Young children at Sanford-Springvale YMCA’s Early Learning Center decorate binoculars for a bear hunt at the center.
Photo: Sanford-Springvale YMCA
Compiled by Carolyn Cadigan
Learning and music and bears, oh my! The Early Learning Center at the Sanford-Springvale YMCA welcomed Casey Marcotte from MaineHealth’s HEAL team and Shana Palmer from the Sanford School Department/The Basics Sanford for a “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt” infant and toddler training experience. Staff members and 14 young children from the center participated in playful learning, music and movement, sensory exploration, dramatic play, and a bear hunt adventure.
SMS parent meeting covers school tech systems: Parent Night for Sanford Middle School parents and guardians will be held on Thursday, March 5, 5:30 – 7 pm. The topic of discussion will be “Using Infinite Campus and Google Classroom to Support Your Student.” To attend, register here.
Early childhood education training in York County: Registration is open for Seeds for Inspiration, a one-day, in-person conference for early childhood educators. The conference will be held Saturday, April 4, 8 am – 3:30 pm, at Sanford Regional Technical Center. The day will include a variety of workshop and breakout session options to match a range of interests. The cost is $50 and includes a catered lunch. To learn more, and to purchase tickets, go here. The conference is hosted by Family Child Care Association of Maine.
Free Parent Series coming in March: The Sanford School Department along with community partners are offering a four-part Parent Series in March that covers a variety of topics for parents and caregivers. Topics include introducing movement games (March 10, 4 – 5 pm, at Sanford Pride Elementary School), defusing challenging behaviors (March 19, 6 – 7 pm, at Margaret Chase Smith Elementary School), learning from each other at the Parent Cafe (March 24, 10 – 11 am, at Sanford Community Adult Education), and having mental health discussions with youth (March 31, 7 – 8 pm, via Zoom). Kids are welcome to attend the March 10 and March 31 sessions, while the March 19 and March 24 sessions are meant for parents and caregivers only. Childcare is not available. To register for one or more of the free sessions, go here.
Teaching the Holocaust through historical facts, music and storytelling: Grade 7 students at Sanford Middle School recently completed an interdisciplinary unit on the Holocaust. Over several weeks, students explored this important chapter in history through both social studies and English Language Arts classes, providing students with a well-rounded understanding of the Holocaust — from the historical facts and context to the deeply human stories behind them.
To bring it all home, students had the chance to experience a live performance by Russell Kaback called “25044: A Musical Story of Resilience.” In the show, Kaback shared the story of his own grandfather, a Holocaust survivor, through music and storytelling. The performance served as a capstone to a powerful and weighty topic.
Student Health Fair focus is on sugar and wellness: More than 140 students in grades 3 and 4 took part in hands-on learning at the Student Health Fair held at Sanford Pride Elementary School earlier this month. MaineHealth’s Casey Marcotte (HEAL) and Stephanie Masters-Plamondon (SUPS) engaged students in lessons on nutrition and mindfulness.
Marcotte led the interactive “Sugar Shocker” demonstration, teaching students to read labels, compare choices, and learn how marketing influences what consumers think is healthy. Students also learned that water is the best thirst quencher. Masters-Plamondon introduced mindfulness strategies from the MindUP curriculum, teaching students how their brains work and ways to improve focus and self-regulation. During lunch, the Smoothie Bike was popular with students, who cheered each other on as they powered their own smoothies. The day also included community partners sharing lessons on health, safety, and wellness.
Free softball clinics: It’s not too early to be thinking about softball season, even if snow is still in the weather forecast. The Sanford Springvale Little League is offering two free Saturday softball clinics in the Practice Gym at Sanford High School. The dates are Feb. 28 and March 14. Participants ages 7/8 and 9/10 meet 2 – 3 pm, and ages 11/12 meet 3:30 – 4:30 pm. Spots are limited and pre-registration is required. To sign up, go here.
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