The Brunswick School Department has a fish story to share, but it’s not about the one that got away. Instead, it’s about a partnership with the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association that brings locally-caught fish to the plates of our students. Here’s how it works: During the pandemic, fishermen experienced a decline in sales primarily due […]
Superintendent’s Notebook
Posted inForecaster Opinion, The Forecaster
Portland Superintendents’ Notebook: Highlighting the value of the arts at city schools
March is National Youth Art Month, as well as National Music in our Schools Month, so we’re using our column this month to shine a spotlight on recent art and music accomplishments of our students and the dedicated educators who teach them. In just one example, PPS High School Orchestra students helped make the 39th […]
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Posted inForecaster Opinion, The Forecaster
RSU 5 Superintendent’s Notebook: School budget development underway with opportunities for input
We have much to celebrate as a school community. The schools in RSU 5 have a culture of kindness and respect for individual differences. Our students continue to have high academic performance which supports the achievement of their postsecondary goals. Students in the visual arts receive many awards and accolades for their outstanding accomplishments. Musicians […]
Posted inForecaster Opinion, The Forecaster
Brunswick Superintendent’s Notebook: Addressing absenteeism takes a team effort
I love the vibe of a bustling school hallway. Conversations bounce from an upcoming math quiz to what’s for lunch to who’s going to the big game on Friday night. Students have an energy and enthusiasm when they are talking with their peers that you don’t find anywhere else. Sadly, many of our young people […]
Posted inForecaster Opinion, Northern Forecaster
RSU 5 Superintendent’s Notebook: The struggle is real for student mental health
In October of 2021, the American Academy of Pediatrics collaborated with the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the Children’s Hospital Association and declared “a national emergency in children’s mental health,” and urged policymakers to take action. AAP President Lee Savio Beers stated, “Young people have endured so much throughout this pandemic and […]
Posted inCoastal Journal, Forecaster Opinion
Brunswick Superintendent’s Notebook: Brunswick Teen Center a municipal resource, community treasure
For kids in the Brunswick School Department and in the greater Brunswick community, having a place to go outside of school where they can have fun, feel safe and, most importantly, feel seen can make the difference between being happy and healthy or not. Whether it’s after school or during the summer, the Brunswick Area […]
Posted inForecaster Opinion, Northern Forecaster
RSU 5 Superintendent’s Notebook: Why attendance matters, now more than ever
“School attendance is a powerful predictor of student outcomes. In fact, irregular attendance can be a better predictor of whether students will drop out of school before graduation than test scores.” […]
Posted inForecaster Opinion
Brunswick Superintendent’s Notebook: Hungry for knowledge or just plain hungry?
I want our kids to be hungry – hungry for knowledge, hungry for sports, the arts, clubs and for play. What I don’t want is for our students to be hungry for regular nutritious meals or to worry about where their food is coming from. Unfortunately, many of our students routinely come to school feeling […]
Posted inForecaster Opinion
RSU 5 Superintendent’s Notebook: Bus drivers, the ambassadors for our schools
Before the sun rises during the school year in Freeport, Durham and Pownal, members of the RSU 5 Transportation Department are preparing to pick up our most precious cargo, our students, to transport them to school. Our team carefully completes required bus safety checks and ensures engines start, even on the coldest days of the […]
Posted inForecaster Opinion
Brunswick Superintendent’s Notebook: Student council fosters youth leadership
The Brunswick School Department this year re-established the Superintendent’s Student Leadership Advisory Council. Comprising 12-15 students in grades 9-12 at Brunswick High School, the council gives students the opportunity to interact with school district leadership, including the superintendent, building administration, and central office administration. Perhaps most important, the leadership gets to hear directly from students. […]