MSAD #51 Superintendent's Blog

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MSAD #51! A very exciting weekend celebrating the Anniversary of the SAD !  So many great activities to commemorate 50 years included a homecoming football game celebrating the Class of 1966, pancake breakfast, concert with Rick Charette, alumni class meetings, face painting, history walks, facility tours, a birthday bash complete with cake, burrito lunch, and time capsule.   Many thanks to the 50th celebration committee for their months-long planning of this event: Ashley Caswell (chair),  Karen Campbell, Donna Damon, Stephanie Desmond, Don Foster, Dixie Hayes, Carla O’Sullivan, Eliza Porter, Scott Poulin, Rosemary Roy, David Shapiro, Paula Slipp, and Carolyn Small. Many thanks to sponsors Greely PTO, Tender Years Learning Center, The Richter Group, and Riley Woodworks. Special thanks to GHS Madrigals, GMS Sounds of Silence, GHS Jazz Band, GHS Video Production Class, and Joanna Foster. Birthday cake for the SAD, thanks Joanna Foster! 20 ex...

Congrats!!  Greely Middle School 6-8 wins top award by MSN, named #1 middle school in Maine. Click   here  for more information.  We are very proud of our students, staff, and parents! Greely Middle School is #1 in Maine The criteria used to assess middle schools for this award is below: Exam Passing Rates : This includes math proficiency rates and reading and language arts proficiency rates over the last three years. School Environment : The school environment score consists of factors such as the student-teacher ratio, teacher experience and teacher absence rate. Disciplinary Actions : This takes into account the school's retention rate, in-school suspension rate and out-of-school suspension rate. We held our first-ever K-12 all-campus reading event   "Drop Everything & Read!"   This was a fun hour-hour event where students and staff literally dropped what they were doing and picked up a book.  There were many guest readers in clas...

Upcoming informational sessions that are open to the public to learn more about the Performing Arts Center project are as follows: Monday, September 26 @ 6:30 pm: Public Presentation  (NYMS gymnasium) Thursday, October 6 @ 6:30 pm: Public Presentation  (Cumberland Town Office) Monday, October 17 @ 7pm; Public Hearing, Board meeting  (GHS library) Below is an architectural rendering of the proposed  Performing Arts Center  addition at GHS.  For more information on the PAC, please click here . Greely Girls Volleyball team won the Bruce Churchill Classic for ALS tournament, congrats girls & Coach Don Legere. The district office received a first draft and presentation of the long-term enrollment projections report that we commissioned through Planning Decisions.  We had additional questions and areas for further study that we have asked Planning Decisions to continue researching.  After we receive more information, a repr...

Welcome Back! The first two weeks of school have been smooth.  Students and staff are adjusting well to the new K-12 schedule that provides a later start time for the school day in order to help students be more rested and ready to learn.  We are also hopeful that the later times reduce student tardiness. On September 8, the MSAD #51 Board of Directors approved the wording to be placed on the ballot for a Performing Arts Center (PAC) for the November 2016 election.  The Board must still vote later to call the referendum for this project, but this was an important step. The PAC project is tied to the district's Strategic Plan and 10-Year Facilities Plan. Please visit the PAC Info page that is linked to our district's home page.  Here you will find site plans, an architectural rendering of the proposed facility, PAC building committee minutes and agendas, and other information regarding this project. Click this link for more information:   PAC Info ...

We are excited about the approaching school year.  Students begin classes in grades 1-12 on Wednesday, August 31.  Kindergarten's first day is Tuesday, September 6. A reminder that school start times have changed: School 2016-17 School Day 2016-17 Wed. Early Release Greely High School 8:00 AM-2:30 PM 8:00 AM-1:30 PM Greely Middle School 6-8 8:00 AM-2:33 PM 8:00 AM-1:33 PM Greely Middle School 4-5 8:45 AM-3:15 PM 8:45 AM-12:30 PM Mabel I. Wilson School 8:45 AM-3:15 PM 8:45 AM-12:30 PM First up on our list is school buses.   They carry our community's most precious commodity - our children!  Please slow down, be patient and allow the bus drivers the space and time they need to successfully transport our students from home to school and back. Remember, too, that passing a stopped school bus is a criminal act, and it is also extremely dangerous.  If you have new or inexperienced drivers in your ...

1.  The school year ended on a great note.  Here's a few of the highlights: MIW staff dance the kids away...for the summer, that is.  On the last day, all students were invited to an assembly where they watched a video of their teachers and staff dancing the school year away in a funny video on YouTube titled "Can't Stop This feeling, Wilson."  The kids were laughing and obviously very impressed that their teachers and principal could actually dance.  Oh, yea, and the superintendent had a good move or two, too!           The video is linked here:  Can't Stop the Feeling Wilson, Starring MIW Staff .  Check it out! GMS 4-5 students showed off their talent at their annual talent show.  Lots of laughter, jokes, musical numbers, skits, and fun accompanied this final assembly. GMS 8th graders presented their science projects, including topics such as Orbital Maneuvers, Compression Forces, Lightning, Concussions, Dry Ice,...