April 2024 volume 10 number 8
Westbrook School Department
Dear Friends,
School vacation week is upon us! Schools will be closed April 12 - 21; all classes resume on Monday, April 22. This will be the beginning of the last quarter of the school year and it promises to be a busy one with so many celebrations and special events including concerts, exhibitions, and family events. I am looking forward to Cultures Week at Westbrook Middle School from April 22 to 26 which will celebrate the cultures, customs, and traditions of our students. Students and staff have worked hard to create exciting opportunities for learning. I am especially looking forward to the many events that honor the Class of 2024. Our students have worked incredibly hard and have faced so many challenges during their four years of high school. They are especially deserving of recognition and praise. They are a very special class!
I hope that you fared well during the recent storms. Thank you for sharing your feedback on the recent survey about remote learning days and the staggered start for the next school year. The survey closes at the end of this week. We will analyze the data and this will help us make decisions moving forward.
The School Committee has waived the storm day on April 5 so it will not have to be made up at the end of the year. The last day of school is scheduled for Friday, June 14, and it will be a full day of school. Let's hope we get a bit of summer weather soon.
If you are traveling or are staying close to home, I hope you have a wonderful vacation week. Take care, and be strong.
Dr. Peter Lancia, Superintendent of Schools
Celebrating our Students at WHS
Congratulations to our WHS Seniors who have been accepted to colleges! These include: University of Maine, Bates College, University of Southern Maine, Southern Maine Community College, as well as many schools out of state. We wish them the best in their future plans!
Our highest achieving graduates were recognized on the Floor of the Senate last week. Congratulations to the Class of 2024 Valedictorian Claire F., Salutatorian Hailey R., and Honor Essayist Ellyana Y., pictured with their parents and Rep. Tim Nangle and Sen. Jill Duson. We are so proud of you!
WHS and WMS MUSIC FESTIVALS
The State Jazz Festival was held on March 15. The WHS Jazz Lab Band received a Silver Medal and the WHS Jazz Ensemble received a Gold Medal! BRAVO! WHS students also received special recognition awards. Of the 5 awards given, Westbrook musicians received 4! Congratulations to Ryan H., Hannah C., Gracelyn G., and Isabella D. You can see our WHS Jazz ensembles perform live this spring with the Portland Jazz Orchestra at One Longfellow Square in May and at Westbrook Together Days at Riverbank Park in June. The WMS Jazz Band also participated in the State MS Jazz Festival and earned a gold rating! Very few schools were awarded this recognition. Of special note, there were 8 bands in our division. Out of those students, just five students are recognized for their outstanding individual musicianship and our own Tailyn L-C. was one of them!
The MBDA Concert Band Festival was also held recently and the WHS Band and Wind Ensemble both earned "superior" ratings!
WHS hosted the Winter Guard and Percussion New England Festival in March. Our students gave magnificent performances!
Thank you to our amazing WHS music teachers for making these opportunities in the arts possible!
Our musicians were also recognized at the Maine State Senate with an official sentiment at the request of Sen. Jill Duson and Rep. Suzanne Salisbury. Also joining them were Sen. Tim Nangle and Rep. Morgan Rielly. Jazz students from WHS and WMS were honored for their gold medals in recent festivals and the Westbrook Chamber Singers performed the National Anthem in the Senate Chamber and in the Rotunda. BRAVO!
Reading Buddies at WMS and Canal School
Recently, students from Westbrook Middle School's student government visited Canal School to read aloud to their younger friends, their Reading Buddies, during International Reading Month. Thank you to principals Vickie Hebert and Laurie Wood as well as instructional coach Julie Riordan and WMS teacher Amanda Kuczewski for organizing this wonderful event and Canal School teachers and staff for welcoming the middle schoolers so enthusiastically. Nothing brings people together like reading!
The Local Stories Mural at Saccarappa School has been installed, and it is absolutely stunning. Thank you to our fourth graders who researched and created the mural that shares the history of our community!
CELEBRATING THE VISUAL ARTS
The Scholastic Visual Art Awards were presented in Portland in March. WHS sophomore Beni M. received an Honorable Mention Award! (pictured left). Other WHS students were honored, including junior Naomi C. Naiomi also received 1st place at the annual Westbrook Women's Club Art Show. (pictured right, third student from left.) We are so proud of our student artists for sharing their talent. Their pieces of art demonstrate beauty, but also deep learning and the importance of knowledge and skill. Thank you to our amazing art teachers at WHS and across the district for teaching your students and leading them to these great accomplishments. We look forward to the district art shows this spring at each of our schools (see below.)
Art teacher Yagmur Gunel introduced her students to Maya Tihtiyas Attean, a Wabanaki artist who produces photography and basketry works through a multicultural lens. Of the experience, Yagmur wrote, “We learned so much from Maya. Her ancestors were basket makers, and some of the old pictures of them making baskets were displayed in a museum. Students had a chance to see the traditional and contemporary basket examples that Maya brought into class.” What a great experience! Thank you Ms. Gunel!
COLLEGE KNOWLEDGE
Fourth Graders from Congin, Canal, and Saccarappa participated in the annual local College Knowledge competition on March 21 at WPAC. There were two teams from Canal, two teams from Congin, and four teams from Saccarappa. Students learned about and answered questions about college, things like academic majors, connections to career pathways, locations of colleges and universities, and the importance of study and hard work. Some questions included: What is a GPA? and What would be a good major for someone who loves amphibians? What a great way to motivate students, build aspirations, and introduce them to higher education and career pathways at an early age! Congratulations to first place team from Saccarappa and second and third place teams from Congin. They went on to participate at the state College Knowledge event at Bowdoin College where they will compete against other teams, take a tour of Bowdoin's campus, and learn about one of the most prestigious colleges in Maine and the United States. Congratulations to our teams who placed FIRST! Thank you to moderator Congin Principal Marc Bisson, Saccarappa Principal Alexis Jones, Canal Principal Vickie Hebert, school counselors Christine Woolworth, Kasey DeBery, and Sheri Millbury, and teachers who coached and supported our students.
Maine Mammals Museum
Canal School third graders recently completed research on Maine mammals and constructed a museum to share with their friends. After conducting the research by reading books and other online resources, they created informational pieces of writing, assembled visual displays, and shared their learning orally. Thank you teachers Erin Drouin and Jalissa Pratt for helping students create the museum in this engaging project!
Chef David Turin, the owner of restaurants David's, David's Opus Ten (both in Portland), and David's 388 (in South Portland), recently visited our Culinary Arts program at WRVC. He spoke to the students about their ProStart curriculum, restaurant management/entrepreneurship opportunities, post-secondary learning opportunities, organizations that support chefs and the culinary arts industry, workplace opportunities, food competitions, and much more. We also appreciate his partnership with the Westbrook Schools through the Full Plates Full Potential program which he co-founded and in which the Westbrook School participate.
From Congin's "Chick - Cam"
Kelly Townsend's Second Graders are hatching chicks and the first ones have hatched. They have been keeping data and have set up a "chick cam" to see who else joins their classroom community! What an engaging way to practice math and science skills.
WRVC Students Are Making and Impact
Students at WRVC competed in trade-specific competitions against other Maine CTE high school students at the annual Skills USA event in Bangor on March 15. It was a day filled with excitement, encouragement, laughter, and community. All of our students did a phenomenal job! We could not be more proud of the showmanship and heart they showcased.
Two students were awarded medals! Carissa S. received the SILVER in the Early Childhood Occupations contest. Madi L. received the GOLD in the Cosmetology contest! All students received PLATINUM for their integrity, hard work, and behavior!!!
Thank you to advisor Mrs. Bruns (advisor) for the countless hours she put into organizing and preparing the students for this special opportunity. With gratitude, we also thank Chef Ogden, Mrs. Eisenhart, Mrs. Bearor, and Mrs. Noyes for supporting the students.
Several of our Business students attended the State Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) competitive events in So. Portland. The competitive events include case studies, presentations, and objective tests that demonstrate students' ability in critical thinking and business skills. Our students have participated in 9 different role-playing competitions today, and have been doing a great job. We are so proud of our students and Mrs. Dolloff!
Kara Jaques, Barbara Bush Children's Hospital Philanthropy Coordinator, visited WRVC recently to recognize the Medical Occupations program and their helpers for all they did to make a difference for the Child Life department at BBCH. In September and October, the Med Occ program embarked on their annual act of kindness making 10,000 goodie bags with the help of CDL, Criminal Justice, and the Early Childhood Education Occupations (ECOE) students and teachers. The 10,000 bags were sold at five Spirit Halloween stores. The five Spirit Halloween stores collected $127,055! Many thanks to our Medical Occupations teachers Ms. Lewis and Ms. Sherburne for providing this opportunity to their students and to our school community. We are so proud of all who helped with this goodie bags project.
On our recent Remote Learning storm day, Congin Principal Marc Bisson still conducted daily announcements via You Tube. He and a student make video announcements every day that include reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and the school mantra, a weather report, the daily menu, and a joke of the day. On the Remote Learning Day, Mr. Bisson also sang a song for his Congin Cougars, showcasing his talent and modeling bravery, this month's school theme. As they say at Congin School, "It's a great day to be a cougar!"
Camera Obscura at WMS
In celebration of the Total Solar Eclipse on April 8th, 6th grade science students at Westbrook Middle School delved into the world of "camera obscura". This optical device, also known as a "pinhole projector", operates by allowing light to enter a darkened space through a small pinhole, creating an inverted image of an object or scene on a surface across from the pinhole. The camera obscura serves as a valuable tool for safely observing a solar eclipse as it projects an image of the eclipse onto a surface, eliminating the need to directly view the sun.
Our colossal camera obscura faced the upper parking lot and captured the interest of students who marveled at the "upside-down world" projected onto a white sheet. Check out this image as projected through the camera obscura.
Teaching and Learning in Westbrook
What Special Education programs do we offer ?
Approximately 26% of our students in Westbrook have disabilities and are served by our K-12 Special Education programs. We offer a range of programs and services to meet the needs of our complex learners. Programs include targeted support in reading and math through Resource Room, concentrated specialized support in reading, math, and/or behavior through Functional Academics and Intensive Supports classrooms, and intensive programs to support students with autism and multiple disabilities through Functional Life Skills classrooms. We also offer therapeutic sessions in Speech and Language, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Social Work support. An increasing number of students require services and supports beyond our schools' capacity and attend special purpose programs outside of the district. We transport students to special purpose school every day. Westbrook also manages the education programs at Spring Harbor Hospital as it is within district lines. We are fortunate to have an accomplished special education staff of teachers, ed techs, therapists, social workers, psychological service providers, and administrators who place the needs of all children and ensure that need are addressed every day.
Equity and Opportunity in our Schools
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. After you are connected, please say the requested language and provide your name and telephone number. A staff person will return your call with an interpreter.
Our WHS Civil Rights Team sponsored the annual Iftar Dinner at the High School cafeteria on March 28. Iftar is a practice during Ramadan where Muslims break the day's fast with a special meal with family and friends. The potluck dinner included food from various cultures represented at the Westbrook High School community.
WMS will be celebrating Culture Week from April 22-26 with many special events to recognize the many cultures of students at WMS. These include performances by the WMS Jazz Band, morning announcements in multiple languages, special meals, 5th Grade Heritage Potluck Dinner, and an assembly with Namory Kieta is a Master Village Drummer from Guinea.
Welcome Back WPAC
After several months of remediation due to a significant issue of surface mold, the Westbrook Performing Arts Center is open for productions! Not only does the facility serve as our middle school students and others in the district for special events, WPAC is one of the finest performance venues in northern New England. It offers over 900 seats of unobstructed views, exceptional sound quality throughout the theater, a stage that can accommodate arrange of performances, from full scale professional productions including theater, ballet, and concerts to recitals, exhibitions, and lectures. We look forward to seeing you at WPAC! For more information about renting the WPAC, contact manager Jamie Grant, grantj@westbrokschools.org or visit https://www.westbrookpac.org/
SCHOOLS WILL BE CLOSED FOR VACATION
APRIL 12 and April 15-19
