School News

How to get an item placed on the SAD Board agenda:
Call Interim Superintendent Vicky Burns at 657- 9201 or Board Chair Dan Maguire at 428-3623 and ask that your item be placed on the next agenda for discussion. The Board meets twice monthly in their regular meetings, on the first and third Wednesdays. The First Wednesday they meet at Stimson Hall and the third Wednesday they meet at NG MeetingHouse. Meetings begin at 6 p.m. they are televised. Video copies are available from the Central office for check-out. Minutes of past meetings are available at the central office as well. The public is welcome to tape or video record any meeting as long as doing so does not interrupt the proceedings.

The Board members meet in sub-committee at various times of the month. Those meetings are also open to the public and any materials discussed at any meeting (with a few exceptions) are open to the public.

Russell School
New Walker entrance and new Enforcement: Principal Ellen Beale reported that "walkers" can be dropped off at the side door 8:20 and 8:40, after that time they need to be dropped off at the front door. This is due to staffing changes and scheduling.

Also, Beal reported, parents who walk their children all the way to their child's classroom need to stop doing that. It is an increased security measure and brings Russell School into compliance with protocols at both Dunn and Memorial Elementary Schools. She advises parents to kiss their child goodbye at the office, smile, and say, "have a good day!" or, "See you in a little while!"

High School
According the Guidance Counselor Gary Canter, the High School will be presenting three meetings in November and December at the high school for parents of seniors concerning financial aid. The first one is November 6th, Financial Aid Information Night - "What the heck is a FAFSA and an EFC?" or "Stalking the Wild Scholarship Beast" Thursday, November 6th, 6:30 PM in the High School Cafeteria.

In this meeting parents willlearn the "ABCs" of how financial aid works and how they go about figuring out how to pay for college. It's an important meeting for any parent of seniors who are considering continuing their education (and even if they're not, parents should attend cause who knows if their kids might change their minds?)

The second two meetings are identical: "Filling out the FAFSA" (the basic universal financial aid form - it stands for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Parents will bring their 2002 tax returns and participants will spread out in the cafeteria with the forms and actually fill out draft copies of the FAFSA. It is being offered at two different times to give parents two options for attending - they need attend only one of these meetings:
Saturday, December 6th at 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 AM in the High School Cafeteria, or Thursday, December 11th at 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 PM in the High School Cafeteria.

Middle School Before and After School Programs
Several programs are available at the Gray-New Gloucester Middle School. For more information contact Theresa Allocca, SAD15 Coordinator at 657-4994.

Breakfast Club for grades 6-8, Mon - Fri, includes learning to cook a healthy breakfast, getting homework help and eating breakfast with peers and staff.
Homework Lab for grades 6-9, Mon - Thurs, 2:15 - 5:30.
Tutoring for grades 6-9, Mon - Thurs, 2:15 - 5:30.
Computer Lab for grades 6-9, Mon - Thurs, 2:15 - 5:30 (parents and grandparents are encouraged to join in alongside their children).
Computer Club for grades 6-8, Tues and Thurs, 2:00 - 3:00
MAC Attack for grades 7 & 8, for students in the state laptop initiative, 2 hours per week, dates to be announced.
French Club for grades 6-8, Thurs, 2:00 - 4:00.
Al-A-Teen for grades 7-12, Thurs, 4:00 - 5:00.
Service Learning for grades 6-8, to identify and meet community service needs, Wed, 3:00 - 5:00.

Contact the guidance office for more information and scheduling on these classes:

Counseling for grades 6-12, by Sweetser Services (accepts many forms of insurance, Medicaid, CubCare), referral forms at guidance office.
Mentoring for grades 6-12, before, during, and after school.
Peer Mediation for grades 6-8.

Farm Science
Pineland Farms is offering a four day course on Farm Science, November 3 - 6, from 3 to 5:30 pm, for $20. How many stomachs does a cow have? What is the difference between curds and whey? Come find the answers at Pineland Farms. Also with games and hands-on activities! Call Sarah at 926-3914 for more information.

Many Programs at Fiddlehead
Fiddlehead Center for the Arts is offering many varied classes this fall. For information call 207-688-2244 or visit www.fiddleheadcenter.org. The Center is located at 83 Pineland Drive in New Gloucester.