I would like to highlight and personally thank the Biddeford High School (BHS) Student Council for continuing their tradition of giving back by organizing the Second Annual Thanksgiving Food Basket Drive. With help from students, staff, and community supporters, we assembled and delivered 103 Thanksgiving meal baskets filled with holiday staples like turkey, stuffing, and vegetables to families across Biddeford, Saco, and Dayton.

Support from parents, staff, and organizations like the Biddeford Education Foundation (BEF), Aid for Saco Kids Foundation (ASK), Brown Dog Carriers, Volk Packaging, and Poland Spring made the initiative possible. It was heartwarming to deliver Thanksgiving meals to help our families, and I am proud to live in a community where we work together to ensure our students’ needs are met.

As we prepare to wrap up 2024, I want to express my gratitude for the incredible sense of community in our schools. From holiday-giving initiatives to student performances and celebrations, these efforts remind us of the values we share: kindness, compassion, and connection. I wish you all a season filled with warmth and joy. Thank you for supporting our students, staff, and families throughout the year.

Happy Holidays!

Jeremy Ray

Superintendent of Schools

Dayton Community Club presents Holiday Movie Night featuring The Polar Express on Friday, December 6th at the Dayton Consolidated School Gym. Doors open at 5:30pm with the movie starting at 6pm with free popcorn and a bake sale! Admission is $5 per family or one (1) bag of returnables (Clynk bag is appreciated but not necessary).

Click on the image to enlarge or for more information, email daytoncommunityclub@gmail.com.

Biddeford Middle School invites you to experience the rich diversity of cultures from around the globe at the Biddeford Rising event on Thursday, December 12th, from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM at BMS. Students will showcase interactive exhibits featuring flags, traditional clothing, art, music, and more from the following countries: Angola, Australia, Bahamas, Brazil, Canada, Djibouti, France, Germany, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Ireland/Nigeria, Iraq, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Philippines, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Spain, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, and Zimbabwe.

This free event is open to the public, and all are encouraged to attend. Bring your family and friends to join the celebration and immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, and cultures of the world—right here in Biddeford.

As we embrace the crisp days of Fall, many in our community are enjoying the traditions that come with hunting season here in York County—one of Maine’s most active regions for outdoor sportsmen. Alongside these cherished pastimes, which my son and I enjoy, it’s vital for all of us to keep safety at the forefront of our minds. This time of year provides an important opportunity to discuss gun safety and the steps we can all take to keep our homes and families safe.

If you have firearms in your home, practicing secure storage is a critical way to prevent accidents and tragedies. Responsible gun owners recognize the importance of storing firearms in a way that makes them inaccessible to children and other at-risk individuals.

Did You Know?

• Over 700 children die by gun suicide each year, often using guns that belong to family members.

• Nearly 350 children unintentionally shoot themselves or others each year.

• One-third of these incidents could be prevented with secure storage.

What is Secure Firearm Storage?

1. Unload: Remove all ammunition from firearms, including chambered rounds.

2. Lock: Secure guns using a locking device, such as a trigger lock, or store them in a locked safe or lockbox.

3. Separate: Store ammunition in a secure location away from firearms.

Why Secure Storage Matters

Research shows that households that lock both firearms and ammunition reduce the risk of firearm-related injuries by up to 85% among children. Modern storage solutions—like lockboxes with biometric authentication—allow quick access for responsible owners while keeping firearms out of the hands of unauthorized individuals.

By adopting these simple, proven practices, we can work together to create a safer community for everyone. Let’s ensure that the traditions we pass down to our children include a commitment to safety and responsibility.

The 2025 Clean Water Week Poster Contest– “Why Water’s Worth it to ME!”– is now open for all Maine students! First prizes of $100 are given in the following categories: Grades 1-3, 4-6, 7-8, and 9-12.

• WHO: Any student in a Maine School, Grades 1-12.
  
  

• WHAT: A poster no larger than 22" x 28" in a horizontal format, which illustrates what clean water means to you or why you think clean water is important to the State of Maine (ME). Use crayons, markers, paints, or another format. (Tip: Colorful posters are judges’ favorites!)

• WHEN: All posters must be received by mail or via the online form by Friday, March 21, 2025.
  
  

• HOW: Please choose only one option for your submission.

• Option 1: Mail your poster and the Poster Contest Entry Form Send or deliver your poster with the poster contest entry form attached to: C/O MEWEA, 2025 Clean Water Week Contest, Maine Municipal Association, 60 Community Drive, Augusta, ME 04330

• Option 2: Submit your poster via the online entry form (new for 2025!) Visit https://www.memun.org/MEWEA-Poster-Contest to submit your entry.

Questions? Visit www.mewea.org or contact Alex Buechner at alex.buechner@biddefordmaine.org

The Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI), through the Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) Office of Teaching and Learning, is excited to announce a T-shirt design competition for the Maine Winter Classic, MLTI’s virtual statewide student conference. This contest is open to all students in MLTI schools with designs due by January 3, 2025.

Students who would like to participate are invited to create a design for the official T-shirt that will be distributed statewide to thousands of students during the Maine Winter Classic, scheduled for the week of March 3, 2025. This conference offers an engaging, game-based learning experience for students as they “travel” across a virtual gameboard, completing various tasks and earning tokens while exploring topics like computer science, digital citizenship, digital design, and gamification.

The Maine DOE is looking forward to selecting a student design for these T-shirts (which will also be available in youth sizes this year). You can review the eligibility and submission guidelines for the T-shirt design competition here. For FAQ’s, click here. Please submit your entry using this 2025 MLTI Student Conference T-Shirt Design Competition Submission Form.