MSAD #51 Superintendent's Blog

Cow Island Another successful trip to our Rippleffect Program for our 7th graders is behind us.  On both trips, the students came home a little dirty, a little tired, a little sweaty and absolutely full of life.   Although our students think of this trip as camping and adventure, there is a lot of learning that goes on during the Rippleffect program.  There are some basic themes that the Rippleffect guides (and GMS staff) try to incorporate into every aspect of daily living while on the island. These themes are designed to instill leadership abilities in each child. The themes encourage the students to take charge of their lives, plan ahead, and be a positive member of our community. The themes are packaged around "The 3 C's" (communication, collaboration, and compromise). The days revolve around doing a series of experiential challenges (by choice), and then debriefing and reflecting upon the experience.  A reflective moment might sound like “You made it...

Welcome to the 2018-2019 School Year! New Strategic Plan After a year of planning that involved 800 stakeholders participating, the Board of Directors approved a new three-year Strategic Plan in June that will define the direction of MSAD #51 schools through 2021.  This replaces the first-ever Strategic Plan, which was in effect from 2015 until its sunset in June. The new plan focuses the district’s energy and time on four major priorities: Wellness: Foundation for Teaching and Learning. This priority will promote wellness initiatives that advance and sustain healthy, balanced, and well-rounded students and staff. A comprehensive Wellness Plan will provide guidance in these six areas: Homework, Mental Health, Substance Use, Digital Citizenship, Fitness, and Nutrition. Early Childhood Education, the Critical Building Block. This priority will review the district’s long-term elementary education (Pre-Kindergarten-Grade 5) program and structure, including options ...