In the public eye: Building positive relationships leads to success for WMS health teacher

Editor’s note: This is another in an ongoing series of Windham and Raymond town employee profiles.

By Ed Pierce

Anne Fougere believes that developing and fostering positive relationships with students and leveraging that into better classroom results and an overall better classroom environment is crucial to her success as an educator at Windham Middle School.

Anne Fougere has worked for Windham
Middle School for the past eight years
and for the last seven years she has
been the school's health teacher. She
also serves as the WMS swimming
coach. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Fougere has taught at WMS for the past eight years and for the last seven years she’s served as the school’s health teacher. It’s a challenging role covering topics related to physical, mental, and social health including nutrition, physical activity, and substance abuse prevention, with a goal of empowering students to make informed decisions about their own health and well-being.

“As a middle school health teacher, I help students learn how to take care of themselves physically, emotionally, and socially,” Fougere said. “I spend a lot of time creating lessons and activities that get students to think about real-life situations and choices, like how to eat well, handle stress, and build healthy relationships. I strive to make my classroom a place where everyone feels comfortable asking questions and sharing ideas. One of my main priorities is to build trust with students, support them through challenges, and encourage healthy habits that will stick with them as they leave middle school.”

She says that the best thing about her job is building real connections with my students and watching them grow into more confident, thoughtful people.

“It is incredibly rewarding to create a space where all students feel seen, heard and supported no matter the context,” Fougere said. “Knowing that I can be someone they trust and can turn to makes the job meaningful to me.”

One of the more challenging parts of her job is knowing how to navigate the tough, real-life topics in a way that students feel safe, she said.

“Each student comes from a different background, and I try to honor their experiences while still giving them the honest and accurate information that they need,” Fougere said. “Sometimes it can also be emotionally tough when a student is clearly struggling and you want to help them, but I can be limited on what support I can provide. Moments like this stick with you but they are also a reminder of how much students need someone who cares and show up for them.”

Originally from New Hampshire, Fougere attended Saint Joseph’s College of Maine in Standish where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education, and she’s currently attending the University of Maine to obtain a master’s degree in instructional technology.

While she was at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine, Fougere says that she spent a lot of time doing internships and at different placements throughout RSU 14.

“I met a lot of awesome teachers and some that I currently work closely with that I knew would be great coworkers,” she said. “I felt welcomed at each school I went to and knew that this would be a good fit for me. I started at Windham Middle School as an educational technician. During that time, my current position became available, and I decided this would be a great opportunity for me and I have been here ever since.”

She’s been coaching swimming at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine for eight years and has been the WMS head swim coach since 2022.

According to Fougere, people may think that being a health teacher means covering basics like nutrition, hygiene or puberty, but it’s so much deeper than that.

“Health class is a place where students can open up about real things like stress, relationships, identity and mental health to name a few,” she said. “It’s not just about teaching the facts; it’s about creating a space where they feel safe, heard and supported as they figure out who they are and how to take care of themselves. I feel that the public may not realize how much effort and care goes into creating my classroom climate and creating a space where students feel safe opening up. It becomes a place where they talk about things they are struggling with, possibly things that they may not share anywhere else.”

The most important thing she’s learned while working for Windham Middle School is simple.

“I have grown so much as a person and as a teacher over the years and I owe a good portion of it to my work family I have formed,” Fougere said. “There are a lot of great people that work at this school, and I know I wouldn’t be here without them. I’ve learned to trust my instincts and know that I am here for a reason and that I belong here.” <

Volunteers clean up Windham Veterans Center grounds during Rotary’s ‘EPIC Day of Service’

By Ed Pierce

Love for their community and a willingness to help prompted Sebago Lake Rotary Club volunteers to lend a hand May 17 in cleaning up the Windham Veterans Center grounds after a long winter.

Sebago Lake Rotary Club members Mark Morrison, left, and
Robin Mullins take a break from volunteering to help
clean up the Windham Veterans Center grounds during
Rotary's 'EPIC Day of Service' n Windham on May 17.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

The volunteers were inspired as part of Rotary International’s initiative of action, impact, and unity called the “EPIC Day of Service” which united more than 2,500 Rotary clubs and 75,000 Rotarians, community volunteers, and partners across the globe in a single day dedicated to making the world a better place. In all, 1,264 projects worldwide were completed during the “EPIC Day of Service.”

Sebago Lake Rotary Club President-Elect Robin Mullins said that the “EPIC Day of Service” is an unprecedented day for Rotary members to give back to the community because service is at the core of Rotary’s mission.

“We use our knowledge of local issues to identify areas of need, then apply our expertise and diverse perspectives to find a solution,” she said.

Mullins said that as part of the “EPIC Day of Service,” the Sebago Lake Rotary Club reached out to the Windham Veterans Center to see if they needed help.

“I worked with Dave Tanguay and Dave Langway on a list of outside items such as raking, leaf blowing, weeding, and more to help get the property ready for the landscapers, LJ Gagne Landscaping and Excavation, to come in and mow and mulch.”

The prep work was completed Saturday, May 17 as part of the “EPIC Day of Service in Windham.

“What's cool about it though was that the Sebago Lake Rotary Club partnered with the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce and the Lakes Region BNI chapter to do the work,” Mullins said. “We had a dozen people representing all three groups that came together that day to get the work done. It is often hard to find enough volunteers to get things done, so by teaming up we were able to get everything complete in three short hours on a Saturday. LJ Gagne was then able to mow and mulch there and the property was ready to host the Memorial Day activities for the Windham Veterans Center.”

Rotary International brings together a global network of volunteer leaders who dedicate their time and talent to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. Rotary connects millions of members from more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Its work impacts lives at both the local and the international levels.

The Rotary was created in February 1905 by a Chicago attorney named Paul Harris. He intended to create a space for professionals with diverse backgrounds to gather, creating meaningful and lifelong friendships and exchanging ideas. Now with more than 1.4 million members worldwide, it’s the biggest service organization in the world. Members are currently working on helping save mothers and children, supporting basic education for children, fighting diseases, promoting peace, providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene. Rotary has no religious or national affiliation.

The Sebago Lake Rotary Club was originally chartered on March 15, 1983. In 2006, it officially changed its name to better reflect the club’s membership from throughout the Lakes Region of Maine. It has served the local community for decades by raising money for charitable causes, distributing college and career technical education scholarships, and participating in service projects such as the cleanup at the Windham Veterans Center.

“Our club members are dedicated people who share a passion for both community service and friendship,” Mullins said.

She said that becoming a Rotarian connects you with a diverse group of professionals who share your drive to give back.

“Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders who dedicate their time and talent to tackle the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges,” Mullins said. “Rotary connects millions of members from more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Their work impacts lives at both the local and international levels.”

The Sebago Lake Rotary Club meets on Thursdays at 12:15 p.m. at Pat's Pizza in Windham. For more details, call 207-577-6654 or visit www.sebaolakerotary.org. <

Windham student attends 2025 Student Craft Institute

Since 1983, the Student Craft Institute has brought high school juniors and seniors across the state of Maine to the Haystack campus in Deer Isle for an immersive three-day program. Students live on campus, share meals in the dining hall, and focus on one discipline for the duration of the weekend. In addition to long days in the studio, faculty lectures are presented each evening, providing insight into the professional and creative lives of working artists.

Maine students, from left, Moriah Doody of
Windham, Lee MacCorkle of Round Pond, 
Sofia Duncan of Kennebunk and Elliot
Larsen of Harpswell join instructor Sharon
Chandler Correnty of Groton, Massachusetts
in creating felted tapestries at a Fiber
workshop during the 2025 Student Craft
Institute at Deer Isle on May 18.
SUBMITTED PHOTO 

This year, a total of 74 students from 64 schools across Maine participated in the Student Craft Institute from Friday, May 16 to Sunday, May 18 and one of those students was Moriah Doody of Windham.

The event provided a truly unique and memorable experience for students. Instructors included Sharon Chandler Correnty (Fiber), Funlola Coker (Metals), Aspen Golann (Wood), Angela Humes (Ceramics), Meghan Martin (Blacksmithing), Rangeley Morton (Fab Lab), and Pilar Nadal and Rachel Kobasa (Graphics).

Haystack’s Student Craft Institute was supported in part by Haystack’s Program Endowment with additional operational support from the Maine Arts Commission and The Windgate Foundation.

The Haystack Mountain School of Crafts connects people through crafts. Haystack provides the freedom to engage with materials and develop new ideas in a supportive and inclusive community. Serving an ever-changing group of makers and thinkers, it is dedicated to working and learning alongside one another, while exploring the intersections of craft, art, and design in broad and expansive ways.

Founded in 1950 as a research and studio program in the arts, Haystack is an international craft school located on the Atlantic Ocean in Deer Isle, Maine, offering one and two-week studio workshops to participants of all skill levels as well as the two-week Open Studio Residency program, tours, auctions, artist presentations, and shorter workshops for Maine residents and high school students. The award-winning campus was designed by noted American architect Edward Larrabee Barnes and opened in 1961 when the school relocated to Deer Isle from its original location in Montville, Maine.

To learn more about the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, visit haystack-mtn.org. <

Route 302 improvements meeting to be held June 18

By Dina Mendros

Improvements are being planned for a portion of Routes 302, 35 and 115 in North Windham and a public open house on Wednesday, June 18 at Windham Town Hall will provide an update for plans of the area.

A Maine Department of Transportation map shows 
improvements planned for a portion of Routes 302,
35, and 115 in North Windham. A public open house
to discuss this project hosted by MDOT will be held
on Wednesday, June 18 at Windham Town Hall.
COURTESY PHOTO  

The majority of the about $31.25 million road project will be paid for through a U.S. Department of Transportation Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity or RAISE grant. In addition to the $25 million federal grant, the state and town of Windham will each pay half of the remaining $6.25 million.

The June meeting is basically an update of the North Windham Moves project, Maine Department of Transportation Senior Project Manager Ernie Martin said. An initial public hearing was held in June 2024.

The partnership between the town and the state regarding the project, Martin said, began in 2019 and it will be over a decade later when construction is completed. The two entities worked on a feasibility study in 2022 and applied for the RAISE grant the following year. The final preliminary project design report is due in January, with a final public hearing taking place in February.

The plan impact report will be completed by August 2026 with plans and a cost estimate for the project to be completed by June 2027. Construction is set to begin in October 2027, and the estimated completion date is June 2030.

According to Martin, the goals of the project which will affect 4.85 miles are manifold and are designed primarily to improve “a dangerous and inefficient U.S. highway bottleneck.”

Other specific goals include improving “safety and efficiency for motorists;” providing "more uniform accessibility to employment and retail as well as tourism and recreation;” implementing “modern design features that will improve pedestrian and vehicle flow;” meeting the “Americans with Disabilities Act and Maine Department of Transportation standards;” and creating “an efficient and modern supply chain path for goods and services throughout the region.”

The project involves redesigning about 9,000 feet of Route 302 from River Road to White’s Bridge Road in Windham and the creation of three connector routes – walkable back streets – behind the region’s commerce center to ease congestion on Route 302. This project will make improvements to Routes 35 and 115 and it will replace aging traffic signals on Route 302 with smart signals. In addition to making road improvements aimed at benefiting pedestrians and bicyclists, Martin said that this project will construct about 11,700 feet of new multi-use pathway.

Some other key project features include repaving existing roads and adding new roads, adding and upgrading sidewalks on Route 302, installing new curbs in some areas, roadway alignments to be modified, and adding median islands on Route 302.

The North Windham Moves, Regional Mobility, Local Access Transportation Planning and Feasibility Study was commissioned in 2021 as a joint venture between the Town of Windham and the Maine Department of Transportation, with the study conducted by Gorrill Palmer and North Star Planning. The study recommended transportation improvements along Route 302 in North Windham area through the phased creation of three connector roads, addressing access management along Route 302 such as limiting left turns through deployment of a center median, and making corridor and intersection improvements in the area. Heavy traffic during peak travel times remains a problem along Route 302 from the intersection of Route 115 to Franklin Road and causes congestion, motorist delays and a high accident rate for motorists.

Some of the challenges to the area began in the 1990s, Martin said, when Route 302 was expanded from two to five lanes in North Windham with few sidewalks in the area.

“Route 302 was never designed to serve as both a local street dotted with businesses and a through-route for travelers heading to Sebago Lake and other western destinations,” he said. “Routes 35 and 115 are facing similar challenges.”

Traffic has increased so much in recent years it has taken a toll on safety.

“The project area had seven high-crash locations in the three-year period from 2018 to 2020,” Martin said.

The MDOT project was announced in 2023 and when construction is completed, the area should be much safer, he said.

“The construction of the numerous safety elements on this project is expected to reduce vehicle crashes by 21 percent,” Martin said. The safety improvements to be implemented, he said, “will aid in reducing crashes and injuries in a commercial area that has grown rapidly around outdated safety features – or no safety features at all.”

The North Windham Moves road construction project’s open house will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. June 18 at Windham Town Hall at 8 School Road in the Town Hall Gymnasium. Questions can be directed to Maine Department of Transportation Senior Project Manager Ernie Martin at 207-592-0567 or ernest.martin@maine.gov. <

Memorial Day events remember sacrifices of fallen Windham veterans

By Ed Pierce

Once again, Windham residents were reminded that Memorial Day is about more than watching a parade or enjoying a picnic lunch, it serves to honor the men and women of the United States military who unselfishly gave their lives in service to the nation. It is not just a day off from work or the official start of summer. It is a solemn day to remember those who have perished in the defense of liberty.

American legion Post 148 Commander Tom Theriault, right,
reads the names of Windham veterans who have died in the
past year while VFW Post 10643 Commander Willie
Goodman tolls a bell for each name read during Windham's
Memorial day observance on Monday, May 26 at
Windham High School. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE 

During a Memorial Day observance at Windham High School on Monday morning, members of Windham American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 showed reverence and respect for their fellow veterans and recalled their sacrifices.

Post 148 Tom Theriault introduced Don Swander, who served as Grand Marshal of Windham’s annual Memorial Day Parade, and a Korean War veteran. Swander, who lives in Windham and formerly was the president of the Windham Veterans Association, helped to place a wreath at the Windham Veterans monument as part of the observance.

Lee Humiston, the founder, director, and curator of the Maine Military Museum & Learning Center in South Portland, was guest speaker at the observance. A retired U.S. Air Force colonel, Humiston created the museum with a desire to honor Maine’s men and women who have served the state and the nation for the last 300 years.

Theriault said that Humiston has amassed one of the largest collections of Prisoner of War artifacts and related items in the world. He said that he has extensive experience building exhibits and played a significant role in creating exhibits at the Nixon Library celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Vietnam Homecoming, as well as two exhibitions at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., and the museum in the Hindenburg hangar at Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey.

Humiston discussed how the museum continues to grow and remains relevant for future generations of Mainers as they learn about American veterans and their wartime experiences.

“I built this museum not for me and not for you but for your kids,” he said.

During the observance, old unserviceable U.S. flags which were collected last week at gravesites at cemeteries across Windham were properly burned.

“The American Legion’s Ceremony for Disposal of Unserviceable Flags is a dignified tribute to the U.S. flag and to its symbolism.” Theriault said. “This ceremony is an effective instrument for promoting enhanced respect for the U.S. flag.”

For several weeks before Memorial Day, volunteers picked up old flags and replaced them on the graves of Windham veterans with new flags. Legion members also obtained new flags hung by the Windham Public Works Department on utility poles throughout the town. Those flags will fly all summer long through Labor Day in Windham.

The observance wrapped up with a reading of the names of military veterans from Windham who have died in the past year. Each time Theriault read one of their names, VFW Post 10643 and American Legion post member Willie Goodman of Windham rang a ceremonial bell paying tribute to their service to America. At the conclusion of the reading of those names, a contingent of Legion Post 148 members fired a 21-gun salute in their memory.

Attending the Memorial Day ceremony were State Senator Tim Nangle of Windham, State Rep. Mark Cooper of Windham, State Rep. Barbara Bagshaw of Windham, Cumberland County Commissioner Tom Tyler of Windham, Windham Town Councilor Mark Morrison and Windham Town Councilor David Nadeau.

Prior to the observance, dozens of vehicles and marchers paraded down Gray Road from Windham Town Hall to Windham High School to the delight of children and their families watching. The annual Memorial Day Parade featured members of the Windham Fire Department, Windham Police Department, a small marching band from Windham High, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, Boys Scouts, old military vehicles, Windham Republicans, Honor Flight Maine, Miss Teen Windham, Windham High School’s state championship boys’ basketball team, and the Knights of Columbus. <     

Raymond officials dedicate new Tassel Top concessions building

By Ed Pierce

One of the best hidden gems of the Lakes Region is about to get even better. On Friday, May 16, Raymond Parks and Recreation welcomed guests to Tassel Top Park for a ribbon-cutting ceremony officially dedicating a new concessions building there.

Raymond's new concessions facility at Tassel Top Park was
dedicated during a ceremony on May 16. The new building 
contains a concessions shop, bathrooms, changing rooms 
and showers and is part of a years-long initiative to upgrade 
the park. From left are Tassel Top Facilities Maintenance
Manager Barry Alden, Tassel Top Operations Manager
Karen Alden and Raymond Town Manager Joe Crocker.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE      

It’s the realization of a longstanding dream to have a permanent concessions structure at Tassel Top Park which has significantly upgraded the facility over the past five years. The park itself spans 38 acres off Route 302 in Raymond and features a 900-foot beach, a safe and secure swimming area on Sebago Lake marked off by buoys, picnic tables, outdoor grills, a children’s Story Walk, a mile-long walking and hiking trail, and a convenient parking lot with 108 spaces, including six designated handicapped spaces.

There are renovated cabins available to rent and majestic pine trees towering overhead providing shade. Tassel Top Park is clean and it’s free of ATV and bike traffic, making it a wholesome family experience for all ages.

The upgrades are intended to lure more visitors to the park and this new building will replace the old town boathouse that was used as the park’s snack shack for years. But along with the new space for concessions, the building also includes public bathrooms, changing rooms and showers.

Construction for the new building was performed under the supervision of Michael Meyer of Island Cove Builders.

Tassel Top Operations Manager Karen Alden and her husband, Barry Alden, the park’s Facilities Maintenance Manager, live at Tassel Top year-round and said the new concessions building was the result of a team effort.

“We celebrate this milestone,” Karen Alden said. “Barry was always told it couldn’t be done but look at us today. It’s a game-changer for our patrons.”

Raymond Public Works Director Nathan White said he was amazed at how construction of the new building proceeded this spring.

“I have to thank the crews for doing what they said they would do and on time,” White said. “This was a great experience. It’s been a long time coming.”

Raymond Town Manager Joe Crocker, who also serves as the town’s Parks and Recreation Director, spearheaded the project and praised everyone involved for making it happen.

“Our partners and Raymond Public Works did a great job with this new building,” Crocker said.

Crocker and the Aldens thanked the contractor, members of the Raymond Select Board and all the town committees through the years which approved funding for the park upgrades and helped to obtain bonds and grants to finish the project.

In 1931, Dr. Earl and Margaret Hall purchased the Tassel Top property on Sebago Lake from Charles and Fred Crockett of Raymond for $6,000. Over the years the family cleared some of the property to build a small cabin with living space and sleeping quarters, sauna, boathouse and outhouse. The Hall’s son, James W. Hall, applied in 1989 to the Land of Maine’s Future Program for the state to purchase Tassel Top and lease the property to the Town of Raymond. The name Tassel Top was given to the property by Margaret Hall and refers to the pine trees in the park and the pine needles that look like “tassels.”

During a Raymond Town Meeting, residents voted to develop, manage and maintain Tassel Top as a state-owned municipal park. In 1993, after making some capital improvements, including converting the old town boathouse to serve as a snack bar, Tassel Top Park opened to the public.

For the past 32 years, the park has been able to operate from the revenue taken in each summer from park patrons. <

Select Board appoints Crocker to serve as permanent Raymond Town Manager

By Ed Pierce

Raymond’s search for a new town manager has come to an end and the individual selected to serve in that position is the same person who has been filling that role for the past few months as interim town manager.

Joseph Crocker

The Town of Raymond Select Board voted unanimously Monday evening to appoint Joseph Crocker, 37, as Raymond Town Manager and his official starting date was Wednesday, May 21.

Originally from Saco, Crocker attended high school at Thornton Academy and then went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Saint Joseph’s College of Maine. He later earned an MBA in sports and recreation management from New England College. Prior to coming to work for the Town of Raymond, Crocker worked in parks and recreation for Saco, Auburn, Kennebunk and Lewiston.

In 2020, Crocker was hired to lead Raymond’s fledgling Parks and Recreation Department as director and he was appointed to serve as the Interim Raymond Town Manager in March of this year, replacing Sue Look, who resigned.

A press release issued by the town of Raymond says Crocker was selected after a competitive recruiting and hiring process conducted by HR Maine Consulting, LLC. All told, there was a total of 46 applicants for the town manager position.

Nine candidates participated in a rigorous essay and pre-screening process, with four candidates moving forward in the panel interview process, consisting of the Raymond Select Board Chair, Vice-Chair, a community member, department heads, a Town Manager in another community, and Betsy Oulton from HR Maine Consulting, according to information reported in the press release.

Raymond Select Board Chair Rolf Olsen brought Joe Crocker forward as the candidate for select board consideration on Monday evening.

“We are extremely happy to have Joe Crocker continue to serve our community,” Olsen said. “Joe has taken the Parks and Recreation Department to another level and has gained the support of the staff and the community in his endeavors. He has the demeanor, and resilience to lead our community toward the future.”

Crocker will serve on a three-year contract and will be paid an annual salary of $100,000. <