Raymond residents weigh withdrawal from RSU 14

If approved by Raymond voters in a referendum
on Nov. 3, Raymond would withdraw from RSU 14 and
form a new school district. Under the proposal, Jordan-Small
Middle School and Raymond Elementary School would separate
from RSU 14 and the new district would hire a new
superintendent and create a new school board.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

By Briana Bizier
For more than a decade, students at Raymond’s elementary school and middle school have been part of the RSU14 school district, sharing their school administration, buses, and educational resources with the neighboring town of Windham. This November, however, Raymond voters will decide if they wish to withdraw from RSU 14 in order to oversee their own schools.
Under the proposed withdrawal plan, known as Question One on Raymond

’s November ballot, the town of Raymond would form its own SAU, or School Administrative Unit. Raymond would lose its seats on the RSU 14 school board, and Raymond’s new SAU would form an independent school board that would then hire a superintendent on a three-fifths position to administer both Raymond Elementary
School and Jordan Small Middle School. Although a three-fifths superintendent position might sound odd, it is how Raymond schools operated before consolidating with Windham in 2008. The new Raymond school board would be responsible for everything from bus schedules to classroom technology to negotiating with the teachers’ union.

Raymond’s high school students can currently choose which school they wish to attend, and this would continue under the proposed withdrawal plan, as long as the chosen high school is able to accept the
new Raymond district’s tuition payment. Currently, 80 percent of Raymond’s high school students attend Windham High School. There is no plan to build a new high school for Raymond.
If the withdrawal plan is approved by voters, RSU 14 would transfer six buses and four vans to the new Raymond school district. RSU 14 would also continue to provide transportation for students who live in Raymond and choose to attend Windham High School.
In some ways, the seeds of this proposed withdrawal were sown back in 2008 when Windham and Raymond first merged as part of a state-wide initiative to consolidate school districts. For some Raymond students and their parents, this process did not go smoothly.
Frank McDermott, who came to Raymond in 1968 to serve as the principal of Jordan-Small, which was then then Raymond’s only school, praised Raymond’s school system.
“We were a Blue Ribbon School,” McDermott recalled, referring to a national educational award

granted to Raymond in 1988. “We had the opportunity to send teachers to national conferences and bring back great ideas. For a school system as small as it was, we really were very fortunate. That helped us do what we needed to do. It helped change the view of what Raymond schools were and could be.”
McDermott also confirmed that the 2008 transition from being an independent school system to being part of RSU14 was rocky. When the two school districts merged, McDermott recalled that Raymond lost funding for some of its programs, including a teaching position in Raymond’s computer lab.
Yet Jani Cummings, a longtime Raymond resident who taught at Raymond Elementary School for 38 years, said there were also benefits when the Raymond schools merged with Windham. “Raymond teachers used to buy our own paper,” Cummings said. “We had a very limited amount of supplies. I spent an average of $1,400 a year on my classroom, every year. The first thing that happened when we merged with Windham is that every teacher got the Reading Street series, which was $5,000 worth of books and equipment per classroom, just for reading.”

Students attend an outdoor class at Raymond Elementary
School in September. SUBMITTED PHOTO

“It’s like any marriage,” Cummings continued, referring to the educational partnership between Raymond and Windham. “There’s the honeymoon stage, and then there’s the ‘you don’t make rice like my mother stage.’ But you learn to work together, and then you can’t imagine not working together.”
If the union between Raymond and Windham schools is a bit like a marriage, then it also has hit a few rough patches, especially with regards to spending. According to a “Frequently Asked Questions” section of the Town of Raymond’s RSU 14 Withdrawal webpage, Raymond was initially slated to fund 45 percent of the construction of a new     middle school in Windham.
The RSU14 school board also broached the idea of closing Jordan-Small Middle School in Raymond if a new middle school was built. However, that plan was abandoned when the RSU 14 school board reached a new agreement where Raymond’s share of the school budget is based on Raymond’s population, and any new construction will be funded entirely by the town doing the construction.
Proponents of Question One worry that this agreement is not being upheld. They point to the construction of a new town garage in Windham as evidence that Raymond taxpayers are being asked to fund projects which do not support Raymond students. In addition, the FAQ document continues, RSU 14 purchased modular units for classroom and office space in Windham instead of using available rooms in Raymond schools.

However, despite the partnership ’s rocky start 12 years ago and the recent spat over funding, many Raymond parents and educators argue that Raymond’s educational union with Windham is highly beneficial for students of both towns.
“Raymond students have a lot more opportunities as a result of Raymond merging with Windham,” said Susan Brackett, a fourth-grade teacher at Raymond Elementary School whose two daughters attend
Windham High School and Jordan-Small Middle School. “For example, Windham and Raymond currently share a variety of positions, such as a superintendent, literacy coach, math coach, specialist teachers such as P.E. and music, and numerous special education positions. This means our students are taught by highly qualified full-time staff.  Before the merger, we were only able to hire part time specialists, which resulted in a lot of turnover.”
Cummings, who is currently serving as a member of the RSU 14 school board but emphasizes that her opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the board as a whole, agreed with Brackett’s assessment.
“Having taught at RES when Raymond was a standalone district and then when it was part of RSU 14, I know that we are currently getting the best of both worlds,” Cummings said. “Small class sizes at community schools with access to the wide-ranging resources of a large district, all at a lower cost than if we were to withdraw.”
The costs of Raymond’s withdrawal from RSU 14 are a concern for both parents and non-parents alike. The proposed school budget on the Town of Raymond’s webpage shows a slight decrease in the town’s overall budget if Raymond forms an independent school district. However, this number does not include the estimated transition expenses of the withdrawal, which are slated to cost the town $600,000 in the first year.
Additionally, some Raymond residents expressed skepticism about the proposed budget.

Parent Kaitlin LaCasse noticed that the proposed budget does not include funds to address the many challenges of COVID-19, and Cummings expressed concern that the budget does not include a fulltime facilities director or an administrative assistant for the new three-fifths superintendent position.
Similar towns that have withdrawn from larger school districts have seen an increase in their property taxes. In 2014, the towns of Old Orchard Beach and Dayton voted to separate from the Saco school district. Both Old Orchard Beach and Dayton saw tax increases the following year, according to an article in the Portland Press Herald. The town of Sebago also withdrew from its school district in 2017. Subsequently, Sebago’s 2020-2021 tax budget rose by 4 percent to support their increased school budget.
An increase in property tax rates was also an issue in the 2015 election when Raymond residents first voted not to leave RSU 14. In that election, 71 percent of those who cast ballots opposed the 2015 withdrawal proposition.
“I served on the Raymond Withdrawal Committee in 2015, and it was as clear then as it is now that Raymond students would have more educational opportunities by remaining in RSU 14,” said Raymond resident Bob Gosselin. “Additionally, as the chairman of the Raymond Budget and Finance Committee, I can’t in good conscience support an effort that will in all likelihood raise costs for the town and for our taxpayers.”
However, not everyone is opposed to an increase in Raymond’s tax rate if the funds go to support the new, independent SAU.
“We have the tax base,” said McDermott. “Raymond can afford anything it wants. I don’t want to pay any more property tax than I have to, but I’m willing to pay it for the greater good.”
That greater good, McDermott continued, would include a world-class school system. “The reason I support this withdrawal,” he explained, “is that I hope it will allow Raymond to go back to what we were. I could see us having almost an Academy-type school in which every student was taken care of to give them the best education possible. Raymond is in a position where it could be a beacon, the leading town, in the Lakes Region. And to do this, you build the best school system possible.”
Cummings, however, expressed a different set of reservations about shifting the funding of Raymond schools solely onto the Town of Raymond. Town budget meetings can be notoriously contentious. Cummings recalled one year when two gentlemen almost came to blows over the school’s proposed budget.
“We went to the Town Meeting every year, and it was always scary,” Cummings told me. “The budgets got less and less because we were worried they wouldn’t pass. It was very stressful. We didn’t know until the budget passed if we would have a job next year.”
She admits that the school budget for the combined district still needs to be approved every year, and a degree of annual uncertainty persists for the faculty and staff of RSU 14.
“But the stability of our district now is something to fall back on,” Cummings said. “We have a larger population, and the taxation can be spread farther.”
Several Raymond residents expressed a sense of irritation as they experienced the déjà vu of explaining their opposition to the same withdrawal proposal that local residents rejected in the voting booth four years ago.
"I, along with my friends and neighbors, am frustrated that we are once again needing to explain to the Raymond Withdrawal Committee that RSU14 is working well for all parties involved,” said Alissa Messer, a Raymond parent and community volunteer.
Messer spearheaded the five-year effort to install the new playground at Raymond Elementary School, a project that involved cooperation at all levels of the district and incorporated the U.S. military. Messer was also the first to approach the RSU 14 board and request that stop-arms be installed on district buses, a concern that sparked a tremendous amount of collaborative fundraising work by the Windham PTA and the Raymond PTO. Numerous businesses, families, and a terrific group of children from Windham Odyssey Angels worked hard to raise a great deal of money in order to install the stop-arms.
“I have seen firsthand how the entire Raymond/Windham community works to support each other, from coming together to build a playground that generations of students and community members will be able to enjoy, to working to install stop-arms on our buses to keep kids safe,” Messer said. “It would be a mistake to think we could meet our community's needs while going it alone. I support our teachers and our kids, and I feel we are better together.”
Teachers also expressed concern about what Raymond stands to lose if the current partnership with Windham breaks down.
Brackett worries about the potential loss of Title 1 funding for Raymond schools. Title 1 funds are now used at Raymond Elementary School to support reading and math coaches in the classroom because RSU 14 as a whole qualifies for the federal assistance program. Alone, Raymond would not qualify for Title 1 funding and would need to either increase the town’s funding to the schools or eliminate those classrooms and reading and math coach positions.
For some parents and teachers, the current COVID-19 pandemic makes this difficult decision a bit easier. This September, when many schools around the nation were either converting to distance learning or offering in-person classes on adjusted hybrid-type schedules, all of the families in RSU 14 were given the choice of attending school either in person on a hybrid schedule or joining the district’s new online distance learning program.
“The district basically set up an entirely new school for remote learning,” said Raymond parent Kaitlin LaCasse. Her son Charlie is in a remote education second-grade class composed of students from both Windham and Raymond. Kate Griffin, who leads the virtual second grade classroom, is a teacher at Windham Primary School.
“In Charlie’s half-hour reading group, there are three teachers split between 22 kids,” LaCasse said. “Raymond on its own would not have the resources to offer this option. One of the biggest benefits of being part of an RSU is that ability to share resources.”
Brackett echoes that sentiment.
“Separating from Windham results in a lot of unanswered questions, because we will have to start all over again,” she said. "Due to the unpredictability of our current world, I do not think it is beneficial to add one more unknown circumstance that will directly impact the lives of our children and students.”
Parents, teachers, and community members on all sides of this debate clearly have the best interests of Raymond students in mind.
For former superintendent McDermott, withdrawing from RSU 14 is the superior option.
“I really think that we owe our children the best possible education,” McDermott said. “I can see the difference education makes in people’s lives, and I want to see Raymond go back to the way it used to be.”
“I have five kids,” McDermott continued. “Betty and I were and am so proud of our kids because of who they are and what they’re able to do. A lot of it, I give credit to the Raymond school system. My kids got a tremendous education here. They went out and made a mark in the world, and they started in a small, rural school system.”
Cummings, however, believes withdrawing from RSU14 is not the answer.
“I spent 38 years of my life teaching the kids of Raymond, and I’ve spent four years on the RSU 14 school board,” Cummings said. “So I’ve spent 42 years of my life caring for the kids of Raymond. If I thought this was a better idea for the kids of Raymond, I would be on my knees crawling to get this option. But this is not a good idea for the kids, and it’s not a good idea for the teachers.”
For Kaela Gonzalez, a Raymond resident and the mother of three young children, the choice is anything but clear. 
“I have followed the informational meetings closely and those who oppose the withdrawal have brought up valid points,” Gonzalez said, voicing concerns shared by many parents with children in the Raymond school system. “On the other hand, the proposed additions with withdrawal such as free lunch for pre-K through 4^th grade sound like a good step forward. There are so many factors to consider and with so much at stake for my family, it is a hard decision to make.”
It’s a hard decision that all Raymond residents now face as Question One on their ballots next month. If the union between Raymond and Windham schools truly is like a marriage, it’s no wonder the question of withdrawing from RSU 14 quickly becomes emotional for proponents of either side.
 And, as with a marital breakup, the residents of Raymond must ask themselves: What’s best for the children? <

Windham responds to community regarding Lowell Preserve and clarifies misunderstandings

The Windham trail bridges that are
built either by town staff or in
conjunction with volunteer groups
are built to be safe for all trail users
(bikers, hikers, ATV users and horseback
riders) and are denoted on trail maps. 
The bridge shown was replaced
in 2019. SUBMITTED PHOTO 

By Lorraine Glowczak

The Town of Windham Parks and Recreation Department hopes to correct the misperceptions that were the result of a Facebook post written on Wednesday, Oct. 7. In that post, the department was looking for information about who built a bridge over a small stream at Lowell Preserve.

“If you were involved with constructing this bridge and/or attempting to create trails in Lowell Preserve, or if you have any information about those who were, please contact Windham Parks and Recreation,” is a portion of the post written.

The response from the community were many and often comprised of misapprehensions. They included a variety of concerns with more popular comments stating the department did not express gratitude for the person who built the bridge, or the supplies donated. But Linda Brooks, Director of Windham Parks and Recreation said they are always appreciative of any help they receive.

“We are most grateful for any assistance individuals or groups are willing to provide and will often provide supplies or materials for any larger projects that need to be accomplished,” Brooks said. “In the past few years, we have worked with several entities to assist us in maintaining or improving our trail network, including local scout groups, civic organizations, church groups, trail groups and trail enthusiasts. We are grateful to be working with Boy Scout Troop 51 on a Community Service project scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 17.”

During this Community Service Project, the boy scouts will erect colored trail markers and signs on the trails since using paint to mark the trails fades over time. This brings up another topic of conversation determining which are the official Preserve trails and which are not.

“The Lowell Preserve has four major trails and have been color coded in either blue, red, green and yellow on early trail maps created in 2003,” Brooks said. “By 2010, the trail map had been updated with those four trails being named.”

These paths are named: the Libby Hill Loop, the Roscoe Loop, the Virginia Trail, the Deer Run/Moose Track Trail, with connector trails (designated as orange on the trail map). The bridge and trail in question is not a connector nor a part of the designated trail system and thus not on the map provided to hikers. This particular connecting trail was not created by the town.

“We have received several suggestions by trail users asking for more trail markings, and have also
received complaints by trail users who have gotten confused by trails or intersections that don’t seem to be designated on the trail map,” said Brooks. “These are the trails that we are trying to address, because when they have been created by others and have been blazed orange, our trail maintenance person has then needed to take efforts to close off those trails so as to minimize confusion. In the past few years, the department has been taking steps to improve the signage along the trails and establish distances between various sections of each trail so that trail users can make decisions as to which trail they wish to experience.”

Brooks also said the bridges that are built either by town staff or in conjunction with volunteer groups are built to be safe for all trail users (bikers, hikers, ATV users, and horseback riders) and are denoted on the trail maps. 

As for another concern mentioned by the community was that of staff members who are working the trails, there is only one position that maintains all the recreational property responsible by the town.

“I give much credit to our Parks Maintenance Foreman who not only manages the 308 acres at Lowell Preserve, but also manages an additional 191 acres at eight other parks and trails throughout the town for year-round use,” Brooks said. “Prior to 2020, we had a seasonal, part-time Park Ranger responsible for patrolling all of the parks and trails, inspecting trails and park areas for safety issues, damages or vandalism, and interacting with parks and trail users.”

The newly originated Windham Open Space Plan has opened discussion about creating a Windham Trails Committee to work on and be in the forefront of keeping all the trails and other open spaces in safe, full working order.

“This committee would be comprised of representatives from all of the stakeholder groups who have a vested interest in providing land stewardship guidance for existing open space lands and identifying opportunities to expand connectivity between open space assets, neighborhoods and trails,” said Brooks.

The Lowell Preserve offers a lot of wildlife to enjoy and contains a story walk for the young hikers in the family. Hunting is allowed on the Preserve, so it is highly recommended that all trail users wear orange. The start of the trailhead is found behind the East Windham Fire Station on Falmouth Road. <

 

Windham resident reaches 100-year birthday milestone

Dorothy Fiske celebrated her 100th
birthday on Oct. 3 surrounded by
friends and family at Ledgewood
Manor in Windham. She was born
Oct. 3, 1920 in Westbrook and
moved to Windham with her
family at the age of 2 in 1922 and 
has lived here ever since.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

By Ed Pierce

Longtime Windham resident Dorothy M. Fiske attributes her faith in God as the key to reaching a milestone very few attain as she celebrated her 100^th birthday earlier this month.

Born Oct. 3, 1920 in Westbrook, Dorothy’s family gathered at Ledgewood Manor in Windham on her birthday to reminisce and honor a remarkable woman who has lived through some of the most memorable events in American history. She was just 9-years-old when the stock market crashed in 1929, was 21 when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor leading to America entering World War II, and was 48 when Neil Armstrong first set foot on the surface of the moon.  

For about 98 of her 100 years of life, Dorothy has called Windham home, moving here from Westbrook at the age of 2 as the only child of Harold A, and Velma M. Hooper. She revels in being called a “centurion” for living for more than a century but says the title that she prefers the most is “mom” or “grandma.”

After graduating from Windham High School in 1937, Dorothy attended the Maine School of Commerce in Portland and then performed secretarial duties for Beneficial Finance Company, the Rumford Falls Power Company and NT Fox Lumber Company.

While working for Beneficial Finance, she met fellow employee John H. Fiske, Sr. and that changed the direction of her life. In 1943, they married and were blessed with two children, Susan F. Attwood and John H. (Peter) Fiske, Jr. while setting up their home in Windham.

Over the years the couple’s daughter, Susan, and son Peter, both graduated from Windham High School and began raising families of their own. John, Sr. died in 2007 at the age of 87 but he and Dorothy’s family grew to eventually include five grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Through the years, Dorothy has remained active and involved with Merchant’s Reporting Service of Maine, Inc., the family’s business. In fact, she still sits on that company’s board of directors.

Her son Peter said his mother is devoted to her family.

“My most vivid memory of mom is she was always there for me,” he said. “Mom is happiest hearing stories about the kids and grandkids Most friends and family are amazed to know a centurion.”

Peter Fiske said that his mother enjoyed spending time at a family cottage in Bristol, Maine and winters in Florida when she got older.

“She liked to interior decorate, work her flower beds, read, make the holidays festive and cooked a very yummy chocolate cake,” he said.

Dorothy said many of her cherished memories of growing up revolve around time spent with her

family.

“I remember the simpler life, the patriotism, the courage of the men who fought in the wars,” she said. “People seemed to take time to interact more and help each other out more.”

She said to her the most significant event in her 100 years of life was her marriage and the birth of her two children.

As far as the best invention introduced during her lifetime, Dorothy mentioned the many space launches she and her husband watched in Florida which she thinks were wonderful.

She also remembers riding in the first car her family purchased, pointing out though that the automobile was an invention that came about prior to her birth.

Fiercely independent, Dorothy lived in the family home on Route 302 in Windham near the Westbook town line right up until February when her health prompted her to move to Ledgewood Manor in Windham for their excellent care.

The Ledgewood staff also celebrated her milestone birthday with Dorothy throwing her a special luncheon and birthday party for which she said she was very grateful.

A longtime Congregationalist, she says the secret of her longevity is really God’s doing.

“I believe my faith in God got me to my 100th birthday,” Dorothy said. <

U.S. Postal Service announces price increases

WASHINGTON, DC — The United States Postal Service has filed notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) of price changes to take effect Jan. 24, 2021.

The proposed prices, approved by the Postal Service Board of Governors, would raise Mailing Services product prices about 1.8 percent for First-Class Mail and 1.5 percent for other categories. Although Mailing Services price increases are based on the consumer price index, competitive International Shipping Services prices are primarily adjusted according to market conditions. The governors believe these new rates will keep the Postal Service competitive while providing the agency with needed revenue.

The price of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp
 will remain at 55 cents, despite the U.S. Postal
Service filing notice of their intent to
raise prices for certain mailing services to
take effect Jan. 24, 2021. COURTESY PHOTO

If favorably reviewed by the PRC, the new prices will include no increase in the price of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp, which would remain at 55 cents. The single-piece letter additional ounce price would increase to 20 cents, the metered mail 1-ounce price would increase to 51 cents and the prices of postcard stamps would increase to 36 cents. Single-piece 1-ounce flat prices will remain unchanged at $1.

The Postal Service has some of the lowest letter-mail postage rates in the industrialized world and continues to offer a great value in shipping. Unlike some other shippers, the Postal Service does not add surcharges for fuel, residential delivery or regular Saturday delivery.

The PRC will review the prices before they are scheduled to take effect. The complete Postal Service price filings with prices for all products can be found on the PRC site under the Daily Listings section at prc.gov/dockets/daily. For the Mailing Services filing, see Docket No. R2021-1. For the International Shipping Services filing, see Docket No. CP2021-15. The price change tables are also available on the Postal Service’s Postal Explorer website at pe.usps.com/PriceChange/Index.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

For U.S. Postal Service media resources, including broadcast-quality video and audio and photo stills, visit the USPS Newsroom. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the USPS YouTube channel, like us on Facebook and enjoy our Postal Posts blog. For more information about the Postal Service, visit usps.com and facts.usps.com. <

School Age Child Care Program a valuable ally for families during pandemic

The Windham/Raymond School Age Child Care
staff gathers before the start of another day of
work. SACC is a high-quality, engaging safe
place for children, offering before- and after-school
programs as well as full-day programs during
remote learning days at Windham Primary School,
Manchester School and Raymond Elementary School.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

By Ed Pierce

For students and parents in a school year rather unlike anything ever seen before, a trusted partner that they have come to rely on is the nonprofit Windham/Raymond School Age Child Care Program.

In operation since 2002, SACC operates before- and after-school locations at Windham Primary School, Manchester School, and both a Kindergarten to Grade 4 program and a Café Teen for fifth- through eighth-grade students at Raymond Elementary School. SACC strives to provide a high quality, engaging and safe place for children to attend before- and after-school programs as well as its full day programs during remote learning days this year.

The educators at SACC love what they do and are engaged with providing activities that promote well-being and confidence. We are being rigorous in promoting health and safety and have been taking extra measures to sanitize and disinfect the spaces we use for our programs.

“It gives us great joy to have our previously enrolled and newly enrolled children attend our program,” said Amanda Pinkston, SACC program director. “Having them back after all these months and hearing their conversations and laughter makes us excited to come to work.”

Pinkston said that the educators at SACC love what they do and are engaged with providing activities that promote well-being and confidence.

"We are being rigorous in promoting health and safety and have been taking extra measures to sanitize
and disinfect the spaces we use for our programs,” she said. “Currently our most significant challenge is navigating and updating our policies due to COVID-19. Thankfully, we have exceptional employees who are amazing at adapting to our policies in order to provide a safe and healthy place for our children in our program to attend. Besides following Maine CDC guidelines, we also consult with our childcare licensing specialist as well as our health care consultant to make sure we are always updated on the latest policies.”

SACC can employ up to 20 employees depending upon enrollment, which ran between 120 to 140 last year, but is expected to rise this school year because of remote learning days for RSU 14 students because of the pandemic. The program is open for all full days, vacation weeks, workshop days, and storm days, weather permitting.

It offers homework time where nutritious snacks are provided, outside time, enrichment time, as well as
free choice. Operating locations on school campuses means that students have an opportunity to participate in after-school activities and sports. SACC’s goal is to never have to have a child go home alone and being located in the schools also helps many of the children in their daily transitions from place to place.

SACC President Donna Cobb has been associated with SACC since its inception in 1990 along with SACC Board Member Jeanette Lamb and says that childcare has always been a part of their lives.

“I ran my own home family childcare for over 50 years and Jeanette did also,” Cobb said. “We both feel childcare is so very much needed at the school age level. Being the president of the board, this very successful program gives me a great feeling of accomplishment.”

Being a nonprofit, fundraising activities help defray some of the program’s expenses, but the pandemic forced a lot of the nonprofit’s fundraisers to be scrubbed earlier this year.

“When the pandemic hit in March, we were in the registration process of enrolling for our annual childcare conference we hold at the high school every year, so that was cancelled. We also cancelled our annual shredding event we hold every May,” Cobb said. “Because we were not able to be open in the schools, we laid everyone off except the program director. In August we rehired everyone back and
proceeded with reopening for school. There have been no fundraisers yet. Our next fundraisers tentatively planned are the childcare conference in March and shredding on May 1.” 

SACC Business Manager Julia Trepanier said childcare is about as essential a service as it gets, and SACC is an invaluable resource for this community.

“I think SACC, as well as all of the childcare providers in Windham and Raymond, are important to the community,” Trepanier said. “SACC is very appreciative of RSU 14 for allowing is to operate in their facilities since 2002. I think many families appreciate that their children can walk from their classrooms after school right to their childcare program. Students not having to take a bus to their childcare facility is something parents have explained is a major bonus for them.”

She said that the most gratifying aspect of her work has been seeing all of the students, the students’ families and SACC team members enjoying the program.

“We are a nationally accredited program and that takes a great deal of work and maintenance,” Trepanier said. “We are so lucky to have such a dedicated, hard-working team to ensure we can offer a quality program.”

SACC Board Member Pam Whynot served as a kindergarten teacher in Windham for 40 years. After
her retirement, she worked for Learning Works in an after-school program at Reiche School.

“Donna Cobb, who I had known for a long time, contacted me to see if I would be willing to fill a board position that had become available. She thought my experience with Learning Works would be beneficial for the board,” Whynot said. “The most rewarding part was seeing what it takes to be an accredited childcare both state and national. It was impressive for me to see the benefit of those accreditations for the children and their parents.”   

Whynot said that a big challenge for SACC is providing full-day childcare currently as it has always been just before- and after-school care.

“Helping children with distance learning is challenging, as we serve many ages and grades. Finding space in the school is always a challenge as schools need many spaces for their needs also,” Whynot said. “Advertising is a must but at this time with limited income coming in, funds are tight. We need parents to know we are available for them.” 

Cobb said she’s sure that SACC has the right policies, staff and leadership to steer the nonprofit through the pandemic and they are grateful that the community and parents consider them to be a valuable ally at such a difficult and challenging time.

“We try very hard to be accommodating in all circumstances,” she said. “That includes being open if possible, having hours that are accommodating and costs that are affordable. Pass the word that we are open and there are openings at the program.” <

Windham adult-use marijuana shops will not be open for months

Although Friday, Oct. 9 is the first day that
adult-use retail stores can sell marijuana in
Maine, Windham's two adult-use retail shops,
Paul's Boutique and JAR Cannabis Company,
which were granted final approval for
Windham town licenses on Tuesday night,
will not be ready for sales for a number of 
months. COURTESY PHOTO

Jar Cannabis Co. to become second adult-use retail when town rescinds Windham RSL’s conditional license

By Ed Pierce                                                              

For those eagerly awaiting the first day in Maine that adult use retail marijuana can legally be sold on Friday, Oct. 9, expectations will need to be tempered. And right here in Windham, it may be months or up to a year before retail adult-use marijuana shops are open and operating.

On Tuesday evening the Windham Town Council gave its final approval for the award of two adult-use retail marijuana licenses, voting to rescind the license of a business that had been awarded a conditional license on Sept. 15, replacing it with another candidate and finalizing the other retail license awarded to Paul’s Boutique.

Windham RSL had been awarded a conditional adult-use marijuana license previously by the council, but information received by the town manager concerning the lease contained in its license application was called into question. During a public hearing Tuesday, Councilors Jarrod Maxfield, David Nadeau, Nicholas Kalogerakis and David Douglass voted 4-0 for a finding of fact that without the submission of a master lease or sublease in the application of Windham RSL, the original vote on Sept. 15 was rescinded and the next highest finisher in their adult-use marijuana retail license scoring system, JAR Cannabis Co., should be awarded the license instead.

The lengthy town and state application hurdles for adult-use retail marijuana and uncertainty about the
licenses though, has led to a significant delay in Windham for adult-use retail marijuana shops being ready to open for business right away.

“We will definitely not be ready by Oct. 9,” said Shaw Dwight, the owner of Paul’s Boutique. “We’ve been positioning to hope to be awarded a license for over a year and discussing this with the town for over a year. Our company has done its due diligence to be professional with the store. It’s now time for my company to start preparing to enter the adult-use market to be successful.”

Dwight said rampant uncertainty about state and municipal regulations, ordinances, applications, and licensing has led to a bottleneck in the wholesale marijuana market right now, resulting in exorbitant prices for a limited number of products available and a poor supply to meet the market demand right now.

According to Dwight, the entire process of growing, drying and trimming marijuana for retail sales also takes time.

He said his company wasn’t ready to invest in a retail cultivation facility to deal with logistical issues and finalize other plans until it knew it was going to have a license and now that it does, the business can move forward. 

“We need to prepare this company for the future, but it will take some time, at least a year,” he said. “We have a conditional license from the state, but now we can go back and get a true license from the state. You can’t put the horse before the cart. We’re just trying to set up a plan that will ensure success.”

Dwight said he feels that not being totally prepared for what lies ahead for the adult-use retail marijuana business in Maine is naïve.

“Being prepared means being able to control reasonable price points, the availability of extracts and
edibles and the consistency to offer a diversity of products,” he said. “We’re not there just yet, but within six months to a year we will be. Now our work truly begins.”

Joel Pepin, who owns JAR Cannabis Company, said he was grateful to have been awarded an adult-use retail license by the council, but like Paul’s Boutique, find themselves in a similar place.

“Now that we’ve gotten local authorization from the town, I think it will take about a month to obtain a license, the state office seems to be moving quickly.”

Pepin said this year many medical marijuana providers have struggled to keep their supplies up for the demand and he expects that to be the case with adult-use as well.

“I don’t know exactly when we will make the transition from medical marijuana to adult-use, but we have two facilities and that could only be a couple of weeks,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of patients who are visiting our existing storefront and we want to make it a smooth transition for them and not alienate our existing patient base.”

According to Pepin, his biggest challenge going forward will be the keep costs low enough for his existing patients.

“We want those patients to be able to shop with us, but they may find that the excise tax and sales tax costs could go up,” he said. “We want our patients to go out the door with products at similar prices.”

Because they are vertically integrated where the products they sell come from their own garden and extraction lab, Pepin said that Jar Cannabis Company may initially be behind a bit in selling edible products, but he expects that to all work out over time.

“We’re aiming to be up and make the transition to adult-use by the end of the year or within the first few months of the new year,” he said. <   

Parks and Recreation Departments encourage families to explore local trails in statewide ‘Take A Hike’ weekend

"Take A Hike' this next weekend and experience
this view of the fall foliage from the Mountain
Division Trail in Windham.
PHOTO BY RICHARD BICKNELL

By Lorraine Glowczak

According to the State of Maine’s website, the best time to enjoy the autumn foliage and experience a leaf peeping adventure in the Sebago Lakes Region is slated for next weekend. This particular weekend, from Friday, Oct. 16 to Sunday, Oct. 17 also happens to be the Maine Recreation and Parks Association’s (MRPA) ‘Take A Hike’ weekend, urging Mainers to enjoy the outdoors and experience the beauty of nature in their hometowns.

To encourage area families to take advantage of the local trails and preserves, Parks and Recreation Departments of both Raymond and Windham will be participating in the statewide initiative.

“The purpose of the ‘Take a Hike’ weekend is to promote healthy activities, explore nature and create awareness of the towns’ open spaces and hiking trails,” said Raymond Parks and Recreation Director, Joseph Crocker who is also a MRPA board member. “We want people to discover and enjoy the trails in their own backyard.”

One does not have to go far or be an avid hiker to enjoy all the parks, preserves and hiking paths available in both Raymond and Windham. Whether easy or challenging, short or long, there is a trail for everyone to appreciate nature and spend time with family while keeping in mind the socially distancing Maine CDC requirements.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve seen an increase all across the country in people using parks and trails, and this initiative is not only intended to educate people about the trails in their area but to provide information about how to use them responsibly,” said Sarah Davenport, Windham Parks and Recreation’s Youth and Family Programs Coordinator. “If people would rather run or ride bikes, that’s also a great way to participate in the weekend. We just want to encourage everyone to head outdoors and explore a trail near your home.”

Davenport also encouraged anyone to try Windham’s Geocache Adventure during the ‘Take a Hike’
weekend.

“Geocaching is basically a treasure hunt that requires a GPS-enabled device (such as your smart phone), where you use GPS coordinates to find hidden caches during your hike,” Davenport said. “We maintain four of these caches here in Windham, and this fall we are challenging folks to find all four before the end of November. Each cache has a unique wooden nickel, and anyone who brings all four nickels into our office can earn a prize.”

For those who might feel overwhelmed by the variety of trails available, Crocker will soon be organizing Raymond hikes in terms of age-appropriateness and level of ease, posting the list on the Raymond Parks and Recreation Facebook page.

“Pismire Mountain, which is a part of the Raymond Community Forest, will definitely be considered the most challenging hike on our list,” Crocker said. “On the other hand, the flat terrain and small one-mile loop trail at Tassel Top is quite easy and perfect for the youngest hiker in the family.”

Since some hiking locations in the area allow hunting, Davenport and Crocker both suggest wearing hunter orange vests and/or hats while hiking trails during hunting season.

The most popular hikes in the area are as follows:

Raymond

Raymond Community Forest, 47-309 Conesca Road

Morgan Meadows Preserve, 224 Egypt Road

Tassel Top Park, off Route 302, across from the Raymond Shopping Center (look wooden Tassel Top
Sign)

Windham

Donnabeth Lippman Park, 18 Chaffin Pond Road

Lowell Nature Preserve, 45 Falmouth Road

Mountain Division Trail, off Gambo Road on Soccer Drive

Black Brook Preserve, 274-279 Windham Center Road

For a full list of trails in Raymond and Windham, check out their Facebook pages and websites at www.raymondmaine.org/community-resources and www.windhamrecreation.com.

Whether you choose to hike, bike or run, everyone is also invited to participate in a statewide photo contest with the MRPA. All that is required is to post your family’s photo to Facebook or Instagram with the tag #takeahikewithMRPA to enter.

With the fall foliage peak season expected for the weekend of October 16, the trails will most likely be busy, so it is requested to maintain social distancing. However, Davenport highlights the best part of “Take a Hike” weekend,

“How fun will it be to join families all across the state of Maine in exploring a new trail or trying a new outdoor activity?” <

Local citizen shows appreciation for two Windham paramedics for a job well done

A woman injured in a fall last year in Windham
was inspired to present a copy of the official
seal of the Windham Fire and Rescue
Department to the paramedics who responded
and helped her. Now recovered, Angela
Guillette, second from left, and her friend,
Patricia McLellan, third from left, present a replica
of the seal painted by McLellan to
paramedics Paul Silver, left, and Edward
Dippolito at the Windham Fire Station on Oct. 2.
COURTESY PHOTO BY BRENT LIBBY   

By Lorraine Glowczak

A part of a paramedic’s job is to respond to 911 calls and address all medical emergencies. That is exactly what Windham Firefighter/Paramedic Paul Silva and Firefighter/EMT Edward Dippolito did in the morning hours a year ago on Sept. 30, 2019 when Angela Guillette fell, shattering her right femur in five places.

“I had just finished paying my taxes at the town hall and was rushing to attend a recording session for The Lighthouse Jubilee’s monthly program on Channel 5 in Portland,” Guillette said of the two-person Gospel and Golden Oldies group. “I usually walk up and down the ramp but this time, I decided to take the stairs. I didn’t pick my foot up high enough and tripped on the rug, falling hard on the floor.”

At first, Guillette did not feel much pain so when a bystander asked if she needed help getting up, Guillette said she just needed a moment to orient herself and that she would be fine.

“But then, I tried to get up and realized I wasn’t able to do so,” Guillette said. “Someone said that we should call an ambulance, so I lifted up my wrist and told her to press the button on the medical alert bracelet my daughters gave me.”

Within minutes, Silva, who has over 20 years of experience and was just one month into his new post in Windham and Dippolito who has 13 years of experience (11 in Windham) were by Guillette’s side. They determined she needed to be taken to the hospital and surgery was performed the next day at Maine Medical Center. Doctors placed a steel rod into the upper part of Guillette’s damaged leg. A woman injured in a fall last year in Windham was inspired to present a copy of the official seal of the Windham Fire and Rescue Department to the paramedics who responded and helped her. Now recovered, Angela Guillette, second from left, and her friend Patricia McLellan, third from left, present a replica of the seal painted by McLellan to paramedics Paul Silver, far left, and Edward Dippolito at
the Windham Fire Station on Oct. 2. COURTESY PHOTO BY BRENT LIBBY 

Most often, paramedics do not know the rest of a patient’s story once the emergency has been addressed and the crisis is over. Guillette, however, had other plans. She and Lighthouse Jubilee singing partner, friend, and artist, Patricia McLellan had an idea.

 “Pat and I both wanted to do something for the two paramedics who offered their help that day,” Guillette said. “She told me that she would paint the Windham Fire and Rescue Department’s official seal and we could give it to them to show our appreciation.”

Guillette and McLellan presented that shield one year later on Friday, Oct. 2 at the North Windham Fire Station. The 2- by 2-foot painting of the department’s seal was presented to Silva and Dippolito with Fire and Rescue Chief Brent Libby in attendance.

“We feel honored that Angela and Pat have gone to this extent to show their appreciation with us and to those of us in our profession,” both Silva and Dippolito said. “We are very grateful.”

“I believe the people who give us assistance and help us during emergency situations are not appreciated enough,” Guillette said. “Emergency technicians and paramedics need to be acknowledged for their efforts and that is one of the reasons why I am doing this today.”

As for the artist who painted the Windham’s Fire and Rescue’s seal, this is not the first seal McLellan has painted.

“Pat has given seals to the West Buxton Fire Department and the Watertown, NH Fire Department,” Guillette said. “She does this because she also wants to acknowledge our heroes.”

Chief Libby shared his thoughts regarding Guillette and McLellan’s kindness.

“We don’t always hear from our patients or know how things have turned out, so when people do come
forward to let us know, it feels good,” Libby said. “Sometimes we don’t always see the best of things during emergencies, so it is good to see the positive outcome.”
Above all, it is positivity and showing love during a time of challenges that inspired Guillette’s recent actions.

“I am a Christian and I believe the first thing Jesus wants from us is to love each other,” Guillette said. “I am dedicated to Jesus and I am here to help spread his love and kindness.”<

RSU 14 kindergarten students adjusting to learning in hybrid and remote models

Kiely Treschitta, a kindergarten teacher for
RSU 14, works remotely leading a small group
of students in a reading lesson. Treschitta
teaches remote kindergarten every morning
with a class of 30 students from Windham
Primary School and Raymond Elementary
School.  PHOTO BY ED PIERCE  
Add caption

By Elizabeth Richards

Whether hybrid or full remote learning, kindergarten looks a lot different this year. RSU 14 administrators and teachers have worked hard to adapt to a new way of doing things while providing a developmentally appropriate experience for students.

“We’ve all come together to keep it child-focused and child-centered,” said Laura Record, a kindergarten teacher at Windham Primary School.

Overall, children are adapting well, school staff said.  

“Our kindergarten learners have done amazing with the start of school and the CDC requirements for safety,” said Dr. Kyle Rhoads, principal at WPS.

Beth Peavey, the principal at Raymond Elementary School said, “I’ve been amazed at all of our students, especially our little, little ones coming in wearing their masks and following the routines that are new for our school.”

It has not been easy.

“One of the hardest things for kindergarten is the distancing, both with each other and for me with the children,” said Lindsey Pettus, a kindergarten teacher at WPS.  It can be especially challenging when children need help with physical tasks like learning scissor skills, pencil grips, or opening food items.  

She handles this challenge by talking children through problems as best she can, she said. If a child is really struggling, teachers follow strict protocols to assist.

“It’s like scrubbing in for surgery to help a kid hold their scissors the right way,” Pettus said.

Throughout the district, technology hasn’t yet been sent home with kindergarteners in the hybrid model.  On remote days, children are working on packets that reinforce in-person learning, reading
logs, and/or are participating in choice activities, depending on the teacher.

Teachers understand that every family has different circumstances and don’t want remote work to be overwhelming.  “We’re really working as a team and giving clear and explicit instructions to parents so they know what their children should be doing and how they should be doing each assignment,” said Jennifer Smith, a kindergarten teacher at RES.

“Our expectation for that is do what you can, do what works for your family. We understand that everyone’s situation is different,” said RES kindergarten teacher Erin Simoneau.

Teachers across the district are using an app called SeeSaw to connect with families.  When technology is sent home with students, the app will change what is possible for remote days, such as recording a short lesson and providing an accompanying activity, Record said.  

“We wanted the families and kids to be familiar so if we did need to go remote, SeeSaw wasn’t a surprise,” Simoneau said.

One benefit of the hybrid model, teachers said, is the small class sizes.  “I’ve gotten to know the kids pretty quick, and what their needs are,” Pettus said. 

Simoneau said with smaller groups, they are able to sit on the rug and be safely distanced.  “It’s a big deal to move from desks to the rug, even if it’s just for a story,” she said.

On the flip side, Pettus said, it’s the end of September and her students have only had six in-person school days. That means classroom routines may not be as smooth as expected for this time of year. 

Certain elements of instruction, such as the phonics work that is so important in kindergarten, is also difficult when students and teachers are masked.

“I tend to put myself in a corner and then take my mask off when I’m far enough away to show them,” Simoneau said. Teachers also have masks with clear panels around the mouth.

“This age tends to have a lot of speech delays. That’s a big part of kindergarten - addressing those issues and trying to correct those delays,” RES kindergarten teacher Stephen Seymour said.  Speaking through a mask can make children even more difficult to understand, he said.

Keeping up with curriculum when there are only two in-person days and keeping both groups of students in the same place can also be a challenge, Pettus said. “I’m really trying to be as consistent as possible between the two days so they’re getting the same experience at school,” she said. 

They have been able to move quickly through the phonics curriculum, she said, because they’ve doubled up lessons on days that students are in person.  “We’re keeping pace with that which has been really nice,” she said. 

Ensuring an appropriate learning environment for kindergarten students took collaboration, creativity and teamwork.  One of the challenges they worked out before students arrived was how to allow children to play, Record said.

The district has found ways to follow CDC guidelines but also offer children opportunities that some other schools in the area aren’t, such as using equipment on the playground. Students are also able to check books out of the library. At WPS, kindergarteners choose a personal tub of toys to use for a week.  

“It took a lot of brainstorming and back and forth to make sure we were following all the CDC guidelines. It’s just so critical for kindergarteners to be able to play and be hands on and talk while they’re playing,” Record said.

Learning to manage the required routines, such as waiting for all children to have their food before taking off masks to eat, helps build valuable skills like patience, determination and grit, Peavy said.

“I think that it will transfer over into their academics.  It really is amazing to see the level of patience that they have,” she said.

Kiely Treschitta is one of two teachers for kindergartners who are participating in full remote learning from both RES and WPS. 

“Remote learning has been going well for kindergarteners. Students do well with the consistency of the schedule,” Treschitta said.

Students begin their day at 8:30 am on Zoom and are logged in until 11:15, though they are not expected to engage for the entire time and turn their cameras off to work independently.

Problems with technology, such as students being logged off, computers freezing, and websites that don’t work, can be a big challenge for remote learning.  Another challenge, Treschitta said, is that students have a hard time sitting for a long time. “That’s why we do fifteen-minute live sessions and then they have time to move around during independent time.”

Treschitta said she’s been surprised at how quickly students have learned to navigate Zoom and other apps. 

“It’s amazing when students are able to teach their parents and other adults how to use apps,” she said. “These students surprise us every day.” <