Dear Brunswick Community:
As you may know, a group of students at the High School organized a walkout on Thursday, May 12, to support anyone who has ever been abused or assaulted in the school. Although the Brunswick School Department cannot condone leaving school for a protest, we appreciate the cause and the manner in which it was conducted. I am a fierce advocate for expanding students' voices, and I am proud of their self-advocacy. The students were focused, orderly, and passionate, and we are listening and acting.
The foundational belief of the Brunswick School Department is that all students and employees have a right to learn and work in an environment free of harassment, sexual harassment, bullying, or hazing. As a reminder, Brunswick School Department has policies that guide how we address and investigate complaints of:
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Harassment and Sexual Harassment of Students: ACAA and ACAA-R
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Harassment and Sexual Harassment of Employees: ACAB and ACAB-R
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Bullying: JICK
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Workplace Bullying: GBGB
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Hazing: ACAD
And yet, despite this belief and these policies, some students stated that they feel unsafe and this is unacceptable.
To be clear, these protests remind us that, in spite of our work to date, in spite of updated policies, we still fall short in consistently creating a welcoming, safe and responsive experience for all of our students. We must work to ensure that we have a culture that supports all students.
This week, we began holding internal meetings that included meeting with students, staff, as well as with staff from Sexual Assault Support Services of Midcoast Maine. Next week, I'll be discussing this topic with members of the Superintendent's Student Advisory Council. I am also available to meet with anyone who would like to discuss our practices and how we can improve them. We want to better understand our student's needs, our school and community supports, and how we can foster a culture in which students feel safe and supported. We anticipate this will include a more comprehensive approach to the training of students, staff, and families about sexual violence, increased communication about how to report incidents of sexual violence, and a more comprehensive and integrated system of support.
I'll be sure to provide more information as this work continues. In the meantime, please reach out with any questions to Assistant Superintendent Shawn Lambert, the Brunswick School Department Affirmative Action Officer/Title IX Coordinator. He can be reached at 207-319-1900 or slambert@brunswicksd.org.
Sincerely,
Phillip J. Potenziano, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
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Between May 13 and May 19, there were 70 new COVID-19 cases in the Brunswick School Department: |
Cumulative statistics on all COVID-19 cases during the 2021-22 school year are available on the COVID-19 Dashboard.
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Brunswick School Department is experiencing a significant increase in the number of COVID cases. The cases include both staff and students and are in all schools. This increase is similar to increases being experienced throughout much of the Northeast.
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We highly recommend that students and staff wear a well-fitting, quality surgical mask on buses and in school facilities. These are available in all facilities. Although this is not a requirement, the evidence is clear that masks go a long way to preventing transmission.
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We highly recommend that students and staff test when they have symptoms. At-home rapid antigen tests have been distributed to all staff and students, are available for free through Project ACT and Covid.gov, and are sold in stores. In addition, all school nurses can also test symptomatic individuals with BinaxNOW tests in schools. Knowing if you are positive and acting responsibly is crucial to preventing the spread of COVID.
- Individuals who tested positive should test again on day 6. If you are still positive, you must isolate until day 10. You should only return to school if you are negative, you are not experiencing symptoms, and you are willing to wear a well-fitting, quality mask.
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It is more important than ever to notify your school nurse when you/your child tests positive for COVID-19. We have developed school-specific forms to complete when your/your child tests positive for COVID. Links to the forms are on the school webpages. Simply click the REPORT POSITIVE COVID-19 TEST RESULTS on your school’s webpage. Links to each form can also be found on the district webpage and below:
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Friday, June 10th
7:00pm
Bowdoin College, Watson Arena
Graduation will begin promptly at 7:00pm and the doors to Watson Arena will open at 6:00pm.
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Brunswick High School Makes History! |
A Unified bocce match, occurred this past Tuesday afternoon between Brunswick and Gray-New Gloucester. There were the athletes competing on the court, their partners congratulating them after each toss, and a large crowd of students, staff, parents, and administrators cheering them on! Bocce is the newest addition to the Unified docket, joining basketball. Unified sports are offered as co-ed athletic opportunities for students with developmental disabilities by the Maine Principals’ Association in partnership with the Special Olympics. Teams consist of “athletes” (those with disabilities) and “partners,” students without disabilities who assist the athletes during play.
The process to bring bocce to Brunswick began three years ago, as the principals association and Special Olympics Maine worked to find a second offering in addition to basketball, which was introduced in 2015 and has grown drastically since.
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Aerial photo credit: UpTake Aerial Imaging @uptake_ai |
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We are pleased to announce that we have been awarded a Safety Enhancement Grant by the Maine Municipal Association Workers Compensation Fund in the amount of $2,979.86.
The Ed MacDonald Safety Enhancement Grants and Scholarship Grants provide financial assistance to members of the MMA Workers Compensation Fund to purchase safety equipment or services to assist in reducing the frequency and severity of workplace injuries. The grant programs are designed to prevent injuries and improve workplace safety our Maine employees. The reduction in employee injuries also benefits the taxpayers by lessening lost hours at work, cost of claims and potential overtime expenses for employees who might have to fill in for injured co-workers.
The Maine Municipal Association has been awarding Safety Grants to members of the Workers’ Compensation fund since 1999. The Ed MacDonald Safety Enhancement Grants and Scholarships are an example of a successful partnership that has been preventing workplace injuries by bestowing more than $5.7 million in the funding of 4,345 Safety Enhancement Grants and 505 Scholarship Grants. Together we are building safe communities.
For more information about Maine Municipal Association Risk Management Service programs, including Safety Enhancement Grant eligibility and applications, please visit www.memun.org and click on the Risk Management Services link, or call 1-800-590- 5583.
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Jessica Marion
Biology Teacher,
Brunswick High School
Jessica grew up in Connecticut and attended Cornell University and is married to her husband, Lincoln.
What makes you proud to work in Brunswick? #BSDProud
Working with my knowledgeable, experienced, and independent-minded colleagues.
What do you like to do outside of work for fun?
Running long distances in the mountains, cross-country skiing marathons, backcountry skiing, and cooking.
What is your favorite line from a movie?
"Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." -Ferris Bueller
If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet?
Sir David Attenborough
What is something you learned in the last week?
Which kinds of klister (very sticky Nordic wax for kick) do not work when it is 60 F and the snow has pools of water (at Nordic State Championship races).
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Pictured above is Doug with all of the students he has taught over the years. |
Thank you for your wonderful 28 years of service with Brunswick Schools!
We wish you a very joyful retirement.
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Click the button below to view all current employment opportunities within the Brunswick School Department. |
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