CLYNK for Literacy – Drop off your filled CLYNK bag at any Hannaford. Thanks to those who have contributed bottles so far to help purchase books that we will donate for each speaker. Keep them coming!!  If you need more CLYNK bags, be sure to see Christine Johnson at the next meeting or find the pre-stickered bags in our closet at WRVC.

 

District Literacy Project – We continue to need new or gently used children’s books (young readers and up to age 12, also books for older/elderly readers) to fill our distribution boxes at Westbrook Community Center, Stroudwater Food Pantry and Gorham Rec Center.

 

We are pleased to announce that Scott Linscott has submitted an application for member in Westbrook-Gorham Rotary. Scott is a professional photographer and he has been in ministry in Maine since 1985, working with teenagers for 25 years and in a church revitalization the last few years. 

His interests include leadership, living missionally, Photography, baseball, graphics, computers, technology, writing, and cycling. He holds a BA in Journalism from the University of Maine and a MA in Theology from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.

In 1984, he married his college sweetheart, Robin. They have three children – Josh, Shara and Jake and two grandchildren. He and Robin, also a photographer, live in Westbrook. To learn more about Scott, you can visit his website: http://www.linscottphoto.com/

 

The board will vote on his membership at the December 6 meeting. Any comments should be sent to President Jason before that date.

 

Dr. Peter Lancia, the new Superintendent of Westbrook schools, was introduced by Mike Foley. Mike has known Mr Lancia since Mike was a 6-year old student at Saccarappa.  Peter has been with Westbrook schools for 27 years, including teacher at Saccarappa, Principal at Congin, Assistant Superintendent, and now Superintendent.   During his career, he has been Maine Teacher of the Year, and Maine Curriculum Leader of the Year.  He is also a Lecturer at USM.

 

Westbrook has approximately 2600 students in K-12 and is one of the few school systems in the state that is growing. Many students are immigrants who speak a language other than English at home: Arabic, French, Russian, Somali and Vietnamese, among many others.

 

Peter spoke proudly of the community partnerships the school system has formed with Public Safety, mental health providers, and others.  The school district looks not just at test scores, but at the growth and learning of the “whole child”.

 

With the recently passed funding referendum, there will be many improvements at both Saccarappa and the Middle School. Saccarapa will double in size with the addition of dedicated space for a gym, library and cafeteria that they do not have now. The Middle School will add several classrooms.  They hope to break ground in the spring on both projects and complete the Middle School work by fall 2018 and the Saccarappa work by fall of 2020.