Brunswick School Department

Every month, there is a plethora of national days to be celebrated. March is no different. As a bit of a trivia nerd, one stood out to me: International Bagpipe Day, which is March 10. Interestingly, while the bagpipe is most commonly associated with Scotland, many music historians trace its origins back to ancient Egypt. Check out this month's Brunswick Superintendent's Notebook - Music provides students with ‘the keys to learning. Click the link 🔗  in bio to read more about why Music is so important! #teambrunswickme (photo credit Sean Mullen)

March is Youth Art Month at Curtis Memorial Library! Come honor these young Brunswick artists by viewing their works of art which will be on display all month! Join us for an artist celebration on Thursday, March 21st from 5:00-6:00pm at Curtis Memorial Library in the Morrell Meeting Room.

2024-2025 PreK Applications are open, click the link to apply: https://forms.gle/BsjqNdxszEEdyLyy6

We are excited to share that the Brunswick School Department is participating in the SMCC Educator Apprentice Program. The following educational facilities and school districts are also participating: Brunswick, Falmouth, Gorham, MaineHealth, MSAD, RSU 14, SAD 6, SAD 15, Scarborough, & South Portland. About this program: This 18-month program is designed for those who want to become Education Technicians II at a partner school district. This program is the first of its kind to provide this opportunity. After completing the Intro to Teaching Bootcamp, you will spend one day per week (3:15 - 6:15 p.m.) doing coursework while also receiving experiential credit working in the classroom the rest of the week! For More Info & Apply NOW, email workforceregistration@smccME.edu or call 207-741-5595 #teambrunswickme

Employee Spotlight: Alyssa Poirier - Administrative Secretary at Brunswick High School Alyssa is originally from Bangor, ME and attended the University of Maine at Farmington. Her and her husband, Aaron, have two cats - Sarabi & Nala! What makes you proud to work in Brunswick? #BSDProud How fantastic my co-workers are and how grateful I am for the people I work with. The BSD staff is able to do incredible things and are helping to educate the future of our world. I am always so impressed and excited to see what everyone is coming up with next. What do you like to do outside of work for fun? Build Harry Potter legos, listen to true crime podcasts, read fantasy novels, and organize everything and anything. What is your favorite line from a movie? "ITS SO FLUFFY I'M GONNA DIE" - Despicable Me If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet? Betty White What is something you learned in the last week? What the secret ingredient to Sponge Bob's Crabby Patty is....

The BHS Civil Rights Team coordinated an event to recognize Black History Month and the 2024 BHM theme of African Americans and the Arts. With the support of their advisor, Tiffany Jones, the team invited community members to bring African food samples to share and held an African dance celebration. The stage of Crooker Theater was filled with students and family members sharing in music and dance! It was a wonderful celebration of BHM and our Brunswick community. #teambrunswickme

Employee Spotlight: Julie Kenny - Assistant Principal at Harriet Beecher Stowe Elementary School Julie is originally from Bath, ME. She attended Massachusetts College of Art for her Bachelors Degree and then on to New England College for her Masters Degree. Julie and her husband have been married for 13 years and they have two sons (ages 7 and 11). Together they have a family dog named Rosie. What makes you proud to work in Brunswick? #BSDProud I'm proud to work in a school with such welcoming staff and students. What do you like to do outside of work for fun? I love watching my sons play sports, traveling, sunny days at the beach, and cozying up on the couch with a good book. What is your favorite line from a movie? "The only thing predictable about life is its unpredictability" from Ratatouille If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet? Taylor Swift What is something you learned in the last week? Hippos are most active at night when they forage for food.

PreK Information Night for the 2024-25 School Year Eligible children must be 4 years old on or before 10/15/2024 Tuesday February 27th, 2024 from 6:00-7:00 PM at Kate Furbish School (75 Jordan Ave.)bNote: Childcare will NOT be provided at this event.

Employee Spotlight: Deb Hewitt - Administrative Assistant at Harriet Beecher Stowe Elementary School Deb grew up in Hollywood, Florida and is married to her husband. Together they have three children (all boys) and two dogs. What makes you proud to work in Brunswick? #BSDProud All the great people. What do you like to do outside of work for fun? We spend as much time as possible outside hiking, with the family or relaxing on the beach. What is your favorite line from a movie? "She thinks it's fancy" If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet? Eric Clapton What is something you learned in the last week? How to transfer students out of PowerSchool.

Employee Spotlight: Patricia Labbe -Food Service at Kate Furbish Elementary School Patricia grew up in Topsham, ME and graduated from Mt. Ararat High School. Her and her husband have two children and four grandchildren. What makes you proud to work in Brunswick? #BSDProud I feel proud feeding the kids every day! love working with my co-workers! What do you like to do outside of work for fun? We love hanging with our grandsons/traveling/hunting/fishing all seasons/going to the beach all year long/snowshoeing/driving in the woods of the Aroostook County and seeing all the wildlife. What is your favorite line from a movie? "Hey dad, wanna have a catch?" - Field of Dreams (my dad passed when I was 1yr old) If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet? Jesus What is something you learned in the last week? One of my grandson's likes learning about NASA.

Brunswick Schools will have a 2-hour delay today, Monday, January 29, 2024. School start times are: KFS - 10:30 HBS - 10:30 BJHS - 9:45 BHS - 9:45 Buses will run 2 hours later than the regular bus times.

Brunswick Schools will have a 2-Hour Delay today, January 25, 2024. Due to unsafe road conditions, Brunswicks Schools will have a 2-Hour Delay.

Join us TODAY - January 23rd! For Coffee with the BSD. We will be at the Brunswick Town Hall from 12:00-2:00pm in Room 117. Come chat and have some coffee - we look forward to seeing you there.

Employee Spotlight: Mary Dempsey - School Counselor at Kate Furbish Elementary School Mary grew up in Kennebunk and attended the University if New Hampshire for her Undergraduate Degree and later attended the University of Southern Maine for her Masters Degree. She has two cats named Tigerlily and Beau. What makes you proud to work in Brunswick? #BSDProud I am proud to work in a district where there is K-12 vertical collaboration amongst school counselors! What do you like to do outside of work for fun? I love to cook, run, bike, hike, and spend time with my niece and nephews. What is your favorite line from a movie? Anything from Anchorman makes me laugh. "Milk was a bad choice!" or "I love lamp" come to mind. If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet? Will Ferrell What is something you learned in the last week? I learned how to play the game Qwirkle

Congratulations to Cathy Normand - Our most recent Schootles Award Winner! Cathy was nominated by a parent who said in part: My two kids, Kindergarten and 6th grade, ride Ms. Cathy's bus. She is the beacon of light in my day and ALWAYS brings a smile to my kids' faces, even when they're tired and grumpy. She is so patient and kind, and I have no idea how she remembers every single kid's name, including our 2-year-old's (who obviously doesn't ride the bus!). Lastly, thanks so much for implementing the BusRight app. It is awesome! Let's kick up the likes and give Ms. Cathy the recognition she deserves! #teambrunswickme

Congratulations to Tyjah, Jenna, Quincy, and Cyler for the completion of their community outreach project! (This project was featured on the Brunswick Buzz Podcast. Click the link in bio). Together, they held meetings with administration and food service, wrote letters, made phone calls, and organized the addition of vending machines at BJHS. The machines will be turned on outside school hours, and USDA cafeteria-approved snacks and water will be available for students to purchase. Proceeds will go into the Community Outreach account to benefit student programming. Please note that we have water refill stations throughout the school and snacks available for students. #teambrunswickme

DEIB Meeting has been cancelled for today - January 16th.

Employee spotlight: Heather Moffat Ed Tech in the Resource Room at Kate Furbish Elementary School Heather and her husband, Dave, have one daughter named Hannah and together they have two family dogs, Bella and Luna. Heather grew up in Freeport and received her Associated Degree in Early Childhood Education from Central Maine Community College. What makes you proud to work in Brunswick? #BSDProud I have been working at Kate Furbish Elementary School for a few months now and I LOVE everything about it. I have felt welcomed since the beginning and the wonderful sense of community in town brings me joy. What do you like to do outside of work for fun? I love to spend time with my family/pups and friends. I love going to the beach in the summer, playing golf when ever I can, playing pool, and hiking. What is your favorite line from a movie? Home is where the heart is... If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet? Lady Gaga What is something you learned in the last week? That even on the tough days, there is light in the darkness (but that is something I try to find every time things are rough) but this week, even though we were short staffed, we pulled together as a team and made things happen in my room. We worked great as a team.

Dear parents, Due to expected unsafe winter weather driving conditions this afternoon, we will be dismissing ALL students early as a precaution. Dismissal times are as follows: BHS: 11:15 am BJHS: 11:30 am HBS and KFE: 12:15 pm All afternoon games and activities are canceled. Please arrange to have your child take the bus or pick them up. We want to ensure all students can get home safely before weather conditions worsen. Thank you for your flexibility and understanding. Please don't hesitate to get in touch with your school office if you have any questions or concerns. Superintendent Potenziano

I spent some time this weekend exploring the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park in Atlanta and learning more about the American civil rights movement. This park honors the life and work of Dr. King, one of the most influential civil rights activists in history. I started at the Visitor Center where I watched a moving video chronicling the struggles and victories of the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 60s. I felt inspired by the resilience and determination of so many who risked their lives to secure equal rights. Next, I toured Dr. King's birth home area (it was closed). I also visited Ebenezer Baptist Church where Dr. King was a pastor and then I visited Dr. King’s grave along with his wife Coretta Scott King. I reflected on his words “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” and felt moved by how much work is still needed to achieve his dream. I’m so glad I took the time to come to this historic park and learn more about a pivotal time in Atlanta and America’s history. If you’re in Atlanta, I highly recommend visiting this inspiring memorial to Dr. King’s remarkable impact. #MLK #civilrights #Atlanta #history #inspiration #leadership