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

November Letter from the Principals

 Dear Great Falls Families,

As the weather gets cooler, it's essential for all of our students to have warm winter gear. We want to ensure your child stays warm this season and can enjoy the fresh air and outdoor activities that winter offers. If financial resources are tight and purchasing winter items like coats, snow pants, boots, hats, and mittens is challenging, please contact our school social worker, Jaime Denham, directly at 222-1168 or via email at jaime.denham@gorhamschools.org for assistance. We understand this can be a stressful time of year, and we’re here to help.

Additionally, with the holidays approaching, we want to provide resources for families interested in sharing a meal with the community. Many local organizations are offering holiday meals in a welcoming, family-style setting. You can find details here: Local Holiday Meals.

We also recognize that gift-giving during the holidays can be challenging. To support our families, we’ve compiled a list of local and regional organizations that offer assistance with holiday gifts for children. Many of these resources have application deadlines, so if this support would benefit your family, please reach out to the agency directly: Local & Regional Holiday Gift Support.

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

October Letter from the Principals

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Dear Great Falls Families,

Family conferences are just around the corner, and we can't wait to welcome all of our families back to campus! In conjunction with conference week, we are excited to host the Scholastic Book Fair on the stage area during the following dates and times:

• Monday, October 21st from 3:30-5:00 PM

• Tuesday, October 22nd from 3:30-5:00 PM

• Wednesday, October 23rd from 1:00-6:00 PM

• Thursday, October 24th from 3:30-5:00 PM

• Friday, October 25th from 8:00 AM-12:00 PM

We are so lucky to have many great family volunteers at Great Falls!  We greatly appreciate those who are able to give their time and encourage you to consider getting involved in our school community too! Perhaps you want to volunteer in your child’s classroom, clean up our gardens, or attend and support on a school field trip. If you're interested in any type of volunteering in our building, please fill out the form provided here.

Last week we kicked off our SOCKTOBER campaign and are excited to surpass our goal of collecting 1,000 pairs of new socks for Maine Needs!! Thank you in advance for your participation in this important compassion campaign!

Here are some important upcoming dates to mark on your calendar:

• SOCKTOBER - October 10th - 24th: Please bring in new socks for our "Compassion" campaign!

• Monday, October 21st: Kids Clubs Session #2

• Monday, October 21-Friday, October 25: Bus Driver Appreciation Week

• Wednesday, October 23rd: Early Release Day – students dismissed at 12 pm; PM Creative Arts

• Wednesday, October 23rd: Family Conferences – 1 pm-6 pm

• Friday, October 25th: Family Conferences – 8 am-12 pm

• Monday, October 28th: Kids Clubs Session #3

• Monday, November 4th: Kids Clubs Session #4

• Tuesday, November 5th: Staff In-Service Day/ No School for Students

• Friday, November 8th: Picture Retake Day

• Monday, November 11th: Veterans Day/ No School 

• Wednesday, November 13th: School Committee Meeting 7pm

• Monday, November 18th: Kids Clubs Session #5

• Wednesday, November 27th-29th: Thanksgiving Break and End of Trimester 1

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

Dear Great Falls Families,

As the school year begins, here are some important updates:

NWEA Testing:

• NWEA testing starts this week for grades 3-5.

• K-2 students will take NWEA-MAP assessments (Kindergarten will not be tested in the fall).

• These tests adjust in difficulty to accurately measure progress and are used to assess student learning.

Volunteering:

• Register HERE each school year to volunteer.

• Forms are on our website, and an annual online orientation is required.

• Register early to ensure timely processing of background checks for volunteering in the classroom or on field trips.

Attendance:

• Regular attendance is crucial for success.

• Planned absences can be excused with pre-approval using this designated form.

Upcoming Events:

• Back to School Picnic: Thursday, September 26th, 5:30-6:30 pm. Enjoy food trucks, live music, and face painting.

• Photo Day: Friday, September 27th.

• Parent/Guardian, Student, and Teacher Conferences: Conferences will be held over two weeks. We have allocated the evening of Wednesday, October 23rd, and the day of Friday, October 25th for K-5 conferences. You can schedule your conference via the PTCFast online scheduler starting Wednesday, October 9th at 8:00 am. All conferences will be in person unless otherwise requested.

Thank you for your support and cooperation.

Warm regards,
Becky Fortier and Deanna Etienne
Great Falls Administrators

Dear Kindergarten Families,

We hope you’re soaking up the summer sun and having a blast! As we get ready for an awesome new school year, here are some key dates and events to mark on your calendar.

For the latest summer updates and school supply lists, keep an eye on the News from the Great Falls Office. You can find the Kindergarten supply list HERE.

Important Dates:

• Monday, August 19th: The Great Falls Office opens! Our wonderful front office secretaries, Julie Murray and Kristal Goff, are excited to kick off a fantastic school year. Need assistance? Call us at 222-1050 or email at greatfallsschool@gorhamschools.org.

• Wednesday, August 28th: Kindergarten Screening for all registered kindergarten students.

• Friday, August 30th: No School.

• Monday, September 2nd: Labor Day - No School.

• Tuesday, September 3rd: Kindergarten Open House from 5:30-6:30 p.m.

• Wednesday, September 4th: First Day of School for Kindergarten!

We’re thrilled to welcome all our new and returning students and families for an exciting school year ahead. If you have any questions or need more information, feel free to contact us at becky.fortier@gorhamschools.org and deanna.etienne@gorhamschools.org. Don’t forget to add the Great Falls Family Google Calendar  to stay in the loop with our events.

Warm regards, 

Becky Fortier and Deanna Etienne
Great Falls Administrators

 

Summer Check In

Dear Families,

We hope this letter finds you well and enjoying your summer. As we prepare for the upcoming school year, we want to provide you with a schedule of important dates and events to help you plan accordingly. For updates throughout the summer, including school supply lists, please check the News from the Great Falls Office.

Monday, August 19th: The Great Falls Office is OPEN

Tuesday, August 20th: Optional New Student School Tours 1:00-3:00 p.m. by appointment

Wednesday, August 21st: Optional New Student School Tours 1:00-3:00 p.m. by appointment

Friday, August 23rd: NEW Staff Orientation

Monday, August 26th: Staff In-Service Day #1

Tuesday, August 27th:

• Staff In-Service Day #2

• Grades 1-5 Open House 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, August 28th: Kindergarten Screening

Thursday, August 29th: First Day of School Grades 1-5

Friday, August 30th: No School

Monday, September 2nd: Labor Day/ No School

Tuesday, September 3rd:

• School Resumes Grades 1-5

• Kindergarten Open House 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, September 4th: First Day of School for Kindergarten

We are excited to welcome new and returning students and families to the upcoming school year. If you have any questions or need further information, please contact school administrators at becky.fortier@gorhamschools.org and deanna.etienne@gorhamschools.org.  

Warm regards,

Becky Fortier and Deanna Etienne
Great Falls Administrators