Voters to determine fate of Windham Middle School repurpose proposal

By Ed Pierce

The Windham Town Council has approved placing a referendum question on the ballot in November for purchasing Windham Middle School for $1 once it is vacant in the fall of 2027 and repurposing the facility into a Community Center and housing town offices and the Windham Public Library.

Windham Town Councilors have approved placing a 
referendum before voters on Nov. 3 to approve issuing 
general obligation bonds of up to $19.5 million to
finance the costs of repurposing Windham Middle School
for use as a community center and moving town offices and
Windham Public Library there. This is an artist's depiction
of the completed project. COURTESY PHOTO     

A motion was passed unanimously during Tuesday evening’s town council meeting to ask Windham voters on Nov. 3 to approve issuing general obligation bonds up to $19.5 million to finance the costs of rehabilitating the Windham Middle School for use as a community center, including the costs of design, engineering, professional services, site preparation, construction, renovation, operating costs, and other improvements and furnishings as may be required in connection with the project. The proposal includes appropriating up to $2 million of the town’s fund balance as the Town Council deems reasonable and necessary to reduce the borrowing amount and directly pay for costs of the project.

Councilors will conduct a Special Town Meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19 to answer questions the public may have about the proposal, which addresses shortfalls in the current municipal buildings, each of which carries long-term replacement costs and short-term maintenance and repair costs. The project was developed over the past two years by the WMS Repurpose Advisory Committee and would consolidate town hall offices, parks and recreation, social services, the food pantry, clothing and medical closets and the library to the building, which RSU 14 is vacating upon opening of the new Windham Raymond Middle School in August 2027.

An amendment to the motion advancing the referendum was made by Windham Town Councilor Katie Cook for the council to recommend approval of the referendum.

The existing Windham Middle School building first opened in 1974 and was intended for a capacity of 483 students. That number has grown in the past 52 years to 650 students and some sixth graders being housed for classes at the adjacent Field Allen School, which was built in 1949.

In November 2023, a plurality of voters in the school district, which encompasses Windham and Raymond, approved a referendum to build the new Windham Raymond Middle School with about 77 percent of construction costs paid by the Maine Department of Education’s Major Capital Construction Program. The total project budget to construct the new school is estimated at about $171.5 million, with the state funding $131.7 million of that expense and residents of Windham and Raymond paying the remaining $39.8 million.

As part of the referendum to obtain $131.7 million in state funding for the new middle school, RSU 14 voters agreed that the existing Windham Middle School could not be used as a school again, since the state had already contributed funding for substantial repair costs over decades of the building’s use.

In formulating the proposal as to how best to repurpose the WMS building, WMS Repurpose Advisory worked with an architect and design team and toured the Westbrook and Gorham Community Centers to see how those towns adapted old school buildings for community center facilities.

Determining that the basic structure of the school was sound and that it offered 80,000 square feet of available space, the committee looked at the existing town buildings with long-term replacement costs and short-term maintenance, parking improvements and repair costs and decided that a number of municipal services could be relocated to the site for a fraction of the cost of renovating or replacing current buildings.

Committee members also reviewed the community center engagement results from August 2019 which identified multigenerational flexible spaces for a range of activities. Members determined the building can accommodate those identified spaces within the current structure and/or future spaces around the facility. They will also further determine any new spaces not in the current building and the phasing opportunities and costs.

The intent of the August 2019 study was to identify the need to create a multi-generational facility for all Windham residents that enhances the quality of life for Windham, provides flexible spaces for a range of activities, and is a self-sustaining site that fosters fun for residents. The 20-member Middle School Repurpose Advisory Committee serves as an advisory body to the Town Council and was used to analyze the potential re-uses for the school and a potential benefit as a community center or municipal offices.

Windham Town Manager Robert Burns said the WMS Repurpose Advisory Committee also received guidance from Great Falls Construction, which has assisted the town in other projects, such as reconfiguring and expanding Windham’s Public Safety Building in 2022.

Burns said although the benefits of the Windham Middle School Repurposing Project come with a cost, in the long run it will be cost-effective for the town.

“This building represents an opportunity for us to move forward,” Burns said. “This is still the best way forward for us.” 

He said Windham’s Social Services Office, which houses the Windham Food Pantry, requires more room, as does Windham Public Library. Windham’s Medical Loan Closet was moved temporarily last fall to the East Windham Fire Station stemming from structural issues with its building near the library on Windham Center Road.

Councilor Maggie Terry said she read comments about the WMS Repurpose Project posted on social media earlier this week and said residents need to understand that the cost to maintain municipal buildings continues to grow. She said she doesn’t like spending, but realizes the long-term savings offered by this repurposing project are the lowest costs the town will see.

“This is an opportunity for us we’ll never see at this value again,” Terry said.

The proposal does not include a community swimming pool, but the option is there should future phases of the repurposing project arise. It does include reconfiguring access for residents entering the site from Route 202 (Gray Road) and first-floor access to the Windham Town Clerk’s Office for conducting transactions such as automobile and boat registration, obtaining dog licenses, hunting and fishing licenses, registering to vote, property tax collection, notary service and marriage licenses.

It also would construct pickle ball courts, a redo of property sidewalks and fencing. <

WMS Odyssey of the Mind team preparing for World Finals in Iowa

By Masha Yurkevich

Creative problem solving is an important part of everyday life that we are not always taught at school. However, Windham Middle School (WMS) Odyssey of the Mind students are working on creative problem-solving skills that will help them later in their life. After competing in the Odyssey of the Mind Nor'easter Tournament, the team placed first in their division, which qualified them for an invitation to the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals at Iowa State University from May 27 to May 30.

Windham Middle School's Odyssey of the Mind team who
will participate in the World Finals at Iowa state University
later this month are, from left, sixth grader Byrn Johnson,
eighth grader Fynnleigh Mayo, eighth grader Charlie
Johnson, eighth grader Devon Yates, sixth grader Cora
Miller and eighth grader Colin Miller.
SUBMITTED PHOTO 

“Odyssey of the Mind is a creative problem-solving program in which team members present their solution to a predefined long-term problem at a competition that spans many months and involves writing, design, construction, and theatrical performance,” says Rebecca Miller, the coach of this team. “A spontaneous portion of the competition also has the team generating solutions to a problem they have not seen before. Creative problem-solving, perseverance, critical thinking, compromise, and teamwork skills are honed to make this experience successful and beneficial for skills applicable to their future careers.”

Placing first in their division Odyssey of the Mind Nor'easter Tournament was a very pleasant surprise for the team, given that they had also received an Omer Award for passing on a positive spirit by making and wearing clothes pins that they made.

While Miller is the coach, everything must be student created.

“I am more of the organizer, while the students are the ones who use the saws, nails, screws, and assemble everything on their own,” she said.

Team member Fynnleigh Mayo has been in Odyssey of the Mind for nine years.

“I started in kindergarten and have so much fun every year that I continue to do it. I am very excited for Iowa because of pin trading and competing with other teams from all around the world,” he says.

His teammates have experience too.

“I have been in Odyssey of the Mind for around five years, and I joined because I wanted to find a fun activity that would work my mind and be able to have fun with friends,” says Charlie Johnson. “I have been to World Finals before, and one of my favorite things was pin trading. I got to interact with lots of cool people and got to get many really cool pins from all over the place. I really recommend that people join Odyssey. It is a super fun and creative brain workout and can help you with things like teamwork, thinking creatively, and working with your hands.”

Cora Miller has been in Odyssey of the Mind since she was in kindergarten.

“It started when my brother had joined Odyssey of the Mind, and he came home talking about a cool project that he and his team did. Being able to compete against teams from all around the world is an awesome experience.”

“I have been in Odyssey of the Mind for five years, and I joined to build and create with my friends,” says Bryn Johnson. “I really love the pin trading in Odyssey, but my favorite thing is meeting teams from across the world and seeing other performances.”

Devon Yates joined Odyssey of the Mind in second grade and has been a part of it for six years.

“I joined because I had spent years watching my siblings compete and could not wait for the day I could take part, too. In Iowa, I am most excited to meet all the new people and make connections with everyone. I am so thankful for all the community support we have had to help us get ready for this trip; We are so excited to represent Windham at Worlds.”

The community has truly been a big support in assisting this team. However, they still need some help.

"To interact on a World stage with teams from all over the world is truly amazing," says Miller.

But it is also expensive. 

There have been ongoing fundraisers throughout the year to help with different Odyssey of the Mind finances, and there are more coming up. The Odyssey of the Mind team would be grateful to receive donations, gift cards, mileage points for hotel or car rentals, items for our trip, future fundraising events, or raffles, or to match funds raised at one of their upcoming events.

To donate to help the team, contact Rebecca Miller at 207-892-1840 x2460 or send an email to [email protected]. <

Windham Town Council establishes sewer rate for North Windham wastewater system

By Ed Pierce

During the final Windham Town Council meeting of the year on Dec. 9, councilors established a sewer rate for the new North Windham Sewer District, setting the amount at $16 per cubic feet per month based upon usage effective April 1, 2026.

Members of the Windham Town Council listen to a
presentation about Freedom of Access Act rules during
a meet8ing at Windham Town Hall on Dec. 9. From
left are Councilors Katie Cook, Maggie Terry, David
Nadeau and Mark Morrison. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

Windham Town Manager Robert Burns said that this initial rate is offset by Tax Increment Financing funding, and the rate could eventually decrease as more businesses in North Windham start using the sewer system.

“We have put in a terrific amount of time doing research and analyzing our budgets and trying to project into the future the operational costs in conjunction with the water district for this facility,” Burns said. “Recognizing that at initial startup the plant will not be anywhere near full capacity or even at half capacity. We will be subsidizing some TIF funds to keep those rates affordable for our businesses.”

Still under construction, a new wastewater treatment facility is being built on the grounds of Manchester School in North Windham. It was approved by voters in 2023 and is expected to remove 25,000 pounds of nitrogen and phosphorus pollutants each year being dumped by septic systems into the aquifer and watershed. The installation of sewers is expected to stimulate significant economic growth in Windham and lead to development in the area by industries and businesses not willing to locate here because of associated septic system issues and costs.

Through an agreement between RSU 14 and the Town of Windham, in exchange for locating the new wastewater treatment site at Manchester School, the town has created four new playing fields for youth sports at the school. RSU 14 will also be able to shift its wastewater treatment operations at Windham High School to the new facility.

The new North Windham Wastewater Treatment facility will use Membrane Bio-Reactor technology with innovative drip dispersal and will be the first system to use drip dispersal of this scale in Maine. This technology is designed to improve the quality of local groundwater and local waterways, and was selected for its reliability, flexibility, and cost effectiveness.

Burns told the council that the TIF subsidy is $6 per cubic feet per month and amounts to more than $1 million in TIF funds.

Councilors also awarded $1.2 million to Wyman & Simpson, Inc. for the town’s portion of $607,250 in general obligation bond funding for replacing Varney’s Bridge on William Knight Road in conjunction with the Maine Department of Transportation. Seven bids were submitted to replace the bridge, which was originally built in 1950.

During a MaineDOT inspection six years ago, issues were found with the bridge’s concrete abutments, and reduced the allowable load to 3 tons, making it not possible for construction trucks, dump trucks, garbage trucks, and other large vehicles to cross the bridge because of the weight limitation.

The bridge is a steel structure and scouring from the river has caused erosion where the bridge’s concrete abutments contact the water. There has also been rusting on the steel supports which need to be replaced.

Bridge replacement work is expected to start this coming spring and be completed by summer 2026.

The council also awarded a disbursement of $3,766 from the Substance Prevention Grant Program Fund to fund Windham Middle School’s orchestra and choral student participation during the Trills & Thrills Music Festival in New Hampshire next spring. Councilor Maggie Terry questioned how the funding fits the criteria for a substance prevention grant but was informed that the program allows grants for healthy and positive activities. The Trills and Thrills Music Festival is a non-competitive, motivational, one-day music festival for students participating in elementary, middle school and high school bands, orchestras and choirs.

In other actions, the council voted to appoint Councilor Katie Cook as representative to the Natural Resources Advisory Committee, and the Master Fee Schedule pertaining to Shoreland Zoning application review fees.

Councilors approved updating the town’s Shoreland Zoning District fees to $75 for clearing or removal of vegetation and the zoning review fee to $250. Burns said that the fee changes are intended to better reflect the complexity and staff time involved in reviewing applications within the shoreland zoning districts, particularly those involving expansions of non-conforming structures and "greatest practical extent" determinations which often require moving structures away from the waterbody or wetland.

The council also received Freedom of Access Act training presented by Town Attorney Ben McCall of the Drummond Woodsum Law Firm and reviewed an informational handout regarding the upcoming sewer connection process in the new year. Windham Planning Director Steve Puleo briefed councilors about a new timeline for an updated 2016 Town Comprehensive Plan requiring changes mandated by the Maine Legislature’s approval of LD 1751 requiring legal compliance, address housing affordability, and sustainable growth for the next decade. LD 1751 requires municipalities to adopt housing-friendly policies, including density allowances and streamlined permitting. <

WMS Altitude Program completes 4th annual Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital Book Drive

By Masha Yurkevich

Windham Middle School (WMS) Altitude students took a trip to the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital to donate books that they had collected on Nov. 25. This is the fourth annual book drive that the Altitude program has done for the Children’s Hospital, and this year, Altitude collected 132 books.

Students from Windham Middle School's Altitude Program
collected books in November and then donated them during 
a visit to Barbara Bush Children's Hospital in Portland as
part of the 4th annual Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital
Book Drive for ill children last month.
PHOTO BY MASHA YURKEVICH
    

To collect the books, students set up collection boxes around the school and made announcements to let others know about the book drive.

“We also made posters and posted them around the school and also went to the Windham Public Library to see if we could put a collection box there,” said WMS student Ava Arterton.

An Altitude teacher also posted about the book drive on the internet and ended up raising $230, which was then used to buy books at Shermans Maine Coast book Shop and Walmart for the book drive.

“If I were in a hospital, I would be very happy if someone thought of me and brought me a book,” said Angelina Malan, a WMS Altitude student.

“When I read, it calms me down and makes me feel better,” said student Lee Small. “Maybe these books can do the same thing for the children here.”

The students all agreed that it is important to help people in need and that it feels good to make a difference.

“A little bit goes a long way,” said McKenna Grass-Goodwin. “It is a big hospital and compared to how many books we brought, we did raise a lot but compared to how many children there are in this hospital, a little goes a long way. These books might just help these children feel a little bit more normal during this hard time.”

Some of the students went over to their teachers from the previous year to talk to the kids and tell them about what happens at the Children's Hospital and why they collected books.

"It was a lot about presentation skills, too, and the opportunity to think about others,” said Altitude teacher Lisa Anderson.

Altitude teacher Autumn Carlsen-Cook said that this book drive shows the students a larger community.

“A lot of these students have connections with either themselves who have been at the Children’s Hospital or family members who have been at the Hospital,” she said. “We are all about community at Altitude and this book drive helps the students serve their community as well as practice empathy and compassion.”

“It is a big confidence booster for these students,” said Sophie Simonson, Altitude teacher. “Doing something like this makes the kids feel good about what they are doing.”

Sharon Granville is the Child Life Program Manager at the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital, with a goal to help children experience emotional safety when they are at the hospital.

“We look to help children understand the ‘why’ behind their healthcare; why are they here, who is everyone that is caring for them, what is their role,” she said. “We look to provide that information to then support coping, with the aim and goal that these children then grow up to be an adult who seeks healthcare when they are not feeling well and are not afraid to see a doctor when they are sick.”

Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital is the only children’s hospital in the state of Maine and areas of northern New Hampshire, caring for pediatric patients of all ages from neonates up to older adolescents.

“We want children to enjoy something from home,” said Granville. “Doing something that you enjoy really makes a difference when you are staying somewhere that is not home, meeting all new people, and not feeling your best, so having things like books is fantastic. We are very grateful to the Windham School Program that comes and visits us with their book drive. Our library here is unique in that our books are gifts to the kids that are here.”

By partnering with community support, such as the Windham Altitude Program, the Hospital can continue to fill their library with a variety of books to offer children of all ages and developmental levels. Specifically for the holiday season, the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital has an Amazon Gift Registry that are specific items that children will enjoy during their hospital stay.

“We always welcome any community supporters that would like to select an item from that gift registry,” said Granville. “We also have a volunteer program where we look for a minimum of a weekly six-month commitment to volunteer with us on the pediatric unit, which includes having direct contact with children and their families, playing with them, arts and crafts, games, holding babies, and just helping children feel comfortable while they are here at the hospital.”

The Amazon Gift Registry can be found on the Barbara Bus Children’s Hospital webpage, as well as more information regarding the volunteer program. <

Towns consider how to repurpose middle schools

By Dina Mendros

In September 2027, the new Windham Raymond Middle School is set to open, welcoming about 1,000 students from Windham and Raymond fifth to eighth grades. Not only is the new school exciting for students and staff of RSU 14, but it also creates an opportunity for both towns to repurpose the two schools that will be closing to provide benefits for local residents.

Repurposing committees for the towns of Windham and
Raymond will make recommendations abut the best uses
for Jordan-Small Middle School, left, and Windham
Middle School once the new Windham Raymond Middle
School opens in September 2027. Ownership of both
properties will be transferred to the towns at that time.
PHOTOS BY ED PIERCE   

Committees have been set up and are mulling over ideas for how to best use these spaces. Proposals range from a community center, a rec center, a new library, moving town hall there and a combination of these and more.

In Raymond, a Jordan-Small Middle School Visioning Committee was formed and came up with a slew of ideas.

“The JSMS Visioning Committee is recommending to the Select Board and the future Building Development Committee to use the school building to house the Parks and Recreation Department, the Library, Town Hall Offices and Community Services,” Committee Chair Peter Lockwood said in an email earlier this year. “Our focus is to create a Community Center that supports all ages and residents of Raymond.”

After the work that committee was tasked with was completed, the committee assembled a report, presented it to the Select Board and was disbanded. The town is in the process of creating another committee, and on Sept. 16, it asked Raymond Town Manager Joseph Crocker to come up with a plan to form a new committee to move the process forward.

Select Board member Kayla Gonzalez asked Crocker to come up with a plan on what the committee should look like, such as the number of members and who should be included along with a timeline.

The formation of a new committee was to be taken up on Sept. 16 during a Select Board workshop and again later that day during the board’s regular meeting, but they ran out of time. Instead, it will be taken as an agenda item during a future meeting.

“It’s going to be important to speak I think publicly on how we want to move forward with it,” Raymond Select Board Denis Morse said when postponing the discussion.

He did say that “a lot of the Jordan-Small Middle School could be used immediately without spending a lot of money because the town already has to start to absorb all the utilities and expenses.”

The town of Windham is also working toward a plan on how to reuse the Windham Middle School once the new school opens and the old one is no longer needed by the RSU 14 School District.

The Middle School Repurpose Advisory Committee serves as an advisory body to the Town Council and to analyze the potential re-uses for the school and a potential benefit as a community center.

The 20-member committee was charged with, during its deliberations, to use a community engagement study conducted in August 2019 “which identified the need to create a multigenerational home for all residents, that enhances the quality of life for Windham, provides flexible spaces for a range of activities, and is a self-sustaining business practice that fosters fun,” according to the committee webpage on the town’s website.

Also during the process, committee members are to “incorporate the migration of the services and space required for the Windham Public Library, Windham Parks and Recreation Department, Windham Social Services/Food Pantry facility and the Windham Medical Loan Closet facility into the new spaces as well as flexible spaces for the community to engage in various activities,” the webpage says.

The committee was also established to review the condition of the building and improvements that would be needed to accommodate new uses and come up with a budget and then report back to the Windham Town Council.

Windham Town Manager Robert Burns said the Town Council “is interested in the use of that facility” and is considering many different purposes such as a community center or for a town hall.

Moving the Windham Parks and Recreation Department to the building is another possibility, Burns said.

“It has a fair amount of some athletic opportunities over there. There’s a basketball court inside,” he said, saying that the large rooms at the school would be useful for that department.

He said the committee is about halfway through the process of coming up with a conceptual design along with an estimated cost.

He said an architect is looking at the square footage and to see how many different departments and functions the building could serve as home for.

“We’re excited to see where this leads,” Burns said.

Both towns will need support by their respective town council and select board as well as approval by residents before moving forward with any plan that committees develop.

“There’s a lot of steps yet to go through,” Burns said. He added, “it’s a very exciting opportunity for Windham residents.” <

WRMS construction running smoothly and under budget

By Ed Pierce

Significant progress has been made on the construction of the new Windham Raymond Middle School on Windham Center Road, including moving the horse barn on the property for future use as an outdoor classroom.

Construction on the new Windham Raymond Middle School
is on schedule and remains about $16 million under budget,
according to RSU 14 Superintendent of Schools Christopher
Howell. Steel building framework and enclosed student
stairwells are going up and work to move an existing
horse barn at the site has been completed.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

Christopher Howell, RSU 14 Superintendent of Schools, says that construction costs for the school have remained constant and the project continues to be on schedule for a planned opening of September 2027. The new school will be a free-standing multi-story building with more than 260,000 gross square feet of new construction for learning space, an auditorium, gymnasium, and dining facilities.

Howell said that the new school will use a team-teaching concept where students will be divided into 12 teams to provide personal connection and then broken up into smaller instructional teams. It will incorporate Integrative Project Based Learning through team teaching, a method of instruction where a group of teachers work together to plan, conduct, and evaluate learning activities for the same group of students and the school’s design takes all of that into account with the team areas of the building allowing for a science teacher, math teacher, social studies teacher, and an English teacher to be in the same teaming area.

Classrooms will be on the new school’s upper floors and will not have any outside stairs or hallways, with administration and guidance offices housed on the ground level. The school grounds also feature a protected wetland area that students will cross by an aluminum boardwalk for outdoor learning opportunities and a school garden. The cooling and heating system will be designed for long-term cost savings and adaptability for the future. State-of-the-art drainage will protect the site’s surrounding environment and a 600-seat performing arts auditorium will be built as part of the new school.

“It’s just been an amazing process to watch and see the large precision of this process,” Howell said. “We are $16 million under the original budget and expect things to remain that way.”

Back in November 2023, a plurality of voters in the school district, which encompasses Windham and Raymond, approved a referendum to build the new school with about 77 percent of construction costs paid by the Maine Department of Education’s Major Capital Construction Program. The total project budget including fees, soft costs, contingencies, furnishings, and equipment is estimated at about $171.5 million, with the state funding $131.7 million and residents paying the remaining $39.8 million.

The original Windham Middle School opened in 1977 and was intended for a capacity of 483 students. That number has grown in the past years to 650 students and some sixth graders being housed for classes at the adjacent Field Allen School, which was built in 1949. Jordan-Small Middle School in Raymond opened in 1962.

“The new school will open with a little more than 1,000 students, and has a capacity for 1,200 students, so there’s some room built in taking future growth into account,” Howell said. “Kids in Grade 3 to 6 right now will be the first to use the new school.”

The school site will also include the creation of three new athletic fields and an existing soccer field near Windham Center Road.

Once open, the new Windham Raymond Middle School will provide instruction for students currently attending Windham Middle School, Jordan-Small Middle School and fifth graders at Manchester School in Windham. The current Windham Middle School and Jordan-Small Middle School will be closed and turned over to their respective municipalities for repurposing.

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 eventually gaining approval in March 2021. Once a district applies for funding, Maine Department of Education reviews and rates the projects 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, which was the case with Windham Middle School and Jordan-Small Middle School in Raymond.

Construction at the site is being led by Shaw Brothers and Landry French.

Because of the steady construction progress to date, Howell said he believes by next August 50 to 60 percent of the school construction will be completed.

“It’s a once in a career thing to do and watch this process all the way through,” Howell said. “Everything we planned on paper is coming to fruition and it’s so exciting.” <

Classes back in session for Windham and Raymond students

By Ed Pierce

And just like that, summer vacation is officially over for students in Windham and Raymond as classes are back in session.

RSU 14's sch0ol schedule started on Wednesday, Aug.27 for
Grade 1 through 9 and Thursday, Aug. 28 for students in
Grade 10 through 12. Half of the RSU 14's Pre-K and
kindergarten classes start on Tuesday, Sept. 2 with the 
other half starting on Wednesday, Sept. 3. 
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE  

All RSU 14 schools, teachers, staff members and administrators have been carefully preparing for the new 2025-2026 school year and remind the community that with children out and about on their way to classes, motorists need to be careful and pay attention in school zones and around school buses transporting students to and from school.

After registering children for another year of school, purchasing new clothing and footwear, gathering school supplies, planning lunches for school, coordinating after-school care and arranging for student transportation, parents can finally sit back and rejoice that the start of the school year has arrived.

RSU 14’s school schedule started on Wednesday, Aug. 27 for Grades 1 through 9, and Thursday, Aug. 28 for students in Grades 10 through 12. Half of the RSU 14’s Pre-K and kindergarten classes start on Tuesday, Sept. 2 with the other half starting on Wednesday, Sept. 3.

Christopher Howell has led RSU 14 as Superintendent of Schools since 2019. Christine Frost-Bertinet is the RSU 14 assistant superintendent and Christine Hesler is RSU 14’s Director of Curriculum.

In Windham, students in kindergarten through Grade 3 attend Windham Primary School. Grade 4 and Grade 5 Windham students attend Manchester School, while students in Grades 6 to Grade 8 attend Windham Middle School. High school students in Grades 9 to Grade 12 in both Raymond and Windham attend Windham High School.

Dr. Kyle Rhoads leads Windham Primary School as its principal and has served in that role there for 18 years. Danielle Donnini is entering her 29th year of working at Manchester School and she has led the school as its principal since 2015.

Windham Middle School Principal Greg Applestein is entering his third year of leading WMS. He formerly spent three years as the principal at Bonny Eagle High School.

Ryan Caron is entering his eighth year as the principal at Windham High School and formerly served as the principal at South Portland High School.

This year in Raymond, elementary and middle school students will attend either Raymond Elementary School or Jordan-Small Middle School. Raymond students in Grade 1 to Grade 4 attend Raymond Elementary, while students in Grade 5 through Grade 8 attend Jordan-Small Middle School.

Beth Peavey is entering her sixth year as the principal at Raymond Elementary School and was the school’s assistant principal for three years prior to becoming its principal. Raymond Elementary, which houses students from Pre-K through fourth grade, has 258 students registered for the fall. Forty-four students are registered in the three classes of Pre-K at RES.

Jordan-Small Middle School will be led once again by Michelle Brann, who is entering her fourth year as the JSMS principal. Brann formerly served as the assistant principal at Lake Region Middle School. Some 180 Raymond students are registered for Grade 5 through Grade 8 at JSMS this fall.

For parents, RSU 14 uses Parent Square for school-to-home communications including mass notifications and urgent alerts, language translation for multilingual families, and to schedule parent-teacher conferences. The district also uses the Ride 360 app to view a student’s transportation assignment or to request changes to a student’s scheduled transportation. The Ride 360 app may be downloaded by visiting https://MERSU14.myridek12.tylerapp.com/.

Aaron Gant and Sharon Leeman serve as co-directors of transportation for RSU 14, while Jeanne Reilly is the RSU 14 Director of School Nutrition.

Windham Christian Academy

All students attending Windham Christian Academy in kindergarten through Grade 12 will return to classes on Tuesday, Sept. 2. The school offers non-denominational Christian education for students in PreK4 through Grade 12.

Jackie Sands is now in her 13th year of working for Windham Christian Academy and has served as the school’s principal since 2018. <

WMS Altitude Program teaches students how to make maple syrup

By Masha Yurkevich

While some classrooms use textbooks to teach a lesson, Altitude, an alternative pathway program at Windham Middle School (WMS), used maple syrup collecting to teach its students.

Windham Middle School Altitude students gather during a 
lesson in making maple syrup. Front, from left, are 
Constance Sawyer, Mckenna Grass-Goodwin, Ava 
Atherton, Aliana Richardson, Finn Shinchfield, Logan
Partridge, and Lisa Anderson. Back, from left, are
Autumn Carlsen Cook, Angelina Malan, Elijah Fox,
Caleb Warner, Illijah Veilleux, and Allison Muir.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

Altitude is not your typical classroom setting; it is an alternative pathway program at WMS that focuses on service, experiential learning, and community building, aiming to create more hands-on learning opportunities for students who may find the traditional school setting challenging.

As maple syrup season was drawing closer, Altitude teachers Lisa Anderson, Autumn Carlsen Cook and Allison Muir decided to use this opportunity to teach their seventh grade Altitude students a variety of lessons, some of which include science, math, history, and the natural world.

Prior to going outside, students learned about the sugaring process and had guest speaker Scott Dunn from Dunn Family Farm speak to them about the task of collecting and boiling maple syrup. They learned about how to identify healthy maple trees, understanding the timing of sap flow, proper tapping techniques, and basic sap handling and boiling procedures to ensure a good quality syrup.

Then, the students walked around campus, marking off and tapping fifteen maple trees and plotting their locations on a map.

Mathematics was incorporated as the students collected data from the amount of sap they got from each tree and learned about how many taps a tree can have depending on its diameter and size. They had about 22 taps in total.

While outside, Altitude set up a “kitchen,” which consisted of four propane heaters to boil the sap for it to become maple syrup.

A group of students collected buckets of sap from their designated trees, pouring the sap into a 50-gallon barrel, which was then poured into pots and put on the heaters, carefully being monitored by the watchful eyes of another group of students.

Each pot was set at a different temperature, and the students observed the changes that were happening in each pot as the sap began to change color and get closer to the finished product, carefully taking the temperature until it reached 219°F, which is the finishing temperature of maple syrup.

“We wanted to give the students an authentic avenue for them to learn about social studies and culture, how did indigenous people first think to tap trees, as well as some Maine geography,” says Allison Muir, an Altitude teacher. “We compared ancient practices to present day modern practices, and also learned about the ecology of a tree, why does it produce sap, and why do we tap it at this time of year.”

Originally, Altitude wanted to incorporate more classroom curriculum, but once they got started, they quickly found out that they would be spending more time outside working on the sap. Teachers had to improvise, often taking the sap home to finish boiling excess water in order to speed up the process for students to then get to a finished product.

The students were able to be hands-on and used tools to tap the trees and hooked up the hosing to the tree, using teamwork to collect sap.

To see if the syrup was ready, the students either used a hydrometer to test the density of the sugar in the sap or used a thermometer, waiting until the liquid reached a temperature of 219°F.

“Once the temperature gets to 218°F, things happen really fast,” says student Aliana Richardson.

As a temperature reached 219°F, the students took the pot off the heat and filtered the syrup, and they agreed that this was a fun learning experience, and that they discovered many new things.

“Stay focused and pay attention,” said one student, Elijah Fox, to sum up the entire experience.

All the students agreed that attentiveness, hard work and teamwork was essential to making the best quality syrup. While in class the students learned that it takes 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup, and while outside they learned that it depends on the type of maple tree from which the sap is taken.

The students also got to make pancakes, learning different measuring skills and cooking techniques, and then enjoyed their hard work of maple-syrup collecting with some fresh pancakes.

Altitude teachers hope to continue this learning experience next year. <

Pumpkin design contest tests teamwork abilities of WMS students

By Ed Pierce

Believing that unity is strength and when there is teamwork that anything can be achieved, student groups at Windham Middle School recently collaborated as part of an exercise intended to build trust while creating, designing and decorating a winning pumpkin.

The 'Oscar the Grouch' pumpkin design 
created by a sixth-grade team advised by
teacher Matthew Zidle was the winner of
this year's Pumpkin Contest at Windham
Middle School. Team members proposed 
the design, painted the pumpkin and added
the finishing touches in an exercise intended
to build teamwork and collaboration among
the students. COURTESY PHOTO  

The winning pumpkin was one of about 30 different designs submitted by student teams and was unveiled during morning announcements on Tuesday, Nov. 5. The sixth-grade group advised by WMS teacher Matthew Zidle won this year’s contest for its “Oscar the Grouch” design.

The advisory groups at the school met, chose a pumpkin, suggested possible designs, voted on one design and then worked together on turning their pumpkin into the design they wanted. Following several weeks of work on the activity, the groups displayed their creations for their peers in the hallway outside the school gymnasium for a panel of judges including WMS Principal Greg Applestein and Assistant Principal AJ Ruth.

This popular annual student advisory group activity aims to forge strong connections among the students, foster creativity and to refine communications by drawing together students with diverse backgrounds and different personalities tasked to work on a common problem.

Zidle said the first task for the winning design group was to gather supplies needed for the pumpkin.

“Many of us were able to provide ‘trash’ items for the can,” he said. “Students painted the pumpkin and attached green ‘fur.’ We’d like to thank Ruth’s Reusables for helping us by donating supplies as well. They are an incredible resource for our communities by allowing us to work as a team and have a lot of fun in the process.”

He said it was a great opportunity for members of his advisory group to demonstrate leadership, think outside the box and develop a sense of solidarity, making them more invested in themselves and others.

Sixth grader Natalie Norcia was involved in painting the pumpkin to resemble “Oscar the Grouch” from Sesame Street.

“Besides painting, I helped with the googly eyes, the trash stuff and the fur,” Norcia said. “It took a few weeks to produce, but I thought it looked really good and that we all did a good job with it.”

Max Caron, a WMS sixth grader, said student creativity was on display in this activity.

“I liked how we could do whatever we wanted with the design,” Caron said.

He said some of the suggestions among their group for a design included the Earth, actor Mike Myers, and one based upon Friday the 13th films before the students settled on creating Oscar the Grouch.

He said this pumpkin decorating activity was challenging but was not so tough as to frustrate or overwhelm members of the student advisory group.

“Lots of friends got together in class, put our heads together and got to work on it,” Caron said.

As the project came together slowly, sixth grader Bradford Jorgensen thought that the group’s design might not get much attention from the judges.

“I thought we were going to get last place,” Jorgensen said. “In the end that wasn’t the case.”

When completed, Oscar the Grouch was seen emerging from a red trash can filled with crushed soda pop cans, candy wrappers and other trash. There is trash on top of his green hair, and he has thick black eyebrows over his large googly eyes. An empty plastic yogurt container is perched on top of his head and a sign on the trash can reads “Grouch says SCRAM.”



Members of Zile’s winning team included WMS sixth graders Chase Austin Lewis; Natalie Norica; Brittany Sharkey; Elena Vujanic; Elliot Condon; Liana Aguilar; Finnegan Niman; Bradford Jorgensen; Max Caron; Atticus Cunningham; James Riley; and Ian Dorie. <

Windham Middle School welcomes new School Resource Officer

By Masha Yurkevich

Schools are one of the safest places our children can be, and there is a lot of work that goes into making sure that is true. One very significant part of keeping our school safe is the role of a School Resource Officer, now handled by Windham Police Officer Devyn Rogers at Windham Middle School.

Officer Devyn Rogers, an eight-year veteran
of the Windham Police Department, is the 
new School Resource Officer at Windham
Middle School. His job is to ensure the 
safety of students and staff at WMS and to
be a positive role model for students.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE   

Prior to becoming a School Resource Office (SRO) for the Windham Middle School this fall, Rogers worked briefly at the Cumberland Country Jail and was hired by the Windham Police Department in August 2016. He was assigned to patrol duty until August of this year when he became the SRO at Windham Middle School. Rogers is also a firearms instructor and field training officer for the department.

Becoming an SRO was no easy task, and Rogers attended the Maine Criminal Justice Academy Basic School Resource Officer course, as well as receiving on the job training from other school resource officers in the Windham Police Department.

“I wanted to become a school resource officer to help provide a safe school environment, interact with a different part of the community, and work with students to provide a potentially different perspective on law enforcement,” says Rogers.

As a school resource officer, Rogers will serve as a valuable resource for students, parents, teachers, staff and administration. His mission is to gain the students’ trust and respect and become a positive role model in their lives. His work is more than breaking up fights and ensuring the physical safety of the staff and students. It also involves being a teacher, counselor, and law enforcement officer, and much of his duties result in conversations that help students navigate tough situations.

He’s in charge of the physical security of the entire WMS facility and the students within, emergency operations planning for the school district, safety training for the district, education on various topics for students, and the day-to-day operations of the middle school community.

According to Rogers, as a school resource officer, each day is different.

“Most days I start with monitoring parent drop off, and then during class periods I will walk the building or school grounds and assist the administration with any tasks or concerns, as well as monitor the cameras,” says Rogers. “I try to spend time in all the lunch periods to talk with the students, as that seems to be their favorite time to ask me questions. During the afternoon periods, I will typically do any work, reports, or emails, and often have meetings.”

The high school SRO and Officer Rogers then go out at dismissal to ensure the safety of the students during bus pickup.

“Much like an officer patrolling the streets, I often interact with people when they are having what may be the worst day of their life,” says Rogers. “Those can be tough situations to navigate.”

There are many things that the role of an SRO entails, but Rogers keeps his definition short and sweet.

“As an SRO, I help provide a safe and secure environment for students and staff, assist school staff with resolving conflict and problems, and as a resource for the students if they have issues that they don’t want to bring up to other staff,” he said.

Married and the father of two children, Rogers grew up in North Yarmouth and graduated from Greeley High School. He attended Norwich University and the University of Southern Maine before entering law enforcement.

As the SRO of the Windham Middle School, Rogers hopes to make a positive impact on the students and the school as a whole.

“I have gotten some invitations from teachers to join them during class and I think that is a great opportunity to provide some insight to students and help them make good decisions,” Rogers says.

Though being a middle school resource officer is no easy task, Rogers said he loves what he does.

“Working as an SRO is a bit of a change of pace for me, but I am finding my groove and enjoying it,” he says. “I want teachers, students, and parents to know that I am here as a resource more than anything. If you feel like I could be of benefit to a situation or discussion, please let me know.” <

Windham Town Manager to chair WMS Repurpose Advisory Committee

By Ed Pierce

With ground about to be broken next month for construction of the new Windham Raymond Middle School, a town committee will undertake the important job of making recommendations to the Windham Town Council about how best the existing Windham Middle School can used once the new school opens in 2027.

Windham Town Manager Barry Tibbetts will lead the 
Windham Middle School Repurpose Advisory Committee
which will make recommendations to the Windham Town
Council about how to best use the school building once
the new Windham Raymond Middle School is opened
in the fall of 2027. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE  

During the July 9 Windham Town Council meeting, councilors took the step of appointing Windham Town Manager Barry Tibbetts as the chair of the Windham Middle School Repurpose Advisory Committee. By unanimous vote, councilors voted to have Tibbetts fulfill that role as a non-voting and impartial and objective member of the committee.

Council David Nadeau had originally proposed having either a town councilor or the town manager or assistant town manager chair the committee but ultimately withdrew having a councilor as a possible chair for the committee in an amended motion.

“We’ve gone through this before and want to make sure this committee has a little bit of structure and stays on task,” Nadeau said.

Councilor Jarrod Maxfield said having Tibbetts chair the committee makes sense because he is not an elected official.

“I don’t want people to say the council is hijacking it,” Maxfield said.

The purpose of the Windham Middle School Repurpose Advisory Committee will be to serve as an advisory body to the Windham Town Council for the analysis of potential re-uses for the Windham Middle School’s renovation design, documentation, construction and its potential benefit as a Community Center for the town.

The committee will provide a comprehensive recommendation to the Windham Town Council for consideration in making a final determination for the school building, which was first opened to students in 1974.

Committee members will use community engagement results from a study conducted in August 2019 which identified the need to create a multigenerational facility for all Windham residents that enhances the quality of life for Windham, provides flexible spaces for a range of activities, and is a self-sustaining site that fosters fun for residents.

It is expected that in repurposing the school building some existing Windham departments, such as the Windham Library, the Windham Parks & Recreation Department, Windham Social Services and Food Pantry and the town’s Medical Loan Closet could be included into new spaces there as well as providing flexible space for the community to engage in various activities.

Currently the Windham Public Library is housed in its own building at 217 Windham Center Road, while the Windham Parks and Recreation offices are at Windham Town Hall on School Road and Windham Social Services is housed in its own building at 377 Gray Road in Windham.

Members of the committee will be asked to evaluate and consider adaptive reuse plans by peer communities as templates when it considers proposing future uses for the facility and develop a conceptual plan using the boundaries of the existing school building. They also will be tasked with reorganizing/repurposing the facility’s space to improve the town employee work experience and customer service experience that encompasses health and safety, access, egress, and security, among other concerns.

The committee will perform a complete review of the condition, strengths and weaknesses of the building and how they relate to current and future town needs, recommend improvements to the building structure as appropriate for initial uses and possible phased uses and provide an operational budget for the facility, including maintenance, manpower, debt structure, and anticipated revenues and expenses.

At the July 9 meeting, three councilors were voted to serve on the Windham Middle School Repurpose Advisory Committee including Maxfield, Councilor Bill Reiner and Councilor Nick Kalogerakis.

Other committee members are appointed by the town council and the town manager (non-voting member); assistant town manager (non-voting member); Parks & Recreation Director (non-voting member); Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee Member; Library Director (non-voting member); Library Board of Trustees Member; Facilities & Grounds Manager (non-voting member); General Assistance Administrator (non-voting member); Age Friendly Windham Coordinator (non-voting member); two prior Community Center Ad Hoc Committee members; and two members of the general public.

Windham Town Council Chair Mark Morrison said that the committee will report regularly to the town council at their meetings during the Committee Reports section.

The Windham Middle School Repurpose Advisory Committee will be disbanded once it makes final recommendations to the Windham Town Council about the repurpose of the school building. <

Windham Middle School actors launch a new production: Seussical Jr.

By Masha Yurkevich

Maine winters can be long and dark, but if you’re looking to beat the winter depression, the Windham Middle School has prepared something for just that: the Seussical Jr. production.

The Windham Middle School production of
Seussical Jr. opens Friday, Jan. 12 and runs
through Sunday, Jan. 21 at the Windham High
School Performing Arts Center. Performance
times are 7 p.m. Fridays, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays.
COURTESY PHOTO

If you are wondering what Seussical Jr. will be like, Beth Gaudet, a show producer, sums it all up by saying: “Think of all the Dr. Seuss books mashed into a musical!”

As the producer, Gaudet is responsible for organizing everything related to the production, from getting schedules out, building the sets, to getting other parents involved in the process.

“This production is unique because it has numerous lead roles, providing ample opportunities for the kids to showcase their talent,” says Gaudet. “I am always amazed to see how the production develops from start to finish. Our director, April Monte, has a special way of working with the kids that brings out the absolute best in each and every one of them.”

For Gaudet, her favorite part of this musical is watching the fun, colorful, and happy story come to life on stage.

“The show is exceptionally entertaining with its magnificent set design and costumes,” says Gaudet.

Monte, the director, is head of the theater program at WMS and is also the choreographer, helps build set designs, works with lighting designers and sound designers, comes up with all the dancing in the show, and tells the students where to stand on stage when they’re saying their lines.

“This show is kind of crazy because everything is to music, so the children have a lot to learn when it comes to choreography,” says Monte. “It’s like Shakespeare for kids because it’s all rhymes; it’s basically Shakespeare but with Dr. Seuss lyrics. It’s been a very big challenge for the kids because the music is not easy either so they’re learning a lot but are also having a good time.”

For Monte, she has many favorite parts to the show.

“If I had to choose one, I would probably say the opening number is my favorite,” she says. “I also love the end when they all dance to Green Eggs and Ham.”

Seussical Jr. is a one-act musical comedy and is based upon the successful Broadway production written by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens. The plot draws heavily from the stories of popular children’s author Dr. Seuss, including Gertrude McFuzz, Horton Hears A Who! and Horton Hatches the Egg among many other Seuss tales.

Annabelle Riley plays the Cat in the Hat in the WMS production and has been acting since she was 5 years old.

“This is my first lead role,” she says. “When I was cast as the Cat in the Hat, I was completely surprised. There are so many talented kids in the cast, and I am really grateful that the director chose me. Our wonderful director definitely knows what she’s doing and respects everyone in the room.”

Riley's favorite part about this musical is hearing everyone’s voices and how different they are, and seeing how all their hard work has really paid off.

All performances will be held in the Windham High School Performing Arts Center and shows start Friday, Jan. 12 and run through Sunday, Jan. 21. Performance times are 7 p.m. Fridays, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are priced at $12 for seniors and students and $14 for adults.

Everyone is invited to see a wonderful show and leave in a great mood.

“Come see the show if you want to have a really good, fun time,” Monte said. “You’re not going to leave without a smile on your face, I can promise you that.” <

Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital benefits from WMS Altitude Program book donation

By Matt Pascarella

Windham Middle School’s Altitude Program strives to have students become significant community members with a goal to create hands-on learning opportunities, which aim toward students reaching their highest potential. Last year, the program donated books to the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital at Maine Medical Center in Portland and this year the group, composed of seventh and eighth graders, decided to do it again.

Windham Middle School eighth graders make a book donation
to Barbara Bush Children's Hospital at Maine Medical Center
in Portland on Tuesday, Nov. 21. Back row, from left, are
Marcus Farinella, Jo Ricker, Mallory Clement, Jovie 
Jauregui, Sophia McGovern, Mr. Sean Mains, Gloria
Veilluex and Melonie Blackey-Marsh. Front, from left, are
Mrs. Lisa Anderson, Matt Denslow, Sam Day, Mrs. Autumn
Carlsen-Cook, and Miss Bry Warren.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA    

Seventh and eighth graders from the program dropped off a large box filled to the top with books on Tuesday, Nov. 21.

“It really is so important to have gotten all of these incredible books,” said Dana Fadel, Hospital Teacher and School Liaison for the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital. “They will go into the hands of every patient that we have; and all the patients that we see always ask for books, so this is really critical. It’s much appreciated and will go a long way.”

The patients at Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital get to keep the books which are used sometimes in an educational setting or to just pass the time. Fadel asks every student she sees if they’re interested in reading and what they’re interested in - many times, it’s books about subjects she received in the box from Windham Middle School, like Bluey, Taylor Swift, Hardy Boys, or graphic novels.

WMS eighth grader Otis Jordan said donating these books made him feel like he was making a difference.

“I’m helping out kids,” said Windham eighth grader Marcus Farinella. “It feels great.”

The Altitude Program heard that Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital needed books, so they put up posters around Windham Middle School and had boxes where students and staff could donate books. They also made announcements stating there were boxes around the school where books could be donated. Some of the books were donated from members of the Altitude Program, but some also came from a book fair at Windham Middle School where individuals could buy a book and donate a book.

“I wanted to help because I want the kids to be happy and if it means bringing in a few books then I will do it,” said Windham seventh grader Khloe Hardy who helped with the book drive by putting up posters and boxes around the school. “I felt really happy when I helped the kids and that I made a difference.”

According to Farinella, the goal of the Altitude program is to try to bring out the best in every kid in the program and do fun activities, raising their spirits while raising their outlook on life.

“It felt great because you got to give people stuff who might not get stuff all the time,” said Windham eighth grader Julez Jeasey.

WMS eighth grader Jo Ricker agreed.

“When you give, you feel a lot better,” Ricker said. “I like taking time out of my day to help people.”

The goal of the Altitude Program is to try to bring out the best in every kid in the program by performing community building activities, like going shopping or going to the Windham Food Pantry, ice skating or to the Windham skate park. The program teaches life skills and helps them accomplish as much as possible.

“This year we partnered with Ripple Effect ... a kind of outdoor adventure leadership program,” said Altitude Program science teacher Autumn Carlsen-Cook, who is in her second year of the Altitude Program. “We took the seventh and eighth graders to Cow Island last year and they did different outdoor leadership activities where they would challenge themselves to a level of their comfort, so climbing wall, zip line, different games to show working together.”

In partnering with Ripple Effect, the Altitude Program will do monthly excursions during this school year. They take grades outside of the classroom for a full day of community building activities, but also learn applications from these activities.

Every student involved with the Altitude Program say they should continue donating to the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital because it feels nice getting a gift from someone your age who knows what you might like to read.

“We came here to help these kids ... they should benefit from our kindness,” said Ricker. “It makes me feel wonderful. If we give them a book, it keeps their mind occupied, it keeps them happy. It would cheer me up if I was in the hospital and I read a book I really enjoyed.” <

WMS teacher AJ Ruth delighted to take on new role as assistant principal

By Lorraine Glowczak

AJ Ruth knew from the moment that she taught her first seventh-grade class that she would always be a middle school educator. As she enters her 21st year in education, with 19 at Windham Middle School serving as a science and math teacher, Ruth remains with the age group that stole her heart in the earliest years of her career. Only now, she has moved from teaching students at WMS to leading them and her colleagues as the new WMS Assistant Principal, replacing Peter Hill.

AJ Ruth, who has been a Windham Middle School science
and mathematics teacher for the past 19 years, will serve
as the school's assistant principal.
PHOTO BY LORRAINE GLOWCZAK  

“I am thrilled to get this job in this community and this school,” she said. “I’ve been working on becoming an administrator for the past four years and the thought of having to leave WMS saddened me. I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome regarding my professional goals.”

As for her new role as a leader, Ruth seemed to possess the innate ability to lead others at an early age. During her middle and high school years at Presque Isle, she eagerly directed and guided fellow youth in many club and sports activities, including the President of her Key Club and swimming instructor as a youth and throughout adulthood. As a result, her role from teacher to leader seems like a natural transition.

“I’ve always loved being a leader and my involvement with school and community events continues to this day,” she said. “Becoming the WMS Assistant Principal has been a dream and is the right fit at this time for me.”

Ruth’s colleagues agree and are very happy with the selection of their new assistant principal.

“Because we already know and love her, AJ is the perfect liaison between staff and the new principal [Greg Applestein],” said Doug Elder, WMS seventh-grade social studies teacher who has team-taught with Ruth over the past seven years in hands-on, inquiry-based projects.

“As much as we all hate to lose her as a team teacher, she has the skills and qualities it takes to be our next assistant principal. Working closely with her the past couple of weeks in her new role has proven us right. We are happy she is staying with us at WMS.”

Providing youth with authentic and engaging learning experiences is how Ruth approaches education. In recent years, Ruth, and fellow WMS colleagues including Elder, have implemented Project Based Learning (PBL), an educational method that promotes students’ ownership of their learning as they design, develop, and construct hands-on solutions to real-life situations.

“PBL allows students to show their creativity in ways they can’t in the regular classroom,” Ruth said.

Ruth said the best part about her new job is the amount of support and encouragement she has received from her colleagues.

“The WMS staff are like family and to have their backing in this transition has meant the world to me. We are a close group. If you ask anyone in our building what the one most important strength we carry, they will tell you it is the strong relationships we have with each other.”

There is also positive strength growing and developing between Ruth and the new WMS principal.
Their admiration and support for one another reflect that strength.

“Greg has had a variety of experiences in administration and has led at different schools across the state,” Ruth said. “As a result, he brings expertise to WMS that will help guide and continue the wonderful work we offer students. Being a veteran administrator, Greg will be a good resource for me and a great mentor as I learn my new role.”

Applestein said that he is also looking forward to continuing to grow and develop the relationship with Ruth to best serve the students, staff, and families of WMS.

“We share a lot of the same core values, and we have a very similar vision for WMS,” he said. “She is a seasoned veteran teacher who held many teacher-leadership positions which gives her the background and experience working with all stakeholders. As a long-serving teacher at WMS, AJ has that historical perspective about the climate, culture, and community of the school and the town. Additionally, her ability to do the right things for the right reasons, makes AJ a vibrant and dynamic assistant principal and we are very fortunate to have her at WMS.”

Ruth received her bachelor’s and master’s in education as well as her certification in administration from Saint Joseph’s College of Maine.

When she is not working with middle school students and staff, Ruth spends time with her family, hiking in the summer and skiing in the winter, noting that being in nature is her saving grace. She lives in Windham with her husband, a son, and a daughter. <

School bell about to ring for students in Windham and Raymond

By Ed Pierce

As parents in Windham and Raymond exhale a sigh of relief that summer is winding down, students have just a few days left of vacation until classes resume next week.

Students in Windham and Raymond are preparing to return
to classes next week as school reopens for the
2023-2024 school year for all age groups.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

At the six RSU 14 schools, teachers, staff members and administrators have been preparing to welcome back students for the 2023-2024 school year. And with children out and about on their way to classes, drivers need to be extra careful and pay attention in school zones and around school buses carrying students to and from school.

Preparing for the first day of class may seem daunting for parents who have endured registering their children for another year of school, purchasing new clothing and footwear, gathering school supplies, planning lunches, coordinating after-school care, and arranging transportation, but now that those tasks are completed, the countdown to the first bell of the school year is at hand.

In Raymond, elementary and middle school students will either attend Raymond Elementary School or Jordan-Small Middle School. Raymond students in Grade 1 to Grade 4 go to Raymond Elementary, while students in Grade 5 through Grade 8 attend Jordan-Small Middle School.

Beth Peavey is entering her fourth year as the principal at Raymond Elementary School and was the school’s assistant principal for three years prior to becoming principal.

Jordan-Small Middle School is led by Principal Michelle Brann, who is entering her second year in a leadership position there. Brann formerly served as the assistant principal at Lake Region Middle School.

The first day of school for Grades 1 to 4 at Raymond Elementary School is Tuesday, Aug. 29. Half of Raymond Elementary kindergarten students start classes on Thursday, Aug. 31, while the remaining half of RES kindergarten students will start school on Tuesday, Sept. 5.

In Windham, students in kindergarten through Grade 3 attend Windham Primary School. Grade 4 and Grade 5 Windham students attend Manchester School, while students in Grade 6 to Grade 8 go to Windham Middle School. High school students in Grade 9 to Grade 12 in both Raymond and Windham attend Windham High School.

Dr. Kyle Rhoads leads Windham Primary School as principal and has served in that role there for 16 years. Danielle Donnini is entering her 27th year of working at Manchester School and she has led the school as its principal since 2015.

This year, Windham Middle School has a new principal, Greg Applestein, who joins RSU 14 after serving three years as the principal at Bonny Eagle High School. Ryan Caron is entering his sixth year as the principal at Windham High School and formerly served as the principal at South Portland High School.

Christopher Howell has led RSU 14 as Superintendent of Schools since 2019. Christine Frost-Bertinent is the RSU 14 assistant superintendent and Christine Hesler is RSU 14’s Director of Curriculum.

The first day of school for Windham Primary School students in Grades 1 to 3 will be Tuesday, Aug. 29. Half of WPS kindergarten students begin school on Thursday, Aug. 31 and the remaining half of Windham kindergarten students start school on Tuesday, Sept. 5.

Windham Middle School classes will begin Tuesday, Aug. 29. The first day of instruction for Windham High School students is Wednesday, Aug. 30.

For parents, RSU 14 uses Parent Square for school-to-home communications including mass notifications and urgent alerts, language translation for multilingual families, and to schedule parent-teacher conferences. The district also uses the Ride 360 app to view a student’s transportation assignment or to request changes to a student’s scheduled transportation. The Ride 360 app may be downloaded by visiting https://MERSU14.myridek12.tylerapp.com/.

Aaron Gant and Sharon Leeman serve as co-directors of transportation for RSU 14, while Jeanne Reilly is the RSU Director of School Nutrition.

Windham Christian Academy

All students attending Windham Christian Academy in kindergarten through Grade 12 will return to classes on Tuesday, Sept. 5. The first day of school for students in WCA’s Pre-K3 is Tuesday, Sept. 5 while the first day for students in WCA’s PreK4 will be Wednesday, Sept. 6.

Jackie Sands is in her 11th year of working for Windham Christian Academy and has served as the school’s principal since 2018. <

RSU 14 welcomes new Windham Middle School principal

By Lorraine Glowczak

Greg Applestein, a 34-year veteran educator with 11 years of administrator experience, was approved and welcomed by the RSU 14 school board to serve as the new Windham Middle School Principal following the end of the school year in June.

Greg Applestein will lead Windham Middle
School as its new principal. A veteran
educator and school administrator, he joins
RSU 14 after serving for the past three
years as the principal of Bonny Eagle
High School in Standish.
PHOTO BY LORRAINE GLOWCZAK 

Applestein replaces Drew Patin as the WMS principal, and he officially started his new role at the school on July 1.

RSU 14 Superintendent of Schools Christopher Howell said that Applestein has a wealth of experience in public education and his experiences are closely aligned with the work plan that is already in place for WMS.

“Greg’s references spoke of his strong ability to form positive relationships with all members of the school community and his advocacy and support for his staff,” Howell said.

Howell said that Applestein earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary English Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1990, and then taught English and Video Productions at Belfast Area High School for 22 years. Upon completion of his Master of Science degree in Educational Leadership at the University of Southern Maine in 2012, he became the assistant principal of Ellsworth High School for three years.

He relocated to Scarborough High School as an Assistant Principal in 2015 and then accepted a position as Principal at Bonny Eagle High School, where he has worked for the past three years.

According to Applestein, he is looking forward to his new journey with RSU 14 and his role as a middle school principal for the school district.

“I’m excited to work with younger students who are in the midst of big changes and are beginning to discover who they are,” he said. “It’s a great time to be a part of their lives and to help them navigate the world.”

The new WMS principal said he promotes the student-centered approach to education which embraces the students where they are in life.

“Each student has unique backgrounds, strengths, challenges, interests, and aspirations,” he said. “They each have the potential that will unfold at their own pace and in their own way. It’s the job of the educator to recognize, unleash and support that individual student, in their growth and success.”

He said he believes that an educator is there to encourage each student to test the waters by learning new content and empower them to take more ownership of their learning so they can be successful, now and in the future.

At WMS, Applestein will continue project-based learning, which has been the WMS educational approach in recent years. This educational method promotes students’ ownership of their learning as they design, develop, and construct hands-on solutions to real-life situations.

In addition to his focus on student success, Applestein is also very supportive of the school’s staff.

“I want to empower our educators to be the best they can be, not to take themselves too seriously, and to take ownership of their success,” he said. “I’ve always encouraged teachers to keep their passions for students’ achievements and their role in education alive. To teach is to learn, so a commitment to professional development is imperative. Also, involvement in their school community through committee work, etc. is a great ingredient to a successful school culture.”

The new WMS Principal said that he expects the same of himself and to keep himself on track, Applestein reflects upon his experience after each day.

“Often, on the ride home from work, I will ask myself two questions,” he said. “‘What was my new learning today’ and ‘What can I pull from that learning that can make me a better principal tomorrow?’”

Applestein lives in Scarborough with his wife Michelle. The couple has two grown children, three grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren and when he is not at school, the new WMS principal can be found enjoying live music, reading, drumming, bass fishing, and spending time with his family. <