Thumbs up to area school superintendents and officials for planning ahead in anticipation of reduced state aid. Although we wish state aid to education were not on the chopping block, Gov. Paul LePage announced late last month that $35.5 million would need to be cut from the state budget, with $12.58 million to come from general purpose aid to education.

It’s unfortunate that the state continues to under-fund education while mandating towns and cities to fund it, but that’s the reality for school districts in recent years, and it sounds like York County school officials have been planning ahead. Sanford Superintendent David Theoharides, for example, said the district implemented a budget freeze in November and had actually anticipated a greater curtailment for the district. RSU 57 Superintendent John Davis also reported a spending freeze, and in Biddeford, where it took several tries to get the current year’s school budget approved by voters, Superintendent Jeremy Ray said officials have controlled spending due to the uncertainty.

Thumbs up to the estimated thousands of dippers who took part in annual plunges on New Year’s Day to raise funds for nonprofit organizations. In Old Orchard Beach, the 25th annual Lobster Dip raised record funds for Special Olympics Maine and attracted crowds to brave the frigid waters of the Atlantic ”“ some even taking several dips in the ocean. In Kennebunk, Caring Unlimited’s 12th annual Atlantic Plunge took place at Gooch’s Beach. The event raises funds for the organization that provides services to victims of domestic violence and education and prevention services. On Caring Unlimited’s Atlantic Plunge Facebook page, administrators reported that $20,000 was raised at the event.

Thumbs up to Kennebunk resident Neal Workman for pledging to swim the 21st annual Alcatraz SharkFest and donating the money he raises to nonprofit transitional housing program The Maine Way, Inc. The organization has a home in Biddeford that helps mostly single mothers and women who are pregnant develop a plan to get on their feet, according to City of Biddeford Health and Welfare Director Vicky Edgerly. Workman was looking for a worthy cause to support and sought out input from the city. He was directed to Edgerly, who helped connect Workman with the organization. Workman will swim 1.4 miles in May from Alcatraz Island, where the former Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary was located, to San Francisco Bay. He hopes to raise more than $10,000 for The Maine Way, Inc. to donate to his efforts, visit nealswimsalcatraz4maineway.weebly.com.