School unit ramps up for new year
By Suzanne Hodgson
Staff Writer
When the crowds start to wane at the beach and flow toward shopping areas, it can only mean one thing for parents and children alike: back to school.
On Monday morning, exactly one week before kindergarten through ninth-graders start the school year, many RSU 21 buildings in Arundel, Kennebunk and Kennebunkport were bustling with teachers and staff.
“For us, the first day is just having students start out with a solid focus on what goals to accomplish throughout the year and fostering a climate of vigor and respect throughout the buildings,” said Superintendent Andrew Dolloff.
At Kennebunk Elementary School many teachers are preparing for students to arrive and are just as nervous about the first day as the children.
“This is my 11th year teaching and I still get nervous and excited,” said Katie Washburn, a second-grade teacher. “On the first day I think about all the possibilities the year has for children. They just have this glow of excitement and they’re open to whatever. It’s a very beautiful thing.”
Washburn was almost done putting the finishing touches on her colorful room, but she said one can never really be ready for the first day of school because each year her students bring something new to the table.
This year, Washburn will work with a larger class than normal with three more students. Kenneunk Elementary School Principal Sara Zito said each year one grade usually fluctuates more than others, and this year it happened to be the second grade.
“It’s good to see people move into the town,” she said.
Zito said students new and old will be a part of an expanded foreign language program. Kennebunk Elementary School will have two language teachers on staff to help teach Spanish to first- through third-graders in the school.
While the budget was tight for the new school year, students will see some new faces at many of the schools. Twenty new teachers have been added across the district,including a music teacher to be split between Mildred L. Day, Consolidated Elementary School and Sea Road School, a new technology integrator for all the schools and a development officer in the central office.
Two new principals also have been added to the roster. Steve Marquis, new principal of Sea Road School and David Crandall, with Consolidated Elementary School, have both spent the summer anxiously waiting for their new students. Kevin Crowley may be a regular face within the district but this year he moved from Sea Road School to Mildred L. Day.
Because of the tight budget there hasn’t been as much building this summer, but work on Middle School of the Kennebunks continues to ensure there are no health problems when students return to class.
“We’re continuing to find ways to prevent water intrusion into that building,” said Dolloff. “We’re doing carpet replacement and doing as much as we can to ensure that there aren’t any possibilities for mold growth in that building. Test results continue to show good air quality.”
Kennebunk High School Principal Peter Dawson agreed with Washburn, and said schools are never really ready for the first day, but he was happy for short weeks when school starts.
This year, school board members decided to make the first day of school before Labor Day after numerous requests from parents. Representatives from both sides of the argument and the board took two votes on the topic at two different meetings.
“It seems silly to say, but students and teachers find the first week, if it is a full week, very long and tiring if they’re not used to that schedule,” Dawson said. “This will be a gradual emergence back into school to give kids a chance to kind of blend summer into school. I’m very pleased and grateful for the start before Labor Day because we have a fair number of standardized tests and those schedules do not change. They don’t care whether we start late or early. When Labor Day comes late we were losing a full week of preparation. I felt educationally it makes much more sense to start before Labor Day, Dawson added.”
When ninth-grade students enter the halls Monday, the school may feel pretty big because only the freshmen start Aug. 30, with the rest of high school students starting Aug. 31. Dawson said this gives students a chance to walk the halls, learn their class schedule and eat the most important meal of their day.
“One of the fun parts and a first day tradition is Kennebunk Rotary and the local clergy sponsor an opening breakfast for [freshmen] to welcome the students,” said Dawson. “It’s a way of showing community support. Then the Friday before graduation, the Rotary and local clergy sponsor another breakfast, their last breakfast. I really like that tradition, it’s a good feeling.”
Staff Writer Suzanne Hodgson can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 233.
Staff Writer
When the crowds start to wane at the beach and flow toward shopping areas, it can only mean one thing for parents and children alike: back to school.
On Monday morning, exactly one week before kindergarten through ninth-graders start the school year, many RSU 21 buildings in Arundel, Kennebunk and Kennebunkport were bustling with teachers and staff.
“For us, the first day is just having students start out with a solid focus on what goals to accomplish throughout the year and fostering a climate of vigor and respect throughout the buildings,” said Superintendent Andrew Dolloff.
At Kennebunk Elementary School many teachers are preparing for students to arrive and are just as nervous about the first day as the children.
“This is my 11th year teaching and I still get nervous and excited,” said Katie Washburn, a second-grade teacher. “On the first day I think about all the possibilities the year has for children. They just have this glow of excitement and they’re open to whatever. It’s a very beautiful thing.”
Washburn was almost done putting the finishing touches on her colorful room, but she said one can never really be ready for the first day of school because each year her students bring something new to the table.
This year, Washburn will work with a larger class than normal with three more students. Kenneunk Elementary School Principal Sara Zito said each year one grade usually fluctuates more than others, and this year it happened to be the second grade.
“It’s good to see people move into the town,” she said.
Zito said students new and old will be a part of an expanded foreign language program. Kennebunk Elementary School will have two language teachers on staff to help teach Spanish to first- through third-graders in the school.
While the budget was tight for the new school year, students will see some new faces at many of the schools. Twenty new teachers have been added across the district,including a music teacher to be split between Mildred L. Day, Consolidated Elementary School and Sea Road School, a new technology integrator for all the schools and a development officer in the central office.
Two new principals also have been added to the roster. Steve Marquis, new principal of Sea Road School and David Crandall, with Consolidated Elementary School, have both spent the summer anxiously waiting for their new students. Kevin Crowley may be a regular face within the district but this year he moved from Sea Road School to Mildred L. Day.
Because of the tight budget there hasn’t been as much building this summer, but work on Middle School of the Kennebunks continues to ensure there are no health problems when students return to class.
“We’re continuing to find ways to prevent water intrusion into that building,” said Dolloff. “We’re doing carpet replacement and doing as much as we can to ensure that there aren’t any possibilities for mold growth in that building. Test results continue to show good air quality.”
Kennebunk High School Principal Peter Dawson agreed with Washburn, and said schools are never really ready for the first day, but he was happy for short weeks when school starts.
This year, school board members decided to make the first day of school before Labor Day after numerous requests from parents. Representatives from both sides of the argument and the board took two votes on the topic at two different meetings.
“It seems silly to say, but students and teachers find the first week, if it is a full week, very long and tiring if they’re not used to that schedule,” Dawson said. “This will be a gradual emergence back into school to give kids a chance to kind of blend summer into school. I’m very pleased and grateful for the start before Labor Day because we have a fair number of standardized tests and those schedules do not change. They don’t care whether we start late or early. When Labor Day comes late we were losing a full week of preparation. I felt educationally it makes much more sense to start before Labor Day, Dawson added.”
When ninth-grade students enter the halls Monday, the school may feel pretty big because only the freshmen start Aug. 30, with the rest of high school students starting Aug. 31. Dawson said this gives students a chance to walk the halls, learn their class schedule and eat the most important meal of their day.
“One of the fun parts and a first day tradition is Kennebunk Rotary and the local clergy sponsor an opening breakfast for [freshmen] to welcome the students,” said Dawson. “It’s a way of showing community support. Then the Friday before graduation, the Rotary and local clergy sponsor another breakfast, their last breakfast. I really like that tradition, it’s a good feeling.”
Staff Writer Suzanne Hodgson can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 233.
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