Curriculum a critical factor in RSU 14 student academic success

Curriculum choices including books and instructional
materials play a major role in a student's academic success
and challenging young minds is a top priority for educators
in selecting curriculum for RSU 14 students, officials say.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

By Collette Hayes

Through the years, studies have shown that a school district’s curriculum choices are a major factor in a student’s academic success. And with that in mind, challenging young minds remains at the forefront of how curriculum is selected for RSU 14 students.

District officials say that curriculum that is graduating in difficulty as a student progresses through the school system fosters learning, intellectual growth and the ability to make clear and concise decisions later in life by developing critical thinking skills needed to solve and overcome problems.

According to Christine Frost-Bertinet, RSU 14’s assistant superintendent, the challenge that local schools must meet is to inspire, nurture and provide every learner with the tools necessary to become responsible, informed citizens while meeting the Maine Learning Results Standards.

Strong curriculum and interactions with teachers, mentors and peers, offers the possibility for engaging learning experiences that can meaningfully shape lives and transform communities, she said.

“There are policies established by the RSU 14 Board of Directors that guide the work of selecting instructional materials,” said Frost-Bertinet.

The district’s instructional program and library media centers align with district policies and support its strategic plan to meet short- and long-term goals.

“A student should be able to see themselves in a positive light in any text,” said Christine Hesler, RSU 14’s Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment. “When selecting texts, you are looking at your students and their needs and where they are coming from with varied reading skills, interests and backgrounds. Through texts, students should be broadening their perspectives, building empathy and developing a more global understanding of others.”

According to Frost-Bertinet, when selecting materials, teachers take into consideration developmental appropriateness, as well as the varied ability levels within a class, while often focusing on the same
theme and standards.

She said that teachers identify instructional tools needed to support the school district’s curriculum and strive to teach in transformative ways by personalizing learning at high levels regardless of ability level.

Licensed teachers in the state of Maine complete a teacher-certification program that includes extensive educational course work to meet licensing requirements. Then they must regularly participate in professional development to renew their credentials.

Frost-Bertinet said teachers address a student’s social and emotional well-being by weaving Maine’s Guiding Principles into academic core standards to ensure all areas of their development and learning are supported and they grow academically, intellectually and personally.

“We know that students are exposed to a wide range of issues in school, at home and in their global community. Our work as educators is to create a learning atmosphere that supports a deep understanding of varied topics and promotes respect,” Frost-Bertinet said. “RSU 14 teachers need to be mindful when teaching controversial, sensitive issues and follow the guidelines outlined in our policy.”

Board policies recognize the educational expertise of professional staff and the need for such staff to be involved in the recommendation of instructional materials, Frost-Bertinet said.

“The Board delegates responsibility for the selection of instructional materials and Library-media resources to the professionally trained personnel employed by RSU 14, subject to the criteria and procedures for selection and the board’s policy,” she said.

From time to time there could be topics in the curriculum which may be objectionable to individual students and or parents/legal guardian based on their particular religious, moral or philosophical beliefs. To address that, the RSU 14 Board of Directors has established a policy in which parents and guardians of students have the right to request exemption from instruction when it infringes on their beliefs.

“Multiple policies that focus on instructional materials are being reviewed by the board’s Policy Committee in response to more recent concerns that have been brought forward,” said Frost-Bertinet. “Any proposed revisions will be presented to the full board for review.”    

Overall, the Maine Department of Education provides oversight management of RSU 14’s curriculum, instructional and assessment practices throughout the district’s schools in Windham and Raymond.

Additional curriculum information can be found by visiting the Windham/Raymond Schools RSU 14 Curriculum website at https://www.rsu14.org/ <

RSU 14’s Christopher Howell named Maine’s 2022 Superintendent of the Year

RSU 14's Christopher Howell was awarded
the 2022 Superintendent of the Year honor
on Wednesday, Oct. 27 by Jim Boothby,
the president of the Maine School
Superintendent Association.
PHOTO BY AARON HOWELL

By Lorraine Glowczak

Upon learning the news that Raymond and Windham School district’s Superintendent, Christopher Howell, was named Superintendent of the Year for 2022, local community members posted on social media praising him with accolades such as: “An honored bestowed to one of the best.”, “Truly deserved.”, “Congratulations to the BEST.”, “You certainly have earned this honor.”, “We have a super Super.,” and “RSU 14 is so fortunate.”

, Oct. 27Howell’s award was officially announced on Wednesday, Oct. 27 by Jim Boothby, President of the Maine School Superintendent Association. Upon hearing the news, Howell shared his deep appreciation and response.

“I feel humbled by this special recognition,” he said. “There are so many superintendents in the state who have worked just as hard as I have throughout the pandemic. They also have spent an extraordinary amount of time and commitment to get their school districts through the challenges of COVID. They deserve this award just as much as I do.”

Assistant Superintendent Christine Frost-Bertinet, who works closely with Howell, said that he is at the forefront of all district initiatives, has a deep understanding of school finance, policies, curriculum, strategic planning, facilities, general operations, negotiations, and supervision and evaluation guides – all the while getting the school district through a very trying time.

“Without question, Superintendent Howell leads our district with the highest level of integrity, educational vision, and organizational understanding,” Frost-Bertinet said. “He exudes kindness and a calm, centered approach daily, characteristics that have served to create a remarkably healthy climate and culture across all schools and programs. Superintendent Howell has also fostered positive relationships with town officials and outside organizations, as he sees his work as a school leader to be far-reaching and one that can support the growth of healthier communities where all can thrive.”

Frost-Bertinet also said that Howell, who has worked in education for the last 28 years with the past 25 of those years for the Windham and Raymond school district has been able to work collaboratively with colleagues and local officials to advance critically important work that will have positive and lasting impacts for thousands of learners. His leadership approach is highly inclusive, thought-provoking, and deeply reflective.

His reflective and inclusive approach to youth was recognized by a former mentor, Dave Halligan, a well-known soccer coach in the Falmouth School district. Halligan is the one who encouraged him to go into education as a career.

“I was influenced by Dave while I was in college and was the assistant soccer coach with him,” Howell said. “He told me that education was something I should go into because he thought I’d be good at it. He is the one who pushed me in this direction.”

Halligan is not surprised by Howell’s recognition.

“This award is well deserved,” Halligan said. “Chris is an outstanding individual who is a people person. He can relate to everyone – whether they are a student, a peer, or a parent. He is able to communicate with everyone with ease and really listen to them. These are the reasons why I encouraged him to go into education.”

In terms of Howell’s educational philosophy, he said he believes in developing strong relationships with kids to help them with their future successes.

“When you really get to know them, you can figure out their strengths and weaknesses. From there, you can figure out how you can help them decide what path they will follow after graduation. We need to prepare kids so they can make an authentic choice for their next step when leaving school. It doesn’t matter to me if it is college or a job after school. What matters most is that they are prepared and confident to go in the direction that works best for them. As a result, we as educators must be as creative as we possibly can to meet students’ needs and the multiple pathways that are available for an individual to take.”

Howell’s educational biography is impressive and includes being honored by the New England Secondary School Consortium as a Champion for public education in Maine. He has served the educational community through a variety of positions and support roles that include being a board member and President of the Maine Curriculum Leaders Association as well as an advisory board member for New England Secondary School Consortium and a member of multiple ad hoc committees for the Maine Department of Education.

Howell currently serves on the board for Jobs for Maine’s Graduates and is on the advisory board for the School of Education and Human Development Advisory Committee. He also serves as the President of the Greater Sebago Education Alliance and the Cumberland County School Superintendents Association.

Frost-Bertinet captures the community sentiments when she said that Howell understands the importance of fostering healthy relationships with learners, staff, parents, community members, and outside agencies.

“His outreach to the community has served to support a positive response as the district worked through many of the pandemic-related constraints,” she said. “His presence, whether it be in person or virtually, ignites a shared commitment to doing what is right by the children in our communities.” <

State approves new WMS construction

Large parcels of land for sale, like this location off Hall Road
in Windham may be considered by RSU 14 as potential sites 
for the State Board of Education to purchase for construction
of the new Windham Middle School. RSU 14 hopes to have a
site identified by October 2022 with the new school building
finished by the fall of 2026. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE 

SEARCH FOR NEW 40-ACRE SITE BEGINS

By Ed Pierce

After a careful review of an architectural study of Windham Middle School, the State Board of Education has chosen to move ahead with construction of a new middle school and a search has been launched to identify potential sites for the new educational facility.

RSU 14 is now actively looking for 40-acre parcels of land that are available for purchase and them would recommend to the State Board of Education which one it would prefer to locate the new school. Because it is a state-funded project, the school district will work with the state to negotiate the project fees and a total cost associated with the construction.

The new school is expected to be ready by the start of the 2026-2027 school year, said Christopher Howell, RSU 14 superintendent of schools.

“The district is looking to narrow down potential sites by the end of this year,” Howell said. “The target would give the district ample opportunity to conduct environmental studies on a location. The final straw poll vote on a potential site is tentatively scheduled for October 2022.”

The original Windham Middle School was completed in 1977 and was built for a capacity of 483 students.  In the past year, that number has grown to 636 students, with sixth graders being housed for some classes at the adjacent Field Allen School, originally constructed in 1949. 

In June, the RSU 14 Board of Directors voted 8-0 to approve hiring the Lavallee Brensinger Company of Portland to serve as architects for the project.  

“Lavallee Brensinger, our architect, is completing a review of existing engineering studies that have been completed for the old middle school building,” Howell said. “There appears to be enough documentation at this time to support a new building for the district.”

In choosing a site for the new school, Howell said the school district, in consultation with the civil engineers on the project, will complete a matrix on all potential sites. 

“The matrix will include elements such as traffic, availability of utilities (three-phase power, public water, sewer), environmental impact, proximity to population density, and purchase price of the property,” he said. “Once a site is determined, a public meeting will be held for a straw poll vote. The RSU 14 board will use the recommendation to make a final vote that will be recommended to the State Board of Education. The state will reimburse the district for the property.  The reimbursement will be based on the average of two appraisals on the property.”  

According to Howell, both the architect and the RSU 14’s civil engineer will help the district with the decision matrix, which will be presented to the public for a straw poll. The results of that poll will be reviewed by the RSU 14 board for a final recommendation to the Department of Education.

“In addition to the decision matrix, the district will take into consideration the long and short-term costs of siting a building on a location,” Howell said. “This would include costs associated with student transportation, utilities, as well as possible road and infrastructure upgrades that would be required for the project.”

Other determining factors would weigh the impact to the environment, availability of space for athletic fields/parking and in a location near an existing road that can handle the traffic of a large school.

Howell said the most interesting aspect of working on this project so has been the opportunity to work with the state on a building project. 

“The process has allowed us the opportunity to look at programming across the district to ensure that we are covering all aspects of this project,” he said. “The opportunity to visit other recently completed buildings across the state has reinforced how fortunate we are to have this opportunity.”

After several years of being ranked at Number 5 overall among state-approved and subsidized construction projects, RSU 14 learned in March that the project was moving forward.

RSU 14 first applied for the Maine Department of Education’s Major Capital Construction Program in 2016 for funding for construction and was ranked as the fifth-highest priority among 74 proposed school construction projects statewide each year before gaining approval.

“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 the school district starts to narrow in on potential sites, it will begin work with the architect on the conceptual design of the building.

“This process will include revisiting some visioning work that has been already completed with middle level staff,” Howell said.

The site selection process will be discussed at the Oct. 6 meeting of the RSU 14 Board of Directors and Howell said in the meantime, the public can forward any potential site locations to him at  chowell@rsu14.org. <

Tu Casa Childcare kids learn the power of positive thinking and taking action

Children in Guatemala react online after receiving Eugene 
and Quinton Harmon's drawings that were sent with needed
money to buy groceries for a struggling family there through
a donation program launched by Tu Casa Childcare in
Raymond. SUBMITTED PHOTO

By Collette Hayes

Tu Casa Childcare kids and families are now leaders in making a difference in the Raymond community and in the small town of Ciudad Vieja in Guatemala.

Through the Tu Casa Cares donation program, Tu Casa Childcare kids and parents have been invested in helping to pay off the school lunch debt at Raymond Elementary School as well as provide groceries for Guatemalan families who are having a hard time making ends meet.

Tu Casa Childcare is located in Raymond and is nestled among a natural playground environment filled with trees, boulders, vibrant plants and a well-mannered little stream. In English “tu casa” means your house. That is exactly how it feels walking down the stone path to the front door and being greeted by Grace Emery-Freyre the owner, a teacher and the creator of the Tu Casa Cares donation program. Sunlight filters in through the large windows of Tu Casa warming each interest area in the learning environment. The setting is ideal for children who want to explore, create, experiment, and pursue individual interests.

Sitting in a student size chair next to a colorful community gathering carpet, Freyre talked of her love for the outdoors, integrating art into science, the jungles of Costa Rica and the children and families of Guatemala. As she talked, she reflected about how she incorporated these interests into creating the Tu Casa Cares program.

“The main objective of the Tu Casa Cares program is to get children involved in their community and to provide the children with a sense of global awareness,” Freyre said. “Tu Casa kids are participating as pen pals by sending messages and their art work to children in Guatemala along with the funds being sent to buy groceries and needed items.”

 Tu Casa Cares is a donation program receiving donations from Tu Casa Childcare parents as well as local businesses in Raymond. Recently, half the donations were targeted to Raymond Elementary School in RSU 14 to help pay lunch debt. According to Freyre, children in RSU 14 schools will receive free lunch again this year, but in many of these schools there is still outstanding lunch debt from previous years.

The other half of the donations are aimed at Guatemalan families who are struggling to make ends meet. 

According to Freyre, Andrea del Rosario Castillo, a volunteer firefighter, paramedic student, and mother who lives in Guatemala, has agreed to receive funds wired to them on a monthly basis.

“She buys groceries, prints drawings and messages from the Tu Casa Childcare kids, packs goods in baskets purchased at the local artisan markets and distributes the goods to families that are having a difficult time making ends meet,” Freyre said. “She provides crayons and paper for the children in the Guatemalan families to send drawings back to the children at Tu Casa Childcare. She is thrilled and thankful for this opportunity to make a difference.”

Ciudad Vieja is a town and municipality in the Guatemalan department of Sacatepéquez. According to the 2018 census, Ciudad Vieja has a population of 32,802 and the municipality has a population of 33,405. It was the second site of Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala, the colonial capital of the country.

With the help of Cathy Gosselin, Deputy Chief at Raymond Fire and Rescue Department, the next phase of the Tu Casa Cares program will provide local support to members of the community.

“It is an exciting next step for us in making Tu Casa a place that provides for the community in a variety of ways while teaching the children the power of positive thinking and action,” Freyre said. “Gosselin will provide information about Raymond community members in need and Tu Casa parents, their children and other volunteers will help to meet those needs which could be anything from shoveling sidewalks, preparing meals to grocery shopping. We would like to get others in the community involved as well. The more funds we generate, the more we can do.”

If you would like to help support Tu Casa Cares, send an email to tucasachilcare@gmail.com or give Grace Freyre a call at 207-396-0256. < 

 

She touched many lives: Windham and Raymond remember educator Jani Cummings

 By Brian Bizier

Longtime educator taught first grade and second grade for
38 years at Raymond Elementary School and later became
a member of the RSU 14 Board of Directors. A memorial
service will be held on Sunday afternoon at Jordan-Small
Middle School for Cummings, who died in April of 
respiratory failure at age 67. COURTESY PHOTO 

Every town holds its share of inspiring citizens who seem to know everyone, who manage to stay in touch with friends and relatives all over the world, and who have a gift for bringing the community together. For Windham and Raymond, Janis Elizabeth Cummings was that amazing person.

Born April 9, 1954 in Beaufort, South Carolina to Samuel Cummings and Lou Nerren, who were both U.S. Marines, Janis, known to her friends and family as Jani, and her brother, grew up traveling all over the world. Her family eventually settled in Raymond, and Jani attended Windham High School, where she was very active in drama productions. Upon graduation, she enrolled at Westbrook College and the University of Southern Maine, where she received her teaching degree.

For Jani, teaching meant following in her family’s footsteps.

“In my first year of teaching, Jani’s mother, Lou Cummings, was also a teacher,” said Bill Diamond, Maine State Senator’s from Windham. “Lou was a former Marine, she was someone I respected, and I always did whatever she told me.”

Upon earning her teaching degree, Jani joined Raymond Elementary School, where she taught first and second grade students for 38 years. She was a beloved teacher with a gift for bringing community members into her classrooms and interacting with students.

“She had this amazing way of getting you outside your comfort zone and encouraging you to just be better, in a way,” said Jessica Fay, a Maine State Representative from Raymond. “Jani was one of the first people that I met after we moved here and I opened the flower shop, so we met because of flowers. She loved flowers, and I was a florist. I didn’t have a lot of experience with young children, but one of the things that she did, is she said, ‘I would love for you to come to my class and teach Japanese floral design to my first-graders.’ Which was terrifying! She encouraged me, she kind of told me that this was something she’d really like to have happen.”

Eventually, Fay did agree to join Jani’s classroom.

“I did it,” Fay said. “I went into the class and taught the kids while they were studying Japan. That was how Jani taught. She was a teacher of young students, but she was also a teacher for the adults around her.”

Diamond shared similar memories of Jani’s classroom.

“She was a teacher in Raymond when I was Maine Secretary of State,” Diamond said. “And she’d invite me down to talk to the students. Even when I finished as secretary, I kept visiting her class.”

Fay recounted that Jani was an amazing teacher.

“She had this way with kids, and adults too, and their parents,” she said. “I think a teacher needs to be able to have a relationship with an entire family, and she really did.”

Deborah Hutchinson, former principal of Raymond Elementary School, agrees with Fay’s assessment.

“She could make the school come alive,” Hutchinson said.

Jani’s ability to form relationships extended far beyond the walls of Raymond Elementary School.

“Something that was super sweet with Jani, on a personal note was that out of the blue, you’d get a note from Jani that she was thinking of you or just wanted to encourage you” said Chris Howell, RSU 14 Schools Superintendent. “She really cared about those personal relationships and did all she could to foster them.”

For Jani, those personal relationships took many forms. She was very active in the local Democratic Party, and very supportive of women in politics.

“I can’t remember who encouraged who to run for office, but she was always very supportive of and encouraging of me when I decided to run, and when she decided to run for School Board,” Fay said.

For many, Jani was also a part of many Raymond residents’ more romantic moments.

“She was a notary public, so she married many of the people in town,” Hutchinson said. “She married my daughter and her husband and she performed the ceremony.”

Once she retired from teaching, Jani opened a bed and breakfast in her Victorian home, which was across the street from the Raymond Village Library. She loved connecting to visitors from around the world, and she also loved welcoming Raymond’s children into her yard on Halloween.

“Halloween will never be the same down in the village,” Hutchinson said. “Jani would have 300 or more kids come to her house, and she always made sure she had enough candy for everyone.”

Jani also continued her involvement in education by becoming an active and vital member of the RSU 14 School Board following her retirement.

“She had an absolute love of children,” Howell said. “She would do anything possible in her power to help a kid out and to make sure that a kid succeeded and, to go along with that, to make sure the teachers had everything they needed. It didn’t matter if it was in her classroom or doing policy and procedures for the School Board.”

Her commitment to caring for others continued throughout her entire life, even toward the end. Howell described School Board leadership meetings on Zoom which Jani attended from the ICU when she became ill.

“She couldn’t speak, because she was on a ventilator,” Howell said. “So, she wrote messages on a whiteboard.”

Jani also expressed concern for the hospital’s staff during her stay.

“Even in the ICU, Jani was thinking about the staff at the hospital,” Hutchinson said. “She asked me if I would go out and get some ‘fancy candy’ for them. So, I got a couple dozen boxes of fancy candy and passed them out.”

Jani Cummings passed away on April 24 after a courageous battle with respiratory failure. She was 67 years old.

“Jani was our conscience,” said Diamond. “No matter who you were, she was a consistent conscience for all of us. She was an example of how to live right and care for others. When she passed away, and I think a lot of people feel the same way, we lost a piece of what’s really good.”

Fay agrees.

“It’s very difficult for me to imagine Raymond without her,” Fay said.
“She really was one of those people who connected different people in different parts of the community and brought them together. She taught us the importance of community and connection. I think when we are committed to each other, and to our community, we’re honoring her.”

Howell said that he’ll miss Jani’s dry sense of humor, which he appreciated.

“I’ve heard, since her passing, just countless people in the community who’ve said she was able to touch their lives over the years,” he said. “She was wonderful presence for both communities, Windham and Raymond. I definitely will cherish the time that I had with her. And I miss her.”

A celebration of Jani’s life will be held at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 8 at Jordan-Small Middle School in Raymond. The event is open to the public, and everyone is invited.

Additionally, Jessica Fay is inviting members of the community to donate flowers from their garden to make community flower arrangements to honor Jani Cummings through the flowers that she so dearly loved. Please call Fay at 415-4218 if you have flowers to share. <

Work on Windham Middle School construction advancing

Portland's Lavallee Brensinger Company has been selected
as the architect of the new Windham Middle School
construction project and joined RSU 14 representatives at
a meeting in Augusta this week to discuss what needs to be
done to get the project started. The new school is expected
to be completed by the fall of 2026. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE
 

PROJECT EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY 2026

By Ed Pierce

The plan to renovate and build a new Windham Middle School remains at the forefront of RSU 14’s agenda this summer and an architectural firm has been chosen to lead the project.

In June, the RSU 14 Board of Directors voted 8-0 approving the Lavallee Brensinger Company of Portland to serve as architects for the project and this week, RSU 14 Superintendent Christopher Howell, Bill Hansen, RSU 14’s Director of Facilities, Property Services and Special Projects, joined representatives of Lavallee Brensinger at a meeting in Augusta with the head of school construction projects for the state of Maine.

Howell said that the pre-design meeting in Augusta clarified how much in depth of a study that RSU 14 will need to complete for an analysis of potential renovation of the current WMS building and discussed the possibility of constructing the building on the current WMS campus across from Windham High School.

“Since this is a state funded project, we will be working with the state to negotiate the project fees associated with the first two steps,” Howell said. “The fees for the final construction project are based on a percentage of the total cost of the project.”

He said Lavallee Brensinger architects will be working with the Windham Middle School Building Committee while RSU 14 works through the construction process.  

“Bill Hansen and I will be acting as liaisons between the committee and the firm,” Howell said. “The first step of the project will include a new versus renovation analysis of the current Windham School Building that will be completed by the firm. If the data points to new construction, which we are anticipating, we will work with the firm to complete a site analysis for a new building.”

According to Howell, the RSU 14 Board of Directors chose Lavallee Brensinger as the project architect based upon their extensive experience with high quality school construction projects and their proven ability to complete projects efficiently and economically.

“The firm has demonstrated an ability to work with clients to help them fulfill their visions for a school plant and has a reputation for completing high quality school buildings,” Howell said. “Most recently, the group completed Sanford High School and Morse High School. They are currently building a middle school that is similar to our project for the Oyster River School District in New Hampshire. They have a reputation for shepherding projects that are completed on time and on budget.”

Howell said the project remains on track to be completed for students by the fall of 2026.

After several years of being ranked at Number 5 overall among state-approved and subsidized construction projects, RSU 14 learned in March that the highly anticipated project was greenlighted by the state to move forward although how much actual funding for the project is yet unknown. The determining factor for funding depends upon whether the aging 44-year-old school will be rebuilt or renovated.      

Howell said that the original Windham Middle School was completed in 1977 and was built for a capacity of 483 students.  In the past year, that number has now grown to 636 students, with sixth graders housed for some classes at the adjacent Field Allen School, originally constructed 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.”   

During the 2020-2021 school year, more than 200 students had to 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.

Howell said that RSU 14 originally applied for the Maine Department of Education’s Major Capital Construction Program in 2016 for funding for construction and was ranked as the fifth-highest priority among 74 proposed school construction projects statewide each year before being greenlighted for funding in March 2021.

“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 in 2019. 

“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.”

This spring WMS Principal Drew Patin said he was thrilled that the project is now moving ahead.

“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,” Patin said. “We will create spaces that promote lifelong skills, such as collaboration, problem-solving, creativity, and perseverance.” < 

Voters approve Windham’s 2021-2022 budget during annual town meeting

By Matt Pascarella

In the annual meeting at Windham High School on Saturday, June 12 residents voted to approve the 2021–2022 municipal town budget of $35,115,270 and RSU 14’s $52,233,221 budget. Senator Bill Diamond was chosen as this year’s moderator at the meeting.

Senator Bill Diamond takes the podium to preside
as moderator over the Annual Windham Town 
Meeting at Windham High School on Saturday, 
June 12 to approve the municipal town budget and
the RSU schools budget. PHOTO BY
MATT PASCARELLA  

All warrant articles brought to the town meeting were approved by those in attendance.

Some of the approved funds in the municipal budget will create a new parking lot and paving at Lowell Park next to the East Windham Fire Station for $240,000; general paving in Windham for $2,600,000; new playing fields at Manchester School for $1,350,000; and $550,000 to complete the purchase of Engine 7 for the Windham Fire Department.

Windham Town Manager Barry A. Tibbetts said this budget represented the needs of the community going forward. He calls this a flat budget, meaning the municipal budget did not increase.

With the flat budget, taxes from the municipal side stay flat. Tibbetts believes the school budget will have a very slight tax increase.

Will there be a tax increase to residents? Tibbetts does not anticipate a mil rate increase. He said holding all things current to last year, taxes should remain the same or at best go down.

However, the town is doing a property revaluation, so depending on home values some property taxes might go up.

“I am very satisfied. I think they did a lot of hard work and I think it’s reflected in how smoothly the town meeting went,” said Windham resident Lisa Bartell.

Windham resident Len West thought they went through the meeting pretty quick. He is concerned about a tax increase and while they made it a point to say there is no mill rate increase, West said they didn’t say anything about the increase in home values.

“I think it went very well; I think it illustrated the trust that people have in our town council and town manager, and I think that’s positive,” said Diamond. “I think it’s a nice reflection of where we are in the town of Windham.” <

RSU 14 adds alternating Fridays to in-person instruction schedule

By Ed Pierce

Following a vote by the RSU 14 Board of Directors on
April 7, students will be returning to the classroom for
in-person instruction on alternating Fridays through the
end of the school year. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE 

When RSU 14 students return to the classroom on alternating Fridays following spring break, it will be another step on the path back to some resemblance of normalcy in their school routine disrupted by the pandemic.

Meeting on April 7, the RSU 14 Board of Directors voted to approve alternating Friday schedule starting April 30. Under the plan, students will remain in assigned cohorts and the school calendar will be updated to reflect the change.

Last August the district adopted a hybrid instructional model to ensure the safety, equity and accessibility for all Windham and Raymond students as COVID-19 cases spread throughout Maine. Since then, students have been grouped alphabetically with last names from A to K having in-person classes in school on Mondays and Wednesdays and those with last names from L to Z attending in-person classes in school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On days when students are not in school, they have been expected to be following up online with their teachers to the best extent possible on Fridays.

In a letter to the community following the meeting, RSU 14 Superintendent of Schools Christopher Howell acknowledged concerns and opinions about how to proceed expressed by parents, staff and students in formulating the decision to add alternating Fridays to the schedule.

“We greatly appreciate the 375 individuals who attended the meeting, the 2,210 staff, parents, and students who submitted feedback, and the 78 individuals who submitted questions and comments following the April 1 meeting when each of the proposals to increase in-person instruction was reviewed and discussed,” Howell wrote. “The decision was not an easy one but was based on what the board felt was best for our students given the complexities of schedules, capacity when working within Maine CDC social distancing guidelines, and the recent surge of COVID-19 cases in our communities.”

He wrote that the high level of participation and interest in the RSU 14 Board of Directors difficult decision serves to highlight the extraordinary investment everyone has in the school community.

“I am grateful for your feedback and support as we navigate this difficult school year and can assure you that I will continue to collaborate with district staff on behalf of every child in Windham and Raymond schools.”

For education statewide, Maine Gov. Janet Mills released an update earlier this month to its color-coded Health Advisory System that classifies counties’ relative risk of COVID-19 transmission to assist schools as they continue with their plans to deliver instruction and support students safely.

Mills said that the Maine Department of Health and Human Services and Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention continue to review evidence that indicates lower transmission of COVID-19 in schools compared to the general population. She pointed out that during March, the rate of new cases for school staff members or students is 30 per 10,000, or about 25 percent lower than a new case rate of 41 per 10,000 for the general population. 

A survey was sent out to all students, families, and staff on April 1 to gather information to help the RSU 14 board reach a consensus about how to proceed. It had been determined that if additional in-person instructional days were approved, building administrators would be directed to work with school staff to ensure appropriate social distancing guidelines continue to be met and that spaces are conducive to engaged learning. It also directs school administrators to ensure adequate staff coverage for all classrooms. 

In adding the alternating Friday schedule through the remainder of the school year and the resulting increase in in-person instructional days, Howell said that RSU 14 will continue to offer students a remote-only learning option if families do not feel comfortable sending their children for in-person lessons on Fridays.  

Students currently using remote learning are free to return to classroom instruction, but do not have to make the transition if their families wish to keep using the remote option through the end of the school year in June.  

Information on the RSU 14 website says that the school district will provide transportation for families who are unable to transport students to school on alternating Fridays.

 

Prior to the April 7 meeting, the RSU 14 Board of Directors reviewed several different options and proposals about adding in-person instructional days to the district schedule. The board said any increase in in-person instruction was in response to expressed community needs for children to return to schools for as much in-person instruction as possible while maintaining adherence to social distancing and health/safety guidelines, as well as the academic, social, and emotional needs of students.

 

“We understand that this has been an extraordinarily challenging year for all staff, students, administrators, and community members. These are difficult decisions. It is important that we maintain a focus on student needs and then respond to challenges that staff are facing as we collaboratively problem solve the myriad of issues that this year has presented,” a board statement read. “As more educators are vaccinated, school districts are examining possible schedule shifts to meet the needs of students and the community.

 

“The RSU 14 Board of Directors has been kept abreast of building-level needs and challenges in response to COVID social distancing guidelines throughout the 2020-2021 school year,” the statement read. “Classroom spacing, furniture needs, social distancing protocols, instructional shifts, social emotional and academic planning, etc., are all being carefully examined and would be presented to the board for their input and consideration, as well. Every decision made by the RSU 14 Board of Directors is made following a thorough review of multiple perspectives.” <

RSU 14 explores adding in-person instruction days for students

RSU 14 students, teachers, and staff will find out this week
if students in the district will return to in-person instruction
four or five days per week. Under the current hybrid plan, 
they are only attending in-person two days a week because
of the pandemic. The RSU 14 Board of Directors is expected
to make an announcement about it this week.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE   

By Ed Pierce

Students in RSU 14 could soon be back in the classroom two or three additional days a week if school administrators and school board members approve a plan to return in-person instruction four days a week.

Last August, RSU 14 Schools Superintendent Christopher Howell recommended that the school district adopt a hybrid model for the start of the school year for students in Windham and Raymond. Since last September, RSU 14 students have been grouped alphabetically with last names from A to K having in-person classes in school on Mondays and Wednesdays and those with last names from L to Z attending in-person classes in school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On days when students are not in school, they have been expected to be following up online with their teachers to the best extent possible.

He said that the foundation of the hybrid proposal was to ensure the safety, equity and accessibility for all Windham and Raymond students.

Along with students, the pandemic has been hard on families, teachers, school staff members and school custodians, who have been putting in long hours because of the associated additional cleaning requirements for schools as a result of COVID-19. School cafeteria workers have also been challenged to provide different scenarios for student lunches, ranging from eating in the classroom to finding larger spaces in the schools for lunchrooms to accommodate social distancing mandates.

Using the hybrid schools plan, Howell said many CDC social distancing mandates were met by reducing the number of students in RSU 14 schools daily.

If the district increases in-person instructional days, Howell said that RSU 14 also is planning to continue to offer students a remote-only learning option if families do not feel comfortable with the proposed in-person plan for the remainder of the school year.

Information posted on the RSU 14 website earlier this week said that parents would need to have children attend school following whatever schedule model is directed by the board.

 

The information says remote options are possible, however, it is important to understand that any additional remote requests will be set up with online software and not added to the current remote teams. Students currently using remote learning are free to return to classroom instruction, but do not have to make the transition if their families wish to keep using the remote option through the end of the school year.  

 

“We will work to ensure that all students’ needs are met,” the info reads. “The district will provide transportation for families who are unable to transport.”

A survey was sent out to all students, families, and staff on April 1 to gather information to help the RSU 14 board reach a consensus about how to proceed.

 

The website information also details that if additional in-person instructional days are approved for RSU 14 schools, building administrators will work with staff to ensure appropriate social distancing guidelines are met and that spaces are conducive to engaged learning. And it further explains that building administrators will work to ensure adequate staff coverage for all classrooms. 

 

Whether the proposal adopted by the board is for four days of in-person instruction or for five days, the web statement says teachers would have their duty-free lunch and prep time in any of the proposed options.

 

“We understand that this has been an extraordinarily challenging year for all: staff, students, administrators, and community members. These are difficult decisions. It is important that we maintain a focus on student needs and then respond to challenges that staff are facing as we collaboratively problem solve the myriad of issues that this year has presented,” the statement reads. “Building administrators will work with teachers on a plan to support the transition. Any hourly staff who are asked to work additional hours will be compensated accordingly.”  

 

It says that the proposed increase to in-person instruction at this time is in response to expressed community needs for children to return to schools for as much in-person instruction as possible while maintaining adherence to social distancing and health/safety guidelines, as well as academic, social, and emotional needs of students.

 

“As more educators are vaccinated, school districts are examining possible schedule shifts to meet the needs of students and the community,” the web statement reads. “The RSU 14 Board of Directors has been kept abreast of building-level needs and challenges in response to COVID social distancing guidelines throughout the 2020-2021 school year. The RSU 14 Administrative Team would provide necessary updates to the full Board of Directors in response to any of the proposed options. Classroom spacing, furniture needs, social distancing protocols, instructional shifts, social emotional and academic planning, etc. are all being carefully examined and would be presented to the board for their input and consideration, as well. Every decision made by the RSU 14 Board of Directors is made following a thorough review of multiple perspectives. The board appreciates the feedback they’ve received regarding the proposed options to increasing in-person instruction and is reviewing survey data, emails, and other communication/feedback very carefully in order to make a decision.”

 

The RSU 14 Board of Directors was scheduled to make a final determination about additional in-person instruction days during a meeting on Wednesday evening. 

This article will be updated when information becomes available. < 

Windham budget proposal works toward council vote

The Windham Town Council will receive a proposed budget
for Fiscal Year 2021-2022 of $35,115,270 during a scheduled
meeting on April 6. The budget amount is up slightly from
2020-2021's budget of $35,048,303, yet the proposed mil
rate of 4.4 is the same as last year. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

Town could create new ballfields at Manchester School location

By Ed Pierce

Windham has moved a step closer to formulating a town budget for the next fiscal year following a review of proposed expenditures and funding during a town finance committee meeting on Tuesday evening.

On Zoom, Windham Finance Committee members reviewed and discussed the proposed 2021-2022 budget with the town manager and department heads prior to presenting the proposal to the town council at an upcoming meeting.

Windham Town Councilors are expected to take up the proposed budget in April and make whatever adjustments are required before residents vote on the budget at the annual town meeting on June 12.

During this review, Windham Town Manager Barry Tibbetts told finance committee members that the budget contains funding to create two new ballfields, one for softball, one for baseball and another separate recreational field on unused property behind Manchester School.

Tibbetts said that he’s held discussions with RSU 14 Schools Superintendent Christopher Howell about developing the site, which is adjacent to several existing baseball fields there used by the Windham Softball Association and Windham Little League. Clearing and developing the wooded area would take more than a year and would also lead to the creation of a road that would connect Route 302 and Route 115.

“These new fields would be funded by town impact fees and debt retirement,” Tibbetts said. “There will be no changes to the mil rate in doing this.”

In addition to that project, Tibbetts said the budget proposal also includes funding to expand the Lowell Preserve parking lot.

“We can absorb both of these projects with debt retirement and some impact fees,” he said.

Windham Parks and Recreation Director Linda Brooks said because of COVID, the past year has been a significant challenge as more area residents discovered town parks and trails as a great way to get outdoors and have fun during the pandemic.

“We really brought forward new and unique ways for recreation,” Brooks told the committee members. “More people are using the trails and parks for outdoor activities than ever before. As we move forward in the next fiscal year, we’ve had to decide what new programs to offer and what programs can be sustained.”

Brooks said that because more people are now familiar with Windham’s trails system, she expects trail usage to be even busier in the year ahead.

Brooks was one of several Windham department leaders to present ideas and discuss funding requests and proposals during the Finance Committee meeting. Departments presenting budget proposals at this meeting included Fire and Rescue, Police, Communications, and Public Works.

At a previous Finance Committee meeting on March 10, departments presenting budget requests and proposals included the Town Clerk’s Office, Assessing, Code Enforcement, Planning, Windham Public Library and the Windham Economic Development Corporation.

During Tuesday’s presentations, Tibbetts revealed his list of budget proposal adjustments.

Some of that proposed funding includes $242,673 for Parks and Recreation; $86,729 for Parks and Trails; $12,250 for SummerFest; $2,426,818 for Fire/Rescue, water hydrants and fire/rescue vehicle maintenance; $2,730,346 for Police with $43,104 for Animal Control, and $100,660 for police vehicle maintenance.

Other proposed 2021-2022 funding discussed at Tuesday’s Finance Committee meeting includes $445,153 for Communications; $842,760 for highway maintenance; $48,000 for traffic safety devices and equipment; $209,000 for traffic lights and signals; $45,000 for winter highway sand; $129,986 for snow removal; $598,771 for building maintenance and $98,581 for grounds maintenance. The proposed budget also includes $540,399 for vehicle maintenance and fuel costs and $277,250 for waste disposal.

Tibbetts said this budget’s goal is to maintain the services and programs of the town while implementing capital improvements to improve the community.

“In the proposed budget 2021-2022, we are looking to accomplish several objectives; hold the budget increase due to the COVID impacts on residents and businesses, continue with the paving and equipment replacement programs, develop recreational playing fields and playground while expanding parking at Lowell,” Tibbetts said. “The first item is to hold or limit any increases in the budget to the minimum based on the COVID impact to residents and businesses. The municipal budget increase is at 0.33 percent, or flat or no increase to the mil rate.” 

According to Tibbetts, Windham does have some retiring debt from leases and bonds and needs to use that borrowing capacity to address a number of paving projects around the town which were delayed last year.  He said this will also result in no impact to the mil rate.

“We need to address a few personnel positions which will provide better service and position the town for the future,” he said. “Those positions include Fire/Rescue, Assistant Town Manger and additional code enforcement staff. We have several parks projects which will address parking at Lowell field, provide three new fields at Manchester School and we are working with the RSU on this plan, continued improvements at the Community Park and a playground at Lowell.”

Without significant changes made before being discussed and voted on by the Windham Town Council, Tibbetts will propose a budget of $35,115,270 to councilors on April 6. That amount is up marginally from 2020-2021’s budget of $35,048,303 with the mil rate of 4.4 that is  unchanged from last year’s budget.

The RSU 14 school budget has yet to be determined. <

Be The Influence Coalition promotes coping skills, positive choices with virtual programming

By Elizabeth Richards

Unable to conduct in-person prevention programs because of COVID-19, the Be The Influence Coalition (BTI) continues working toward its mission of “promoting community collaboration and positive choices in reducing youth substance use” through virtual programming.

COVID-19 has caused problems for kids in terms of engagement and isolation, said BTI Director Laura Morris.  Substance use, anxiety, depression and suicide are on the rise, so the coalition is trying to find youth engagement activities that, although virtual, offer youth ways to express themselves, building skills to counteract the adversity they face, she said.

Be The Influence Coalition is hosting a series of webinars 
for students called Empower ME through September.
A new collaborative dance program with Windham
Parks and Recreation is also launching in February.
COURTESY PHOTO

"The arts have always been proven to help kids’ self-esteem, emoting, exploration,” Morris said, so they created their Arts in Prevention series. In the fall, BTI worked with students in the Katahdin program at Windham High School, teaching them about Van Gogh and the ways he used color, forms and style to express his feelings, Morris said.  Students created their own art pieces while listening to “Starry, Starry Night” and these pieces were transferred into chalk art outdoors.

In February, the series continues with a dance program facilitated by Karen Montanaro. The program is part of DEA 360 Strategy, which “kicked off in Maine in December 2020 to provide lasting impact in communities by partnering with local government agencies, community organizations, schools, Drug Free Coalitions and law enforcement,” according to a fact sheet from the organization.  The dance program is funded by the DEA Education Foundation.  The dance program curriculum uses the Hip Hop dance style and incorporates messages about positive alternatives to drugs and gang violence, building self-esteem, teamwork and resilience. Eriko Farnsworth, Community Outreach Specialist for DEA 360 said, “We’re really excited to be part of Windham’s Arts in Prevention. It’s such a great concept.”

The Windham Parks & Recreation Department will manage the program.

“Windham Parks and Recreation is very committed to being an active member of the BTI coalition, with direct involvement geared toward youth engagement,” said Windham Parks & Recreation Director Linda Brooks.  “We are always open to any collaborative effort presented by the coalition that enhances the lives of our young people and provides them with healthy choices during their time away from school.”

The expansion is welcome.

“The youth dance program is a new type of activity for us to offer, but we are pleased to expand the breadth of our programming with the hope that we can reach more kids. Due to the DEA EF’s grant funding, the program is completely free to participants,” said Sarah Davenport, Youth and Family Coordinator for Windham Parks & Recreation. “The primary goal of the program is to provide youth with opportunities to connect with others, be physically active, and learn new skills while having fun during the after school hours. This is especially important during the pandemic when so many young people are struggling with feeling isolated.”

The dance program will run for 20 sessions, from 3 to 4 p.m. on Mondays & Wednesdays beginning Feb. 22.  Registration is through Windham Parks & Recreation at www.windhamrecreation.com or by calling 892-1905.

“We are pleased to have been able to put all of the pieces in place in order to provide this unique program to our middle school population,” Brooks said.  She added the department has successfully partnered with Morris and BTI in the past to bring a summer theater program to area youth and are looking forward to offering a similar program this spring. 

In late Spring, BTI will partner with Acorn Productions to co-facilitate a middle school theater seminar series. In the five-week program students will create a monologue and learn improvisational acting skills and techniques for presenting the monologue, Morris said.  The theme will revolve around what students do to cope and what makes them happy, so that the monologues will reflect hope, Morris said.

BTI is also presenting a webinar series for anyone in the community titled EmpowerME. Since the coalition can’t do a lot of the things they’re used to doing, she said, focus group participants were asked what their needs were, Morris said.

“Everybody came back saying we need help just understanding isolation, understanding coping skills, how do we reduce stress, how do we engage,” she said. “We identified the things that people really wanted help with.”

They then partnered with the City of Portland Public Health Department and the Maine Youth Action Network, which is part of the Opportunity Alliance, to develop the series of educational webinars. These webinars are free, presented via Zoom or Google Meets.

Most webinars are from 2 to 3 p.m. on the third Wednesday of the month. The February presentation will be on Feb. 24 because of school vacation week.  The series runs through September. Topics include vaping, trauma, art programs, grandparents as caregivers, restorative practices, conversation skills around sensitive topics, and the impact of social media.  

“The hardest part is that we offer them because people need them, but we don’t get huge attendance because people don’t want to be on another screen,” Morris said. She said that they try to keep webinars under an hour, make them interactive and easy to understand, and allow people to walk away with real tools to implement.”

The Feb. 24 webinar, “Not Just Blowing Smoke” will discuss vaping and youth use, vaping products and the chemical components, the adolescent brain and decision making, addiction, marketing tactics the vaping industry uses, and more.  Tips and resources for quitting, making healthy decisions and alternative coping mechanisms will also be offered.

Information on future webinars can be found on the BTI website (www.betheinfluencewrw.org) or Facebook page.  Participants can register by emailing Morris at director@betheinfluencewrw.org. <