Michelle Payeur, teacher at Sanford Pride Elementary School, was nominated for the 2024 Wasabi Fenway Bowl Honor Roll, which recognizes educators who make extraordinary contributions to their students and communities.
Photo: Sanford School Department
Compiled by Carolyn Cadigan
SPE teacher receives a prestigious honor: Sanford Pride Elementary School teacher Michelle Payeur has joined a group of New England educators nominated for the 2024 Wasabi Fenway Bowl Honor Roll, a program celebrating education professionals who go above and beyond to support their students and communities. Payeur was selected from a pool of over 1,000 educators nominated from across New England. A Sanford success story herself, Payeur graduated from Sanford High School in 2004 before pursuing her education degree at the University of Maine. She returned to her hometown to begin her teaching career in 2009.
What makes this recognition even more special is its roots in the local community; the nomination came from someone who knows Payeur’s impact firsthand, a building substitute teacher whose child spent two years in her classroom. “It’s very special,” Payeur said. “Being recognized by someone who has seen your work both as a colleague and as a parent makes it particularly meaningful. Sanford has been my home since I was a student myself, and now I get to give back to the community that helped shape who I am.” For the full story, go here.
February school vacation is right around the corner: Registration is now open for February Vacation Camp, for kids ages 5 to 11, at the Sanford-Springvale YMCA, 1 Emile Levasseur Dr., Sanford. The camp runs Feb. 17 to 21, from 6 am to 6 pm, and offers activities, games, arts and crafts, swimming, sledding, bowling, and a special visit by “Mad Science.” Registration is open to everyone. FMI, call 207-324-4942.
Innovative ideas at SPE get state recognition: Sanford Pride Elementary School was featured by the Maine Department of Education for its innovative work connecting local childcare programs with elementary school teachers through the First 10 Community Schools model. The program brings together schools, families, early childhood programs, and community partners — before children reach public school age — to create a system that helps young children to learn and thrive during the first 10 years of their lives. In 2023, the Sanford School Department was one of three districts in Maine selected to receive the First 10 grant.
In October 2024, Sanford’s second year in the program, educators from local childcare centers, Head Start, and home-based programs joined Sanford School Department educators for a day of joint professional learning. One of the presentations during the event was given by Shana Palmer, Sanford’s First 10 Community Schools outreach coordinator, who provided an overview of Sanford’s efforts in implementing the First 10 Community Schools model. Read the full story here.
Notice to Special Ed students born before Dec. 31, 1999: The Sanford School Department has posted a notice for anyone born prior to Dec. 31, 1999, who also attended Sanford schools and received special education, or for their custodial parents. Special education student records for these former students are scheduled to be destroyed. If you would like to have these records, contact the Special Education Office at Sanford High School, 100 Alumni Blvd., or call 207-457-1413, prior to Feb. 14. Records not claimed by Feb. 21 will be destroyed.
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