Erskine annual spring concert slated for May 31, 2019

(photo credit: Erskine Academy)

The Erskine Academy Annual Spring Concert will take place on Friday, May 31, at 6:30 p.m., in the James V. Nelson Gymnasium. Admission is free. Participating ensembles are Chorus, Concert Band, Collaborative Ensemble, Jazz Combo, and Music Lab. Each ensemble will reveal their own artistic identity as well as perform many favorites including The Sound of Silence, Summertime, Let it Be, and Imagine. Please celebrate the musical arts with these wonderful young people!

McGlauflin named to Emerson College dean’s list

Paige McGlauflin, a resident of Sidney, has been named to the Emerson College dean’s list for the Fall 2018 semester, in Boston, Massachusetts. McGlauflin, who is majoring in Journalism, is a member of the class of 2019. The requirement to make Emerson’s Dean’s List is a grade point average of 3.7 or higher.

Oakland student recognized as RA

Colby-Sawyer College President Susan D. Stuebner has declared Resident Assistant Appreciation Day at Colby-Sawyer, in New London, New Hampshire. Chelsea Perry, of Oakland, a member of the class of 2021 majoring in business administration, is one of 25 Resident Assistants being recognized and thanked for outstanding work supporting all students, developing communities based on individual responsibility and respect for others, and providing opportunities for student learning.

Game warden visits China classroom

Game warden David Ross visits with eighth grade students at China Middle School to share about his career path and Safari in a Box, a traveling classroom full of native Maine wild animals pelts and skeletons. (photo courtesy of Ryan Sweeney)

Local students named to Colby-Sawyer College dean’s list

Colby-Sawyer College, in New London, New Hampshire, recognizes 234 students for outstanding academic achievement during the 2019 spring semester. To qualify for the Dean’s List, students must achieve a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale while carrying a minimum of 12 credit hours in graded courses.

Haley Carver, of Sidney, a sociology major and member of the class of 2020.

Chelsea Perry, of Oakland, a business administration major and member of the class of 2021.

Carrabec High School announces honor parts

Timothy Richards, Principal, has announced honor parts for the Class of 2019 at Carrabec High School.

Lillian Johnson

Valedictorian:

Ms. Lillian Johnson, Carrabec’s Valedictorian, is a student who is a strong influential leader in our school. With a grade point average of 99.97, she has completed four Advanced Placement classes, three Honors classes and six dual enrollment classes. Lillian is a student who will be successful in any endeavor she chooses to pursue. Lillian will be attending the University of Maine at Farmington majoring in secondary education. Lillian is the daughter of Wayne and Kim Johnson, of Solon.

Lauren Rafferty

Salutatorian:

Ms. Lauren Rafferty, Carrabec’s Salutatorian, is a very bright and successful student, always willing to help those in need. Lauren has a grade point average of 99.72, completing five Advanced Placement classes, six honors classes, as well as, three dual enrollment classes. Lauren will be an asset to any organization of which she chooses to become a part. Lauren will be attending Kennebec Valley Community College, in Fairfield, to become a medical assistant. She is the daughter of Leonard and Shawna Rafferty, of North Anson.

Graduation is Friday, June 7, at 7 p.m., in the Carrabec High School gymnasium.

Pelletier named NESCAC softball pitcher of the week

Bates College, of Lewiston, junior Kirsten Pelletier won NESCAC Softball Pitcher of the Week honors recently from the New England Small College Athletic Conference, headquartered in Hadley, Massachusetts, after propelling the Bobcats to a 4-0 week, including a three-game series sweep of rival Colby.

Pelletier, of Sidney, threw back-to-back seven-inning shutouts on Saturday, a one-hitter and a two-hitter, as the Bobcats completed a sweep of Colby. She gave up three runs in a complete-game victory against the Mules in the series opener on Friday, and on Thursday she earned a save with three shutout innings of relief at Saint Joseph’s College, in Standish.

Superintendent satisfied with China schools condition

photo source: JMG.org

by Mary Grow

RSU (Regional School Unit) #18 Superintendent Carl Gartley is satisfied with conditions in China schools and the RSU as a whole.

Gartley talked about the proposed 2019-2020 budget at the next-to-last in a series of explanatory meetings in China on April 30. Voters from the five RSU towns (Belgrade, China, Oakland, Rome and Sidney) will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 16, at the Performing Arts Center at Messalonskee High School to vote on the budget. A budget validation referendum will be held June 11 in each town.

Twenty-two people attended the China meeting. Gartley said only half a dozen of them are not connected with town government, China schools or the RSU.

The superintendent projects an RSU budget increase of 2.86%, a little more than $1 million, to more than $38.655 million. Of that amount, $28.8 million covers salaries and benefits, according to Gartley’s figures.

Because of the formula governing how each member town pays its share of the total, Gartley said China’s assessment will go up about 5 percent. That does not mean a 5 percent tax increase, he emphasized, since the town’s tax rate also depends on how much the state contributes to education next year and how much China’s valuation changes.

When an audience member mentioned the legally required 55 percent state contribution to education, people laughed. The state has evaded the obligation ever since voters approved it by referendum in 2003.

Gartley presented charts showing that:

  • Compared to 11 other area towns and RSUs, RSU #18’s per-pupil spending is fifth from the lowest, and below the state average.
  • In reading, as measured by standard test scores (which Gartley pointed out are only one way to assess progress, but are easy to compare), RSU #18 students rank next to the top in the area, and at the state average. • In math, by the same measure, RSU #18 scores are third from the top and above the state average.

Gartley mentioned the social workers, nurses, special education staff and others who help RSU #18 tailor its school system to meet all students’ needs. The member schools offer large and varied extracurricular programs; all RSU students may use the “gorgeous” new athletic facility in Oakland.

  • “The money is being spent where it should be, [and] our kids are getting a great education,” Gartley summarized.

Erskine Academy second trimester honor roll 2019

Grade 12

High Honors: Brenna Audet, Molly Babson, Gavin Blanchard, Madison Boynton, Jenna Butler, Joseph Clark, Cameron Falla, Madeline Geidel, Ashley Gillis, Sage Hapgood-Belanger, Samantha Heath, Eleanor Hodgkin, Kayla Hodgkins, Amber Rose Holmes, Andrew Jackson, Christopher Jamison, William Jones, Kyli Julia, Robert King, Morgaine Kmen, Olivia Kunesh, Caitlin Labbe, Noah Labbe, Milo Lani-Caputo, Rivers Malcolm, Tara Maltese, Joshua Peaslee, Jacob Praul, Seth Reed, Hannah Reid, Christina Roy, Jessie Sepulvado, Conor Skehan, Katherine Smith, Braden Soule, Briana Strout, Elizabeth Sugg, Willow Throckmorton-Hansford, Shay Tripp-Laliberty, Kassidy Wade, Hagen Wallace, Jacob Wright, Alana York and Peilin Yu.

Honors: Samantha Allen, Dominque Andrews, Alex Barney, Nina Boudreau, William Bourque, Justin Browne, Arthur Carey, Nicholas Cates, Shannon Cornett, ArizonaLee Crooker, Caitlyn Denico, Damien Doe, Keara Doughty, Travis Dow, Tiffany Doyle, Marshall Dugal, Dominic Durant, Samuel Falla, Courtney Gallagher, Phillip Gilbert, Regina Harmon, Alexis Haskell, Tristan Hawk, Russell Hoffman, Alicia Hotham, Peyton Houghton, Antonio Jacobs, Jack Jowett, Garrett Keezer, Dylan Keller, Paige Leary, Searra Lord, Maverick Lowery, Alexander Mahon, Mya Maxim, Desiree Mayo, Mireya Noa’Dos Santos, Myles Nored, Conner Paine, Dakota Peaslee, Zachary Plourde, Nicholas Rancourt, Saif Rifat, Cole Roberts, Austin Roderick, Hunter Rushing, Caleb Sacks, Anthony Sanborn, Seth Savage, Shaine Staples, Mercedes Tibbetts, Megan To, Jack Tobey, Caden Turcotte, Ashlyn Wing and Jiwei Jeff Ye.

Grade 11

High Honors: Lucy Allen, Jay Austin II, Alec Baker, Julia Basham, Derek Beaulieu, Haley Breton, Abigail Cordts, Lily DeRaps, Alyssha Gil, Annika Gil, Joshua Gower, Tori Grasse, Keimi Henry, Summer Hotham, Sarah Jarosz, Luke Jordan, Parker King, Benjamin Lavoie, Eleena Lee, Stephanie Libby, Jordan Linscott, Brandon Loveland, Reece McGlew, Adalaide Morris, Lyndsie Pelotte, Hunter Praul, Miina Raag-Schmidt, Benjamin Reed, Dominic Rodrigue, Alyssa Savage, Taylor Shute, Jacob Sutter, Brandon Tibbs, Cameron Tyler, Mary-Jane Williams and Richard Winn.

Honors: Adam Bonenfant, Faith Bonnell, Ashlee Bossie, Kole-Tai Carlezon, David Chubbuck Jr, Summer Curran, Colby Cyr, Devin Davis, Vincent Emery, Cheyann Field, Jada Fredette, Mitchell Gamage, Lydia Gilman, Boe Glidden, Bryce Goff, Alyssa Hale, Emma Harvey, Jesse Hayes, Gage Henderson, Nicholas Howard, Ashley Huntley, Emily Jacques, Cameron Johnson, Colby Johnson, Tristan Klemanski, Cole Leclerc, William Leeman, Madison Leonard, Lexigrace Melanson,Kaytie Millay, Jakob Mills, Jamara Moore, Krysta Morris, Nathaniel Mosher, Isaak Peavey, Matthew Picher, Mitchel Reynolds, Andrew Robinson, Katelyn Rollins, Shawn Seigars, Serena Sepulvado, Santasia Sevigny, Alissa Sleeper, Kayla Sleeper, Dominic Smith, Lily Solorzano, Alisha Stevens, MaKenzi Strout, Nicole Taylor, Katelyn Tibbs, Ashleigh Treannie and Matthew Veilleux.

Grade 10

High Honors: Philip Allen, Isabella Bishop, Abbygail Blair, Jane Blanchard, Samantha Box, Trevor Brockway, Eleanor Brown, Zoe Butler, Cody Devaney, Jacob Devaney, Abigail Dumas, Amelia Evans, Addison Gamage, Margaret Gamage, Avril Goodman, Patrick Hanley, Nathan Howell, Emma Hutchinson, Muzzammil Iqbal, Delaney Ireland, Bryan Joslyn Jr, Madyx Kennedy, Sierra LaCroix, Isabela Libby, Emily Lowther, Chiara Mahoney, Jonathan Martinez, Michael Nicholas III, Ian Oliphant, Brian Ouellette, Courtney Paine, Sydni Plummer, Harry Rabideau, Kristin Ray, Acadia Senkbeil, Hanna Spitzer, Emma White, Samuel York and Kelby Young.

Honors: Mara Adams, Brooke Allen, Nicholas Barber, Rylee Bellemare, Everett Blair, Christopher Bourdon, Hailey Brooks, Emma Burtt, Ethan Cates, Anthony Chessa, Adrianna Cook, Joleigh Crockett, Katelynn Dubriel, Jake Emond, Luciano Giampetruzzi, Cameron Gifford, Hailey Haskell, Avery Henningsen, Braydon Hinds, Paeshance-Rae Horan, Keith Knowles, Kaylah Kronillis, Haley Laird, Joanna Linscott, Colby Lloyd, Eva Malcolm, Hailey Mayo, Riley Mayo, Mikala McIntyre, Isaiah Michaud, Gavin Mills, Alicia Nelson, Tyler Ormonde, Olive Padgett, Isabella Parlin, Annaliese Patterson, Lexis Perry, Aiden Pettengill, Allison Roddy, Colby Rumpf, Hailey Sanborn, Paul Slimm, Alessandro Smith, Carly Spencer, Hunter St. Jarre, Aarick Staples, Ariel Stillman, Joshua Tobey, Jake Williams, Mollie Wilson and Dylan Wing.

Grade 9

High Honors: Isaac Baker, Jacob Bentley, Jack Blais, Lilian Bray, Evan Butler, Emily Clark, Tabitha Craig, Colby Cunningham, Isabella DeRose, Luke Desmond, Emma Fortin, Samantha Golden, Trace Harris, Isaac Hayden, Grace Hodgkin, Rachel Huntoon, Emma Jefferson, Grace Kelso, Taidhgin Kimball, Aidan Larrabee, David Martinez – Gosselin, Hayden McMurtry, Adam Ochs, Devon Polley, Lilly Potter, Sarah Praul, Mackenzie Roderick, Abbey Searles, Shawn Searles, Hannah Soule, Natalie Spearin and Lily Vinci.

Honors: Anastasia Ames, Griffin Anderson, Julia Barber, Alana Beggs, Joshua Bonsant, Wyatt Brann, Austin Campbellton, Nathaniel Collins, Hunter Colson, Liberty Crockett, Jasmine Crommett, Daniel Cseak, Caleb Cyr, Madison Devine, Tiana Dingwell, Kaden Doughty, Alexander Drolet, Abigail Dutton, Kelsie Fielder, Jacob Fisher, Chase Folsom, Jenna Gallant, Josette Gilman, Ciera Hamar, Larissa Haskell, Skye Havey, Hayden Hoague, Hannah Huff, Mallory Landry, Lili Lefebvre, Madison Lully, Isavel Lux Soc, Calvin Mason, Robert McCafferty, Wes McGlew, Christian Moon, Rebecca Morton, Brady O’Connor, Abigail Peaslee, Garrett Peebles, Kaden Plourde, Paige Reed, Riley Reitchel, Parker Reynolds, Kadince Rideout, Natasha Ryder-Lewis, Andrew Shaw, Hugo Smith, Hannah Strout – Gordon, Hannah Torrey, Brennen Wade, Samuel Worthley, Emily York and Hannah York.

Thompson inducted in Sigma Beta Delta Honor Society

Katherine Thompson, of Waterville, was inducted into the Emmanuel College chapter of Sigma Beta Delta, the international honor society in business, management and administration, on Tuesday, March 26th.

Sigma Beta Delta, founded in 1994, was established to honor students who have attained superior records in business programs in schools and colleges with regional accreditation.