06.20.25 - Community Newsletter
In education, we often talk about the importance of reading as it relates to a score or number: are Maine students ahead or behind national averages, do our students read at a certain “grade level” – or not? But what if we looked at reading NOT as something to be merely quantified as “below” or “above” some metric, but by the value it provides and the tangible and intangible benefits it offers!
We can start with the obvious benefits. Reading improves vocabulary. The more students, of all ages, who read, the more new words they learn. The value of an expanded vocabulary includes improved writing skills, enhanced understanding and comprehension, and increased knowledge. That’s the “academic stuff”.
There are also many softer benefits to reading. For example, reading:
Improves Concentration: At a time when kids spend more waking moments than we’d like to admit scrolling through 5-10 second video clips of songs, cute puppies and kittens, talking parrots, reading a book can help improve concentration and focus. Reading also improves memory when students are asked to talk about what they have read.
Teaches Empathy: When students read about characters in books who face adversity or overcome challenges, it taps into their own emotional responses to real-life situations, fostering empathy. It also helps readers better relate to others who are different from themselves or to understand complex social issues and injustices faced by groups they have never encountered in their own communities.
Reduces Stress: In a world filled with academic and social pressures, reading not only provides a mental break from daily stressors, according to research from the University of Minnesota, but it can also lower your heart rate, ease muscle tension, and reduce stress by up to 68 percent. Additionally, a study from the University of Sussex found that reading is more effective than listening to music or drinking hot tea.
For parents and families trying to reduce screen time and exposure to blue light before bedtime, reading is the perfect alternative, as a stress-reliever, a calming influence, and a distraction to the day’s worries.
As we head into summer, I encourage you to help the students in your lives find books they want to read. Worry more about the joy of reading and less about reading test scores. When we all read more – students and adults alike – we get better at it naturally.
The Curtis Memorial Library is a great resource. They offer a cool summer reading program for all ages, from kindergarten through grade 5 – readers and pre-readers are welcome. Children entering grades 6 and above are invited to play the Teen Summer Reading Game.
Summer is upon us!
If your child is between the ages of 14 to 15, will be working and is in need of a work permit, please complete this form - Work Permit.
Before the school year ends these forms need approval from the guidance office at your student's school. After school ends you do not need them approved by the school.
After completion, please bring this form and a copy of a birth certificate or passport to the Superintendent's Office at 20 Barrows St. Brunswick between 7 am - 3:30 pm Monday thru Friday.
From the State School Nutrition Office and USDA:
All schools participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) must promote the availability of free summer meals for children. Sponsors that do not participate in summer meals must notify families of meals available in the community by providing the following information: USDA Site Finder Map Hunger Hotline USDA Site Finder Map. While the BSD does not participate in the summer feeding program, Midcoast Hunger has sites throughout the town and local area.
Families seeking food assistance for their children can contact the USDA National Hunger Hotline, operated by Hunger Free America. The hotline can be reached Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. ET !!
SUN Bucks letters for families that are automatically enrolled will be going out next week. Please be sure to share this with school staff, as questions may be coming in. Thank you! SUN Bucks provide a $120 EBT benefit for each child who qualifies to spend on groceries while school is out. Most eligible kids will be automatically enrolled in the program and don’t have to apply. Families should keep an eye out for a letter in the mail with notice of automatic enrollment.
Questions? Visit Maine’s SUN Bucks page SUN Bucks page
Open Employment Positions:
- Anticipated Director of Instrumental Music - BJHS
- Fall Coaching Positions - BJHS and BHS
- Special Education Educational Technician 1:1 - Harriet Beecher Stowe School
- 24/25 Extended School Year Teachers - District
- 24/25 Extended School Year Educational Technicians - District
- 24/25 Extended School Year Subs - District
- Mechanic
- School Bus Drivers!!
- Apprentice/Ed Tech I & Bus Aides
- Substitute Teachers, Bus Drivers, Van Drivers, & Custodians
- ...And MORE!
We're hiring for multiple positions. Visit our website to view
all current employment opportunities!
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