RSU 57 Community Newsletter

Dear RSU 57 Community,

As we begin the 2025–2026 school year, I want to extend a heartfelt welcome to all of our students, families, and staff—both new and returning. Whether you're joining us for the first time or have been part of our district for decades, we are thrilled to have you with us.

We are especially excited to invite families to our district-wide Open Houses on Thursday, August 28. These events are a wonderful opportunity to meet teachers and staff, explore classrooms, and get ready for a successful year. We encourage all families to attend their school’s Open House and take advantage of this opportunity to connect and engage before the first day of school.

Students throughout the district will have a staggered start to help ensure a smoother transition and allow for more focused support for our students. Grades 1–9 (including SRTC and BRCOT) will begin school Tuesday, September 2. All remaining grades start Wednesday, September 3.

As we look ahead, I want to thank every department—educators, support staff, and administrators—for the incredible work done over the summer. From hiring outstanding new staff and finalizing critical facility upgrades, to delivering 30,000 meals to students, their dedication is what sets RSU 57 apart.

Guided by the RSU 57 Strategic Plan, our mission remains focused on providing meaningful, authentic learning experiences for every student, every day. We are deeply grateful for the continued support, trust, and partnership of our families and community—together, we make a lasting impact on the lives of our students.

Thank you for your continued partnership and belief in our shared vision.

Here’s to a fantastic school year!

Warmly,
Dr. Stephen Marquis
Superintendent of Schools - RSU 57

Starting with the 2025-26 school year, we is thrilled to announce the implementation of a new transportation routing software called BusRight. This innovative app will transform the way families stay connected with their child’s bus journey.

With BusRight, parents and guardians can:

Track the bus route in real-time to and from school
Receive notifications when the bus begins and ends its route
View expected arrival times at your child’s designated bus stop
Get timely communications from the Transportation Department about schedule changes or route cancellations

To get started, invitations to join the BusRight app will be sent directly to your email on Monday, August 18, from support@busright.com. Look for the subject line: “You’re Invited to BusRight.”

We recommend downloading the BusRight mobile app to your smartphone ahead of receiving the invitation email so you’ll be ready to activate your account as soon as the invitation arrives. Please check your email carefully for full details and instructions.

We are confident that BusRight will make your child’s bus experience safer, more transparent, and easier to manage. Thank you for partnering with RSU 57 to support our ongoing efforts to enhance student transportation services.

We are excited to welcome families to our annual Open Houses on Thursday, August 28, 2025! This is a great opportunity to visit your child’s school, meet teachers and staff, explore classrooms, and get ready for a fantastic school year ahead.

Here are the scheduled Open House times for each school:

5:00 PM – Waterboro Elementary School
5:00 PM – Shapleigh Memorial School
5:00 PM – Lyman Elementary School
5:00 PM – Line Elementary School
5:00 PM – Alfred Elementary School (AES)
5:30 PM – Massabesic Middle School (MMS)
6:00 PM – Massabesic High School (MHS)

We encourage all families to attend their respective school’s Open House to meet staff, ask questions, and get familiar with the school environment before the first day of classes. Whether you’re new to the district or returning, this event is a wonderful way to kick off the new school year.

We look forward to seeing you there!

As we prepare for another exciting school year at RSU 57, please take note of the first day of school schedule for all grade levels:

Tuesday, September 2, 2025 — First day of school for students in Grades 1 through 9, including those attending the Southern Regional Technical Center (SRTC) and Biddeford Regional Center of Technology (BRCOT).
Wednesday, September 3, 2025 — All grades will be in session, including all students in Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and Grades 10 through 12.

This staggered start helps ensure a smooth transition and allows staff to provide focused attention to each group of students.

We look forward to welcoming all students back to our campuses and beginning a year full of learning, growth, and achievement. Be sure to mark your calendars!