
RSU 21 Community News 1-17-25

Message from the Superintendent
Dear RSU 21 Families and Community Members,
I hope this newsletter finds you well as we move into the heart of winter here in Maine. Our students and staff continue to demonstrate remarkable resilience and dedication to learning, even on these chilly January days.
I want to address a matter of significant importance to our school community. On January 15, we sent an update about the cybersecurity incident at PowerSchool, our student information system provider. While parent/guardian contact information, student directory information, and some general medical notes were accessed without authorization, I want to emphasize that no Social Security numbers or academic performance data (such as grades or GPAs) were compromised, as we do not store this sensitive information in the PowerSchool system.
We are also including a letter from PowerSchool which provides detailed information about support services, including credit monitoring, where applicable. That letter is pasted below.
As we move forward, please know that protecting our students and staff's personal information remains a top priority. We will continue to update you as we receive more information about the cybersecurity incident.
Thank you for your continued trust and partnership in education. I hope you all enjoy the long holiday weekend.
Much love,
Terri Cooper
Central Office Messages
Letter from PowerSchool CEO Hardeep Gulati
Dear PowerSchool SIS Customer,
Thank you for your continued patience and partnership as we address the recent cybersecurity incident. Over the last few weeks, we have been focused on assessing the scope of data involved, making further enhancements to our cybersecurity defenses, and developing a plan to help you and our shared community.
As a PowerSchool SIS customer whose information was involved, I am writing to provide you with updates on several important next steps:
Identity Protection and Credit Monitoring Services: PowerSchool has engaged Experian a trusted credit reporting agency, to offer complimentary identity protection and credit monitoring services to all students and educators whose information from your PowerSchool SIS was involved. This offer is being provided regardless of whether an individual’s Social Security number was exfiltrated.
- Identity Protection: PowerSchool will be offering two years of complimentary identity protection services for all students and educators whose information was involved.
- Credit Monitoring: PowerSchool will also be offering two years of complimentary credit monitoring services for all adult students and educators whose information was involved.
- Community: PowerSchool will coordinate with Experian to provide notice on your behalf to students (or their parents/guardians if the student is under 18) and educators, as applicable, whose information was involved, as well as a call center, to answer questions from the community. The notice will include the identity protection and credit monitoring services offered (as applicable).
- Regulatory: PowerSchool will provide notification on your behalf to relevant state attorney general offices. You may also have notification requirements with your state’s Department of Education where required. Since many customers have already been notified and are in close contact with their state’s Department of Education, PowerSchool will defer to you on these notifications.
I sincerely value the trust you have placed in PowerSchool. We are committed to learning from this incident, becoming stronger and more resilient as a company for having experienced it – and most importantly – we are committed to serving you and our shared community.
We appreciate all that you are doing to support families and educators through this process.
Sincerely,
Hardeep Gulati
Chief Executive Officer, PowerSchool
New Emergency Resource Page
We are pleased to share with you a new page on the district website that outlines the emergency resources and protocols at our six schools. You can find this page by clicking on the "hamburger menu" (three horizontal lines) at the top right of the district home page.
This page features high-level information about school safety measures, incident command teams, behavioral assessments and support services, and emergency drills and exercises.
This page will be updated over time as we work to constantly improve the safety and well-being of our students and staff.
What's Happening
Monday, January 20
Martin Luther King Day | NO SCHOOL
Wednesday, January 22
Budget Roundtable Discussion | 8:30 a.m.
Thursday, January 23
Policy Committee | 12:30 p.m.
Budget Roundtable Discussion | 6:00 p.m.
Monday, January 27
School Board Meeting | 6:00 p.m.
*All school board and committee meetings above will take place at KES/A102 unless otherwise indicated.
District News
Pre-K Registration is Open!
Registration for Pre-K in RSU 21 is now open for fall 2025.
To learn about RSU 21’s high-quality pre-kindergarten program, please join us for a virtual Open House on Thursday, March 20, 2025 from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Those interested can join by phone or Google Meet:
Phone: (‪US‬)‪ +1 513-783-1488‬
PIN: ‪997 792 587#‬
RSU 21 runs a play-based program for 4- and 5-year-olds, focusing on personal & social development, creative arts, early language & literacy, physical education, math, science, and social studies. All of this early learning helps children thrive at a critical time in their young lives.
For a look at a typical pre-K day for RSU 21 students, this video shows what to expect when arriving at KES–story time, outdoor play, a family-style lunch, and lots of learning through movement, music, and play! Healthy breakfasts and lunches are available to students through RSU 21 and transportation on school buses is an option for kids living in any of the district’s three towns.
Inside the Classroom
This week, we take you inside the classroom at MLD, MSK, and KHS!
At MLD, Mrs. Dupuis' STEM class was working on a project to combat cyber bullying.
It was a lively and fun day In Mr. Francois' French class at MSK, where students worked on reciting the months of the year by tossing a ball around the classroom. The student who caught the ball had to say the correct month (in French).
At KHS, student teacher's assistant Nicole Axelsen led Ms. DePue's sophomore English class as they prepared for their midterms next week.
We will take a deeper dive into the student TA program at KHS later this month, so stay tuned!
"Outside the Classroom"
On Tuesday, Jan 14, first-grade classrooms from KES traveled to the Center for Wildlife in York, ME. They were able to view native species that have been rehabilitated, and also some threatened species (spotted turtle).
The center provided information sessions that allowed the kids to meet Lucy, a 5-year-old rehabbed Eastern screech owl, and Zipper, a 24-year-old corn snake.
Community Announcements
VPA Boosters Membership Meeting
Meeting will be held in the KHS Library.
Thursday, Jan 30, 2025, 06:30 PM
Kennebunk High School, Fletcher Street, Kennebunk, ME, USA
KHS Theater presents Silent Sky
Don't miss your chance to catch the final few shows at the KHS Auditorium!
January 17 & 18: 7:00 p.m.
January 19: 2:00 p.m.
Thanks to the community's incredible support, the Education Foundation of the Kennebunks and Arundel (EFKA) has provided nearly $1.8 million to teachers and students in RSU 21's six schools in support of STEM, Music, Literacy, the Arts, and Professional Development since 2006.
To ensure EFKA is able to continue doing its amazing work, they need donations! These tax-deductible donations help them empower our students and provide our educators with the tools they need to succeed.
RSU 21 Athletics
Winter Schedules
Live Stream the games!
Shop KHS gear
GO RAMS!
Weekly Attendance
Helpful Links
Community Resources
1-844-5-SAY-NOW
24/7 Hotline
Maine Crisis Hotline
Call or Text 988 or 1-888-568-1112
General Assistance Support
Tabetha Barden
207-604-1394
Wendy Lank
207-985-4201 ext. 113
Alison Kenneway
207-967-4401
Laura Dolce
207-967-0857