REGIONAL SCHOOL UNIT NO. 18

Belgrade-China-Oakland-Rome-Sidney

OPENING OF SCHOOL

A full slate of activities will swing into action as Regional School Unit No. 18 opens its doors and welcomes students back for the start of the 2014-15 school year on Wednesday, Aug. 27, at 8 a.m. Please note that school opens for all elementary students and students at China Middle School on Aug. 27, 2014. Students in grade 6 at Messalonskee Middle School and grade 9 at Messalonskee High School will begin school on Aug. 28, 2014. Students in grades 7-8 at Messalonskee Middle School and grades 10-12 at Messalonskee High School will begin school on Aug. 29, 2014. The District teaching faculty will prepare for the opening of school, with orientation sessions set for new staff on Thursday and Friday, Aug. 21 and 22, 2014, and workshops for all teachers and administrators on Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 25 and 26, 2014.

The summer of 2014 provided an opportunity for District staff to ready school buildings and grounds for the new year. As is the case every summer, District administrators and teachers have invested considerable time and effort in attracting the very best educators to the employ of RSU 18. This year’s group of new hires, both instructional and support staff, is simply outstanding, and we look forward to greeting them this school year.

The District requests the patience of all at the outset of the year as students, parents, and bus drivers become acquainted with the bus routes. Please do not hesitate to call Lennie Goff, Transportation Director, at our bus garage (465-2102) if you have any questions or problems.

REGISTRATION OF NEW STUDENTS

In terms of registering students new to the District, the following should prove informative. Parents or guardians should register their children as soon as possible prior to the first day of school; parents who have not registered their kindergarten children should contact their local school immediately to arrange for an appointment and pre-school screening. We do encourage parents to register their children prior to the first day of school. Although it is difficult for staff to do so due to opening day activities, we will accept registrations on that day if this is the only time parents can come in to do so. Students who register on the first day of school will start school on the following day.

NEW FACULTY

Several new faces will grace the District’s faculty and staff in 2014-15.

Atwood Primary School

Kahlie Collier will join the APS staff as an early elementary teacher. Ms. Collier is a graduate of Franklin Pierce University with a B.A. degree in American Studies, with a concentration in History and minor in Elementary Education. She also graduated from American University with a Master’s of Arts degree in Teaching. Prior to joining the Atwood School staff, Ms. Collier was an early elementary teacher at the Montello Elementary School in Lewiston, a position she held for two years. Prior to that she taught at the Abram Simon Elementary School in the District of Columbia Public School for two years. She was also on the City Year Washington, D.C. as a member within a larger AmeriCorps organization, serving on a 10-person team at Abram Simon Elementary School.

Courtney Deane will join the APS staff as an early elementary Teacher. Ms. Deane is a graduate of the State University of New York at Oswego with a B.S. degree in Elementary Education. She also has a M.S. degree in Literacy Education. For the past three years, Ms. Deane was a kindergarten teacher for the Kanawha County Schools in Pratt, West Virginia. For five years prior to that she was a preschool teacher for the Childtime Learning Center in Baldwinsville, New York. Prior to that she was a tutor for the Huntington Learning Center, serving students in grades 2 through 10. She also served as a substitute teacher for the Fulton City School District in Fulton, New York, and the Phoenix Central School District, in Phoenix, NY.

Diane Eichenlaub will join the APS staff as a speech language pathologist. Ms. Eichenlaub is a graduate of Methodist College with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She also has a Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology. For the past 29 years she has been in private practice, directing therapy to individuals ranging in age from 3 months to 78 years. Prior to that she was a mental health worker at the Elizabeth Levinson Center in Bangor (two years), a speech-communication aide at the Pineland Center (two years), and a residential Counselor at the Bancroft School in Haddonfield, NJ (two years).

Belgrade Central School

Jesse Labreck will join the BCS staff as an Upper elementary teacher (one-year position). Ms. Labreck is a graduate of the University of Maine with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She completed her student teaching at Earl C. McGraw School in Hampden and at Leroy H. Smith School in Winterport. While at UMO she served as Captain of the University of Maine Women’s Track and Field Team. For the past year she served as a substitute teacher for RSU 22. Ms. Labreck is a 2008 graduate of Messalonskee High School.

Justin Marr will join the BCS staff as an upper elementary teacher (one-year position). Mr. Marr is a graduate of the University of Maine at Aug.a/Presque Isle with a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts, majoring in History and minoring in K-8 education. This past school year he was a 6th/7th grade social studies teacher at Dirigo Middle School in Dixfield. Prior to that he served as an education technician III, providing literacy and math support to students in grades 2 through 6 at the Montello elementary School in Lewiston. He also served as a long-term substitute teacher for students in humanities courses at Mt. Ararat Middle School.

Pamela Orr-Atwood will join the BCS staff as an early elementary teacher. Ms. Orr-Atwood is a graduate of the University of Maine with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. This past year she served as a substitute teacher for RSU 18. For the past three years she was a behavior health professional for KidsPeace in Portland. Prior to that she was co-owner/manager of Dirigo Stoves (two years), team leader/curriculum teacher for Crisis and Counseling (six years) and a grades 6-8 science teacher for Windsor Elementary School (six years).

China Middle School

Michael Foley joins the CMS staff as a special education teacher. Mr. Foley is a recent graduate of the University of Maine at Farmington with a Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Special Education. He completed his student teaching at Mount Blue High School in both general and special education classes. He has worked as a community support worker for Care and Comfort, and as a camp counselor at Pine Tree Camp.

Co-curricular and Extracurricular

Colby Foster, boys’ soccer coach

China Primary School

Brenda MacDonald will join the CPS staff as a special education teacher. Ms. MacDonald is a graduate of the University of Maine at Farmington with a Bachelor’s degree in Education, majoring in both Special Education (Emotional Disturbance) and Elementary Education. She also has completed 34 credit hours towards her master’s degree, with a focus on Special Education. For the past 33 years she has been a special educator for the Auburn School Department.

James H. Bean School

Geoffrey Case will join the JHBS staff as an upper elementary teacher (one-year position). Mr. Case is a graduate of Wichita State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. For the past three years he has been teaching 5th grade math and science at West Intermediate School in the Wichita Public Schools. Prior to that he was an engineering intern for Hawker Beechcraft Corporation. Mr. Case serves as a big brother for Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Kansas, and he is a volunteer coach for the YMCA Youth Soccer Program.

Ashley Nelson will join the JHBS staff as an upper elementary teacher. Ms. Nelson is a graduate of Rhode Island College with a Bachelor’s degree in Health Education. She also has a Master’s degree in teaching from the University of Maine. For the past year Ms. Nelson has been a substitute teacher for AOS 92, MSAD 3, MSAD 11 and RSU 18. Prior to that she was a special education ed tech at the Suzanne Smith Elementary School in Levant. She completed her student teaching at the Mary Snow Elementary School in Bangor (grade 4) and at the Asa Adams Elementary School in Orono (grade 2). Ms. Nelson is a Maine registered whitewater raft guide.

Messalonskee High School

Lisette Bordes will join the MHS staff as an English teacher. Ms. Bordes is a graduate of the University of Louisiana with a Bachelor’s degree in English. She also has a Master’s degree in English from Simmons College, as well as a CAS in Publishing and Communications from Harvard University. For the past five years she has been an adjunct instructor of English at Thomas College. She has also served as a writing and learning specialist at Thomas (one year), a high school English teacher at Hampden Academy (one year), and a high school English teacher at Episcopal School of Acadiana in Cade, Louisiana (one year).

Janna DeWan will join the MHS staff as an art teacher. Ms. DeWan is a graduate of the University of Southern Maine with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Education, Ceramics Concentration. She also graduated from Syracuse University with a Bachelor of Music in Bassoon Performance. Prior to coming to Messalonskee High School, she was an art teacher at Cape Elizabeth High School, a position she held for one year. Prior to that she was an art intern at Noble High School, Falmouth Middle School and Dyer & Kaler Elementary Schools in South Portland. While a student at USM she was a teacher’s assistant, and she was an instructor at the Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts in Newcastle.

Ninette Fenlason will join the MHS staff as a special education teacher. Ms. Fenlason is a graduate of the University of Maine at Aug.a with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Arts, and a minor in Behavioral Science. For the past 10 years she has worked as a special education aide in the District, most recently in the MHS Learning Center. She currently teaches art for the Adult Education Program and serves as the High School’s yearbook advisor and will be one of the advisors for next year’s junior class.

Kara Sprague joins the MHS staff as a guidance counselor. Ms. Sprague is a graduate of Regis College with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and minor in Sociology. She also has a master’s degree in School Counseling from the University of Maine, and has a Certificate in Forensic Mental Health from the University of Massachusetts. Prior to joining the MHS staff, she was a school counselor at Hall-Dale High School, a position she held for two years. She was a holistic educational counselor for Wolfpine Farm for a year and a half and was a residential supervisor for Germaine Lawrence, Inc. in Arlington, Massachusetts, for three years.

Sarah Tupper joins the MHS staff as a science teacher. Ms. Tupper is a graduate of the University of Maine with a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and a Master of Professional Studies degree also in Biochemistry. This past school year she worked as an education technician II for the CHOICES Program at Freeport High School. Prior to that she was a resource room education technician III for the Hermon School Department, a position she held for two years.

Co-curricular and Extracurricular

Pia Lenane, junior varsity girls’ soccer coach

Dennis Martin, assistant football coach

Ryan Martin, junior varsity boys’ soccer coach

Messalonskee Middle School

Derek Langley will join the MMS staff as a science/English language arts teacher. Mr. Langley is a graduate of the University of Maine with a Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education. This past year he worked in a day treatment program and had a great focus on students and building relationships. Prior to that he was an ed tech in a behavioral classroom at Mt. Blue High School, working with students of different abilities. He completed his student teaching at Brewer High School, where he was responsible for prepping and running a sophomore level honors biology class, as well as a junior/senior level human anatomy class.

Williams Elementary School

Shari Kinney will join the WES staff as an upper elementary teacher (one-year position). Ms. Kinney is a graduate of the University of Maine at Farmington with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. For the past 15 years she has been a 3rd grade teacher at St. John Regional Catholic School in Winslow. Prior to that she was an instructional assistant at the Bean School, a position she held for four years. For the past three years she served as a pre-school assistant for the Alfond Youth Center summer program, and for the past five years, she was a special education tutor for the RSU 18 Special Education Summer School Program.

Kristin MacKenzie will join the WES staff as an upper elementary teacher. Ms. MacKenzie recently graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Maine at Farmington with a Bachelor’s degree in Education. She completed her student teaching at the C.K. Burns School in Saco. This past year she served as a long-term substitute teacher at Phillips Elementary School in MSAD 58, and she also substituted in RSU 23 and MSAD 9. While a student at UMF she served as a one-on-one mentor for the Mount Blue Middle School, a position she held for one year. She also served as a camp counselor for the Kennebunk Parks and Recreation Department and for Camp Sunshine in Casco.

Sydney Meader will join the WES staff as an upper elementary teacher. Ms. Meader is a graduate of the University of Southern Maine with a B.A. degree in Liberal Arts, concentration in English literature and language. She is currently enrolled in a Master of Science in Education in program, with a focus on teaching and learning at USM. This past year she served as a substitute teacher in RSU 14 and RSU 5. She also has experience working as a nanny.

Amanda Riebesehl will join the WES staff as an upper elementary teacher. Ms. Riebesehl is a graduate of the University of Maine with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with a concentration in science. This past year she was a classroom teacher at the Veazie Community School, serving students in grades 5, 6 and 8. Prior to that she was a special education resource room ed tech at Orono High School and Orono Middle School, a position she held for two years. She was an adult education math teacher in Orono (one year). She is currently the Co-Director of Summer Recreation for the Glenburn Recreation Department.