Sanford Middle School

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQiGr7lNAAw

Middle School Musicians Shine in Winter Performances

December 19, 2025

The Performing Arts Center has been filled with the sounds of the season as Sanford Middle School students showcased their musical talents in two winter performances. On Wednesday...

Friday 12/19 Announcements

December 19, 2025

*The Tech Hub is closed today. *Reminder the check the lost and found for any items you may be missing including lunch boxes, jackets, sweatshirts and water bottles. All ite...

When Sanford Middle School 7th graders returned from the Ecology School this fall with ideas about making outdoor time more engaging, the teachers listened and students are now building the solution themselves. Students in the Environmental Club and Mechanical Advantage Clubs are assembling a storage shed funded by the Stronger Connections Committee grant, creating a resource that will benefit the entire school community while gaining valuable hands-on construction experience. The project began with student feedback. During their week-long trip to the Ecology School, 7th graders experienced outdoor activities like volleyball, giant Jenga, and oversized Connect Four that kept them active and engaged. Diana Allen, who serves on the Stronger Connections Committee with colleague Ms. Mason, recognized an opportunity to translate student input into action. "We have this space out here that's not going to be effective for use during flex time," Allen noted during a recent presentation to students. "Instead of just walking around in circles around the building... how can we make that better for all of us?" Rather than simply purchasing and installing equipment, the school turned the project into a learning opportunity. Students from two clubs joined forces to construct the shed that would house the new outdoor equipment. Ms. Mason's Mechanical Advantage Club has been building giant Jenga blocks from two-by-fours, while both clubs have worked together on shed assembly. Allen acknowledged the collaborative effort. "Ms. Mason and I are on the Stronger Connections committee. We got permission to put it outside. And we are using the Environmental Club and Mechanical Advantage Club to put the shed together," she said. The hands-on work has resonated with students across grade levels. "Building the shed is really fun. I like the hands on. It's also a good idea and I like helping the community," said Owen Jutras, an 8th grader in the Environmental Club. Jediah Bowden, also in 8th grade, reflected on the project's lasting impact: "I am very happy to be a part of building the shed to store equipment so we can have fun outside during FLEX time. And the school can enjoy it for years to come!" Fellow 8th grader Eamon McGuckin Welsch added, "I have found the shed building to be extremely rewarding, finding it to be a great use of our time and resources to make something for the school." Sixth grader Jordan Barron appreciated the practical skills: "It's been fun, I really liked putting on the siding with a screwdriver." The shed will soon be stocked with volleyball nets, giant games, and PTA-donated activity totes, ready to transform how students experience outdoor time at Sanford Middle School.

Sanford Middle School Students Build Solution for More Active Outdoor Time

December 18, 2025

When Sanford Middle School 7th graders returned from the Ecology School this fall with ideas about making outdoor time more engaging, the teachers listened and students are now bu...

Thursday 12/18 Announcements

December 18, 2025

*All members of the cast and current crew members are invited to the official casting announcement for the Wizard of Oz Youth Edition this afternoon after school in our cafeteria ...

Wednesday 12/17 Announcements

December 17, 2025

*All members of the Cast & CURRENT Crew Members are invited to the official Casting Announcement for The Wizard of Oz Youth Edition tomorrow after school in our cafeteria until ...

When educators from other school districts want to see excellent literacy instruction in action, they don't have to look far. They're coming right here to Sanford. Recently, teachers from Sebago and Yarmouth spent time in classrooms at Sanford Middle School and Sanford Pride Elementary, observing lessons and taking notes on what makes our reading program so successful. The Sanford School Department has been using a comprehensive reading program designed to help all students become strong readers. The program uses research-based methods that teach reading skills in a structured, step-by-step way — from letter sounds and phonics to reading comprehension and building knowledge about the world. The approach is working, and other districts want to learn from Sanford’s success. Educators from Sebago Elementary School and the Yarmouth School Department visited Sanford Pride Elementary and the Middle School to see our literacy instruction in action. They observed lessons, asked questions, and saw firsthand how our students are learning to read and write. A big thank you to the Sanford teachers who opened their classrooms to visitors: Laurie Flannery, Lindsey Jenkins, Michelle Payeur, Hunter Brannan, Dan Fernandez, Kristy Peters, and Jessi Allaire. The visiting educators were impressed by both the quality of teaching and the engaged learning they witnessed. This recognition reflects the hard work of our entire school community. We're proud that Sanford is becoming a leader in literacy education and helping other districts improve their reading instruction.

Sanford Teachers Share Literacy Success with Visiting Schools

December 16, 2025

When educators from other school districts want to see excellent literacy instruction in action, they don't have to look far. They're coming right here to Sanford. Recently, teache...

Tuesday 12/16 Announcements

December 16, 2025

*Dr, Who club is canceled this week. *STEAM team will meet this afternoon. Please bring your laptop if you are going to be programming a robot. *Mechanical Advant...

Monday 12/15 Announcements

December 15, 2025

*Mechanical Advantage Club meets Tuesday afternoon from 2:30-3:30 with Miss Nason to work on the shed. *All students who auditioned for the Wizard of Oz should check Google C...

Friday 12/12 Announcements

December 12, 2025

*Today is the very last day to finalize any audition plans you may have for the Wizard of Oz Youth Edition. If you do not know what the plan is for your audition, you MUST see Mr....

Thursday 12/11 Announcements

December 11, 2025

*A reminder to the 7th grade JMG students who are volunteering with Toys for Tots today. Please meet Mrs. Houle in the front lobby by the main office at 8:55am. No earlier, please...

Wednesday 12/10 Announcements

December 10, 2025

*Mechanical Advantage Club and Environmental Club DO NOT meet this week. *A reminder for 7th and 8th grade band students to bring their instruments and music binders home ton...

The SMS Times

December 9, 2025

Click here the read the December issue of The SMS Times, Sanford Middle School's online newspaper.

Tuesday 12/9 Announcements

December 9, 2025

* Jazz band meets this afternoon. *Tomorrow is the 7th/8th grade Winter Band and Chorus Concert at the Sanford Performing Arts Center starting at 6:30! *Reminder that the 7th/8...

Monday 12/8 Announcements

December 8, 2025

*No Lego Club today. *Today is an 8th grade chorus day! *SKi Club registration is still open, there are just a few slots left so get your paperwork in before Christma...

Friday 12/5 Announcements

December 5, 2025

*All 7th grade JMG students please report to the JMG classroom after announcements. I repeat ALL 7th grade JMG students, please quietly make your way to the JMG classroom after a...

Thursday 12/4 Announcements

December 4, 2025

*NO 7th grade band today. *Today is a 5th grade Chorus day. *NO Homework club with Mrs. Noone today. *All 8th grade JMG students please report to the JMG classroom af...

Wednesday 12/3 Announcements

December 3, 2025

*The Holiday Food Drive Competition continues through THIS THURSDAY!!! Bonus items are Macaroni and Cheese, Spaghetti Sauce, Soup, Cereals, Jelly and Peanut butter!!! These items ...

Monday 12/1 Announcements

December 1, 2025

*Podcast Club will meet on Monday December 1 in room 199. Bring your laptop and join us! *Our journey down the Yellow Brick Road begins today with the first audition meetin...

Students across Sanford came together this Thanksgiving in a district-wide effort that put complete dinners on the tables of dozens of local families. Through spirited competitions, generous community partnerships, and welcoming gatherings, the initiative exemplified the compassion and generosity that define Sanford. At Sanford High School, the Peer Helpers program's annual food drive provided complete Thanksgiving dinners for 50 families — feeding more than 250 people in the Sanford community. The effort was fueled by a friendly competition among the classes, with each grade assigned specific items to collect. Freshmen brought instant potatoes, sophomores contributed turkey gravy and cranberry sauce, juniors gathered canned vegetables, and seniors provided stuffing. Collection bins at the bottom of the Grey Wing steadily filled as students rallied to support their neighbors. "My favorite thing about this program is seeing the appreciation on students' and families' faces, as well as getting the entire school involved in doing a good thing," said Mrs. Letourneau, school counseling director and Peer Helpers organizer. But the students didn't do it alone. Marc Motors donated $1,000 to help provide Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings for families in need. The Sanford/Springvale Chamber of Commerce continued its multi-year tradition of support by raising $650 from its members to purchase 50 turkeys — one for each family receiving a food box. Hannaford Supermarkets coordinated the turkey pick-up and delivery, bringing all the pieces together for complete holiday meals. At Sanford Middle School, students participated in the annual Holiday Food Drive Competition, organized by the school's Jobs For Maine Graduates (JMG) Program and coordinated by JMG Specialist Tara Houle. The spirited competition, which launched Nov. 4, pitted homerooms against each other for coveted turkey crowns and the glory of becoming champions. The food collected served a dual purpose: providing Thanksgiving meals for Sanford families and stocking the SMS Food Closet, which provides students with easy-to-prepare meals for evenings, weekends, and school breaks throughout the year. The pantry remains accessible to all SMS students and families as a vital community resource. Margaret Chase Smith Elementary took a different approach to the season of giving, hosting "The Heart of Sanford Community Dinner" on November 25 in the school cafeteria. The event welcomed families with children enrolled in Sanford Schools for an evening of good food, laughter, and local hospitality. Across the district, the efforts of students, staff, and community partners ensured that Sanford families could gather around tables filled with Thanksgiving meals. From the student-led competitions to local business support and welcoming community dinners, these initiatives demonstrated that when neighbors need neighbors most, Sanford answers the call.

Sanford Schools Unite to Feed Families This Thanksgiving

November 26, 2025

Students across Sanford came together this Thanksgiving in a district-wide effort that put complete dinners on the tables of dozens of local families. Through spirited competition...

Tuesday 11/25 Announcements

November 25, 2025

*The Holiday Food Drive competition continues through Dec 4th! In the lead right now.... Mrs. Tarr's homeroom is dominating the 8th grade wing, in the 7th grade wing, Mrs. Knowl...