Sanford School Department

Sanford Spotlight

May 8, 2025

Click here to check out the latest Sanford Spotlight district newsletter.

Three Sanford Middle School students recently participated in the prestigious Girls' Day at the State House event in Augusta on April 29th. Xyla Kurz, Jay Bouley-Capprotta, and Sophia Guy joined other nominated girls from across Maine for this special educational opportunity. The program included both online preparatory sessions and a full day of in-person activities at the State House. Participants learned about the legislative process, including how bills become laws, and had valuable opportunities to speak with elected officials, policy professionals, activists, and organizers. "I really liked getting to know some other peoples thoughts on why or why not we should have high schools start later and just learn new things," said Sophia Guy about her experience. "I met a lot of leaders I would never have met!" The students appreciated the virtual portion as well. "We got to kind of know some of the people that were also going to be there and some of the group leaders that were going to be there ahead of time," Guy said. According to School Counselor Ms. Quartararo, "These girls were chosen through nominations from their teachers and staff at SMS. It was an impressive honor to be chosen and then of course they followed through with their leadership qualities during the virtual meetings and the powerful in-person day at the capitol. They made us all proud." The Girls' Day at the State House program provides young women with insights into government and leadership while fostering connections with peers and mentors across the state.

Sanford Middle School Leaders Shine at Girls' Day at State House

May 6, 2025

Three Sanford Middle School students recently participated in the prestigious Girls' Day at the State House event in Augusta on April 29th. Xyla Kurz, Jay Bouley-Capprotta, and So...

<iframe src="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RPZ4EQ6L0LBV0uy-subNrhfH6Kw8V3tl/preview" width="640" height="480" allow="autoplay"></iframe>

First 10 May Newsletter

May 6, 2025

Students at Carl J. Lamb Elementary School had the opportunity to learn about various careers during the school's Career Day held Friday, May 2nd. Throughout the day, local professionals visited classrooms to share information about their jobs and answer questions from students. The event featured a diverse group of presenters from the community, including School Resource Officer Joe Jourdain from the Sanford Police Department, who spoke with Pre-K and 1st grade students about law enforcement. When asked what he likes most about his job, Officer Jourdain explained, "My most favorite part of being a resource officer is helping people. When I can watch someone, if someone's having a bad day or something's really not going right, and I can help them, guide them through, and I get them where they need to be, then that's a good feeling." Officer Jourdain also highlighted the variety in his profession: "Being a police officer is really cool, because you just help people, and then there's different parts of being a police officer. You can be a detective and solve crimes, I do check for fingerprints and all those other things. You could be a resource officer like me, you could be a patrol officer that responds to different things." Brett Williams, Managing Director of the Sanford Performing Arts Center, engaged kindergarten students with an interactive presentation about careers in the performing arts. "We have all kinds of different shows. There's a lot of different performing arts... singing and making songs, acting, dancing - anybody who has their job in front of an audience are performing artists, and one of the fun things that we do is we help make the atmosphere," Williams explained. Williams demonstrated practical aspects of theater work with lighting equipment and props. "One of the tools I have for my job is lighting. Sometimes when we have plays, we have to have different things that are called props. Props are things that we hold on to in the show... nothing is as it appears on stage," he told the students. Mayor Becky Brink spoke with second-grade students about city government and leadership. Sam Brink, another presenter, discussed nonprofit leadership and her work with Jobs for Maine's Graduates (JMG). Classrooms hosted professionals from many different fields, giving students exposure to a wide range of career possibilities. Presenters included Rick Smith from Sanford Fire Department, Andrew Button from Southern Maine Aviation, Allie McCarthy from Animal Welfare Society, and many others. Students even participated in virtual sessions with Stephen Crowley from Facebook, who discussed coding and video game design with 3rd and 4th graders. The schedule arranged for professionals to rotate between different grade levels throughout the day, ensuring that students could learn about multiple careers. The presentations were interactive, allowing children to ask questions and learn about the education, skills, and daily responsibilities required for each profession.

Carl J. Lamb Elementary Welcomes Community Professionals for Career Day

May 2, 2025

Students at Carl J. Lamb Elementary School had the opportunity to learn about various careers during the school's Career Day held Friday, May 2nd. Throughout the day, local prof...

Sanford High School Choirs All Earn Top Rating at Statewide Festival

May 2, 2025

On May 1st, the Sanford High School choral program participated in the Maine ACDA Adjudicated Festival at Scarborough High School. Under the direction of Ryan Geary, Chamber Sin...

Sanford Rotary Honors SRTC Student of the Year Nominees

May 2, 2025

Thirteen Sanford Regional Technical Center's students were celebrated during a breakfast hosted by the Sanford-Springvale Rotary Club. The event, held in SRTC's café, featured a ...

Sanford Spotlight

May 1, 2025

Click here to access the Sanford Spotlight Newsletter.

Two Sanford School District educators, Terri Gerrish of Pride Elementary and Kendra Marley of Carl J. Lamb Elementary, were recently recognized as "Outstanding Early Childhood Professionals" during the Week of the Young Child, a celebration highlighting the importance of early childhood education and the professionals who nurture children during this critical developmental stage.

Two Sanford Educators Honored as Outstanding Early Childhood Professionals

May 1, 2025

(Terri Gerrish, left, and Kendra Marley, right) Two Sanford School District educators, Terri Gerrish of Pride Elementary and Kendra Marley of Carl J. Lamb Elementary, were r...

Sanford Middle School music teacher Erica Scarano recently achieved a significant professional milestone by serving as guest conductor for the Maine Music Educators Association (MMEA) District 3 Honor Band for 7th and 8th graders. Selected by a vote of her peers from across the 33 school districts and private schools in MMEA District 3, Ms. Scarano was entrusted with the prestigious responsibility of conducting the talented young musicians who earned spots in this select ensemble through competitive auditions. After carefully selecting repertoire for the group during the fall, Scarano met with the student musicians for intensive rehearsals on April 4-5 at Lisbon High School. The two-day event culminated in a successful concert featuring four pieces performed to a capacity audience. "These two days were humbling, affirming, invigorating, fun, and emotional for me," said Ms. Scarano. "I had a great time working with the awesome students and teachers in District 3." The honor band performance was complemented by an honors chorus presentation, conducted by a guest director from Massachusetts. Ms. Scarano's selection as guest conductor highlights the high regard in which her musical expertise and teaching abilities are held by fellow educators throughout the region. Sanford Middle School can take pride in having such an accomplished music educator inspiring our students every day.

Sanford Middle School's Erica Scarano Selected to Conduct District 3 Honor Band

May 1, 2025

Sanford Middle School music teacher Erica Scarano recently achieved a significant professional milestone by serving as guest conductor for the Maine Music Educators Association (M...

Students had a blast during our recent Wellness Fair, which was packed with engaging and hands-on activities that promoted health, safety, and social-emotional learning. They explored a variety of exciting sessions, including fire safety demonstrations, cosmetology tips, and interactive presentations from JMG, our School Resource Officer, and local EMTs. The smoothie bike was a big hit, letting students pedal their way to a healthy treat, while others enjoyed planting seeds, learning about bike safety, and participating in creative SEL activities. The day wrapped up with a lively and meaningful assembly with local legend, Marvin, focused on our theme of the month—cooperation—bringing everyone together to celebrate teamwork, community, and wellness.

Sanford Middle School Students Participate in Margaret Chase Smith Wellness Fair

April 29, 2025

Margaret Chase Smith Students had a blast during its recent Wellness Fair, which was packed with engaging and hands-on activities that promoted health, safety, and social-emotiona...

Sanford Middle School students recently demonstrated their financial savvy in a statewide stock market competition, with an impressive five students placing in the top 10 across the entire state. The six-week competition, which began in early 2025, gave students $100,000 in virtual money to invest in the stock market. The challenge? Do what investors everywhere try to accomplish: buy low and sell high. Matthew Bourassa claimed the first-place position in the competition, winning $100 and a box of prizes. His fellow Sanford Middle School students followed close behind, with Jacob Hill taking second place ($75 and prizes), Izzy Burns securing third, Jarezz Jackson in fourth, and Madi Dulle rounding out the school's showing at sixth. "I was definitely pretty excited. I was really happy because I was hoping I would win," Matthew said about his first-place finish. "I wasn't expecting to win at all. I was in like 40th place, I think, the day before." What changed his fortunes? A volatile market day and some timely advice from SMS Jobs For Maine Graduates (JMG) teacher Tara Houle. "The stock market, everything just went crazy, and Miss Houlel told us all to sell," Matthew explained. "So I sold, and I woke up the next morning, checked my ranking... I was in first." The competition tracks two different rankings - one for all schools in the state and another for all individual participants. Matthew achieved first place in the overall individual rankings, an impressive feat considering the competition included students from colleges and high schools as well. Fellow eighth-grader Izzy also participated in the competition, sharing that the experience wasn't always predictable. "Honestly, I thought I was going to go down in rank because I was buying a lot of things that were going down," Izzy said. The students joined the competition as part of their financial literacy education, where they've been learning about savings, checking, investing, debit, credit, and other financial concepts before participating in the stock market game. According to the students, Sanford Middle School joined the competition shortly after the presidential election, which they believed gave them certain advantages in their investment strategies. When asked about the most enjoyable part of the competition, Matthew didn't hesitate: "Definitely the day I placed first." Izzy added that she enjoyed "taking the chances" involved in stock market investing. Both students emphasized that the biggest lesson they learned was to "trust your gut" and follow the classic investment advice: "buy low and sell high."

Sanford' Middle School's Matthew Bourassa Wins State Stock Market Game; Four Classmates Join Him in Top 10

April 24, 2025

Sanford Middle School students recently demonstrated their financial savvy in a statewide stock market competition, with an impressive five students placing in the top 10 across ...

Sanford Pride Elementary School recently held its annual Celebration of Learning event, featuring a vibrant art show and grade-level concerts showcasing student talent and creativity. The week-long celebration took place April 14-17, just before April vacation. Families were invited to explore the school's hallways, which were transformed into art galleries displaying student artwork and classroom exhibits that had been months in the making. Each evening featured musical performances from different grade levels, with kindergarten and first grade performing Monday, second and third grades on Tuesday, and fourth grade closing the celebration on Thursday. Music teacher Meghan Mannino expressed her pride in the students' accomplishments: "Students in grades K-4 work on concert music, art projects, and classroom exhibits over several months. This week, students finally had their special nights to share their learning with family members, friends, teachers, and the community." The event was well-attended across all three evenings, with packed audiences enjoying the fruits of the students' hard work. "Their excitement and smiles were contagious during the performances," noted Mannino. "The art- and project-filled hallways also looked colorful and absolutely amazing."

Celebration of Learning at Sanford Pride Elementary

April 24, 2025

Sanford Pride Elementary School recently held its annual Celebration of Learning event, featuring a vibrant art show and grade-level concerts showcasing student talent and creativ...

Seventh-grade students at Sanford Middle School participated in the annual "JA in a Day: Economics for Success" program on Wednesday. The day-long event immersed students in essential financial literacy concepts as they rotated through interactive sessions designed to prepare them for future financial independence. "Sanford Middle School has been partnering with the organization Jr. Achievement of Maine for over 10 years," explains social studies teacher Erin Barry. "Jr. Achievement pairs volunteers from the business community with classrooms to teach students lessons about personal finance. These lessons include topics such as credit scores, budgeting, saving and spending, etc... These authentic lessons prepare students for financial success in the real world." The program brought financial professionals from the local community into classrooms, including representatives from Tyler Technologies, Atlantic Federal Credit Union, Partners Bank, United Way, and Kennebunk Savings Bank. These volunteers guided students through practical workshops focusing on budgeting, distinguishing between needs and wants, understanding credit, and planning for future income. "When you live on your own, you'll find that very little things are going to be free," one volunteer explained to students during a session on essential versus non-essential expenses. This revelation sparked thoughtful discussions as students began to grasp the financial responsibilities of adulthood. Students explored important questions about saving, spending, and career planning throughout the day. Volunteers shared personal experiences from their professional journeys, emphasizing how skills and interests can translate into career paths. The presentations encouraged students to reflect on their own strengths and consider how these might shape their future opportunities. The social studies department coordinated the event as part of the school's ongoing commitment to financial education. Department members prepared all materials in advance and ensured students were ready to engage with presenters throughout the day's four sessions: Managing My Money, Paying For My Needs and Wants, My Credit and Spending, and Planning For My Future Income. As students moved from session to session between 8:30 am and 1:05 pm, they gained valuable insights into the connections between education, career choices, and financial well-being—essential knowledge that complements the school's own financial literacy curriculum and provides practical context for academic learning.

Sanford Middle School Students Navigate Financial Futures with Junior Achievement

April 23, 2025

Seventh-grade students at Sanford Middle School participated in the annual "JA in a Day: Economics for Success" program on Wednesday. The day-long event immersed students in esse...

Sanford High School's National Honor Society Hosts Successful Spartan Showcase

April 18, 2025

The Sanford High School National Honor Society hosted their Spartan Showcase on April 16th, 2025, at the Sanford Performing Arts Center (SPAC). The annual variety show drew an ent...

Curriculum Corner

April 17, 2025

Click here for the latest Curriculum Newsletter from Sanford Schools! Inside you'll find updates on our social studies curriculum, important information about spring Maine Educ...

Sanford High Students Guide 8th Graders Through Transition Experience

April 15, 2025

A group of Sanford High School students recently visited Sanford Middle School to participate in a panel discussion aimed at helping 8th graders prepare for their transition to h...

The National Honor Society's recent Red Cross blood drive was a tremendous success, with an impressive 38 first-time donors among our students and staff and a total of 50 donations. This remarkable turnout not only helps save lives in our community—with each donation potentially helping up to three patients—but also establishes a foundation for ongoing blood donation within our school community. A huge shout out to staff and students for their work in making this happen.

Sanford High School NHS Hosts Blood Drive

April 14, 2025

The National Honor Society's recent Red Cross blood drive was a tremendous success, with an impressive 38 first-time donors among our students and staff and a total of 50 donatio...

Sanford Pride Elementary School hosted its first Volunteer Appreciation Ceremony on Friday morning, April 11th, in the school cafeteria. The event recognized dedicated individuals who have given their time and talents to support students and staff throughout the school year. The ceremony highlighted the diverse volunteers who contribute to the school community, including parents, former employees, Sanford High School and Middle School students, PTA members, and participants in the school's mentorship program. Classroom teachers took turns honoring their volunteers. Pre-K teacher Gwynne Tounge recognized Paul Casavant, known as "Mr. C," describing him as "the most dedicated and caring person" who "brings smiles, joy, and happiness to our pre-K every day." His impact extends beyond current students, as former Pre-K student Abby Plumpton shared, "I love to see Mr. C in the morning and give him a hug!" High school seniors pursuing education careers were among those recognized. 3rd Grade Teacher Haley Kennedy honored Hazel Bouchard, who helps with math while maintaining "a smile and a great attitude." Arianna Ramini was praised for her work completing the SRTC program in elementary education before attending the University of Maine at Orono this fall. Cole Adawadkar, who volunteers in Grade 4, was recognized for supporting students both in the classroom and through sports activities. The school's PTA officers—Sara Gildart, Niki Langlois, Kaity Getchell, and Robyn Howe—were acknowledged for organizing school activities, providing supplies, and supporting field trips. "We're very fortunate and grateful to have such a supportive PTA at Pride," Daly said. Principal Inman also highlighted the school's mentoring program, which pairs adults with third-grade students during lunch and recess. Ben England was recognized for his mentorship, along with Elissa Brewster and Michelle Vessels who were unable to attend. The mentors help "build students' aspirations, build their confidence, and let them think about how school is important." Although not all volunteers could attend, each will receive a certificate of appreciation through their respective classroom teachers. The complete list of recognized volunteers included classroom helpers across all grade levels, from Pre-K through Grade 4. The ceremony concluded with Principal Inman thanking all volunteers "for giving so generously of your time and talents" before students returned to their classrooms.

Sanford Pride Elementary Honors Dedicated Volunteers at First Recognition Ceremony

April 11, 2025

Sanford Pride Elementary School hosted its first Volunteer Appreciation Ceremony on Friday morning, April 11th, in the school cafeteria. The event recognized dedicated individual...

Sanford Athletic Director Zach Lemelin Receives Past President Rising Star Award

April 11, 2025

Sanford High School Athletic Director Zach Lemelin has been honored with the Past President Rising Star Award from the Maine Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association, r...

Students from the Jobs for Maine Graduates (JMG) program at Sanford High School (SHS) organized and hosted the first-ever Special Olympics Cornhole tournament in the state of Maine. The event welcomed 70 athletes from nearby schools and adult agencies who came together to compete and celebrate the spirit of inclusivity through this increasingly popular sport. The tournament, which took place at Sanford High School, was entirely student-organized and operated, showcasing the leadership abilities and community commitment of the JMG participants. Their efforts paid off tremendously, with Special Olympics officials already extending an invitation for SHS to host the event again next year.

Sanford High School Hosts Special Olympics Corn Hole Tournament

April 11, 2025

Students from the Jobs for Maine Graduates (JMG) program at Sanford High School (SHS) organized and hosted the first-ever Special Olympics Cornhole tournament in the state of Mai...