Representing well

Four Maine secondary schools, Gray-New Gloucester High School being one of them, have been invited to represent the state at a regional conference on effective strategies for improving teaching and learning in the 21st century.

The conference, High School Redesign in Action (newenglandssc.org/conference), took place April 7-8, in Nashua, N.H., and was sponsored by the New England Secondary School Consortium in collaboration with the departments of education for Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.

The Consortium is a regional educational partnership committed to high school innovation. All the selected schools have made significant progress raising student achievement, graduation rates, or college enrollment numbers, among other indicators of educational accomplishment.

Celebrate ?Patriot’s Day

On Tuesday, April 19, at 6:30 p.m., the public is welcomed to celebrate Patriot’s Day in Maine at the Gray Public Library. Join Ray Clark and Steve Bunker to celebrate one of America’s least known holidays. Hear a reading of “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere,” Learn about what Maine was like during the Revolutionary War, and find out more about Gray resident and Revolutionary War hero, Samuel Goff. The fun event is free for the whole family.

Spring clean-up

An Earth Day Celebration/Clean up will be held Friday, April 22 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Gray Parks and Recreation is looking for groups or individuals to help them clean up at Wilkes Beach, Libby Hill Trails and the Henry Pennell Municipal Complex. Please contact them if you are interested in helping out.

Also, an indoor yard sale takes place April 30, 9-3 p.m. Free to public. Rent a spot: $10/space (own 8-foot table), $15 (our 6-foot table), $25 (two of our 6-foot tables). Bring your gently used items for resale, crafts and jewelry. Space is limited. FMI, call Gray Recreation Department at 657-2323.

Dump it for free

Spring clean-up takes place April 15-17 at the Gray Transfer Station. You can bring carpeting (limited to the equivalent of one pick-up load), mattresses/box springs, sofas, chairs, loveseats, televisions, computer monitors – limit of five, $5 each additional. Refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, de-humidifiers – limit two, $14 each additional. Tires – limit 4, $2 each additional, $4 each additional on rim. Automobile batteries, wood waste, construction debris, branches and yard waste are charged at their usual price. Stoves, washers, dryers, water heaters, and dishwashers are always accepted at no cost.

Spring Scrapbooking

On Sunday, May 1, 8 a.m.-10 p.m., have fun scrapbooking with friends at Newbegin. Bring your own supplies, we will provide the tables and space. Potluck in the rec room. No games, no prizes. Teenagers may attend if they purchase a spot and scrapbook. No small children. $20 for the entire day. (Two per table). FMI, 657-2323.

What’s Up?

Tell them what you think about youth substance use and other issues impacting young people in our community by taking the Gray-New Gloucester Community Opinion Survey.

Take an anonymous survey online at surveymonkey.com/s/GNGCommunitySurvey or on paper at the Gray Recreation Department, Gray Town Hall, Gray Public Library or Fiddlehead Art and Science Center. The survey is sponsored by the Gray-New Gloucester Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition.

For more information about the Coalition, including how to get involved, contact Carol Swicker at cswicker@mcd.org or 773-7737.

Get involved

Nomination papers are available for the following offices: Town Councilors (Two three-year terms to expire June 2014), SAD 15 Board of Directors (Two three-year terms to expire June 2014), Gray Water District (One five-year term to expire June 2016), Gray Water District (The remainder of a five-year term to expire June 2014).

Interested Gray residents may obtain nomination papers at the Gray Town Office during regular business hours. All nomination paperwork must be received by the Town Clerk no later than Monday, May 2, at 4 p.m. For more information, please visit www.graymaine.org or call the Town Office at 657-3339.

It’s wild here

The Maine Wildlife Park on Route 26 in Gray aims to reopen April 15, weather permitting. The picnic shelters and outdoor classroom may be reserved for parties, special occasions, family gatherings and more. School programs and tours available in May, June, September and October. Consider volunteering at the wildlife park.

For more information, call 657-4977, ext. 0 or www.mainewildlifepark.com.

Run for our schools

The second annual Patriot 5K Race/Walk (USATF Certified) will be held May 21, 9 a.m.-noon, starting at St. Gregory’s, North Raymond Road in Gray.

Thanks to the generosity of Michael Liberty and the Liberty Family Foundation there is $5,000 in cash prizes for this year’s top finishers. Online registrations are now being accepted. The first 200 to sign up will receive a short-sleeve technical fabric Patriot 5K T-shirt. The next 400 to sign up will receive a cotton Patriot 5K T-shirt. The race will be capped at 600 runners.

The Patriot Parents is a group of community volunteers whose goal is to support the Gray and New Gloucester elementary and middle schools. FMI, www.patriot5k.org.

Here comes ?Peter Cottontail

Pineland Farms Annual Easter Egg Hunt will be held Saturday, April 16, at The Pineland Visitors Center. Events start at approximately 11 a.m. with greeting “Peter Rabbit.” At 11:15 a.m. sharp, the egg hunt will begin. There will be three separate hunt areas for children ages 3 and under, 4 to 7, and 8 and up. Plastic eggs scattered on the grounds containing candy and “special golden eggs” will be redeemable for prizes. After the hunt the Gray Recreation Department will sponsor a few EGGciting games. FMI, call Gray Rec Dept 657-2323 or Pineland Farms at 688-4539. FREE for all. Rain date is Sunday, April 17, at 11 a.m.