Happy New Year!

Dear Great Falls Families,

As we turn the page to a new year, we hope to fill our classrooms and hallways with the vibrant energy of learning, the warmth of kindness, and the sparkle of pure joy. May this year be one where knowledge blossoms, where curiosity drives every question, and every discovery ignites a passion for exploration. Let's make our school a haven for open minds and open hearts, where differences are celebrated and kindness becomes the guiding compass of every interaction. Let's make this year one where positivity becomes contagious, spreading like laughter through the halls, and where every day is an opportunity to build each other up and create a stronger, more vibrant community. Happy 2024!

Dress for Winter: This is a reminder that all students should come to school with appropriate clothing for spending time outside each day. We recommend that students in grades K-5 wear hats, gloves or mittens, boots, and a warm jacket to play outside. K-3 students should also pack snow pants if they plan on playing in the snow and in the fields. Those without the proper winter gear will be limited to the blacktop areas when snow is present in order to keep our students warm and dry. 

School Calendar: 2023 - 2024 Calendar

Friday, January 5th: Great Falls Night at the Maine Celtics 

Join the Great Falls staff and students for a super fun event! The Maine Celtics have invited Great Falls to the Portland Expo for a very special night of fun! Every ticket holder will receive a free Maine Celtics hat and $2 from every ticket purchased will be donated to Great Falls Elementary School. Wear your Great Falls gear and join the fun! Tickets are selling out fast and can be purchased at https://fevo-enterprise.com/event/GreatFalls.

Monday, January 15th: No School/ Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Wednesday, January 17th: Early Release Day/ Students are dismissed at noon.

Thursday, January 18th: Great Falls Winter Family Fun Night 5:30-7:30 p.m. 

During this family and community event, our students will be able to pick up their clay projects. There will be fun activities for all to enjoy including a bouncy obstacle course, winter art projects, read-alouds, face painting, fitness breaks, and a bake sale. Please consider donating baked items for our sale by signing up HERE. We hope to see our Great Falls families at our family fun night!

“Kindness in Clay” Project

K-5 students completed a unique clay project during their art class with Mrs. Rimkunas and Mrs. Burton. Our “Kindness in Clay” project is based loosely on “The Empty Bowl Project” which is an international grassroots effort to fight hunger. The basic premise is simple: students create handcrafted pieces that they keep as a reminder of all the empty bowls and bellies in the world. The money raised is always donated to an organization working to end hunger and food insecurity. With that in mind, Great Falls will be donating 50% of donations to the Gorham Food Pantry and 50% of donations to future Great Falls projects of kindness within our school community. Please support our acts of kindness by donating any amount to purchase your student’s clay project.  The donation form is found HERE. All students will receive their projects to take, regardless of donation. Project pick-up will take place at the Great Falls Winter Family Fun Night on January 18th.

The most important 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. We hope to keep families updated with the latest information and school events. 

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. Wishing you all a year filled with the magic of learning, the strength of kindness, and the radiant glow of happiness. Happy New Year, everyone!

Kindly,

Becky Fortier and Deanna Etienne

Great Falls Administrators

 

Hello Great Falls Families,

It’s hard to believe it is already November! The days are shorter, and they sure are flying by! We will soon be wrapping up the 1st trimester of our academic year, and we have some information to share with you for the upcoming weeks.

Great Falls “DECK” Day, November 20th: Great Falls 1st ever “DECK” (Drop Everything and Cultivate Kindness) Day! On this day we will spend time as a Great Falls school community painting rocks with pictures and inspirational words. The rocks will be displayed on the Great Falls campus. We also encourage our students and staff to wear blue on this day! 

November 22nd-24th: Thanksgiving Break - No School

November 24th: Trimester 2 Ends - Our staff is preparing to share your child’s first progress report. You obtained information regarding your child’s progress at the most recent Parent-Student-Teacher conference and will receive a more formalized report on Friday, December 8th. 

December 8th: Report Cards Sent Home: Sample K-5 IC Report Card

4	3.5	3	2.5	2	1
Distinguished	Exceeding Proficiency	Proficient	Approaching Proficiency	Developing	Emergent

Warm Winter Gear: We want to help ensure that your child is warm this winter season and able to enjoy the fresh air & outdoor activities winter has to offer.  If financial resources are strained and limit your ability to purchase warm winter gear for your child, (coat, snow pants, boots, hats, & mittens), please contact our school social worker, Jaime Tardif, directly at 222-1168 or via email at jaime.tardif@gorhamschools.org for assistance and available resources.  We understand the stress associated with this time of year and are here to help! Similarly, if providing for the holiday season is a hardship as well, she is also able to help guide you with resources for the upcoming holiday.  Please do not hesitate to reach out.   

Volunteering at Great Falls: Great Falls is always on the lookout for parent volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering your time at our school, click the following link and find out more. Gorham Schools Volunteer Info

Next Home/School Connection Meeting: Join the Great Falls administrators at our next Home/School Connection Meeting on Thursday, November 30th from 5:30-6:30 p.m. At this meeting, we will begin planning for our Great Falls winter family fun event. If you are interested in being involved in our school community, this is the perfect meeting to attend!

School Calendar: 2023 - 2024 Calendar

The most important 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. We hope to keep families updated with the latest information and school events. 

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. Enjoy your upcoming weekend!

Kindly,

Becky Fortier and Deanna Etienne

Great Falls Administrators

Follow Up to Lewiston Shootings

 Good morning,

We understand this tragedy has an impact on our students, staff, and families.  Because it is difficult to predict how anyone will react to a traumatic event, the best we can do is to be supportive and responsive to our students and their varied responses.  Some students will have no or minimal reaction; some will be upset or anxious to some degree.  Some may not have even heard of the event and others will have been immersed in the coverage on TV. The safety of our students is always the top priority in our district. We take seriously our responsibility to ensure the safety of your child every day, we are prepared for a wide range of support.

For all those students who need support, we will have mental health support available throughout the district from counselors, social workers, and psychologists. Our school nurses will also be ready to assist as needed for health concerns that may arise.

If you would like for school staff to reach out directly to your family today by phone regarding the events and how best to support your child, please enter your name, your child's name, and the best phone number to reach you by completing THIS SURVEY. 

We are working diligently to plan for a safe and supportive return to school on Monday and will be in touch again. As always, please feel free to call if you have any concerns or questions regarding your child, or the steps being taken by our school to ensure their safety & wellbeing. We will be available through email today at becky.fortier@gorhamschools.org and deanna.etienne@gorhamschools.org and by phone when we return to school at 222-1050.

Kind regards,

Becky Fortier and Deanna Etienne 

Great Falls Administrators

Letter from Admin in Response to Lewiston Shootings

 

October 26, 2023

Dear Great Falls Families, 

By now you have likely heard about the tragic shootings that occurred in Lewiston last night. There will be extensive coverage of this on the news and much discussion about it in our community in the coming days. We want to assure you that the safety of our students is our top priority and that our school has a comprehensive safety plan in place. We work with the Gorham police and fire departments to regularly practice our safety procedures with students and staff through discussions and emergency exercises. 

It is equally important for us to continue to work with our staff and ensure they are prepared to support our students in difficult times. We will have our counselors and administrators ready throughout the coming week to respond to students as needed. 

Family members:

• Reassure children that they are safe and make time to talk

• Let their questions be your guide as to how much information to provide

• Provide brief, simple information 

• Reassure them that their school and homes are safe and that adults are there to protect them

Observe your children’s emotional state. Some children may not express their concerns verbally. Limit television viewing of news coverage of the event and be aware if the television is on in common areas. Developmentally inappropriate information can cause anxiety or confusion, particularly in young children. And lastly, maintain a normal routine. Keeping to a regular schedule can be reassuring and promote physical health. Ensure that children get plenty of sleep, regular meals, and exercise. 

We are troubled by events like what occurred in Lewiston and will make sure that the safety of your children is our number one priority. Thank you for your compassion towards our school community as we work together to cope and support one another. You will receive a letter from our Social and Emotional Team later today with additional resources and options for student support. 

As always, please feel free to call if you have any concerns or questions regarding your child, or the steps being taken by our school to ensure their safety & wellbeing. We will be available through email today at becky.fortier@gorhamschools.org and deanna.etienne@gorhamschools.org and by phone when we return to school at 222-1050.

Kind regards,

Becky Fortier and Deanna Etienne 

Great Falls Administrators

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Dear Great Falls Families,

Thank you for attending our family conferences! It was so wonderful to see so many families on campus. Also a big thanks to you for shopping at our book fair! We encourage families to be present on our campus all throughout the school year! If you are interested in volunteering at Great Falls, please complete this form to get your name on the approved volunteers list. 

Thursday, October 26th: Home/School Connection Meeting! Join the Great Falls Administrators and our School Social Worker for an informative presentation on how we resolve and address student conflict. Over the past couple of years at Great Falls, we have really strengthened our handling of conflict resolution - in and around the school, and on the bus!  We primarily use restorative practices when there is conflict between students or an incident occurs that violates the Code of Conduct.  Restorative practices focus on clear expectations, fair consequences, and restorative conversations. This process helps to build a positive school climate and healthy relationships between students and staff. We are working hard to keep our focus on positive connections, repairing harm, and restoring relationships! Join us for our first Home/School Connection (formerly Parent Connection) meeting to learn even more about this topic. We will be meeting from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the Great Falls Cafeteria. 

Are you interested in helping to plan our school community events? Consider attending our November 30th and December 14th Home/School Connection meetings as we plan for our Winter Solstice Family Event. We will be developing a planning committee to make our event a memorable experience for our students and their families and could use your help. If interested in participating, please complete this quick survey so we can add you to our planning committee email list. 

Monday, October 30th: Picture Retake Day! 

Tuesday, November 7th: Voting Day and Staff In-Service Day - No School

Friday, November 10th: Veterans Day - No School

November 22nd-24th: Thanksgiving Break - No School

Friday, November 24th: Trimester 1 Grades Close

School Calendar: 2023 - 2024 Calendar

The most important 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. Our hope is to keep families updated with the latest information and school events. 

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

September Letter from the Principals

Dear Great Falls Families,

What a great start to the school year! Happy kids and happy staff can be found throughout our halls. We look forward to opportunities to build our partnership between home and school! We are grateful to welcome volunteers back into our building and have some fun ideas for school-wide family events for the year! If you are interested in volunteering at Great Falls, please complete this form. The most important 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. 

All students are eligible for free breakfast and lunch for the 2023-2024 school year. However, we still need ALL FAMILIES to complete the Student Services Benefit Application. Filling out this school meal benefit form helps our district access federal and state funds. Students also have access to the BackPack Program which provides school-age students experiencing food insecurity enrolled in the Gorham School Department with healthy snacks and staple meal items helpful to your family for the weekend. Food bags will be distributed TO STUDENTS while they are in school once a week. In addition, participants will receive 1 snack per day while they are present at school. We aim to provide food that is child-friendly, non-perishable, and easily consumed; and to distribute the weekly bag discreetly, with the help of school staff. 

Book Fair: It's time again for our Great Falls Scholastic Fall Book Fair! This year our fair will be held both in-person and online. Students will be able to shop in-person during their regularly scheduled library time as well as at arrival and dismissal times. The book fair will be available to parents and guardians shopping with their students at the times listed below:

• Wednesday, October 18 between 1:00-3:30 PM

• Thursday, October 19 between 3:30-6:00 PM (Parent Teacher Conferences)

• Friday, October 20 between 8:00 AM-12:00 PM (Parent Teacher Conferences)

Conferences:Parent/Teacher/Student conferences will be held on October 19th and 20th. Additional day/time options may also be provided by your child’s teacher. Please be expecting to receive a conference sign up link from your child’s teacher on the morning of October 4th. We look forward to seeing everyone and sharing the great things your students are doing in their classes! 

NWEA Testing: The Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) MAP Growth Assessment (link) in Math and Reading will once again be administered to our students. Great Falls students in grades 1-5 will take the assessment in the Fall, Winter, and Spring. Kindergarten will take the assessment in the Winter and Spring. The fall assessment will take place throughout the month of October. If you have any questions about the assessments, please reach out to your child's teacher.

Conflict Resolution: Over the past couple of years at Great Falls, we have really strengthened our handling of conflict resolution - in and around the school, and on the bus!  We primarily use restorative practices when there is conflict between students or an incident occurs that violates the Code of Conduct.  Restorative practices focus on clear expectations, fair consequences, and restorative conversations. This process helps to build a positive school climate and healthy relationships between students and staff. We are working hard to keep our focus on positive connections, repairing harm, and restoring relationships! Join us for our first Parent Connection meeting to learn even more about this topic! 

Thursday, October 12th, Fall Family Picnic: Great Falls is looking forward to joining together as a community for a casual family picnic including food trucks, face painting, DJ Music and more! Bring a blanket and your family - we can’t wait to see you on Thursday, October 12th from 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.

Thursday, October 26th, Parent Connection Meeting: Join the Great Falls Administrators and our School Social Worker for an informative presentation on how we resolve and address student conflict. We will be meeting from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the Great Falls Cafeteria. 

School Calendar: 2023 - 2024 Calendar

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