Daily Announcements
Sanford High School will host the Maine State Marching Band Finals on Saturday, October 25, at Alumni Stadium, marking the fourth consecutive year the school has welcomed bands from across Maine and New Hampshire to compete. The competition begins at 4:00 p.m., with the Sanford High School marching band scheduled to perform at 7:30 p.m. There is an admission fee. Eleven bands will compete throughout the evening, including Merrimack Valley, Lake Region, Biddeford, Lawrence, Blue Hawks, Westbrook, Old Orchard Beach, South Portland, Wells, Dover, and Sanford. A brief intermission is scheduled at 6:30 p.m. Sanford's theme for this year's performance is Echoes of the Earth. As finals week approaches, the band has focused their preparation on execution. "We're doing a lot of energy, a lot of music work, and just really focusing," Sanford junior Morgan Bailey said. "Now that we have the drill ability, we're starting to add the finishing touches." The band is looking to repeat last year's gold medal performance at state finals, where they earned five-star ratings across all categories including Music, General Effect, Color Guard, Percussion, Visual, and Drum Major. This year, the band's path to finals has included five competitions this season, opening at Biddeford High School on September 13, then traveling to UMass Amherst, followed by competitions at South Portland on October 4 and Wells High School on October 18. Sanford has become the natural choice to host the state finals due to its facilities and experience, according to SHS Band Director Hailey Francoeur. Alumni Stadium's combination of ample parking, a turf field, and spacious bleachers makes it an ideal venue for accommodating the bands, spectators, and equipment that a statewide competition requires. For Bailey, this season's highlight came at the US Bands competition at UMass Amherst. "We got to see so many other different schools and stuff, see a bigger community and larger families," Bailey said. That competition resulted in a first-place finish in Division 2A on September 27. This past weekend, the band continued their winning streak by earning four out of five stars in all categories at their MBDA competition. Francoeur emphasized that the band's success wouldn't be possible without the Music Boosters, who provide snacks before every Tuesday and Thursday rehearsal, prepare lunches before Saturday competitions that run from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and help with everything from sewing costumes to hauling trailers. For more information about volunteering for the state finals or supporting the band program, contact Director Hailey Francoeur at Sanford High School.
Daily Announcements
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Daily Announcements
Homecoming Spirit Week at Sanford High School took place Oct. 6–11, bringing students, staff, and families together for a week of school pride, themed dress-up days, and exciting home games.    Throughout the week, high school students competed grade against grade to win the spirit stick—a tradition passed down through generations of alumni. Each grade earned points by dressing up for spirit days, attending weeknight sporting events, painting large posters and crash-through banners, building floats, and participating in the parade.    The celebration kicked off Monday, Oct. 6, with Adam Sandler Day, as students embraced laid-back, oversized styles.   Tuesday brought the Soccer Mom vs. BBQ Dad theme, with students donning aprons, spatulas, and fanny packs. That evening, students showed their spirit at both volleyball and boys' soccer games at 7 pm, dressed in USA-themed attire.   Wednesday's Disney Channel Theme Day showcased each class's creativity. Freshmen represented Disney Junior, sophomores embodied Marvel, juniors celebrated Disney Animation, and seniors brought Pixar to life. Students packed the girl's soccer game that night wearing neon.   Thursday featured Red and White Day and the traditional pep rally, followed by field hockey's frat-themed home game at 6:30 pm.   The week culminated Friday with the Homecoming Parade, followed by Student Council's inaugural Block Party where clubs and activities hosted vendors. The varsity football game at 7 pm drew an enthusiastic student section, where the spirit stick winner – the senior class – was finally announced.
Daily Announcements
Teachers Invest in Professional Learning During In-Service Day
Daily Announcements
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the School Committee welcomed a new student representative
High School and Middle School Winter Season Sports Registration
https://www.applitrack.com/sanford/onlineapp/default.aspx?Category=Maintenance%2fCustodial
The Dungeons & Dragons Club at Sanford High School has been providing students with a creative and educational outlet for about five years, combining storytelling, critical thinking, and collaborative problem-solving in a structured, supervised environment.  The club meets Tuesdays and Fridays in the cafeteria immediately after school. All materials are provided, and no prior experience is necessary.  This year, the club is led by advisor Carrie Hathaway. "I wanted to make sure that these students got a chance to have the club because it is very important to them," Hathaway explains. Dungeons & Dragons is a tabletop role-playing game where students create characters and work together to navigate adventures guided by a student Dungeon Master. Far from the stereotypes some may remember, modern D&D emphasizes teamwork, creative thinking, and positive social interaction.  Students develop characters with unique backgrounds and abilities, then use strategy, negotiation, and problem-solving skills to overcome challenges presented in the story. The club has drawn about 30 students over the years, with a flexible, welcoming atmosphere that accommodates different participation levels. "I have a different and revolving crowd each time," notes Hathaway, emphasizing that newcomers can join at any point.  Students of all experience levels are welcome - they can jump right in and learn as they play, with experienced members providing guidance and support. The creative possibilities are endless. As one SHS student explained, the campaigns can vary dramatically: "It's still D&D, but some do pop culture in their campaign. Some just do normal medieval times." This means stories can incorporate sports, history, science, or any subject that captures students' imaginations.  Some campaigns even feature innovative twists as another SHS student explained: "you don't know what your character is... you start with a blank character sheet, and as you go on through the story, the master gives hints to what kind of character you want to play." Through these games, students practice communication skills in a low-pressure, supportive environment. They develop mathematical skills through game mechanics, enhance creative writing abilities through character development, and strengthen critical thinking through strategic decision-making. The game requires players to work together toward common goals.
As the new school year got underway, students and staff walked into clean, safe, and refreshed buildings thanks to the summer efforts of the Sanford School Department's custodial and facilities team. October 2 marked National Custodian Appreciation Day—a perfect opportunity to recognize their commitment to creating welcoming learning environments. The Sanford School Department oversees an impressive array of properties, including multiple buildings that require year-round management for cleaning, maintenance, and grounds care. This summer marked a significant milestone as the team entered the season fully staffed for the first time in years, and the results speak for themselves. At the heart of the summer preparation efforts was the hardworking custodial team, who undertook comprehensive cleaning of all district buildings. Their work went far beyond routine maintenance, involving a process that touched every corner of each school. Staff completed deep cleaning throughout every building—tackling furniture, walls, windows, and light fixtures. They repaired walls, touched up paint, stripped and refinished floors, and thoroughly cleaned tiles and carpets. "It's exciting to hear how the work that the team has done directly impacts the students," shared Director of Facilities and Maintenance Jason Dudley at a recent school committee meeting. The custodial team faced and overcame challenges during their summer work, navigating scheduling conflicts with summer programs, food services, sports camps, and community events. They demonstrated flexibility in coordinating all this work while accommodating the busy summer schedule. While the custodial staff focused on deep cleaning, the maintenance team was equally busy with infrastructure upgrades that directly impact student safety and learning environments. At Sanford Middle School, they addressed wastewater drainage issues and upgraded the library with modern LED lighting that can be dimmed for Promethean board use.  Sanford Pride Elementary School received new HVAC starter motors, with a complete rooftop unit replacement scheduled for October. At Carl J. Lamb School, the team replaced an HVAC expansion tank and painted fresh blue hallways on the first floor. Safety improvements were a major priority this summer. At Cobb Stadium, the crew upgraded five tiered aluminum bleachers and removed outdated home and away bleachers. Working alongside the Parks and Recreation Department and Public Works, they transformed the space into a safer facility for student athletes and community members.  At Carl J. Lamb, they installed a safety fence separating the parking area from the bus drop-off lane, directing everyone to use the designated crosswalk. Dudley emphasized the importance of this work: "Staff is able to monitor that and monitor when the buses are coming. So it's a definite safety upgrade for us." Margaret Chase Smith School received upgraded handicap bollards and repainted bus lane signage to improve traffic flow and safety. The team also supported expanding academic opportunities by retrofitting a classroom for the new sports medicine program at SRTC and extending compressed air lines in the welding and machine shops. They even helped the IT department modernize classroom technology by removing outdated display boards and installing new mounting brackets. Superintendent Matt Nelson shared his appreciation for the custodial work during the school committee meeting, emphasizing that "our facilities are the first step to having good education."   The combined efforts of the custodial and maintenance staff ensured that Sanford schools were not only clean and safe but enhanced and improved for the new academic year. As students and staff returned, they found their spaces ready and welcoming, setting the stage for a successful year of learning and growth.
https://spartan-times.com/2025/09/25/students-gear-up-for-homecoming-spirit-week-2025/