Sanford elementary school students take in CATAPULT at the Sanford Performing Arts Center on Oct. 27.
Photo: Sanford School Department
Compiled by Carolyn Cadigan
Magical shadows mesmerize at SPAC field trip: Elementary students in grades 2 to 4 from Sanford Pride, Carl J. Lamb and Margaret Chase Smith schools got a special treat on Monday, Oct. 27, when they visited the Sanford Performing Arts Center to experience CATAPULT, the international touring company featured on America’s Got Talent. The production’s dancers performed behind a screen to create shadow silhouettes that transformed magically from one shape to another.
Free school meals continue: The Sanford School Department indicated that all students can still get free breakfast and lunch at school during the federal government shutdown.
Although funding for SNAP has not been issued for November, those who receive SNAP benefits can still apply for or renew them during the shutdown. For those who qualify, doing this now will help make sure SNAP benefits are ready as soon as funding resumes. Apply or renew here.
SCAE apprenticeship program provides valuable hands-on experience: For some students, the path to a diploma can feel overwhelming, filled with barriers that seem impossible to overcome. Through an innovative partnership with Maine Career Exploration and local businesses, Sanford Community Adult Education (SCAE) is making the challenge seem less daunting by creating real pathways to careers while helping students earn their high school credentials and develop essential life skills.
SCAE director Jayne Perkins and her team are working with Maine Career Exploration to offer paid apprenticeships of up to 75 hours. Students earn money while gaining real-world work experience in fields that match their interests. The process is simple: employers complete paperwork, and within three days, students can begin their apprenticeship. Most students work three to four hours per week, allowing them to balance their education, work, and personal responsibilities.
Current and upcoming placements include the Downtown Shagg on Main Street, where a student will learn customer service and business operations, and Goodall Memorial Library, where one interested in library science will gain hands-on experience. The program is also exploring opportunities with local accounting firms and creative businesses for students interested in finance and digital art. Read the full story here.
What a souper idea! Sanford High School Project Graduation 2026 is participating in a fundraiser at Panera Bread, 130 Shops Way in Biddeford, on Thursday, Nov. 6, 4 – 8 pm. When dining in, ordering online, or using the Panera app with code FUND4U, a portion of the purchase will be donated to support Project Graduation 2026.
Students seeking a home away from home: Foreign Links Around the Globe (FLAG), a non-profit international exchange organization based in the United States, is seeking people in the Sanford-Springvale area to host foreign exchange students. Each host family experiences the foreign student’s culture and creates memories while giving the student the opportunity to experience American life and learn about the host’s traditions and values. Each year, the organization hosts over 500 students from more than 25 countries who want to live and learn in the United States. FMI on this opportunity, email bjewell@flag-intl.org or visit https://www.flag-intl.org.
Sanford school happenings: For more news from the Sanford School Department, including Homecoming Week at Sanford High School, the BRIDGE Program, and student journalism by middle school and high school students, read the latest Sanford Spotlight Newsletter here.+
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