RSU 21 Community News 6-20-25

In our newest segment, The RSU 21 Community News will be highlighting anyone in our community (employee, student, or volunteer) that YOU think has done or consistently does something spectacular. To make a submission, please fill out this very brief form.

We are going to start this series with a submission that Central Office received from a "proud husband" who took the time to write the following letter. Without further ado, please join us in celebrating Laurie Ellis!

I am writing to you as the proud husband of Laurie Ellis, beloved Music Educator and Band Director at the Middle School of the Kennebunks, who has positively impacted and enriched the lives of thousands of RSU 21 students (even multi-generational now) during her 39-year tenure at MSK.

Laurie has been chosen as the only band director from Maine to march in the Band Directors Band for the upcoming Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year's Day 2026. The band is comprised of over 300 band directors from all over the country who have rehearsed for the past several months to memorize music and practice marching in preparation for the 5 and a 1/2 mile parade!

She is proud to be representing RSU 21, the State of Maine, and the many hard working and dedicated band directors within our communities throughout this nation and beyond whose passion it is to provide music education and inspire students to reach beyond their comfort levels and perceived potentials to commit to practicing and perseverance even when it is challenging. These are not just lessons learned in band, but lessons carried forward in life. She has also used this challenging experience of music memorization and the physical training necessary to march 5.5 miles while playing trumpet as a personal example to her students of how, through determination and hard work, even the seemingly impossible can be possible.

You make us so proud, Laurie!

Kennebunk Elementary School: As we head out on Holiday Break, all of us here at KES would like to wish our families and friends across our district the season's best, and both health and happiness in the new year. We are so fortunate to live in such a generous and supportive community, and we see evidence of it every day, especially during the holidays. Without your support, we wouldn't be able to do what we do. Thank you for being the foundation of our school community. We hope you enjoy this special time with your families, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back in the new year, refreshed and ready for more wonderful learning adventures together.

Mildred L. Day: We have two wonderful reasons to celebrate in our MLD community! First, we are thrilled to share that Ms. Cloutier welcomed her baby last weekend. Baby D’Lylah arrived a bit early, but both mom and baby are healthy, happy, and full of joy—a warm congratulations to their growing family! 💕 Our second celebration connects beautifully to the first. Bryce Jones, a longtime and much-valued member of our MLD staff, has completed her teacher training program with flying colors! We are so proud of her accomplishment and grateful that Mrs. Jones has stepped into Ms. Cloutier’s classroom as our long-term substitute, providing continuity, care, and expertise for our students during this time. MLD put on an amazing community meeting with well over 100 parents and community members in attendance. The morning was filled with joy as we recognized more than 70 students with PRIDE Awards, enjoyed a beautiful musical performance by four accomplished fifth graders, and were truly moved by a delightful performance from our Kindergarten and K-1 students, who ended by sharing their lights with our wonderful staff. ✨

Kennebunkport Consolidated School: We are looking forward to our annual Celebration Day next week. Students will be learning about different cultural traditions from around the world. Feel free to join us on Tuesday morning at 8:30 to hear all about the students' learning experiences. We wish everyone a happy holiday season with your families. See you next year!

Sea Road School: This week at SRS, our third grade students have been exploring holidays celebrated around the world, learning about the foods, decorations, traditions, and meanings behind celebrations such as Chinese New Year, Hanukkah, Ramadan, Holi, Divali, Kwanzaa, and Christmas. Through classroom discussions and reading, students have gained a deeper appreciation for cultural diversity and shared traditions. On Monday, classrooms will be immersed in hands-on activities designed to reinforce learning and bring each holiday to life. These interactive experiences will allow students to engage more meaningfully with the customs they have studied before heading home to enjoy their own family celebrations.

Middle School of the Kennebunks: A big shout out to the following MSK students who did an amazing job performing for the RSU 21 school board during their December 15, 2025 meeting. Landyn Maffei kicked the meeting off with the Pledge of Allegiance. Then a group of young ladies, led by MSK Seussical Director, Rebecca Caron, performed a musical selection for the school board. Students taking part in the performance were Landyn Maffei, Matilda Blakemore, Seanna Brooks and Ace McGrath. MSK will present 3 shows of Seussical that will be performed in January. Please stay tuned for the dates and times.

Kennebunk High School: This season, the Student Senate and the Student Council teamed up to sponsor "We Care" projects in November. Kennebunk High School students and teachers donated over 800 lb. of food to COS and created over 250 Thanksgiving Cards for those participating in Community Harvest. To help support the unhoused population in Portland, we collected over 40 Dunkin' gift Cards and 50 hooded sweatshirts. We are grateful for the generosity of our school community and for how we stepped up to help the greater good.

Also from KHS: Hello to the communities of Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Arundel and beyond!

My name is Shannon LeBlanc, and along with my colleague Rebecca Moy, we are reaching out for your help. This year, the 10th grade students at Kennebunk High School are going to create a memorial dedicated to former Kennebunk High School alumni who have served in the military. Our hope is to create a student driven research project where they can connect with former students from the high school and interview them about not only their experience at K.H.S., but also their involvement in the military.

The end product will be a slideshow that will be displayed in one of the hallways of K.H.S. so current students can see alumni who have performed their civic duty by serving in the U.S. military. The goal is to have a brief biography as well as a photograph for each veteran. We would also like to potentially create a link on the RSU 21 website so that others can also see the result of this project.

What we are asking is that if you have any contact information for past K.H.S. alumni or their families that served in any branch of the military (including Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, Merchant Marines, Navy, Space Force, National Guard or Reserves), to send either Rebecca or I that information. It can be either an email or a mailing address. We are hoping to assign students to various veterans during the third quarter, so that they can connect with them and interview them for the project. Thank you for taking the time to read this and please feel free to reach out to us with any questions.

Gratefully,

Shannon S. LeBlanc: sleblanc@rsu21.net

Rebecca Moy: rmoy@rsu21.net

Monday, January 12

School Board Meeting | 6:00 p.m.

*All school board and committee meetings above will take place at KES/A102 unless otherwise indicated.

Full Calendar

GO RAMS!

District Contact Information

2025-2026 School Calendar

2025-2026 Instructional Calendar

Job Postings

24/7 Hotline

Click Here

Call or Text 988 or 1-888-568-1112

Kennebunk

Kris Fogg

207-604-1394

Arundel

Wendy Lank

207-985-4201 ext. 113

Kennebunkport

207-967-4401

Kennebunk Chamber of Commerce

Laura Dolce

207-967-0857