Dear Brunswick Families,

I am thrilled to welcome you to the 2024-2025 school year! I hope your summer was restful, relaxing, and filled with fun moments and plenty of time to recharge. Brunswick School Department is poised for a great year ahead, filled with learning, growth, and community-building opportunities.

This year, we begin with a look toward our future—a future we designed together through our robust, community-centered strategic visioning and planning process. As you may recall, this yearlong process brought together our students, parents, families, staff, and community members to reimagine Brunswick School Department's future collectively. This collaboration resulted in a thoughtful, comprehensive strategic plan, Brunswick Believes 2023-2028.

During these summer months, the staff has been teaching extended school year programming, participating in professional development opportunities, cleaning and repairing our facilities while also completing needed construction improvements, such as a portion of the roof at the High School, and moving the Superintendent's Office to the former Coffin School. As I have said, we are committed to making the 2024-2025 school year a successful and enriching experience for all our students, and I want to thank you for your continued support and trust in the Brunswick School Department. I cannot wait to see our students again, and I am excited about partnering with you to make this upcoming year an extremely rewarding and memorable experience.

Here are a few essential details:

School Calendar

First Day of School September 3: Grades PreK, K, 3, 6, 9

First Day of School September 4 for All Students

School Bus Information

The Transportation Department will send out Bus Information for stops and times on Wednesday, 8/28/24. If you need to reach the Transportation Department, please call 319-1904.

As the summer quickly comes to a close, I look forward to beginning another great school year here in Brunswick. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions, comments, or concerns you may have throughout the year. You can reach me in the office at 319-1911. See you all soon!

Let’s make it a great year, Dragons!

Here is a copy of the 2024-2025 School Year calendar. Please note the Quarter, Trimester and Conference Days are still being determined. An updated calendar will be shared when completed.

The Central Office has completed the move to Coffin School!

Our new address is:

Office of the Superintendent

Brunswick School Department

20 Barrows St

Brunswick, ME 04011

All Month: National Guide Dog Month

September 2: Labor Day

September 15: Eid Milad ul-Nabi (Muslim)

September 15-October 15: Hispanic, Latino, & Latinx Heritage Month

September 16: Mexican Independence Day

September 18: National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day

September 20-26: International Week of the Deaf Awareness

September 21: International Day of Peace

September 23: International Day of Sign Languages

September 30: National Day of Remembrance for Indian Boarding Schools

Click Here to Learn More about these events!

Where did summer go? It seems like only yesterday we were congratulating our 2024 graduating class, and now we’re preparing to welcome students for the 2024–2025 school year.

The beginning of a school year is an exciting time. Many students are experiencing a first — first day in pre-K, elementary school, junior high or high school. For some, it may be the first day in the Brunswick school system.

Here at the Brunswick School Department, we are experiencing a first as well. Our Central Office has moved into the former site of the Coffin School, and I think visitors will be pleased with the new location.

Our former office, in the Hawthorne School, enjoyed the character of this majestic, old building, with its hardwood floors, tall windows, high ceilings, and structural details. But the building, built in the 1910s, is not fully compliant with today’s ADA standards, and lacks the spaces to accommodate the needs of a modern school district.

As a community dedicated to inclusivity and equal access for all, it is crucial that all public buildings be fully accessible to all. The single-level Coffin building is fully accessible to people with disabilities.

The Coffin building also places our offices into a more central location, next to the Junior High School and a very short drive from Harriet Beecher Stowe Elementary School. Our maintenance team worked hard to update and freshen up the facility, and we’re very pleased with the final product.

Hawo Abdille, our ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) coordinator for ML (multilingual learner) students and family engagement, regularly meets with families and offers workshops at Coffin. She’s seeing an uptick in visits by ESOL families and says the new location is much more welcoming, with bright rooms, better parking, updated technology and easy access.

In addition to connecting with families, the new Coffin location offers better space for staff development. It’s much easier to adapt to meet the needs of a specific meeting, says Suellyn Santiago, our chief academic officer. One day, we may host the school board; the next day, a regional training for math teachers. Having a dedicated professional development meeting space is such an incredible benefit.

Finally, the move presents significant cost savings to the town and its taxpayers. Dawn Blanchard, our Director of Personnel and Finance, estimates annual savings between $50,000 and $75,000. Dawn counts herself among those who give two thumbs up to Coffin. Her department’s records are much more accessible, improving efficiencies and reducing the repeated stair climbing necessary to retrieve them at Hawthorne. Most importantly, she enjoys seeing more people in the single-level building and says that many people have replaced the stair climbing with counting steps.

I have many fond memories of my days at Hawthorne School. At the same time, I’m looking forward to creating new ones at Coffin School. If you’re in the area, stop by to say hello. This is your school district, and we’re grateful to serve our families and the community.

And to our students, best of luck as you head back to school and on any “firsts” coming your way this fall. I hope you’re as excited about the new year as I am.

As of August 29th, the hours for the Midcoast Hunger Prevention Program at Coffin School will be Thursdays from 2:45-4:30 PM.

Coffin School, 20 Barrows Street, Brunswick

Kaitlin Urgese

BHS Dean of Student Support and Engagement

Katelin grew up in Fryeburg, Maine where her relatives have resided since before the town was incorporated in 1777! She went to high school at Fryeburg Academy and attended University of Maine to get her bachelors and Masters degrees. Her family includes her husband Doug and their four kids: Camden, Lucy, Violet, and Hattie, plus two dogs, Phoebe and Janie!

What makes you proud to work in Brunswick? #BSDProud

I am #BSDProud because of the spirit and pride that runs throughout the whole school community. I am proud to be part of a community that puts students and their voices at the center of all we do!

What do you like to do outside of work for fun?

I love to travel to new places, attend musical theater performances, hike, read, relax at the beach, try new restaurants, and watch Marvel movies.

What is your favorite line from a movie?

"If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around." - Love Actually

If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet?

Brene Brown, a professor of social work and an author who writes about the power of vulnerability.

What is something you learned in the last week?

Pride Month parades that now signify celebration were originally held as protest marches. (submitted in June)

Open Employment Positions:

• Pre-K Teacher
• Long Term Substitute for Resource Room - Junior High
• Self Contained Behavior Ed Tech - Junior High
• Special Education Ed Tech - KFS
• School Psychologist - District
• Coaches, Coaches, Coaches, Many Sports, many levels! Please check our openings!
• Mechanic
  
• School Bus Drivers
• Apprentice/Ed Tech I & Bus Aide
  
• Bus Aides
• Substitute Teachers, Bus Drivers, Van Drivers, & Custodians
• ...And MORE!

We're hiring for multiple positions. Visit our website to view

all current employment opportunities!

If you are currently not receiving the Community Newsletter

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bwallace@brunswicksd.org

You can view previous newsletters on our website!

If you are currently not receiving the Community Newsletter and would like to, or if you would like to unsubscribe from the newsletter email Billie Jo Wallace at bwallace@brunswicksd.org