Dear Parents, Guardians, and Staff,
On October 29th, nearly 100 community leaders, educators, and industry partners joined us for the grand opening and ribbon cutting of the Biddeford Regional Center of Technology (BRCOT) expansion. This expansion offers our students incredible new opportunities to explore career pathways in Culinary Arts, Hospitality, Travel and Tourism, and Athletic Training and Sports Medicine—the first program of its kind in Maine. With new facilities and hands-on programs, BRCOT now serves 475 students from eight communities, equipping them with skills and certifications to succeed in high-demand fields. Our students even showcased their talents by preparing the food and setup for the event, giving everyone a taste of their hard work and dedication! Check out the news stories and photos below.
THANKSGIVING BASKETS
In the spirit of giving and recognizing the rising need for assistance in the community, the Student Council at Biddeford High School will once again provide support for those facing food insecurity this holiday season. This month, students will actively collect non-perishable food items, monetary donations, and essential staples for their Second Annual Thanksgiving Food Basket Drive to distribute meal baskets to those in need throughout Biddeford, Saco, and Dayton communities. Last year, they collected all the fixings to provide 100 baskets! Please see more information below if you would like to contribute or are in need of a Thanksgiving meal this season.
PERFORMING ARTS
As we head into the season of performances, I want to take a moment to celebrate the role of the performing arts in our schools. Theater, music, and the arts offer students a powerful outlet for creativity, build confidence, and foster collaboration. These experiences not only enrich our students’ lives but bring our community together. I would encourage you to share upcoming shows and concerts with extended family and friends; I guarantee you will not be disappointed! This month, we invite you to join the Biddeford High School Drama Club for Nevermore: Edgar Allan Poe(ms), and in December, Saco Middle School Bobcat Players will feature the Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon. Come support our talented students, celebrate their hard work, and enjoy a night of creativity and storytelling. See below for more information.
BMS Chorus Veterans Day Concert
Join us on Thursday, November 7th, at 6:30pm for a special Veterans Day performance by Biddeford Middle School’s fifth, sixth, and seventh grade chorus students. The event is free and open to the public, and all are welcome to attend. We look forward to seeing you there!
DCS Veterans Day Ceremony
Join over 40 local crafters and vendors on Saturday, November 9, 2024, from 9 AM - 2 PM at Biddeford High School's Tiger Gym. This is an excellent opportunity to buy holiday gifts, eat delicious treats, and win prizes, including $225 of free oil donated by Willow Creek Fuels! The event benefits the Bridges Program, which supports young adults eligible for extended educational services transition from high school to the adult world. Proceeds will fund the exploration of our local community to experience and practice everyday living skills such as dining out, clothes shopping, and maneuvering out in the community. In fact, the students are also providing baked goods and crockpot meals to sell!
Nevermore: Edgar Allan Poe(ms)
Join the Biddeford High School (BHS) Drama Club on Thursday, November 21st, Friday, November 22nd, and/or Saturday, November 23rd at 7:00 pm in the BHS Little Theater for Nevermore: Edgar Allan Poe(ms). This dark and spooky show was created from the minds of BHS students staging the works of Edgar Allan Poe's works: short story: "The Tell Tale Heart," and his poem, "The Raven." Tickets are $5 at the door, general admission seating.
The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon
Join the Saco Middle School (SMS) Bobcat Players on Thursday, December 5th and/or Friday, December 6th at 6:30pm in the SMS Cafe for The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon. This fast-paced comedy attempts to combine all 209 stories ranging from classics like Snow White, Cinderella, and Hansel and Gretel to more bizarre, obscure stories like The Devil's Grandmother and The Girl Without Hands. Tickets are $7 for adults; $5 for students, general admission seating.
The Biddeford High School Student Council has set a goal to feed 100 families in the Biddeford, Saco, and Dayton communities to make this holiday season a little brighter. Students have organized a class competition to collect the items needed to fill those boxes by November 22nd. Every box or can of food helps those who may be food insecure this season! If you would like to support this effort, please connect with a BHS student or staff member or drop off at the Biddeford High School directly. Grocery store gift cards or a donation can be made to Biddeford Education Foundation
are also appreciated so students can shop for the remaining supplies needed.
The BHS students have organized items by class:
8th Graders - Canned Green Beans and Cranberry Sauce
Freshmen - Boxed Stuffing and Boxed Jiffy Pie Crust
Sophomores - Canned Corn and Instant Pudding/Pie Filling
Juniors - Canned Carrots and Foil Turkey Roasting Pan
Seniors - Bisquick Mix and Turkey Gravy Mix Packets
Staff - Turkeys (Drop off only after November 12th)
The Biddeford Education Foundation and Aid for Saco Schools Foundation will purchase the potatoes for the meal baskets.
ALL SCHOOLS - If you need a Thanksgiving meal this year, please reach out to the Resiliency Coordinator at your child’s school for more information.
Biddeford High School Marching Band took first place at the New England Scholastic Band Association (NESBA) Fall Marching Band Finals on Sunday, November 3rd. Biddeford competed in the Division 1 category. They also took home awards for “Best Drum Major,” “Best Color Guard,” “Best Visual,” “Best Overall Effect,” and “Best Percussion.” Twenty-nine bands in five divisions competed on Sunday as well as exhibitions by four college marching bands. This is the first time in well over 15 years that Biddeford has competed on the NESBA Marching Band Circuit.
This is an amazing feat as 23 of the 37 members of the band and color guard are rookies to the activity. Biddeford brought the marching band back in 2019 after a ten-year hiatus from the activity. In 2021, due to the ongoing pandemic, they combined with the Old Orchard Beach Marching Band to rebuild and grow their programs. Under the name Seacoast Marching Band, Biddeford and Old Orchard Beach performed together for three seasons. After successfully rebuilding both of their programs, Biddeford and Old Orchard Beach dissolved the Seacoast Marching Band.
Congratulations to the students and staff of the Biddeford High School Marching Band!
The Dayton Community Club is collaborating with Flaherty's in Scarborough to offer Maine-made holiday wreaths with all proceeds benefiting Dayton Consolidated School. In order to get the wreaths in before Thanksgiving break, all orders must be received no later than Tuesday, November 12th.
Paper copies of the order form have gone home to Dayton families and can also be found here.
Please reach out to the Dayton Community Club with additional questions at daytoncommunityclub@gmail.com.
Mainers can now view, download, and share their immunization records from Maine's Immunization Information System (IIS) using a health record mobile app called Docket®.
Docket® is an application that searches Maine’s Immunization Information System (IIS) using basic demographic information (name, date of birth, and sex) to display immunization record information on a mobile device. Phone number verification is required. The app displays vaccination history to anyone with a record in the IIS whose identity has been verified through the Docket® app. This application is not a vaccine passport.
You must be 18 years of age to use Docket®. You can also access vaccine records on behalf of someone for whom you are the parent/legal guardian or authorized personal representative, usually for a minor child or vulnerable adult. You can export PDFs of your records by clicking the “share” button and clicking “Download PDF” within the Docket® app. You can then show or send the PDF as you choose.
To get started, click Here or scan the QR code to download the Docket® app and learn more.
