></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>Skills For Life:</u> K-8 are taught and grade throughout the year. Linked Here: </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1F6SRSJyNqhUvWdJLCaPkNAI-FVnmKorF8X0Ngdmo35g/edit?usp=sharing" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">K-5 Skills for Life</span></a>, <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MKhh0ZF2dCEppw6MQxmw5z7fDSU-Gfjyn7a2QWgHZpk/edit?usp=sharing">6-12 Skills for Life.</a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">DISTRICT LEVEL ANTI-RACISM & EQUITY COMMITTEE WORK UPDATE</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpGo8B6juYPCrs9hp16cYsJraSaB81jp3VFPLJfVlMvV_9kbxSIt2XDNZf92XSywIAHUXoFWMJ2h1wta4Ei3Wl9U1cEgnqBXp9I3Nyn4Mz9zymaVvbJTyhGmY6GK0luZOgf9WlIP11NS6SGAkaSlQObAVtEFIJuE2f3JzlKa3h4zdzSLkB1ovFYIvi" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpGo8B6juYPCrs9hp16cYsJraSaB81jp3VFPLJfVlMvV_9kbxSIt2XDNZf92XSywIAHUXoFWMJ2h1wta4Ei3Wl9U1cEgnqBXp9I3Nyn4Mz9zymaVvbJTyhGmY6GK0luZOgf9WlIP11NS6SGAkaSlQObAVtEFIJuE2f3JzlKa3h4zdzSLkB1ovFYIvi" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>The Gorham Schools continues to move forward in this important work at several different levels. At the student level, we have worked diligently to strengthen Civil Rights Teams and other student leadership teams across all five schools. At the school level, we have embedded DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) goals within each school's Comprehensive Education Plan and we have created school based Intercultural Leadership Committees at each school. At the district level, we continue to examine our curriculum with the assistance of Lawrence Alexander as our experienced consultant and we continue our work with the District's Anti-Racism and Equity Committee. </p><p>The focus of this update is on the district level work of the Anti-Racism & Equity Committee.</p><p>This committee, comprised of almost 30 school and community members has met as a large group twice now. We have also been able to organize the group into smaller, more facile working groups that we call our "Equity subcommittees". Those are focused on the following four topics:</p><p>- Policy</p><p>- Student Voice</p><p>- Professional Development</p><p>- Community Outreach</p><p>These small equity committees have now met twice and are focusing in on some great ideas and action steps that will be exciting to see move forward. In policy for example, the group is working to clarify and strengthen existing policies and to create a "toolkit" of sorts that will be intended to help guide a full review of all policies with the important lens of DEI. The professional development group is looking at focusing in on issues revolving around trauma as a way to move our training forward for staff and students. The community outreach group is looking to host some evening meetings to get more folks involved and our student voice group is looking to perhaps develop a student led "listening tour" of their own across all schools where students listen to students about their experiences and work together to identify possible ways to strengthen our practices with their important voices at the center.</p><p>This is just a small snapshot of the current conversations. If you want to follow those, you can by going to our website (<a href="http://www.gorhamschools.org">www.gorhamschools.org</a>) and clicking on "About Us" then on "School Committee" then on "School Board Subcommittees" and then scroll down and click on "Anti-Racism Advisory Committee". You can also cut to the chase by <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/15SaQa9tNXLdDK2vJWZQLRPeog8J7bCMvd97JfBJb8IQ/edit?usp=share_link">CLICKING HERE</a>. </p><p>Finally, if you want to see a summary of the historical work done by the Gorham Schools thus far in our journey you can <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1skcyVoEAg3UdTyPNCcLK6bNCGSiq-t5XkFlsYVY3m8c/edit?usp=sharing">CLICK HERE</a> . This is kept up to date on a quarterly basis or so. Lots of great work done...lots more to go ...and we are excited about the continued journey together!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">UPCOMING SUMMER COLLABORATION WITH MAINE ASSOCIATION OF GENERAL CONTRACTORS!</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHAEGwiSTeq21aXF2AsYKQpvANXjQLlvWnJpoeWZrzXREPs130R89-KYJAT2CNU0zMKnE0XmPnajk20AzjJgzKkGuG5i5s5iMvV2vf51A7tzlnU4c_lVmpECjjRFgth3hkbi3UHmM7ROnq_6d5iydqaPr3w6NY5YAEeOEooq6q7lm3nD7kgKFaLbzw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="260" data-original-width="194" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHAEGwiSTeq21aXF2AsYKQpvANXjQLlvWnJpoeWZrzXREPs130R89-KYJAT2CNU0zMKnE0XmPnajk20AzjJgzKkGuG5i5s5iMvV2vf51A7tzlnU4c_lVmpECjjRFgth3hkbi3UHmM7ROnq_6d5iydqaPr3w6NY5YAEeOEooq6q7lm3nD7kgKFaLbzw" width="179" /></a></span></b></div><p></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Just wanted to share an exciting new partnership that the Gorham Schools now has with the Maine Association of General contractors. We are starting a new summer program together! This program will specifically target recent GHS graduates for a six week immersion experience with the trades! The program pays participating students a substantial stipend to "immerse" themselves in the trades with the help of local business partners!</span></span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">GHS will have ten available slots and Westbrook HS will have ten slots. Classes will take place at the Westbrook Regional Vocational Center. Students will gain experiences in carpentry, electrical, heavy equipment operation, crane operation and more! </span></span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">This will be the first year of what we hope will be a multi-year program to benefit graduating seniors from GHS who want to get a "leg up" in determining their career pathways in the trades or just a "leg up" in exploring all the possibilities the trades have to offer! </span></span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Want to learn a little more, see the flyer below and feel free to reach out to Eliza with questions!</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvdjWOkB8Id6MpB8clUg5Hcv4Klenq0DYaYFNyT8x1Pcyg68K285GX6jnYRjCbkYM-3ZxyEHZDL90TMwqA4Acx6jVhnARoUbZdSUxPiINoRsTyVU1e8cjEsll7CFFU5uELBf0P7f4Q8HXWEoaZ6k9qZ-8RFPayiOSV2QZtjTIn4nUROl0yNIYfKDgj" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="791" data-original-width="612" height="673" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvdjWOkB8Id6MpB8clUg5Hcv4Klenq0DYaYFNyT8x1Pcyg68K285GX6jnYRjCbkYM-3ZxyEHZDL90TMwqA4Acx6jVhnARoUbZdSUxPiINoRsTyVU1e8cjEsll7CFFU5uELBf0P7f4Q8HXWEoaZ6k9qZ-8RFPayiOSV2QZtjTIn4nUROl0yNIYfKDgj=w521-h673" width="521" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMZ_FWGV5DyUsYYMJoZtYaZmsLcUe6ac_cYLqdMGpnauX2Wv7CD2YnxFMgVHX98GOgekgam1urLCmsOeM1hDpPiHk84fcGg5ECRBYVs9pMRLqE9L_XiDbPec7mtCmjEj5KyS8ZeDspxF30ZoKb8GeMZKpoZV3yZMrtpu-HrGgAoPI3k3jNE1ZQcIB3" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="791" data-original-width="612" height="671" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMZ_FWGV5DyUsYYMJoZtYaZmsLcUe6ac_cYLqdMGpnauX2Wv7CD2YnxFMgVHX98GOgekgam1urLCmsOeM1hDpPiHk84fcGg5ECRBYVs9pMRLqE9L_XiDbPec7mtCmjEj5KyS8ZeDspxF30ZoKb8GeMZKpoZV3yZMrtpu-HrGgAoPI3k3jNE1ZQcIB3=w520-h671" width="520" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">ASPIRE GORHAM JANUARY NEWSLETTER AVAILABLE </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">TO VIEW!</span></b></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5Oe3RvzpTJndp1uOIBX6eZIv9Gl0tw-Qa_0uide4qHWIA7oWStzY1kaWtFSDvxIOzcyo1QsPSFvn4ZIrBab4gRbn2pgZ4BoXXjbeUHw67Ndgm2-2zL9qgHiIGuiZG4a7AUP7VVB4LK0IbnA7uJHEMsX0KzYtOJvW-rh8cfLLm8rymyU_fudlvWhef" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="784" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5Oe3RvzpTJndp1uOIBX6eZIv9Gl0tw-Qa_0uide4qHWIA7oWStzY1kaWtFSDvxIOzcyo1QsPSFvn4ZIrBab4gRbn2pgZ4BoXXjbeUHw67Ndgm2-2zL9qgHiIGuiZG4a7AUP7VVB4LK0IbnA7uJHEMsX0KzYtOJvW-rh8cfLLm8rymyU_fudlvWhef" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><p></p><p>January's Aspire Gorham Newsletter is available to view using the link below. Check it out to learn more about what Aspire has been up to this past month with Adopt-a-classroom and partnerships with Junior Achievement and more! </p><p><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TlA3DFCS6oWqdWTmBjZtheYXNm_M7JGi/view?usp=share_link">Aspire Gorham January Newsletter</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">NEW "HELP ME GROW" RESOURCE FROM MAINE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUu2QiFW_2gHWcI9Mgl8W__JMh79h0GlWI9TC9_nME5sYHmzxVTtJFRrusy0inBkzEGgnUU_aYmxAMkg53_O-bPSH6cp4vbAFxONsbEcTtb3R7fEJp6-eGCIPwp5xgiub-G-A6Vq1UnAL8Y6vWbHlz95_Q_QDkRMCZeZc4LlPQo7uxZjDnSy1-mnNT" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="844" data-original-width="1126" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUu2QiFW_2gHWcI9Mgl8W__JMh79h0GlWI9TC9_nME5sYHmzxVTtJFRrusy0inBkzEGgnUU_aYmxAMkg53_O-bPSH6cp4vbAFxONsbEcTtb3R7fEJp6-eGCIPwp5xgiub-G-A6Vq1UnAL8Y6vWbHlz95_Q_QDkRMCZeZc4LlPQo7uxZjDnSy1-mnNT" width="320" /></a></span></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">In a recent update from the Maine Department of Education we learned of a new free resource for parents called "Help Me Grow". This program is a new <span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 16px;">free, and easy-to-access resource that connects children up to 8 years of age and their families, as well as pregnant people, with information and services related to child development and other family needs in Maine.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 16px;">Check out the link below to learn more!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: Lora, serif;"><a href="https://mainedoenews.net/2023/01/04/help-me-grow-maine-a-free-resource-to-connect-children-and-families-to-services/">https://mainedoenews.net/2023/01/04/help-me-grow-maine-a-free-resource-to-connect-children-and-families-to-services/</a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">DATA FROM GHS 10TH GRADERS REGARDING DEVICE USAGE - PERHAPS WORTH A PAUSE?</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red; font-family: times;">Updated Friday, Jan. 13, 2023 @ 3:00 p.m.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8RNKZw0uHqfqP__Lk8U-_0Sie1DuKFOHnPq6x0Su-mCJol7z3BQllPGGgnwJ4XoS9n4nwsvFxwOb8jQKMjavOiD48AJgL37Ra4kLfrOcTRO4CrFvxxc0IBQqZm_3nGRt0OI_791iDGxBAmTOpRQD8rnbiynmVwHdC8dpMTOEUF41_c_JeKco-7Dw5" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="167" data-original-width="301" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8RNKZw0uHqfqP__Lk8U-_0Sie1DuKFOHnPq6x0Su-mCJol7z3BQllPGGgnwJ4XoS9n4nwsvFxwOb8jQKMjavOiD48AJgL37Ra4kLfrOcTRO4CrFvxxc0IBQqZm_3nGRt0OI_791iDGxBAmTOpRQD8rnbiynmVwHdC8dpMTOEUF41_c_JeKco-7Dw5" width="320" /></a></span></b></div><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span></b><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">Even before the Pandemic there were several large studies being done regarding the impact of excessive "screen time" on children. If you simply google search this topic you will find a wealth of information. It is certainly a topic that parents and families in today's world must figure out how to best navigate. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The purpose of this piece though, isn't to attempt to dictate what families decide is best for monitoring of their children's screen time. I'm not going to suggest that so many hours of screen time are appropriate or not appropriate for children. These are individual family discussions that I definitely strongly encourage our families to have with their children, but that isn't what I wanted to share in this piece.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Instead, I thought I would share some data from our very own students at GHS that might provide families a reason to "pause" and think about this important topic and to have conversations with children about what is the "appropriate" amount of time to be spending on devices vs. engaging in other more person to person dialogues and social interactions. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Below is data that was collected by tenth grade english teachers at GHS as part of a larger learning project. Sixty-two tenth grade students at GHS participated in the data collection. Students answered the first two questions, and then added their estimates together for the third. </span></p><div><ol style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="color: #202124; letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>How much time do you spend on your phone on average per day?</b> Include all social media apps (TikTok, Instagram, snapchat, etc) and games. DON'T include time just listening to music or even watching TV or movies.</span></span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="color: #202124; letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>How much time do you spend on OTHER DEVICES on average per day?</b> DON'T include homework or time just listening to music or even watching TV or movies.</span></span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="color: #202124; letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>See graph below:</b></span></span></li></ol></div><div><span style="color: #202124; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhvNcicNGloiIOdiBFuO9YVVPQtGLwxXJdq3eFgceNhGMAlf4YshLRJz-QUZF_IFQzfrHebi7NeZBbGupVCSPEsDfvHGbpR-XaBuK2nVjRNmXqk4dYVf-cigqnGeaO30ioODRnuH-f7J-PhF6zjznNP9yt7Zci__TxkXMgqwfUyDYT9GkhqWUU2sAtt" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="1090" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhvNcicNGloiIOdiBFuO9YVVPQtGLwxXJdq3eFgceNhGMAlf4YshLRJz-QUZF_IFQzfrHebi7NeZBbGupVCSPEsDfvHGbpR-XaBuK2nVjRNmXqk4dYVf-cigqnGeaO30ioODRnuH-f7J-PhF6zjznNP9yt7Zci__TxkXMgqwfUyDYT9GkhqWUU2sAtt=w520-h260" width="520" /></a></div><br /><br /></span></span></div><p style="text-align: left;">So yes, just in case you need help reading that pie chart...based on this data collected from 62 of our 10th grade students (about 1/3 of our 10th grade), when you combine the purple, green and blue components of the graph, 90.3% of students indicated that they were spending more than 4 hours per day either on their phone or on other devices. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The intent here isn't to make value judgements. The intent here is to simply ask ourselves as educators and as families - if this data is accurate - is this what we think is an appropriate amount of time to be spent each day? How can we learn more from our children about the time they are spending on devices during the day? For what purposes are children using these devices? What is our own family's threshold for appropriate time spent on devices vs. too much time spent on devices? Interesting data - and food for thought for sure!</p><p style="text-align: left;">Well, that's enough for this blog post...will post again on January 27! See you then!</p><p style="text-align: left;"> </p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>Heather Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902747451985096596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2916890148299174047.post-86307403391061602602022-12-16T09:32:00.001-08:002022-12-16T09:32:33.084-08:00December 16 Post<p>For a second post in a row, I wanted to start by thanking a GHS student, Kamrin Whynot, for allowing me to shadow him for a whole morning last week. </p><p>Kamrin is a freshman at GHS and I was able to follow him to a history class, his advisory, a math class and an english class. Kamrin is part of an assigned freshman "academy" where many of the students attend the same classes together and where teachers work together to plan common themes and projects that cut across content areas. </p><p>What was I thought really cool during my shadowing time is that Kamrin's academy is working on a common project that deals with student's solutions to climate change. Students were learning about the issues involved around climate change from a social studies and policy lens, then they studied the idea mathematically with data and graph presentations and then they researched and debated the issue through an english lens. The debate was definitely a highlight! </p><p>It was a pleasure to spend time with Kamrin, his classmates and his teachers and it helped me to experience first hand what our freshman academies are like. I also had a quick chance to teach Kamrin and one of his friends how to play a new card game during advisory while we chatted...though I'm not sure they liked it! THANK YOU KAMRIN!</p><p>Here are some pictures that give a good glimpse into our schools from this past week...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtOHTw6BkYFgf_HduCA-c8hKZxQUV5xbxgRyxSNobIzsiuJryxR9MP9QElDYmvIvonWybv9giPo98mUeAdp3aEkuqXLqnj7E-gTxC4InDYQlW6_lk3CSVB98M-CloDH7wAupLRMlBnUBdQWcgl09fLdl3pgyPfrCenl-c1DPj95vMFryib3GGVZoP/s3264/Dec16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="633" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtOHTw6BkYFgf_HduCA-c8hKZxQUV5xbxgRyxSNobIzsiuJryxR9MP9QElDYmvIvonWybv9giPo98mUeAdp3aEkuqXLqnj7E-gTxC4InDYQlW6_lk3CSVB98M-CloDH7wAupLRMlBnUBdQWcgl09fLdl3pgyPfrCenl-c1DPj95vMFryib3GGVZoP/w633-h633/Dec16.jpg" width="633" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I want to point out that in several of the pictures above (middle right, top right, top middle and top left) you see some of our GHS students volunteering to work with K-5 students across our three schools in our "Adopt-a-classroom" program. This program provides an opportunity for HS students to share their career interests, aspirations, and expertise on what it means to be a GHS student with our youngest learners. GHS students facilitate activities and develop mentoring relationships with our K-5 students that help solidify their aspirations as high school students, but also get our K-5 students thinking about their HS aspirations and beyond. All while having fun and building positive relationships! A truly incredible program conducted through our Aspire Gorham work!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now on to the informational part...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">NEW COHORT OF EDUCATOR APPRENTICES </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">STARTING JAN. 9!</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBxDnNlXSCpjaIWNJJGenMAMWkyaXlC8pi0ot1e9-GM6wIl2yP9pOY18PY0e5Q5EqWwD-exWCWYFdu1ZtH3wke3b5ZLThHdT-_PoliMhOTRrALjQXSQ4gW6DCHFKn7qN6Rbyyt9KhZg0S9zC-wyH-y76cc-3Ip-fpEAdVXep2lmGcgqB1V1e1c_nkL" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="612" height="610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBxDnNlXSCpjaIWNJJGenMAMWkyaXlC8pi0ot1e9-GM6wIl2yP9pOY18PY0e5Q5EqWwD-exWCWYFdu1ZtH3wke3b5ZLThHdT-_PoliMhOTRrALjQXSQ4gW6DCHFKn7qN6Rbyyt9KhZg0S9zC-wyH-y76cc-3Ip-fpEAdVXep2lmGcgqB1V1e1c_nkL=w471-h610" width="471" /></a></div><br /><br /></div>In August of 2022, the Gorham Schools began their very first "Educator Apprentice" program in collaboration with the Maine Department of Labor, Southern Maine Community College, and soon the University of Southern Maine. This first cohort was a small pilot of just 8 new educator professionals and wow has it been an incredible experience for all involved!<div><br /></div><div>These 8 individuals were hired as full time subs by the Gorham Schools at $17.25/hour with a full benefits package. They were then provided a week long intense "boot camp" of training by our partners at SMCC and began working in our special education classrooms when school opened in September. Participants have since continued to take 1 "traditional" course each semester in their cohort group offered on site in the Gorham Schools. Finally, participants were also assigned a mentor for the duration of their apprenticeship experience. All coursework has been FREE to participants.</div><div><br /></div><div>The ultimate goal for these apprentices is to allow them to achieve their full associates degree (61 college credits) in just two years through a combination of "traditional" coursework and on the job workplace learning experiences, all while working full time and earning a decent wage. Once participants have completed their associates degrees they are then eligible to become fully certified Ed. Tech. II's in the Gorham Schools and be paid at a higher rate. Next, participants can then choose to keep going in their apprentice program through our partnership with USM. Participants can earn enough credits in one more year to become a fully certified Ed. Tech. III, and then in one more year, they can earn enough credits to become a fully certified teacher with a bachelor's degree from USM. Again, credits earned are through a combination of "traditional" coursework and workplace learning experiences - all while working full time to earn a living and with no cost to participants with a reasonable schedule that allows individuals to balance their home/family lives as well! A great program indeed!</div><div><br /></div><div>As we continue to learn and strengthen this program, the feedback has been extremely positive from participants. Participants feel good about the work they do for children, they feel prepared and they feel supported by each other and by their mentors and SMCC professors. As this program grows those support structures will also grow and strengthen, building up the high quality educators that they are and will continue to become!</div><div><br /></div><div>The Gorham Schools is now working in partnership with other area schools (i.e. MSAD 6, South Portland, and Scarborough Schools) to bring together a second cohort of educator apprentices. We are seeking 15 more participants into this program which will start with a week long "boot camp" during the week of January 9, 2023. </div><div><br /></div><div>Our schools need incredibly talented and caring adults to join the ranks of public school educators. If you have ever thought about becoming a teacher, but weren't sure how, or weren't sure you could afford going to school or back to school - this program is for you! <b><u>If you or others you know are interested in participating, please email workforceregistration@smccME.edu or call 207-741-5595 to learn more and apply today!</u></b> </div><div><br /></div><div>There is no more fulfilling job than to be a public school educator who makes a positive difference in the lives of children each and every day! Would love to see your application!</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">STAYING HEALTHY IN SCHOOLS DURING FLU SEASON...</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhm2CF3sss0oykXMm3TvaxMOgrRsg_tl19vcGE2MID0VBxGKJD06ttUfdyEFRRfqX_b13jFbtyDzfjTy9vCbgHGK3LJb4gO0j7UfKrhvAeLlA-KD6Lbo_t8XDLpavZWZCsHOBsJwXe3B3XHPa6UYOGJ3mUP-COs7pfaSFglcgRX6auA3kDcYegVYSFh" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="226" data-original-width="223" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhm2CF3sss0oykXMm3TvaxMOgrRsg_tl19vcGE2MID0VBxGKJD06ttUfdyEFRRfqX_b13jFbtyDzfjTy9vCbgHGK3LJb4gO0j7UfKrhvAeLlA-KD6Lbo_t8XDLpavZWZCsHOBsJwXe3B3XHPa6UYOGJ3mUP-COs7pfaSFglcgRX6auA3kDcYegVYSFh" width="237" /></a></div><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">About a week or so ago, I sent an email out to families emphasizing some key things we should all keep in mind as we navigate what seems to be a pretty significant influenza season here in Maine this year. I thought the information is worth repeating again in my blog for emphasis.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">In any public setting there are things we can all do to help prevent the spread of illness. Here are the top ones that we tend to emphasize here in Gorham:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>1. Stay home if you are sick.</b> This is really hard, we know. But it really is the best way to ensure we limit the spread of illnesses in schools. Now, I know parents had several questions about how we make sure students don't get behind due to absences and I'll answer those in a minute (see next section)...but bottom line is (especially if there is a fever, nausea or uncontrolled coughing) you should stay home if you don't feel well.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>2. Wash hands frequently.</b> Sounds old fashioned doesn't it? But it works! This one is "tried and true!" Hand washing is never a bad thing. Wash hands after going to the bathroom, wash hands before and after eating, and if you don't have access to running water - hand sanitizer is still very much available and a great alternative.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>3. Get vaccinated.</b> Data is showing this year's flu vaccines to be very effective towards current strains and the good news is, it is never too late to get vaccinated! I went into Walgreens the other day and got my flu and COVID vaccine in just 15 minutes with no appointment and no lines. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>4. Remember - masking is always an option</b>! I've noticed a recent increase in the numbers of students and staff electing to wear masks while at school. This is a great option and certainly something we support in the schools. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>5. Do Not share food/drinks</b> - I've added this one just because while I was shadowing students at GHS the other day, I noticed several students sharing their drinks with one another and a few sharing their candy canes. Don't get me wrong - it is great to share - but drinking or eating after someone is a great way to spread germs and with all the different germs out there right now...probably NOT a good idea! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">As a school, we emphasize the messages above frequently with students and staff. We have also recently increased our sanitization practices for common touch surfaces in collaboration with our custodial service provider Benchmark. They have done a wonderful job at helping us to try and keep those germs away and I'm sure that great partnership will continue.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Please know that although we have certainly seen our share of flu, cold, RSV, COVID and other illnesses going around in our schools over the past few weeks, we have not yet reached the threshold in any of our schools that would require us to report absences to the Maine CDC as several of our neighboring districts have had to do. That threshold is 15% of total absences of student and staff due to illness. We've come close a few times, but not yet reached that mark. The way this season is going though, I am pretty sure we are not out of the woods yet, as winter is just beginning!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">If we ever did reach that 15% mark, our nurses would immediately report to the Maine Department of Education through our NEO information portal. This information would then be shared with the Maine CDC and a case worker from Maine CDC would be assigned. They would work with our nurses to take a closer look at the data to determine whether or not the school that reported would be considered in an "outbreak" status. If an outbreak status is determined, I would communicate with families just as I did during the pandemic. We would also work closely with the CDC case manager to determine if any additional sanitization practices were needed and if so, what and communicate those to families as well.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b>EXPECTATIONS FOR SHORT TERM ABSENCES </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b>& MAKE UP WORK</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiedK0SML_VntSV3LwFNT9ljj-rKwjFyv2kiPpXSKGMVxafKVISLzd5QLOLV4KAp_2SIpdEpZ6XzzczlK4az6g-dhE0WGPx4Y2vchD1yB30LSxf6KeW_poPZihKSxnYfSUdLx0ACSf_Yb5cQML4X_gANM_pLPWbXP37LYQvzkYwOe3SdoDtpGD9TKXN" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="259" data-original-width="195" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiedK0SML_VntSV3LwFNT9ljj-rKwjFyv2kiPpXSKGMVxafKVISLzd5QLOLV4KAp_2SIpdEpZ6XzzczlK4az6g-dhE0WGPx4Y2vchD1yB30LSxf6KeW_poPZihKSxnYfSUdLx0ACSf_Yb5cQML4X_gANM_pLPWbXP37LYQvzkYwOe3SdoDtpGD9TKXN" width="181" /></a></div></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">When I sent out my email blast a few weeks ago on the importance of staying home when sick as a means of preventing the spread of illnesses while at school, I had several parents reach out to ask about how the schools treat absences due to illness and how the schools would work with families to ensure students don't fall behind and can catch up with their learning. All valid questions that I thought I'd provide a brief overview on. Please know that you can also refer to your school's student handbook for more detailed information and ALWAYS reach out to your child's teacher and/or school if you have concerns regarding make up work. Know that we all share a common goal in wanting to make sure we take care of students who have been out due to illness and get them caught up as soon as is possible while also honoring the fact that they have been ill. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">First, please know that as long as you have communicated with the school that your child is out due to illness, they will be marked as having had an "excused absence". If there is no communication, then unfortunately, we don't know why the student was absent so we may mark them as "unexcused". This can make a pretty big difference in how we work with students when they are absence, so please, please, please, communicate with the school so that we are aware. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Overall expectations for K-8 students is below:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-624dfbc5-7fff-5f20-576c-3d0cdef36c23"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Within 24 hours of a teacher being notified that a student will be absent for longer than three days…</span></p><div align="center" dir="ltr" style="margin-left: 0pt;"><table style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none;"><colgroup><col width="77"></col><col width="540"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr style="height: 72pt;"><td style="background-color: #e6b8af; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.99609pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.99609pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.99609pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.99609pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; padding: 5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt; vertical-align: middle;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teachers</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.99609pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.99609pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.99609pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.99609pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; padding: 5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><ul style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prepare current, in class work to be completed at home.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Consider providing independent reinforcement activities.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #222222; font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Communicate with the family that students should complete work only if they feel well enough.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Arrange for materials to be picked up, if needed. </span></p></li></ul></td></tr><tr style="height: 47.25pt;"><td style="background-color: #f4cccc; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.99609pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.99609pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.99609pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.99609pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; padding: 5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt; vertical-align: middle;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Students</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.99609pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.99609pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.99609pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.99609pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; padding: 5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><ul style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Laila, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If feeling well enough, engage in work sent home.</span></p></li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">At GHS, where we want students to be a little more independent, the expectations are as follows:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: times;">At GHS, students who are absent due to illness should communicate with their teachers and their school counselor by sending them an email. The email should indicate what dates they expect to be absent, the reason for their absence, and their ability to do work (e.g. they’re sick and are unable to do work, they are sick but can do work). Teachers will respond to the student within 48 hours with a plan for making up work in their respective class. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Across grades K-12, the general rule of thumb is that students are given 2 weeks to make up missed work due to illness. Of course specific circumstances can extend that timeline as needed. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Bottom line:</b> What is most needed to ensure students who are sick are able to get caught back up is clear communication between families and teachers. Luckily this is something we tend to be strong at here in Gorham! With that partnership individual plans can be created to make sure students do not fall behind due to being absent with illness.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE GETTING OUR SCHOOL MESSENGER TEXT MESSAGES?</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRwYdgt-eJ4TBCuhievezkhsIZRe1X4Jn4KZYbry1caklE99Saa-2YSlxf63PsuLs8lwEurUGIrHvvmOaydX4Peh9XKhlK8u6lqBhC8lL-7eMtA9nSWj7Cslx5fIDXPDcNKTEBKmEwVqvkoHaRUFVrkfVn0KDIrc9aIV8C3xKcBZAws3eHZevsbPLB" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRwYdgt-eJ4TBCuhievezkhsIZRe1X4Jn4KZYbry1caklE99Saa-2YSlxf63PsuLs8lwEurUGIrHvvmOaydX4Peh9XKhlK8u6lqBhC8lL-7eMtA9nSWj7Cslx5fIDXPDcNKTEBKmEwVqvkoHaRUFVrkfVn0KDIrc9aIV8C3xKcBZAws3eHZevsbPLB" width="240" /></a></div><br /></span></b></div><div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;">As a reminder, Gorham Schools utilizes SchoolMessenger to deliver </span><span style="font-family: times;">text messages to your mobile phone with important information about events, school closings, safety alerts and more.</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;">You can begin receiving text notifications from Gorham Schools by sending a text message of “Y” or “Yes” to our school’s short code number, 67587.</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;">You can also opt out of these messages at any time by simply replying to one of our messages with “Stop”.</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;">Text message and data rates may apply.</span></div></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;">If you haven't already signed up, I'd encourage you to do so. Thanks!</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">PRE K EXPANSION GRANT FROM MAINE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HAS BEEN AWARDED TO GORHAM SCHOOLS!</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHQ6-UPRxmu2s59xyoKq0UXCapdeG2iNz768vc94wcRyV9HXtdxzQCuCHjjaoiraiXDoCSwqm1bWkxF9Omwo_I7T-MxjTCzC2Vm0DmNJ7JN2T1NDLLPpsSPhLHxW2QDOE5IcledUrur3yfRKMjN06BEBtlD8QwVOnyFWOQ86mS6s6fYvinz_-IQmPV" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="185" data-original-width="273" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHQ6-UPRxmu2s59xyoKq0UXCapdeG2iNz768vc94wcRyV9HXtdxzQCuCHjjaoiraiXDoCSwqm1bWkxF9Omwo_I7T-MxjTCzC2Vm0DmNJ7JN2T1NDLLPpsSPhLHxW2QDOE5IcledUrur3yfRKMjN06BEBtlD8QwVOnyFWOQ86mS6s6fYvinz_-IQmPV" width="320" /></a></div></span></b></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;">I've shared our intentions to open two new Pre K classrooms with half day programs for Gorham families starting in the Fall of 2023 in previous blogs. I also shared that we had written a grant application to the MDOE to assist in funding some of the one time up front costs that would be associated with the grant such as playground upgrades, purchase of curriculum materials and classroom equipment, etc. </span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;">Just wanted to share that we found out last week WE WERE AWARDED THE GRANT! </span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;">We are so excited at the opportunities this will bring to our schools, to our students, to our families and to our community! We have three working groups that just started their work earlier this week on putting the "meat on the bones" of our plans and we are planning several informational events for community early care providers and families to learn more about this program over the course of the next few months so please stay tuned! For now, if you want to know more about how this program fits into our overall plan as a community for early care, please review our "<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hTcfyfPJD5OY0caaV-LP9LsUeRs5Qgb-/view?usp=share_link">Bright Futures For Little Rams Plan</a>" and reach out with questions. These two new Pre K programs are just the tip of the iceberg for all the great work we want to do as a COMMUNITY to strengthen our early care collaborations and partnerships so that we can provide the best care for "Little Rams" as possible!</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;">More to come! Stay Tuned!</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">NEW EXTENDED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES COURSE BEING OFFERED AT GHS!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwr05SM9tOgbBJ62WtnteFX3cWMkCsHnYHC4jWH2dV6ZuJ5D1q2_6GYC98n6F-GjYono5hbNZHQLkd1BmbdBqxwkapDLXsN7ULSG10_ndIW---P1GLG4HsM1cMpwqWMwylDpn1lha6tgxN69Zi9dByJJVC3mobCzgbJFPW1qzqr7LNm-c8D03Kr8wp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="526" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwr05SM9tOgbBJ62WtnteFX3cWMkCsHnYHC4jWH2dV6ZuJ5D1q2_6GYC98n6F-GjYono5hbNZHQLkd1BmbdBqxwkapDLXsN7ULSG10_ndIW---P1GLG4HsM1cMpwqWMwylDpn1lha6tgxN69Zi9dByJJVC3mobCzgbJFPW1qzqr7LNm-c8D03Kr8wp" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">Our new ELO coordinator at GHS (Grace) has just recently sent out information to all GHS Juniors about an exciting new course that will be offered next semester! The course is called "Extended Learning Opportunities." It is specifically tailored for juniors at GHS. There is a focus on Career & Life Readiness skills and an emphasis on interest based projects. The course will take place in the spring semester during periods 6 & 7. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">I've included her write up below for the course...if you have a Junior at GHS or know someone who does...make sure they know about this opportunity and talk with their guidance counselors about whether this course may meet their learning needs!</span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Extended Learning Opportunity (Workplace Learning Experience) </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">0.5 - 1 Credit </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">This elective course is designed for juniors who are interested in exploring their future career interests in an immersive setting. Students will spend time working with a business mentor in their field of interest in the form of an internship, work study, job shadow, or interest-based project. Interest-based projects might look like: writing a book, building a deck, mentoring young students, painting a mural in a public area or building, planning for and cultivating a garden, building a rocket and adjusting it for maximum propulsion, and more. Credit will be awarded based on how much time is spent in the ELO placement (60 hours for 0.5 credit and 120 hours for 1 credit). Students will have regular meetings with the ELO Instructor for support and will expand their skills in communication, resume building, and interviewing to further develop career and life readiness capabilities. </span></span></p><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">Note: If you'd like to learn more about ELO's and what they are, here is a link to the <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://sites.google.com/gorhamschools.org/elo/home&source=gmail&ust=1671290295002000&usg=AOvVaw0iJVlzKxcoc3m3yzHoX1Xr" href="https://sites.google.com/gorhamschools.org/elo/home" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ELO website</span></a> as well!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b>FREE COVID 19 TEST KITS AVAILABLE</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjB6FcujH6bAIbadkuf9NwYtDRT7hYAuQDlk0Hd0lCBgFOIF9IP2Qn2vn628TxWD7edmcTykUqI3cw0p9WXOSSK0yC13IomKYA5SN8dg-CuhGjiAvAHVZ53a3ZZHXC8jmW5iJTw4cQqvy1jW7Ub0yaKi4WmlhlzY4tpGDyUT6HIWp3QsntS5TYYm9ou" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="238" data-original-width="211" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjB6FcujH6bAIbadkuf9NwYtDRT7hYAuQDlk0Hd0lCBgFOIF9IP2Qn2vn628TxWD7edmcTykUqI3cw0p9WXOSSK0yC13IomKYA5SN8dg-CuhGjiAvAHVZ53a3ZZHXC8jmW5iJTw4cQqvy1jW7Ub0yaKi4WmlhlzY4tpGDyUT6HIWp3QsntS5TYYm9ou" width="213" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">I was recently made aware that the federal government has re-started the program where you can order free COVID 19 test kits through the mail. Each household is allowed up to 4 kits. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">Interested? Check out the link below to place your order.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.covid.gov/tests">https://www.covid.gov/tests</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b>NEW YEAR's GORHAM ACTIVITIES ANNOUNCED</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;">This year's activities will be extra exciting as kids from all ages will take part in the event! Organizers have some high school students performing and the robotics club will be helping to raise money for their group by selling food. There will be LOTS of family oriented fun at this year's event...check out the flyer to learn more and HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg9yDP80DhLWzPsfV56Igc6spwm1QfapaazFLqxLlmLDnk-EzJEgXvQOE5iRRgb4ZRX6TQqdZP65YX-pIcr5NzyFjqvEJ9Q32MJhX-KVjiGLHyggtRFScDNNESgIUfPtUN5rbRGNFOygiW06vWb8UNxU0TaStNvYI_7XNjJhPFhDo4f64TpmKSfBm1g" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="612" height="772" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg9yDP80DhLWzPsfV56Igc6spwm1QfapaazFLqxLlmLDnk-EzJEgXvQOE5iRRgb4ZRX6TQqdZP65YX-pIcr5NzyFjqvEJ9Q32MJhX-KVjiGLHyggtRFScDNNESgIUfPtUN5rbRGNFOygiW06vWb8UNxU0TaStNvYI_7XNjJhPFhDo4f64TpmKSfBm1g=w595-h772" width="595" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you have questions, please reach out to Patricia Quang at: <span style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "Google Sans", Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">patriciaquang@gmail.com</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "Google Sans", Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well, that's enough information for this blog post. The next post will be planned for Jan. 13 due to the upcoming winter break. I wish you and your families a restful and relaxing break. Enjoy the time spent with family and friends and I look forward to seeing everyone back in our schools on January 3rd! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am so very optimistic about what 2023 has to bring for the Gorham Schools! <span style="font-family: "Google Sans", Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> I hope you are as well! GO RAMS!</span></div></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /><br /></span></span></div><div><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" /></div></div></div><div><br /></div>Heather Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902747451985096596noreply@blogger.com0