A LETTER FROM PRINCIPAL FRANCOEUR
As we begin the 2023-2024 school year we look forward with a great deal of excitement to watching our students grow into Life Long Learners. In June we celebrated many of last years success at the End of Year Celebration. Over 150 + of our family’s staff and friends were able to attend this wonderful event. You will read about the celebration and see the many smiling faces in our newsletter.
July students participated in our 5-week summer school program. A great deal of learning and exploring took place as our students participated in many activities in and out of the classroom. The students were able to experience things that will create memories of a lifetime. Thanks to our teachers for their creativity and willingness to try new things. I work with the best TEAM.
Our teachers are Rested, Reloaded and Ready to again make a Positive Difference.
In Education, Mike Francoeur, School Administrator
Bridge Crossing Academy
Bridgton,Maine
Summer School Students Celebrate the State of Maine!
The Bridge Crossing Academy School has been busy enjoying all that summer has to offer and we have been studying and learning all about our great State of Maine. Each class has been reading the Novel, The Sign of the Beaver, which takes place deep in the woods of Maine where a young boy learns to survive with the help of a local Native American while he waits for the rest of his family to arrive in their new cabin. Each week we visit popular local hiking trails including Jockey Cap in Fryeburg, Bald Pate Mt. in Bridgton, Foss Mt. in Eaton, NH and Hawk Mt. in Waterford.
We have enjoyed the beautiful views and the wild blueberries! We also have learned about the Brownfield Fire of 1947 and visited the remnants of emergency housing used for the survivors. We have also visited local playgrounds, farms, the Bridgton Historical Society and learned about and visited the Rufus Porter Museum. We have enjoyed out local lakes swimming at Highland and Sebago Lakes.
Our last week of Summer School concluded with a trip to Portland Headlight and Fort Williams on Tuesday and a special Maine themed lunch with Red Hot Dogs, Baked Beans and Blueberry Pie! It was a fun and educational Summer.
Bridge Crossing Academy
Bridgton,Maine
Important Dates
Aug.5-28th-SchoolBreak
Aug.16th-EducationalStaffReturn
Aug.24-25th-ProfessionalDevelopmentDays
Aug.29-WelcomeBack!FirstDayofSchool!
Sept.4-LaborDay
Beacon House
Buxton, Maine
SUMMER SCHOOL FUN
As is often the case, summer is over before we can blink an eye! In our 5 weeks of summer programming we have accomplished a lot. Each day we work on foundational reading, writing and math skills.
Additionally, we have students working on credit recovery in subjects such as PE. Of course, what is summer without the additional opportunities to go to Art Van, and on hikes, beach trips and even Aquaboggan and our local petting barn and ice cream stand, Smiling Hill Farms.
Summer programming at Beacon House is an abbreviated sessions -5 weeks- during which our focus is upon retaining and advancing foundational skills in Math and ELA. To that end, we have focused upon writing in the content areas, specifically science and creative writing. We continue to work individually on math skills. Especially with our newer students, summer is a valuable time to identify and address skill deficits in foundational areas.
Summer is also the perfect time to get a jump start on credit recovery opportunities. This year we developed a PE course that involves individual study and workouts including reflection journaling.
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
Lorelei Classen is new to the team as an Ed Tech/BHP. Coming to us from Stetson Ranch, where she managed the office, Lorelei is passionate about working in this milieu. She graduated from the Montserrat College of Art with a BFA in Animation.
Lorelei is looking forward to combining her skills with her artistic interests by helping to expand our art education opportunities. She is already expanding her already strong skill-set and is looking forward to training to become even more knowledgeable and skilled in this important work.
Outside of work she likes playing D&D, paddle boarding and mushroom foraging. And of course, our students love that she likes to Magic the Gathering with them, too.
Whatever the day may bring, in the classroom (most often Math and English) or 1:1 helping a student access coping skills or manage hard feelings, she is there. Having been with us only about a month, she is already becoming an integral part of the education team. Welcome, Lorelei!
Beacon House Buxton,
Maine
Important Dates
Aug.4th-Lastdayofsummersession
Aug.16th-SchoolStaffReturnforprofessional developmentandtraining
Aug 27th-Orientationforstudents
Aug.28th-ClassesStart
Aug 9,Sept 13,Oct 11th-MedReviews
Sept.12th-DirectCareDay
Sidney Riverbend School
Sidney, Maine
END OF YEAR CELEBRATION
This year June 21st, Sidney Riverbend School staff and students joined the other NFI North Schools to celebrate the end of the school year. About 200 parents, past students and providers joined in the luncheon and celebration. The celebration took place at the Hilton Garden Inn Riverwalk in Auburn. Each student was recognized for an outstanding accomplishment and received the gift of a journal. This April our students have begun celebrating US National Poetry Month! The event kicked off with students researching poems and then chalking the poems on our front drive to welcome visitors.
SUMMER SCHOOL
We incorporated our subject content for the summer into the theme of survival. We set up our weather station to record daily weather data and placed the data on graphs. The students learned how to use a compass, including locating true north, magnetic north, using the bezel to find locations and reading degrees on a circle. On a recent field trip, they learned how to find where they were heading and how to find their way back to where they started. The students learned how to keep time and find cardinal directions with the use of sticks and the sun.
The students learned about the history of Western Expansion, including pioneer supplies, survival skills, and calculating weight, distance travelled, and reasons why people moved west. They analyzed survival scenarios and practiced choosing the most important items needed to ensure survival. On Fridays, the students worked as a team when making survival choices with the interactive series, "You vs. Wild". The students studied First-Aid and CPR and participated in the First-Aid/CPR training in order to become certified through the American Heart Association. The summer ' s field trips included: Art Van, the National Service Station in Gray, hiking, and fishing. The summer ' s reading book was, "The Life of Pi".
Sidney Riverbend School
Sidney, Maine
Aug. 4th - Last day of summer school Aug 29th- First Day of School Sept. 4th -Labor Day, No School Oct 9th- Indigenous Peoples Day-No School
Important Dates
Stetson Ranch Stetson Ranch
Stetson, Maine Stetson, Maine
HIGHLIGHTS
The students got to go on several fun camping trips this summer both in southern Maine and at pretty pond! It was a great time that was had by all. The students got a chance to test out their green thumb this summer and many tried their hand at gardening! We’ve harvested zucchinis, potatoes, and even some baby onions! They had some huge veggies grow and used them to make zucchini bread and other treats. The students are looking forward to getting our greenhouse and growing even more. The folks from Bowsprit game to give the students a presentation on the activities and skills that they will be offering this fall. This was met with much excitement. The students got to enjoy the fruits of their fundraising labors and enjoyed a day at Funtown/Splashtown USA.
STUDENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
This summer we were lucky to have three students return to Bowsprit and one new student participate in the alternative learning program provided by the folks at Bowsprit. The students went through the process of harvesting, throwing and creating clay creations. To see the kids use their creativity to craft their unique projects was awesome.
We’ve also had one of our students accepted to the welding program at UTC for the first time ever!
Stetson Ranch Stetson Ranch
Stetson, Maine Stetson, Maine
EDUCATOR NEWS:
We’ve had an exciting staff change at Stetson Ranch School! Our very own, Dom Mooney, has been promoted to educational coordinator this year. He is helping us pioneer a new approach to our curriculum, as well as working with the rest of the school team to update our classrooms here at the Ranch for the upcoming school year!
