Students in third through eighth grades started school on Tuesday. First- and second-graders start school on Thursday and Kindergarteners start school on Monday. High school students attending Thornton Academy began their lessons last week.
Administration prepared for the upcoming school year last week with training that included a presentation by Lisa Flynn, founder and CEO of Yoga 4 Classrooms.
Superintendent of Schools Dominic DePatsy in his weekly newsletter last week said the staff’s work last year brought progress on many fronts.
“Now, with the start of the 2017-18 school year, we have new opportunities and challenges to improve the lives and futures of Saco’s children,” he wrote.
DePatsy welcomed new staff to the School Department, including Saco Middle School special education behavioral teacher Abigail Miller, Saco Middle School art teacher Alison Crofton Macdonald, Gov. John Fairfield School math interventionist Ashley Damboise, Saco Middle School Special Education resource teacher Brianna McElaney, Saco Middle School eighth-grade science teacher Dale Menard, C.K. Burns School social worker Danielle Turcotte, Fairfield and Young schools occupational therapist Karli Whitney, Young School educational technicians Kristina Tobey and Lauren Goudreau, Fairfield first-grade teacher Amanda Ledue, Saco Middle School teacher Shelby Soloff, Fairfield educational technician Tricia Huot, Saco Middle School coding and math teacher Christina Barrett, Burns literacy coach Lauren Olerio and Burns fourth-grade teacher Desiree Higgins Dunn.
In a welcome letter to parents, Saco Middle School Principal Brian Campbell said the school had implemented some changes, including a new academic team structure for seventh and eighth grades, teachers who have moved to different grades, newly painted rooms, a new grading system and new staff.
“To everyone joining our school community, we know that you will find SMS to be a caring and supportive community,” he wrote.
C.K. Burns received good news, when in July, it was awarded $2,600 from nonprofit Full Plates Full Potential to fund a cart for staff to serve breakfast items on the second floor of the school so students don’t have to go downstairs for breakfast.
— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.
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