Sanford School Department

Sanford Regional Technical Center Represented at Hall of Flags

February 6, 2025

Sanford Regional Technical Center made its presence known at the Maine State House Wednesday, February 5th, in the Hall of Flags. The delegation included SRTC Director Matt Pete...

Sanford Spotlight Newsletter

February 5, 2025

Check out the latest news from the district in the Sanford Spotlight Newsletter by clicking here .

Curriculum Corner

February 5, 2025

The latest Curriculum News newsletter highlights the district's music education program and upcoming events. The newsletter features a comprehensive spring performance calendar...

To protect your security while using Google Translate, do not send information in this type of form.

Pre-K Lottery Information

February 4, 2025

We are excited to share information with you regarding the Sanford Public School Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) programs for the 2025-2026 school year. In September, we expect to conti...

Carl J. Lamb Elementary Celebrates Lunar New Year

February 3, 2025

Pre-K and Kindergarten students at Carl J. Lamb Elementary brought their Art and Music lessons to life with their annual Lunar New Year parade through the school halls. Students...

February First 10 Newsletter

February 3, 2025

Join First 10 Sanford for an exciting February filled with community events and family engagement opportunities. Our spotlight features the Community Wide Kindergarten Registratio...

Kindergarten students at Margaret Chase Smith Elementary School transformed into eager teachers during their recent showcase event, demonstrating their learning through hands-on activities. Students guided their families through various interactive stations, showing confidence in sharing their knowledge and skills. The showcase, part of the K for ME curriculum, drew an impressive turnout, with parents, grandparents, and siblings filling the kindergarten classrooms. The strong family participation created an energetic atmosphere as students led their visitors through each learning station, proudly sharing their work and understanding.

Kindergarten Showcase at Margaret Chase Smith

January 31, 2025

Kindergarten students showcased their amazing learning from the Fish and Frogs, Owls, and Wolves unit at Margaret Chase Smith Elementary School's recent Parent Showcase. The eve...

Employee Spotlight

January 30, 2025

The Sanford School Department is spotlighting employees at all of our schools. If you know an employee who you feel should be highlighted, please email Sam Bonsey ( sbonsey@sa...

Pre-K students at Margaret Chase Smith Elementary School recently welcomed their families to a special Literacy Showcase, demonstrating the impressive progress they've made in developing early reading and writing skills. Throughout the classroom, students guided their families through various hands-on learning stations. At the letter-building station, children used mini erasers to construct letters, strengthening both their understanding of letter formation and their fine motor skills. Other stations featured winter-themed word activities where students practiced identifying letters and building pre-writing skills. The showcase highlighted how our youngest learners develop literacy through engaging, developmentally appropriate activities. Students demonstrated their growing skills by identifying uppercase and lowercase letters, exploring rhyming words, and sorting letters by their shapes—straight lines, curvy lines, or combinations of both. The event provided families with a firsthand look at how their children are building strong foundations in early literacy through play-based learning and hands-on exploration. The enthusiasm and confidence displayed by our Pre-K students showed just how much progress they've made in developing these essential skills.

Pre-K Students Showcase Early Literacy Skills at Margaret Chase Smith Elementary

January 30, 2025

Pre-K students at Margaret Chase Smith Elementary School recently welcomed their families to a special Literacy Showcase, demonstrating the impressive progress they've made in dev...

Sanford Middle School Resource Officer Receives Wayne Drown Award

January 29, 2025

Sanford Middle School's School Resource Officer (SRO) Joe Jourdain was recently honored with the Wayne Drown School Resource Officer Award at the Maine Association of Police annu...

Sanford High School Honors Military Veterans During Basketball Doubleheader

January 29, 2025

The Sanford High School boys’ and girls’ basketball teams hosted a Military Appreciation Night during its doubleheader against Noble on Tuesday, January 28 at Partners Bank Gymna...

Sanford High Students Perform in District Honor Ensembles

January 28, 2025

Fourteen talented musicians from Sanford High School demonstrated their musical excellence at this year's Maine Music Educators Association (MMEA) District 1 Honors Festival. The ...

Broadway's Next Hit Musical returns to SPAC for more laughs

January 27, 2025

SANFORD — Returning to the SPAC stage at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, Broadway’s Next Hit Musical presents an original improvised awards show that guarantees a night of spontaneous ...

Sanford Spotlight Newsletter

January 23, 2025

Check out the latest news from the district in the Sanford Spotlight Newsletter by clicking here .

Notice: Destruction of Special Education Student Records

January 23, 2025

Notice to all persons who attended Sanford School Department and received Special Education and were born prior to December 31, 1999 or their custodial parents. If you would lik...

Sanford Alum Sets New Sprint Standards at USM

January 23, 2025

(Photo courtesy of James Liebowitz) When 2020 Sanford High School graduate Ethan Shain walked the halls as a three-sport athlete, few could have predicted he would become one...

Sanford Pride Elementary School teacher Michelle Payeur has joined a group of New England educators nominated for the 2024 Wasabi Fenway Bowl Honor Roll, a program celebrating teachers who make extraordinary contributions to their students and communities. Payeur was selected from a pool of over 1,000 nominated educators across New England for this recognition, which celebrates education professionals who have gone above and beyond to support their students and communities. The news of this honor arrived with an unexpected email notification. "At first, I almost deleted the email thinking it was spam," Payeur said. "But when I saw it mentioned Fenway, I decided to take a closer look. I'm really glad I did." The honor came with an invitation to attend the 2024 Wasabi Fenway Bowl on December 28th – the first college football bowl game ever played at Fenway Park and the first Division 1 bowl game in New England history. A Sanford success story herself, Payeur graduated from Sanford High School in 2004 before pursuing her education degree at the University of Maine. She returned to her hometown to begin her teaching career in 2009. What makes this recognition even more special is its roots in the local community – the nomination came from someone who knows Payeur's impact firsthand: a building substitute teacher whose child spent two years in her classroom. During the bowl game celebration, Payeur had the opportunity to connect with fellow honored educators from across New England. "It was incredible to meet other educators and hear their stories," she said."Despite teaching different grade levels and subjects, we found so many similarities in our experiences." Each year, the Wasabi Fenway Bowl Honor Roll selects 15 outstanding educators from the nominee pool to receive special recognition and financial support for their educational initiatives. While Payeur wasn't among the final 15 selected, her nomination highlights the exceptional work being done in Sanford's classrooms every day. "It's very special," Payeur said. "Being recognized by someone who has seen your work both as a colleague and as a parent makes it particularly meaningful. Sanford has been my home since I was a student myself, and now I get to give back to the community that helped shape who I am."

Sanford Pride Teacher Named to Prestigious Fenway Bowl Honor Roll

January 21, 2025

Sanford Pride Elementary School teacher Michelle Payeur has joined a group of New England educators nominated for the 2024 Wasabi Fenway Bowl Honor Roll, a program celebrating t...

Sanford Middle School science teacher Diana Allen has been named among 336 educators nationwide to receive the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST), the highest recognition a K-12 mathematics or science teacher can receive from the U.S. government. Allen, who was initially selected as one of three Maine state finalists, completed an intensive application process that required demonstrating deep content knowledge and adaptability to diverse learning environments. Her application included a recorded teaching demonstration at a local brook, where she partnered with Maine Audubon to teach students about macroinvertebrates. "It's an amazing reflection process," Allen said of the application requirements. "You have to look at yourself... you have to look at it through all the lenses of all these dimensions." The process required detailed analysis of teaching practices, addressing student misconceptions, managing classroom diversity, and demonstrating educational leadership at local, state, and national levels. Allen learned of her honor while driving, when she received an unexpected call from a friend who was a previous award recipient. "I was actually driving in my car, and a friend of mine called who was an awardee from the year before me," Allen recalled. "She said, 'Oh, I don't want to be the one to tell you, just check your email.' I was like, 'I can't check my email. I'm driving.'" When she finally pulled over to read the congratulatory message from the White House, the significance of the moment began to sink in. Allen's journey to this achievement is particularly inspiring, as she overcame early challenges through perseverance and determination. Rising above these obstacles, she has consistently pushed herself to excel, serving as chair of the Wells-Ogunquit School Committee and president of the Maine Science Teachers Association. She has also presented at the National Science Teachers Association Conference. "I need to work harder than most of my colleagues because I didn't have a good education foundation to work with," Allen shared. She often uses her own experience to inspire students, showing them that with dedication and perseverance, they can achieve their goals regardless of their starting point. The announcement has sparked celebration throughout the community, particularly among Allen's former students, many of whom now have children of their own. "When I see their comments, that's what really gets me... their words mean a ton.” As a PAEMST recipient, Allen will receive a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation. Reflecting on the recognition, she shared what made the honor feel real to her: "They picked you. Like, yeah, you wrote that. Those were your words. That was your video. They picked you. It's for real. It's legitimate."

Diana Allen Receives Presidential Teaching Award

January 21, 2025

(Photo by Lee Burnett) Sanford Middle School science teacher Diana Allen has been named among 336 educators nationwide to receive the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathem...

Pianist blends poetry and pics in immersive show Feb. 2

January 17, 2025

SANFORD — Jeeyoon Kim, celebrated for her innovative approach to classical piano, will bring her latest project, 시음 /si-úm/, to the SPAC stage. This project uniquely blends poet...

Curriculum Newsletter

January 16, 2025

Click here for the latest Curriculum Newsletter. Health and physical education programs at Sanford are in full swing, following Maine's learning standards to help students develo...