Gorham schools get a new transportation director

Mitzii Smith has been hired as the new transportation director for the Gorham School Department and began her duties July 1.

Smith succeeds Norm Justice, who continues to be the school department’s facilities director.

“Mrs. Smith comes to us from 20 years in the transportation industry, most recently having served as the assistant transportation director in Maine School Administrative District 6 in Standish for … 10 years,” Gorham Superintendent Heather Perry said in a press release.

Perry said Smith has been an instructor for 15 years in the “Yellow Classroom,” a bus safety program sponsored by the Maine Department of Education for students in pre-kindergarten through Grade 5. Smith, Perry said, is a fully trained and certified school safety specialist and nationally recognized as a Top Ten Rising Star in the transportation industry for 2025.

Smith has spoken at state and national conferences about student safety in transportation and is the president-elect of the Maine Association for Pupil Transportation.

Perry told Westbrook-Gorham Now in an email June 25 that a new position was added and a few others restructured as part of recent budget adjustments that separated the role of transportation director from Justice’s responsibilities.

“This change allows Norm to focus solely on facilities and maintenance, while our newly appointed transportation director is dedicated to overseeing and improving the operations of our transportation department,” Perry said.

Thursday food trucks

Gorham’s food truck festival runs from 4 to 8 p.m. on Thursdays at the Little Falls Recreation Area, 664 Gray Road.

The festival continues through Thursday, Aug. 28, with a rotating weekly food truck lineup. For more information, call 222-1620.

Free gazebo concert

Grassholes Duo will perform from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 8, at the gazebo on the lawn at the Municipal Center, 75 South St.