District Update - March 29, 2010

Message from Superintendent Barbara Powers

School News

Who would have ever thought a fourth grade class in Falmouth might have a shot at winning a hybrid school bus for the district?  As many of you have already read (often more than once!), the Green Team from Jennifer Merrifield’s fourth grade class has done just that.  This week is the second week of voting and the quickest way you can link to the voting site is by using the link right here on our home page.  Voting continues through April 2 (Friday) so thanks for checking out their video and participating in this community effort!  The children couldn’t be much more excited about this opportunity to make a difference.

While on the subject of GREEN initiatives, Gary Glick and his Environmental Action Committee recently toured the new wood chip boiler behind the high school hosted by our owner’s representative, Phil LeClair.  As Mr. Glick wrote afterwards, “On behalf of the FHS EAC, I want to extend our enthusiastic appreciation for the informative tour of the chip burner.  We further look forward to meeting with you in the near future to look at system schematics.”  Not only is the new elementary school going to be an amazing new home for our youngest students, it’s a significant resource for all Falmouth students as the project comes together.  The wood chip boiler is scheduled for its first trial run this week.

Meanwhile, you should also know that:

•Our team of awesome juniors, including Jordan Stanhope, Sarah Abramson, Zoe Kitchel, Jacob Merson, Eric Tierney and Sam Walker, represented Maine at the national Real World Design Challenge in Washington DC March 26-28.  According to Anita Bernhardt of the Department of Education, they did a fantastic job presenting their aeronautical design to the panel of judges.  Mrs. Bernhardt was impressed by the quality of their effort and also the group’s strong interest in continuing with Science, Technology, Engineering or Math as a career as part of the national STEM initiative.  Mr. Kraljic, one of their coaches, wrote from Washington to say that this group of young people could not have better represented our school community.   The design challenge was sponsored by the US Department of Energy.  More info about their efforts will be forthcoming!

•Andrew Njaa traveled to the National Science Teachers’ Association national conference in Philadelphia to receive the  $10,000 Toyota Tapestry grant recently awarded Falmouth High School.  It will allow John Kraljic and him to use the funds to purchase a Bandolero race car and convert it to an electric powered race car as part of a class they will team teach next year.  What a great addition to the high school’s course of study.

•The Middle School’s Iron Twinkies were this year’s champions at their State Jazz Festival.  Congratulations to Jerry Berry and his talented musicians!

•In dramatic arts, Falmouth High School finished second in the State Drama Festival held in Camden this year.  Their production of “The Thirteen Clocks” was very engaging and extremely well performed.  Kudos to Dede Waite and the entire cast and crew, many of whom received special awards from the judges.  Meanwhile, Falmouth Middle School actors recently presented the musical “Aladdin” to enthusiastic audiences and rave reviews. Many thanks to Renovia Marro and Madeline Sarantidis, FMS music teachers, for their creative direction and significant contributions of time and talent to this very large cast and crew of energetic performers.

•The Association of Computer Technology Educators of Maine (ACTEM) and the Maine State Library (MSL) announced the winners of the 2010 MARVEL Challenge.  The MARVEL Challenge was designed as a scavenger hunt to inspire educators throughout Maine to make use of the MARVEL electronic databases with their students. “Our goal was to create a 'fun project' to increase awareness and use of this amazing, free, statewide resource,” said Peggy O’Kane, Maine State Library.  One of the two individual teacher awards was given to Cathy Potter, librarian at Lunt and Plummer-Motz Schools.  Congratulations Cathy!

Budget Development – Next Steps

Now that the school budget is in final form following an all day workshop on Saturday, March 13, it’s time for the joint roll out of the school and town budgets.  This informative meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 31 at 7:00 in Town Hall and public input is welcomed.  Please consider joining us for the evening’s presentation.  It’s important that parents and school community members lend their voices to the discussion.  Beth Franklin and Analiese Larson, our School Board Chair and Finance Chair, will be presenting the overview on behalf of the schools.  

On Monday, April 5, there will be a special School Board meeting called that evening at 7:00 to allow for a final vote on the SY11 budget.  The town council will be voting on the combined school and town budget immediately after April break on Monday, April 26.  Your continued support and participation is encouraged!  The budget validation referendum (BVR) will finally be held as part of the June 8 town elections.  We plan to publish a town-wide PORTAL the last week of May to again tell the story of the schools and this year’s budget process so that all are well informed.

I must thank ALL who gave feedback during this lengthy process of budget exploration.  The Town Council was most impressed to hear about the strong workshop attendance all fall and winter and is crediting us with a multi-year budget strategy after all of our careful, if difficult, work.

Falmouth High School Principal Search

The committee is set, the candidates to be interviewed have been selected, and shortly the high school parent and teacher community will learn the name(s) of our finalists, who will return for all day meetings with faculty, students, parents, and administrators during the week of April 5, if all goes as scheduled.  I’d like to thank the search committee members who have made cleared their afternoons and are working with me on this important task:  Jack Hardy, HS Asst. Principal; Sue Palfrey, FMS Principal; Sue Smith, secretary to the principal; teachers Jon Radtke, Elizabeth Lupien, Lynn Harder, Mike Casey, Nisu Seder, Dan Bennett, and Louise Little; guidance counselor Karen Lechner; student Maggie Parrish; parent Zareh DerHagopian; and, School Board members Analiese Larson and Andy Kinley.  I hope to announce our recommendation to the School Board at their April 28 meeting and will publicize the news about the new principal immediately thereafter!