Sanford High School Senior Codes His Way to Musical Innovation
Through Sanford High School's Extended Learning Opportunity (ELO) program, senior Quang Lam has discovered an exciting way to combine his love of music with his passion for computer programming. His innovative project aims to help musicians learn new pieces more easily using technology.
Think of a musician trying to learn their favorite song by ear – they listen to it over and over, writing down each note by hand. It's like transcribing a speech word for word, but with musical notes instead. Quang is working on a computer program that could do this task automatically, saving musicians hours of work.
"I wanted to see if this process could be automated," Quang explains. His program would listen to a musical recording and write down the notes automatically, similar to how speech-to-text programs convert spoken words into written text.
Sanford Middle School Participates in Great Kindness Challenge
Students at Sanford Middle School embraced the Great Kindness Challenge during the last week of January, recording an impressive 5,083 random acts of kindness (RAKs) throughout the building.
A highlight of the week included students participating in "Twin Day," where pairs of seventh graders doubled up on kindness while sporting matching tutus.
The school's counseling department hallway featured a vibrant paper chain with kind messages and RAK ideas linking the entire corridor.
In a friendly classroom competition, students tracked their acts of kindness throughout the week.
Mrs. White's 8th-grade homeroom led the school with 1,041 RAKs, while grade-level winners included Mrs. Wilson's 5th grade (356 RAKs), Mr. Pyle's 6th grade (287 RAKs), and Mrs. McCann's 7th grade (261 RAKs). Notable mentions went to Mrs. Fraser's 8th grade class with 1,025 RAKs and Mrs. LaVasseur's class with 261 RAKs.
Sights Around Our Schools
Carl J. Lamb
Pre-K and Kindergarten students at Carl J. Lamb Elementary brought their Art and Music lessons to life with their annual Lunar New Year parade. Students displayed their handcrafted dragons and decorations while sharing the joy of this important cultural celebration. Click here for the school's newsletter.
Margaret Chase Smith
Students had a wonderful time celebrating Valentine's Day on Friday, with Coyotes and their families joining in the fun. The event was filled with lively beats from DJ Carter, picture worthy moments, and plenty of sweet treats to share. Click here for the school's newsletter.
Sanford Middle School
Sanford Middle School JMG students had an incredible hands-on learning experience at the Sanford Police Department! Students got an inside look at law enforcement careers during their visit, where they engaged with local officers and learned about the important role police play in our community. Click here for the school's newsletter.
Sanford Pride
Mrs. Jenkins class has been learning about Ancient Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. Student's recreated the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, and celebrated the end of Ancient Egypt by making Pharaoh crowns. Click here for the school's newsletter.
SRTC Student Wins Statewide Design Competition for SkillsUSA
Deanna Watson's design
When student leaders converge for the Maine SkillsUSA Leadership Conference in Bangor this March, they'll see the creative vision of a Sanford Regional Technical Center Student. Deanna Watson has won the statewide competition to brand the event with her lighthouse-inspired design that will illuminate everything from conference pins to banners.
Watson, a senior in SRTC’s Digital Design program, drew inspiration from her family ties to Maine, particularly her grandmother's lighthouse collection.
"Lighthouses represent safety and guidance, which really speaks to Maine's values," she said. "Maine is one of the safest states in the country, and I wanted to capture that feeling of home that Maine creates."
Sanford Regional Technical Center Represented at Hall of Flags
Sanford Regional Technical Center made its presence known at the Maine State House Wednesday, February 5th, in the Hall of Flags.
The delegation included SRTC Director Matt Petermann, Extended Learning Opportunities Coordinator Sally Quarles, and two SkillsUSA student officers: State Officer Candidate Brian Graffam, a senior from Massabesic High School, and Officer Riley Smith, a junior from Marshwood High School.
The group's visit to Augusta's Hall of Flags provided a valuable opportunity to showcase SRTC's commitment to technical education excellence.
A highlight of the visit was a meeting with Governor Janet Mills, demonstrating the state's highest level of support for career and technical education programs.
Diana Allen Featured on WMTW
In case you missed it, Sanford Middle School science teacher Diana Allen was featured on WMTW for earning the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching. Click the story on the left to watch the clip. Read more about her award here.
The Spartan Times
The Spartan Times, SHS's online student newspaper, features articles by student reporters enrolled in CCP
Journalism or School Newspaper Enrichment courses. Below is a link to an article on SHS Athletes of the Week written by Isabella McCall and Eliza Allen.
Journalism or School Newspaper Enrichment courses. Below is a link to an article on SHS Athletes of the Week written by Isabella McCall and Eliza Allen.
Meet Sanford's Newest School Resource Officer
When students at Sanford High School and Regional Technical Center spot Officer Chris Gosling in their hallways, they're seeing more than just a police officer – they're meeting a mentor who has traveled from England to Maine in service of his community.
As Sanford's newest School Resource Officer, he brings 15 years of law enforcement experience and a deep commitment to building relationships with the district's youth.
The transition from patrol officer to SRO marks a shift in focus for Officer Gosling. "My job as a police officer here is ten percent law enforcement. The rest is mentoring, teaching, and counseling," he said. "It's completely different from patrol work."
With his own children in the school system, including one who recently graduated, he understands firsthand the challenges students face.
Curriculum Corner
The latest Curriculum News newsletter highlights the district's music education program and upcoming events.
The newsletter features a comprehensive spring performance calendar, including concerts and festivals across all school levels, and shares program highlights about the district's music curriculum and recent accomplishments like hosting Maine's first Adaptive Music Summit. It includes links to educational resources, and an article about the importance of music education in schools.
Click here to read it.
Pre-K Registration Info
We are excited to share information with you regarding the Sanford Public School Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) programs for the 2025-2026 school year. In September, we expect to continue offering full-day pre-k programming at Carl J. Lamb School, Margaret Chase Smith School, Sanford Pride Elementary School, Sanford-Springvale YMCA and Sanford Regional Technical Center.
Sanford and Springvale families with children 4 years old on or before October 15, 2025 and not of kindergarten age are eligible. Children who are 5 years old by October 15th, 2025 and not enrolled in Sanford’s pre-k program can enroll in kindergarten by calling one of our elementary schools.
The pre-k program is free and will include free breakfast, lunch and transportation. We anticipate 112 Pre-K slots will be available for the 2025-2026 school year. To provide equal opportunity for families to enroll their children, students will be chosen using a lottery system.
Click here to access the form that you will need to complete in order to be considered for admittance to our Pre-K program. The lottery registration will close at the end of the day on Friday, March 7, 2025. If you have any questions about how to fill out the form, please contact our central office at 324-2810.
Announcements
Community Announcements
Are you looking to share your organization’s events and activities with the Sanford school community? The Sanford School Department website offers a Community Announcements page to help you reach students, families, and staff members.
The process is simple: complete our online approval form (click here for the form), submit it to the Superintendent's Office along with your promotional materials for review
Free Meals
Have you heard all school meals are free in Maine?This includes breakfast. Don’t have time to prepare breakfast in the morning? Let us do the work. We’d be happy to provide your son or daughter with a delicious, nutritionally balanced breakfast every day, free
of charge.
Breakfast Service Times by School:
- CJL: breakfast is 8:00 - 8:30
- MCS: breakfast is from 8:00 - 8:20
- SPE: breakfast is 8:00 - 8:20
- SMS: breakfast is 7:10 - 7:40
- SHS: breakfast is 6:45 - 8:15
Community Resource Guide
The Sanford School Department's new community resource guide is a valuable resource for residents, offering a comprehensive array of essential services.
Click the link below to access the community resource guide.
School Budget Info
The school committee has begun its work for approving the budget for the 2025-2026 school year.
You can view budget information by clicking here. Or scan the QR code below.
Budget workshops are also streamed on WSSRTV’s YouTube channel.
Download our App!
Follow us on the Sanford School Department App!
Looking for news and notes about events at your child's school? Hoping to keep track of a traveling sports team? Download the Sanford School Department App directly to your mobile device, and you'll be on top of the freshest news from any and all of the Sanford Schools.
Need a tutorial on how to
download our app? Watch the video below.
download our app? Watch the video below.
Winter Weather Protocols
When there is inclement weather, we work closely with local authorities, public works, transportation services, meteorologists, and nearby school districts to make informed decisions about school delays, early dismissals, or cancellations.
Ensuring our students and staff’s safety is our top priority.
Our last day of school is currently scheduled for Tuesday, June 10 if we use no snow days; for every day that school is cancelled due to weather, we will add a make-up day starting with June 11th.
If we have to use storm days beyond June 18, we will plan to utilize remote school days.
Sanford School Department Policies Regarding School-Issued Devices
Dear Parents/Guardians,
As we continue to support student learning through technology, we want to remind you about our policies regarding school-issued devices. Each student has access to valuable technology equipment that enhances their educational experience, and it's important that these devices are properly maintained and protected.
For Students in Grades PK-7:
Students use devices during the school day that remain in their classrooms. While these devices stay at school, students are still responsible for treating them with care during daily use.
For Students in Grades 8-12:
Students are issued devices that may be taken home. These students are responsible for the proper care and use of their assigned devices, including chargers and protective cases. The device must be brought to school each day, fully charged and ready for use.
For ALL Students:
Damage resulting from accidents, misuse, or negligence will result in repair or replacement fees. Additionally, lost or stolen devices, chargers, or cases must be replaced at the family's expense.
Helpful Links to Stay Connected with the Community
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Sanford Springvale News
Sanford High School Senior Grace Pearson recently covered SRTC's new bakery program for the Sanford Springvale News. Click the link below to read the article.
