April Letter from the Principal

 

April 14, 2023

Dear Great Falls Families,

We are thrilled that the weather is warm and the playground is clear of snow. With the enjoyable spring weather comes outdoor physical education, field experiences, and so much excitement. It is a wonderful time to live in Maine and our students and staff are ready for an amazing last few months together. 

Adopt a Classroom: On Monday, April 24th we will wrap up our Adopt a Classroom experience. Great Falls Elementary School partnered with Gorham High School to establish a monthly mentorship between high school and elementary students. High school students have volunteered to dedicate approximately 1 morning a month assigned to a K-5 classroom. The partnership or “adoption of a classroom” was intended to create a caring relationship between and among students. We wanted elementary students to “aspire” to high school and beyond. By volunteering in Great Falls classrooms, each high school student made a commitment to be a positive role model, both in and out of school, for younger students. It has been a great experience!

Spring NWEAs: K-5 students will be participating in the final round of academic screening in May. The Maine Department of Education has now made NWEA the official state-level test, thus eliminating a separate testing period for our students.  NWEA assessments in grades K-2 will serve as a universal screener while the grades 3-5 assessment will serve a dual purpose - that of the Maine Education Assessment, as well as still serving as our universal screener.  Our spring testing session will take place after the break, beginning May 1st and extending through May 26th.

Early Release on Wednesday, May 24th: Reminder that this day is an early release day for students. Students will be dismissed at 12:00 p.m. Please be sure to call the office at 222-1053 or email Julie Murray at Julie.Murray@gorhamschools.org if you have a change in your child’s pick-up plan.

Thursday, May 25th: Parent Connection Meeting at 5:30 p.m. 

Join Great Falls administrators and classroom teachers for a glimpse into what next year will be like for your child. We will have a teacher representative from grades 1-5 present at the meeting to give an overview and answer any questions. Students are welcome to attend.

Monday, May 29th: Memorial Day - no school

Grade Level Field Days at USM: To celebrate the end of the school year, we will be facilitating district-wide grade-level wellness events at the University of Southern Maine field house from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Parents and guardians are welcome to attend and observe the events. This event is always a highlight of the year and it is the first time back at USM since the pandemic!

• May 31st - 2nd Grade Field Day 

• June 1st - 1st Grade Field Day 

• June 2nd - Kindergarten Field Day 

• June 5th - 3rd Grade Field Day 

• June 6th - 4th Grade Field Day 

• June 7th - 5th Grade Field Day 

GMS Incoming 6th Grade Family Night: Thursday, June 8th -  6:00-7:00 pm - This evening at Gorham Middle School is a night designed to share information with families about what to expect when their child goes to middle school. It will also be a chance for families to ask questions that they may have. Students are invited to attend with their families.

Remote Learning Day - June 13th: Great Falls will be used as a polling location on Tuesday, June 13th. Because we are not able to separate the public from the students, this day will be a remote learning day for our Great Falls students. Students will receive all of the materials needed to complete their daily assignments at home prior to June 13th. This includes classroom activities as well as assignments from service providers. Staff will be available throughout the day to respond to emails or other communication from families. 

5th Grade Step Up to Gorham Middle School - June 14th: Our 5th graders will be visiting Gorham Middle School and touring the campus on Wednesday, June 14th. They will get the opportunity to meet their teachers, see their new classmates, and learn about Gorham Middle School. This will be an exciting day for our graduating 5th graders. We will be celebrating our 5th graders on June 15th with a special Subway picnic lunch and field day. 5th-grade families are welcome to attend, bring their own picnic lunch, and join us outdoors. 

Grades K-4 Step Up to Next Year - June 15th: On the morning of June 15th our students will visit their new classrooms for next year and meet their teacher and classmates. Following the step-up experience, families will receive an email notifying them of their child’s new teacher. 

Last Day of School - June 16th: Reminder that this day is an early release day for students. Students will be dismissed at 12:00 p.m. Please be sure to call the office at 222-1053 or email Julie Murray at Julie.Murray@gorhamschools.org if you have a change in your child’s pick-up plan.

School Calendar for Next Year: 2023 - 2024 Calendar

Have a wonderful spring break! 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. Looking forward to a great finish to the year!

Kindly,

Becky Fortier and Deanna Etienne

Great Falls Administrators

Spring Conference Letter from the Principal

 

February 28, 2023

Hello Great Falls Families,

It is just about time for our Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences! The general purpose of our conferences is for you to connect with your child’s teacher, as well as obtain an update on your child’s academic progress and “skills for life.” These progress checks may include student sharing of their work products, goal reflection, and the presentation of other assessments and work by the student or teacher. 

Conferences are held throughout a two-week window. We are allocating the evening of Wednesday, March 15th, and the day of Friday, March 17th for K-5 conferences. Outside of these two dates, the available dates and times may vary depending on the teacher. All conferences will be held in person unless otherwise requested.

You will be able to register for your child’s conference through the PTCFast online conference scheduler beginning on Wednesday, March 1st at 8am. 

Here’s what to expect:. 

You will receive an email from your child’s teacher tomorrow morning containing a link to the class conference website.  Enter the link into your browser.

Enter the class code your child’s teacher has sent to you into the box on that screen- you can copy and paste it if that's easier!

You will see the list of available time slots your child’s teacher has available.  If someone else has already selected a time slot, you won’t be able to check the box and the time slot will be red.  Check the time you would like for your conference. Reminder emails will be sent out closer to the conference.

Please make sure to contact us if you run into any difficulty with this process. We know the experience for you and your child will be a great one! 

Sincerely,

Becky Fortier

Great Falls Principal

February Letter from the Principals

 

February 10, 2023

Dear Great Falls Families,

It is hard to believe that the 100th day of school is approaching and will be on February 14th. The school year is half complete and we are so proud of our students and staff for their focus on our Code of Conduct and emphasis on learning. There are a few events and reminders that we wanted to take a moment to highlight. 

Valentines for Staff: Time to share the love Gorham, and it only takes a minute! For those who wish to personally write notes of gratitude-cards, envelopes, and valentines card drop boxes will be available at the office of each school January 27-February 28, or scan the QR code or use the link https://bit.ly/3WHJzZm and have a card sent for you!

Wellness Procedure: We understand with Valentine’s Day on the horizon that your child may be excited to exchange a card or trinket with classmates. Just a friendly reminder that we do not use food for celebrations. The Gorham School District is committed to providing a healthy eating environment for all its students. We ask that parents do not send in any food for celebrations, such as birthdays and holidays to be shared in classrooms. This does not include the daily snacks that you send in for your own child, however, we encourage you to provide healthy options. Instead of food, students can participate in a variety of creative activities during holiday celebrations. Non-food tokens such as stickers or pencils can be used to celebrate birthdays while promoting a healthier school environment. We appreciate your partnership as we encourage wellness among our students.  

Early Release on Wednesday, February 15th: Reminder that this day is an early release day for students. Students will be dismissed at 12:00 p.m. Please be sure to call the office at 222-1053 or email Rhonda Perkins at Rhonda.Perkins@gorhamschools.org if you have a change in your child’s pick-up plan.

Thursday, February 16th: Parent Connection Meeting with the Gorham School Committee at 5:30 p.m.

Join Great Falls administrators, Superintendent Perry, and members of the Gorham School Committee for a question and answer forum. The conversation can include district initiatives and future plans for the Gorham Schools. We will be meeting in the Great Falls cafeteria and hope that many of you will take advantage of this opportunity.

Friday, February, 17th: Full School Mad Science Assembly: To celebrate the hard work of our students, we are providing a special Mad Science assembly during the school day on Friday, February 17th. The theme will be Winter Wonder Lab and should be a fun experience!    

Lost and Found: Lost and Found is, once again, overflowing at Great Falls. Please remind your child to take a look at the tables in the main foyer for their lost items. Parents, guardians, & caregivers are also welcome to stop by and take a look as well. 

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 a hat, 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. Please reach out if your child is in need of winter clothing essentials and we would be happy to help.

Great Falls Variety Show: Great Falls wants to celebrate the diverse talent of the students in our school! Students will be given the opportunity to audition for the show on Wednesday, March 1st. Mrs. Fortier and Ms. Tardif will pre-screen the talent to prepare for the show that will take place on March 24th. Students need to have their 1-minute minimum/2-minute max act stage-ready on March 1st in order to perform during the show on March 24th. Please bring any music, instruments, or props needed for your performance to the audition on March 1st. Ideas can include; singing, dancing, comedy, musical instruments, reciting a poem, etc… The variety show is scheduled for Friday, March 24th from 5:30-8:00pm. Depending on interest, we may have 2 sessions that night. All talent is welcome! We hope that many students will join in the fun. The last day to sign up is Friday, February 17th.

Illnesses in School: Superintendent Perry sent out an update to families regarding illnesses in school. As illnesses have been on the rise again recently, it is important to remember the precautions she shared. Superintendent Perry's Info. 

School Calendar: 2022-23 Elementary School Colored Calendar  

Winter Break: The winter school break will take place from February 20th-24th.

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. Looking forward to a great finish to the second trimester!

Kindly,

Becky Fortier and Deanna Etienne

Great Falls Administrators

Dear Great Falls Families,

It is hard to believe that we will be heading into our holiday break. It has been a busy and productive start to the school year. We are so proud of the progress our students have made in such a short period of time! It has been wonderful to get to know our parent community by seeing so many volunteers on campus as well as attendants at our Parent Connection meetings, parent/teacher/student conferences, and family events. We look forward to offering more opportunities to build a positive home and school connections as we head into the new calendar year! 

 

Illnesses in School: Superintendent Perry sent out an update to families regarding illnesses in school. As illnesses have been on the rise again recently, it is important to remember the precautions she shared. Superintendent Perry's Info. 

 

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: 2022-23 Elementary School Colored Calendar

 

Holiday Break: This year’s holiday break will begin on Thursday, 12/22 and last until Monday, 1/2. Students will return to school on Tuesday, 1/3.

 

Friday, January 6th: 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.me/greatfalls.

 

Monday, January 16th: No School/ Martin Luther King Jr. Day

 

Wednesday, January 18th: Early Release Day/ Students are dismissed at 12:00 p.m.

 

Wednesday, February 15th: Early Release Day/ Students are dismissed at 12:00 p.m.

Thursday, February 16th: Parent Connection Meeting with the Gorham School Committee 

Join Great Falls administrators, Superintendent Perry, and members of the Gorham School Committee for a question and answer forum. The conversation can include district initiatives and future plans for the Gorham Schools. 

Winter Break: February 20th-24th

 

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. Looking forward to seeing everyone back on campus on January 3rd!

Kindly,

Becky Fortier and Deanna Etienne

Great Falls Administrators

Letter from the Principal Regarding Report Cards

 

Hello, K-5 Families!

We hope you enjoyed participating in our parent/teacher/student conferences. It was so wonderful to see so many families back on campus. Our hope is that you were able to hear about your child’s progress and be a part of their goal-setting process. It is always amazing to see the growth that occurs from the fall conference to the spring conference. On November 25th, the trimester 1 grading period will close. You will receive a copy of your child’s report card coming home in their backpack on Friday, December 2nd. 

The administrators wanted to make sure that our families understand the changes that will be occurring with K-5 grading and reporting. An important shift was made at the start of the 2022-23 school year.  We’ve transitioned our grading platform from JumpRope to Infinite Campus.

The purposes of this transition are to:

• Provide greater consistency as a district and increase efficiencies by using a single platform for all students in grades K-12 and

• Provide a familiar, user-friendly platform to increase clarity around grading and reporting

 

All assessments are aligned with our standards and students are given feedback on their current level of proficiency within those standards. Teachers will report by trimester within Infinite Campus.  This means that each trimester Infinite Campus will calculate only the grades given within that time frame. Students will be provided multiple opportunities to demonstrate proficiency throughout each trimester and across the school year. Skills for Life will be reported separately from academic knowledge and skills. This will help to create a grade report that can communicate a clearer picture of each student.  

You will see a change in the format in which report cards are sent home. Infinite Campus report cards will be printed off by your child’s classroom teacher and sent home in student backpacks. 

Sample K-5 IC Report Card

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

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to us at any time.

Sincerely,

Becky Fortier, Great Falls Principal

Jodi Mezzanotte, Village Principal

Erin Eppler, Narragansett Principal

October Letter

 

Hello Great Falls Families,

It is hard to believe that we are well into the month of October. We hope that you and your loved ones are enjoying fall in Maine. There are a few events and dates that we wanted to be sure to highlight.

Monday, October 10th: No School/ Indigenous Peoples Day

October 17th - 21st: Bus Driver Appreciation Week

 

Grade 5 Band: We are getting closer to hiring a band instructor for our 5th-grade students. If everything works out, our plan is to send permission slips home next week and potentially start band instruction during the week of October 17th. 

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.

Great Falls Book Fair: This year our book fair will be held 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! 

The book fair is open to families on the following dates and times: 

• Wednesday, October 19 between 1:00-6:00 PM

• Thursday, October 20 between 3:30-5:00 PM

• Friday, October 21 between 8:00 AM-12:00 PM

To access the book fair online go to https://www.scholastic.com/bf/greatfallselementaryschool2 and place your order between 10/17 and 10/30 (note the online fair is open longer than our in-person fair). All proceeds from the fall book fair will go to our One School, One Book program as well as future Great Falls Library book purchases.

Volunteers are still needed to help during the Book Fair:  We are looking for parent volunteers to help run our book fair. If you’re interested in signing up, please click here. Please be aware that you need to be a district-approved volunteer. Thank you!

Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences: Parent/teacher/student conferences will be held on October 19th and 21st. Additional day/time options may also be provided by your child’s teacher. We look forward to seeing everyone and sharing the great things your students are doing in their classes. 

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 Parent Connection Meeting: Join the Great Falls administrators and staff on Thursday, October 27th from 5:30-6:30 p.m. for an informative presentation about our math program. Learn about the activities and games that your child is experiencing in the classroom. 

Back to School Fall Family Picnic and Sparks Ark Presentation: Join the Great Falls staff and Sparks Ark for a fun and engaging fall family picnic. Sparks Ark will entertain the crowd with his fabulous animals on Friday, October 28th from 5:00-6:00 p.m. We will gather in the gym. Bring your chairs, cozy blankets, and picnics. Hope to see you there!

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 holiday weekend!

Kindly,

Becky Fortier and Deanna Etienne

Great Falls Administrators

 

K-5 Fall Conferences

 

Hello, Gorham K-5 Parents!

It is just about time for our Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences! Here is some important information for you to have:

WHAT: The general purpose of our conferences is for you to connect with your child’s teacher, as well as obtain an update on your child’s academic progress and “skills for life.” These progress checks may include student sharing of their work products, goal setting, and the presentation of other assessments and work by the student or teacher. As your child will be present for conferences, it is understood that issues that are private and confidential require a different forum for communication. It is expected that issues that are of serious concern would have been discussed prior to and outside of these conferences. IEP meetings, even in close proximity to conference dates, do not take the place of student-led conferences. 

WHEN: Conferences are held throughout a two-week window. We are allocating the evening of Wednesday, October 19th, and the day of Friday, October 21st for K-5 conferences. Outside of these two dates, the available dates and times may vary depending on the teacher. You will be able to register for your child’s conference beginning on Wednesday, October 5th. Parents will have a choice to attend conferences in person on the school campus or virtually through zoom and should note their preference on the sign-up. 

 

HOW: The PTCfast online program is used for scheduling conferences unless teachers know that there is a family who does not have Internet access at home.  Teachers will be sending out notices and passwords for parents to use to set up conferences. The procedure is user-friendly and quite efficient, especially when a family has more than one child in our school.  This program allows you a maximum choice in dates and times, choosing the one that works best for your schedule. When you pick a day and time, you will receive a confirmation and a reminder prior to the conference. If you need to change the date and/or time, you simply return to the site and do so, unless it is beyond the cutoff time selected by the classroom teacher. 

Step 1:  You will receive a letter or email from your child’s teacher containing a link to the class’ conference website.  Enter the link into your browser.

Step 2:  Enter the class code your child’s teacher has sent to you into the box on that screen- you can copy and paste it if that's easier!

Step 3:  You will see the list of available time slots your child’s teacher has available.  If someone else has already selected a time slot, you won’t be able to check the box and the time slot will be red.  Check the time you would like for your conference and enter it in the comment section if you prefer in person or virtual. Reminder emails will be sent out closer to the conference.

Please make sure to contact us if you run into any difficulty with this process.  We don’t anticipate that you will, but we are, of course, happy to help. The Gorham Schools take pride in having a very high participation rate in Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences.  We appreciate your flexibility and know the experience for you and your child will be a great one! 

Sincerely,

Becky Fortier, Great Falls Principal

Jodi Mezzanotte, Village Principal

Erin Eppler, Narragansett Principal