Windham Community Center begins to take shape at third and final forum

Monday evening's survey included the choice of a
pool concept design.Submitted photo

By Matt Pascarella

The third and final scheduled public forum to discuss the planning and development of a Windham Community Center was held on Monday, March 25 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Town Hall community gym. Approximately 15-20 people were in attendance. The forum was also made available remotely via Facebook Live.

In the first forum, Linda Brooks, Director of Windham Parks and Recreation, stated that a survey was sent to Windham citizens in 2016 and 2017. The results indicated the want for a community center with intentions and purposes of giving Windham a sense of place that accommodates the needs and activities of all demographics.

The proposed location is the Morrell property located near the rotary and Smith Cemetery at the intersection of Routes 302 and 202. This property is town owned and is currently being evaluated.

In the second forum, the design firm, Harriman (previously known as Harriman Association), proposed three concept designs: 1) a 20,000 square foot building with two floors that would include all the critical items such as a 2-court gym and indoor track, two locker rooms, pool, lobby and adult fitness area. 2) a “phase” approach which would entail constructing the center in phases. Still 20,000 square feet, it would contain a 2-court gym and indoor track, two locker rooms, a lobby, a 365 square foot kitchen, two multi-purpose rooms, a teen room, a senior room and administrative offices. 3) an all-purpose building: a roughly 60,000 square foot building that would include a three-court gym and indoor track, large pool, small pool, two locker rooms and a 625 square foot kitchen.

All designs would include outdoor space for an athletic field, playground and parking spaces.

In the third forum, Mark Lee and Emily Innes, both of Harriman, revealed Windham residents selected the third concept design, the all-purpose building by a vast majority. Concept design number three would include: a three-court gym and indoor track, 2 pools, locker rooms, kitchen, youth and adult wellness studio, childcare room and administrative office. While the original square footage estimate was 60,000; given the contents of the building and its surroundings, a new square footage estimate of roughly 70,000-84,000 was given.

Harriman presented Monday night’s attendees with three pool designs. A competition style pool, with six lanes, ideal for swim meets and practices; a family pool, which has more of a wide-open swim area with a ramp for entry; and a hybrid pool which has a competition section on one side and a wide-open swim area on the other.

Attendees were given ballots and broke into groups to discuss which pool they thought was best. For those who were watching via Facebook Live, there is a similar ballot available on the Windham Parks and Recreation website. When the ballots were counted from the meeting, the hybrid pool came in first, then the competition pool followed by the family pool. A final pool concept design will be decided next month.

At this point in the process, Harriman’s responsibility is to take the input from the final forum and present it to the building committee, deciding if the program elements desired by the community have been captured in concept design number three. If so, Harriman will do a final concept design to get a more concrete sense of the area of the building and what the construction budget will be. A study will be written based on the concept design and that study will be given to the building committee and eventually presented to the town council.

“I think there’s a tremendous amount of excitement towards this project,” added Pat Moody, Chair of the Windham Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee. “The data is clear. There is overwhelming support for concept number three. I think the next phase is figuring out what the cost will be, the revenue generating opportunities, how we can fund it and make it a reality.”

Council member, Jarod Maxfield is behind the community center effort. “I think it’s a great idea to explore and I’m definitely behind it,” he stated. “I need to know more about the revenue and costs and how we’re going to make money, but to be good for the town and the residents and especially with our aging population and all the families moving to town, it’s a needed resource.”

Lee projected the rough cost of this facility would be between $36.2 million and $39.8 million, with a projected timeline of 3-5 years from concept to construction.

For more information about each concept design and to vote on the pool concept design of your choice, contact the Windham Parks and Recreation Department at (207) 892-1905 or ljbrooks@windhammaine.us. or visit www.windhamrecreation.com.

Doctor leads an evolution in occupational therapy and community leadership

Dr. Kate Loukas

Matt Pascarella

Dr. Kathryn Loukas has been a Windham resident for 29 years and heavily involved in the community programs like Youth Soccer, Riding to the Top, and Windham/Raymond Performing Arts. She has also been helping others since she started in occupation therapy (OT) in the Windham School system in 1993.

Originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Dr. Loukas loved the outdoors and had worked for the Outward Bound School in Colorado. She had had the opportunity to work for the Outdoor Education Center for the Handicapped and she described it as life changing. She worked with five young men who had spinal cord injuries and were skiers. She knew from that moment, she wanted to work with people who had grit and determination and were finding joy in life on a different level. 

When she graduated with her degree in occupational therapy in 1985, Dr. Loukas and her husband moved to Maine, eventually working for the Windham School system.

“I had an epiphany. I had been working mostly with adults, and when my oldest son went to kindergarten, I saw this really fun room [in the Primary School] where the occupational therapist was helping children access education and I wanted to be a part of that community.” The occupational therapist at the time retired the next week and Dr. Loukas was hired shortly after that.

She worked in Windham Schools for seven years and during that time, also taught courses at the University of New England (UNE). She had always liked teaching and promoting her profession but enjoyed working in the schools.

 In 1998, she split her time between Raymond (working at Jordan-Small Middle School and Raymond Elementary School) and teaching at UNE. Dr. Loukas eventually transitioned to only working at the university.

Dr. Loukas got her doctorate in Occupational Therapy in 2010 from Creighton University online in Nebraska.

In 2013, Dr. Loukas had the opportunity to go to Tangier, Morocco where UNE was building a campus. She observed the cultural differences in occupations (eating, dressing, bathing, education) and the need for occupational therapy. Recently, she was able to teach an interprofessional course with occupational and physical therapy students.  As part of the course the students visited service sites, including an orphanage and a school for children with developmental disabilities. “UNE hosted the first ever OT conference in Morocco,” stated Dr. Loukas. “[This] was really exciting to participate in the evolution of a profession in a developing country. We could see the need and role and were able to facilitate the infancy of the occupational therapy profession at the service sites. The teaching was bringing occupational therapy to Morocco.”

In 2016, Dr. Loukas and physical therapy professor, Dr. Eileen Ricci and several others at UNE helped to develop the Maine Leadership Education for children with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities. Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities (LEND) provides high-quality interprofessional education and practice training programs that are funded through the Health Resources and Services Administration Maternal and Child Health Bureau in 52 sites across the country.  Dr. Loukas serves as the Training Director as LEND develops interprofessional teams that include family members, students, social workers, speech and language pathologists. LEND also includes self-advocates as trainees working to improve the health and community participation of infants, children, and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disabilities.

“The idea is that we are creating future interprofessional leaders. I work directly with students, early career practitioners, self-advocates, and family members to build leadership and create programs in the state; it has been a culminating experience for my career to be part of the LEND program,” stated Dr. Loukas. “It is really exciting, as it is experiential teaching where I can spend more time with individual trainees, helping them develop their leadership skills as we work with children and families.  The LEND program also seeks to influence policy to support the rights of people with disabilities through our legislative process on the state and national levels. It is important work and I am honored to be a part of it.”

Dr. Loukas lives with her husband, Kane, and has two sons, two daughters-in-law, a granddaughter, and a grandchild on the way. She loves the outdoors and has a camp in Millinocket where she hikes, kayaks, and skis.

On a personal note, Dr. Loukas was my OT early on and I have continued working with her through the years. I am very grateful for her patience and dedication to her profession (and with me). She is someone who cares deeply about what she does and has her client’s/student’s best interest at heart.

Kerry Kowalcyzk eases post-graduation stress

Kerry Kowalcyzk

By Matt Pascarella

It’s not easy navigating the post high school process. Whether you plan to go to college, enter the workforce, or go in another direction, there can be a lot to do and be hard to figure out. That’s where Kerry Kowalcyzk comes in. She’s a college and career specialist at Windham High School.

Kowalcyzk is a member of JMG/MELMAC, a collaborative foundation with a mission to offer a continuation of support for students after high school. The goal is to help students identify aspirations for life and then connect those aspirations to a post-secondary plan.’ Kowalcyzk works with freshman through seniors as well as the graduates. “I do anything post-graduation planning or post-graduation helping,” she explained. “I’m not the college lady, I’m the ‘what are you going to do after graduation’ lady.”

A biology major and graduate from the University of Maine at Farmington, Kowalcyzk worked as an admissions counselor for eight years. She decided instead of trying to get students into one school, she wanted to spread her wings and do a little bit more with everyone. Kowalcyzk wanted to help students looking at a career path, not just the college focus. She doesn’t like the question ‘what is your major?’  she feels ‘what career path do you want to go?’ is a more accurate, appropriate question.

“I want the students to all have a plan. I want them to be excited for graduation, not because they’re leaving high school, but for whatever their next step is. I get excited when a student comes in junior year and says, ‘I don’t know what I want to do’ and then comes to me right before graduation and says ‘this is what my plan is,’” stated Kowalcyzk.

While 70% of students that Kowalcyzk works with go on to some form of higher education, a large portion investigate taking a year off, participating in the workforce or staying in their current job. One of her goals is to make connections that might lead to something they’re interested in.

JMG/MELMAC grant allows Kowalcyzk to arrange activities like field trips to colleges or businesses, running the college fair and handling some of the colleges who come in and speak to students. Her budget through MELMAC Education Foundation is to help with post-secondary planning. Kowalcyzk also provides outreach services to all students from the last two graduating classes by calling them three times a year to see how they’re doing. “Windham wants to make sure that when students walk out, they have a direction,” she said.

A Gorham resident, Kowalcyzk loves science. She’s a big fan of the outdoors and describes her favorite activity as being outside, drinking coffee and reading a book. She has lived in many places from Iceland to Florida as her dad was in the Navy. Kowalcyzk has experience doing many things; she was a restaurant manager, a white-water rafting guide and a soccer coach. She describes herself as a helper and wants a student’s day to be better because they met with her.

“I want students to come in here and know that when they leave, they’re not going to be stressed. I usually give them long to-do lists, but we have a plan. I think most students who walk out of here go ‘this is my next step’ and that’s always my goal.”

100 years of customer service: Levinsky’s celebrates centennial

By Matt Pascarella

At one time or another, you’ve probably been in Levinsky’s on Route 302 in Windham. Whether you need a sweatshirt, pair of pants, winter clothing or some Patriots or Red Sox apparel, Levinsky’s has been serving the public for years. This April marks their 100^th anniversary.

Owner Eric Levinsky’s grandfather, Jacob Levinsky, regularly brought military surplus items like blankets, buckets and clothing from Fort Williams to his barn on 8 Oxford Street in Portland and sold them to the public. The very first Levinsky’s opened in 1919 and that same store remained opened into the 1990s.

Eric Levinsky describes that first store, originally called New England Army Supply as the beginning of it all. “The roots that started that store in 1919 are the same ones that have moved it forward.” It evolved into a men’s clothing store, although early on it carried everything from basketballs to belts to firearms.

Eric describes his grandfather and grandmother as being conservative in their consumption and lifestyle, common for the era. In 1930, during the Depression, Jacob was able to sell a significant amount of army candles, similar to a tea candle, to the Hannaford Brothers during a big ice storm when all the power went out in the Munjoy Hill area. Jacob sold enough candles and made enough money to make it through the Depression.

After the popularity of the bellbottom pant in the 1960s and 1970s, Levinsky’s became a men’s and women’s clothing store instead of just a men’s clothing store. With so many new clothing styles and brands, Levinsky’s popularity skyrocketed in the late 1980s. Levinsky’s opened a store in Freeport on Route One, one in Brewer and in the Windham Mall. Unfortunately, over time the Freeport, Brewer and Portland locations had to close, but the Windham Mall location was very successful until business began to change in the mall. In 2005, Eric decided it would be better to move to their current location as a freestanding store on Route 302.

Eric started working for his father and grandfather in 1972 when he was 13 years old. When he turned 15, Eric began to take on a bit of a managerial role. He attended trade shows with his father and learned how and what type of merchandise needed to be purchased for the store. Eric saw the relationships his father made. He stated that building relationships is important, whether it be for business reasons or otherwise. He enjoys working with people and the sociability of talking with customers. Eric stated that he is especially interested in learning about customers and what products they are looking for and need.

Ad from 1985

Eric described his family as being well embedded in Maine. Often, customers come in and reminisce about past experiences or purchases. Eric said that these intimate connections made with people are so unusual and is what he enjoys about his job.

“Bigger stores could never provide that feeling of community, one-on-one, that we have had for a hundred years,” Eric explained.

“We appreciate our customers, we know our customers and we love our customers. We always put them first. There is always a Levinsky in the store; we try to do it right for our customers ... we have a big heart and care about people. If you want to talk to us, we definitely want to talk to you.”

Happy Anniversary, Levinsky’s!

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There’s no such thing as “can’t” for Raymond adaptive skier

Anita Emery (photo:Disabled Sports USA/Hartford Ins. Co.)

By Matt Pascarella

Anita Emery is unstoppable. Born with cerebral palsy and told by doctors she would never walk, Emery has been skiing with Maine Adaptive Skiing (formerly Maine Handicapped Skiing) since she was seven years old. Now 22, she recently participated in her third Ski Spectacular, a nationwide race camp for disabled young racers held in Breckenridge, Colorado.

The Ski Spectacular, in its 31^st year, is sponsored and largely funded by The Hartford Insurance company. Participants are evaluated and grouped with similarly skilled skiers. Everyone there has a disability of some sort. They understand and can learn from each other. “You get to meet so many people that might have a different disability than you and seeing how they do things is really cool,” observes Emery, who is an alpine skier and racer.

Participants, who get four days of training, are trained in both the slalom and giant slalom. A fun race where participants get to create their own teams is how the training session ends. Emery’s team came in second this year.

Of the twelve coaches at the Ski Spectacular, at least ten of them are Paralympians. “They have so much knowledge and they want to share it. It’s really cool to talk to them and get their point of view,” explains Emery.

Born in Latvia, her adoptive parents Frank and Christine Emery brought Anita and her brother to the United States when Anita was just under two years old. Born with cerebral palsy, doctors told her she would never walk, but after multiple surgeries and physical therapies she proved them wrong. She keeps going. She has played soccer and basketball and swims in the summer. She currently goes to the gym to train.

Emery got interested in skiing through her adoptive father. She quickly fell in love with the sport. She enjoys being outdoors and enjoys the thrill skiing provides. “It’s freeing,” she says. “[When it comes to] racing, I like the competitive aspect whether I’m racing against a clock or racing against someone else and I’m always pushing myself to become better and learn new techniques.”

Emery has recently started volunteering with Maine Adaptive. She goes skiing with individuals for the day and teaches them techniques and helps them in any way she can. She says it’s fun to ski with others and learn their story.

(Photo taken by Reed Hoffman)

Emery feels very blessed to be where she is today. She prefers to look at the positive side of things; how much she’s overcome and how she’s learned to adapt to different things in her life. “I think of how I can inspire others and share with people my story and how blessed I am to be able to do it. I try to focus on that and see where skiing takes me,” she reflected.

Emery’s goal for the upcoming season is to race at the end of March in Winterpark, Colorado which would earn her a classification to compete nationally. The classification is based on her abilities. This classification would enable her to participate in the 3-4 days of racing. She also has a long-term goal to get to the Paralympics.

She loves the support and sense of community and family events like the Ski Spectacular and programs like Maine Adaptive provide.

“I really love this sport; I’ve met some great volunteers and great people and I have great coaches that have supported me along this journey.”

The great outdoorsman: The amazing life of Dick Proenneke

Dick Proenneke at his cabin in 1985 (photo: NPS)

By Matt Pascarella

Richard “Dick” Proenneke was a true wilderness man. A member of the Navy, a carpenter, a diesel mechanic and a salmon fisherman are just some of the occupations Proenneke had over the course of his life. He built a cabin by hand with his own tools in Twin Lakes, Alaska where he would live separate from society for thirty years.

John Branson, a historian at Lake Clark National Park and Preserve in Alaska and the son of the noted country doctor of Windham – Dr. Sidney Branson, presented a program titled, “Dick Proenneke – One Man’s Wilderness, Twin Lakes, Alaska” on Monday, December 3 at the Little Meeting House in Windham. Branson examined Proenneke’s life before and during his 30-year residence in the Alaskan wilderness.

Proenneke enlisted in the United States Navy the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor and served as a ships carpenter. He spent close to two years at Pearl Harbor. He caught rheumatic fever while hiking after being stationed in San Francisco and was hospitalized for six months. By the time he was discharged in 1945 the war was over.

After his discharge from the Navy, Proenneke went to school in Portland, Oregon to become a diesel mechanic in 1949. He had a strong love of nature and while he was a very good mechanic, he later moved to Oregon to work at a sheep and cattle ranch.

In the early 1950s, Proenneke worked on the Naval Air Station as a heavy equipment operator and repairman in Kodiak, Alaska. He spent the next several years working throughout Alaska as a salmon fisherman and diesel mechanic. When friends of his took him to a cabin of theirs in Twin Lakes, Alaska in 1962, Proenneke enjoyed the connection the cabin brought to the wilderness. He continued making trips to this cabin until 1967.

In May of 1968, he began building his own cabin, and then retired to Twin Lakes, at the age of 51. He would live in solitude for the next 30 years.

In talking with Branson, who was his friend and a historian, he described Proenneke as an independent soul and operator, who eventually got tired of working with machines and wanted to live in the ‘back of beyond.’ This phrase coined by George Washington Sears, an early conservationist in the 19^th century, meaning pure wilderness (mountains, glaciers, tundra); away from civilization.

Proenneke loved nature and didn’t want to disturb it. He was influenced by people (authors like Thoreau and individuals like Sears) but didn’t need to be around them. He kept his own council adds Branson, though he could be very sociable and personable. It was very important for Proenneke to live in harmony with nature.

The white spruce tree provided him with many of his needs; a dominant tree in Twin Lakes, he was able to use this tree for cabin logs, wood for his stove, handles for his tools as well as woodenware, which are utensils, such as spoons, made of wood

Proenneke was very competent with his tools, a skill he likely learned from his father who was a skilled carpenter and mechanic. He knew just how sharp to keep the tools so that they were most effective.

Throughout Proenneke’s thirty years living in the wilderness, he kept very detailed journals as well as took photographs. According to Branson, after he had filled a journal, he would send that journal to friends in Anchorage and they would then send it to Proenneke’s brother, Raymond. After Proenneke’s death in 2003 at the age of 86, his journals, all 119 pounds of them, were donated to the National Parks Service. These journals have been turned into books that Branson has annotated covering the years 1967-1996. The books were donated to the Donellson, Iowa Public Library in Proenneke’s hometown; where there is a Richard Proenneke Museum. These books are sold through non-profit cooperating associations and proceeds go to support the museum.

Branson noted that he never knew anyone to document his life in his cabin as thoroughly as Pronneke did. Branson said he had to be thinking of posterity and his life for future generations. The cabin itself is quite valuable in that it touches people’s souls. Visitors have been known to weep while and after seeing it. Pronnenke had a message of personal freedom and to live the life you want, living simply and in harmony, within your means.

If you would like to read more about Proenneke’s life, Sam Keith, a friend of his who worked for the Fish and Wildlife Services and knew Proenneke from Kodiak, Alaska, wrote a book entitled, “One Man’s Wilderness” which was published in 1973 and is the start of Proenneke’s journey. There is also a two-part documentary currently airing on PBS called, “Alone in the Wilderness.”

Police Sergeant recognized for outstanding work

By Matt Pascarella

Last month, Sergeant Raymond Williams of the Windham Police Department was recognized by the Maine Criminal Justice Academy for his 25+ years of service as a certified Drug Recognition Expert (DRE). There were seven officers, including Sergeant Williams, recognized in Maine. Each officer was recognized for their exceptional work in evaluating 100 or more drug impaired drivers during their career. Sergeant Williams has evaluated 130 impaired drivers.

Sergeant Raymond Williams

A DRE is a police officer trained to recognize impairment in drivers under the influence of drugs other than, or in addition to, alcohol.

In the late 1980s, standardized field sobriety tests to test for alcohol were brought into Maine. These tests were based off standardized practices that all officers across the country were required to use. The tests determine the top three ways to obtain information regarding a person’s impairment. This included the horizontal eye test (involuntary jerks of the eyes), the walk and turn test as well as the standing on one leg test.

Although these standardized tests work well to identify drunk driving, it was discovered that many who were impaired drivers were not impaired by alcohol, and therefore could not be arrested.

As a result, the International Chiefs of Police Association and the Bureau of Highway Safety brought the Drug Evaluation and Classification Program into the state of Maine in the early 1990s, incorporating instructors who had been through the DRE program.

Sergeant Williams knew how frustrating it was to have contact with a person who was clearly under the influence of something, but either had no alcohol or not enough alcohol in their system to be a crime. There was no mechanism to prosecute such people in the late 1980s/early 1990s. So, when the DRE program came to the State of Maine, the Legislature had to add wording into the regulations that stated it was against the law to be under the influence of alcohol and/or any other substance.

“I saw the end result of people operating under the influence,” Williams said. “I wanted to do what I could to get those people off the streets.”

Sergeant Williams became a certified DRE through the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. This included being certified on the standardized field sobriety testing, taking the drug evaluation classification program as well as participation in a two-week DRE school. The program included mock and/or actual evaluations and written testing. To be DRE certified, you also need to be knowledgeable about various types of drugs.

Sergeant Williams, who grew up in Cumberland, went to Southern Maine Community College and got an associate degree. After college, he worked in Windham as a reserve police officer in the summer of 1985 and was hired full time in the summer of 1986. He attended the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in 1987.

Sergeant Williams has been on the department for 33 years and would like to pass on his knowledge until retirement. He manages a firearms program and began the motorcycle unit in 1998 which is still in use today.

Children’s music icon Rick Charette announces semi-retirement by Matt Pascarella

Rich Charette in the early 1990s

If you grew up in or around Maine, you probably know who Rick Charette is. He’s been performing in Maine for close to 40 years. Charette is semi-retiring and will no longer perform at schools or travel for gigs, but he will not give up music completely as he still plans to perform at the occasional event.

Charette, a lifelong Mainer from Westbrook, got his first guitar in junior high school and learned to play by ear from a friend. At the time, Charette was very interested in folk music, especially the music of Bob Dylan. He started playing folk songs and songs from other songwriters of the time. He began writing songs in high school and when he was in his early 20s, opened for folk singer Tom Rush.

Charette has a Bachelor of Arts in English, but music was his passion. He began studying classical guitar and obtained a second degree in music education and then taught music for grades kindergarten through sixth grade.

Charette thought folk songs were ok but wanted something more contemporary for children. One of his instructors at college thought Charette might have a talent writing music for younger audiences and believed this was something Charette should explore.

Charette had an opportunity to meet Mister Rogers

Charette wrote a song called “Bubble Gum” and it got a different reaction from children than when he played folk songs. Charette noticed that children had more energy and attentiveness during his “Bubble Gum” song but didn’t know if it was because he was excited to sing it or that they were up and moving around during the song.

In 1980, Charette met Roy Clark through a roommate. Clark was a good musician and worked for Charette’s roommate’s dad at the Frost and Flame woodstove store in Windham to earn extra cash. Clark liked Charette’s songs and they became business partners.

A record company produced Charette’s first album, but Charette and Clark decided shortly after to start their own company, Pine Point Recording Company, “and 12 albums later, here we are,” he observes.

“Bubble Gum” gave Charette credibility and confidence and, as a result, went on to write two other hits, “Alligator in the Elevator” and “Mud”.

There is no doubt Charette has made a difference within Maine and with many children and individuals. Charette recalls performing at Deering Oaks Park before social media and there was a large crowd filling the park.

“That was the beginning; wherever we would go, the place would fill up,” recalls Charette. He recounts a show in Fairfield where he walked by a mother and daughter waiting for his performances and overheard the daughter say, “Mommy, this is a dream come true.” Charette was very moved that he was able to bring so much joy into a child’s world.

Charette has been recognized on a national level as well. He and Clark were at a literacy conference in San Diego in the 1990s where they were performing and conducting songwriting workshops. They bumped into keynote speaker Fred Rogers. Charette was happy to hear that Rogers was familiar with and liked his music.

Charette believes now is a good time to not close all doors but pull back a little. He would like to write a book about what it’s like being Rick Charette. 

There’s a place for everyone when it comes to Charette’s music.

He observes, “It’s been a lot of fun over the years seeing all the smiles and the joy and the laughter and the silliness.”

Windham High welcomes new principal by Matt Pascarella

Ryan Caron is no stranger to Windham. Although he just took over as principal of the high school in July, Caron taught social studies as well as a contemporary issues class at Windham High from 1999-2006. He was also the freshman soccer and freshman and JV basketball coach as well as being an assistant varsity basketball coach during that time.

“It’s great to be back,’ Caron stated. “Although the role is a little different; it’s exciting to be among the students at Windham High once again.”

Many of Caron’s family work or have worked in education in some form or another. Initially, he walked in the footsteps of his ancestors but discovered that he had a different calling.

Caron attended the University of New England and started out in the Physical Therapy program, but soon discovered that was not for him. He switched to a pre-law track. He then took a liberal arts approach and got his degree in Liberal Studies with a full certification as a high school teacher. Caron used his college electives to get certified to teach Social Studies. He then got his Master’s in Educational Leadership. It was “a long way around to have a degree with some law bits and pieces to it...trying to be a high school social studies teacher I had quite a journey to find the classroom.”

Caron began at Spurwink in Casco working as an educational technician. He was then promoted to a special education teacher and then arrived at Windham High for the 1999-2000 school year.

“Teaching and coaching is a lot of fun – the level of impact you can have with individual students is amazing,” says Caron.

He left Windham in 2006 to gain experience as an assistant principal. Caron had been encouraged by Deb McAfee, the high school principal at the time, as well as other faculty members to look into administration and assistant principal work. Taking their advice, Caron became assistant principal at Sacopee Valley High School in Hiram for several years and then became principal there for three years. He has been principal at South Portland High for the last five years.

Caron never considered the role of principal until he got the opportunity at Sacopee Valley. He took a one-year position as principal there to see if he liked it and, as it turned out, he did. When the principal position at Windham High School opened, Caron had to consider it – it was a great opportunity to come back where he started.

Caron hopes to continue the good work that’s been going on since he left. He and his team want to provide as many opportunities for kids as they can. He wants to take what he’s learned at other schools and apply it at Windham High School so the most benefit is available to kids, teachers and staff.

A Gorham resident, Caron grew up in a small town in Aroostook county. He loved high school and tried hard to take full advantage of it; a lesson he stresses to students. He met his wife in college and they have two children; a daughter in eighth grade and a son in third grade. Caron believes involvement is key. Between Gorham and Windham events, he also believes in supporting community. He enjoys spending time with friends and family.

“I’m happy to be here. I see my job as removing roadblocks for kids, parents and teachers. I love this community. I think there’s a lot of potential in the community and I want to try to maximize that potential.”

Windham High teacher selected to teach financial literacy locally and nationwide by Matt Pascarella

Kelly-Anne Rush

Social Studies teacher Kelly-Anne Rush was one of the 24 teachers, out of over 200 nationwide, selected to attend the Next Gen Personal Finance (NGPF) summer institute workshop in California and become an NGPF fellow this past summer. She will spend this school year advocating for and promoting financial literacy in Maine and across the nation in her role as both a classroom teacher and a fellow.

NGPF is a free high-school personal finance curriculum and professional development partner helping teachers deliver essential money understanding in an easy-to-grasp, engaging way. WHS (Windham High School) is one of the first schools in the state to have a specific financial literacy course requirement for seniors to graduate. Rush believes financial literacy is an important skill and all students should have access to high quality instruction in this area.

During the summer institute, Rush came away with a lot of new curriculum ideas but also ways to advocate for financial literacy education. She has used the free curriculum resources (lessons, videos, assessments) from Next Gen Personal Finance in some of her financial literacy classes and her students love them.

 “My goal for the upcoming school year as a NGPF fellow is to not only continue to develop high quality, engaging lessons and activities for the students in my classroom but also to be an advocate for promoting financial literacy in Maine and across the country,” Rush stated. “I was very excited and honored to be chosen as a fellow and am excited to continue teaching and promoting financial literacy.”

Rush, a Windham native, has wanted to be a teacher for as long as she can remember. Her second-grade teacher, Mrs. Kelly Rich, was the real inspiration for choosing her career path. Rush credits the “American Girl” book series and dolls for instilling her first love of history. Toward the end of high school, she had an extremely energetic U.S. history teacher, Mr. Terry Christy, who inspired her to teach social studies.

She earned her B.S. in Secondary Education from the University of Maine and then earned her master’s from the University of New England in 2007.

Her first teaching job was as a long-term substitute at Lake Region High School in Naples. That position turned into a full-time position and she spent 8 years there before coming to Windham High.

“I really love the community and school district, so I made it a goal to apply for a teaching job [in Windham] when I saw one open up,” Rush explained. “RSU14 offers a tremendous amount of resources, support, and programs for students and staff which makes it a great place to live and work.”

In addition to teaching full time, Rush runs a blog and Instagram account called ‘Crafty Teacher Lady’, focusing primarily on teaching resources as well as home design. She renovates and ‘flips’ houses and furniture, too, and is a bargain shopper, always looking for good deals. She loves to travel and makes an effort to go somewhere new every year, mostly in search of the ‘world’s best donut.’

Windham Public Library children’s events end summer with a pop and a splash by Matt Pascarella

Annabelle Riley & Elliott Schulz 

The Windham Public Library hosted two events earlier this week to end their summer reading program on an ultra-fun note. On Monday, August 20th there was a bubble gum blowing contest and on Tuesday, August 21^st, science exploration was the theme, so children could explore the concept of energy and pressure by bursting open a watermelon.

In the bubble blowing contest, everyone made their own V-shaped measuring tool, called a divider, out of construction paper and a fastener. They chewed a piece – or perhaps two pieces - of gum, then tried to blow the biggest bubble they could.

They used the divider to measure their bubbles, which ranged in shape and size from 1 inch to 6 inches. No winner was crowned, though from what I could see, everyone was blowing some pretty good-sized bubbles.

Organizer Diana Currier, said they had done this event five years ago and it was a big hit, so they decided to do it again.

Children of ages joined in all the fun, chewing, blowing bubbles and measuring and laughing. A good time was had by all – even the parents.

On Tuesday, August 21 a science exploration event was held to teach children about energy by seeing how many elastics it would take to create enough pressure outside a watermelon to make it burst.

A big crowd had gathered, and no one in the crowd had ever seen this experiment done in person, so there was a lot of excitement in the air. Children put elastics, 10 at a time, over the middle of the watermelon.

“I’m scared!” “I’m excited!” was overheard.

After 100 elastics had been put on, no reaction from the watermelon. 200 elastics, no reaction. Once 300 elastics had been put on, the children were getting nervous. They would put their elastics on and back away as quickly as possible. There was a lot of speculation about what and when it would happen. Some children were taking extra precaution by wearing goggles or looking away as soon as their elastic was put on, to prevent any watermelon splash that might get in their eyes if it burst.

Gavin and Cole Williams

The elastics kept going. 350…370…380. At around 390 elastics, it was noticed that some had turned red. The watermelon had also started leaking a little. The watermelon was able to withstand 403 elastics total, but once the 404^th elastic was placed…BAM! It happened so quickly; the top flew up in the air and watermelon was served.

Currier, who orchestrated this event as well, got the idea from a friend of hers who home schools and does a lot of activities similar to this one.

The final number of 404 elastics was a lot more than Currier thought it was going to be. “My job is to make sure the kids have fun [and this event was] excellent,” she remarked.

National Night Out to bolster relationship with law enforcement a success by Matt Pascarella

McGruff, the crime solving dog

On Tuesday evening, August 7^th, the Windham and Gorham law enforcement departments and the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department hosted a National Night Out held at Windham High School. This was a community event seeking to strengthen the relationship between townspeople and law enforcement.

Josh Noyse participates in a kayaking demo

The Windham and Gorham Police Departments put on a K-9 demonstration, showcased new drone technology and county SWAT team members were present along with police cars and motorcycles. Various fire apparatus and the DARE to Adventure program were available to talk and showcase their programs as well.

Service organizations such as Domestic Violence, Trauma Intervention and Be the Influence were on hand so the public could learn more about what they do.

Windham Chief of Police and event organizer, Kevin Schofield, said the National Night Out, which Windham began participating in last year, is “an event to give police departments an opportunity to interact with the community; community members to get to know officers, as well as the various types of programs and equipment that are available to help departments serve our communities.”

“[There are] different things that we do to try and keep people safe other than stop them for speeding and putting handcuffs on people,” said Community Services Officer, Matt Cyr. “[The public] gets to see some of the community policing programs…and lets them see some of the equipment and technology that has really come into law enforcement,” Cyr adds.

Residents from Windham and the surrounding communities were in attendance. Some were there to see what it was all about, while others like Windham resident Angela Wyman, came for the child fingerprinting service for child IDs. Standish resident, Kimberly Nielsen was there with her Den 12 female Cub Scout group working on earning their safety badges.

Each law enforcement department “enjoys meeting new people, getting to know our citizens and displaying and demonstrating some of the programs and equipment we have available,” stated Chief Schofield.

Windham graduate follows in grandfather’s footsteps to become an Air Force Pilot by Matt Pascarella

Devin Pellitier

Devin Pelletier, a 2012 graduate of Windham High School and a 2016 graduate of the Air Force Academy recently finished training and officially became a pilot, receiving his wings on May 18, 2018.

Pelletier gave a speech during his high school graduation as an Honor essayist. This speech was dedicated to service members as well as to his grandfather, Edmond Theriault who was a World War II B-17 pilot and recently honored for his service at last week’s Memorial Day event in Windham.

Pelletier wanted to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather and joined the Air Force. He knew that is what he wanted to do while in his junior year of high school, never once hesitating after upon making that realization.

There are a lot of opportunities in the Air Force. Initially, Pelletier was interested in becoming an engineer, but over time, he became more interested in becoming a pilot. His grandfather was a big influence on this decision.  

To become a pilot, he took academic classes the first month; and then began flying in a T-6 Texan II plane, which is an aircraft designed specifically to assist in training pilots. Pelletier learned airspace rules, how the systems worked and eventually switched over to a T-38 C Talon, a supersonic trainer. In this aircraft he focused more on formation flying and supporting other pilots in an air-to-air type fight.

At first, Pelletier said flying an aircraft was quite stressful; there’s a lot to pay attention to such as altitude, airspeed as well as all that is around you, listening to the radio and listening to the instructor. He stated that there’s always more to learn though; once you learn one skill you move on to another.

His grandfather was very happy for his grandson but was curious as to how Pelletier navigated. “We use GPS.” His grandfather shakes his head and replies, “We had to use the stars.”

Last week, Pelletier headed to Oklahoma for further training in a KC-135 plane, a military aerial refueling aircraft. This aircraft supports fighters when they need fuel. He will later travel to Okinawa, Japan where he will be stationed for two to three years flying the KC-135 plane.

We wish Pilot Pelletier the best.