In a letter to parents, dated Aug. 2, 2023, Superintendent of Schools, Heather Perry expressed enthusiasm and excitement for the new school year. “We can all admit it has been a long and arduous summer thus far in dealing with our FY 24 proposed budget. To me, this is all the more reason to hurry up and welcome our students back into our schools! The work we do each day isn’t about the numbers, although no doubt numbers play a role. No, what we do is about children, and I am excited to see ours return to school!”

The first day of school for students in grades Pre-K, 6, and 9 will be on Monday, Aug. 28, 2023. The first day of school for Students in grades 1-5, grades 7 and 8, and grades 10-12 will be on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023.

Kindergarten students will begin their first day of school on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023, after having participated in screening activities the previous few days. Incoming Kindergarten families should have their screening appointments set. If you are the parent of a Kindergarten student and you do not know when your screening appointment is, please reach out to your school’s office and they can provide you with screening information and dates. Those office numbers are: Great Falls Elementary: (207) 222-1050, Narragansett Elementary: (207) 222-1295, and Village Elementary: (207) 222-1300. Regular school office hours began the week of Aug. 14, 2023. As parents, if you have questions about busing information, please call the transportation office to speak with Judy Philbrick at (207) 893-2547.

School starting and ending times are as follows:

• Great Falls Elementary Start: 8:50 a.m. End: 3:10 p.m.
• Village Elementary Start: 8:50 a.m. End: 3:10 p.m.
• Narragansett Elementary Start: 8:50 a.m. End: 3:10 p.m.
• Gorham Middle School Start: 8:00 a.m. End: 2:20 p.m.
• Gorham High School Start: 7:50 a.m. End: 2:10 p.m.

Superintendent Perry continued, “Our schools are excited to welcome you and your children to another tremendous year here in Gorham! There are always lots of outstanding things happening at our schools so be sure to check out our school websites, keep an eye on your mail and email, and watch for flyers and other materials that will be sent home with your students the first few days of school! To stay in touch throughout the school year, you can also check out my blog (linked to our district webpage) or you can check us out on social media–all of which are linked from our web pages.”

The superintendent lists two ways to get involved with your child’s school. Each of the schools has a “Partners in Education” (PIE) Group, and details about each of these groups are available by calling the school’s office. In addition, the Gorham Schools welcome volunteers both in person and from home. The process of volunteering requires registration. All the forms are available on the district website here.

In the letter, Superintendent Perry also stressed the importance of attendance to the academic success of students. Absenteeism at the beginning of the year is a predictor of poor attendance for the school year, as attendance issues in the early grades are a leading indicator for academic failure and dropping out of school. “There is no question that attendance has always been important, and it is now even more important than ever. Good habits developed now will last a lifetime. When you help us make school attendance a priority, you help your child get better grades, develop healthy life habits, and have a better chance of graduating from high school ready to successfully meet all the challenges life may have in store for them. We need to work together to make daily school attendance a priority!”

Additionally, Superintendent Perry expressed pride in the staff and students of Gorham and their ongoing commitment to the Code of Conduct and the examples of respect, honesty, courage, compassion, and responsibility demonstrated daily in our schools.

Superintendent Perry concluded by encouraging parents to reach out to her with any questions, comments, or concerns you may have throughout the year. Her email is heather.perry@gorhamschools.org and her office phone number is (207) 222-1012.