DISTRICT UPDATE
August 12, 2026
NEW! BELL-TO-BELL CELL PHONE POLICY & PROCEDURES
As of August 1st, all public schools across Maine had to adopt and must enforce a new “bell-to-bell” cell phone policy in accordance with recently updated state law (LD 2212 - Committee Amendment A; Part GG). This means all students will be required to keep personal devices, including cell phones, smart watches, and other devices with internet or cellular capabilities, stored away for the entire school day–from the first bell to dismissal. The goal of this statewide effort is to reduce distractions, support student mental health, and limit opportunities for cyberbullying during the school day.
All schools will be cell phone and smartwatch free during the school day. This expectation supports our school policy on personal communication devices (Policy JICJ). Only school issued devices will be permitted during the school day. No personal computer, tablet or other electronic devices will be permitted. Earbuds and headphones may only be used when a staff member has authorized their use.
Parents and guardians may reach their student during the school day by contacting the Main Office or connecting through Reach My Teach. Students may also use an office phone with staff permission when needed.
We know this is a significant change, and we expect it to be a learning experience for our students, families, and staff alike. Please don't hesitate to reach out to your child’s school administration with any questions.
COMMUNICATION: STAY IN THE KNOW!
Newsletters: I will continue to send monthly newsletters via email, which will also be posted on the website, social media, and mobile app. Please take the time to thoroughly read through these newsletters for important information on upcoming events, transportation, parent portal registration, medication usage, food services, achievements, and more.
ReachMyTeach: We utilize ReachMyTeach as a two-way communication platform that makes it easy to connect families through the languages they speak and the devices they use every day. This platform also allows families to communicate directly with classroom teachers effortlessly through text, email, or WhatsApp, on-demand video interpreters, and scheduled conferences. There is no need to download an app, and families can learn more by clicking here.
Website & Mobile App: Our website platform syncs directly to a mobile app! The mobile app will feature important news, a live feed for updates, daily menu, and more. Parents also have the option to choose the district and specific schools to stay updated and receive notifications directly to their phone (see below for exact links).
Emergency Text Alerts: District-related text alerts are sent from the number 98900, and while families are legally allowed to opt out of receiving these messages, doing so means you will no longer receive emergency updates via text—only by email. If you’ve previously opted out and would like to start receiving text alerts again, simply text START to 98900. Please note that it can take up to 48 business hours for the change to take effect.
We encourage parents and guardians to follow the school and district social media pages, read the newsletters to stay informed, and ask questions for clarification. District Mobile App (See below for downloadable links) Sincerely, Jeremy Ray Superintendent of Schools
We understand that starting at a new school can be anxiety-provoking for many students and their parents, so we want to ease those fears and minimize any barriers to a successful return to school. Therefore, all schools have set up open houses to give families and students a chance to meet their teacher(s) and hear some basic information about what to expect as we head into a new school year. If you are unable to attend the open house, please contact the principal directly.
Fairfield School - Grades PK-2:
August 26th from 4:30-6:30pm
Young School - Grades PK-2:
August 26th from 4:30-6:30pm
CK Burns School - Grades 3-5:
August 25th from 4:30-6:30pm
Saco Middle School - Grades 6-8:
August 27th from 4:30-6:30pm
Saco Pre-K Visit Day:
Scheduled by Classroom (8/27, 8/31 or 9/1)
September 4: NO SCHOOL
September 7: NO SCHOOL - Labor Day
September 9: School Board Meeting at 7pm at Saco City Hall
September 16: Early Release Day. As a reminder, the early release times are as follows:
Pre-K AM: Dismissal at 10:45am
Pre-K PM: No School
Pre-K Full Day: Dismissal at 12:15pm
Fairfield and CK Burns: Dismissal at 12:15pm
Young School: Dismissal at 12:25pm
SMS: Dismissal at 1:15pm
September 23: School Board Meeting at 5pm at Saco City Hall
- September 30: Early Release Day
Coordinating transportation needs is a major undertaking to finalize bus routes, stops, times, and the number of runs required and record in our information system. With school starting in approximately two weeks, completing transportation information is extremely impactful to our school administration. The transportation request link was included in the registration process.
Starting August 24th, families who have signed up for transportation through registration will receive an email about their child’s confirmed bus number and be directed to the BusRight App to follow their students' bus. BusRight App invitations will be sent from “support@busright.com” so monitor your spam folder. For more information on BusRight, click the button below.
We recognize that mistakes may happen and delays may occur as we work out the kinks at the start of the year. Thank you in advance for your cooperation and understanding as we ensure all students are transported safely.
If you have questions or have not received transportation confirmation by August 26th, please contact the Transportation Department at 207-494-9631 or email Director Jeanne Anderson at janderson@sacoschools.org.
In public schools in Maine, youth have access to free breakfast and lunch, which meet nutrition standards established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Although there is no charge, parents will be asked to complete the economic status questions during online registration, as the data provided is used to determine our school funding, including Title 1 funds for special education programs, before/after and summer school programs, discounts on laptop insurance and internet, aid packages via the FAFSA for rising seniors, and teachers' student loan forgiveness.
Please take the time to read the important health information update from the school nurses below to ensure your child(ren) have a smooth, healthy transition and that you have all the information you need to prevent any disruptions to starting the school year. This update addresses everything from required immunizations to medication use to head lice protocols.
Stay informed by downloading the school district’s mobile app! It will allow parents to choose the school(s) they would like to get notifications from, see the dining menu quickly, access the live feed, sports schedules and scores, important documents, emergency notifications, and more! Simply download the relevant app:
- Download for iPhone: https://aptg.co/Tly4Kp
- Download for Android: https://aptg.co/kx9G4g
Students in the Saco Public Schools will be assigned a school-owned device for the 2026-2027 school year. The expectation is that students/parents will take proper care of the device and return it in a similar condition.
To begin the year, students in grades Kindergarten through 8th will be assigned a device that will stay at school, but will be ready to go home to complete assignments as determined by their teacher(s) and/or school administration. PreK will be allotted a set of devices for classroom use but will not go home.
For problems/issues with devices, students/parents should immediately contact the student's teacher, who will then submit a helpdesk request to the Technology Department. This will keep the teacher and others at the school aware of the situation and remedy.
