The Annual Career Day at HMS was held on Friday, May 2, and was once again a fun and engaging morning for our students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. Thank you to our community partners who took time out of their busy schedules to engage with students, sharing their careers and the pathways that led them to professional success. Thanks also to YSD Director of Partners in Education Coordinator, Rebecca Spear, for lining up so many fantastic presenters!
Yarmouth Schools Update
Annual HMS Career Day a smashing success
YHS wins the JA Titan Challenge . . . again!
The Junior Achievement Titan Challenge provides students with the opportunity to show off their business acumen by participating in a dynamic statewide competition that challenges their analytical and decision-making skills. This year, more than 380 students from 33 Maine high schools participated in the competition, and - for the fourth year in a row - a team from Yarmouth High School captured the overall state championship. Congratulations to YHS Teacher David Pearl and his amazing students Ozric Stewart, Liam Hannah, and Lara Cakmakci.
Shanna Crofton named Maine's Curriculum Leader of the Year
We are very excited to announce that Shanna Crofton, Yarmouth’s Director of Teaching & Learning, has been named Maine’s 2025 Curriculum Leader of the Year by the Maine Curriculum Leaders’ Association (MCLA).
Shanna has been with Yarmouth Schools for four years and has been instrumental in steering the district’s instructional work, including the implementation of a public PreK program, expansion of World Language instruction to the elementary grades, adoption of updated curriculum across many learning areas, completion of a district-wide equity review, and the creation of alternative pathways for high school students.
In his nomination letter, Superintendent Andrew Dolloff stated, "Shanna’s engagement with students, staff, and families on a wide number of fronts, and her efforts in fostering trust in our schools through her work with individuals and groups of constituents, have been critical as we strive to keep Yarmouth’s schools performing at a highly efficient and effective level."
Shanna will be celebrated at MCLA’s summer retreat.
YHS Student wins the Ford ACE Competition
Congratulations to YHS senior Shane Merrill (pictured here on the right), who teamed up with Portland High School's Maddox Pagliuca to win this year's Ford ACE (Automotive Career Exploration) Competition at Portland Arts and Technology High School.
In this statewide competition, students are challenged to diagnose and repair various issues in a Ford-built automobile.
As this year's champions, Shane and Maddox were each presented with a $2500 comprehensive toolbox along with a two-year scholarship to Wyoming Tech. The duo also won a 2024 Ford F150 pickup for use at PATHS.
Rowe School Captain's Crew Helps the Yarmouth Food Pantry
First Graders at Rowe School have been participating in a leadership opportunity known as Captain's Crew. This group of young leaders decided they wanted to help those in our community who may be in need of support with food.
After meeting with Mrs. Reinsborough from the Yarmouth Community Food Pantry, these students decided to organize a food drive at Rowe School and were able to collect an astounding 300 items to donate!
Brandie Burrows recognized by the Maine Library Association
HMS Librarian Brandie Burrows has been named the recipient of the 2025 Jim Campbell Intellectual Freedom Award from the Maine Library Association. This award honors someone in the Maine Library community doing work to support intellectual freedom and access to information.
In recognizing Ms. Burrows, the selection committee noted her willingness to show up consistently, her ability to engage in difficult conversations with courtesy, and her support for marginalized students.
Brandie will be celebrated at the MLA statewide conference later this month.
2nd Annual YES STEAM Night attracts hundreds
Hundreds of students and their families arrived at YES for the 2nd Annual STEAM night. While many staff members and volunteers were on hand to ensure each child had a great experience, much of the work planning for this event fell to YES STEAM Teacher Nicole Colfer. Thank you, Mrs. Colfer and all who participated!
YES Chorus performs at Maine Mariners game
Earlier this spring, the Yarmouth Elementary School Chorus, under the direction of Erica Troy, performed the National Anthem in front of several thousand fans at a Maine Mariners game.
The game was played at the Mariners' home rink - the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, and the YES Chorus started the afternoon off with a stirring rendition of the Star Spangled Banner.
Thank you to Mrs. Troy and all of the students (and parents) for making this commitment and sharing your talents while honoring America!
First graders share writing skills at Poetry Museum
Young poets at Rowe School were able to showcase their learning and published work this month at a school-based poetry museum.
As students explored each other's work across classrooms, they engaged in a scavenger hunt looking for acrostic poems, poems about nature, poems that make you laugh, poems with a noise, poems with repeating words, and other fun characteristics. It was fun for all to hear their compliments while celebrating each other's impressive writing.
Residents encouraged to participate in
School Budget Approval Process
On Thursday, May 1, the Yarmouth Town Council voted 7-0 to adopt the School Committee's proposed FY26 budget in the amount of $42,248,050 - an increase of 7.56% over the current fiscal year. Combined with the proposed Municipal and County budgets, this would result in an increase of 6.6% on the local tax base. To learn more about the budget, please visit our finance webpage.
The School Budget Development process is largely held in public, with many opportunities for community engagement. Planning for the 2025-2026 school year began in the fall of 2024 and will continue through the spring of 2025, with upcoming public meetings scheduled as follows:
APPROVAL PROCESS
Tuesday, June 3 Town Meeting – 7:00 p.m. at YHS Performing Arts Center
Tuesday, June 10 Budget Referendum – 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at YHS Gym
Citizen participation is critical to the budget approval process. We encourage all registered voters to attend the Town Meeting on June 3, where you will be asked to vote on each article of the Town and School budget. Once a budget is set at Town Meeting, voters will be asked to approve the final School Department budget at the polls on June 10.
Maine's SUN Bucks provide summer meals to students
In the summer, many children lose the free and reduced-price meals that they get at school. SUN Bucks provides families with a $120 EBT benefit for each eligible school-aged child to buy groceries when school is out of session.
SUN Bucks is designed to supplement families’ grocery budgets over the summer. Most eligible children will receive these benefits automatically, but some families will need to apply. This program occurs in addition to free meals that children of all ages may access at summer meal sites in their communities.
How SUN Bucks Works
Families will receive a one-time Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) of $120 per eligible child for the summer. The benefits may be used at authorized retailers, such as grocery stores and farmers markets, to purchase healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables, meats and other protein sources, whole grains, and dairy.
For children already eligible for the federal government's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), SUN Bucks will be loaded onto the household’s existing EBT card (also called the Pine Tree Card).
For children who don’t receive SNAP but did previously receive P-EBT or SUN Bucks, the benefit will be loaded onto the previously-issued card.
For children who don’t receive SNAP and didn’t receive SUN Bucks or P-EBT previously, a new Pine Tree Card will be issued.
If a family had an EBT card previously and lost it, a replacement card must be ordered by calling 800-477-7428.
Automatic Enrollment for Most Families
Most children will be automatically enrolled for SUN Bucks and do not need to apply if:
They completed an application for the school meal benefit and were found eligible.
They are aged 6-16 and part of a household that already participates in SNAP, FDPIR, TANF, MaineCare at 185% FPL, or are identified as foster, homeless, or migrant by the Office for Family Independence (OFI) or the Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS).
Automatically-enrolled households will receive a letter in late spring, and benefits will start in June.
Manual Application for Some Families
Families who haven’t received a letter in the mail by mid-June notifying them of automatic enrollment should consider applying manually for SUN Bucks if their household meets the requirements for free or reduced-price school meal benefit.
To learn more, point your browser to Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services website. Families may also call DHHS at 855-797-4357 and select option 5 to speak with an Eligibility Specialist about SUN Bucks.
In the summer, many children lose the free and reduced-price meals that they get at school. SUN Bucks provides families with a $120 EBT benefit for each eligible school-aged child to buy groceries when school is out of session.
SUN Bucks is designed to supplement families’ grocery budgets over the summer. Most eligible children will receive these benefits automatically, but some families will need to apply. This program occurs in addition to free meals that children of all ages may access at summer meal sites in their communities.
How SUN Bucks Works
Families will receive a one-time Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) of $120 per eligible child for the summer. The benefits may be used at authorized retailers, such as grocery stores and farmers markets, to purchase healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables, meats and other protein sources, whole grains, and dairy.
For children already eligible for the federal government's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), SUN Bucks will be loaded onto the household’s existing EBT card (also called the Pine Tree Card).
For children who don’t receive SNAP but did previously receive P-EBT or SUN Bucks, the benefit will be loaded onto the previously-issued card.
For children who don’t receive SNAP and didn’t receive SUN Bucks or P-EBT previously, a new Pine Tree Card will be issued.
If a family had an EBT card previously and lost it, a replacement card must be ordered by calling 800-477-7428.
Automatic Enrollment for Most Families
Most children will be automatically enrolled for SUN Bucks and do not need to apply if:
They completed an application for the school meal benefit and were found eligible.
They are aged 6-16 and part of a household that already participates in SNAP, FDPIR, TANF, MaineCare at 185% FPL, or are identified as foster, homeless, or migrant by the Office for Family Independence (OFI) or the Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS).
Automatically-enrolled households will receive a letter in late spring, and benefits will start in June.
Manual Application for Some Families
Families who haven’t received a letter in the mail by mid-June notifying them of automatic enrollment should consider applying manually for SUN Bucks if their household meets the requirements for free or reduced-price school meal benefit.
To learn more, point your browser to Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services website. Families may also call DHHS at 855-797-4357 and select option 5 to speak with an Eligibility Specialist about SUN Bucks.