Windham Primary School to start school year with popsicles

By Dina Mendros

It doesn’t get much better for kids on a summer day than enjoying an icy cold popsicle. To keep the summer fun going before heading back to school, Windham Primary School will once again be holding “Popsicles on the Playground with Principals” on Monday, Aug. 25. Two days after that on Aug. 27 is the official first day of school for first- through third-graders. Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students start after Labor Day with half the students on Sept. 2 and the other half on Sept. 3.

Windham Primary School will once again be conductiing
the 'Popsicles on the Playground with Principals' event
to welcome students and their families back to school
from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 25.
COURTESY PHOTO  

According to WPS Principal Dr. Kyle Rhoads, a lot has taken place while students were having fun during summer vacation.

Some students didn’t have the whole summer off as a number were attending summer school. “Summer Academies, both online and in-person, were successful and well-received by families,” Rhoads said. “Like during the school year, our concerted efforts to support students make a difference. Impressive work indeed! Thanks to all the staff for their help this summer.”

There will be some new faces during the 2025-2026 school year. New WPS teachers include Pre-K teacher Tatum Ledue; Special Education teacher Ashley Dunham-Conway; Grade 1 teacher Kim Courtemanche; music teacher Sara Wolfe; part-time music teacher Marie Jacques; and part-time music teacher Eric Yim. Other new WPS staff members include Special Education Site Coordinator Kim Guptill; school psychologist Kaylee Jipson; and Special Education Ed Tech Amanda Day.

In addition to new faces some physical changes took place at the school over the summer. “The construction crews, tech department and custodial crews have been very busy getting our school ready on time,” Rhoads said. “Our school has been under construction with roof upgrades and a new gym floor. Many of our spaces have gotten a new paint job, too.”

WPS is one of the largest elementary schools in the state with about 780 registered students for school this fall. It serves students from Pre-K through third grade. The school's core values are teamwork, growth, creativity, and acceptance, with learners at the center.

Among the changes this year is the addition of a Pre-K classroom. “We are adding one Pre-K classroom because we had the chance to expand the overall RSU 14 Pre-K program,” Rhoads said. “In the future, we will expand Pre-K classes at Windham Primary School. Our program is just beginning, and it is exciting to welcome our first 4-year-olds.”

The school will be using the Building Assets, Reducing Risks (BARR) model for the second year.

“The model has been research-based for over 20 years and addresses the needs of students by strengthening teacher-student relationships and using real-time data to inform interventions,” Rhoads said. “However, successful implementation requires expert coaching and support. Teaching staff will have two full days of training with the organization this year.

Before the school year starts, students and their families will have a change to meet with Principal Rhoads and Assistant Principal Diana Jordan and other WPS staff at the “Popsicles on the Playground with Principals” from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Aug. 25. The event will include school tours, directions for the Parent Square app, playing on the playground, and of course, popsicles.

Rhoads said he started the event when he first became principal of WPS in 2008. “I used this event as one of my first opportunities to get to know the families of students. The following summer staff and families shared that they hoped I would continue the event. I decided to continue it. When our new playgrounds were built, it also became an opportunity to celebrate and enjoy them, too.”

“Popsicles with the Principal highlights many important parts of our school community,” he said. “Most importantly, it provides a great chance for the students, staff and families to reconnect after summer and build new relationships while enjoying popsicles and our beautiful playgrounds! We are looking forward to this opportunity to meet with the students and their families. The event is an indicator that school is returning, and summer is winding down.”

Later in the fall the annual WPS Fall Festival free school community event will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. on Oct. 25. Other family events for the year can be found at tinyurl.com/mw4a56x7.

Those wishing to volunteer at WPS for the first time should contact the office at 207-892-1840 or attend the Volunteer Orientation scheduled for Sept. 17 in the school library from noon to 6 p.m. <

RSU 14 budget heads to voters on May 14

By Ed Pierce

The RSU 14 Board of Directors have approved a budget for 2025-2026 of $67,861,394 and the proposal now heads to voters in Windham and Raymond for approval on May 14.

Staff members and Superintendent of Schools Chris Howell
at RSU 14's administrative offices in Windham helped to
formulate the school district's $67,861,394 budget for
2025-2026 that will be voted upon by Windham and Raymond
residents on May 14. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

During a meeting of the board on April 9, RSU 114 Superintendent of Schools Chris Howell said the budget represents a 12.75 percent increase over last year’s budget, with a 6.4 percent increase stemming from the construction of the new Windham Raymond Middle School. Also driving up costs are increases in RSU’s Regular Operating Expenses and a Pre-K expansion program.

“This is an unusual budget this year, with a higher than typical increase due to the initial bonds for the new middle school and an expansion to our Pre-K programming,” Howell said. “Both new projects are coupled with increased subsidies for the district. When examining the budget this year, it is best to look at the increase as being made up of three different parts.”

Howell said that first, the budget proposal contains a 5.6 percent increase in year-over-year expenses with the increase largely being driven by an increase in salaries and benefits contained within negotiated contracts.

“This increase, which is in line with proposed increases for other districts in our region, will result in compensation packages that are competitive and on average with other Cumberland County school districts,” Howell said. “In addition to the increases covered in contracts, the increase is also being driven by increased costs for electricity, energy, equipment and supplies.”

The second factor to consider with this proposed budget is it includes roughly a 1 percent increase for the addition of 59 Pre-K enrollment slots which will result in roughly a $620,000 increase to the budget. Howell said $510,000 of this increase will be offset by additional state subsidy specifically allocated for expanding Pre-K programs.

“The additional Pre-K placement slots will significantly reduce our current waiting list of students who are hoping to participate in the Pre-K program,” he said.

According to Howell, a third factor in the budget proposal is the inclusion of the first bond payment for the new middle school construction project resulting in nearly a 6 percent increase.

“Importantly, 90 percent of the cost of this first bond will be paid by additional subsidy from the State of Maine, significantly reducing the overall cost of the project for local taxpayers,” he said. “The total of the three budget areas represents a 12.75 percent increase over the current year, but it does not represent a similar increase in taxation. Over half of the proposed increase for this year will be reduced through an additional state subsidy and fund balance that will be used to reduce taxation.”

The school district began working on the budget in early November. Howell said that each line of the budget was reviewed to look for any possible savings.

“Current enrollment numbers and projected enrollment numbers for every grade level were reviewed,” he said. “Where possible, classroom positions were reallocated from grade levels with lower enrollments to grade levels with higher numbers.”

The budget proposal includes cutting a Day One teaching position and 3 ½ Ed Tech positions while adding an educational interpreter from Support Services. Manchester School will cut a Grade 5 classroom teacher but add a Grade 4 classroom teacher. Raymond Elementary School will cut one classroom teaching position. Windham Primary School will cut one classroom teaching position but add a Pre-K teaching position and add a Pre-K Ed Tech. RSU 14 Technology will add 1 Grade Level of Computers. Overall, the school district will add a part-time assistant cook.

Howell said challenges in putting together this budget proposal included negotiated contracts; taking increasing valuations for Windham and Raymond into account; a reduction in the subsidy the district receives for economically disadvantaged students; and a new 1 percent salary tax to fund Maine’s Paid Leave Act. Other budget considerations were inflation of goods for purchased services, increased energy costs for electricity and motor fuels and ongoing increases in costs for employee health insurance.

The 2024-2025 RSU 14 budget approved by voters was $60,185,403.

Howell said that the 2025-2026 budget proposal is available for review by the community by visiting rsu14.org or by calling the district office at 207-892-1800.

The district will be holding a public budget meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14 in the Windham High School Auditorium. All registered voters in Windham and Raymond are welcome to attend. The budget approved at the May 14 meeting will be sent to the voters in Windham and Raymond for the June 10 school budget vote. <