WMS Altitude Program makes a difference through book donations

By Matt Pascarella

Shortly before the beginning of the holiday season’s school vacation, eighth-grade students at Windham Middle School’s Altitude Program, with the help of seventh graders within the program, helped gather a substantial stack of books that were brought by the students to the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital at Maine Medical Center in Portland on Tuesday, Dec. 20.

Windham Middle School Altitude Program eighth graders
back from left, Rylynn Miller, Maddi Nolan, KJ Currier, Cam
Moreau, Izaiah Woodbury, Veronika Sullivan and Madi Cicci
donate books to the Giving Library at the Barbara Bush 
Children's Hospital in South Portland on Tuesday, Dec. 20.
Accepting the donation is Child Life Program Manager
Sharon Granville, front. COURTESY PHOTO 

The Altitude Program is one of service, and experiential learning. It stresses being a significant member of the community and its goal is to create more hands-on learning opportunities. For many of the students in the program the typical school setting can be harder for them, so the Altitude Program is a connector for them academically as well as personally. It aims to help students make relationships, build community and work on social skills and communication.

In early December, Windham Middle School teachers Lisa Anderson, Autumn Carsen Cook and Rich Meserve asked the members of the Altitude Program what they can do to make a difference and show compassion.

The eighth graders came up with the idea to donate books to the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital at Maine Medical Center.

“We decorated boxes and put them around Windham Middle School and at the Field-Allen School,” said Windham eighth grader Madi Cicci. “The principal, announced there were boxes for book donations every morning.”

Letters went out to staff and parents informing them of the need to collect new books.

“Giving is kind and thoughtful,” said Windham eighth-grader Izaiah Woodbury. “It felt good to donate the books.”

Woodbury said it gives the kids who aren’t able to go to school the ability to learn through the donated books. If they cannot be visited by their families during the holidays, the books are a gift.

Windham eighth-grader KJ Currier said it felt good to donate the books. It meant a lot that they were able to bring the kids at the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital something around the holidays.

“We have some core belief statements for students and some ‘I can’ statements,” said WMS Principal Drew Patin. “One is feeling a part of the community. The book donations fits in terms of being able to see what their impact is on other people.”

Patin said another of the statements is around engagement and seeing themselves in the curriculum but also feeling like what they are doing has a broader impact.

The students say that they are really grateful for being able to learn off campus and out in the community.

“We are really appreciative of their work and generosity and thinking of others,” said Sharon Granville, Child Life Program Manager at Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital. “It helped us to add books to our Giving Library; we offer a library where families have the opportunity to come and look through different books for different ages of patients and any family that’s staying with us has the opportunity to select a book and use it and thankfully be able to keep it.”

Granville said what’s great about book donations is it allows the hospital to keep up with frequent titles kids are enjoying.

She said that when you are in the hospital, you don’t always have as many choices as you might want so by having a nice book selection, they are able to provide the children with an appropriate choice which allows them to select whatever book they want.

The small actions of the students in the Altitude Program made a big difference for kids who are not feeling well.

“I feel accomplished,” said Windham eighth grader Maddi Nolan. “It made me feel like I did a good deed for the community. It was important because we gave the kids what they needed and deserved. Some kids would not be able to see their families while in the hospital, so I thought this would make them feel happy."

Nolan also said she learned to take a pause and appreciate what she has. <

WMS Chess Club promotes critical thinking skills

By Ed Pierce

The game of chess has many benefits for young minds and educators at Windham Middle School are tapping into its resurging popularity to help students to tackle the academic challenges ahead.

Windham Middle School Chess Club members Bryce
Rogers, left, and Cooper Fournelle, both sixth graders,
play a game of chess during a recent club meeting after
school in the WMS Library. The club meets once a week
under the direction of school librarian Sienna Tinsley.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE 

The WMS Chess Club is being led this year by School Librarian Sienna Tinsley and each Wednesday after school club members gather to play against each other and share their mutual appreciation for the strategic game.

Studies have shown that chess improves concentration and memory for students while enhancing reading and math skills. It also fosters the development of logic, critical thinking among students and encourages creativity.

“I think kids like chess because it can be played at many levels. It isn't hard to learn the basics, but there is so much depth that they don't get bored of it,” Tinsley said. “I also think they like the fact that it is such a popular game throughout the world and through the years. When they learn chess, they can play or talk about it with other people in their lives and most will already have some familiarity with it.”

Student participation is free and the number of student participants in the Chess Club varies by the week, but Tinsley said WMS has set as few barriers as possible to allowing kids to attend and enjoy this strategic activity.

“I hope kids take away an understanding of being a good sport and respecting their opponent by trying their best, focusing on the match, and responding graciously whether they win or lose,” she said. “I also hope that kids will come away with a feeling of belonging and being an important part of a team, as well as skills in critical thinking and planning ahead.”

To assist WMS students in mastering basic strategies and learning to play the game the right way, the school library has copies of the book "How a King Plays: 64 Chess Tips from a Kid Champion" by Oliver Boydell readily available and also has eight or nine chess sets on hand for games each week. Chess boards and game pieces are provided to participants and usually after a short club meeting for announcements or to answer any questions that may arise, students begin play between 2 and 2:45 p.m. every Wednesday.

WMS seventh grader Malcolm Morey says that he was introduced to chess a few years ago by his father and he wanted to be a member of the Chess Club at school this year for several reasons.

“I like the complexity of this game,” Morey said. “I like how you have to use your brain a lot and learn what to do when an opponent makes a certain move.”

He says he’s made some new friends through participation in the club and it’s also helped him to become a better sportsman playing many different opponents each week.

Typically, WMS Chess Club players try to squeeze in as many games as possible during the time the club meets in the school library and play against opponents of different skills levels.

“I believe that the more games that you play, the better you’ll get,” Morey said.

Twins Madison and Matthew Cole are eighth graders who are now in their second year as members of the WMS Chess Club.

As a girl, Madison said she takes pride in playing and winning against boys, but mostly enjoys being a Chess Club member because it helps her meet new people in other grades at the school.

“It’s really interesting getting to know some of the other students in the club, make new friends and I’d say winning chess games also helps boost my confidence,” she said.

Her brother Matthew said he has a small chess set at home but likes playing in the club after school because he’s able to match up against more experienced players.

“It has helped me to solve problems and being a member of the Chess Club has really helped improve my game,” he said.

Tinsley said since the start of school this fall, more students are learning about the WMS Chess Club, and she welcomes any student who wishes to participate.

“I appreciate families' willingness to come pick their students up, so they can stay late for chess club,” Tinsley said. “If we have community members with particular expertise and interest in chess, I would love to welcome guest speakers, so the kids can hear more perspectives than just mine.”

WMS Principal Drew Patin says having students participate in chess is an ideal activity.

“Chess club allows our students to have fun and grow social skills while developing strategy and patience,” he said. “Students learn to lose and win with grace. It also gets students off technology, so it is a win all around.” <

Racial tolerance, acceptance objectives of Windham Middle School's Civil Rights Team

Dyan Pallozzi, an eighth-grader at Windham Middle School, 
helps install a 'Welcome' banner in the school's main hallway
while participating in a WMS Civil Rights Team activity.
SUBMITTED PHOTO 

By Ed Pierce

Windham Middle School Civil Rights Team students may be young, but it hasn’t stopped them from being engaged in the social justice movement and working to make their school and their community a more accepting and safer place for everyone.

The Civil Rights Team at WMS can trace its roots back to at least the early 2000s, under faculty advisors Bill Wescott and Eliza Adams and continues today under the guidance of JMG Specialist Fernando Hinojoso. More than 30 students participate in WMS Civil Rights Team activities, both in-person and remotely.

 

Team meetings are 30 minutes long and on Fridays via Zoom. They also meet Monday and Tuesday afternoons and Wednesdays and Thursday mornings in-person at the school.

Hinojoso said he believes that the Civil Rights Team is an essential activity at WMS for a number of reasons, including civic duty and workforce readiness.

 

“CRT students understand that the ongoing injustices in our country demand a civic duty from us: we must respond, however we can, to support those in our world who are victims of injustice by initiating conversations about the underlying issues perpetuating these inequalities,” Hinojoso said. “Employers are looking for applicants who are able to communicate effectively with diverse populations. We are failing our students by not providing opportunities to develop fluency with the various identities with whom the world will expect them to work with.”

 

The WMS Civil Rights Team engages in various activities focused on outreach, such as the creation of a 16-foot “Welcome” banner at thew school and installing a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. mural with a quote to adorn the school’s main hallway.

 

“We are also in the process of finalizing various projects, including our school-wide observance of National Day of Silence on April 12 and April 13, a student-led protest for raising awareness about the bullying, harassment and erasure of LGBTQ youth in schools,” Hinojoso said.

WMS Principal Drew Patin said that CRT participants are making great strides in creating an atmosphere of acceptance and opening a dialogue about important issues facing students in 2021. 

“For me, it is all about ‘all are welcome here.’ All students should feel as though they belong to the school community and should never feel any differently than that based on our differences,” Patin said. “The Civil Rights Team works to fulfill this goal and promise through awareness, action, and support.”

Sixth-grader Ashlynn Cuthbert said that she wanted to be a part of the Civil Rights Team because she wanted to make a difference in the world that she thought was unfair.

“I want the Civil Rights Team to help students of all ages to acknowledge the problems that still exist today and help to prevent those problems from hurting them or others,” Cuthbert said. “Students are better equipped to make a difference by participating in the Civil Rights Team because the CRT provides resources that students might not find on their own, and it gives a community that can help you to find new and better ways to change the world. It gives students the chance to meet people that believe in the same things that you believe in, and those people can help you and give you even more strength than if you were doing it alone.”

Cuthbert says social justice should be on the minds of students at WMS because they are the next generation, and if we change doesn’t happen now, the years and years of tradition and unequal social justice will continue.

Maddy Beckwith, an eighth-grader, said that WMS students who join the Civil Rights Team get a better glance of the issues happening in school.

“I think social justice issues should be on the mind of students at WMS because if students aren't aware of them, then for example they could accidentally make a racist comment that affects one of their fellow classmates,” she said.

Seventh-graders Eva Schroeder and Cynthia Flaherty say they joined the Civil Rights Team to support equality for everyone.

Schroeder said she wants to stand up for people that can't do so for themselves.

“I think it's stupid to judge people based on the color of their skin. I think people are just looking for drama or someone to make fun of sometimes, and it's not right,” she said.

Flaherty said she’s optimistic the WMS Civil Rights Team can open some eyes and change minds.

“I would like to see them change the minds of the people that believe others are lower than them, and because I believe that everyone should be in a safe place that they know they won’t get bullied for,” she said. ”If things are still flawed now, then they will become worse over time; so if they fix it now it could better things.”

Sixth-graders Preston Smith and Ali Albair say they have each encountered racism in the community and that they hope groups such as the Civil Rights Team can educate everyone about the harm that racist acts and slurs cause to others.

“I joined to help every kid be proud of who they are,” Smith said. “My dad and I have both experienced racism first-hand and it’s really sad and mean and also enraging.”

Albair said that he wanted to participate in CRT activities to make people of different skin colors, gender preferences, gender identity, body size, disability and religion feel comfortable at Windham Middle School.

“As for social justice, everyone should have the same privileges, not based on their race, their gender preferences, or anything in between. If one person has the right do to something like take a train or go shopping other people should too,” Albair said. “I think that people should never use slurs, especially if its offending to people.” 

Hunter Gibson, an eighth-grader, said he has wanted to be a part of the Civil Right Team for as long as he can remember.

“I see them expanding greatly and then getting everyone to see each other as equals,” Gibson said. “It's a shame we are going in the right direction but not fast enough.”

Sixth-grader Moriah Layton said she joined the Civil Rights Team to help ensure that everyone feels safe in school.

“Kids can make a difference in the world,” she said. “They know what’s going on and can come up with ways to fix it.”

Hinojoso said he believes that the greatest obstacle facing America right now in the area of race and social justice is language.

“The American people do not have a shared narrative about our past and present, not to mention the language with which to discuss it,” he said. “When we lack the words in common with which to have the conversations we utterly need to have, we inevitably see division in our communities.”

He said he’s spoken to many who believe that racism ended with Martin Luther King Jr.’s voting rights marches, or others who dismiss the harassment of LGBTQ students in schools and that is why student groups such as the WMS Civil Rights Team are vital to the community.

“We believe that we can create a significant impact by simply educating our community about these issues and reinforcing the fact that they exist,” Hinojoso said. <

State greenlights Windham Middle School construction project

RSU 14 has learned that the state has moved ahead with
funding for construction of a project to either rebuild or
renovate Windham Middle School by 2026.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

By Ed Pierce

The next five years will probably have some unexpected twists and turns, but what is known for certain is that by 2026, Windham Middle School will either be renovated or rebuilt, according to RSU 14 administrators.

After several years of being ranked at Number 5 overall among state-approved and subsidized construction projects, RSU 14 has learned that the highly anticipated project is moving forward. How much state funding for the work is yet unknown and that will be the determining factor on whether the aging 44-year-old school will be rebuilt or renovated.       

“RSU 14 received some wonderful news this month about the Windham Middle School construction project. After two years of waiting, the Maine Department of Education announced that the project to replace the school will be moving forward,” said RSU 14 Schools Superintendent Christopher Howell. “The district took the first significant step of the process last week when it officially advertised for architectural services for the project.”

During the RSU 14 School Board meeting on Wednesday evening, the district formed a School Building Committee to oversee the project, which is expected to be completed by 2026.

Howell said that the original Windham Middle School was completed in 1977 and was built for a capacity of 483 students.  That number has now grown to 636 students, with sixth graders housed for some classes at the adjacent Field Allen School, which was built in the 1930s.

“Over the years, the Field Allen School has had several minor renovations and has been incorporated into the programming of the school.  Most recently, two new classrooms were added to the building to accommodate a large sixth-grade class,” Howell said. “The building has served the district well over the years but is starting to show signs that it is reaching the end of its usable life cycle as a school building.  Aside from the inability to have all students in the building under one roof, the main middle school building has small classrooms, outdated science rooms, restroom facilities that do not meet modern requirements, a worn-out heating system, outdated windows, and a less than adequate electrical system.”   

More than 200 students currently transition back and forth from Field Allen School to Windham Middle School for classes in art, music, science, STEM, gym and other activities including the school cafeteria.

RSU 14 originally applied for the Maine Department of Education’s Major Capital Construction Program in 2016 for funding for construction and has ranked as the being fifth-highest priority among 74 proposed school construction projects statewide.

“The program is highly competitive as a positive rating in the process can lead to a significant financial savings for school districts,” Howell said. “A majority of construction costs for school projects selected through this program will be covered by the state.”

Once a district applies for funding, Maine DOE reviews and rates the project based upon need. The State Board of Education then funds as many projects from the list as available debt limit funds allow. Working with the State Board of Education, Maine DOE establishes both size and financial limits on projects.

Local school districts may exceed these limits at local expense through municipal bonds, but the state bears the major financial burden of capital costs for approved school construction projects. As such, Maine DOE first looks at the possibility of renovations or renovations with additions and new school construction projects are only considered in instances in which renovation projects are not economically or educationally feasible.

According to Howell, there are 21 steps in the school construction process for state funded projects.

“The first three steps are steps related to the application for a building.  The project started step 4 last week when an advertisement was completed for architectural services for the project,” he said. “Once an architectural firm is selected, the district will work with that firm to complete an analysis of new versus renovation and to conduct an analysis of possible sites in the district to construct a new building.”

He said specific work by RSU 14 toward developing a vision for the new school building started more than a year ago. 

“The district engaged the services of an experienced school planner named Frank Locker who has worked with teams across the world to design and build new school buildings,” Howell said.  “Frank has been working with a group of stakeholders through a process of examining middle level programming, student grouping, functionality and equipment, environment in the new learning space, future learning, and how the building can be used for all members of the RSU 14 community.  A final report from the work of this group will be presented this spring.  The document will be used by the architects to develop concept designs for the new building.”

Once an architect has been chosen by the district, RSU 14 representatives will then meet with the Maine DOE in a pre-design conference to discuss methods that can simplify construction through use of efficient engineering systems, designs, and come up with realistic construction schedules for the project.

It’s been a long road for RSU 14 to reach this point in the process, but one that the Windham Middle School principal says he is happy to see becoming a reality.

“I am very excited to begin working with the state on our school construction project. Not only will we be able to create a safe and welcoming school, but we will have the opportunity to design a building that meets the educational needs of our students in this current age and for generations of students to come,” said Drew Patin, WMS principal. “We will create spaces that promote lifelong skills, such as collaboration, problem-solving, creativity, and perseverance.”

He said the intention of the project is for Windham Middle School to be a place of high engagement for students by focusing on teaching the skills needed for our students to be successful in the workplace and post-secondary educational settings.

“Our mission is for school to not look like the typical school setting and for students to go home excited to tell their parents, guardians, and friends about their experiences that day,” he said. < 

Employees at Windham Weaponry awarded for generous contributions by Lorraine Glowczak

The employees at Windham Weaponry, Inc. were presented with a plaque by Drew Patin, Principal at ^th to show gratitude to the employees for giving a portion of their income to the programs; contributing a total of $750 per month during the school year.

Windham Middle School (WMS) and Marge Govoni, Coordinator of the Backpack and WMS Student Assistance Program (also known as Community Cares Program). The award was presented on Tuesday, June 12

Patin choked back tears when he expressed his appreciation. “Your contributions have made a huge impact on the students who need extra financial help. There is always a need and I’m often trying to help students in many ways. I work to find ways and to assist the students’ basic life necessities. Your contributions help us immensely.”

Community Cares Program was established to help WMS students who experience financial hardships. The program has assisted students with clothing, food, shoes, scholarships toward field trips and other necessary educational programming. The monies are also used to help with any other need a student may have that is essential to their educational growth and overall health.

“On a macro level, this program helps to build community through giving time and financial support,” Patin said. “It provides a sense of belonging and is what helps people get up in the morning.”

Mary K. Galipeau, Windham Weaponry’s BATF/Exports and Compliance Manager, stated that the idea of giving to this program was introduced by Cheryl Eliason, the Customer Service Manager.
“She put the idea out there, and we all thought it was a great idea,” Galipeau stated. “We’ve been contributing to this cause ever since.”

To make a contribution to help fund food and other necessary resources to all students in the RSU14 system, please contact Govoni at mgovoni@rsu14.org.

Windham Middle School participates in engaging and exciting learning methods by Lorraine Glowczak

The students at Windham Middle School (WMS) will participate in Project Based Learning (PBL) from now until the end of the year. PBL is an energizing, inspiring and student-centered mode of educational discovery that includes subjects in the humanities, math, English language arts, science and data analysis. 
 

“The teachers understand they are required to meet certain standards and criteria,” began Principal of WMS, Drew Patin. “With Project Based Learning, they deliver these educational expectations in an engaging, compelling and exciting way. Often, the students have so much fun, they don’t realize they are learning something important in the process.”

Each grade level and classroom will work on a specific topic. The projects’ learning process will include interviews, field trips, speaking with a panel of experts in their field of study, as well as building and maintaining specific project designs as it relates to their topic. There will be guiding questions, kick-off events and final products for the required learning outcome. Part of that learning outcome will be shared with the community via print media, including The Windham Eagle newspaper.

The various topics of which the students will participate include the following:

·         Students working with veterans to understand the history of wars, the qualities of a hero, and the sacrifices and contributions made by those who served.

·         Students taking an active role of environmental scientist by constructing an argument supported by evidence that explains the negative effects of pollution in water.

·         In the topic “Be the Voice: Giving a Voice to those that are Voiceless in the Face of Adversity,” students will choose an adversity that the Earth faces due to human factors. They will research this topic to explain implications of this problem and make suggestions for change.

·         Students will learn about the opioid epidemic in Maine by researching its impact on the state and devise solutions to improve Maine’s future.

·         For the “Dam It” projects, students will provide an evidence-based position/opinion on the removal or continued use of a dam on the Presumpscot River.

Last year's class helping with the PWD

·         A team of students will facilitate a project in which they will work collaboratively to become informed and opinionated citizens about controversial renewable energy sources.

·         Another project will engage a team of students in a project where they will develop answers to the following question: “What makes a sustainable community?” 

·         A group of music students will discover ways to make music more accessible to all students in the RSU14 district.

Other projects will look at heart disease, vaping, cultural awareness, hydroponics and how to make a change in democracy.

Each teacher determined the subject matter, based upon their students’ interests. “We wanted to choose a topic that was relevant to our area (community) and many of our students live near or frequent Sebago Lake and other local bodies of water,” explained sixth grade teacher, Cory Didonato, whose group project is entitled, “How Dirty is Our Water?”.

Patin stated that in his experience with PBL, the conversations among students changes from ‘What show did you see last night?’ to ‘What subject and expedition will you be participating in?’.

“Project Based Learning gets kids excited about education,” explained Patin. 

Didonato agreed. “Project Based Learning is inquiry-based which makes the learning more relevant for students. It allows them to tackle real world issues which makes for deeper learning and - hopefully - enjoyment. We enjoy it because we get to see students excited and motivated to make a difference in the world around them.”

Not only do the students get excited about the learning process, but PBL is beneficial to the teachers. “I have found that the teachers are recharged with this style of teaching,” Patin said.

It won’t be long when the students and teachers of WMS will share their excitement for learning with the community. Be on the look out in future editions of The Windham Eagle, as the students share their learning outcomes with our readers.

“This is an opportunity to improve the students’ work,” stated Patin. “They are aware that not only will their teachers see their completed assignments, but others will see what they have done, too.”