Community Newsletter

February is Black History Month here in Brunswick, but in reality, it goes beyond February and is more than a celebration. As Superintendent of Schools, I am committed to expanding our curriculums so that they reflect the legacy of Black Americans whose power to lead, overcome, and expand the meaning and practice of American democracy is mirrored in our curriculum.

Due to the dangerously cold weather coming this weekend, The Gathering Place in Brunswick has advertised they will be open on the following schedule for overnight warming/sheltering:

Friday, 2/3/23: 6 PM to 8 AM

Saturday, 2/4/23: 8 PM to 8 AM

Their regular daytime hours are M-F 8:30 am-3 pm, Saturday 8:30 am-12pm.

They have the capacity to hold up to 75 individuals and have instructed the public to

call as needed to 207-729-0288.

BSD and our Strategic Planning partner, Hanover Research, administered a Strategic Planning Community Survey to measure stakeholder perceptions of key priority areas for the next strategic plan, which items should be considered during the strategic planning process, and stakeholder satisfaction with district progress toward goals.

Click here to read the complete results from the survey.

For kids in the Brunswick School Department and in the greater Brunswick community, having a place to go outside of school where they can have fun, feel safe and, most importantly, feel seen can make the difference between being happy and healthy or not. Whether it’s after school or during the summer, the Brunswick Area Teen Center is a safe haven for young people and I’ve seen the effects it has on our students.

Stacy Frizzle-Edgerton – executive director of People Plus, which runs the Teen Center – tells me, “When kids come here, they just blossom. They often come in quiet and shy, but it never takes longer than two weeks for them to relax, let down their guard and become part of the group.”

Click here to read the full article from Superintendent Potenziano.

Stop by Gelato Fiasco in Brunswick on Monday, February 6, 2023 to support the BHS music program.

75% of profits from all dishes, pints and coffee will be donated to BHS. Don't forget to mention the BHS music program for your purchase to count towards donations!

Cooking with Culture: A Celebration of Brunswick's Diversity

Brunswick’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Committee is excited to invite community members to share their culturally significant recipes for the purpose of celebrating our community’s diversity through food. We appreciate the myriad of traditions, cultures, and diverse lived experiences present in Brunswick’s population and seek to build a collective understanding of the cultural traditions in our community through this fun and engaging opportunity!

We hope to compile these recipes into a digital format and, later, a Community Cookbook.

When sharing your recipe, please consider including a sentence or two describing why the recipe is important to you.

To submit a recipe, please either:

• Email it directly to Erin Duguay, eduguay@brunswicksd.org;

• Submit it via a Google Form available HERE or select another language below;

• Send it with your child to school, attention Erin Duguay;

• Mail it or Drop it off at the Superintendent’s Office, attention Erin Duguay, 46 Federal Street, Brunswick, ME 04011.

To submit your recipe via Google Forms, click your language below:

• Portuguese
• Swahili
• Mandarin
• French
• Lingala
• Lao
• Pashto
• Spanish
• Dari

Thank you to those that have already submitted a recipe!

We would love to receive more.

Gabrielle LaPerriere

Assistant Principal at Kate Furbish Elementary School

Gabrielle lives with her husband, Dylan, and their daughter, McKenna. They also have two dogs, Bowden and Riley. Gabrielle was born in Maine but has also lived in North Carolina and Japan. She attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as well as the University of Maine at Farmington.

What makes you proud to work in Brunswick? #BSDProud

I'm proud to work for a learning community that emphasizes the critical importance of equity and inclusion.

What do you like to do outside of work for fun?

I enjoy being with family, playing field hockey, and spending time at the beach.

Favorite line from a movie?

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear." - Princess Diaries

If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet?

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

We're hiring for multiple positions. Visit our website to view all current

employment opportunities or click the image above!

Open Positions Include:

• Groundskeeper
• Long Term Subs
• District ESOL Teacher
• Ed Techs
• Full Time Bus Driver
• Substitute Van Drivers
• Substitute Custodians
• Lacrosse Coaches
• Track and Field Coach
• Tennis Coach

The Spring/Summer 2023 catalog has been published! We have an amazing line-up of classes, workshops, and special events for the Spring Summer 2023 catalog season! Look for your print catalog in mailboxes next week!

Interested in current events? Check out the Spotlight on Ukraine program! Interested in art therapy classes? Check out Healing Through Art! Interested in building a family tree? Check out Genealogy I & Genealogy II this summer!

Additionally, Merrymeeting Youth & Family Programs is back this year with a more diverse selection of kid's summer camps.