Carl J. Lamb School

The Sanford School Department recently hosted its annual District-Wide Welcome Back Event at the Sanford Performing Arts Center, bringing together faculty, staff, and administrators from across all schools to celebrate the start of the 2025-26 academic year. The gathering began with a performance from the Sanford High School Chamber Singers, featuring students Ava Allen, Callia Curtis, Avila Cyr, Rebecca Horton, Jordyn Martin, Cynthia Carroll, Keaghan Gagnon, Will Kane, Logan Hamblin, and Evan Lynch. Under the direction of Sanford High School music teacher Ryan Geary, these students took time to rehearse during the summer before taking the stage. Following their musical presentation, each student introduced themselves, shared which schools they attended, and spoke about teachers who've had a lasting impact on their academic journey so far. School Committee Chair Amy Sevigny then delivered opening remarks that challenged both new and veteran staff members to be supportive colleagues. "I want you to all think about when you were that new person on the job, whatever job that was. Do you still remember the first person or the people that welcomed you and made you feel part of the team?" She challenged staff to be supportive, collaborative, encouraging, respectful, and positive colleagues. Whatever the day brings, be the coworker that you want to have. Because a strong school community thrives when each member feels valued and supported. Sanford Superintendent Matt Nelson expressed deep gratitude for the collaborative efforts throughout the district. "I want to thank you as our faculty and staff for all that you do for our students and what you do each and every day with them," Nelson said. A significant portion of the event welcomed new staff members joining the Sanford team across all district schools, including all elementary schools, middle and high school, SRTC and SCAE Adult Ed. The presentation also included Superintendent Nelson introducing the district's updated mission to "prepare all students with future-ready skills and knowledge to empower success in a rapidly changing world" for the first time to staff after it was recently approved by the School Committee. This mission is supported by Core Principles and Beliefs on Learning that focus on creating safe learning environments, developing future-ready skills, ensuring equitable access, adapting learning systems, and strengthening community collaboration. These principles work together to support the district's Portrait of a Future-Ready Graduate vision, preparing students to be critical thinkers and creative problem-solvers, emotionally intelligent collaborators, adaptable and resilient individuals, engaged citizens, and lifelong learners.

Sanford School Department Welcomes Staff for 2025-26 Year

August 29, 2025

The Sanford School Department recently hosted its annual District-Wide Welcome Back Event at the Sanford Performing Arts Center, bringing together faculty, staff, and administrat...

Sanford School Department Welcomes New Teachers for 2025-2026 School Year

August 27, 2025

The Sanford School Department started the new academic year on a high note, welcoming its newest educators with an extensive orientation day at Sanford High School on Tuesday, Au...

The 2025-2026 bus routes for the Sanford School Department are now available on Versatrans. On Tuesday, August 19th, emails were sent to parents/guardians with transportation information and Student ID numbers. If you did not receive an email, please contact your child's school to verify your email address and obtain your child's Student ID number. Please note, due to a bus driver shortage, some bus routes have been combined to begin the school year. This change will result in longer ride times for some students. We appreciate your patience as we continue to search for additional drivers. If you are interested in becoming a driver or monitor, contact Ledgemere, our transportation provider. If you have any questions, please call your child’s school directly or Ledgemere at 207-324-4888.

Bus Transportation For The 2025-2026 School Year

August 20, 2025

The 2025-2026 bus routes for the Sanford School Department are now available on Versatrans . On Tuesday, August 19th, emails were sent to parents/guardians with transportation i...

Stuff The Bus

August 6, 2025

A Message from Stuff the Bus To families of students attending Sanford schools for the 2025-2026 school year: On Saturday, August 23rd, 2025 , Stuff the Bus Maine will hold it...

Carl J. Lamb Elementary Students Make Their Mark at State Music Festival

June 26, 2025

Two Carl J Lamb Elementary students represented Sanford School Department with pride at the prestigious 2025 Maine American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) State Festival. C...

Carl J. Lamb Elementary Hosts Adaptive Track and Field Festival

June 4, 2025

Carl J. Lamb Elementary School's second annual Adaptive Track and Field event brought together students, families, staff, and community members for a celebration on Thursday, May...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0UyfmxDKB4&t=3s

Watch Carl J. Lamb's Spring Concerts

June 4, 2025

The 2nd, 3rd and 4th Grade Concerts will be uploaded shortly!

Ice Cream Social, Adaptive Track & Field Festival, and Free Community Food Distribution

May 28, 2025

Good evening, Tomorrow at CJL, we're hosting our 2nd annual CJL Adaptive Track and Field Festival (aka Special Olympics) at 8:45am and in the evening, we're hosting our annual PTA...

Building on Sanford Pride Elementary's Walking School Bus Program, Carl J. Lamb Elementary has launched its own version of this community-building initiative that's already transforming morning routines for local families. The program represents a collaborative effort between Carl J. Lamb and Pride Elementary, combining resources and volunteers to serve students in the carefully selected Brook Street and Lafayette Street neighborhood. The location was chosen based on two key factors: the number of students at the bus stop and the walkability and proximity of the neighborhood. "We decided to join forces and have it be like a combined site," explains Leah Marks, outreach worker from the Sanford School Department. "It's almost equal to Pride kids and CJL kids." "We are really excited to have chosen the Brook Street/Lafayette neighborhood," Marks said. For Marks, the location holds special significance. "This is full-circle for me as I started working on this program when I worked at Lafayette. Carol Lantagne is our site coordinator from Pride, and what we're trying to do is pull CJL volunteers," Marks said. The partnership makes practical sense, as Marks notes, "You really do need more adults, but it also makes it easier to get volunteers because there are so many duties that it's hard to get people who don't have a morning duty." Every morning, volunteers gather students from concentrated neighborhoods like Spruce Street, creating walking groups that promote both safety and community connection. The program serves families with working parents, those managing multiple bus stops and children, and students who benefit from a positive, structured start to their day. "We have some kids who just have rough mornings, and it's a good way for them to start their day," Marks explained. "We have a lot of working parents. We have parents who have multiple bus stops and multiple kids, but they're super receptive." The walking component naturally promotes healthy living, but the program goes beyond simple exercise. Students engage in activities like jump rope and hula hooping while waiting, with equipment donated by community supporters. "They can do their jump ropes and their hula hoop stuff, and I get a lot of donations like dodging balls and scarfs and things like that," Marks said. What sets the program apart is its focus on family engagement. Some parents choose to walk with the group, creating opportunities for school staff to build relationships with families. "As family engagement, I love the parents because it gives us an opportunity to know them," Marks said.

Walking School Bus Program Expands to Carl J. Lamb Elementary

May 27, 2025

Building on Sanford Pride Elementary's Walking School Bus Program, Carl J. Lamb Elementary has launched its own version of this community-building initiative that's already trans...

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...

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...

Carl J. Lamb Weekly Newsletter

April 25, 2025

Click here for Carl J. Lamb's weekly newsletter.

Carl J. Lamb Elementary Lights Up the Night with First Annual Glow Run

Carl J. Lamb Elementary Lights Up the Night with Glow Run Event

April 11, 2025

Carl J. Lamb Elementary School was aglow with excitement last night as students, families, and staff gathered for the school's Glow Run event. The gymnasium was transformed into a...

Kindergarten Exploration Event Draws Strong Turnout

April 8, 2025

The Sanford School Department successfully hosted its Kindergarten Exploration Event last Thursday, April 3, welcoming over 50 families across its elementary schools. The event, ...

Carl J. Lamb Weekly Newsletter

April 4, 2025

BMX Stunt Star & Heart Health Heroes: Excitement at Carl J. Lamb Assembly!

April 2, 2025

Carl J. Lamb’s recent assembly was filled with excitement, inspiration, and plenty of whipped cream! Students showed incredible generosity by raising funds for the American Heart...

Carl J. Lamb Weekly Newsletter

March 21, 2025

The halls of Carl J. Lamb Elementary School came alive with music, learning, and collaboration on Saturday, March 15th, as the school hosted the first-ever Maine Adaptive Music Summit. The groundbreaking event brought together approximately 40 education professionals from across Maine and New Hampshire. "I was looking for professional development for adaptive music, for teaching music to students in our specialties programs," explained Hattie Skvorak, Carl J. Lamb's music teacher who spearheaded the event. "There's a few opportunities for just music teachers, but there's not really anything where music teachers and the ED techs and special education teachers are coming together." Carl J. Lamb Principal Sherri Baron praised Skvorak's initiative: "Ms. Hattie Skvorak demonstrates exceptional dedication to music education excellence. Recognizing a significant gap in music teacher preparation programs regarding special education methodologies, she took the initiative to address this statewide deficiency." The summit's schedule featured planned sessions addressing classroom needs. Participants could choose between tracks like "Beyond Notes and Rhythms: Strategies for Adaptive Music in K-5" and "Supporting Behavior in Specials." For families whose children experience sensory challenges, "Sensory Songs" with board-certified music therapist Stephanie Leavell provided strategies to help children feel confident and ready to learn. "There's a lot of collaboration between us, and especially in my adaptive classes, the Ed techs are super hands-on with their students, and they're always asking, 'Well, how can I support my student better?'" Skvorak noted. This summit aimed to answer those questions. Other sessions included "Emotional Regulation in the Classroom" and "The Power of Pre-Band BEYOND the Recorder," offering approaches to make music accessible for all students. The day concluded with an expert panel and roundtable discussions. The decision to hold the summit on a Saturday ensured that educational technicians could attend without disrupting students' routines. As Skvorak explained, "If we have this event that's catered towards Ed techs, and we make it on a Friday, well they can't come, because we can't get a sub for every ed tech in the district." The impact was immediately apparent. "Attendees provided overwhelmingly positive feedback," Baron noted, "with many music educators specifically requesting annual continuation of the event. Several participants noted that this summit provided the most comprehensive professional development they had ever received on adaptive music education." What does this mean for children? As Skvorak puts it, it ensures "the students are getting the same message in all facets of the building. So what they're learning in speech applies here, or what they're working on in their classroom with their special ed teacher applies here." The summit, held during Music In Our Schools Month, highlighted the school's commitment to inclusive music education. "Ms. Skvorak's contributions to both our local educational community and music education throughout Maine are truly exceptional," Baron said. Following this successful inaugural summit, the school is gathering feedback with hopes of making this valuable gathering an annual tradition.

Carl J. Lamb Hosts First Maine Adaptive Music Summit

March 19, 2025

The halls of Carl J. Lamb Elementary School came alive with music, learning, and collaboration on Saturday, March 15th, as the school hosted the first-ever Maine Adaptive Music S...

Sanford Elementary Schools Unite with First Responders for Charity Basketball Game

March 18, 2025

The Sanford Pride Elementary gymnasium was filled with excitement and community spirit last Thursday, March 13, as teachers and staff faced off against local first responders in ...

From Sap to Syrup: Carl J. Lamb Students Tap into Hands-On Learning

March 14, 2025

Students at Carl J. Lamb Elementary School are getting a sweet lesson in science, math, and New England tradition through a school-wide maple sugaring project. The initiative tra...