Principal Newsletter
September 2026
Dear Fairfield Families,
We are off to a wonderful and very smooth start to the school year! It has been a joy to welcome our students back to Fairfield and see classrooms filled with learning, laughter, and a strong sense of community. Thank you for helping make the opening of the school year such a positive experience.
The first few weeks of school are an important time for teaching, practicing, and reviewing classroom and whole-school expectations. We want students to understand not only what is expected of them, but also why these expectations help create a safe, respectful, and successful learning environment. Building relationships and classroom community is also a major focus. This begins the moment students enter the building each morning.
One important part of our morning routine is Morning Meeting, which begins around 7:55–8:00 a.m. Morning Meeting helps set the stage for a successful day by giving students an opportunity to connect with their classmates and teacher, review expectations, and prepare for the learning ahead. Arriving on time allows students to be settled and ready to participate in this important part of their day.
Arrival and Dismissal
We truly appreciate everyone's efforts with morning arrival. This has been one of our smoothest starts to a school year, and we know that is in large part because so many of our families are familiar with our routines and expectations.
A few reminders help us maintain safe and efficient procedures:
- Parents and caregivers are not permitted on the playground during morning arrival. This allows our staff to maintain appropriate supervision and helps students develop independence as they begin their school day.
- Please help us keep parking spaces available during arrival and dismissal by moving along once your child has been safely dropped off or picked up. Many families rely on the parking lot during these busy times, and keeping spaces open allows more families to park, safely get their children into the building, and keeps traffic moving efficiently.
- If you are planning to use the playground after school, we ask that you arrive closer to the end of our dismissal window, around 2:15 p.m., whenever possible. This helps us keep spaces available for families who are still picking up students and supports a smooth and safe dismissal process. Thank you for helping us keep the flow of traffic moving and making parking available for all of our families.
Thank you for helping us maintain a smooth arrival and dismissal process. These routines make a big difference for our students and staff.
Learning at Fairfield
This year, we are excited to implement CKLA (Core Knowledge Language Arts) in Kindergarten through Grade 2, along with K for ME in our kindergarten classrooms. CKLA is a rigorous, knowledge-rich literacy program designed to build strong foundational reading skills while developing students' vocabulary, background knowledge, comprehension, and ability to think deeply about what they read.
Families play an important role in supporting this work at home. Some of the most powerful things you can do are also the simplest: establishing strong routines, making sure children get plenty of sleep, providing opportunities for play and physical activity, reading together, and setting healthy limits around technology. These everyday habits help children arrive at school ready to learn and sustain their learning throughout the day.
Stay Connected!
We are fortunate to have such a fantastic parent group through our PTO. Our first PTO meeting will be held on Thursday, September 24th at 6:00 p.m. We hope many of you will consider joining us and becoming part of our Fairfield community.
We are also looking forward to our first Book Fair in early October! More information about the Book Fair and an upcoming family night will be coming soon.
Thank you for partnering with us as we begin another school year. It truly takes a village to support children, and we are grateful to have Fairfield families as part of that village. Please know that we are here to support you and your child. If there is something we can do to help your family or support your child's learning at home, please reach out.
We are looking forward to a wonderful year together!
Warmly,
Wendy LeBlanc
Principal, Fairfield School
FLU VACCINE CLINICS
Our Flu Clinics will look a little different this year than in years past. We will be offering them on a larger scale rather than by individual schools. We are partnering with MaineHealth to provide flu clinics to our staff, students, and families this year (see the dates/times below). Please print the TWO forms below and bring the completed forms to the clinic with you. If you need a copy sent home, please contact the school nurse directly.
CK Burns School - September 30 (12pm-3pm) - Open to students, staff, and families
Saco Middle School - October 21 (12:30pm-4pm) - Open to students, staff, and families
Parents must complete all fields on the form, so please use NA if it doesn’t apply. Although the vaccine is provided at no charge for children under the age of 18, there is a cost to administer the vaccine so please include accurate insurance information if available. There is no out-of-pocket cost for children; those without insurance will be vaccinated with the appropriate form completed. Children presenting with an incomplete form will not receive their vaccine.
BIDDEFORD & SACO RISING FAMILY ENGAGEMENT NIGHT
Join us for the Biddeford & Saco Rising Family Engagement Event on Thursday, September 17, from 4:30-6:30 PM at Biddeford High School’s Cafeteria. This event is all about fostering community connections between our schools and families. Free childcare, translators, community resources, and light refreshments.
For more information, click here.
Download the School's Mobile App
Stay informed by downloading the school district’s mobile app! It will allow parents to choose the school(s) they would like to get notifications from, see the dining menu quickly, access the live feed, sports schedules and scores, important documents, emergency notifications, and more! Simply download the relevant app at the link below:
Download for Android: https://aptg.co/kx9G4g
Download for iPhone: https://aptg.co/Tly4Kp
Free Food Distribution
Click Image to Enlarge
Free Clothing Closet
Click Image to Enlarge
STRATEGIC PLAN SETS THE COURSE FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS
As families may have noticed, new banners have been placed at the entrances of our school reflecting Saco Schools’ new Strategic Plan. This roadmap will guide our priorities and decision-making over the next five years while keeping students at the center of our work. The plan highlights our mission, vision, and three key focus areas: Engagement and Well-Being, Rigorous and Collaborative Learning, and Responsible Use of Resources. We look forward to sharing more about this work throughout the year and how these priorities are taking shape within our school. The full Strategic Plan is on the District website and linked here.