Sixth grade students at WMS reflected on things they are grateful for and designed the wings of a falcon, their mascot.

Dear Friends,

There has certainly been a change in the weather over the last few weeks! Be listening for my early phone calls, notifications, and emails on stormy mornings. Decisions are typically made by 5am. Our first two storm days will definitely be "old fashioned" with no remote learning. After these two days, we will consider remote learning along with an old fashioned snow day. We would have to ensure that the state-determined minimum requirements for a school day are met which often makes a remote day a challenge. I will let you know what kind of day it will be when I make my calls. We may also have a two-hour delayed start of school which means that schools open two hours after the usual time and buses pick up kids two hours after the usual time. If we ever have to close school early, I will indicate the time of dismissal in my message. In addition to phone calls, text notifications, and email messages, announcements are made on our website and on channels 6, 8, and 13. When making a decision about school, safety is always my most important consideration. Let's hope that we can keep the number of storm days to a minimum!

So many kind people, businesses, and organizations have made generous contributions of food, clothing, toys, and personal items for students and families this fall. Our school pantries and clothes closets are full and available to help. Our team of social workers and counselors coordinate support for families who are struggling including those who are unhoused. They are connected to school and community resources. There was a huge food giveaway and lunch served at WHS on the day before Thanksgiving. This was organized by Mary Emerson and Hannah Moore from our School Nutrition Program and stocked by donations made at the Stuff the Bus event at Hannaford sponsored by the Transportation Department and our partners at The Locker Project. Students from the WHS Interact Club and other volunteers gave their time to help at this well-attended event. Another event is planned at Westbrook Pointe and Walker Street Field on December 18. I am always in awe of the deep kindness within our school community at events like this and all year round.

With 2025 coming to a close, I have been reflecting on the last twelve months and the many great things that have happened in our schools. While there are far too many to write about here, I will call out a few to recognize and celebrate. We have welcomed outstanding new leaders, teachers, and support staff who have brought fresh perspectives and talent to our community. We have also continued to welcome many new students and families to Westbrook who enrich our schools and classrooms. In fact our overall enrollment has increased by about fifty students this year. Our theme of "I belong here!" resonates as people feel at home and make their own unique marks on our school community. We have accomplished a number of facility projects this year, including the launch of an exciting solar energy project that will lower energy costs and demonstrate our responsibility to the environment. Our Marching Band and Color Guard is tops in Maine and New England, winning gold at both championships this fall. And our Blue Blazes Football Team won the State Championship last month, the first time in our school's history, which has engaged the entire city in Blue Blazes pride! As we look ahead to the new year, we anticipate many other great accomplishments as well as challenges including a reduction in federal funding that will impact our budget development, the increasing needs of our students in special education and multilingual services, and the expansion of 4-year olds in our pre-school programming. Let's continue to work together to build and sustain our excellent schools that support every student, every day.

On behalf of all of the students and staff of the Westbrook Schools, I wish you and your families a very happy holiday season and a bounty of good things in the new year!  

Dr. Peter Lancia, Superintendent of Schools

Schools will be closed the weeks of December 22-26 and December 29-January 2.

Classes resume on January 5.

Have a wonderful vacation!

Fourth Graders in Ms. McLaughlin's class at Congin have been writing up a storm. They use their Writer's Notebooks to take notes and practice different strategies for composition and mechanics as well as revision to improve the content of their writing. Nice work 4th graders!

CONGRATULATIONS to our Canal School Coyotes! Recently, the school celebrated its students with awards for Students of the Month as well as recognitions for attendance, behavior, and learning. As a PBIS school, Canal focuses on social and emotional learning that supports academic success. Students learn about, practice, and demonstrate respect, responsibility, and safety. Principal Vickie Hebert recognizes students monthly and at the end of each quarter for their hard work. By celebrating success, we build more opportunities for good modeling and ways to build good citizenship. It also builds stronger academic success across the school. We are proud of you!

Westbrook Adult Education is a thriving program that supports the learning needs of adults of all ages in our community. It has grown to serve over 600 students in the last three years and continues to increase. What a joy to be part of the annual Adult Education Graduation (pictured below) and to witness individual success every day! Classes are offered in several key areas: workforce development such as CNA licensure and the very popular Common Threads industrial sewing program; English language classes which provide instruction for all levels of students learning English; and high school completion through courses that prepare students for the HiSet exam or alternative diploma.  Enrichment classes are also offered on specific topics. We are fortunate to work with a number of area partners as we increase the local workforce. Adult Education classes are open to all Westbrook residents. To register, students may visit us online or come to the office located at WRVC, 125 Stroudwater Street. Westbrook Adult Education recently was named a "Top Performer" by the Maine Dept. of Education. This recognition is earned by meeting or exceeding the state target for measurable gains and other performance targets including enrollment growth, post-test rate, and data-match rate. We are proud to be a model for other programs in the state to emulate. Westbrook Adult Education is led by director Jen Brooks along with her staff including College and Career Readiness Coordinator Alice Shea, ABE and ELL Coordinator Shila Cook,  Administrative Assistant Katy Dube, and many teachers. Congratulations! 

Congratulations to WHS Ed Tech III Susan Cabana who was recently nominated for a Maine Dept. of Education RISE Award which stands for Recognizing Inspiring School Employees. Ms. Cabana works within our Special Education program and supports students in classes across the school. The RISE Award is presented to individuals who provide outstanding service to children in grades PreK through High School, the hard working unsung heroes who work closely with kids to keep them healthy, safe, supported, and challenged so that learning can take place. Ms. Cabana was nominated for her endless support of and belief in all kids, being a role model for her colleagues, and one who inspires others to be the very best. Congratulations and THANK YOU for your service to our students and the high school community!

Bridge Academy at WRVC connects CTE students with higher education opportunities with area partners like Southern Maine Community College. Recently, two of our Bridge Academy-enrolled programs, Business and Culinary Arts, visited the SMCC campus to explore future learning opportunities. SMCC staff opened their classrooms, gave presentations, and organized meaningful experience. Students were able to explore what courses look like in higher education and began to think about how college could look in their future.

WMS 8th grade science classes at WMS kicked off their Annual Restoration Ecology Project, supported by Nell from the Wild Seed Project. In this project students learn about our local ecosystems, the harm of invasive species and the benefit that native plants bring to the ecosystem. This week students have gone out to collect native seeds on campus and plant them so that they will come up in the spring. This is the third year of this project and our 8th graders have had a noticeable impact on the ecosystems here on campus. Growing new areas of native wildflowers to benefit the beauty, the birds, the bees, and more.

WMS was also featured on last weekend's WMTW-8's "Total Maine" segment about getting students outside and learning. 

Our Blue Blazes had a remarkable fall season, in particular our football team and our marching band and color guard. The Blue Blazes won their first ever State Championship, defeating the Cony High School Rams in an exciting 40-20 win at Fitzpatrick Stadium. They were honored by a police escort back to WHS after the game and with a Celebration Parade down Main Street.  Also honored was our State and New England Championship Marching Band and Color Guard. They earned gold in multiple categories including best percussion, color guard, and overall. What a remarkable season, setting a new standard for High School level performance. We are proud of and thankful for our Blue Blazes, our coaches and teachers including football coach Sam Johnson who was named Coach of the Year, and our Athletic and Activities Director Mark Campbell. Read more about these remarkable seasons on our website, www.westbrokschools.org. Go Blazes!

The art department has had a busy and successful Fall at all of out schools.  General classes are offered in grades K-8 and high school courses specifically targeted to different media, skill levels, and art content. Lessons, projects, and experiences included still life drawing to multi-media sculpture, textile artwork, digitally produced designs, and more. Across the district, students have been building skills, gaining background in art history, experimenting with materials, and strengthening their visual literacy skills. We’re proud of their hard work, creativity, and imagination this season!

The first of several solar panel installations have been completed as part of our solar energy project. The project was designed to reduce the cost of energy that is spent year round by selling energy back to a local provider. It is also designed to demonstrate good environmental stewardship and teach children about sustainable energy sources that are good for the environment. Panels were installed at Congin (top) and Saccarappa (bottom) this month. Once connected, they will immediately start to draw energy and reduce cost by as much as 90%. Panels are scheduled to be installed at WMS and WHS this spring.

Our Sixth Graders are having a tech-free December! Our goal is to help students become more intentional, balanced, and mindful about how they use technology. Going without technology, even in small, intentional doses, has powerful benefits for students. It strengthens focus and attention, builds patience and self-regulation, encourages deeper thinking and creativity, and helps students engage more fully with people around them. In classes, they are having more book-based learning, working on collaborative group projects, writing and drawing by hand, and increasing physical movement. While many lessons and assignments are done with iPads, teachers ensure that they are intentional and have a specific technology purpose. Our students and staff are doing a great job with the challenge! Many families are participating as well. We appreciate the support and encouragement and are excited to see the positive impact this initiative will have!

Canal School hosted its annual Breakfast with Frosty recently. Children and families were treated to a delicious pancake breakfast and took pictures with Frosty himself!  Kids also had a chance to do some holiday shopping where they could purchase and wrap some really nice but inexpensive gifts for their families and friends. Thank you to our many volunteers including WHS students, families from the Canal PTO, and staff from Canal School.

Our School Nutrition Program sponsored a lunch and food give away on the day before Thanksgiving. Dozens of people came by along with dozens of volunteers. Thank you to our friends at The Locker Project as well as people who donated to our Stuff the Bus events at Hannaford in November,

Congin's Kindergarten students and staff sponsor a tree at the annual Festival of Trees in Westbrook.  This year's theme: The Gingerbread Man, a traditional story they have read in class, comparing different versions. 

The Saccarappa PTO sponsored the annual Light Tour of Downtown Westbrook on Friday, December 12. Families enjoyed seeing the spectacular light see the lights as well as some hot cocoa!

WHS and WMS held their December Winter Concerts at WPAC last week. What amazing performances from our bands, jazz ensembles, chorus, and chamber singers... plus a few special appearances by special guests! 

Thank you to our friends at the Prides Corner Church for their donation of food and clothing for our pantries and clothes closet. We appreciate the kindness and support from our community partners!

Clockwise from left: wrapping at Breakfast with Frosty, Prides Corner friends, Thanksgiving food giveaway, WHS Winter Concert, Saccarappa Light Tour, and Congin K Tree at Festival of Trees.

Kameron Warrens from the Maine Celtics visited with Saccarappa's 4th graders recently to discuss how to live a healthy lifestyle. He and our Shining Stars even played a few games of "Crusher Says"! Thank you to the Maine Celtics and Martin's Point Health Care for providing this opportunity for our students.

Currently, 630 students are identified with disabilities and are served in our Special Education programs. This represents approximately 27% of our overall school population.  Students referred for services have extensive evaluations to determine specific disabilities and learning needs. Each student has an individual educational plan (IEP) which determines the program and services required to meet needs. These plans are reviewed at a minimum of once a year and fully reevaluated every three years. Some students attend special classes away from their general classroom for a small part of the day (45 minutes or less) while others are in a smaller settings for larger portions of or even the full day. Our students participate in general education classes to the extent that they are able and successful. Often times, a Ed Tech accompanies the student to their general class to offer support as needed, such as studying or organizing material for assignments. Our program offerings include: Resource Room support, primarily in literacy and numeracy; self contained programs in Functional Academics, Functional Life Skills, and Intensive Supports; speech and language, physical, and occupational therapy; and social work services. All schools offer special education services in all grades K-12 and we have begun to offer supports to students in our PreK classes at Canal. Offering services to identified 4-year olds will be a requirement beginning in Fall 2026 and to both 3- and 4-year olds the following year. Extended School Year programs are offered every summer for identified students as well.  Sometimes a student's needs are so complex that we do not have the capacity to provide programming at our schools and we enroll them at special purpose schools with very specialized programming. Currently, 34 students attend special purpose schools outside of the district. Programs are expensive, costing between $54,000-$84,000 per student per year plus the responsibility of transporting students to their schools. The complexity of student needs continues to increase and our programs have needed to expand over the years. For example, our Functional Life Skills program currently has 5 elementary classrooms; ten years ago we had 1. We are proud of the services and classes we provide. Our students make solid progress every year and work toward graduating along with their peers. Our teachers, ed techs, and administrators work hard to care for every student and develop creative ways to meet their needs. 

Westbrook School Department

One Promise: The best education for all, for life.

Dr. Peter Lancia, Superintendent of Schools

www.westbrookschools.org

wsd@westbrookschools.org