Gorham Lions donate $500 to aid the Great Falls School reading program. Pictured, from left, are Principal Rebecca Fortier, Lions Jim Burnham, Gary Olsen and Tom Bahun and teacher Anna Sedenka. Courtesy photo
Gorham’s Chris Record receives his Assistant Superintendent of the Year honor from Maine School Superintendents Association President Scott Porter. Coutesy photo
Record named Assistant Superintendent of the Year
Christopher Record, the assistant superintendent for the Gorham School Department, has been named Maine’s 2020 Assistant Superintendent of the Year for his commitment and focus on creating an environment where all students can learn, according to the Maine School Superintendents Association.
“Record has led the Gorham School Department through meaningful professional development to help support students who are struggling with their social and emotional health. Along with this focus, he also realized in order to lead the charge, he needed to increase his own knowledge,” am association press release said.
He did so by attending an intense, three-part series on “Creating Trauma-Sensitive Schools” by Dr. Cassie Yackley, an expert in dealing with the impact of poverty and trauma on children.
He also led the district in analyzing data for its Comprehensive Needs Assessment. This work led to the establishment of three district goals: to decrease the number of students who are chronically absent; to improve standards-based instruction and the continued development of assessments; and, to increase the knowledge and support of the social and emotional needs of their students.
These goals have driven the focus of the district’s Dropout Prevention Committee and its professional development plan and have resulted in improved student attendance and an increase in student achievement.
In response to the award, Record shared the honor.
“I continue to be very proud to serve the students, staff and community of Gorham. I consider this a team win because I am surrounded by so much professional talent who work tirelessly to help all students succeed every day,” he said.
“Record firmly believes that every decision made should improve teaching, increase learning and enhance the climate of Gorham School Department schools. His work on improving the teacher evaluation system by offering immediate, face-to-face constructive feedback was appreciated by teachers,” the release said.
“Record continues to ensure that every Gorham High School senior’s post-secondary destination has been painted on a large mural at GHS, planting seeds of aspirations in the district that have blossomed into a community-wide effort.
“Record also serves his community in a variety of ways. He is an active member on the University of Southern Maine’s Professional Development Advisory Council and has worked closely with USM to improve the internship process for students. He also worked with the Gorham Police Department to bring the ALICE active-shooter protocol into the schools to ensure the safety of all students and staff.”
Wreaths Across America to visit Gorham
Gorham Public Safety, 270 Main St., will host Wreaths Across America’s mobile education exhibit from 2-6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13, Police Chief Christopher Sanborn has announced.
“The mobile education exhibit is a mini theater and computer lab,” Sanborn wrote in a news release.
The public will learn about history of the organization, volunteering opportunities, wreaths sponsorships and cemeteries.
Sanborn said Gorham Police Department the past four years has participated in the convoy of wreaths from Maine to Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., where wreaths are placed on veterans’ graves.
This year, the convoy will stop at Gorham High School on Monday, Dec. 9.
U.S.taxpayer debt
The Bureau of the fiscal Service reported on Oct. 31 that the U.S.public debt was $23,008,409,564,494.99.
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