Dear Great Falls Families,
Summer in Maine can be magical and we hope that you and your family are enjoying your time together and the sunny days as they come.
2023-2024 Gorham School Budget: By now, you have received Heather Perry’s emails that explain what has occurred this week and what the process is for moving forward. The vote by the Town Council to reduce an additional $2 million from the proposed school budget is devastating, and the associated cuts that will need to occur are very difficult to comprehend and plan for. The reductions will negatively impact our students and staff and we absolutely do not support this proposed budget. Please encourage all Gorham residents to vote. The referendum takes place on July 25th but absentee voting is available now until July 20th. Please take a few minutes of your time to stop by the Town office and get your ballot. You can complete it right there! Easy peasy and then you can get right back to your summer plans! We are optimistic that our community will ultimately come to the right decision regarding the school budget. Until the final decision is settled, we will need to continue to navigate these challenges together. Please reach out to us if you have any questions. We would be more than happy to talk further.
Wednesday, August 23rd: Kindergarten Screening: Our incoming Kindergarten screening will take place on Wednesday, August 23rd. Please arrive at the Great Falls campus 10 minutes prior to your appointment time. You should enter through the front door and go to our cafeteria which is located directly to your left where a staff member will greet you and your child. You can then find a seat at an open table with your child. Mrs. Murray will find you to go over your student’s transportation plan and you will also fill out a few additional forms during your appointment. When it is your child’s turn, they will be escorted by one of our staff members to a kindergarten classroom for their assessment while you remain seated in our cafeteria. The internal placement process will begin once all of the screenings are complete. You will receive notification of your child’s teacher on Monday, August 28th via email correspondence.
Monday, August 28th, 5:30-6:30 p.m.: Grades 1-5 Open House - This evening is the perfect opportunity to meet your child’s new teacher, get a glimpse into their new classroom and tour the school. We will have live music and food trucks on campus to make it a fun family event!
Tuesday, August 29th: First Day of School for Grades 1-5 - We are so excited to welcome our grades 1-5 students back to campus. Happy 1st day of school!
Wednesday, August 30th: Kindergarten Meet and Greets - The Kindergarten Meet & Greet will be held on Wednesday, August 30th from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. During this night, Kindergarten classroom teachers will be sharing information while families tour their child's new classroom and our school.
Friday, September 1st: No School
Monday, September 4th: Labor Day- No School
Tuesday, September 5th: First Day of School for Kindergarten - This is the big day for our new kindergarteners! Happy 1st day of school to our youngest crew on campus!
School Calendar: 2023 - 2024 Calendar
We hope you continue to make the most of these summer days! 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. We are already very much looking forward to a great start to the year!
Kindly,
Becky Fortier and Deanna Etienne
Great Falls Administrators
