May 2025 volume 11 number 10
Westbrook School Department
Dear Friends,
The weeks between April vacation and the end of school are some of the best days of the entire school year. There are so many wonderful opportunities that recognize the good work of our students, staff, and community. We celebrate student achievement with Honors assemblies, Honor Society inductions, festivals, and awards. We honor our graduating seniors with Graduation Exercises, countless scholarships, and banners with their images hanging along William Clarke Drive. We also honor our Adult Education graduates and students transitioning to Middle and High School. We sustain solid learning thorough student exhibitions, engaging units of study, and many field trips. We recognize our exceptional employees during Staff Appreciation Week, those who were named Teachers of the Year, and those who are retiring. We also interview and hire new employees for the next school year and welcome the very best educators to our community. We enjoy opportunities to bring our community together for social events, cook-outs, athletic events and concerts, and Westbrook Together Days. All of these opportunities bring a fantastic school year to a close. Please join in celebrating the great things happening in our schools as the year draws to a close.
Dr. Peter Lancia, Superintendent of Schools
NO SCHOOL
Monday, May 26
in observance of Memorial Day.
It's Celebration Season!
We are proud to recognize our members of the WHS National Honor Society, the WRVC National Technical Honor Society, and the WHS National Art Honor Society as well as the Top 10% of the Class of 2025. All were honored recently at induction and recognition events. In addition, Honors Night was recently held for WHS with over 300 students recognized with college Book Awards, Honor Role, High Achievement, and High Effort in every content area and department. Awards Night for WRVC was on May 22 with students receiving scholarships, toolships, and recognitions. Congratulations to all of our honored students! We are very proud of you!
FY26 Budget
On June 10, residents will be invited to vote in the annual School Budget Referendum. The School Committee reviewed and adopted the FY26 budget in March and April and the City Council passed both the city and school budgets (7-0) on May 5. The referendum vote is for the school budget only. The budget has been in development for months. In fact, there have been over 25 hours of public meetings to discuss every request. Recordings of budget meetings are archived on our website and social media. Documents and information about the school budget can be found on our website. It is a budget that preserves programming to meet the needs of students, provides for expanded required programs for students with disabilities and for those who are multilingual learners, and upholds contractual obligations. It includes reductions in personnel, namely unfilled or newly requested positions, and non-personnel requests, such as general supplies, professional development, and contingencies. Every reduction makes an impact on learning, but were made in an effort to be fiscally responsible to our community. A huge thank you to our Leadership Team, Finance Chair Noreen Poitras, School Committee Chair Andrea Mancuso, and all School Committee members who spent hours working through the budget. Thanks also to City Councilor Jen Munroe, Mayor David Morse, city council members, and city administration who have been involved in the process as well. Please reach out to Dr. Lancia or Dr. Mazjanis, and your School Committee representatives for more information about the budget. Strong schools build a stronger Westbrook! Please VOTE on June 10.
Thank you Rotary
We are incredibly grateful to the Westbrook-Gorham Rotary for their generous $1,000 donation in support of our two SkillsUSA Gold Medalists: Lily R. from Early Childhood Education and Jackson L. from Building Trades! Their support helps make it possible for Lily and Jackson to attend the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference (NLSC) in Atlanta this June—the nation’s largest celebration of career and technical education (CTE) and a true showcase of excellence in the skilled trades. Thanks to Westbrook-Gorham Rotary for helping our students shine on the national stage and for investing in the future of our workforce!
Books for Bikes
THANK YOU to the Westbrook Masons for sponsoring the annual Books for Bikes program at Canal, Congin, and Saccarappa. They did so in collaboration with the Westbrook Kiwanis and Ernie's Bike Shop. Every time a student reads a book, they enter a drawing for a new bike and helmet. 20 bikes and helmets were given away at EACH school! We appreciate all the reading and the generosity of our community for providing such beautiful bikes.
New Principal for Westbrook Middle School
Dr. Christina Boursaw has been hired as the next principal of Westbrook Middle School, replacing Laurie Wood who will retire at the end of the school year after 10 years at WMS. Dr. Boursaw currently serves as principal at Gilbert Elementary School, a K-6 school in Augusta where she was honored as 2024 Distinguished Elementary Principal by the Maine Principals’ Association. Prior to moving to Maine where her son attended Colby College, she was an elementary and middle school administrator and teacher in Redlands and Beaumont, California. She also served as her district’s Human Resources director and Title IX coordinator, published several articles on teaching, and wrote K-8 units of study integrating literacy and math with Next Generation Science Standards. Christina has mentored aspiring and novice principals, developed mentor programs for teachers, and supported professional development through workshops and coaching. She is known for building strong connections across communities through solid communication and collaboration. She prioritizes creating welcoming and inclusive environments for all students, staff, and families and is excited to come to Westbrook. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Christina Boursaw to Westbrook Middle School!
Spring Concerts
Our all city spring concerts were held recently, and what magnificent shows they were! Our choral and band students in grades 5-12 were featured with a great repertoire, mostly from recent movies and popular music. Highlights were selections from Wicked at both concerts, Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory at the choral concert, and God Bless America at the band concert which featured over 300 students who participate in bands at both WMS and WHS. Thank you to our musicians for your hard work and practice, to our families for nurturing their love and commitment to music, and to our amazing staff: Music Director Sue Proulx and teachers Kyle Smith, Joey Hendricks, Krystle Smith, and Delaney Randall for teaching our students so well, Music is such an important part of our school community. Thank you, congratulations, and BRAVO!
The Westbrook School Department provides interpreter services. If you would like to request an interpreter for a meeting or require translation of a school form or document, call the Administrative Offices at 207-854-0800. Additionally, Reach My Teach, the Westbrook Schools website, and this newsletter may be read in multiple languages. Simply select your preferred language in settings and content will be translated.
Equity & Opportunity: Special Olympics
On May 15, our students participated in Cumberland County Special Olympics. Competitions were held at Bonney Eagle. Students from all of the Westbrook schools participated and represented one of the largest teams. Forty two students ranging from grades Kindergarten to 12th grade competed in events which included the 50 meter dash, 100 meter dash, 100 meter walk, 25 meter assisted walk, 30 meter wheelchair race, 25 meter wheelchair race, softball throw, standing long jump, and running long jump. The students participated in an athlete parade, cheered for each other during events, and met Slugger. We are especially thankful to our staff, volunteers, and families who supported students competing and cheered from the sidelines. Each school held a Welcoming Celebration with signs, applause, and even the Blaze mascot for the teams when they returned to school victoriously! Thank you to our Special Education staff who support our students and make Special Olympics possible.
Author Visit
Recently author Francie Latour came to speak to our elementary students about her books, the inspiration behind them, and her writing process! Thank you for coming Francie Latour!
Congin Musical Sculptures Added to the Playground
Have you seen the new Musical Sculpture Garden on Congin School's playground. Several large, free standing musical sculptures in the shapes of plants and flowers were installed for students to use while playing. The students are really enjoying the pieces during recess and families are using them when the visit the playground. Thank you to the Warren Memorial Foundation for a grant of $57,489 and to Westbrook Recreation and Conservation for additional support. Thank you to parent and City Planner Rebecca Spitella for initiating the idea and writing the successful grant!
Blue Blazes on High School Quiz Show
Tune in to MPBN for all the latest action! The WHS Blazes have been competing against other high schools in Maine and are moving on to the semi-finals. The "Final Four" was on May 15 on MPBN. Recordings of past competitions are available at this link.
Good luck to our students Zach, Logan, Finn, Ezra, and Lance and thank you to English teacher Becky Bailey and Trivia Team advisor, who had the team well coached and ready for the big time.
Teaching and Learning in Westbrook
What is STEAM?
STEAM refers to Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics and Westbrook has been engaged in K-12 STEAM education for several years. All students in K-4 attend a weekly STEAM class that provides hands-on, problem solving based lessons and units of study in STAEM subjects. Elementary teachers Wendy Gaulrap and Cole Leighton have built a program that is engaging and innovative. In Middle School, students take STEAM as an elective in addition to their traditional science core class. The program is similar to the elementary program in the ways that it engages students in deep thinking and engaging experiences. In High School students are able to take a variety of life, physical, and Earth and space science courses as well as courses in robotics, engineering, technology, and environmental studies. Led by Department Leader Jen Willette, science is the most popular discipline at WHS and leads many students into science related fields in college. The Westbrook Middle School STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Math) classes were featured on the website for the Maine Department of Education in an article is about their use of drones in class. https://mainedoenews.net/2025/05/06/westbrook-middle-school-steam-students-take-flight-with-wozed-drone-curriculum/ Teacher Steve Moulen was quoted in the article as saying, “The students are not just learning how to fly drones; they’re applying scientific concepts, honing their communications skills, and working collaboratively to complete flight challenges. It’s exciting to see their enthusiasm and problem-solving abilities take off—literally and figuratively!” One student said, “I love flying drones because it feels like I’m learning and having fun at the same time. It’s really cool to see how drones are used in real life and to actually control one myself.” Thank you to our amazing STEAM and Science faculty in Westbrook!
THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL IS FRIDAY, JUNE 13!
It will be a half day of school. Dismissal times will be:
WMS: 10:15am
WHS/WRVC 10:25am
Canal, Congin, Saccarappa: 11:30am
