Update: December 14, 2020
Winter Sports Season Begins
The winter sports season began on Monday, December 7 with conditioning and skills/drills. Each sport has a set of MPA-approved rules specific to those programs. Teams have been creative with conditioning so students can get into shape. I joined the boys' hockey team last week in the GHS parking lot for conditioning, under the direction of Coach Barry Mothes, on a day when they weren't on the ice. Stretching and 40 jumping jacks were as far as I could go. (Forget the laps around the parking lot). 😎 Below, the girls' hockey team took to the ice for skills/drills.
International Thespian Society at GHS
The Greely Theatre program at Greely High School has recently been accepted as a member of the International Thespian Society, an International Honors Society for High School Theatre Students.
There are 9 students who comprise the charter members of Troupe #9047--and several students "waiting in the wings" who will likely qualify by the end of the year. The charter member students are Bailey Hamm, Paige Jones, Catherine Tibbets, Sebastian Alfreds, Nora Dexter, Maddie Emrich, Jesse Franklin, Quincy Segal, and Truman Bubblo.
To qualify, students must work 100 hours in the theatre (generally the number of hours they spend working on 2 productions) and maintain a high level of academic standards. They can accumulate these work/study hours in all areas of theatre, from performance to technical theatre.
Once accepted into the program, students are connected to a community of students all over the state, country and world who are working at their respective schools to gain a deeper level of theatrical knowledge and experience. ITS members have access to a great number of resources and are invited each year to attend both the state and the highly regarded national festival of theatre arts competition and study. Members also become eligible to apply for several scholarships that are only accessible to ITS honor students. Also, being a member of ITS is a distinction recognized by colleges and universities all over the world, providing students with another achievement to share on college applications.
The honor of becoming an ITS member school reflects the high quality of work and level of commitment our students give to producing theatre at Greely. Affiliation brings credibility and distinction to students, theatre programs and schools. It is something I hope everyone in our district can be proud of. As a theatre professional (and former ITS member myself), I can personally attest to the benefits this organization offers students. As a parent, I am so thrilled to know this opportunity can be part of my child's academic experience.
Our new Theatre Program Director, Dr. Elizabeth Patterson, is a member of the board of the Educational Theatre Association of Maine, a group that works in conjunction with the International Thespian Society. Her credentials are of the highest regard and we are beyond fortunate to have her at the helm of this growing department at Greely. She is deeply committed to our students and even in this challenging time has offered them incomparable learning opportunities. It is because of her that Greely Theatre has become an ITS member.
The new ITS member students were acknowledged in a virtual Induction Ceremony on December 7. Congrats!
Time for the Great Outdoors
Winter in Maine is a season to be outdoors. Thanks to the PTO, GMS 4-5 students took to the hill last week enjoying newfound snow on the grounds before it got washed away in the rain.
GHS Student Government Hosts Forum
Students, teachers, and administrators asked questions and shared perspectives on a variety of topics related to life and learning in the yellow zone, ultimately discussing ways that we can all help improve learning in a pandemic year.
Primary School Project Update
Back in July, we updated the school community on the status of a potential building project that would eventually house the district's youngest students as a result of growing enrollment. At that time, the following next steps were outlined for the 2020-21 school year:
Actively search for a new property site, in either North Yarmouth or Cumberland, through a public all-call advertisement for a donation and/or purchase of land that meets specifications developed by Oak Point Associates;
Reexamine the existing campus again for the potential of site work that could support a smaller-scale primary school with growth options to the existing footprint of GMS and MIW. Any project involving the campus would involve considerable studies of congestion, traffic, parking, and installment of an artificial turf field;
Realignment of the initial timeline approved by the Board of Directors in December 2019 to reflect the updates outlined in this letter, including a projected referendum date.
Develop an updated concept design that considers a new site location and review of the scope and size of the new proposed school balancing the short and long-term needs of the district, along with the economic status that will become more apparent over the next several months.
Earlier this Fall, a rare opportunity came available for the purchase of just under 2.5 acres of land abutting the school campus. This land, at 159 and 161 Tuttle Road, would provide much-needed relief for a congested campus and allow the district to potentially build a small primary school on the current campus without needing to look for land off-site. Purchase of the land is contingent upon a successful referendum in the future, possibly September 2021, in concert with a building project proposal. Notwithstanding any of the options for a building project, acquiring land for the school district is a critical need that has been a priority for some time now. Over the next several months, a concept design and timeline for next steps will be communicated to the public, with opportunities for feedback once these plans have been developed more fully.
2020 MSAD #51 Annual Report
Each year, MSAD #51 publishes an Annual Report in December. This report includes student demographics, assessment data, graduation & post-secondary data, and a new year-end Photo Gallery. Check out the report at this LINK.