School Notes
- March 20th 2025
- School Notes
Students at Carl J. Lamb Elementary School tap into nature for a school-wide maple sugaring project.
Photo: Sanford School Department
Compiled by Carolyn Cadigan
CJL playground proves to be the sweet spot for hands-on learning: Students at Carl J. Lamb Elementary School (CJL) are taking part in a school-wide maple sugaring project that spans multiple subjects and a New England tradition. The project, which involves tapping trees on the CJL playground as well as on the grounds of Springvale Library, has students involved in every step. By drilling holes in the trees, inserting taps, collecting sap, measuring volumes, tracking data, and ultimately creating their own maple syrup, students are learning across disciplines — geography, math, science and literacy — as well as building community and life skills by working together and utilizing problem-solving skills. The maple syrup project, which has been years in the making, is the brainchild of teachers Kim Minchin and Robert Rothwell, who have transformed a New England tradition into a unique, hands-on, cross-curricular learning experience for the entire school. Read the full story here.
Band Fest showcases young musicians’ journey from grade 5 to 12: The Sanford community came together on March 11 to fill the stands of Partners Bank Gymnasium at Sanford High School for the 36th Annual Sanford Band Fest Concert. The evening showcased the musical journey of over 200 Sanford student musicians from grades 5 through 12, highlighting their growth and dedication.
The fifth-grade band opened the evening, marking the first time many of these young musicians performed in a major concert. The sixth-grade band followed with two selections that showcased their developing technical abilities and ensemble skills. Both bands performed under the direction of Josh Hyssong. The youngest musicians were followed by the seventh- and eighth-grade bands, which performed separately. They drew praise from Erica Scarano, their conductor, for their hard work and preparation. “Both groups had me dancing on the podium and I couldn’t have asked for anything better,” she said. The high school musicians, led by Hailey Francoeur, followed, demonstrating their impressive musical skill and enthusiasm.
The evening concluded with all the bands joining together for a final piece that showcased — for both the audience and the musicians themselves — the students’ musical journey from beginner to accomplished musician. Hyssong shared, “It’s inspiring for our younger students to hear the high school musicians and envision their own musical futures.” Read the full story here.
SRTC is honored with a quality award from SkillsUSA: Sanford Regional Technical Center’s SkillsUSA Chapter was recognized by the Chapter Excellence Program (CEP) with a Quality Chapter Award. This first-level award honors chapters for achieving essential standards of excellence. The CEP is the best way to build a successful SkillsUSA chapter and recognizes achievement in integrating the SkillsUSA framework in the chapter’s activities.
A little help here. Anyone? Sanford High School is hosting the Winter Percussion and Winter Guard Finals competition on March 23. To make for a successful event, Sanford Music Boosters are looking for food and beverage donations as well as volunteers to perform various tasks. To help, visit the sign-up page.
April school vacation is right around the corner: The Sanford-Springvale YMCA is holding sign-ups for its April Vacation Camp, to be held April 21 to 25. Special activities, including a visit from Mike Piazza and his High-Flying Dogs, are planned for the week. FMI, email Jordan at jgodin@sanfordymca.org. Download the application here.
