Our School Philosophy
Welcome to Bowdoin Central School. You are part of a school community of about 220 students. This is an exciting place to be!
This is our thirteenth year in our new, state-of-the-art facility. The new school was designed with the learner in mind.
We expect each student to leave Bowdoin Central School with certain basic skills. Each student will be able to read a variety of materials, at or above grade level. Students will be able to write for many purposes to communicate ideas and information. It is our goal that each student be able to communicate comfortably with peers and adults. Problem solving is a part of daily living. Students are expected to develop strategies for problem solving. Students will be able to use the scientific process in various settings.
At Bowdoin Central you can expect to see students learning independently, individually, cooperatively in small groups, and through whole class instruction.
We believe that we, the staff and students, are life-long learners. For that reason, you can expect to see everyone spending time reading, writing and discussing. We use themes that we know youngsters are interested in to help them to read and write well. Students are expected to exhibit their work through demonstrations, oral presentations, drama, published writing, and work displays.
Teachers at Bowdoin Central use a variety of materials to match the various learning styles of the students. Each classroom is supplied with exciting children’s literature, maps, globes, a computer and math manipulatives. Science and social studies materials offer opportunities for active, hands-on learning. We dedicate much of our energy to make the community, environment, and the classroom part of our integrated math and science programs. Computers are used to enhance all areas of the curriculum and are considered a daily tool, not a separate subject.
Our focus is on student learning, yet it is important that you be aware of procedures that help our school run smoothly. The following pages contain those items. If you have any questions at any time regarding you child’s program, please do not hesitate to call us at 666-5779.
Meeting the goals of our school community must be a collaborative effort on the part of staff, students, parents, and community. We encourage you to know all you can about your school and to be involved in our pursuit of excellence.
Bowdoin Central School Parent Involvement Policy
As a Title IA School, each school year Bowdoin Central School is required to publish the following information about our Parent Involvement Policy. This may happen in the form of a send home newsletter, or you can also find it as a permanent fixture on our school website.
Parental Involvement is the participation in regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student learning and other social activities.
Parental Involvement means:
o Parents play an important role in assisting their child’s learning.
o Parents are encouraged to be full partners in their child’s education by being actively involved in their child’s education at school.
o Parents are included, as appropriate, in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child.
Annual Meeting
o Our school will hold Title 1 Parent Information meetings in various formats throughout the school year.
Parent Communication
o We are committed to communicating regularly with parents and making decisions cooperatively regarding the education of their child.
o These communications include: twice yearly parent conferences, additional meetings, phone calls, emails, and Title 1 newsletters.
Information Sharing
o We will provide information about our Title 1 Program, the school curriculum, various assessments, and students’ proficiency levels on a regular basis.
Planning and Review
o We will involve parents in the planning and review of our Title 1 Program.
o We will offer parents the opportunity to give feedback regarding Title 1 services
If you have any questions at all about our Parent Involvement, please do not hesitate to contact our Title I Teachers, Mrs. Pamela Estrella ([email protected]).
Thank you,
Mr. Keith
Communication
In order for Bowdoin Central School to function smoothly and also be responsive to family needs, it is very important that communication between home and school be as clear and timely as possible. We are asking all parents to send in detailed notes as to what plans they have made concerning transportation, day care arrangements, after school activities, etc. We understand that from time to time plans may change and phone calls are necessary, but in recent years phone calls of a routine nature have occurred that could easily have been handled with a short note to the school. The office has become extremely busy and any help you can give us is appreciated.
School Phone and Address
The school telephone number is 666-5779. The fax number is 666-3139.
Mailing Address:
1460 Main Street
Bowdoin, ME 04287
School Newsletter
The “Bearfoot News” is published and sent home every Friday. The newsletter contains items of interest to all parents and students. All school events and announcements are published in the Bearfoot News (i.e. school programs, special activities, etc.).
School Hours
Regular school hours on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday for grades K - 5 are 9:10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.. Students brought by parents should not arrive at school until 9:00 a.m.
On Wednesday, school will be in session form 10:10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for grades K - 5. The staff will convene at 8:00 a.m. for staff coordination and training, however no students will be in the building before 10:00 a.m. .
Periodically the school is closed due to inclement weather. If the announcement is made before the start of school in the morning, all schools will be closed for the entire day, and all after-school activities will be canceled. Cancellation or late start will be announced on the following stations.
The district also has an automated phone system which will call the phone number you have indicated on your emergency form when school is cancelled due to inclement weather.
5WCSH-TV Channel 6 WYNZ FM 101
WGME-TV Channel 13 WGAN AM 56
WCLZ FM 98.9 / AM 900 WJBQ FM 97.9
WPOR FM 101.9 / AM 1490 WHOM 94.9
WBLM FM 102.9 FRANK FM 107.5
WMGX FM 93.1 KISS FM 99.9
WMTW-TV Channel 8
Discipline
School is a place where students come to learn, think and care about themselves and others. Real discipline is attained when individuals respect the rights of others. Real discipline is inner control. It is our goal at school to teach children to be responsible for themselves and their own behavior.
Our approach stresses that children recognize inappropriate behavior. When this is accomplished, children are then able to make positive change in their actions. This type of decision making empowers the child. Discipline systems which are based on threats and punishments, make adults responsible for the child’s behavior.
Students are expected to be kind, helpful and polite, as well as to play safely. This includes the use of appropriate language, following directions or stated rules, and treating people and property with respect.
Textbooks & Supplies
All textbooks and paper are supplied by the School District. Pupils are asked to supply notebooks, pencils, erasers, and rulers. If pupils lose, or unnecessarily damage any school books, including library books, school equipment, or school property, parents of the pupils responsible shall be asked to make proper adjustments.
Emergency Information
At the beginning of each school year, we send home emergency information forms. It is very important to fill these out completely and return them to school as quickly as possible. If changes occur during the year, please let us know so we can update our information.
Emergency Situations
Bowdoin Central has a Crisis Acton Plan in placeplans outlining our response to a variety of crisis situations. This response is in conjunction with M.S.A.D.#75 Transportation Department, Bowdoin Fire Department, Sagadahoc Sheriff’s Office and other public safety agencies. The plan includes response to a bomb threat. All students will be evacuated and kept in a safe location until parents / guardians can be contacted when transportation will be arranged in a manner consistent with the parents’ / guardians’ directions. Making a bomb threat is a violation of the Maine Criminal Code (17-A MRSA section 210) and will be subject to disciplinary procedures.
Maine Gateways: Gifted and Talented
Link to site: www.mainegateways.org
Purpose: to ensure that M.S.A.D. 75 meets its legal (Maine’s Chapter 104) and ethical obligations to students markedly ahead of peers in core academic subjects.
Identification: At present, Maine law limits this group to 5% of total enrollment. For this reason M.S.A.D.75 typically selects fewer than 2% of students in each core subject. Identification is reviewed annually.
Core Commitments:
•Work at an appropriate level of challenge
•Time to work with intellectual peers
• Information and guidance regarding
additional opportunities
Programming: Student needs are defined and matched to each school’s resources through a collaborative planning process. G/T staff are case managers, consultants, advocates, and facilitators of this process.
Health
Students must stay home when ill. This not only allows the sick child to get well faster, but also protects the health of the other children.
The school has the services of a school nurse on a part-time basis. Hearing and vision screening is conducted annually on all students in Kindergarten, and grades 1, 3, and 5. Hearing screening is done annually in grade 2.
Medicines are not to be kept in the classrooms. Pupils should bring their medication directly to the office when they arrive at school
Medicine needs to be sent in the original bottle or in a clearly labeled bottle with the child’s name, the name of the drug, dosage and the time it is to be given. We must have a physician’s order for all medications, prescription and nonprescription. For further details please see MSAD #75 Medication Policy.
Medications that have to be given daily during the school year, such as Ritalin, should be delivered by the parents in September. A prescription bottle should be left at the school throughout the year. Other arrangements may be made by talking with the nurse, secretary or the principal.
Staying Healthy with 5-2-1-0+8
MSAD 75 has partnered with Mid Coast Hospital to promote the “5-2-1-0-+8” message. This message is part of the “Let’s Go” initiative started in Portland, Maine. The message provides us with a quick reminder of certain health behaviors that have a direct impact on growth, development, and learning.
Healthy students make better learners, so every day aim for:
5 or more fruits and vegetables
2 hours of less recreational screen time*
1 hour or more of physical activity
0 sugary drinks, more water and low fat milk
8 or more hours of sleep for adequated rest
*This includes television, computers, video games, and other electronic devices. It does not include time spent on homework.
Lunch
A nutritionally balanced hot lunch is available at Bowdoin Central School or a student may bring his/her own lunch.
We encourage students to purchase lunch and/or milk weekly, monthly or yearly and to pay with a check rather than cash. In the event that a student forgets his/her money, he/she may charge a lunch or milk. Payment for the charge is expected on the following school day. If a student has more than five charges on the books, a notice will be mailed to the parents. If payment is not made, parents will have to make alternative arrangements for lunch and/or milk. Mrs. Sawyer is in the cafeteria on Monday mornings before the start of school to accept payment for the school nutrition program. She is also available before the start of school daily to take care of any lunch business.
2015 -2016 Lunch and Milk Prices
Full price $2.50
Reduced price .40
Adult price 4.00
Milk .50
Please note that milk is included with the lunch. If you wish to purchase an additional milk, the price is $.50. Please make checks payable to Bowdoin Central School.
Accidentally dropped trays are replaced at no extra charge to the student.
11The director of the M.S.A.D. No. 75 School Nutrition Program is:
Pam Ferrar
50 Republic Ave.
Topsham, ME 04086
Telephone:(207)729-9961 Ext.238
Guidelines for free or reduced price lunches are sent home on the first day of school. Some of the federal funding that Bowdoin Central School receives is dependent on the number of children who receive free and reduced price lunch. We are near the cutoff on these funds and it is imperative that we document all those children who are eligible. Therefore we are requiring all children to return this form to school with a parent or guardian’s signature on it. You do not have to fill it out if you are not eligible but you do need to sign so that we know that you have seen it.
A monthly menu is sent home with the Bearfoot News and may also be seen on the district web site at: www.link75.org.
Breakfast Program
Seven years ago we introduced a breakfast program for Bowdoin Central School. This program is run by the Food Services Department of M.S.A.D.#75. The breakfast will include:
A. Cereal
B. Juice
C. White Milk
The cost of the breakfast is $1.00 for children who do not qualify for free or reduced lunch. It is free to those who are eligible for reduced price and free lunch.
In an effort to keep the program simple, we use the following guidelines. It will be a cash and carry operation. There will not be any charging and no paying ahead as we are not set up for that. The limited menu is to insure speed and ease of delivery for a quick meal.
We are providing this program because we have found, for a number of different reasons, that many children arrive at school hungry. It is also well documented that when children are hungry they do not learn nearly as well as they could. What we are trying to do is offer a solution to this problem.
If you have any questions, please call the school.
Pest Control
Because pesticides pose risks, the school uses an alternative approach to merely applying pesticides. Control of insects, rodents and weeds at our school focuses on making the school buildings and grounds an unfavorable place for pests to live and breed. Through maintenance and cleaning, we will reduce or eliminate available food and water sources and hiding places for the pests. We will also routinely monitor the school to detect pest problems and prevent the pests from becoming established. Some techniques we will use include pest monitoring, sanitation, pest exclusion, proper food storage, pest removal and -- as a last resort--pesticides. This holistic approach is often called Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
Pesticide Use
Sometimes pesticide use may be necessary to control a pest problem. When that happens, the school will use the lowest risk products available. If higher risk pesticides must be used, notices will be posted at application sites and parents, guardians and staff have a right to know.
14Your Right to Know
Parents, legal guardians, and school staff will be notified of specific pesticides applications made at the school. To receive individual notification, you must be placed on the notification registry at Buildings and Grounds. Notification will be given at least five days before planned pesticide applications. Pesticide application notices will be posted in school and on school grounds. Notification need not be given for pesticide applications recognized by law to pose little or no risk of exposure to children or staff.
The school also keeps records of prior pesticide applications and information about the pesticides used. You may review these records, a copy of the School’s Integrated Pest Management Policy and the Pesticides in Schools regulation (CMR 01-026 Chapter 27) by contacting our IPM coordinator, Chris Shaw, at M.S.A.D. No. 75 Buildings & Grounds Facility, (207) 729-1548.
If you have any questions, please contact Chris Shaw. For further information about pests, pesticides and your right to know, call the Board of Pesticides Control at (207) 287-2731 or visit the Maine School IPM web site at www.thinkfirstspraylast.org/schoolipm.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
Student education records are official and confidential documents protected by one of the nation’s strongest privacy protection laws, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. FERPA defines education records as all records that schools or educational agencies maintain about students.
FERPA gives parents the right to review and confirm the accuracy of education records. This law ensures that information about citizens collected by schools and government agencies can be released only for specific and legally defined purposes. It protects both paper and computerized records. Consequently, school districts have policies that explain how the release of student records are restricted; parents’ rights under the law; procedures for reviewing and correcting records, and how and when student information can be disclosed.
Education records, as defined by FERPA, include personal information like age and address; school data like grades, courses taken, activities; official school letters regarding the student; special education, medical and health information;
16attendance and disciplinary records and determinations; and
personal information such as social security number and student pictures. Some information, known as directory information, can be made public. That is information usually found in yearbooks and athletic programs.
Parents have the right to review information designated as directory information and to ask that it not be made public. Parents also have the right to review educational records and to request changes if the information is inaccurate. If a dispute arises regarding this exercise, it is ultimately resolved through a hearing process.
Schools may release information from student records with the consent of the parents. School officials and teachers who work with students have access without parent consent, as do other school personnel who work with students. Education records must be sent to a school administrative unit to which a student applies for transfer.
It is critical that all teachers understand the confidentiality and protections that accompany the information they work with daily. Seemingly innocent statements of fact about students that can be made to other colleagues or in front of other students may be violations of the law. Information that is going out across the Internet must be carefully considered in light of FERPA. Confidentiality is also important for parents.
Directory Information as defined by M.S.A.D # 75 policy only includes the student’s name, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of athletes, dates of attendance at M.S.A.D. #75 schools, and most recent previous educational institution attended. All other information about students is protected by FERPA.
Child Find Notice
As a resident of M.S.A.D. #75, you are NOTIFIED that you are entitled to certain rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (PL - 105 - 17).
Under federal law and state regulation, M.S.A.D. #75 is responsible for locating, identifying and evaluating all resident students in public, private or home school settings who are or may be in need of special education services. This responsibility is called “Child Find” and includes this notification.
If you are a parent of a resident student or know of any resident student who does or may have a disability which may require special education, please contact either M.S.A.D. #75 Director of Special Services at 729 - 1557, or the principal of your local public school. M.S.A.D. #75 will initiate a referral process of an individual comprehensive evaluation to determine whether a student is eligible to receive special education.
All contacts are kept confidential.
Absences
Each student is expected to bring a note from his/her parent or guardian or have contact via a telephone call to the school office giving the reason for his/her absence. Those not doing so will be considered truant. This is required by state law. If your child will be absent we ask that you call the school office before 9:10 a.m. If you have not notified us we will attempt to call you. We may on occasion use volunteers to call parents. We request that you notify us if you do not wish to be called by a volunteer.
Excusable Absences
A. Personal illness
B. Appointments with health professionals that cannot be
made outside of the regular school day.
C. Observances of recognized
religious holidays when the
observance is required
during a regular school day.
D. Emergency family situations
E. Planned absences for personal or
educational purposes with
prior approval of the
principal.
If your child has been absent with a communicable disease, please call the school for information concerning re-admission to school. (i.e. doctor’s or health official’s certificate)
Dismissals
Students must have a note from their parent or guardian stating the reason for dismissal. The child will be released from school only to their parents or to persons authorized by the parents. Parents or persons authorized must sign students out at the office. Parents are encouraged to make dentist/doctor appointments outside of school hours whenever possible.
Report Cards
Report cards are distributed three times a year. The first and second report card will be given to parents at parent conferences.
Children are individuals and therefore do not necessarily progress in each area at the same rate or with the same degree of success. The report card grades the pupil on his/her ability and individual progress rather than by comparison with other students.
Parents are encouraged to have conferences with their child’s teacher. Conferences may be arranged by parents or teachers. Only in a conference situation can the many aspects of the child’s educational development and growth be fully explained and discussed between the people who know the child best -- the parents and the teacher.
Bus Safety
The right of pupils to ride on the school bus is conditional on their behavior and observance of the listed rules pertaining to proper conduct.
1. The bus driver assumes full responsibility for your children on the bus. The driver is in full charge during trips to and from school.
2. All pupils must be at the bus stop on time.
3. Pupils walking on the highway to a bus stop should always walk on the left shoulder of the road, facing traffic.
4. Pupils shall cross the highway in front of the bus and at the direction of the driver. When crossing the highway, pupils shall walk and not run.
5. Pupils shall go to seats, without crowding or pushing, and remain seated while the bus is in motion.
6. Pupils shall not open windows. (Windows will be opened by the driver only, or at his or her direction.)
7. Pupils shall not tamper with the emergency door or any other part of the vehicle.
8. Pupils shall not fight or scuffle on the bus or create any disturbance that endangers the safety of other children.
9. Pupils shall use appropriate language while on the bus.
10. Pupils shall not throw or project objects in or about the bus.
11. Pupils shall not bring glass containers or soft drink bottles onto the bus.
12. Pupils shall not eat or drink while on the bus.
13. Pupils shall not bring knives or other dangerous materials onto the bus.
14. Animals are not allowed on the bus.
Failure to comply with the rules may result in a student being suspended from the bus. In most cases, and prior to the need for a suspension, parents will be notified by the Transportation Supervisor or the school principal about their child’s misconduct. Warning notices of misconduct are mailed or sent home with students.
Children who are transported on a school bus must have written permission from their parent/guardian if they intend to get off or on at a different place than where they are usually picked up.
1. On those occasions when your child has to ride a different bus home, we are requiring that all notes, stating the details, come to the office so that we may issue a bus pass for your child. This is necessary to prevent overloading busses that are often filled to capacity and to allow us to know where every child is going after school.
2. It is very important that plans are made ahead of time so that telephone lines are kept open for important school communications and that the office staff is not burdened with something that could have been taken care of with a little forethought.
Outdoor Play
All children will be sent outside for scheduled recesses unless they have a written note from their parent or guardian.
We ask that students be sent to school with appropriate clothing for outdoor play. Winter weather requires boots, hats, mittens, and warm coats. Spring and fall weather often requires boots (spring puddles and mud) and a lightweight jacket or sweater.
Parent - Teacher Club
Our school has a P.T.C. which meets on the third Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. The meetings are held at Bowdoin Central School on Route 125. Notices are sent home before each meeting in the Bearfoot News. Parents are invited to attend.
School Insurance
Students will have the opportunity to buy school insurance (accident) which will cover them during school hours or longer, depending on the premium chosen. The insurance forms are sent home during the first week of school and should be returned promptly.
Relocation Policy
Bowdoin Central School will make a location accommodation for any student, staff member, or member of the public who has a mobility impairment or challenge. This will be accomplished through the reassignment of classes, the relocation of meeting spaces, the use of an elevator, or other reasonable methods to assure access to programs and activities.
Administrative Staff
Superintendent - Bradley Smith
Assistant Superintendent - Dan Chutha
Director of Buildings and Grounds - Chris Shaw
Director of Transportation - Adam Mayo
Director of Food Services - Pam Ferrar
Director of Technology - Nick Riggie
Principal - Ryan Keith
M.S.A.D. No. 75 Board Members
Roland Tufts,Chair Topsham
Kimberly Totten, Vice Chair Bowdoin
Holly Kopp Topsham
James Cusano Topsham
Dorothy Gardner Topsham
Linda Hall Harpswell
David Johnson Harpswell
Julie Booty Bowdoinham
Scott McKernan Harpswell
Jane Meisenbach Harpswell
Joanne Rogers Harpswell
Jane Scease Topsham
Rebekah Stimpson Bowdoinham
Gwen Thomas Bowdoin
Mt. Ararat High School Student Representatives
Class of 2016 -
Class of 2017 -
Class of 2018 -
Bowdoin Central School Staff
Principal Ryan Keith
Secretary Karen Mayo
Nurse Ellen Martel
Kindergarten Shannon Baker
Kindergarten Mary Belanger
First Grade Sandy Horrocks
First Grade Jennifer Talbot
Second Grade Katie Benner
Second Grade Emily Rice
Third Grade Katie LaPointe
Third Grade Gayle Toolin
Fourth Grade Christine Egan
Fourth Grade Jessie Boardman
Fifth Grade Stephen Crowe
Fifth Grade Jessica Theberge
Art Elizabeth Arno
Music Sarah Stratton
Physical Education Bruce Jones
Learning Commons Angela Wheeler
Instrumental Music Dawne Powers
Special Education Damian Hall
Literacy Teacher Stephanie McSherry
RTI Interventionist Amanda Hart
Title 1 Teacher Pam Estrella
Social Worker/Counselor Tracy Libby
Speech Therapist Sandra Garner
Psychological Examiner Sydney Alberg
Physical Therapist Kathy Murphy
Adaptive Physical Education Barbara Linnehan-Smith
Occupational Therapist Diane Wallace
Nurse Ellen Martel
Elementary Computer Support Leader Brian Favreau
Elementary Librarian Trish Suthers
Elementary Technology Integrator Kate Greeley
Cafeteria
Beverly Sawyer-Head Cook
Shirley Allen-Assistant Cook
Ed. Techs
Jodi Haskell -Core Curriculum
Patty Pierce-Special Education
Betsy Williams - Title I Ed. Tech.
Paula Vosmus - Health Aide
Bus Drivers
Norm Bean Bus 06-2
Roberta Anderson Bus 01-3
Simeon Breault Bus 01-5
Debbie Grivois Bus 01-2
Deborah Jackson Bus 08-2
Robin Bus
Custodian
Tony McCourt
Jimmy Babine