MHS Family Update
Preparing students for success in an ever-changing world.
Hello Mustang Nation,
We are officially down to the final count with opening day this Monday! As a quick reminder on start dates: Monday, August 31st is for 9th graders and SRTC students, and Tuesday, September 1st welcomes back all returning 10th–12th graders.
A huge thank you to all the families who came out for our Open House! We had an incredible turnout, and seeing the building filled with so much energy and community spirit was the perfect way to kick off the new year.
This year, we are placing Mustang Pride at the center of everything we do. For us, this means cultivating a school culture where every single student feels valued, connected, and driven to achieve their best. To support this work, each class will dive into a distinct theme during our upcoming class meetings:
Freshmen - Belonging & Foundations: Laying a strong groundwork and finding your place at MHS.
Sophomores - Purpose & Identity: Discovering individual strengths and defining personal goals.
Juniors - Grit & Impact: Building resilience, stepping up leadership, and making a mark.
Seniors - Legacy & Beyond: Celebrating your journey and preparing for your next chapter.
We also want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who generously donated toward our pep rallies. Thanks to your support, we have some fantastic events lined up for our students to build excitement and showcase their Mustang Pride!
Our doors are always open, so please never hesitate to reach out with questions, so we can ensure a supportive and successful year for every student.
Warm wishes,
Mrs. Penney
The intent of the law and our policy is to support a focused learning environment, minimize distractions, and promote student social and emotional well-being by setting expectations regarding the use of personally owned, Wi-Fi enabled devices including cell phones, smart watches, laptops and other personal electronic devices (PEDs) during the school day.
All students, from Pre-K to Grade 12, are prohibited from using, accessing, wearing (including in pockets), or displaying cell phones and other personal electronic devices with Internet or cellular network connectivity capabilities for the duration of the entire school day, from the start of school (7:30am) to dismissal (1:50pm).
Students are expected to leave their PEDs/cell phones either at home, in their vehicles, or in the hanging storage systems in their homerooms.
Once you complete the Annual Verification process in ParentVue, your student's schedule will be available. To view all Green and White day classes, make sure to select Class Schedule and Semester 1.
Any changes to class schedules can be completed during the Add/Drop period during the first 2 weeks of school.
Please note, the ParentVue app has recently been updated. Please ensure you are using the latest version (icon shown to the right) or access ParentVue directly online.
Congratulations to the Mustangs cross country teams for their strong performances at Wednesday's SMAA Relays against 17 league teams!
The girls team took 2nd place overall, led by top varsity runners Abbey Gilley (5th), Corinne Shank (6th), Megan Walls (12th), Miriam Vigue (16th), and Savannah Thompson (41st) out of 71 competitors, while Elise Madigan secured a top-10 finish by coming in 7th in the freshman race.
On the boys side, Remi Grunhuvd was the top varsity runner, with Harrison Dutton (3rd) and Lukas Johnson (7th) claiming top-10 finishes in the freshman race.
Both team compete at Kennebunk on Thursday, September 3rd. They are actively looking for more runners to join their awesome, fun, and hardworking group. If interested, please email thomashesler@rsu57.org.
Do you know a school staff member who goes above and beyond every single day? The Maine Department of Education is now accepting nominations for the Recognizing Inspirational School Employees (RISE) Award! This award honors classified school employees that are the essential, behind-the-scenes staff who keep our schools safe, supportive, and running smoothly.
Anyone in our community, including students, parents, family members, and colleagues, is invited to submit a nomination to recognize outstanding support staff. To participate, simply submit your entry online through the Maine DOE RISE Nomination Portal before the nomination deadline on October 15, 2026.
Do I need to take the SATs?
This SAT question is one many high school students and their parents are asking these days especially if the student will be a senior during this school year. Below are a few things to consider when deciding if a student should take the SAT this summer or early in the fall of senior year.
Is your child planning to apply to a 4-year or a 1 or 2-year college program?
If your child is applying to a 1 or 2-year college program, it is very unlikely that taking the SAT will be needed. They can take the SAT but likely will not need it for college admissions.
If you child is considering a 4-year program, does your child have several colleges in mind to which they plan to apply?
If your child knows the colleges to which they want to apply, checking out those colleges' admission requirements on each college's webpage is advised. Many colleges do not currently require standardized testing for admissions. Thus, many high school students today do not need to take the SAT.
If a student does not know where they plan to apply for college, is the student looking at
more "selective" colleges?
If the student is looking at colleges that are more selective (in other words, colleges that have a lower acceptance rate such as MIT, Cornell, and Dartmouth) more than likely (although not guaranteed) some college the student applies to will want to see an SAT test score.
If the student is looking at colleges that are less selective (for example, University of Maine or Husson), the student will likely not need an SAT score when applying. But checking admission requirements is always a good idea!
If you are interested in taking the SAT, please note the test dates and registration deadlines below. For more information, please reach out to your guidance counselor.
Are you considering NCAA athletics in college?
If so, you need to register with the NCAA and meet the high school academic requirements that the NCAA sets forth. This can mean carefully planning your high school academic schedule starting in Grade 9.
Please visit the NCAA Eligibility Center for more information about eligibility process, requirements, and account registration for NCAA college bound athletes.
Here is some information to help you as you complete your community service hours needed for graduation!
Question: How many community service hours are required for graduation?
Answer: Twenty-five (25) hours, but often students turn in many more hours than that. If a student turns in one hundred (100) or more hours, they are honored during their high school graduation week for their citizenship during high school.
Question: How does a student document the hours of community service?
Answer: MHS has a community service form that students can have signed by an adult who supervised when the community service hours were completed.
Question: Can my parents sign my community service form?
Answer: No. Another adult present who can verify that the community service was completed needs to sign the form.
Question: When should I turn in the community service hour form?
Answer: MHS would recommend turning in the form after completing the activity, but if it is a recurring volunteer experience, logging the accumulated hours on one sheet is fine, turning the sheet into the Massabesic High School guidance office every two or three months. Please note that community service hours need to be turned in within four months of the date of service.
Question: If I am struggling to turn in a paper form, can I email the form?
Answer: Yes! You can email the form to allisonellis@rsu57.org
Question: Where can I find the Community Service form?
Answer: In the MHS Guidance Office or online HERE.
Question: I want to be sure I understand. Where do I turn in the community service form?
Answer: The Massabesic High School guidance office!
We are excited to partner with Mainely Teeth to bring accessible, high-quality dental care directly to our school community! Mainely Teeth is dedicated to breaking down barriers to oral health, offering compassionate preventive, basic restorative, and emergency dental care for all students regardless of ability to pay.
We are currently looking ahead to November/December for our initial visits but this will be based on registrations. To help Mainely Teeth schedule their clinic dates, please complete the registration process using the Mainely Teeth Sign Up Link to reserve a spot for your child.
August 31st, 2026
First Student Day (Grades 9 and SRTC Students)
September 1st, 2026
First Student Day (Grades 10-12)
September 4th, 2026
No School
September 7th, 2026
No School - Labor Day
September 8th, 2026
School Picture Day
NJROTC Family Night @ Auditorium (6:00-8:30pm)
September 9th, 2026
Merrimack College Visit
St. Anselm College Visit
Early Release Day (dismissal @ 11:55am)