Welcome August! Important Great Falls Back-to-School Info

Dear Great Falls Families,

Welcome to August! The air today has a hint of fall, but there are still plenty of summer days left to enjoy before school begins. We wanted to take a moment to share some important dates and helpful information as we prepare for the upcoming school year.

The Great Falls office will reopen full-time starting Monday, August 18th. Please feel free to stop in or give us a call for assistance with registration, enrollment, or any other questions you may have. You can also reach our office team by email at greatfallsschool@gorhamschools.org.

We’re excited to offer optional school tours on Thursday, August 21st, for families and students who are new to Great Falls. A separate sign-up link was emailed last week, and we’ll do our best to accommodate all requests.

Open House for Grades 1-5 will take place on Wednesday, August 27th from 5:30–6:30 p.m. This is a great opportunity to visit classrooms, meet teachers, say hello to administrators, explore creative arts, and connect with friends on the playground.

The first day of school for Grades 1–5 is Thursday, August 28th. Supply lists can be found under the News tab on our school website: https://greatfalls.gorhamschools.org/ (Scroll down on the "News from the Office" page to view all lists.)

Please note there will be no school on Monday, September 1st, in observance of Labor Day.

For our Kindergarten families: Kindergarten Open House will be held on Tuesday, September 2nd from 5:30–6:30 p.m. The first day of school for Kindergarten students will be Wednesday, September 3rd.

You can view the full 2024–2025 district calendar here: School Calendar PDF

Our first early release day will be Wednesday, September 17th, with dismissal at 12:00 p.m.

We’re also thrilled to announce our Back-to-School Picnic on Thursday, September 25th from 5:30–7:00 p.m. Mark your calendars for a fun evening with our school community!

To stay up to date with all things Great Falls, be sure to follow us:
📘 Facebook: Great Falls Parent Connection
📸 Instagram: @great.falls.elementary.school
📰 Principal Blog: News from the Great Falls Principal

We are looking forward to a fantastic year ahead and building strong partnerships with each of you. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us directly at becky.fortier@gorhamschools.org or deanna.etienne@gorhamschools.org.

Warmly,
Becky Fortier & Deanna Etienne
Great Falls Administrators

 

June 5, 2025

Dear Families,

As we enter the final week of the school year, we want to take a moment to reflect on what a wonderful year it has been—full of academic growth, learning beyond the classroom, and so much more!

Here’s a look at what to expect in the coming week:

• Final Academic Check-Ins: Students will be wrapping up the year with final check-ins. Report cards will be sent home on the last day of school, Friday, June 13. Please note that dismissal will be at 12:00 PM on that day.
  
  

• 5th Grade End-of-Year Celebration: On Monday, June 9, we will celebrate our 5th graders with a special end-of-year event and picnic lunch. Families are welcome to join us for the picnic portion from 12:15–1:00 PM.
  
  

• Remote Learning – Tuesday, June 10: Great Falls will serve as a polling place for the FY25 School Budget Public Referendum. To ensure safety and reduce disruptions, all students will learn remotely from home on this day. Please remember to get out and vote!
  
  

• Middle School Step-Up Day – Wednesday, June 11: Our 5th-grade students will visit Gorham Middle School for their official step-up day. They’ll spend time getting to know their future teachers and classmates.
  
  

• K–4 Step-Up Day – Thursday, June 12: Students in grades K–4 will visit their new classrooms and meet their teachers and classmates for the upcoming school year.

These final days are always exciting and meaningful for our students. We’ve truly enjoyed watching them grow this year and are already looking forward to the adventures that await in the fall. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to us anytime at becky.fortier@gorhamschools.org or deanna.etienne@gorhamschools.org.

Warm regards,
Becky Fortier and Deanna Etienne
Great Falls Administrators

 

May 22, 2025

Dear Families,

We’re excited to remind you that our Field Day experiences kick off next week at the University of Southern Maine Field House in Gorham! This annual district-wide, grade-level event is a highlight of the school year, and our students are looking forward to the fun and celebration.

Field Day Schedule:

• Wednesday, May 28 – Grade 2
  
  

• Thursday, May 29 – Grade 1
  
  

• Friday, May 30 – Kindergarten
  
  

• Monday, June 2 – Grade 3
  
  

• Tuesday, June 3 – Grade 4
  
  

• Wednesday, June 4 – Grade 5

All events will take place at the USM Field House in Gorham.

Volunteer positions have already been filled—thank you to everyone who offered their time and support!

Families are welcome to attend as spectators. Please be aware that parking on the USM Gorham campus may be limited and does require a fee. For detailed parking information, including lot locations and payment instructions, please refer to this document.

Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to a fun and memorable week with our students! If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to us anytime at becky.fortier@gorhamschools.org or deanna.etienne@gorhamschools.org.

Warm regards,
Becky Fortier and Deanna Etienne
Great Falls Administrators

 

Dear Great Falls Families,

We are heading into the busiest and most exciting time of the school year — the final four weeks! I’d like to take this opportunity to highlight the key events happening during the upcoming week:

• Kids' Club Mornings: We have just two Kids' Club mornings left this year, with one of them happening this Monday. We hope your children have enjoyed the fun and engaging before-school opportunities.
  
  

• Testing Updates: NWEA testing is wrapping up soon, and our Grade 5 Science MEAs will take place this week.
  
  

• Chorus and Band Performance: On Tuesday, May 20th, our Grades 4/5 Chorus students and Grade 5 Band students will be performing at Gorham High School at 6:00 p.m. We hope you can join us to celebrate their hard work and talent!
  
  

• Early Release Day: Wednesday, May 21st is an early release day. Students will be dismissed at 12:00 p.m. On this day, we will also host our final “Adopt a Classroom” session with Gorham High School. This program has been a wonderful way to build relationships between our elementary and high school students.
  
  

• Field Trip Season: We are in the midst of field trip season, and students are enjoying rich learning experiences beyond the classroom — from exploring new places to engaging in career-focused ASPIRE opportunities. It's been a fantastic time of growth and exploration!
  
  

• Family Night - Spring Fling!: Thursday, May 22nd is our much-anticipated Spring Fling Family Night! Join us at 5:30 p.m. for a fun-filled evening with food trucks, games, and activities for the whole family. We can’t wait to see you there!
  
  

• Library Book Checkout: Friday will be the last day to check out library books for this school year. Please help your child return any outstanding books over the next few weeks.

We hope you enjoy the Memorial Day weekend with family and friends. Thank you for your continued support — we’re looking forward to finishing the school year strong with our amazing students! If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to us anytime at becky.fortier@gorhamschools.org or deanna.etienne@gorhamschools.org.

Warm regards,
Becky Fortier and Deanna Etienne
Great Falls Administrators

Letter Regarding Trimester 2 Report Cards

 Dear K-5 Families,

We hope you had a meaningful experience during the recent family/teacher/student conferences. It’s always a pleasure to discuss your child’s progress and participate in the goal-setting process together. Witnessing the growth from the fall to the spring conferences is truly exciting!

As a reminder, the second trimester grading period ended on March 14th. Your child’s report card will be sent home in their backpack tomorrow, Friday, March 28th.

Please note that all assessments are aligned with our standards, and students receive feedback on their proficiency in these areas. Scores are based solely on the assessments from each trimester, with multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate their understanding throughout the year. Additionally, "Skills for Life" will be reported separately from academic progress, offering a more comprehensive view of each student’s growth.

Your child’s report card will be printed by their classroom teacher and sent home with them.

Here’s a quick overview of the grading scale for your reference:

Sample K-5 Report Card Scale

• 4 = Distinguished
  
  

• 3.5 = Exceeding Proficiency
  
  

• 3 = Proficient (Right on target!)
  
  

• 2.5 = Approaching Proficiency
  
  

• 2 = Developing
  
  

• 1 = Emergent
  
  

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to support both you and your child’s learning journey.

Sincerely,
Becky Fortier, Great Falls Principal

March Letter from the Principals

 Dear Great Falls Families,

We hope you enjoyed attending our recent Family Conferences. Spring conferences are always a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with your child's teacher and learn about their progress. We were delighted to hear about the presentations, work showcases, and student-led discussions about their learning.

We have several upcoming events to share with you:

• Wednesday, March 26th, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM: We will be hosting our next PIE meeting at Narragansett Elementary School. This session, "Navigating Childhood Beyond the Screen," is one you won't want to miss! Childcare and food will be provided.

• Friday, March 28th: Trimester 2 report cards will be sent home. Please check your child's backpack for this important update on student progress.

• Tuesday, April 1st: Our grade 5 band students will be performing. This event is sure to be a crowd-pleaser!

• Wednesday, April 2nd: This is an early release day. Students will be dismissed at 12:00 PM.

• Tuesday, April 8th: Our grades 4/5 chorus concert will be held at Gorham High School. Always a musical treat!

The 2025-2026 school calendar has been finalized and is available here for your viewing. Please note the start of school and vacation weeks. 

We’re committed to keeping you updated with the latest school events and resources. You can also find important information in the Great Falls News from the Office, emailed to families every Thursday.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to us anytime at becky.fortier@gorhamschools.org or deanna.etienne@gorhamschools.org.

Warm regards,
Becky Fortier and Deanna Etienne
Great Falls Administrators

February Letter from the Principal

Dear Great Falls Families,

We hope you enjoyed yesterday's snow day, whether you spent it cozy at home, playing outdoors, or simply enjoying a moment of snowy peace. Our staff is still reminiscing about the wonderful time we all had at the Great Falls Winter Family Night! The turnout was fabulous, and the community spirit, smiles, and laughter made it such an enjoyable evening for everyone.

Next week, Narragansett will be hosting our next Great Falls PIE on Thursday, February 13th, at 6 pm. The topic is "Let Them Play: Navigating Childhood Beyond Screens," and the presentation will be given by Sarah Drury and Lindsay Hanson from the Gorham Alliance for Thoughtful Technology. That same evening, we'll also be hosting our make-up chorus concert here at Great Falls. It promises to be a fun-filled evening with two great events!

We're currently immersed in the Great Falls Read-A-Thon, with tons of fun challenges happening over the next week. Today, our staff showed their support by embracing crazy hat and hair day to celebrate exceeding 25,000 reading minutes! We're quickly approaching our next milestone of 50,000 minutes, so please be sure to enroll your child in the Read-A-Thon so we can track their reading both at school and at home.

As we head into February, winter vacation is just around the corner! Winter break will be from February 17th-21st. We hope your family has a wonderful and restful break!

Our hope is to keep families updated with the latest information and school events! The most important and up to date information regarding our school community can also be found in the Great Falls News from the Office which will be emailed to families every Thursday.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to us at any time at becky.fortier@gorhamschools.org or deanna.etienne@gorhamschools.org.

Kindly,
Becky Fortier and Deanna Etienne
Great Falls Administrators

Happy New Year!

Hello Great Falls Families,

Happy New Year! We hope you had a relaxing and enjoyable break filled with cherished memories. We know transitioning back to school routines can be a bit tricky, so we've included some helpful resources to ease the process:

• Re-Establishing Your Child's Routine After Vacation (Thrive - Penn State): This article focuses on communication, positive reinforcement, and discussing any anxieties your child might have about returning. (Link)

• Smoothing the Transition: Getting Your Child Back to School After the Holiday Break (Testing Mom): This blog provides practical tips like adjusting sleep schedules, re-establishing routine activities, and preparing for schoolwork. (Link)

Looking forward to a fun and fulfilling 2025! Here are some important dates to mark on your calendars for January:

• Monday, January 6th: NWEA Winter Testing Window Opens

• Friday, January 10th: Great Falls Night at the Maine Celtics (7:00 PM) - Tickets Here: Link

• Friday, January 17th: Spirit Day! - Purple vs. Blue

• Monday, January 20th: Martin Luther King Jr. Day - No School

• Wednesday, January 22nd: Early Release Day (Dismissal at 12 PM)

• Thursday, January 30th: Winter Family Fun Night (5:30 PM - 7:00 PM)

For the latest and most important information regarding our school community, be sure to check the Great Falls News From the Office, emailed to families every Thursday. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us at becky.fortier@gorhamschools.org or deanna.etienne@gorhamschools.org.

We look forward to welcoming our students back to campus for a successful and exciting year!

Sincerely,

Becky Fortier and Deanna Etienne

Great Falls Administrators