In the public eye: Exceptional WMS STEM teacher inspires young minds

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

By Ed Pierce

English theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking got it right when he said that behind every exceptional person there is an exceptional teacher. Windham Middle School’s Jason Lanoie is a great example of what Hawking was talking about.

Jason Lanoie teaches Seventh Grade Science, Engineering,
Technology and Math (STEM) on the Sebago Team at
WMS and is now in his 19th year of working at 
the school. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Lanoie teaches Seventh Grade Science, Engineering, Technology and Math (STEM) classes on the Sebago Team at WMS and is now in his 19th year of working at the school.

“Many times, when I tell people I teach STEM, they always ask, ‘What is that?’ and I always start off by telling them it’s technology,” Lanoie said. “I also tell them we do 3D printing, we make solar cars, we do laser engraving and so much more, but I always include woodworking. It’s still an important part of STEM, and in the earlier days of technology education in school, it was called Shop.”

He sees his students every day for about 50 minutes but at the beginning of the new semester, Lanoie will switch to the other seventh grade team, O’Hana.

“I get to see a different side of students, those who may not love school and struggle with classes like math or English and Language Arts, but love the hands-on projects in STEM,” Lanoie said. “I get to see the creative side of my students. I’m able to incorporate math and science skills in an alternative form.”

Growing up in Gorham, Lanoie graduated from Gorham High School in 1999. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Technology Education from the University of Southern Maine and then obtained a master’s degree in educational technology from Southern New Hampshire University.

“In late December of 2004 I got a phone call from Randy Perkins who at the time was the other STEM teacher at Windham Middle School,” Lanoie said. “He knew I was about to graduate from USM, and they were looking for a long-term substitute. I started in January 2005 and have been here ever since.”

Besides teaching, Lanoie currently serves as part of the WMS leadership team that is working on getting ready for the new middle school. He also has numerous positions, including vice president of the teacher’s association and is the head coach of the WMS Girls’ Indoor and Outdoor track teams.

According to Lanoie, his most memorable moment at the school is when he wrote his first grant with the Perloff foundation.

“Dave and Sandy Perloff purchased my first 3D printer back in 2012. Since then, I have received thousands of dollars in equipment from their foundation and it has changed the way I am able to teach,” Lanoie said. “We have 10 3D printers and laser engravers and Lego kits all from the Perloffs. We are able to do things I never thought possible when I first started teaching here almost 20 years ago. Another memorable moment was when I started the Guitar builders club last year. In the first year of the club, I had six students build a working guitar that they get to keep. This year the club has grown to 12 students and has been funded with a grant from the town council.”

Following in his father’s footsteps as a teacher, Lanoie says he truly feels his family is proud of the work he is doing.

“My father taught Industrial Technology and computers in Cape Elizabeth,” he said. “My wife Ashley is my biggest support. She also is a teacher, and we often help each other with our struggles, and if we just need another set of professional eyes for curriculum or lesson plans. I also like to try out some of the projects like my Rube Goldberg machines with my son and daughter.”

Lanoie said the people he works with at WMS are like a second family.

“We are all here to support each other. I remember when I was new to the building, and I needed the support from the veteran staff,” Lanoie said. “Teachers like Lee Allen and Charlie Haddock helped make me the educator I am today. Now that I have been at Windham Middle School for a number of years, I get to be that support for the next generation of teachers. We try to show new staff that at this school we will do whatever we can to support you. By showing new educators that we have their backs, we hope that it will continue long after the current teachers retire. It is really what keeps all of us at WMS going some days.” <

Maine Marathon announces additional donation to assist Riding To The Top

Bob Dunfey, the Volunteer Race Director for The Maine Marathon, Half Marathon and Relay, has announced that Riding To The Top (RTT) of Windham will be receiving an additional donation in addition to the $10,500 previously awarded to RTT as a 2024 beneficiary.

Gorham Savings Bak President and CEO Steve deCastro, left,
joins Andrea Connor of the Maine Marathon, center, in
presenting an additional donation of $9,500 to Riding To
The Top Development Director Kelly Johnson for use in
programs offered by the therapeutic riding center
in Windham. SUBMITTED PHOTO 

Dunfey said RTT has also been awarded an additional $9,500 after final race expenses were tabulated.

“Christmas came early this year. We were so honored to be named a beneficiary of this year’s Maine Marathon,” says Sarah Bronson, RTT’s Executive Director. “And then to receive news this month that the donation amount was increased has been an unexpected and overwhelming gift. We are so grateful to Gorham Savings Bank and to the many volunteers who work tirelessly to make the marathon possible.”

Bronson said as an organization that operates with a small paid staff and a large corps of volunteer, RTT is simply in awe of the all-volunteer effort of the Maine Marathon.

“Funds from the Maine Marathon will help the clients, horses and programs of RTT as we look forward to the start of the new year,” she said.

Riding To The Top is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the health and well-being of children and adults with disabilities through equine-assisted services, including therapeutic riding, therapeutic carriage driving, equine-assisted learning, and hippotherapy.

Based in Windham, the RTT team includes certified instructors, specially trained volunteers, and a herd of exceptional horses. Clients range in age from 3 to 90-plus and are referred by doctors, therapists, social workers, teachers, family members, and friends.

The Maine Marathon races are organized by the Maine Track Club. It is a volunteer driven, nonprofit event with proceeds going to local Maine charities. Since 1997, the Maine Marathon has raised almost $8 million to charity. Over 50 volunteer race coordinators plan the event during the year and about 900 volunteers deliver the event on race weekend.

“By pulling together funds from race registrations, individual donations and sponsors, we are able to have a real impact in the community,” Dunfey said. “The overriding mission of the Maine Marathon is to hold a quality event that runners and spectators will appreciate and support while raising funds for local Maine charities.”

This year’s 2024 Maine Marathon was held on Sunday, Oct. 6 in Portland.

For further details about Riding To The Top, visit https://www.ridingtothetop.org/ <

New Paid Family and Medical Leave Employer Portal to launch Jan. 6

AUGUSTA – The Maine Department of Labor has announced that the new Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) Portal, the online system for employers to register their business information, designate a payroll processor, file quarterly wage reports, and remit quarterly premium contributions, will be launching on Jan. 6.

Starting Jan. 1, 2025, any employer with at least one Maine-based employee must begin payroll withholdings for their employees. Employers with 15 or more employees will contribute 1 percent of wages and may deduct up to half of the contribution from the employees' wages. Employers with less than 15 employees will contribute 0.5 percent of wages and may deduct the entire amount from the employees' wages

All employers must register on the portal to begin wage reporting in April 2025. This portal will allow employers to register their business information with the Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave Program, file quarterly wage reports and remit contributions, and to apply for private plan substitutions when eligible.

The system will also provide the opportunity for self-employed individuals and tribal governments to opt into coverage from the Paid Family and Medical Leave program.

Employers will begin their first quarterly wage reporting and premium payments starting April 1, 2025, and they are due by April 30, 2025.

Stay up to date by signing up for the PFML Get Notified List and learn more in our FAQ, employer resources, recorded demonstrations, and step by step guides on our website: https://www.maine.gov/paidleave/

The Department partnered with FAST Enterprises - https://www.fastenterprises.com/ to build the Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave Program's online contributions portal.

FAST Enterprises has previously worked with Maine Revenue Services - https://www.maine.gov/revenue/ to create the Maine Tax Portal - https://revenue.maine.gov/.

Benefits are scheduled to begin May 1, 2026. <

PWD completes lead inventory and certifies no lead service lines in system

The Portland Water District (PWD) has announced the successful completion of its comprehensive lead inventory, confirming that there are no lead mains or service lines within its water system.

This significant achievement met the October deadline set by the new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule, which mandates Public Water Systems to thoroughly document the materials of both public and privately owned service lines.

Over the past 18 months, PWD has diligently reviewed its water service records and conducted physical inspections, when necessary, of over 56,000 privately owned service lines. This exhaustive process was undertaken to ensure the health and safety of the community by identifying and replacing any lead or unsafe service lines.

During the inventory, PWD discovered and promptly replaced one lead service line and three galvanized service lines, which were removed because they can be a source of lead if they were ever downstream of lead pipes.

"We are proud to report the completion of our lead inventory ahead of the EPA’s deadline," said Chris Crovo, Acting General Manager for the Portland Water District. "This achievement reflects our ongoing dedication to water quality and public health." The Portland Water District’s efforts align with its mission to protect public health and the environment through delivering high-quality water services.

Portland Water District maintains a 1,000-mile network of water mains ranging from 60 inches to 2 inches, pump stations, and reservoirs that bring water from Sebago Lake to home and businesses in Maine. Large mains for transmission extend from PWD’s treatment facility near Standish to Westbrook and Portland.

The district operates four wastewater treatment plants, providing treatment and collection services to customers in Cape Elizabeth, Cumberland, Gorham, Portland, Westbrook, and Windham.

The water district keeps about 25 million gallons of water in storage to help maintain proper pressure and allow for a water reserve in case of an emergency, like a fire or a flood. It serves about 200,000 people across 11 communities and because of that, PWD must ensure that Sebago Lake water quality is of utmost importance.

Sebago Lake itself is more than 300 feet in depth and contains nearly 1 trillion gallons of water which is considered of excellent quality. The source of water in Sebago Lake originates in the Sebago Lake Watershed, which is more than 50 miles long, stretching from Bethel to Standish and includes parts of 24 towns including the towns of Windham and Raymond.

The excellent water quality of the Sebago Lake Watershed is attributed to surrounding forest lands that act as a natural filter for the watershed.

The recent EPA rule is part of a nationwide effort to eliminate lead contamination in drinking water, a move that the Portland Water District fully supports and has proactively addressed with its latest inventory. PWD reviewed paper and digital records going back more than a century and visually inspected thousands of services in the field. This inventory and replacement work underscores PWD’s commitment to providing safe, clean drinking water for its customers. <