Kindergarten students at Congin School practice building words with letter tiles donated by a local retired teacher.  

Dear Friends,

We are wrapping up our School/Family Conferences this week. Thank you to everyone who met with teachers to discuss progress. Initial reports are that participation was especially high this year! We used a new scheduling software which, we hope, has made the process more efficient. We would love to hear feedback! Please let your principals know about your experience using Reach My Teach to schedule your appointments. I have heard that some families were unable to sign up for times because spots were already filled. Please contact your principals and teachers to schedule meetings at other times if you would like to. We are always available to meet with families to discuss student learning.

We are also available to work with families when they are in need. Our social workers are typically the first points of contact, although if families are more comfortable meeting with teachers and principals, they can pass information about resources on to them. With the delay in benefits, the change in seasons, higher prices, and upcoming holidays, many families may be struggling. Please know that we have connections to resources for food, clothing, personal supplies, and other holiday gifts. All conversations and requests are confidential. Please contact your school office at any time. If your family is in a position to donate items for us to distribute to others, we appreciate your kindness. Again, please contact your school principal or social workers or Katie Garrity, our McKinney-Vinto Coordinator who works across the district, at 207-854-0800 or garrityk@westbrookschools.org. 

We have so much to be thankful for as celebrate Thanksgiving this month. I am always in awe of the kindness and generosity of our community and the many ways we take care of and respect all people, especially children. Thank you for giving me so may reasons to be thankful! 

Take care,

Dr. Peter Lancia, Superintendent of Schools

Congin School's 3rd and 4th Graders participated in the state's Mock Election. It's so important to teach our children about the importance of voting and civics. Thank you to teacher Mary Ellen Doherty for organizing this event.

During a recent BARR U-Time lesson, Mrs. Drouin's 2nd graders at Canal School learned all about what makes a good friend. Together, they brainstormed the best qualities of a friend and shared examples of how to show those traits every day.

Students then chose their two most important “friend qualities” and walked around the room to find others who valued the same things. It was a fun and meaningful way to build connections and remind everyone that friendship comes in many forms — and that we all have something special to offer as a friend.

Congratulations Dr. Boursaw! 

Congratulations to our new WMS Principal Dr. Christina Boursaw. In May, she was named Maine's National Distinguished Principal for 2025 and was recently honored at a national event in Washington, DC with the country's other top principals. What an honor and accomplishment! She received this honor while serving as a principal in Augusta. We are so happy that you are now in Westbrook!

Recently Mrs. Bruns and Mrs. Linscott from the Education Pathways program at WRVC attended the Maine Statewide Early Childhood Education Conference, along with nine of our students, thanks to support from the Maine Department of Education.

Students began the day with an inspiring keynote speaker before diving into breakout sessions focused on child development and strategies for supporting young learners in developmentally appropriate ways. It was an exciting opportunity to learn alongside professionals from across the state.

Mrs. Bruns and Mrs. Linscott also contributed to the conference by helping Dr. Karno from the University of Maine at Farmington lead a session on teaching computational thinking to young children using screenless robots. They shared how these techniques are applied in both our high school classrooms and our nursery school. A highlight of the day was seeing a former student attend their session... bringing the experience full circle!

We are proud of our next generation of teachers!

 The will be NO SCHOOL for Thanksgiving Break on November 26, 27, and 28

We are thankful for all of our students and families and we wish you a wonderful holiday.

THANK YOU to everyone who donated on Saturday! It was a great response. The bus wil be back at Hannaford on November 22!

Congratulations to Allison Brunette who was selected by the Westbrook School Committee to fill an At Large seat recently vacated by Brittany Barr. Both she and resident Victoria Buzzell completed paperwork to be considered for the role. After each made a public statement and responded to questions from Committee members, the Committee nominated, discussed, and approved Ms. Brunette in a roll call vote of 5-1. City Clerk Ellis Ledoux was present at the meeting to officially swear her in to office.

Ms. Brunette is a parent of children at Canal School and Westbrook Middle School. She volunteers for the Canal Parent Teacher Group and in local youth soccer and little league. She works for a local mental health agency that provides services to public schools, special purpose schools, and the community. She is excited to begin her work with the School Committee supporting all students, completing two remaining years in the At Large term.

And congratulations to Andrea Mancuso and Noreen Poitras who were reelected to three year terms on November 4.

Westbrook Regional Vocational Center offers a wide range of programs that introduce and prepare students for careers in multiple professional pathways. Current programs include Education Pathways, Medical Occupations, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Electricity, Building Trades, Heavy Equipment Operation, Automotive Repair, Firefighting, EMT, Criminal Justice, Cybersecurity, Computer Science and Multimedia, and Business. WRVC is also developing new programs in engineering, vocational exploration, and community based internships. Students earn multiple certifications and licenses in their programs, including college credit through Early College courses in partnership with several area Universities and Community Colleges. Each program cluster has an advisory committee which helps advise curriculum that is aligned with the needs of the industry as well as the job market. WRVC was established over 70 years ago and is a regional center that hosts students from Westbrook, Gorham, Scarborough, MSAD 6, RSU 14, and several other Greater Portland schools and has always been a leader in Career and Technical Education. It is a model for granting integrated credits, where students earn core high school credits within vocational classes. WRVC is also a model for community partnerships, as in the Building Trades program which has built 50 houses over the years in partnership with the Rotary Club. Students in Medical Occupations intern at area health care facilities and firefighting and EMT students work collaboratively with local public safety departments. Business students now run a cafe at WRVC.  and our future chefs in Culinary Arts prepare and serve restaurant quality meals and catering for community group meetings and special events. These are just a few examples of the great work and real-world experiences in which our student engage. Director Gloria Noyes and Assistant Director Kim Bennett showcase the work of our students and staff and would be happy to give people a tour. Innovative teaching, strong leadership, committed students, and community connections make WRVC a Point of Pride for Westbrook and beyond!

Community member Arthur Girard had donated funds for a new scoreboard at historic Olmstead Field! This will replace the current scoreboard which is the original, dating back to the 1960s. Mr. Girard makes this donation in honor of a fellow WHS classmate, Eugene Waters. In addition, the Cornelia Warren Foundation will donate funds to replace scoreboards on the baseball and softball fields. The Foundation has made very generous gifts over the years, including several donations at our athletic complex. What great additions to our athletic facilities and a first step in renovating our stadium. Thank you to Athletic Director Mark Campbell for helping to make these donations possible.

Our Blue Blazes continue to shine! After a 7-1 season, they won their first playoff game against Marshwood on November 7 as well as the Regional Championship against Kennebunk on November 14. Both games  were right here in Westbrook at historic Olmstead Field with huge crowds cheering and beaming with pride. And now, for the first time, Westbrook Blue Blazes will compete in the State Class B Football Championship! Westbrook will play Cony High School on Saturday, November 22 at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland. (Time TBA) Congratulations Blazes! Also, congratulations to head coach Sam Johnson who was named 2025 Coach of the Year and assistant coach Chris Nelson who was named 2025 Assistant Coach of the Year! The secret to their success? In addition to their developing skills, the team truly operates as a team, working together to achieve a victory. They have brought our community together to cheer and celebrate! Thank you to our fans who have come out in strong numbers especially at home and to the many volunteers who worked at concessions, supervision, parking detail, and other important tasks. GO BLAZES!

The WHS Blue Blazes Marching Band and Color Guard is officially the BEST in New England 2025! Congratulations for earning FIRST PLACE in the New England NESBA championship! Westbrook earned Best Music, Best Drum Major, Best Visual, Best Overall Effect, and Best Percussion as well. View the performance on the Music Booster's Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/WestbrookMusicBoosters
We are so proud of our Band and Color Guard for an amazing season!

The WHS Drams Club presented Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde, a reimagined exciting retelling of the classic story of good and evil. A large cast and crew did an outstanding job acting and staging this outstanding production. Bravo to our students and Drama Director Keith Anctil. 

Thank you to our friends at IDEXX for sponsoring admission for our Kindergarten students at the Children's Museum and Theater of Maine in Portland. Our Saccarappa Shining Stars explored the museum and enjoyed the interactive exhibits, including several exciting future careers. 

We are fortunate to have a number of offerings available to students who are advanced academically. Our Gifted and Talented program serves identified students, approximately 3-5% of the student body, in specialized classes in English language arts,  math, and art in grades 3-8 and through advanced courses at WHS. To qualify, students must achieve a certain score on specialized cognitive and achievement assessments. In addition, many students who are advanced are provided with more challenging schoolwork thorough small groups in elementary classrooms. Most advanced students are taught within the general classroom through differentiated grouping. Occasionally, the GT Teacher will work with students who are not identified or will consult with classroom teachers to provide recommendations for accelerated lessons. This year, Canal is piloting an advanced reading section in grade 2 with an intervention teacher. At WMS, 8th grade students who are at an advanced level may take accelerated math, French, and Spanish which allows them to enroll in advanced classes when they are in 9th grade. At WHS, students enroll in Honors, Advanced Placement, and Early College classes. 240 students are enrolled in 16 different Early College classes and are earning college credit that are recorded on an official University transcript. 149 students are enrolled in 10 different Advanced Placement classes where students take a test at the end of the course and send their scores to the colleges they attend. It is up to each college as to how they will count the score. At WRVC, 14 programs offer early college credit on top of licensure and certification. 348 students are enrolled and will earn college credit. High School students also work closely with Aspirations Counselor Nicole Sturgis and their school counselors to explore post-secondary pathways including highly selective colleges and universities. We will continue to develop ways to support all students, including our advanced learners, and provide opportunities for them to succeed.

Westbrook School Department

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

Dr. Peter Lancia, Superintendent of Schools

www.westbrookschools.org

wsd@westbrookschools.org