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

Back to School Letter

 Dear Great Falls Families,

We cannot believe we will be welcoming students to campus in less than two weeks!  The school budget passed on August 15, teachers will be back on campus next week to prepare for your children, and we are all excited to get this school year off to a great start!  

To help keep you informed on current information from our school, we have developed a “GF News from the Office” page that will keep families in the know of all our activities and important calendar events: https://sites.google.com/gorhamschools.org/gf-news-from-the-office/home. You can find the K-5 back-to-school supply lists on this site as well. 

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 when you enter the building) 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, our school secretary, 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 for their screening, they will be escorted by one of our staff members to a kindergarten classroom while you remain seated in our cafeteria. Once all of the screenings are complete, the internal placement process will begin. You will receive notification of your child’s Kindergarten teacher on Monday, August 28th via email correspondence.  

Monday, August 28th: Kindergarten Placement Notification: Incoming Kindergarten families will receive an email on this day from their child’s kindergarten teacher. Included in this email will be information regarding needed school supplies, the daily schedule, and the August 30th “Meet and Greet” details. Please reach out to julie.murray@gorhamschools.org if you do not receive this email. 

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 first 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

August Letter from the Principal

 

Dear Great Falls Families,

It is very exciting that we will soon be inviting our children back to the Great Falls campus for another fabulous school year! The first day of school for students in grades 1-5 will be on Tuesday, August 29th. The start of school for our kindergarten students will be on Tuesday, September 5th. 

Great Falls has developed a new “GF News from the Office” platform that will keep families in the know of all our activities and important calendar events: https://sites.google.com/gorhamschools.org/gf-news-from-the-office/home. You will find the K-5 back-to-school supply lists on this site as well. 

You can also follow our social media platforms for fun photos, videos and updates on the amazing things happening at Great Falls. 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/great.falls.elementary.school/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MrsBFortier

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greatfallsparentconnection/

Blog:  http://greatfallsprincipal.blogspot.com/

2023-2024 Gorham School Budget: On August 8th, the Town Council will hold a public hearing and then vote on a 3rd proposed school budget. Following this meeting, we will be asking the town of Gorham to once again visit the polls on August 15th. It is important that everyone gets out and votes. Here are the voting options for the next referendum:

• Vote in person! You can go to the polls on August 15th from 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

• Vote absentee in person! Voting absentee in person in the Clerk’s office will be Wednesday, August 9th and Thursday, August 10th from 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. only.  

• Vote absentee and return your ballot! The first day to request an absentee ballot is today, August 3. Absentee Ballots can be mailed out or picked up in person. Due to the timelines, mailing may be difficult. Ballots cannot be returned until Wednesday, August 9th (after the Council votes on and approves a total budget number).

The Gorham School Committee thanks you in advance for your important participation in this process!

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 when you enter the building) 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, our school secretary, 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 for their screening, they will be escorted by one of our staff members to a kindergarten classroom while you remain seated in our cafeteria. Once all of the screenings are complete, the internal placement process will begin. You will receive notification of your child’s Kindergarten 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 first 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

July Letter from the Principal

 

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

June Letter from the Principal

 

June 2023

Dear Great Falls Families,

It is hard to believe that we are in the final stretch of the school year. There is lots of excitement on the Great Falls campus. Please take a moment to offer our school some important feedback regarding our home and school connections by completing the following very short survey: https://forms.gle/532ui8dA4q56QTocA

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!

• June 7th - 5th Grade Field Day 

Spirit Day! Decade’s Day: Thursday, June 8th - Dress like your favorite decade on Thursday. Will you sport the 60s, 70s, 80s, or 90s? We can’t wait to see the most represented decade! Don’t forget that you can always wear your Gorham gear.

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, which will include 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. We are looking forward to a great finish to the year!

Kindly,

Becky Fortier and Deanna Etienne

Great Falls Administrators

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