School News

News from SAD 15, Gray and New Gloucester

Middle School News

The Middle School Grade Six Band, the 7/8 Grade Band and Jazz Band will be presenting their Annual Spring Concert on Tuesday, April 12 at 7:00 p.m. They will be performing in the Middle School gym. Donations will be accepted at the door. In the event of a storm, the concert will take place the following evening on Wednesday, April 13.

Gray-New Gloucester High School Guidance office

Attention all students who will attend the high school during the 2005-06 school year:

By now all students (with the exception of the incoming freshman) should have returned a Course Request Sheet to the Guidance office. It is very important that students choose the classes they wish to take in the 2005-06 school year now. Incoming freshman must return their sheets to their GNG Middle School homeroom teacher no later than April 12, 2005.

Attention Graduating Class of 2005, local scholarship information

Last week a packet of information outlining the local scholarship process was mailed to each member of the Class of 2005. This packet contained an instruction sheet along with the list of scholarships generously given by our local communities. If you did not receive this packet, please contact our office at 657-4353.

Boys State / Girls State

All members of the Junior Class have received information in their Social
Studies class regarding this program, which is funded through the support of the American Legion. Any student who is interested in learning more about town and state government is encouraged to apply. If any student has questions, he/she should inquire in the Guidance office.

SAT And ACT Test Deadlines

SAT Test: Registration deadline is April 29th for the June 4th Test ACT Test: May 6th for the June 11th Test

Open House:

Mark your calendars for May 3rd at 6:30. We will host an Open House for all incoming freshman and their parents/guardians.

Memorial School
Principal Donna Beeley

Recognition:

I would like to recognize Martha Bartlett and Paula Spruill for their work with assessment development. Their leadership has contributed to some outstanding work with our K-2 staff this year. Elaine Williams at Russell has also been a part of this leadership.

I would like to thank Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Wilcox once again for their generous contributions to our school. I received a check to be used for the purchase of science related prizes for our Science Fair to be held on April 7th.

I would like to thank Joan Tremberth for making it possible for our children to experience Zumba dancing. Zumba is aerobics with Latin music. This form of exercise has become very popular in schools and fitness centers. Mrs. Tremberth connected us with an instructor.

Topics of Interest

A very successful kindergarten information night was held for parents of incoming Kindergarten students. More than half of Memorial School families attended this event. Parents circulated through three sessions of information in just over an hour. Included in the program was Deb Dunlap who represented Maine Parent Federation. Kindergarten screening is being held April 6, 7 and 8.

Bring Your Dad to school night was held this month. Stepfathers, grandfathers, or uncles could come instead. We had a bicycle stunt rider for the presentation. It was terrific to see so many men in one place with children. Several brave dads and children participated in the daring stunts. Later this year we will have a bicycle safety program.

This month, a cultural event sponsored by PTSA was held , which was a performance by the Scarborough Gym Dandies. This is a unicycle riding group composed of students only. They Entertained both Memorial students and Russell students most of whom never took their eyes off the 27 students who performed. The message was "you can do this too if you just practice."

Donna Beeley to Answer Calls for Once-a-Year Education Hotline

Baltimore, MD - In mid-April, Donna Beeley, principal of Memorial School, will join over 125 principals and school psychologists to answer questions about children and education. While attending the convention of the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), Beeley will volunteer to take calls on the Ask-A-Principal Hotline.

Call 1-800-944-1601 toll free or go to www.naesp.org to access our e-mail during the following days and times in your area. (Computer users may e-mail on Saturday, April 16 as well.

Eastern Time:

Sunday, April 17th 1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Monday, April 18th 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, April 19th 7:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Callers may also request free copies of parent-friendly brochures. One discusses children's fears and the other gives the characteristics of a high-quality elementary school. The Hotline is made possible by NAESP, the National Association of School Psychologists, and AOL@SCHOOL. Questions and answers will be featured in an August Back-to-School issue of Family Circle, the Hotline cosponsor.

Successes

Nearly 100% of families attended conferences with their children during the last three weeks of March. Children are progressing well in reading, math and writing. Ms Beeley reports that she is seeing student growth that reflects preparation for the next grade level. Science kits are also being used frequently at this time. Student work is visible throughout the school.

Dunn School Principal Report
Principal Bruce Beasley

School population

Grade 3: 117
Grade 4: 155
Grade 5: 161
Total Pop. 433

Recognition

Mr. Beasley says that as the winter draws to a close and spring rolls in it is important to recognize the work of the nursing staff. Nurse Ann Baiocchi and her assistant Tracy Ross are wonderful, their tender caring ways are always appreciated by the visiting students. It does not matter if the child is a first timer of a frequent flyer they always get the best of care from these two.
On Saturday, April 9th the destination imagination teams will be competing at the state competition at the University of Maine in Orono. Principal Beasley wishes these three teams the very best of luck.

Band Concerts and Art Shows are scheduled for March 31st and April 14th. Everyone is welcome to attend. On April 15th Dunn School will be hosting the North Yarmouth Academy steel drum band. If you have some free time on this final Friday morning before April vacation stop by the school and enjoy the island atmosphere.

James W. Russell Elementary School
Principal Daniel A. Joseph

Recognition

Mr. Joseph would like to thank Flo Eslinger, Jen Reeber and Dick McDonald for making it possible for the second graders to go to Pineland Farms and see the "Moo to You" program. Over the next couple of Mondays first grade and Kindergarten will also be attending this field trip.

Successes

Russell Readers and Character Education programs were very successful this past month. The students are reading and keeping track of their minutes. During the month of February the students combined times for reading were 81, 641 minutes. The total for this year is 394,766 minutes read. Also, 33 more students were given recognition for their citizenship in the areas of Friendship and Cooperation.

SAD 15 lunch menu April 11-15

Russell
Mon: chicken nuggets, fries, green beans, fruit
Tue: ham, cheese & pickle sandwich, carrot sticks, chips, peaches
Wed: French toast, sausage, hash browns, fruit
Thu: fish sticks, mashed potato, broccoli, pineapple
Fri: pizza, pretzels, cukes w/dip, ice cream

Memorial
Mon: chicken nuggets, fries, green beans, fruit
Tue: ham, cheese & pickle sandwich, carrot sticks, peaches
Wed: popcorn chicken, buttered noodles, pears, cookie
Thu: fish sticks, mashed potato, broccoli, pineapple
Fri: pizza, pretzels, cukes w/dip, ice cream

Dunn
Mon: Chicken nuggets, fries, peas, peaches
Tue: pazzo bread or stir fry chicken, rice, vegetable, pretzels & fruit
Wed: spaghetti w/meat sauce or tuna sandwich, vegetable, pudding
Thu: turkey w/gravy, mashed potato, carrots, apple crisp
Fri: pizza or egg salad sandwich, veggie sticks, sherbet cups

Middle School
Mon: cinnamon French toast with sausage or scrambled eggs, carrots, peas
Tue: American chop suey or egg salad sandwich, green beans, garlic bread, mixed fruit
Wed: cheeseburger or hot dog, fries, corn, Jell-O
Thu: baked ham with pineapple sauce, mashed potato or tuna sandwich, peas, brownies
Fri: ham, cheese, bacon or pepperoni pizza, chips, ice cream, apples