How local officials are making our schools safe again

“Both times I visited the school, I was asked my business within seconds of stepping through the front doors.” –Eric Austin (photo source: jmg.org)

by Eric W. Austin

“Nothing’s foolproof,” Augusta Deputy Chief Jared Mills told me at the beginning of our meeting on the issue of school safety. “The best laid plans are not going to prevent this from happening.”

What is ‘this’? Take your pick. Terrorists and school shooters. Bomb threats and bullying. Our students and teachers have a lot to deal with these days.

The fact that nothing is completely foolproof hasn’t stopped our local law enforcement and school administrators from laying down the best possible plans. In researching this article, not only did I speak with Deputy Chief Mills, I also sat down with high school principals Chad Bell, of Winslow, and Paula Callan, of Messalonskee; Headmaster Michael McQuarrie, of Erskine Academy; and Detective Sergeant Tracey Frost, of the Oakland Police Department and one of two school resource officers for RSU #18.

Fifty years ago, schools were primarily designed around the fear of fire. Plenty of exits. Regular fire drills. Today, those concerns have shifted to include “access-point control” and lockdown practice. Fire is still a concern, but now each additional exit or entrance is also a point of vulnerability that needs to be considered. Those changes are obvious by looking at the design of our schools over time. Messalonskee High School, built in 1969, has 37 exits, while the middle school, constructed nearly 50 years later, has only ten.

These warring priorities of access and security are a constant theme for administrators looking to update their facilities for the 21st century.

The front entrance at Messalonskee High is now equipped with a buzz-in system (photo source: jmg.org)

Schools have responded to the new safety concerns in various ways. Messalonskee High School, like many area schools, has implemented a buzz-in system for the front entrance, and keycard-only access for outlying classrooms. Anyone coming to the front door is required to press a button which signals the front office. After verifying your identity, the door is unlocked and you can enter. Winslow High School does not have this system yet, but Principal Chad Bell told me its implementation is at the top of the school’s list of priorities. New policies have been implemented in both schools restricting which exits can be used during school hours in order to more carefully monitor who is entering the building.

Erskine Academy has its own set of challenges. It’s the only school without a full-time school resource officer and, located on the outskirts of China, it faces the longest response time from law enforcement in case of emergency. Though Erskine’s main building does not have a buzz-in system, external classrooms now require keycards to enter, and all classrooms have been fitted with deadbolts that lock from the inside.

Security upgrades have not only encompassed entrance and exit points. Classrooms have also received attention. In older buildings, classrooms were primarily designed to prevent students from being accidentally locked inside. As such, classrooms could always be opened from within, but often could only be locked from the outside, with a key. Now, schools are preparing for situations where being locked inside a classroom might be the safest place for a student to be.

Winslow High School Principal Chad Bell

Winslow has come up with a simple and low-cost solution to the problem. Instead of replacing the outdated locks at significant cost, they have installed a thin, magnetic strip that covers the strike plate of the door jamb. Doors are always locked, but with the magnetic strip in place, they can be closed without latching. In the event of a lockdown, anyone can pull the magnetic strip away from the door jamb and close the door, latching and locking it securely. It’s a simple and elegant solution to a problem that can pose a substantial cost to schools faced with regularly insufficient budgets.

Classroom doors at Messalonskee High School are kept locked but left open so they can be pulled closed at a moment’s notice.

Security cameras have also become a fixture at our schools. Winslow High School has 30 security cameras installed, and although there’s no buzz-in system yet, safety and security are a top priority for the staff. Both times I visited the school, I was asked my business within seconds of stepping through the front doors.

Messalonskee High School has only ten cameras, and the system desperately needs replacing. Installed seven years ago, camera resolution is far below current standards and, after operating 24/7 for nearly a decade, quality has degraded even further. The school intends to replace the system and add more cameras soon, but, as always, cost is the driving factor: new books or new cameras?

Each of these improvements can be taxing on schools scrambling for every cent. Take for example what seems at first a simple problem. Most classroom doors have windows installed in them. Administrators can easily walk the halls and see what is going on in each classroom. But when faced with the worst possible situation, an active shooter in the school, that visibility quickly becomes a dangerous liability. To fix the issue, the windows in classroom doors are now fitted with curtains that can be pulled down from the inside. A fairly easy fix, and cheap. And yet: “At $20 a curtain, roughly,” RSU #18 resource officer Tracey Frost explained, “for hundreds and hundreds of doors across the district? The bill came, but we got it done.”

For Tracey Frost, preparation is key. He aims to make lockdown drills as automatic for students as fire drills, and he thinks he’s almost there. “I can have 800 kids out of a line of sight in under a minute,” he told me proudly. “When we first started doing it, it was maybe two to three minutes.”

The lockdown drills students practice today remind me of the old Nuclear Strike Drills from the 1970s that ended only a few years before I entered school. They start with “LOCKDOWN DRILL! LOCKDOWN DRILL!” blared over the intercom speakers. Students lock classroom doors, pull curtains, and shut off lights. Then they gather in a designated “safety spot” in the classroom, keeping as low as possible, and quietly wait for the all-clear. Or as Tracey Frost puts it: “Locks, lights, and out of sight.”

All of the school administrators I spoke to were in the process of investigating additional training programs to help them prepare for the unthinkable. Three specific such programs seem to be most popular here in central Maine.

“Run, Hide, Fight” is a program endorsed by the Maine Department of Education, and offers a low-cost option with support from the state, but it has its detractors. “I’m not too comfortable with the concept of teaching kids to fight a gunman,” SRO Frost confided, “but I can teach them to stack desks in front of the door. If a bad guy spends 30-seconds trying to get into a classroom and can’t, we’ve saved lives and gained half-a-minute, and that’s a long time in such a situation.”

A.L.I.C.E. (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) is another popular program many schools are evaluating. It focuses on preparation and planning to, per their website, “proactively handle the threat of an aggressive intruder or active shooter event.”

The final program, which Officer Frost has adapted in large part for schools in RSU #18, is called the Standard Response Protocol. It was developed by the “I Love U Guys” Foundation (iloveuguys.org), an organization started by the parents of a girl killed in the school shooting at Platte Canyon High School in 2006. Frost particularly likes the program’s way of presenting its concepts with colorful, kid-friendly materials, and its method of using what Frost terms “teacher speak:” a common lexicon of terms that make communication between students and teachers simple and unambiguous. The foundation was named after the last text message sent from the girl to her parents before she was shot and killed.

Erskine Headmaster Michael McQuarrie

Beyond lockdown drills and hardening schools and classrooms, everyone agrees the best way to prevent school violence is to develop a culture that makes each student feel understood and respected. “[Students] all have to feel valued,” Erskine’s Headmaster Michael McQuarrie told me at the conclusion of our discussion. “If you’re alienated, if you’re disenfranchised and bullied on top of that — that is an incredible variable that we cannot dismiss or underestimate.”

For law enforcement and school officials both, the introduction of the internet has complicated things, especially in the area of identifying possible threats. In the old days, threats came by way of graffiti on bathroom walls, an anonymous phone call or an overheard conversation.

Today, none of those avenues have disappeared, but now there is also Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, email, and internet discussion boards to worry about. Add to this the tendency for children to post their thoughts on the internet without fully considering the implications of their words, and it’s common for casual threats to be bandied about on social media platforms with little thought of serious evil intent. In our current safety-conscious climate, however, each of those casual threats must be run down by law enforcement, which takes time away from other, equally important, tasks.

Thankfully, central Maine is still small enough that this hasn’t become the insurmountable effort that it has in bigger urban areas. “We still have the ability to follow up on every tip,” Augusta Deputy Chief Mills assured me. Local law enforcement works closely with the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit and the FBI to track down the source of any online threats.

Kids are also figuring out that behavior which might have been viewed as merely mischievous in the past is now considered a serious crime. It starts with parents having a conversation with their kids at home. It continues with teachers and administrators creating a school atmosphere where students feel comfortable bringing their concerns to adults. It ends with law enforcement and the courts, which are dealing out tough sentences for online threats of violence. It’s not unusual for students to be expelled, fined or even jailed for such behavior, as happened in Skowhegan where two boys were recently charged with terrorizing, a class C felony; or in Ellsworth where, this past February, police arrested a 19-year-old student for making threats against the high school in a chat for the online game Clash of Clans.

Messalonskee High’s Principal Paula Callan

New challenges face our schools like never before, with budget shortfalls, teacher shortages, and now safety concerns that would have seemed unthinkable 50 years ago. Still, the brave public servants in our schools are not shrinking from the challenge, and resource officer Tracey Frost is also quick to point out, “[Statistically,] your child is much more likely to get hurt on the drive into school than they are once they enter this building.”

Despite the challenges, school officials are determined to make student safety a priority, whatever the cost. “You can’t put a price on a student’s life,” Messalonskee principal Paula Callan told me firmly, as we shook hands at the end of our talk. In the face of this scary new world, these heroic public servants are taking no chances with the safety of our kids.

Eric W. Austin is a writer and consultant living in China, Maine. He writes about technology and community issues, and can be reached by email at ericwaustin@gmail.com.

The many roles of RSU #18’s SROs

by Mandi Favreau

Tracey “Frosty” Frost, SRO for RSU18

When students arrive at Messalonskee High School, the first face they often see is that of Detective Tracey Frost.  “Frosty” as the kids call him, is a reassuring presence, rather than an intimidating one. He has a booming “good-morning,” a witty comment for each kid, and can call most of them by name.

At Messalonskee Middle School, Sergeant Adam Sirois starts his day in a similar manner, greeting students with a smile and a quiet “hello,” complimenting their hat, asking about their weekend. “He is always chatting with the kids, either one on one or in small groups,” said head Administrative Assistant Tracey Foster.

For both of these men, their day is spent wearing many hats.  A school resource officer (SRO) is part counselor, part teacher, part enforcer, and part defender.  There’s no such thing as a typical day in the life of an SRO; they simply play too many roles in the school setting. “I try to fulfill whatever need is present,” said Detective Frost. “I’ve investigated threats, searched students for weapons, taught young men how to tie ties, investigated DHHS issues and sexual assaults, assisted in drug investigations, delivered death notifications, assisted with suicidal students, handled traffic complaints, stood by for custody disputes, taught classes in Civics, Health and Criminal Justice, recovered lost property and investigated sexting complaints.  Every once in a while, I get to sit back and enjoy a cup of coffee.”

Police Chief Mike Tracy

The student resource officer program in RSU #18 started in January of 1999 with now Police Chief Mike Tracy as the district’s first SRO. The SROs are always Oakland Police Officers but are also deputized as Kennebec County Sheriffs in order to be able to cover all the schools in the district as needed. “The schools and the police department have always had a very strong relationship, even before the start of the program,” said Chief Tracy. He added that while the job has changed with the times, the basics have stayed the same.  ”We work together with the safety of the students in mind.”

While the national media has, naturally, been focusing on the role that school resource officers may play during an incident of school violence, that is only one of the many situations where these officers may be called on to protect students. According to Superintendent Carl Gartley, having armed SROs has been key in keeping students safe in a variety of situations that could have become much more difficult without their intervention.

Their presence is also extremely reassuring to the school community.  “Students and parents appreciate having Detective Frost in our building as he is a great resource for them to reach out to when they have specific issues that they need help with,” said MHS Principal Paula Callan. She also added that he is the school’s “go-to person” for delivering food baskets and gifts to families over the holidays, and behind the scenes, he is in charge of running drills and updating staff on security protocol.

Frost acknowledges that though his role at the high-school is primarily that of protector and investigator, he feels he is most effective as a mentor.   “I try to position myself to be approachable,” said Frost.  “When a student wants to talk about what’s going on at home, or online, I want them to feel comfortable coming to see me with the assurance that I will do my best to help.” He added that he believes that this is the best defense against potential school violence. “Students feel comfortable texting, emailing or talking to me. I am usually successful at getting information that a problem exists before it becomes a fight or something worse.”

Forging relationships with the students they work with is key for SROs to be effective. For Sirois, it’s also his favorite part of the job. Many of the students he works with frequently need more “positive interaction with adult authority figures,” and providing that can have a huge impact.  “Adam builds great relationships with students and has many discussions with them on topics around bullying, being safe online, avoiding legal issues and other topics,” said MMS Principal Mark Hatch.

Detective Tracey Frost congratulating graduates

The job also has its fair share of challenges. For Frost, the biggest one is the heartache of knowing that 90 percent of the students he interacts with in his official role grew up in poverty with little to no positive parenting; this makes reaching them difficult.  “I deal with the same 20 students over and over again,” said Frost. “Sometimes this is very challenging and, quite frankly, tiring.” He agrees with Sirois that being able to make a difference with those kids is the greatest reward. “Every once in a while, I get a victory where a student who is going down a hard road gets in trouble and I am able to turn that kid’s life around.”

Safety in our schools has always been a priority in RSU #18 and will continue to be so. “Unfortunately, just living in rural Maine is no longer enough to say we are safe,” said Superintendent Carl Gartley.  “In today’s world, we need to have our building secure, we need to have buzz-in systems and cameras in our schools.” He added that the schools and town are working together to explore a variety of additional improvements that can be made to our security protocol, from the possibility of additional resource officers to modifications in the physical structures of some of the buildings.

Both Detective Frost and Sergeant Sirois feel that there is a lot to be said for the current state of security in the district, despite some architectural challenges in the older schools. “Our crisis plans are state of the art and are updated regularly,” said Frost. “We have more SROs than any other district in the area. Our management team takes security seriously. We have a substantial number of cameras. We work well with surrounding police and fire departments.” He added that there is a balance to be had between ensuring safety and turning our schools into prisons. “We want to remain a welcoming environment, not a detention facility.  It’s a balance that everyone is struggling with.”

This article first appeared on the RSU18 website.

Veterans honored at Messalonskee High School

by Tina Richard

On November 9, at the Messalonskee High School, the students from seventh and eight grade honored the veterans that were invited to the tribute. This was the fifth year of doing the event.There was a light breakfast and the students marched the veterans into the auditorium for the program.

They recited the Pledge of Allegiance, and Governor Paul LePage, who was the guest speaker, delivered a great message. The “Marches of the Armed Forces” was played by the high school band and the veterans from each branch of service stood and faced the crowd. The students had samplings of writings and movies in honor of the veterans. There was an announcement of the winner of the Waterville Forrest J. Pare, V.F.W. Post #1285, Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest by Commander Daniel Parker and Nancy Smith, of Camden National Bank. There was a moment of silence, taps were played and the seventh and eighth grade chorus sang “God Bless the USA.” It ended with parting words and the students marched the veterans out to the entrance of the auditorium to “Stars and Stripes Forever.” All the students and adults shook the hand of a veteran thanking them for their service. All the students did an amazing job and I was honored to be a part of it.

China voters to decide RSU #18 bond issue

by Mary Grow

Regional School Unit (RSU) #18 officials are presenting voters in the five member towns – Belgrade, China, Oakland, Rome and Sidney – with a $13.9 million bond issue that they hope will be approved at the polls Nov. 7.

Voters in China also have local elections and three local referendum questions, including one asking approval to spend money.

At the first of a series of hearings on the bond issue, on Oct. 23 at China Primary School, RSU #18 Superintendent (and former China principal) Carl Gartley explained what the bond money would be used for. About $10 million will be spent to repair and update school buildings; $3.9 million will help build a new athletic complex at Messalonskee High School in Oakland.

A Facilities Committee composed of community members, RSU staff and the state Fire Marshal recommended funding priorities, Gartley said. The two China schools are slated to get almost $2.4 million worth of work, mostly at the older China Middle School.

Gartley said the committee’s tasks included catching up on work postponed after the 2008 financial downturn, emphasizing safety and looking toward future needs. Since 2010, he said, state funding has decreased and voters continue to resist local tax increases. As a result, in the last eight years China’s school budget has gone up by 6.61 percent, or an average of 0.83 percent per year, not enough to keep up with rising prices. Building maintenance has suffered, despite the RSU applying for and receiving loans from the state’s revolving loan fund.

Proposed improvements at China Middle School include a reorganization and expansion of the gymnasium, a new boiler, a new Americans with Disabilities Act compliant back entrance, paving and interior and exterior lighting upgrades.

China Primary School is slated to get roof repairs to stop leaks, a generator for the boiler room and paving and lighting. Modern lights should reduce costs, Gartley added.

Gartley calculated the cost of the bond in terms of additional taxes on a China house valued at $100,000: $49.10 a year, or $4.09 a month, averaged over the life of the bond.

The Messalonskee athletic complex is needed, Gartley said, because the current facility lacks handicapped access and other amenities. He emphasized that the complex would be for youth sports, gym and health classes and community use, not just for high-school sports teams.

China’s three local ballot questions ask voters if they approve:

  • Spending up to $8,500 from surplus to build a fire pond off Neck Road;
  • Requiring nonprofit organizations seeking town funds to provide a current financial statement in order to have their requests considered by selectmen and the budget committee; and
  • Authorizing selectmen to rent out space on the town’s communications tower behind the town office.

The proposed fire pond would be an enlargement of an existing pond just south of the intersection of Neck and Stanley Hill roads, with permission of the two landowners involved. The project would include an area for fire trucks to load water.

During selectmen’s discussions of the questions, Town Manager Daniel L’Heureux said many of the nonprofit groups who seek town support already provide the information that would be required if voters approve the second question.

The town’s tower might be competing with privately-owned area towers. People said, however, that companies seeking to rent tower space look primarily for a location that meets their needs; so the town tower would be requested when no other was as suitable. Selectmen have not talked about criteria for choosing tower users or fees to charge.

Selectmen and the budget committee recommend voters approve all three questions. China polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 7 in the former portable classroom behind the town office.

OAKLAND: Statewide fishing derby planned to fight Variable Leaf Milfoil

From June 20 to July 20, bait your hook, cast your line and you might reel in not only fish, but cash and prizes too. In this Statewide Fishing Derby, earn your chance to win cash prizes from 50 percent of the ticket proceeds and sponsorships. This is a fundraising derby to benefit the programs of Friends of Messalonskee that directly fight the battle against the invasive aquatic plant Variable Leaf Milfoil.

There are 13 species of fish that qualify. Enter as many fish in as many categories that you wish-no limit of entries! There is no weigh station- just take a picture of the fish against a measuring tape, include the FOM ticket in the photo, and email it to friendsofmessalonskee@gmail.com. A weekly updated leaderboard will be available on our Facebook as well as our website. All first through third place winners in each category will be placed in a raffle style drawing, respectively, and winners will be drawn for the cash prizes. Out of the 50 percent purse, 60 percent of will be first place, 30% second place, and 10 percent third place. Winners also have chances to win other great prizes as well!

Winners will be drawn on July 22 at Oakfest, in Oakland, where derby door prizes will be drawn and a separate 50/50 raffle will take place. Order tickets through their website at www.friendsofmessalonskee.com or call (207) 465-8333. Derby Rules, How-to video, and other information can be found on the website! You can also go to their Facebook Derby Page: All Belgrade Lakes Fishing Derby (This particular derby is statewide.) Have fun!

Financial Fitness Fair held at Messalonskee High School: New Dimensions FCU hosts mission to provide financial education

Financial Fitness Fair 2017

Messalonskee High School Gym – Financial Fitness Fair 2017. Contributed photo

On January 17, New Dimensions Federal Credit Union arrived at Messalonskee High School, in Oakland, and set up and put on a Financial Fitness Fair for around 720 students. The mission was to provide education on financial security and basic real-life budgeting concepts. The students chose a profession and were assigned an annual salary and credit score. They then visited several booths such as housing, furnishings, credit cards, autos, student loan debt, and more. The students rounded the booths complete with little twists such as the “Reality Wheel of life” that threw in real-life “curveballs” such as speeding tickets and cell phone repairs. The test was that they had to come back with a balanced budget at the end of the exercise which needed to include a savings plan.

New Dimensions FCU President/CEO, Ryan Poulin, met with Messalonskee High School to discuss the idea and ability to host a Financial Fitness Fair for the students. This was a huge undertaking. “The importance of educating our young people about financial stability and sustainability needs to be a priority. Not enough education is provided in this area and they are not always ready for the real world,” Poulin said.

Contributed photo

Students hold Saluting Our Veterans day at Messalonskee Middle School

Veteran Tina Richard, right, of Clinton,  with keynote speaker U.S. Sen. Susan Collins.

Veteran Tina Richard, right, of Clinton, with keynote speaker U.S. Sen. Susan Collins.

On November 4, students at Messalonskee Middle School held Saluting Our Veterans Day tribute. The ceremony began with a light breakfast, and the veterans chatting with the students. The veterans then moved to the auditorium accompanied arm-in-arm by a student under a canope of American flags. The Messalonskee High School band played America the Beautiful march, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. A slide show was then presented of the students’ interviews at the Cole Lane Transportation Museum, in Bangor, and many poems were read about what freedom meant to the students. U.S. Senator Susan Collins was the keynote speaker. Collins stressed the fact that veterans possess two distinguishing qualities of integrity and humbleness. VFW Post #1285 announced the winner of the Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest, which was followed by a moment of silence and the playing of Taps. The veterans were then escorted from the auditorium at the end of the ceremony with much appreciation and thanks from the students.

Students form a canopy of American flags as military veterans are escorted into the auditorium by students

Students form a canopy of American flags as military veterans are escorted into the auditorium by students

Text and photos courtesy of Tina Richard

Golf Fore Kids’ Sake nets $31,000 for BBBS

Big Brothers Big Sisters Golf Fore Kids’ Sake

Big Brothers Big Sisters Golf Fore Kids’ Sake raised over $31,000 for mentoring services that benefit local kids facing adversity in Kennebec and Somerset counties. Winning the first place gross prize in this year’s event was Charlie’s Family of Dealerships, from left to right, Charlie Shuman, Stephen Shuman, Ryan Madore and Roger Williams.
Photo by Monica Charette

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine’s 2016 Golf Fore Kids’ Sake, presented by Kennebec Savings Bank, raised  $31,186 to benefit school and community-based mentoring services for children in Kennebec and Somerset counties. Twenty-three teams competed in the 17th annual golf tournament, held September 2 at Belgrade Lakes Golf Club. This year’s tournament was again chaired by Nicolas Patenaude, from Kennebec Savings Bank.

2016 Golf Fore Kids’ Sake Tournament Winners:

First gross – Charlie Shuman, Stephen Shuman, Ryan Madore, Roger Williams (Charlie’s Family of Dealerships).
Second gross – Jason Gall, Ed Gall, Mark Plummer, Jim Quinn (Wendy’s).
Third gross – Adam Moran, Mike Wilson, Scott Maccheyne, Gary Schewe (Great Falls Marketing).
First net – Cole Smith, Jacob Bernatchez, Conor Ferguson and Colby Charette (Messalonskee High School Big Brothers).
Second net – Marc Lacasse, Bill Purington, Will Purington, Chip Stevens (Augusta Fuel Company).
Third net – Randy Charette, Jeff Jolicoeur, Bert Languet and Troy Martin (Golden Pond Wealth Management/Century 21 Surette).

Messalonskee High School Big Brothers Team

First place net award was presented to Messalonskee High School Big Brothers Team, from left to right, Cole Smith, Jacob Bernatchez, Conor Ferguson and Colby Charette.
Photo by Monica Charette

Course Challenge Winners:

Straightest Drive – Scott Maccheyne (Great Falls Marketing)
Closest to the Pin Contest – Vito Proietti (Great Falls Marketing)
Putting Contest – Joe Dorazio (Aetna)
Hit the Green Contest – Chris Russell (G & E Roofing)
Chipping Contest – Randy Charette (State of Maine)

A hole-in-one challenge was sponsored by Charlie’s Family of Dealerships. Golfers were treated to breakfast, sponsored by Aroma Joe’s, snacks and water were provided by Pine State Trading and lobster rolls, salads and chowder were served throughout the day by BBBS partner The Red Barn. The event Beverage Sponsor, Valley Distributors, along with Rita’s Catering, sponsored the Awards Reception. An auction with sponsor-donated prizes raised nearly $6,000 and “ShineOnCass” sponsorships, in honor of Big Sister Cassidy Charette who died Oct. 11, 2014, raised $3,000 for local school-based mentoring programs.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine changes the lives of over 700 children facing adversity in Androscoggin, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Penobscot, Somerset and Waldo counties, for the better, forever by providing strong and enduring, professionally-supported, one-to-one relationships. By partnering with parents, volunteers and organizations, children in Big Brother Big Sister programs have higher aspirations, greater confidence, better relationships, avoid risky behaviors and achieve educational success. For more information on volunteering or donating please call 236-BBBS (2227) or email info@bbbsmidmaine.org.

Looking for running space

Michael Achorn

Messalonskee Youth Football team member Michael Achorn (87) and Drake Brunelle (25) during a recent game vs. Waterville.
Photo by Kevin Giguere,
Central Maine Photography staff

Pelletier to perform with marching band

Kaitlynn Pelletier, of Waterville, will march with the 2016 Pride of The Valley Marching Band, of Lebanon Valley College, in Annville, Pennsylvania. Pelletier, a graduate of Messalonskee High School, is pursuing a bachelor of science and bachelor of arts in music education and music at The Valley.

The marching band performs at all home football games as well as exhibitions including the Cavalcade of Bands Championships in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and the Collegiate Marching Band Festival held in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

During the upcoming football season, members of the 2016 Pride of The Valley Marching Band will present its show “Rhapsody.” The premise of this year’s show is to take three great pieces of music with the word ‘rhapsody’ in the name and make a great show. “Rhapsody” features music from and inspired by “Rhapsody in Blue,” by George Gershwin, “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini,” by Sergei Rachmaninoff, and “Bohemian Rhapsody,” by Queen.