Scarborough High School

March was a spectacular month at SHS, filled with recognitions, performances, and achievements. We celebrated Music in Our School Month with our All Town Band and Chorus concerts, as well as Jazz Night. Each event was a wonderful celebration of the arts. Two students, Bridget Dunfee and Kai Edgerley, also earned passageway to national events for their respective efforts in SkillsUSA and Choir competitions.

Looking ahead, I am excited to share the End-of-Year Events calendar, which includes information on everything from senior events to final exams, as well as expectations and procedure for those events. We are also putting the finishing touches on our plans for Prom 2025. More information will be forthcoming about that event soon. Also of note is that we will be conducting Spring testing on April 15. Please see below for logistics for that day.

Spring is always the busiest time in our calendar, but it's truly a wonderful season with all the celebrations and recognitions!

I hope each of you has a safe and enjoyable April vacation!

Nate Theriault

Principal

Scarborough is like all other school districts and is struggling to find enough bus drivers. There are some days that bus routes have to be combined and/or run later than expected. When changes are made, communication will go out via the My Rides K-12 app. Please make sure you have registered to receive messages via the app to receive all of the communications. All of our bus routes are loaded in MY Ride K-12 software.

You can access the bus routes via the My Rides K-12 app on your cell phone or by the My Rides k-12 website on your computer. Here are the directions to access via the phone app or the website. If you don’t know your child’s ID number, please call the school your child attends and they can share the child’s ID number (it is the same number as your child’s lunch number).

We are excited to share that Scarborough High School senior, Bridget Dunfee, earned a Gold Medal at the State Skills USA competition! She'll be competing nationally in June down in Atlanta! Congratulations, Bridget!

We are incredibly proud of the PATHS students for their outstanding performance at the SkillsUSA State Competition. SkillsUSA is a national organization that empowers students to become world-class workers, leaders, and responsible citizens through Career and Technical Education competitions. Learn more about SkillsUSA here: https://www.skillsusa.org/competitions/

PATHS students showcased their talent, dedication, and skill, bringing home an impressive 10 medals!

Gold Medalists: (who have qualified to represent Maine at the National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, this June!)

Collision Repair Technology: Bridget Dunfee (Scarborough)

Check out PATH's facebook for podium photos of each student! https://www.facebook.com/PATHS196

SHS Junior, Kai Edgerley at the ACDA National Honor Choir held in Dallas, Texas

We could not be more proud of our own Kai Edgerley, SHS Junior, for his participation in the 2025 ACDA National Honor Choir which was recently held in Dallas, Texas (pictured above at the performance, and below with Jeff Mosher, SHS Choral Director). Edgerley’s invitation came after a rigorous audition process, and represents a commitment to choral music making at the highest level. To our knowledge, Edgerley is the first student in SHS history to attend the festival. Congratulations, Kai!

On Tuesday, March 25th, we held our 3rd Annual All-Town Chorus Concert in Alumni Gym! This event shattered all records with an estimated 1300+ individuals in attendance! Choirs from Wentworth, the Middle School, and the High School were featured, along with a special combined piece with some of our second graders to close the evening. This night also marked the All-Town debut for our new MS chorus teacher, Matt LaBerge. Check out this video to see him lead an awesome audience singalong of “The Napkin Song”. A huge shoutout to Ms. Newell (EC), Mr. Martelle (BP + PH), Ms. Goodall (W), Mr. LaBerge (MS), Mr. Mosher (HS), collaborative pianist Kellie Moody, and auditorium manager Eric Lehmann! We are already counting down the days to March of 2026!

On March 26, the SHS Wind Ensemble participated in the MBDA Adjudicated Concert Band Festival and earned a top rating. They received a 1 which is described as "Exceeds the Standard for Musical Performance"

On March 11th, the Middle School and High School Band programs played a combined concert in Alumni Gym at SHS. Over 300 student musicians came together to perform for friends, family, and the community.

Jazz Night: On March 27th the High School Jazz Band was joined by the 6th Grade and 7th/8th Grade Jazz Bands for the annual Jazz Night in the SHS Cafeteria. The audience was treated to an evening of light snacks and great music.

Seniors Kalei Kieu and Matthew Fagerlund were recently named the March Student Spotlight Award Recipients by Scarborough Public Schools.

Scarborough High School is so proud to learn from the District that our Senior, Kalei Kieu was recently selected as the recipient of a Student Spotlight Award! Kalei was nominated by Michelle Shupp, a teacher of Latin here at the high school as well as the Advisor of the Civil Rights Club. Kalei is a co-president of the Civil Rights Club, member of the Reducing Sexism and Violence Program, and has participated in ECOS. Kalei was also instrumental in the community-wide DEI committee. As the student chair for the last two years of the committee's engagement, Kalei represented the student voice and took on many initiatives that benefitted her community.

Photo by F. Tarpinian

From left to right, Magdalena Goebl-Shupp, Yashu Derisala, Michelle Shupp, Kalei Kieu, Abigail Rasquinha

SHS was also extremely proud to learn that another amazing Senior, Matthew Fagerlund, was also selected as a recipient of a Student Spotlight Award! Matthew was nominated by French Teacher, Helene Van Neste. Last Summer, Matthew worked tirelessly to build a new platform to replace Quizlet for the World Language Department. Matthew has also become the go-to guy for classroom technology issues around our building. Most importantly, Matthew is a fantastic academic and behavioral model for classroom peers.

Photo by F. Tarpinian

From left to right: Abigail Rasquinha, Matthew Fagerlund

The Model UN Club (pictured above) had a successful conference in Bedford, New Hampshire on March 16. Maya Taylor was recognized with a Best Position Paper Award for exemplary performance and diplomacy. Owen Powers, Katarina Ousback , and Sydney Cloutier demonstrated leadership and strong debate skills in their crisis committees. Aidan Chaplick, Emily Clough, Helen Horrigan, Asher Jarvis and Payton Cloutier navigated parliamentary procedure and the art of diplomacy with professional skill. These students handled difficult topics ranging from debate about the Invasion of Iraq to the Patriot Act. These students represented Scarborough High School commendably.

For the third year in a row, SHS is among the regional winners of the JA Titan Challenge. Congratulations to Calvin Kovacs and Kingston Namer (pictured below) who were the winning team for our competition location at Dead River Company. SHS was also represented in this statewide business strategy competition by the following students who made us proud:

• Emily Clough
• Thea Comstock
• Lucia Crasnick
• Lilah Ferrie
• Emily Huang
• Olivia Ou
• Katarina Ousback
• Abigail Rasquinha
• Raphael Safin
• Molly Savage

Class of 2028 held their 1st Annual Pickleball Fundraiser on Tuesday 3/11 through Thursday 3/13 in Plummer Gymnasium. 20 teams signed up for the inaugural event that raised $200 for our class. The tournament began with each team playing 2 games on Tuesday for seeding purposes. On Wednesday teams began playing in a single-elimination tournament. The 4 teams that advanced to the semi-finals included Ballers, The Best, Stockwell, and Dialed In. We had some great matches with Stockwell and The Best advancing to a best 2 out of 3 Championship match. The Stockwell team was dominant in the finals and ended up winning 2 games in a row to capture the championship.

1st Place team: Stockwell - Ethan Stockwell and Adam Stockwell (pictured above)

2nd Place team: The Best - Jake Hogan and Emmett Chen (pictured below)

On March 26 and 27, Scarborough High School students shared musical space with Kafari, a nationally acclaimed jazz pianist and rhythm bones performer. Fresh off a national tour with Sudan Archives and Andre` 3000, Kafari, a Bowdoin graduate, now bases himself in Portland, Maine. Students who registered to learn with Kafari had a variety of experiences from audience members, to music samplers, and even to rhythm bones performers. This small group mentoring space enabled the students to ask Kafari about his origins in the music industry, what it's like to be on tour, and how he composes. The next mentor-speaker in the "On Their Shoulders" series will be award-winning author, Samara Cole Doyon. While registration is open to all students, space is limited. Students can register by clicking here.

The National Honor Society sponsored a volleyball tournament the week of March 17th.

Ten teams participated and over $300 was raised to benefit the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital. Congratulations to the winning team of Issac Kim, Carter Blanche, Aidan Pham, Layton Garriepy, EJ Herrick, Reed Thurrell, Brett Kemper and Owen Pepler. The runner-up team members included Natale Philibert, Suzann Link, Eloise Benedict, Kiannah Estivalletti, Nellie Stover, Calli Juhring and Lexi Cowie.

Thanks to all who participated and a special thanks to members of the volleyball team who helped referee.

Members of Mrs. Landry-Fowler's Illustration Class share the following beautiful pieces from their Mandala Project. Featured below is the work of Lilly MacCullum.

Ally Canatsey, Dillon Jenkins, Gabrielle Smetena, Maiya Marquis and Evelyn Winslow represented Scarborough High School at the Climate & Me Youth Leadership Summit at UMaine Orono on Friday, April 4th. This event was organized by the Maine Climate Council to give Maine high school students and educators the opportunity to gather to share ideas, build community, network for action and learn key skills for planning and implementing climate projects at their school. These ECOS members are excited to bring back new energy to their continued work toward a more sustainable school district and community.

SERVICE ACADEMY NIGHT

Thursday, April 10, 2025 | 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. | Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

Bangor Hilton Garden Inn | Bangor, Maine

Hosted by Maine’s U.S. Congressional Delegation in cooperation with Maine Maritime Academy Confirm your attendance at https://tinyurl.com/297vnz5x 207-326-2207 | admissions@mma.edu

Join us to learn more about the world-class educational opportunities that service academies offer, the Congressional nomination and academy selection processes, and ways to achieve your career goals. Also, get your questions answered by service academy professionals in the areas of admissions, career services, and financial aid. Representatives from the following offices will be in attendance.

Click here for the Flyer and to register*

*Traditionally, there is also a Service Academy Night in early September in Portland. This event in Portland has not been announced yet, and we will advertise it as soon as it is.

Waitlists

As college decisions roll in, your student may find themselves placed on a waitlist or deferred to a later decision round. While this is frustrating, it is becoming more common practice for colleges and universities. There are still steps to take to maximize chances of admission.

1. Follow Instructions – If the college provides specific guidance, such as submitting additional materials, be sure to follow their directions carefully.

2. Send a Letter of Continued Interest – Express their strong interest in the school (if it is their first choice, say it is), update them on any recent academic or extracurricular achievements, and reiterate why the school is a great fit.

3. Maintain Strong Grades – Colleges will review senior-year performance, so encourage your student to stay focused.

4. Demonstrate Interest – If possible, visit the campus, attend virtual events, or reach out to admissions representatives to show continued enthusiasm.

5. Consider Other Offers – While waiting, encourage your student to explore other acceptances and submit deposits by the May 1 deadline.

Financial Aid Appeals – You Can Ask for More
Did your financial aid offer fall short of what your family needs? Many colleges allow you to appeal for additional aid, especially if your circumstances have changed. It’s worth asking! For tips, examples, and how-to guidance, click here and navigate to the Appeals tab.

Maine State Grant Deadline – May 1

The Maine State Grant deadline of May 1 is quickly approaching. To be considered for a Maine State Grant, students must submit their FAFSA by May 1. Please encourage students who have not submitted a FAFSA to do so as soon as possible. Click for more information

Local Scholarship Deadline – April 11, 2025

Our local scholarship application closes this Friday, April 11. Many awards are available to students headed to both two-year and four-year colleges.

• Encourage your student to submit before the deadline!

• Some scholarships require brief essays or recommendation letters—check requirements now.

• Applications are submitted through the 2025 Local Scholarship Application.

SMCC Applicants: Registration Info Coming Soon!
If you've applied to Southern Maine Community College (SMCC), hang tight! The college has been undergoing a major overhaul of its Student Information System (SIS), which has delayed communications. You can expect to hear from SMCC within the next two weeks with details about registering for Fall 2025 classes. In the meantime, keep an eye on your email and reach out if you have questions

National College Decision Day is May 1st
National College Decision Day is just around the corner! This is the deadline for seniors to choose their college and submit an enrollment deposit. Families should carefully review financial aid packages, revisit top choices (virtually or in person, if possible), and make a confident, timely decision. If you're still undecided, reach out to your Senior Placement Office.

Attending UMaine in the Fall? Get a Head Start with Summer Start!

Kick off your college journey early with Summer Start, a great opportunity to earn credits before the fall semester, at a special tuition rate of $149/credit hour for one course (up to four credits)! Choose from a variety of online general education courses running from May 12 to August 15 to lighten your future workload and become comfortable with college-level coursework.

How to Get Started:

• Pick a course that fits your goals
• Register online using the Summer Start form
• Check course dates—they vary!

Questions? Contact Summer Programs at 207.581.4750 or um.summerprograms@maine.edu.

Click here for more information and to register

On March 12th, 85 students took the National Latin Exam to assess Latin proficiency. Students are able to qualify to earn the State of Maine Seal of Biliteracy through this exam.

On April 9th, a group of French and Spanish IV students will take the Stamp 4S exam to qualify to earn the State of Maine Seal of Biliteracy.

Bona fortuna, bonne chance, and buena suerte to our students!

Room assignments for Grades 9, 10, and 11, will be posted outside the Cafeteria and Student Services on Wednesday, April 9th. Snacks and drinks will be provided to students during testing breaks.

This year, ALL assessments are administered through a digital platform. Paper/pencil versions will not be available. Students will need to use a school-issued Chromebook.

• If your child does not have a school issued Chromebook, they will need to pick one up from our IT Department (C103) prior to April 15th. Parents/Guardians: Please be sure that you have signed the Chromebook Use Policy form in PowerSchool. If you have not yet signed this form, please log into your PowerSchool Parent Portal and sign the form before April 15th. Your child cannot be issued a school device until you have signed the Chromebook Use Policy.

Testing and Activity Information

Freshmen will be taking the iReady Diagnostic assessment, which is given in both the fall and the spring. The iReady Diagnostic is an adaptive assessment that adjusts its questions to suit each student's needs. Data from this assessment will help teachers learn more about their students, and assist teachers in better meeting student needs in the classroom. Students who have tested out of the iReady assessment in the fall will be assigned to a study hall and should check for their room assignments. We will be in contact with ninth graders who are absent on April 15th or who need more time to complete the assessment to establish a makeup plan through Study Halls and AEAST blocks.

Sophomores will be participating in the Maine Through Year Assessment for reading and math, formerly called the Maine Educational Assessment (MEA). This State-mandated assessment is also given in both the fall and the spring. The data gained from this assessment will assist us in making improvements to our curriculum and instruction. We will be in contact with tenth graders who are absent on April 15th or who need more time to complete the assessment to establish a makeup plan through Study Halls and AEAST blocks.

Juniors will be taking the Maine Science Assessment. This test is given each spring to juniors. The purpose of this assessment is to allow Scarborough Public Schools to better determine how to best support your student’s learning and growth. We use the results of this assessment to consider curriculum needs and changes to best suit our community of learners and to ensure we are providing a robust science curriculum. We will be in contact with juniors who are absent on April 15th to establish a makeup plan.

Seniors will be attending their regularly scheduled classes. Due to staff being used to proctor the three assessments above, there may be some classes with a minimal number of seniors in them that will not be running. Seniors should check with Red Block 1 and Red Block 2 teachers about whether their classes are occurring. In the event a scheduled class is not running, the class will be a Study Hall, located in the All Purpose Room, in which case Senior Privileges would apply (Ext Privs would be good for Blocks 1 and 2 and Late Arrival/Early Release Privs would be good for Block 1 only.) and expected Senior Priv procedures should be followed.

Friday, April 4: End of Quarter 3

Wednesday, April 9: Early Release

Friday, April 18: No School

April 20-25: April Vacation - No School

When: Saturday, April 5th from 10 AM to 2 PM

Where: SHS cafeteria

Over 45 dealers of antiques and vintage goods. Proceeds go to college scholarships for SHS seniors.

Students interested in the biomedical field and curious about working in laboratory science will be visiting MaineHealth Institute for Research here in Scarborough on Tuesday, April 29th from 9:00-11:00 am. During this visit, students will have the opportunity to tour and meet with medical research scientists and personnel. This is a chance to learn more about career paths in biomedical research and opportunities to plan ahead for programs like summer internships for graduating seniors. Space is very limited and priority will be for students in grades 11-12. FMI/to register, email Christy Zavasnik, Career Pathways Coordinator, czavasnik@scarboroughschools.org.

The Town of Scarborough Technology & Information Systems department is now accepting applications for the Student Help Desk program for the 2025-2026 school-year.

SHS STUDENT-RUN TECH HELP DESK

Are you interested in computer technology?

Do you want to get some real-life experience in tech support and customer service?

• Repair, rebuild and refurbish broken laptops and Chromebooks
• Meet and work with industry leaders in the Technology space and learn about careers in technology.
• Self-guided learning projects of your choosing
• Cyber-security and phishing attack simulations and exercises
• You could even get industry certifications like CompTIA A+, Google Apps for Education Certification, and more.

Interested students can submit an application here: https://forms.gle/K1Tw4qrdSAiB7HLa8

Application deadline is Friday, April 11, 2025

For more information, visit shs.scarboroughschools.org/student-life/student-run-help-desk/, email rmarshall@scarboroughschools.org, or stop by the Help Desk (C103) in the High School Learning Commons

We are thrilled to announce that this year's Shakespeare in the Park Performance will be Romeo and Juliet!

Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 24 (Memorial Day weekend)! Shows start at 2pm and 6pm in Memorial Park. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, and snacks, but please leave your dogs at home!

Rain date: Sunday, May 25.

We'll also be putting up a stage performance in the high school auditorium on Thursday, May 29. Showtime TBD.

Here are a few reminders for Students from the Clinic:

• Cold and flu season is upon us. Just a reminder to wash your hands often and to stay home if you are sick.

• Please notify the clinic if you will be out of school for consecutive days due to illness or injury. We can help navigate next steps when out of school for several days.

• Please don’t hesitate to contact the clinic if you have any questions or concerns.

• Lisa Verzoni lverzoni@scarboroughschools.org 730-5016

• Stacey Hang shang@scarboroughschools.org 730-5017

April News:

https://secure.smore.com/n/9k34a

Scarborough High School has introduced a new email address for parents/guardians to use when reporting the student's attendance.

In addition to calling our main line, 207.730.5000, to report your child's absence, you may also email SHS at the following email address: shsattendance@scarboroughschools.org.

As always, it is important to provide a reason for the absence in order for it to be processed swiftly.

Ms. Blaisdell, Assistant Principal (Gr 10 + 12)

Mr. Brown, Assistant Principal (Gr 9 + 11)

Mr. LeGage, Director of Athletics and Activities

Mr. Theriault, Principal