Community Newsletter
No School Friday, October 6th, 2023
Due to Professional Development Day for Staff
No School Monday, October 9th, 2023
Due to Indigenous Peoples' Day
All BSD offices will be closed on Monday, October 9th, 2023.
Strategic Plan
Dear Brunswick Community Members:
It is an honor to lead the Brunswick School Department, and I am humbled by our community's support of our schools and its insistence on excellence for all. Our students deserve an outstanding education, and our teachers, staff, and school leaders are capable and eager to provide it.
We began the strategic planning process in July 2020, and the work intensified more than a year ago. This completed strategic plan is a student-centered, data-driven plan that was developed by a team with input from students, teachers, staff members, parents/caregivers, and community members. Through this collaboration, we crafted a district vision, mission, and core values, culminating in identified priority areas and measurable goals. Our next step is to decide the action steps we will use to achieve the goals. That work is about to begin.
We can now use this plan as our beacon, guiding our path forward to ensure high expectations, equity, and opportunity for each and every Brunswick student. Although no strategic plan can encompass every subject taught or every approach for reducing inequities, we believe this plan will help us target our improvement efforts.
I encourage you to explore this strategic plan. You will notice that it addresses academics as well as such intangibles of public education as the joy of learning, social-emotional resilience, engaged citizenship, appreciation of and expertise in the arts, and fostering habits of healthy living. We believe we must work together to elevate our students to achieve academic success and provide a fulfilling school experience.
Every member of our Brunswick community has a part to play in this effort, and I urge you to join me and commit to celebrating and supporting the work of this plan. Together, we will take our students to where they need to be. I hope I can call on you to show up, step up, and speak up on behalf of our students, and support one another.
Sincerely,
Superintendent Potenziano
Rebecca McKarns Named Interim Assistant Director of Special Education
Becky McKarns is originally from Northeastern Ohio, having moved to Maine in 2004. She attended the University of Maine at Farmington and earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with a concentration in social sciences. Becky’s educational career has spanned 15 years with early experience as a Special Needs Preschool Teacher and Behavioral Health Professional. While working in the day treatment setting, Becky also moved into leadership as a BHP Supervisor. During her time as a BHP Supervisor, she took additional college coursework and became certified as a K-12 Special Education Teacher through the University of Maine System. In 2014, Becky joined the Brunswick School Department as a Special Education Resource Teacher. She later also continued with her interest in leadership as the Special Education Department, Instructional Strategist, and most recently Special Education Team Leader. While teaching at BHS, Becky earned a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern Maine in 2019.
Becky truly enjoys learning and expanding her educational craft to support students, staff, parents/guardians, and the Brunswick community. She has a keen, dedicated interest in Special Education and strives to apply that through leadership and work with stakeholders. Becky believes in providing equitable, achievable access to education for all students, supporting staff in retention and development, and adding value to the BSD community. Becky has made Brunswick her home with her husband, daughter, and two cats. Becky’s favorite place in Maine is Popham Beach. She enjoys reading, cultivating tropical house plants, and doing home improvement projects.
October Observances
Hindu, the third largest religion in the world, has several festive celebrations in the month of October. Hindus throughout the world celebrate Navaratri. Navaratri (nuhv-uh-RA-three), October 15 to October 24, is a nine-night celebration of the feminine divine that occurs four times a year — the spring and fall celebrations being amongst the more widely celebrated.
National Fire Prevention Week
October 8th - October 14th
is National Fire Prevention Week!
To learn more about National Fire Prevention week,
visit https://www.nfpa.org/fpw
National Bike, Walk, or Roll to School Day!
October 4th is National Bike/Walk/Roll to School Day. Thousands of students and teachers across America will participate, and Brunswick’ Safe Routes to Schools committee encourages you to as well. Why bike, walk or roll? Not only is it a healthy way to get around, it alleviates traffic, burns no fossil fuels, and it’s FUN!
Please remember to wear your helmet properly, and to follow safe biking and pedestrian rules. And if you’re a driver, please help keep bikers and walkers safe by slowing down and giving bikes at least three feet of clearance when passing.
Free At-Home COVID Tests
Every U.S. household can now place an order to receive four more free COVID-19 rapid tests delivered directly to their home. Visit https://www.covid.gov/tests to order yours.
Also, if you have "expired" COVID tests and want to know if you should throw them away, visit this website for more information.
Justin Stygles
5th Grade Teacher at Harriet Beecher Stowe Elementary School
Justin grew up all over the country as a military child and has attended many different universities and graduated with various degrees - Literacy Specialist from UMaine, ETEP at USM, History Bachelors from USM, and an AAS in Horse Racing from SUNY Morrisville. He has one daughter, Rhiana, who is an Airmen First Class at Joint Base Andrews (sometimes she guards Air Force One!).
What makes you proud to work in Brunswick? #BSDProud
Great community. Smiling and happy staff. Close to home, church, and Bull Moose. There's a clear dedication to education.
What do you like to do outside of work for fun?
I'm what's called a "Racetracker." I visit horse racing tracks across the country or I visit Cathedrals, Shrines, and Basillicas.
What is your favorite line from a movie?
"Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome."
If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet?
St. Peter.
What is something you learned in the last week?
How to sync iTunes to my phone. (Yep, and I'm not ashamed of it either. I miss CD players in cars!!)
Current Open Positions Include:
- Anticipated ESOL Ed Tech
- 7th Grade Girls Basketball Coach
- 8th Grade Girls Basketball Coach
- 7th Grade Boys Basketball Coach
- 8th Grade Boys Basketball Coach
- BJHS Winter Cheer Coach
- Administrative Assistant for Student Registration
- Groundskeeper
- TREK Special Education Teacher
- HBS Part Time Ed Tech (1 Year Position)
- BHS Self Contained Teacher
- School Counselor - Long Term Substitute
- BHS First Team Girls Soccer Coach
- Full-Time Bus Driver
- Substitute Teachers, Bus Drivers, Van Drivers, & Custodians
- ...And MORE!
We're hiring for multiple positions. Visit our website to view all current
employment opportunities or click the image above!
This event is not endorsed, recommended by, or affiliated with the Brunswick School Department.
Did you miss a newsletter? You can view previous
Community Newsletters on our website - click here!