Maine Maple Weekend - By Michelle Libby

The warmer than usual weather brought out the buckets and plastic tubing hanging from trees earlier this spring than in recent memory. Syrup producers were ready for Maine Maple Weekend this year, their sugar houses boiling down sap to make the sweet treat. 
 

At Balsam Ridge in Raymond, they boiled on February 21^st, which was the earliest they have ever boiled. On Saturday and Sunday they had demonstrations of how the sap is boiled and poured off. They also had many treats to sample and purchase to take home. From fudge to cotton candy, hot dogs steamed in sap and maple baked beans, no one left hungry. 

Owners Sharon and Dewey Lloy have been participating in Maple Syrup Sunday for 16 years. The maple trees on their 50 acres provide enough sap to have syrup for tourists in the summer and even some for the holidays. They are always trying new ideas and new products. New last year was the sweet mustards and BBQ sauces. This year it was maple cream cones, said Sharon. They also ship syrup year round.

All of the trees at Balsam Ridge are tapped directly into tanks that are pumped into the sugar house 100 gallons at a time. 

“We’re a family run operation. We’re small and personable,” Sharon said. 

 

Dewey was boiling the sap on Saturday, but usually that is Sharon’s job, he said. Unlike some sugar houses, this one boils using oil instead of wood giving a consistent even heat. Dewey explained that knowing Sharon was going to make 70 percent of the syrup, she wanted it simplified so that she could pick kids up from school or practice. All she had to do was turn the oil off and the entire operation shut down. Sharon was also the reason for the sap running into storage containers instead of buckets on the trees. 

This year Maine Maple Sunday fell on Easter, prompting some sugar shacks to close on Sunday and only have visitors on Saturday. 

“Ideal? No. We’re going to be fine. I think it’s a wonderful thing for the state to do,” said Dewey of the marketing of Maine Maple Weekend. “With Saturday and Sunday, it gives them an option. Saturday is not quite as crazy. It’s more relaxed,” he added. 

Different sugar houses have different treats. “Everyone offers something different,” said Sharon. Balsam Ridge has horses Ginger and Rex adding a special treat for guest to pet and look at, while eating their complimentary vanilla ice cream topped with maple syrup. 

“The end result is the same. Going to different places you’ll see some different technology,” said Dewey.

Custom pieces of art were on exhibit from Steven Brooks Art and the artist was there to discuss his unique sculptures with visitors to the farm. 

Michelle Mulcahy of Gorham, was dressed up as a leaf at Balsam Ridge. “I volunteered,” she said. “They pay me in maple syrup.” 

The weather was perfect and many people were out to sample some of the best of Maine. Syrup is still available and being boiled for a little while longer. Call a local sugar shack to get some.

Gray secession committee discusses pros and cons of annexation to Raymond - By Walter Lunt

The Gray Secession Committee kicked off their petition drive this week at an informational meeting held at the Raymond Fire Barn, an early step in an estimated 2-year process aimed at several neighborhoods seceding from the Town of Gray and joining Raymond. The area includes the west shore of Little Sebago Lake and Little Sebago Lodges on the north to Northern Oaks on the southern boundary. Some residents refer satirically to the area as “Graymond.” A map showing the proposed new boundaries was presented at the meeting and is available on the committee’s Facebook page.
 

The topics were many and varied: Redrawing boundaries, town services, private roads and sense of place, were all discussed at an informational meeting sponsored by a group of Gray residents calling for what committee member described as a “divorce.”

The 5-member group cites geography as the main reason for a separation. Committee president Jennifer White says residents living in the secession area have to travel through Raymond to access Gray town services, such as the town hall, transfer station and schools, which for most is a 20 to 25 minute drive.

“We have an identity crisis,” according to White. She said residents from those neighborhoods access commercial services in Raymond and Windham, and “we’re in an area where Gray doesn’t have a great deal to do with us. I feel we’re a cash cow for the Town of Gray.”

Committee vice-president David Getchell said talk of secession has been raised several times over the years, but the last round in disagreement with the town over a section of Gore Road in Gray became the impetus for the current action. The town, he said, has long been reluctant to maintain a short stretch of Gore Road due to uncertainty over public easement and ownership issues. Frustration has mounted because the two sides have failed to reach any kind of agreement. Gray town officials say they are confident a settlement can be reached, but according to White, funds for the work are not included in the current budget.

Many who attended the meeting signed the petition to initiate the process of separation. Others who spoke disagreed with the effort, saying the committee lacks specific information on the on the advantages of joining Raymond. According to White and Getchell there is a probability of lower property taxes and a certainty that town and school services would be closer and more convenient. They said Raymond offers curb-side trach pick-up and recycling, although some private roads have pick-up at a centralized point. Gray residents take their trash to the town’s transfer station which also accepts large items, such as appliances for a fee. 

A possible disadvantage to switching towns would involve snow plowing. Raymond plows only public roads. The large number of private road neighborhoods in the proposed secession territory now serviced by the Town of Gray, would have to form associations, charge dues and hire private contractors, a move that would reduce the lower property tax advantage.

Gray town officials have indicated they hope to reach an agreement with the secession committee. White said the committee has conducted talks with Raymond officials who say they can make no guarantees, but that some issues would be on the table for discussion.

At stake for both communities according to research by the secession committee, is some $77 million in property valuations including 171 year-round residential properties, much of it shorefront.

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The secession process will be a long one, reported White and Getchell, taking a minimum of two years. If the group garners enough petition signatures (51 percent of the approximately 315 registered voters in the secession area) that are validated by the town, a public hearing will be held that would require the committee to submit detailed reports on the impact to both towns in the event of a switch. Also at the hearing, all residents of Gray would have the opportunity to weigh in on the plan. Following that, a bill would be drafted in the Maine Legislature that, if passed, would allow the secessionist movement to proceed. Meditation and referendum votes in both towns would follow. White said the process could end at any time if the proposal is defeated in the referendum or if the committee reaches an agreement with the Town of Gray.

Additional information on the petition drive and the committee’s efforts are available on the Gray Secession Committee Facebook page.

Windham Chamber Singers to perform at top venues in NYC - By Elizabeth Richards 
 Christine Hesler and Chris Howell awarded Educational Champion Award - By Michelle Libby

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Windham Chamber Singers to perform at top venues in New York City - By Elizabeth Richards

The Spring tour for the Windham Chamber Singers is always a big deal, but this year, it’s even bigger. On April 14^th, the group leaves for five days and two concerts in New York City. And these concerts aren’t just anywhere – one is at Carnegie Hall and the other at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
 

The Chamber Singers are part of a 5-day residency program joining with other choirs from across Maine to form the Maine Festival Chorus. The trip culminates in a concert at Carnegie Hall on Sunday, April 17^th. 

Windham Chamber Singers Director Dr. Richard Nickerson said he was invited to conduct this program a few years ago. The high fees involved means coordinating with other choirs to make it happen. He approached Rob Westerburg, the choral director at York High School, and together they created the program.  

Since the group would already be in New York City, Nickerson sent an audition tape to St. Patrick’s Cathedral to participate in their guest choir concert series. Their concert was approved, and on Friday, April 15^th, the Chamber Singers will perform a full hour of sacred acapella music.

This tour is different than most years, Nickerson said. “Typically we would go into different communities. We’d be somewhere different every night. This year, we’re going to New York City, we’re being dropped off and we’re staying in midtown Manhattan the whole time.” 

Staying in a city like Manhattan is extremely expensive, and more fundraising has been required this year than most. “This year, for the first time, we’ve actually reached out asking for help,” said Nickerson. “The response has been overwhelming. That may not be the case if we did that every year,” he said, adding that next year the tour will not require any fundraising beyond the usual concerts.

“I think we live in a community that’s very supportive and the chamber singers have a really good reputation. When we go out into the community and ask for help, I think a lot of people are very willing to give us help,” said chamber singers president Jacqueline Gleason-Boure.

One of the fundraising events is the Windham Chamber Singers Music with a Mission concert, which will be held this Saturday, March 26^th at the North Windham Union Church. This concert will preview their NYC tour, including several serious pieces from their St. Patrick’s concert. The evening will also include a silent auction and raffle to raise funds. 

“It’s not typical for us, but I think it’s really going to be an exciting night,” Nickerson said. “This concert offers the perfect chance to perform for our community as a kick-off before the tour.”  

 The minimum fundraising target for this tour was $10,000 and Nickerson said they are within $1,000 of hitting that goal. Going above their target means even more great experiences for the students, such as attending a show while in the city. Seeing a show won’t depend on the extra spending money a student may or may not have. “We’ve approached this as an all or nothing thing,” Nickerson said. “If we go see a show, the entire choir is going to go.”  

Gleason-Boure said that is one of the reasons she feels fortunate to be a part of the group. “Dr. Nick has an amazing way of really making us feel like we’re an ensemble. It’s not as though if we have more money we’ll be able to do more, but if we work hard enough we’ll be able to do more. It feels really great to know that we really value each other,” she said.

Preparing for the tour has taught the students a good lesson in hard work, Gleason-Boure added. Secretary Jaydie Allen agreed. “Every day we come in and we work really hard to find fundraisers and get sponsorships. It’s really rewarding to keep looking at the board and watch the thermometer get closer and closer to the top. We have a picture in our mind that we’re working for it. That’s the rewarding aspect.”

While the hard work for this tour isn’t quite done yet, the choir is also already looking forward to next Fall, planning a concert in conjunction with local musician Sean Slaughter and an 11-piece band to do an entire night of Queen. 

Tickets for the MWAM concert will be sold at the door, and are $12 for adults and $10 for students, children and seniors. Tickets are also available in advance on-line at www.mwamconcerts.com . The box office opens at 6 p.m.

Christine Hesler and Chris Howell awarded Educational Champion Award - By Michelle Libby

Last week at the annual High School Redesign in Action conference, Christine Hesler, director of curriculum, instruction and assessment for RSU14 and Windham High School principal Chris Howell were awarded 2016 Educational Champion awards from the New England Secondary School Consortium, which hosted the conference. 
 

This was the fourth time Hesler and Howell have attended the conference and Hesler presented at two sessions. 

People from each state in New England and a regional award were given accolades for their “unique contributions to the effort to raise graduation rates, lower dropout rates and send more students on to college and post-secondary certification programs in Maine.”  

Hesler and Howell were nominated by the Maine Department of Education and two employees there. “It’s flattering when schools who are trying to do some good things are recognized,” said Howell. The RSU has been reaching out to other schools all over the state and even other states to help them create programs that benefit students. 

Hesler and Howell were awarded partially for their work with proficiency-based learning. “We’re trying to make learning as transparent as possible to the students,” Howell said. For three years, the teachers and administrations have been working on developing a curriculum that benefits students - one that is “rigorous and relevant” to them. “Kids can make choices when they leave here. The choice is not dictated to them,” he said. He doesn’t want to see a student have no choice because of a minimal curriculum path.

“We have had the support of the leadership team and teachers. They pushed us to find answers. They’re represented in the award,” Hesler said. “I’m really proud of our staff and what they’ve been able to accomplish.” 

Others who were this awarded this year were state board of education chairmen, presidents and CEOs of major corporations and executive directors of non-profits. 

“A senator won it last year. College presidents win, I’m kind of in shock, but it’s very nice,” said Hesler.  “We’re proud to represent the RSU.” 

“Mrs. Hesler and Mr. Howell were two of seven Champions recognized this year for their extraordinary commitment to ensuring that public-school student across New England have a chance to succeed in school, live a fulfilled and meaningful life, and make a positive contribution to the world,” said Blythe Armitage from Great Schools Partnership based in Portland.  

Hesler, along with teachers Jeff Riddle and Amy Denecker, and Sarah Plummer, from the Portland Water District, discussed the book their class wrote and published last year called “Discovering Water”.  On the new website www.discoveringwater.org people can see how the book came together, the team and the presentation they did at the conference, which was not only presented at the conference, but streamed live to other states. 

Students at WHS are now working on an interactive iBook for people everywhere to be able to read

and learn about water. The book is currently being used in every sixth grade in the state, Hesler said.

The students who worked on this book, graduated from WHS as published authors, photographers and graphic artists, she added. Howell is pleased that the school is able to reach out to community partners and non-profits that want to partner with the students in projects. 

“I’m excited for Chris, He’s working really hard at the high school. We’re extremely fortunate to have him,” said Hesler. 

 “These champions do this through their deep thinking, their tireless energy, and their unwavering commitment to students they will never know. Far too few students will ever know that their lives have been positively influenced by the efforts of the 2016 New England Secondary School Consortium Champions," said David Ruff, executive director of the Great Schools Partnership and the New England Secondary School Consortium.

“We are able to have hard conversations with the Department of Education to tell them we need tools to do the job well,” Hesler said.

Hesler serves on the board of directors for the Maine Curriculum Leaders’ Association representing Cumberland County. Howell currently serves on the board of Jobs for Maine’s Graduates and on the advisory board for the School Education and Human Development at the University of Southern Maine. At the state level, he is a long-time board member for the Maine Curriculum Leaders’ Association. 

Howell also has served on several advisory councils for the Maine Department of Education. 

“Now we get back to work. We have much more we need to do,” Howell said. “It’s nice to be recognized, but there still a lot to do. We will still be engaged in state level policy making.” 

Howell is currently working with his team on updating the curriculum pathways to ensure that all students have a chance to meet the graduation standards as laid out, that assessments given measure the standards and targets and forming additional pathways that can help students meet standards in a non-traditional way.

“We don’t do the work for awards, we do it for the kids,” Hesler said.