In the public eye: Wescott to leave legacy of positivity at Windham Middle School

Editor’s note: This is another in an ongoing series of Windham and Raymond town employee profiles.

By Ed Pierce

Somewhere early in his teaching career, Bill Wescott learned that by being positive and helping his students to succeed, he too could succeed. It’s a philosophy that’s worked for Wescott for 46 years in his career, one that draws to a close with his retirement on June 16.

Bill Wescott will retire from teaching at Windham Middle
School after 46 years on June 16. During his long career as
an educator, Wescott has taught between 4,000 and 5,000
students by his estimation. He is the son of the late former
Arlington School Principal Robert Wescott and his wife,
Jean, who was also a teacher. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE  

He began his teaching career as a substitute with a long-term assignment filling in from November 1976 to June 1977 at Field-Allen School and then landed a permanent job at the newly built Windham Middle School when it first opened that fall. Wescott has been there ever since, teaching History and Social Studies to eighth grade students, although this year shifting over to teaching seventh graders Language Arts and History. By his own estimate, he’s now taught between 4,000 and 5,000 students in his classroom and says that he’s had the best job in the world.

As the son of two teachers, Jean and Robert Wescott, he grew up in Windham and graduated from Windham High School in 1972. He returned to town after earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Maine at Orono and credits Gary Moore, his first principal at WMS, as seeing something in him and offering him a job that has now lasted nearly five decades. During his long teaching career, Wescott has worked for five principals at WMS, including Moore, who was an English teacher when he attended Windham High and then later served as the Windham Schools Superintendent.

“To me, this is the best job in the world,” Wescott said. “No two days are alike. There’s a lot of energy in this place and the students really haven’t changed a lot. Some of the technology we use to teach them has changed and made it much more kid friendly.”

From 1977 to 1998, Wescott also served as a coach for three different sports, coaching girls’ JV soccer, middle school girls’ basketball and JV softball, with one season spent as the Windham High varsity softball coach. In the classroom, he’s helped students explore the history of America up through the War between the States era, although now he just covers from about the French Indian War in the 1700s up to the Civil War.

What makes him an exceptional classroom teacher is his innate skill of relating to his students.

“I have the ability to connect with the shy and quiet kids and bring them out of their shells,” he said. “Patience is so important for a teacher, especially since so many kids fell behind during COVID.”

Many of his former students have gone on to become teachers themselves, including more than a dozen alone at WMS this year.

According to Wescott, the thing he will miss the most about teaching is interacting with the kids.

“You have to expend a lot of energy to keep up with them,” Wescott said. “And it’s not easy trying to keep them energized. We’re teaching them what they need to know but also what they want to know.”

Of his siblings growing up, Wescott said that he is the only one of three boys and a girl in his family to follow in his parents’ footsteps and become a teacher.

“For some reason they didn’t want to do that,” he said. “In fact, most people don’t want to be a teacher.”

Through the years Wescott has had generations of students, who easily recognize him at the grocery store or while out shopping in Windham.

“One time a mother and a student walked by me, and the mother got this look on her face that she instantly remembered me,” he said. “Later that student told me his mother said she couldn’t believe that I was still teaching. She told him ‘Mr. Wescott was old when I had him.’”

His plans for retirement are to work as a substitute if needed in the fall. His mother is now 90 and he expects he’ll spend some time helping her too.

“I’ll figure it out,” Wescott said. “I always said I’ll know when it’s time to retire and it’s time. I have a cat and I’d like to travel and work on some hobbies.”

His advice for those wanting to follow his career path as an educator is simple.

“Students don’t remember what you taught them but how you made them feel,” Wescott said. “Be positive, make them feel good about what they can do and give them confidence.” <

Windham High Social Studies class takes active role in civic engagement by Lorraine Glowczak

Students Emma Hodgeman, Brittany Woods and Libby McBride take a moment from their busy schedule to share their thoughts on today's issues. They pose with Ms. Rush (right).

Windham High School Seniors in Ms. Kelly-Anne Rush’s Social Studies class had a surprise visit from the Windham and Raymond delegation on Friday, March 23 as a part of a class assignment. The students had an opportunity to express their concerns surrounding certain issues to the five legislators who represent both Lake Region communities.
 

“The class assignment was to compose a letter to their representative expressing concerns they had and what they would like to see changed,” explained Rush. “What the students didn’t know was that they were preparing the letter to speak to their representative in person. The delegation had reached out to me and I invited them to visit the class. Only the class didn’t know that.”

The students were, in fact, surprised by their classroom guests but didn’t hesitate to jump at the opportunity to express their concerns to the attentive legislators: Senator Bill Diamond, Representative Sue Austin, Representative Mark Bryant, Representative Jess Fay and Representative Patrick Corey.

Three students in Mr. Rush’s class took time out of their busy schedules to reflect upon and share their experiences. Of the many concerns expressed, school safety was at the top of their list. 

Student, Brittany Woods, reflected upon the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that occurred on December 14, 2012 and how it made an impact on her. “I was in middle school when the Sandy Hook shooting occurred,” Woods began. “It was my first real experience regarding something of this magnitude and how it could possibly affect me personally. I remember feeling very eerie about going back to school after that shooting. I wanted to let the legislators know that we need to find ways for these fears to subside.”

Student, Emma Hodgeman, also expressed her thoughts about school safety. There were two major concerns she had. One of those apprehensions included safety at the doorways during morning arrival. “All doors are open, and we come in as a large group at the same time. Although teachers are at the doors and Officer Fournier [School Resource Officer] is at one entrance, it does not prevent someone who is not a student to come in through the doors with us. People can easily walk in with the morning crowd and not be noticed.” Hodgeman said. “I want to find a way for school arrival to be more secure.” 

The Windham and Raymond delegation pose with Ms. Rush

Hodgeman continued with her second concern. “I also think the student building passcode should change every year. I don’t think it has been changed for a long time and this is very concerning to me.”

Student Libby McBride spoke to the delegation about gun control. “I don’t think we should eliminate guns, but I do think we should place harsher limits on guns.” McBride stated.

Solutions to the safety concerns were discussed. The conversation between the students and the delegation included what the students could actively do to prepare for an emergency. One solution considered, was to keep informed on the most recent safety protocols. The students came up with the idea that these up-to-date protocols could be established and identified by the students in the required Health class during their sophomore and senior years. The class would then share those security procedures to be practiced by the school on an intermittent basis.

The experience the students had with their legislators was a positive one. “They had an engaging conversation with us like we were real people,” McBride said. “They were actively writing down our

ideas as we stated them.”

Woods concurred with McBride’s statement adding, “They enjoyed listening to us and actively cared about our opinions. In the present political climate, it feels as if our voices are not taken seriously nor heard, but I felt heard by them.”

In his letter to the editor of The Windham Eagle newspaper, published March 30, Sen. Diamond stated this about his visit to the class. “Listening to these impressive seniors who are about to end their high school careers and move on to the next step in their lives, was an inspiration to say the very least. Their sincerity and true caring for the school system and for their fellow students was striking. 

Above all else we, as legislators, came away from this session with a renewed spirit and confidence in the future of this next generation of leaders. I only wish their parents and grandparents and the community could have witnessed the commitment, dedication and insight demonstrated by these amazing students.”

Rush is also very proud of her students and stated that in the past 10 years, there has been a resurgence in the educational curriculum to include civic action, community involvement and financial literacy. “I’m very proud of how my students are learning quickly and taking an adult approach to civic action.”

McBride proves that mature actions currently take place by these young future contributing members of society. “It's very important to know that it’s one thing to post a complaint on Facebook or to protest against certain issues, but to make active changes one needs to register to vote, contact their legislators and get involved. We [the students] are doing that. We are not just complaining or playing on social media. We are making a positive impact and true change.”

If one believes that class activities such as this have little impact for future action, one could be not be further from the truth. In the 2016 election, Ms. Rush received an email and picture from a former student.

The picture was a voting ballot. The email said, “Hi, Ms. Rush. Here’s proof that I voted.”

Ms. Rush’s response - “And this, my friends, is what makes teaching worthwhile.”