By CARMEN DUFRESNE and MICHAEL S. DIXON, Pettingill Elementary SchoolHow are children motivated to write? With the help of imaginary pet turtles, Pettingill School’s fourth-grade teachers verified that children who are excited about writing succeed in the sometimes seemingly insurmountable task of writing a good story.Students created pet turtles from a paper bowl, construction paper, […]

By LEON LEVESQUE Superintendent of SchoolsIn January 2002, President Bush signed into law the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation. This unprecedented legislation directs public education in every state to perform to a federal proficiency level. Failure to do so results is school penalties.The promise was to bring high standards of education to all students; […]

By GUS LEBLANC, Principal, Montello Elementary SchoolMontello School children in kindergarten through second grade are leaving school each week this year with a special bag of books to read at home with their parents. The books and bags are part of a new home reading program developed by classroom teachers to help parents actively participate […]

By BETH FISHER,Engineering Instructor, LRTCLewiston Regional Technical Center has launched a new course that introduces girls to the trades and technology and allows them to explore various careers. Projections show that the majority of jobs in the decades to come will be in the technology sector. Trades such as electricity, machine tool, automotive, carpentry, computer […]

By ELAINE TOUTAINElementary Art TeacherAfter studying the origination of various art forms, a group of fifth-grade S.P.A.R.K. art students at Montello School were chosen to create stained glass windows. The students studied and discussed Louis Comfort Tiffany’s artwork. They identified stained glass as an art form that is seen by the public and used to […]

By ALTHEA WALKER, Principal, and GEORGE VEILLEUX, Assistant Principal, McMahon Elementary SchoolEducation is a never-ending process, as evidenced by the long list of professional development conferences and graduate level courses completed recently by McMahon staff members. As lifelong learners, they continue to grow professionally, acquiring knowledge about a wide range of topics. Educators pictured in […]

By DONNA SPUGNARDIElementary LibrarianStudents in kindergarten through grade six and their families will be excited to learn that the Lewiston School Department has obtained a grant through the national Reading is Fundamental Program. This grant makes all elementary children eligible to receive three books to take home and share with their families over the course […]

By PAT KORDALSKILiteracy SpecialistAdult readers make choices about what they read, make time to read, and then share what they have read with others. Reading Workshop replicates that experience for students. Reading Workshop includes four basic components: a mini-lesson and a book that is read aloud, independent reading and conferencing, response and reflection, and a […]

By ERIN DAWLEYMartel SchoolThis year, Martel School has started a federally funded, whole-day kindergarten program called Kindergarten Boost. There are currently sixteen students participating in the program. The goal of the K-Boost classroom is to reinforce the skills taught in the regular kindergarten class and also to prepare students well for first grade. Lessons are […]

Last spring, Lewiston High School was awarded a grant by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to improve student aspirations for postsecondary education. In the past few months much has been accomplished through the combined efforts of the guidance staff and the new Life After LHS Resource Center.The Life After LHS Center has been set […]