Hello Sanford!

Nasson Bike Program continues to be outstanding! Our new shop is fully operational and let me tell you…much much more Spectacular. You must come and check it out! Still in Nasson’s basement, but cozier, brighter and warmer! Students have been cranking out bikes for the community! We are half-way through 6 bikes for the Books for Bikes contest! We have sent another student on his way with his very own BMX and were able to donate a BMX to a Spurwink youth! We are still open every Tues, Wed and Thurs from 2-5pm send students and volunteers! Do you want to more about what we do? Feel free to stop by, email or call me! Big news..we are working with folks at the high school to put together a Mountain biking club!! More info to follow.

Our Youth Theater program is rocking the stage! We currently have 18 actors rehearsing for a late April performance of Loving Lives! A comedy…can’t wait! We are still looking for students for the behind the scenes work as far as set, lights, sound and stage hands! Send any interested students my way! We are thrilled with the success of the kids last performance and really pumped about the upcoming event.

Reminder: Do you need to borrow hoops for an healthy activity? We have about 30 that you may use for student activities.

Call for volunteers!! We really need some amazing folks that love kids that would like to volunteer either in our bike program or for our youth theater program. Do you have a couple of hours to spend having the best time ever? Let me know!

Thank you to all of you for taking a minute to keep up with our Resiliency Programming at Nasson and for all of your support!

Six schools in Maine, including two in Sanford, have been given the green light to plan for construction or renovation. Sanford High School & Regional Vocational Center and Emerson School were both listed. We’ll update this post as more information becomes available. To read the News Release from the Commissioner’s Office, CLICK HERE.

Maine Education Commissioner Steve Bowen’s office released the following statement today:

AUGUSTA — The federal government is offering Maine, like all other states, a chance to develop its own system of accountability and recognition of schools — allowing the state to jettison what many now consider unrealistic and unfair requirements and negative labels in the current No Child Left Behind Act. READ THE FULL STORY.

12/8/2011 UPDATE: Today’s Commissioner’s Update states that the response to the survey has been phenomenal so far! It’s not to late for YOU to weigh in. HERE IS THE SURVEY.

Press Release from Nellie Mae Education Foundation: (although this is from July 2011, I just tripped across it and found it very interesting – wanted to share ~Margie Genereux)

Quincy, MA, July 14, 2011  – In an effort to prepare all of New England’s learners with the skills and knowledge they need for full participation in postsecondary education, work and life, the Nellie Mae Education Foundation (NMEF) promotes the integration of student-centered learning at the high school level across New England.

As part of this work, NMEF has released a new report, Integrating Technology with Student-Centered Learning. The report was prepared by  Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) for NMEF’s Research and Development Initiative and examines current literature in order to better understand how technology might be used to personalize learning for students. The report examines the integration of computer- and web-based tools, applications, and games, as well as video and technology associated with mechanical and electrical engineering. READ THE FULL STORY.

NOTE: I’d like to call special attention to the Nellie Mae Education Foundation Wiki, which has some awesome info and resources for tech integration: CHECK IT OUT HERE. ~ Margie

To view the Lindsay High School Report from last night’s School Committee Meeting, click here.