Classes will resume next week for Windham and Raymond students

By Ed Pierce

Precious days are left in summer vacation as the calendar is speeding by as students in Windham and Raymond are gearing up to return to classes next week.

Public school students in Windham and Raymond will return
to the classroom next week as school resumes after the
summer vacation break. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE   

All RSU 14 schools, teachers, staff members and administrators have been back to work getting ready to welcome students for the 2024-2025 school year and remind the community that with children out and about on their way to classes, motorists need to be careful and pay attention in school zones and around school buses transporting students to and from school.

After registering their children for another year of school, purchasing new clothing and footwear, gathering school supplies, planning lunches for school, coordinating after-school care, and arranging for transportation, parents are celebrating that the official start of the school year is finally here.

In Raymond, elementary and middle school students will attend either Raymond Elementary School or Jordan-Small Middle School. Raymond students in Grade 1 to Grade 4 attend Raymond Elementary, while students in Grade 5 through Grade 8 attend Jordan-Small Middle School.

Beth Peavey is entering her fifth year as the principal at Raymond Elementary School and was the school’s assistant principal for three years prior to becoming principal.

Jordan-Small Middle School is led by Michelle Brann, who is entering her third year as the school’s principal. Brann formerly served as the assistant principal at Lake Region Middle School.

The first day of school for Grades 1 to 4 at Raymond Elementary School is Tuesday, Sept. 3. Half of Raymond Elementary kindergarten students start classes on Thursday, Sept. 5, while the remaining half of RES kindergarten students will start school on Friday, Sept. 6.

In Windham, students in kindergarten through Grade 3 attend Windham Primary School. Grade 4 and Grade 5 Windham students attend Manchester School, while students in Grade 6 to Grade 8 attend Windham Middle School. High school students in Grade 9 to Grade 12 in both Raymond and Windham attend Windham High School.

Dr. Kyle Rhoads leads Windham Primary School as principal and has served in that role there for 17 years. Danielle Donnini is entering her 28th year of working at Manchester School and she has led the school as its principal since 2015.

Windham Middle School Principal Greg Applestein is entering his second year leading WMS. He formerly spent three years as the principal at Bonny Eagle High School.

Ryan Caron is entering his seventh year as the principal at Windham High School and formerly served as the principal at South Portland High School.

Christopher Howell has led RSU 14 as Superintendent of Schools since 2019. Christine Frost-Bertinent is the RSU 14 assistant superintendent and Christine Hesler is RSU 14’s Director of Curriculum.

The first day of school for Windham Primary School students in Grades 1 to 3 will be Tuesday, Sept. 3. Half of WPS kindergarten students begin school on Thursday, Sept. 5 and the remaining half of Windham kindergarten students start school on Friday, Sept. 6.

Windham Middle School classes will begin Tuesday, Sept 3. The first day of instruction for Windham High School Grade 9 students is Tuesday, Sept. 3. Grades 10 to 12 at Windham High School will start classes on Wednesday, Sept. 4.

For parents, RSU 14 uses Parent Square for school-to-home communications including mass notifications and urgent alerts, language translation for multilingual families, and to schedule parent-teacher conferences. The district also uses the Ride 360 app to view a student’s transportation assignment or to request changes to a student’s scheduled transportation. The Ride 360 app may be downloaded by visiting https://MERSU14.myridek12.tylerapp.com/.

Aaron Gant and Sharon Leeman serve as co-directors of transportation for RSU 14, while Jeanne Reilly is the RSU 14 Director of School Nutrition.

Windham Christian Academy

All students attending Windham Christian Academy in kindergarten through Grade 12 will return to classes on Tuesday, Sept. 3. The first day of school for students in WCA’s PreK3 is Tuesday, Sept. 3 while the first day for students in WCA’s PreK4 will be Wednesday, Sept. 4.

Jackie Sands is now in her 12th year of working for Windham Christian Academy and has served as the school’s principal since 2018. <