Food distribution
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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.
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.
K registration
Valentine's Dance
Community Boot Donation Supports Sanford Students
Screens lit up across Sanford on Monday evening as more than 50 elementary school families joined the district's first-ever Virtual Family Math Night.  Under the guidance of three title math teachers and the elementary math coach, what could have been a routine video call transformed into an interactive mathematical playground, with parents and children collaborating on engaging puzzles and games. The evening featured engaging activities that encouraged mathematical thinking and family collaboration. Students exercised their problem-solving skills with "Be Curious," a creative dice pattern activity, and participated in an interactive number guessing game using colorful visuals and strategic clues.  One particularly popular activity involved a mystery number game where students used clues to eliminate numbers and narrow down possibilities – a perfect blend of logic and mathematics. The teaching team also introduced families to PIG, an exciting dice game that reinforced number sense and strategic thinking.  Each activity was thoughtfully adapted to suit different grade levels, ensuring that every student could participate and learn at their appropriate level. Throughout the evening, students eagerly shared their answers and mathematical thinking with the group. The enthusiasm was evident right up to the final moments, with one student asking hopefully, "Are you going to do these every month?" Ms. Daniels happily confirmed that monthly sessions are indeed the plan.
Nominations are now open for the 2025 York County Teacher of the Year and 2026 Teacher of the Year.  Members of the public are encouraged to nominate educators who demonstrate exemplary skills that inspire students and colleagues, and who help focus attention on the importance of public schools among everyone in the Sanford community.  Nominations can be made through a form on the Maine Teacher of the Year Website  from now until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, January 31st, 2025. (Click here for the form) They are accepted by students, parents, caregivers, community members, school administrators, colleagues, college faculty members, and associations/organizations. Recognize an educator today who has continued to inspire, educate and care for their students!
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Santa Night
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@sanford.org) or fill out the employee spotlight form here. This spotlight is on Margaret Chase Smith Literacy Ed Tech Angela Kepner  How long have you been working in the Sanford School Department? Since August of this year  What is your favorite part about working in Sanford? How welcoming everyone is, being close to home and working in the same district as my daughter.  What’s your favorite TV show or movie? It's a toss up between Friends and Dawson's Creek  If you could describe yourself in three words, what would they be? Loving, optimistic and energetic   If you could visit any place in the world, where would it be? Italy Hot Coffee or Iced Coffee? Iced Coffee  Podcasts or Playlists? Playlists  Lake or Ocean? Ocean  Sunrise or Sunset? Sunset  Facebook or Instagram? Facebook
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Turkey Trot
Margaret Chase Smith Elementary School’s music teacher Heather Hastings has been named winner of the prestigious Women Band Directors Commission Competition.  Hastings’ original compositions for the concert band, submitted in August, emerged victorious after two rounds of blind judging. Her music won against 53 other submissions.  As the winner, she will create a new musical piece honoring Gladys Stone Wright, who is the founding president of Women Band Directors International (WBDI).  “I am honored to be chosen to write this work in honor of Gladys Stone Wright, an incredible and groundbreaking woman in the field of music education,” Hastings said. The new composition will debut next school year at a special world premiere performance. As part of a consortium project, multiple ensembles across the country will then present regional performances.  Hastings will receive her honorary WBDI membership at a ceremony next winter in Chicago, where she will also attend the premiere.
MCS Writing Showcase
The gymnasium at Margaret Chase Smith Elementary was filled with pride, gratitude and patriotic spirit Thursday morning as students and staff welcomed dozens of veterans for their annual Veterans Day breakfast celebration.  The morning brought together generations of service members from military branches, creating a memorable experience for both the veterans and their young family members.  Students had spent weeks preparing special performances to honor their special guests. The gymnasium, decorated in patriotic blue tablecloths and American flag accents, became a stage for multiple grade-level presentations that showcased both learning and gratitude. The school's Den Ambassadors, a group of fourth-grade student leaders, led the ceremony by sharing important facts about Veterans Day and its significance. In a display of recognition, veterans were asked to stand and be acknowledged for their service. The morning's performances included heartfelt presentations from multiple grade levels. Mrs. Morrison's first-grade class delivered a touching poem expressing their appreciation for veterans' sacrifices. Second graders shared insights from their recent studies about veterans' impacts on our country, demonstrating how even young students can grasp the importance of military service and sacrifice. Following the breakfast and performances, families gathered around the "Our MCS Heroes" wall, which displayed a tribute of military photographs showcasing the proud service history of students' family members beneath service branch emblems and decorative stars. The collection of images spanning different eras of military service provided a visual reminder of the continuing legacy of military service within the Sanford community. Principal Tracie Hallissey expressed the school's gratitude for the veterans' service and emphasized the importance of helping students understand the significance of Veterans Day. The morning offered students a personal connection to military service through their interaction with family members who had served.
November is alive with the sound of music at Margaret Chase Smith Elementary School as students across all grades explore various instruments in their music classes and clubs.  Our youngest musicians in Kindergarten and first grade are developing their rhythm skills with colorful Boomwhackers and percussion instruments. These hands-on experiences help build their musical foundation while having fun making music together.  Second graders have an exciting opportunity this year with the Drumming Club. To accommodate the enthusiastic response, seven sessions are planned to ensure every interested student can participate.  Moving up to third grade, students are beginning their unit on the glockenspiel, learning to play this melodic percussion instrument. Fourth graders are stretching their musical abilities as they start their ukulele instruction.  Our dedicated Ukulele and Chorus Clubs are preparing for upcoming performances. The Chorus will make its debut performance of the school year at the Veterans Breakfast.