Message from the Superintendent
Dear RSU 57 Community,
I hope this newsletter finds you having weathered this March storm without issue. I’m hopeful this will be our final major snow event of the winter season and we can begin a stretch of warmer weather so that we can enjoy outdoor activities this Spring. With this most recent snow day, the school calendar currently has Thursday, June 15 as our final student day.
I would like to share a few updates with all of you. First, our RSU 57 Strategic Planning Committee has continued its work and has recently begun examining data we’ve received through our Community and Student Surveys. Additionally, the committee will be examining feedback from our district staff that was garnered at various staff meetings in each of our RSU 57 schools. This information will inform the development of a new District Mission Statement that will be at the heart of our overall Strategic Plan. I can report that we’ve received feedback from over 1,700 stakeholders through our surveys as well as feedback from each school’s instructional and support staff.
The committee is expressly interested in ensuring that our entire RSU 57 community has an opportunity to provide feedback in some way regarding the creation of this Strategic Plan. To that end, the committee is planning a Community Forum to be held at Massabesic High School on May 1 at 7:00pm. More information to come on the details of this event, but we’re asking parents, guardians, staff members and our Massabesic High School students to save the date in hopes of getting representation from as many different stakeholder groups as possible.
Lastly, I would like to share some recent accomplishments of our Massabesic students. Congratulations to our Massabesic High School One Act Theater Troupe for their 1st Place finish at the Maine Regional One Act Festival! This is an outstanding accomplishment and speaks to the level of talent and dedication our students have displayed in their preparation for this production. I would also like to congratulate our Boys Varsity Basketball team for being named the Southern Maine Class AA Boys Good Sportsmanship Award recipient by the Maine Principals’ Association. We are proud of the way in which our boys competed this past season with respect and fair play and thrilled that they’ve been recognized for doing so by the M.P.A.
Wishing all of you a good week ahead.
Dr. Stephen Marquis
From the Office of the Asst. Superintendent
Dear RSU 57 Families,
Another batch of winter weather this week has left me wondering when we’ll be seeing students out on the green grass again enjoying some much needed warm weather. I’m hoping that Spring comes quickly and that our Spring athletes are able to enjoy a full season of both preparation and games out on their fields of play and not be stuck inside a gymnasium. With the imminent arrival of Spring, if any of you are like me, you’ve got a case of Spring Fever and are excited about the possibility of getting outdoors without snow gear! To that end, I would share with you a resource that my family has used often in looking for outdoor hikes that we can do together. All Trails is a great resource that can help hikers of all skill levels from complete novice to expert climber. The website can be found HERE and it is also available as an app that can be downloaded in the App Store. It can be used free of charge and can help identify local trails that meet specific criteria for the hike such as difficulty level and length of time to complete. Lastly, we have the local Waterboro Land Trust that is another excellent resource for families looking to get outside to enjoy all that Southern Maine has to offer in the Spring and Summer.
Happy Hiking!
Kyle Keenan
Regional School Unit 57