Windham Primary School gathers a crowd for its grad re-opening at the new playground - By Michelle Libby

Hundreds of people and children turned out last Saturday to celebrate the completion of the outdoor play area portion of the new Windham Primary School playground. With music by the third grade chorus and local musician Rick Charette, singing to the delighted squeals of the children playing on the equipment.

The project was completed with money from the school and through fundraising efforts from the playground committee. In total $50,000 was raised through many individuals and organizations over a 13 month period. It took 18 months to build both playground “pods”. 

A granite bench was donated by the family of Candace Woolston along with money for the playground. Candace was a former teacher at WPS who passed away from cancer. Her parents, Bill and Barbara Wills, drove from upstate New York for the ceremony and were joined by many family members, including Woolston’s husband and two sons. 

“Candace was all about being a teacher and very resilient,” said her father who will turn 92 in June. “I want to teach she said, and she did. She’s a great loss for us.” 

“It’s a special moment in time,” Barbara Wills said. 

Eagle Scout candidate Josh Libby presented a check for $700 that he raised to build a sandbox on the playground as his Eagle project for Boy Scouts. “It has been a big hit,” said principal and master of ceremonies Kyle Rhoads. 

When the students saw the playground for the first time, “It was like a miracle had happened,” said playground committee member Michelle Jordan.

Aubuchon Hardware helped to sponsor the event. There were drinks, cotton candy and popcorn for all who attended. Superintendent Sandy Prince addressed the crowd, and other dignitaries from Windham and RSU14 were on hand to celebrate with the primary school. 

The last phase of the primary school project will be to create a basketball court, put in a grass field, a baseball diamond and fence the entire area in. “It will require funding through the budget process,” said Jordan. The playground fund hopes to use money they raised and will raise for more seating and a backstop for the baseball field. Another Eagle project will happen over the summer, Jordan said. This one will involve painting new games on the tar.

 

Names in bench picture:

Green dress: Sarah Weigel

Son Will Woolston

Jack Woolston - husband

Ben Weigel – glasses back –

Pat Weigel blue – sister

Parents Barbara and Bill Wills

Bob Wills – leather jacket – brother

Kathy Wills – sister

Tyler Woolston – glasses in white – son

RSU14 Art Show puts the talent of its students on display - By Michelle Libby

From the live music to the artists classroom demonstrations, there was a new energy to the art show this year. The art teachers attribute some of that to new hire Joe McLaughlin at Windham High School.

“A new art teacher – that makes a difference. He brings a new energy. He’s excited about the program and the students like what he’s doing and offering,” said art teacher Jeff Bell. 

The format for the art show was the same with the majority of the high school art in the front lobby and the kindergarten through eighth grade in the hallways and auditorium of Windham High School (WHS). Opening night on Monday featured the third grade chorus and the Windham Chamber Singers. 

“Every single possible period [the art teachers] can teach, they are,” said WHS principal Christopher Howell. “They have built a program to meet student needs in every type of class.” Next year the school will offer a wood sculpture class. 

“I like to see the progression K to 12,” said McLaughlin. “My projects are very student centered.” He encourages the students to use their pets, camps and more for inspiration and as a way to engage them.

This year there were more instillation pieces and audio visual art from the AP studio art class. Three columns painted and designed by senior Tegan Bradley took center stage in the foyer. The new way collections were presented gave the show a fresh feel, like the work displayed in a cabinet lined with candles by artist Abigayle Hodgman. 

“It’s a true celebration of young artists together with performing arts. It’s the community coming together to show support for the arts,” said Windham Middle School art teacher Heather Libby. “It showcases dedication and talent from grades kindergarten to 12^th.” 

Two pieces of art by Holden Willard and Abigail Connor which were displayed at the Portland Museum of Art were back in Windham in time for the show. Lauren Barrett had a talented collection of drawings and pictures of horses. Other new displays were clay cactus pots and ceramic plates. 

Manchester art teacher Angelika Blanchard worked for 25 hours to get the show ready for opening night. “We’ve got to be the biggest art show in the state,” she said. 

WHS art teacher Kim Chasse noted the tattoo work photographs, anchored by artist statements about the work. “With the explosion of body art, we wanted to create an awareness around the idea of tattooing,” Chasse said. In those pieces there is photography compositional skills and photography as art as well as making the artist think about what they are doing, which is an important skill for those who are going into art programs in college, he added. 

“I love the art show,” said parent Megin Hatch. “It’s like the most wonderful time of the year for me.”

Artists Yelani Stieg – a senior (blonde) and Melanie Clark, a freshman, show off their skills at the annual RSU14 art show.

Chamber singers Will Wheaton and Sam Barry practice in front of quilling done by second graders.

Chief Rick Lewsen leaves a legacy of integrity and honesty to the Windham PD - By Michelle Libby

Monday night, town officials from Windham gathered at the Windham Town Hall to honor and celebrate the career of Windham Police Chief Rick Lewsen. 
 

With a staff of 31, Lewsen has grown the Windham Police Department from four officers when he first started. Now there are two chiefs for a few more days. “I’m the senior chief, in case you’re wondering,” Lewsen told the group gathered. He said he is looking forward to retirement and has a long list of projects to do. He officially retires on May 1. 

“I’ll miss the comradery the most. I’ll miss the people,” he said. 

In attendance were the first Windham Police chief Greg Hanscom, Sheriff Kevin Joyce and Lewsen’s wife, Karen, among others, including Ron Shepard, Lewsen’s roommate from the police academy class of 1972 and new Windham police chief Kevin Schofield. 

“Having a police chief like Rick Lewsen as a member of your team is something everyone should have the benefit of. I wish you well,” said town manager Tony Plante. 

When Hanscom hired Lewsen, he was already a familiar face in the community having worked the streets as a deputy sheriff and being a resident of the town. 

He set expectations that officers would be friendly, trustworthy, honest - he paved the way for the attributes of all of his officers, said Hanscom.  

There are only a minority of officers who have worked for another chief, Sgt. Jason Andrews pointed out. 

The department and officers gave gifts to Lewsen. Officer Jim Cook’s brother made a wooden case to put Lewsen’s gun in. The officers had his gun gilded in gold and put an outline drawing of the Windham badge on it.  

“OMG,” was all Lewsen said when he saw the gift. “I can’t believe that gun,” he said after the presentation. He plans to keep the gun in the box and not carry it after he retires. 

Officer Matt Cyr pointed out that the chief was missing some gear from his uniform, but for a good cause. They found their way into a case that was filled with all of the Windham Police Department patches, the name tag Lewsen had worn since he started as a sheriff, and his Windham badge and a deputy sheriff badge, all representing the 38 years in law enforcement. “He had more hair when he started,” said Roger Timmons. 

He was also presented a model of the latest Windham police car. Jokes were made that the chief hadn’t lost his name tag in all the years on the job. “Yes, but I lose my keys all the time,” he said with a laugh.  

“You gave almost every single one of us in the room a job,” Cyr said. “Thank you very much and thank you for your service.” 

 

Sgt. Bill Andrew gave Lewsen a Tile, which put with an app on his phone will help him locate his keys. “This references back to a comment you made before,” Andrew said.

Lewsen addressed the crowd, making sure to mention all of the officers and civilian personnel who work for him. He also acknowledged Dave DeGruchy who retired in January. 

“Dave, thank you so much for supporting the department,” Lewsen said. 

“He set a good standard for police departments with honesty and integrity. Kevin [Schofield] will do the same. He’s a good match for the department. Rick leaves behind a good department,” DeGruchy said.

Sheriff Joyce presented Lewsen with a plaque. “He really fostered a lot of partnerships. Long before we had a regional tactical team, he would share resources,” Joyce said. It wasn’t uncommon back 15 to 20 years ago for a Windham officer to back up a deputy sheriff in Naples. “He understood that you’re the only person there for miles.” 

Lewsen said one of the highlights of his career was attending the FBI National Academy in 1991. He brought back a lot of information to help the department, he said. 

At the end of the party, Bev Varney, one of the original Windham dispatchers, came to wish Lewsen well in his retirement. 

 “He’s done a great job and I hope he flourishes in retirement,” said town council chair Dave Nadeau.

“It’s going to be interesting [having him home],” said his wife Karen. 

Lewsen hopes to plan a trip to St. Martin between trips to their camp in Greenville.

Windham family partners with marathon runner to raise money for Boston Children's Hospital - By Elizabeth Richards

Last week, Massachusetts runner Heather Mastrangelo ran the Boston Marathon as a patient partner for Kayla Collins, a 13-year-old Windham seventh grader. The Collins family was present at the finish line to cheer Mastrangelo on.

The partnership came about as part of the Boston Children’s Hospital Miles for Miracles fundraising program, which matches runners with children who have been treated at Boston Children’s Hospital. The hospital has an overall goal of raising $1.7 million at the Boston Marathon. Together, Collins and Mastrangelo raised nearly $9,000.

This year, the hospital had about 200 runners, and 126 patient partners. It can be difficult to find patients to pair with runners, said Kayla’s mother, Trista, because the medical challenges faced by the families can be overwhelming. “It’s a lot to ask the family as well as the patients,” she said, “It was a really difficult thing to do but I’m really thrilled that she wanted to do it.”

Participating in the Miles for Miracles program was a way for their family to give back to an institution that has done so much for her child, said Trista. Kayla has been treated at Boston Children’s Hospital since the age of three, visiting at least once every six months. 

“They make you feel like your child is the only patient,” said Trista. “The treatment she’s had is just incredible.”  Fundraising for the marathon allowed the Collins to show just how much they appreciate the hospital. “You can tell people how much they’ve done for your kid, but we can’t really ever express the depth of our gratitude. Her life is forever changed,” said Trista.

Kayla was originally diagnosed with autism and the Collins family was told she would never walk or talk, or be able to function independently. The family found themselves seeking a second opinion at Boston Children’s Hospital, where after a full range of testing, doctors determined that she did not, in fact, have autism. Instead, she was the third person in the country to be diagnosed with a rare chromosome disorder called 7q11.23 duplication. To compound matters, last fall it was discovered that Kayla also has a heart condition.

None of that has slowed her down, however. After receiving extensive therapies when she was young, Kayla thrived and is now an active 7^th grader who likes to play field hockey, soccer and participate in Girl Scouts. Though the recent diagnosis of her heart condition made her pause, she’s been cleared to play soccer again this spring.

The early intervention made a huge difference, said Dave Collins, Kayla’s father. “There are other kids that are similar age to Kayla in the same study that didn’t get the same early intervention and they are well behind,” he said. 

Before the marathon, the hospital held a brunch for the runners and the families they were partnered with. At this brunch, the Collins family heard amazing stories of patient’s challenges as well as about the long term relationships some of the children have built with those running in their honor.

The day of the marathon was a lot of fun, Kayla said, despite the fact that it rained all day. Watching the runners was a powerful and touching experience, and also an opportunity for their family to be together doing something fun, Trista said. Kayla’s brothers are close in age to their sister, and have seen a lot of the challenges. “This was something they could be involved in, and at the brunch they realized that there are other families going through this. For them it was huge,” Trista said.

The Children’s Hospital runners all wore a special checkered bib, making them easy to identify as they passed. When Mastrangelo saw Kayla at the midway point, she stopped to hug her, and then kept on running. After seeing her pass, the family made their way to watch her cross the finish line. Being at the finish line was a crazy, amazing experience they all said. “I’m glad that Kayla was able to be a part of something that is just bigger,” said Trista.