Dear Parents, Guardians, and Staff,
With only a week remaining before April vacation, which is scheduled for April 13-21, staff and students are busy finishing academic projects and assignments, performing in school plays, and competing in State competitions. I hope Biddeford parents had the opportunity to attend the District-wide Art Show last month, as it was a huge success and always amazing to see the talent among our students (see video below). Dayton’s Art Show is scheduled for later this month (April 26), and I look forward to seeing their students’ creativity as well.
Following vacation, we will enter our final weeks of the school year. As I mentioned in a recent communication home, our district(s) requested a calendar adjustment for one of the snow days from the Commissioner of Education, and it was approved. To make up the time, we will be canceling an early release day and extending school by one hour on several days, which makes our last day of school June 16th. Please review this communication closely for dates affected and revised dismissal times (Biddeford, Dayton).
I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the tragic school shooting in Tennessee last week. It is unconscionable that these violent acts continue to occur in our country. I want to reassure you that our district takes emergency preparedness seriously. All Principals and Administrators will be attending a mandatory active shooter training in conjunction with York County Emergency Management and the Police Department this month. We have also contracted to implement an advanced emergency communication system this Fall that integrates directly with law enforcement via an app for all staff to utilize. We recognize that no one can ever truly know how they will react in this type of emergency situation, but we are taking the initiative to be as prepared as possible when it comes to our staff and students' safety.
RADON TESTING
Over the last month, all of our school buildings have undergone State-mandated radon testing. Our Facilities and Maintenance staff are to be commended for their efforts in gathering hundreds of samples with the least amount of distraction to staff and students. Of the 500+ test vials initially submitted for lab testing, all were below the state and federal guidelines for radon, with the exception of one vial exceeding recommended values at the Center of Technology. This area was retested immediately to rule out faulty or tampered vials or a potential error at the lab on initial testing and came back below level as well. All test results have been posted on our website for review (Biddeford & Dayton).
I wish you all a restful and enjoyable Spring vacation with your families.
My Best,
Jeremy Ray
Superintendent of Schools
April 5: Early Release, Parent Teacher Conferences (4:30-7pm), Biddeford's School Board Meeting (5pm @ BHS Little Theater), and Financial Aid Night (5:30pm @ BHS Library)
April 6, 7 & 8: Spring Musical: “Pippin” - Open to All. Show times: Thursday and Friday at 7pm & Saturday at 2pm and 7pm @ BMS Performing Arts Center
April 13-April 21: No School; Spring Break. Return on April 24.
April 19: Youth Full Maine Food Distribution (10am-12pm) @ Rotary Park
April 21-23: The Addams Family - Open to All. Show times: Friday at 7pm, Saturday at 2pm & 7pm, and Sunday at 2pm @ BMS Performing Arts Center
April 22: National Prescription Drug Take Back Day (10am-2pm) @ Biddeford Public Works. Click Here for all other locations
April 24-28: College & Career Week
April 25: Biddeford Schools Dismiss 1 Hour Later (see letter below for exact times)
April 26: Dayton Consolidated PreK-5 Art Show (6pm) @ DCS
April 26: Biddeford School Committee Meeting (7pm) @ BHS Little Theater
April 29: Biddeford Athletics Hall of Honor Induction Class of 2022 - Open to All.. Ceremony at 3pm in BHS Little Theater followed by Social at 5:30pm at Dutch Elm Golf Course. School Committee Meeting (7pm) @ BHS Little Theater
Register Early for Fall Screening!
If you have a child turning the age of four (4) for Pre-K or five (5) for Kindergarten before October 15, 2023, please pre-register them as soon as possible via links below to ensure screening is completed prior to Fall. If your child is already enrolled in the school’s Pre-K program, you do not need to re-register for Kindergarten. Tours will be made available in the coming months, and additional paperwork may be required.
Necessary documents to complete the process: Birth Certificate, Immunization Records, Proof of Residency (mortgage statement, property tax bill, lease agreement, or notarized letter from landlord), Health Insurance Card, and additional forms may be needed.
Week of the Young Child
The School Readiness Fair in Biddeford was a success! The United Way of Southern Maine is proud to partner with Biddeford Ready! to make this event happen and provide kids and parents with activities, tips, and tricks to prepare them to start school.
Biddeford Ready! is supported by United Way and helps the youngest members of the Biddeford community enter Kindergarten prepared to thrive. biddefordready.org
Congratulations to 5th Grader Julie Gonneville, who was selected to participate in Youth Art Month at the Portland Museum of Art. This annual exhibition, in collaboration with the Maine Art Education Association, showcases the incredible talent of young artists during the month of March. Julie and her family were welcomed to the museum free of charge, where she was awarded a certificate recognizing her artwork.
Her art teacher, Ms. Yandell, selected Julie's work Pop Art Popsicle as a wonderful example of a pop art paper mache sculpture. Julie captured the form of a red popsicle in summer so well; the color choice was so vibrant and cheerful. Congratulations, Julie!
Runs March 12-May 27
Shop at Hannaford and easily raise money for our schools! For every four participating products you purchase (look for the shelf tags in the store or the apple symbol online), our schools will receive $3.00 simply by redeeming your receipt.
NEW for 2023: Deposit School Dollars online using the Hannaford Helps Schools app to donate to a specific school.
CHILDREN & SCREENS: #AskTheExperts Webinar
The Social Brain on Screens
How does modern screen use impact the social brain in early childhood, adolescence, and beyond? Join an interdisciplinary panel of neuroscientists, psychologists, and psychiatrists on Tuesday, April 11th at 12pm for “The Social Brain on Screens” webinar. They will discuss the functions of the social brain in childhood, what these interconnected neural networks require for healthy functioning, and what strategies parents might consider around infant and youth screen use to encourage healthy social development.
PARENT CAFE
The Choose To Be Healthy and Youth Resiliency Coalitions have partnered with Kids Free to Grow to host Parent Cafe on Wednesday, April 12, 2023 from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM via Zoom. Facilitator Shannon Briggs, trained in the Strengthening Families model, will lead the discussion and model problem-solving around these questions: “How do you have fun and how does that impact your parents?” and “How do you get your child’s school to understand your child’s needs?"
The first 25 parents who register and attend get a FREE copy of the Parent Handbook from OperationParent.org (a $14.95 value)!
APRIL IS FINANCIAL LITERACY MONTH
Throughout the month of April, Saco & Biddeford Savings will be sharing ways to strengthen your financial education and giving out some prizes too! From budgeting to managing credit, they have provided online video lessons and each Friday they will have a giveaway contest on their social media page. For more information, click the button below.
The Biddeford Climate Task Force is working on a plan to address climate change and wants to include you! Youth and young adults up to age 25 can enter the PhotoVoice Contest by sharing their stories through a picture and a few words to show how climate change is impacting them. Winners in each category receive $50; the top 50 photos chosen will be displayed at Engine through May 5th.
A public event to announce the winners and discuss climate change will occur on April 21 at 6PM at Engine. Click on the photo or QR code below for more information or to submit a photo.