Letter from the Principal

Dear WES families,

We have officially entered the final stretch of winter, and while March can feel like a long month, it is always full of meaningful learning and growth. Be sure to continue sending your child to school with their snow gear for recess. Students are working hard in their classrooms, and we continue to see great progress across grade levels.

We are also celebrating reading this month with Read Across America activities and special classroom literacy events. Be sure to ask your child what they’re reading and how they are growing as a reader!

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. We are looking forward to a productive and positive month ahead at Waterboro Elementary!

Respectfully,

Mrs. LeSieur- Principal

Mr. Stinson- Assistant Principal

Please remember to call the office when your child is absent. If this is not done it gets recorded as unexcused. When a child has 5 consecutive days unexcused or 7 non-consecutive unexcused absences, we are mandated to report the student to the state as truant. When planning a vacation, you must fill out the planned absence form 3 days before the absences. The form is located in our student handbook, on the WES website, and linked above.

Courage is the ability to make good choices and do what's right, even when faced with fear or obstacles.

• Trying new things

• Children can show courage by trying new things, like learning to ride a bike or entering a new social situation, even if they are scared.

• Persevering

• Children can show courage by trying to master a new skill, even if they are frustrated or other children laugh at their attempts.

• Doing the right thing

• Children can show courage by doing the right thing in difficult situations, like standing up for another child who is being bullied.

• Admitting mistakes

• Children can show courage by admitting to mistakes, like owning up to breaking a neighbor's window while playing ball.

Please make sure you review the family handbook.

February Recipients: Rosalind Caradonna, Aubree Stephenson, Reagan Brown, Ezra Potter, Gunnar Reynolds, Normand Viger, Karsen Jenness, Knight Martin, Lucas Ray, Madalynn Marocchini, Maeve Bennett, Karmin Cooper, Grant Greenleaf, Reese Black, Callie Laskey, Braxton O'Conner, Ezra Grover, Annalee Kenney, Micheal LeBruno, Sofia Palma, Gracie Aceto, Jackson Nickerson, Cayden Daney, Landon Grondin, Hunter Coffee, Avery Black, Mason Kent

February Recipients: Willow Bradford, Mazikeen Cieniewicz, Dutch Hazard, Violet Campbell, Kyland Kalesnick, Kenzie Hambleton, Emett Carlson, Daphne Ramsey, Bailey Adams, Brighton Boutin, Kailey Morrison, Rory Michaud, Harper Campbell-Perryman, Paisley Cole, Emersyn Burgess, Malayla Hernandez, Kennedy Richardson, Haven Fredericks, Audrey LaSalle, Maizy Spaulding, Ashton Cieniwicz, Olivia Neault, Peyton Sylvestre, John Reader, Kailyn Gutierrez Medina, Anna Slawiec, Griffin Swartz, Skylee DePeter, Elijah Pepin, Freya Swartz, Ellie Anderson

We are writing to share that the BusRight mobile application for real-time bus tracking and cancellation alerts now includes a Notifications Center. The Notifications Center is located on the main screen and is represented by the "bell" icon. This is where you will be able to find past and present notifications.

How Notifications Work

When a bus route is delayed or cancelled, we send a push notification via the BusRight app to your mobile device. This will appear as a banner or a message on your phone’s lock screen. Please note that BusRight does not send text messages (SMS).

When you tap on the notification, it will open the BusRight mobile app and bring you to the Notifications Center to read the full message. Messages will continue to be sent to parent emails as a secondary notification method.

Don’t have the app yet?

If you are not currently using the BusRight app for live tracking and alerts, please contact the Transportation Department at transportation@rsu57.org to request your personalized join link.

Our PreK Waitlist is now accepting names and flows through a first-come, first-served basis. If you, or someone you know, still needs to sign up for PreK, please feel free to send along the link below!

PreK and Kindergarten Registration will open on Monday, March 9th.

1)Please complete this by April 13th.

Information on the required enrollment documents and how to create an account in the ParentVUE portal are found on the Student Registration website: https://www.rsu57.org/page/registration

2) Once you have registered your child with RSU57, the District Registrar's Office will contact you following review of the registration with information to schedule a Google Meet video conference to complete the final verification steps.

Note: Registration will not be complete until you have met with the district registrar. You will receive an email with instructions on how to set up that appointment once your application has been processed.

Our 5th grade math team competed against the other RSU 57 math teams on February 12. It is with great pleasure that I highlight the following WES students:

1st place for the school- Coltin Prue

1st place for the district- Coltin Prue

2nd place for the district- Cooper Heid

3rd place for the district - Daniel Reynolds

5th place for the district - Luke Bland

I am thrilled to shared that the WES team took home the 1st place trophy for the highest score in the district. Keep making us proud!

The kindergarten students at Waterboro Elementary School recently wrapped up their exciting “K for Me” unit by diving into the fascinating world of owls. Throughout the unit, students explored owl habitats, behaviors, and the important role these nocturnal birds play in our local ecosystem.

The culminating experience was truly unforgettable! Our Assistant Principal, Mr. Stinson, visited each kindergarten classroom bringing with him a special project — a handcrafted owl nesting box he built himself. During his visit, students learned how owls in our area, particularly the Eastern Screech Owl, use nesting boxes as safe places to rest and raise their young.

Adding to the excitement, every kindergarten student had the opportunity to help assemble the nesting box. The hands-on experience brought their learning to life and sparked incredible curiosity and enthusiasm. Students were fully engaged as they connected classroom learning to a real-world conservation effort right here at Waterboro Elementary.

The nesting box will be installed in March, and we are eagerly awaiting its first visitors. We hope an Eastern Screech Owl family will choose Waterboro Elementary as their home and raise their owlets right here on our campus!

Some of our teachers have projects posted on Donor's Choose. If you would like to donate to a project, please click on the links below.

2026 Hannaford Helps Schools program will benefit Waterboro Elementary School again this year.

The 2026 program will run from April 5 to May 30.

Please read below to find out how WES can benefit.

Unlock powerful strategies to confidently support your Pre-K to 5th-grade student's learning right at home! Join us for this hands-on series designed to build your skills and confidence in crucial academic areas: reading, writing, and math.

The Best Part? Attendance is completely free, and we provide complimentary childcare and take-home resources for all participants! Sign up for one session or all three. Food will be provided for both adults and children (please indicate any food allergies on your registration).

Family Literacy: Writing Session. Tuesday, February 10, 5:30pm-7:00pm

Family Literacy: Math Session, Tuesday, March 10, 5:30pm-7:00pm

Register HERE today!

RSU 57 Operations is looking for driven, hardworking individuals to join our dynamic team. We currently have the following openings available:

-Building Maintenance Technician (district-wide)

-2nd Shift Custodian at Lyman Elementary

If you are looking for a rewarding career contributing to the student experience in your local school district, please follow the link below to apply. For additional questions, please reach out to behnbrooks@rsu57.org.

Regional School Unit 57 - Frontline Recruitment

Regional School Unit No. 57 is excited to announce that kindergarten registration for the 2026/2027 school year is officially open as of Monday, March 9, 2026. If you have a little learner ready to start their educational journey, now is the time to begin the enrollment process.

Eligibility and Deadlines

To be eligible for kindergarten, children must be 5 years old by October 15, 2026.

Parents and guardians are asked to complete the online registration process by April 17, 2026. Please note that enrollment is only considered complete once all required documents have been provided and a registration meeting has taken place.

How to Register

The registration process is handled online. Please visit rsu57.org/page/registration to get started.

• Existing Families: If you already have a student in the district, please use your existing ParentVue account to register your new kindergartner.

• Current Pre-K Students: If your child is currently enrolled in an RSU 57 Pre-K program, you do not need to register them. They will be automatically enrolled for the upcoming kindergarten school year.

Required Documentation

As part of the registration process, you will need to provide the following documents:

• Original Birth Certificate

• Immunization Records

• Court-issued Custody Paperwork (if applicable)

• Proof of Residency: This must be a current document showing your physical address, such as a mortgage statement, signed lease agreement, purchase and sales agreement, or a recent real estate tax bill.

• Note: If you are living with someone else in the district or lack a formal lease, you must provide a copy of their proof of residency along with a signed letter stating that you reside at that address.

Support and Questions

• Technical Assistance: For help with the online portal, please email parentvue@rsu57.org.

• General Inquiries: For all other questions regarding the upcoming school year, please contact your local community school.

Join us March 5th from 5:30-7:00 for our spring family literacy night.

Waterboro Elementary at the Maine Mariners
Date: Sunday, March 29th @ 3:00 PM

High Five Tunnel:

• Twenty lucky students in attendance will be able to high five the Mariners while they come onto the ice during the 1st period.

Post-Game Open Skate ⛸️: Bring your skates to check in upon arrival and enjoy an hour of skating on the ice after the game!

Part of tickets sales will be sent to WES for our field trip fund.

Purchase your tickets now via the link below.

The school calendar for next school year can be found on the district website. Click on the green button below to access the link.

Mark your calendar with these January PTO events:

March 10: PTO Meeting, 6:00 pm

April 7: PTO meeting, 6:00 pm

Encourage reading, support this child as well as the Waterboro Elementary School PTO by

making a pledge! This Read-a-thon will be based on minutes read per student between March

2nd and March 13th , 2026. Funds raised will be put towards helping to cover costs for field trips.

There are two ways to make a pledge:

1. You can sponsor a student with a flat amount. For example, if you pledge a flat donation

of $10, no matter how many minutes the student reads, you will donate $10.

2. You can pledge an amount for minutes read. For example, a student reads 500 minutes

over the span of the Read-a-thon. If you sponsored this student for five cents per

minute read, you would owe $.05 X 500 = $25. You may put a limit on any donation, just

indicate that on the pledge form.

You can pay with Venmo (see below), cash, or check. You can contribute now (if it’s a flat

donation) or at the end of the Read-a-thon on March 13th. Any checks or cash can be sent into

school with your child in the attached envelope at the end of the Read-a-thon and given to the

student’s teacher.

The student with the most minutes read in each grade will win a $20 Scholastic gift card to be used during our upcoming spring book fair!

To donate using Venmo:

https://www.venmo.com/u/WaterboroElementaryPTO

To donate by check:

Make checks payable to: Waterboro Elementary School PTO, * In the “For” section, please put “Read-a-thon for (student’s name)” *

Please email any questions to wespto@rsu57.org.

March 3 & 4: 3rd graders visit Hilltop Boilers (check teacher newsletters for date)

March 5: Kindergarten, Sparks Ark Presentation

March 5: Family Literacy Night, 5:30-7 pm

March 10: Weather at Your School, 5:40am-7:00am- bring your kids to school and they will help Ted McInerney broadcast the weather

March 10: PTO Meeting, 6pm

March 11: Early Release, dismissal 1:15 pm

March 11: School Board Meeting, 6 pm

March 13: No School Students, Staff Inservice Day

March 19: PreK Celebration of Learning, 5:30-6:00

March 20: 5th graders attend music concert at MMS

March 25: Early Release, dismissal 1:15 pm

March 25: School Board Meeting, 6 pm

March 26: 5th grade field trip to Merrill Auditorium

March 29: WES day at Maine Mariners, game time 3:00 pm, proceeds from ticket sales will benefit WES, link to purchase tickets is posted in the newsletter

April 8: Early Release, dismissal 1:15 pm

April 17-April 26: No School, April vacation

Email: kerrilesieur@rsu57.org
Website: https://waterboro.rsu57.org/
Location: 340 Sokokis Trail, East Waterboro, ME, USA
Phone: 207-247-6126