MSAD #49

LHS Good News 9/18/25

A College Fair field trip was taken to the University of Maine Field House on Thursday. A group of Seniors attended the event. There will be a spring college fair at the Augusta Civic Center for Juniors, later this year. Both events are set up through the Guidance Office.

The Finance Authority of Maine (FAME) is hosting virtual Financial Aid Information sessions to help Seniors and their parents to navigate the FAFSA process and to provide tips for filing, and answer other financial aid questions. The virtual sessions will be held Wednesday, September 17, at 6:00 PM and Tuesday, September 30, at 6:00 PM. Registration is required.

Next week we will be holding our state required Maine Through Year Assessment (MTYA) for Sophomores. The State of Maine uses these test results to gauge instruction and student achievement. There is a pre-test in the fall and then a final one in the spring which will show student growth and achievement. On Tuesday, the Sophomores will be taking the English portion of the test during Block 1 and Advisory. On Wednesday, they will be taking their Math portion during Advisory and Block 2. Students will be excused from their respective classes on those days and periods.

A reminder to parents dropping off or picking up their students during the morning bus drop-off / afternoon pick-up times, you should be doing so out back via Bulldog Drive, and at the Cafeteria entrance. Thank you for your cooperation and adherence to this new procedure. It is adding to the overall safety on campus and helping to alleviate the traffic congestion we have experienced in the past.

Have a good week!

At Lawrence Primary kindergarteners and first graders in Mrs. Salley's and Mrs. Skehan's classes started the year out with a mini unit on cows. Students learned the different names for cows (bull, calf, heifer, cow, steer), what they eat, what colors they can be, and much more. They read books, labeled the parts of a cow, drew and colored pictures of cows, and even saw photographs of cows the Salley/Skehan farm!

Last Friday, these students were treated to a special surprise...a visit from a real live cow! Duke - a 3 month old Hereford / Angus bull calf from the Salley/Skehan farm - dropped our Lawrence Primary School parking lot. Our young Bulldogs were incredibly excited and curious, asking lots of great questions to learn even more!

Clinton Elementary Pre-K is off to a wonderful start! 🌟 During these first weeks of school, our youngest learners are busy exploring the different classroom centers, each with its own purpose and opportunities for growth. At the writing table ✏️, children strengthen fine motor skills and begin their journey as young writers. The art table 🎨 invites creativity as they experiment with materials and tools, while the easel offers a chance to explore colors, lines, and designs. In the block area 🧱, students learn to share, problem-solve, and build relationships as they work together. These centers set the foundation for creativity, learning, and friendship all year long!

🎨 LJHS 8th-grade art students kicked off the year with the Rose Window Art Project, blending creativity and focus to design colorful pieces inspired by stained glass. 🌟 We hope you enjoy seeing their first masterpieces of the year!

💙 The Lawrence High School LEAP students teamed up with our 6th graders at Clinton Elementary for a special book categorizing project! 📚 Together, they read, discussed, and sorted books by social-emotional themes — then shared lunch and recess. The smiles and teamwork in these photos show the amazing connections they built while learning from one another! ✨

📚 Our 6th graders kicked off the year with team building, exploring new books, and a hands-on STEM project in Mrs. Delorie’s library — sparking curiosity, creativity, and a love of learning! ✨

✨ Students at Lawrence Junior High kicked off the year with orientation activities on opening day and are already learning the expectations for a successful year ahead! ✨

✨ First-day-of-school moments at Clinton Elementary! ✨
From morning walk-ins and lunchtime smiles to hallway fun and a few special stops along the way — our students were all excited to be back!
📸 First graders outside the bathroom
🍎 Smiles in the lunchroom
🦷 Fun by the Lost Tooth Fairy Garden bulletin board
❤️ Bright red first-day outfits full of school spirit

Last week, Lawrence Primary School held our annual Open House. We welcomed close to 600 students and their families, including many from the community of Albion. Lawrence High School Senior Brooklynn Ferreira - recently honored with a 2025 ShineOnCass Junior Service Award - used her $100 award to launch a “Backpacks for Cass” drive, purchasing and collecting school supplies, then passing them out to hundreds of our students. We're so proud of her generosity and commitment to our Lawrence Bulldog community, and we're thrilled so many families were able to take part in our special Open House event!


Our first through sixth graders were all smiles as they arrived last Wednesday, and they've settled in nicely with their teachers and classmates. This week, our building was bursting with excitement as our Kindergarten students joined us for their first day of school. We're off to a great start at Lawrence Primary School!

Buzzing with creativity at Albion Elementary! 🐝 First graders from Mrs. Ryan’s class proudly show off their beautiful bee-themed artwork—what a sweet display of talent and imagination!.

Benton Elementary students have been working hard in our Library Learning Center to get our Learning Gardens up and growing again this year! It all began this spring, with our fifth grade students using the Engineering Design Process to create presentations to teach our new fourth grade gardeners everything they had learned last year about gardening. Fourth grade students used the Big 6 research process to determine what they needed to know about gardening, eventually settling on researching the critters they might find as they work in our garden beds. They learned about evaluating online resources for the best sources of information and, through their research, created a resource for the garden that will help future student gardeners know what to expect to see crawling, flying, and slithering through our garden space. In addition to practicing research and communication skills, students have been getting their hands dirty, starting seeds in our Maker Space and getting outside to prepare our garden beds. So far, they've planted corn, beans, herbs, kale, chard, and root vegetables. They're excited to add their tomato, zucchini, squash, cucumber, and cabbage seedlings to the mix this week!

Celebrating a joyful end to the school year at Clinton Elementary! 🎓🎶 These moments showcase Miss Porter’s Pre-K Graduation Ceremony and the Kindergarten Info-Concert with music teacher Danielle Gorman. What a fun and memorable final week for our students!

Haylei is a member of the 8th grade class at LJHS. Not only is she a hardworking, dedicated student, but she is also about to become a published author! Mr. Langley and Mrs. Reynolds had the opportunity to speak with Haylei about her upcoming book. Haylei shared that she has always had a love for reading. She recalls a car ride with her mother toward the end of fourth grade when she first shared the idea for her novel. With support from family, friends, and a few teachers, Haylei brought her dream to life in just four years. Her novel, Tomorrow, is a fantasy story set in the future. Each character in the story represents a part of Haylei’s own personality. She explained that she would sometimes dream about her characters, which helped her shape their stories. For the past two years, Haylei has returned to visit her former ELA classrooms at the elementary school, sharing her passion and writing process with younger students. She hopes to show them that with determination and hard work; they can accomplish anything. When asked about her writing process, Haylei said she doesn’t follow a strict routine. She writes at her desk or in her bedroom when she feels motivated. She believes in not forcing the writing process and stepping back when feeling stuck is sometimes the best way to move forward. Every author has a message they want readers to take away. Haylei’s novel explores how her characters experience and process grief. She hopes readers understand that everyone grieves in their own way and on their own timeline—and that it's okay. Most importantly, she wants them to remember not to let grief take over and to stay strong. Haylei is already planning a trilogy for her series, followed by a novella. We are confident she’ll be successful in these next steps. As Haylei wisely shared, whenever she doubted herself or compared her journey to others, she reminded herself: "Everybody starts somewhere." Congratulations, Haylei!

LHS Good News, 6/11/25 🎓It’s Graduation Week at Lawrence High School. On Monday evening, scholarships totaling over $530,000 were awarded! These scholarships were those housed internally, as well as those external scholarships that students applied for and received. 💵Seniors have been practicing their marching and will head to the Augusta Civic Center to get their class picture taken as well as run through a final practice before Thursday night’s graduation ceremony at 6:00 PM. On the way back from the civic center, the seniors will tour each of the elementary schools, going in one door and walking through the halls in their caps & gowns for the students. 🎓Graduation is at 6:00 PM on Thursday, June 12 at the Augusta Civic Center. It is general seating with the doors opening at 5:00 PM. 🏫Last day of school for everyone is Friday, June 13 with an early release. The high school will finish at 10:30 AM with classes and lunch will be served until 11:00 AM when the buses arrive. Students who walk or drive will be able to leave upon dismissal. 👪Hopefully, everyone will be able to take advantage of the summer with some family plans. I know students will either be going back to work or picking up hours and some will be starting a part time job for the first time. It’s a good time that will teach responsibility and an opportunity for them to earn extra money. For students who may travel, it’s an excellent opportunity to expand their horizons. Whatever unfolds over the summer, it’s a good time for self-discovery, to try new things, and to recharge. We wish the graduating Class of 2025 well and look forward to seeing our returning students at the end of August. Have a great week and summer!

Eighth grade students took the initiative to explore future career paths with an extra visit to MMTC, where they each engaged in hands-on experiences and selected courses that matched their interests—an important step in planning for high school and beyond.

Clinton and Albion Elementary students have been wrapping up the year by reviewing music topics and enjoying favorite songs and games like Hop Old Squirrel, Old Raggy, Over in the Meadow, The Alligator, and Bye Bye Butterfly. All grade levels are getting ready for Field Day by practicing traditional American folk dances. Mrs. Gorman and Mr. Plaisted have teamed up to lead a folk dancing station—a beloved Field Day tradition that students look forward to each year. Fourth through sixth graders have been learning recorder, piano, and ukulele. And on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, our chorus and band students gave a fantastic concert at the Williamson Center Auditorium. Thank you to all the family, friends, staff, and community members who came out to support us—we’re so proud of everyone!

Last week at Albion Elementary, 17 lucky students took home brand-new bikes thanks to the generosity of the China Mason Lodge! 📚🚲 Students earned entries into the drawing by logging their reading—either by minutes or number of books, depending on grade level. The bikes were awarded during our final assembly of the year, celebrating both reading achievement and community partnership. What a wonderful way to promote literacy and reward hard work!