School Notes

On Thursday night a small fire in the heating system at Margaret Chase Smith School resulted in school being cancelled on Friday. A built-in safety feature in the heating system shut off the flow of propane, putting the fire out quickly. The system has since been repaired.

The Sanford School Department has an online survey for parents/guardians of students who are on the hybrid learning plan (currently attending school two days a week). They now hope to expand in-person instruction from two days per week to four days per week for interested families. But first, they need to know how many families would be interested in this option. Your input will help guide their decision making. The survey will be open until Monday, February 22, to give you ample time to decide.

Assistant Superintendent of Schools Steve Bussiere reports that staff and student accidents are way down this year. There have been only 14 staff accidents this year, down from 61 last year. There have been no major student injuries thus far. Last year the district had eight student injuries by this time. The pandemic, with resulting hybrid model of learning, physical distancing, and cancellation of most after-school activities is likely the reason.

Atlantic Federal Credit Union has college scholarships available for members who are graduating high school in 2021. The scholarship program is open from February 3, 2021 to March 26, and offers graduating seniors the chance to receive a scholarship ranging from $1,000 to $10,000. To be considered for the scholarship awards, all applicants must fill-out and submit an application form, write an essay (350–400 words) pertaining to a selected question and provide a resume and letter of reference. All submitted applications and documents will be reviewed by the Atlantic Scholarship Committee. More info and links to apply are here.

The Sanford School Department plans to update its Graduation Requirement Policy, which was last updated in 2017. The Department will be seeking public input. The current policy is here.

Are you interested in any of the following?

• High School Diploma
• High School Equivalency (HiSET)
• Maine College and Career Access 
• ELL (English Language Learner)

Whatever your need, Sanford Community Adult Education can help you accomplish your educational goals. Register today for the CASAS Assessment session.  It’s FREE!

It starts with a Math and Reading Assessment (and short Essay). This must be taken BEFORE you register for classes. The scores from the CASAS are used to guide your placement into courses at the level which is perfect for you. All tests are held at Sanford Community Adult Education (Anderson Learning Center) Room 143 at 21 Bradeen Street, Sanford, Maine. CASAS assessment sessions are held on Fridays from noon to 3:00 p.m. Register here.