Author: vimes

Welcome to the StarBOOKs Cafe
October 16, 2023
Earlier this month, fourth graders at Belgrade Central School were treated to visit the “Starbooks Cafe!” Heather Holinger and Alicia Thomas transformed their classrooms into beautiful cafes where readers could sample books in different genres or by new authors. The menu included an opportunity to sample book covers, “taste” the first few pages of a book, and reflect on if the author hooked the reader. Students came thirsty for knowledge and left full of excitement and motivation to read! #WeAreRSU18
Kindness Duels
October 10, 2023
One of the components to Belgrade Central School’s motto is to spread kindness! In Mrs. Thomas’ fourth grade classroom, students challenged one another to kindness duels where they faced one another and quickly stated something kind they can do for others. It went back and forth until someone took too long or could not come up with an idea. This was such a fun way to engage students in creating ideas for acts of kindness! Thank you, Mrs. Thomas, for generating this wonderful activity! #WeAreRSU18
Spirit Week at BCS
October 2, 2023
The last week of September was Homecoming for the high school, and Belgrade Central School shared in that celebration by having a spirit week! Students and staff had wacky hair, hats, and matching colors! The incredible PTO even distributed red, white, and blue leis to every member of the school community! #WeAreRSU18
Dot Day at BCS
September 19, 2023
Last Friday, September 15, the entire Belgrade Central School community celebrated International Dot Day! Students were encouraged to cultivate creativity, courage, and collaboration by wearing dots and “making their mark” through creative activities!

In Mrs. Vincent’s first grade class, students used dot candy in a few different ways to strengthen their math skills while also celebrating Dot Day. They sorted the candy by color and then graphed their results on a tally chart and a bar graph. They also engaged in a STEM activity where they used Dots and toothpicks to create the tallest towers they could build. To round out the theme of the day, they used paint and q-tips to “dot” their addition sentences onto tens frames. As one student said at the end of the day, “Today was a 20 on a scale of 1-5!” #WeAreRSU18
Building a School Community Through Read Alouds
September 18, 2023
Mr. Clark, Principal of Belgrade Central School, and Mrs. Moody, Dean of Students, have been spending time during the first few weeks of school reading aloud a book in every classroom at BCS! Because both are new to the building, they are on a mission to make connections with each classroom and each learner. They are looking forward to spending lots of time in classrooms this year with their BCS Crew! #WeAreRSU18
Jumping into Literacy at BCS
September 12, 2023
Belgrade Central students in Miss Nightingale’s second grade classroom have been hard at work – engaging in literacy stations, group work, teacher led stations, and exploring their classroom library! There are so many literacy minds in this classroom! #WeAreRSU18
The BCS Soaring Eagle: September 2023
September 7, 2023
Meet Belgrade Central School’s Dean of Students, Shelly Moody
August 25, 2023
Meet Belgrade Central School’s Dean of Students, Shelly Moody!

What was your greatest memory from last school year?

My favorite time of the day has always been reading aloud to students. Last year was no exception. I could have spent the whole day talking to my fifth graders about books! One of my favorite memories every year is our Nonfiction March Madness reading tournament. We created the event at Williams Elementary School eight years ago as a way to energize students about reading nonfiction and foster curiosity about fascinating topics. I love watching an entire school community get excited about reading! The best part is always the assembly where we reveal the winner with bright lights, loud music, a gigantic book cover, and a special video from the author. Last year was special to me because it was the first year I organized the event as a classroom teacher. A number of my students shared that it was “the best school day ever!”

What are you most looking forward to about this upcoming school year?

I am excited to get to know the Belgrade Central School community this year! I was fortunate to work with many of the amazing teachers at Belgrade Central School in my previous role as an instructional coach, so I am very much looking forward to collaborating with them again. My heart is full when I am learning alongside students, so I plan to spend a great deal of time in classrooms. Mr. Clark and I are planning a number of school-wide events to unify and energize our school community!

Tell us about your family!

My family is my whole world! We love hiking, playing games, and going on adventures! I am fortunate that my husband, Jon, is also an educator, so lots of our conversations at home are about our shared commitment to the teaching profession. We live in Oakland with our fun-loving black lab, Bailey, and our three children. My son, Jacob, will be a senior at Messalonskee High School this year. My daughter, Grace, will be a freshman at MHS and my daughter, Olivia, will be in third grade at Williams Elementary. When I’m not at school, you can usually find me on the golf course, on the sidelines of the field hockey field, or in the basketball stands cheering on my kids in the sports and activities they love!

Sweet, salty, or spicy snacks?

This is an easy one for me… sweet!! I have a major sweet tooth. I love candy and anything chocolate, but my absolute favorite treat is a whoopie pie! Don’t be surprised if you run into me at Candy Hollow or the Ice Cream Shoppe!

What is something you are thankful for? I am incredibly thankful for the relationships I’ve made with my colleagues and students over the past 24 years in RSU 18. The best part of being a teacher is watching students grow and thrive. I’ve been so fortunate to spend my entire career in this district! Williams Elementary has been my “home” for the majority of my time, so I will be forever grateful for the incredible educators that I’ve worked with and countless special memories with my students. I was even lucky enough to teach with three former students at WES during the last few years! I am grateful for the opportunity to connect with the students, staff, and families at BCS in my new role as Dean of Students!
Meet Belgrade Central School’s Principal, Dillon Clark
August 25, 2023
Meet Belgrade Central School’s principal, Dillon Clark!

What was your greatest memory from last school year?

My greatest memory of last year was simply connecting with my middle school students and staff. Middle school is a magical place where so much learning and changing is taking place. Every conversation I had with a student at MMS opened my eyes to the thoughts and feelings that middle school students grapple with! I will miss those connections and interactions!

What are you most looking forward to about this upcoming school year?

I began my career teaching elementary school and had you asked me when I was 20, what level will you teach, I would have said that elementary school is where I always want to be. Getting back to this age group is something I am incredibly excited about. If there is ever a group of humans who can put a smile on your face every time, it is our youngest group of learners! I cannot wait to meet and get to know each of our BCS students!

Tell us a fun fact about yourself!

I love to play sports. Basketball, tennis, and soccer are my favorites, but I find joy in all physical activity! I hope to spend a lot of time on the playground with our students as the year progresses!

If you weren’t an administrator, what other profession would you be interested in?

If it weren’t for my lack of height and the fact that I am a relatively mediocre basketball player, I would be in the NBA!

Where’s your favorite place to explore?

My family and I love to go to coastal Maine, with MDI, Camden, and Belfast being some of our favorites. Anywhere coastal with hiking, beaches, and small coastal towns are my favorite!

Tell us about your family!

My family is the most important part of my life! I have two children who are both in elementary school. They are kind and loving, and I am more proud of them than I could ever explain in words! They love adventures, friends, and spending time outside! My wife, Denise, is truly the most incredible human I have ever met. She and I met in college, and have been together for 13 years. We moved to Oakland about 8 years ago and we began building our forever life! Since moving to Oakland, we bought a camp on East Pond, where we spend summer days splashing and cooking s’mores!

Sweet, salty, or spicy snacks?

Salty! My wife laughs because I often add salt to things before I even try them!

What is one thing you’d like to share with the students of your school building?

In a world where you can choose to be anything, choose to be kind!

What is something you are thankful for?

My family and friends!

What is one of the proudest moments you’ve had so far in your life?

I am not sure if proud is the word to use, but I have never felt more happiness, pride, or joy than when my children were born. I do not believe anything will ever top that feeling!
Yearbook Dedication 2023
June 15, 2023
By: Laura Dunbar, Second Grade Teacher

The 2022-2023 BCS Yearbook dedication was held yesterday. The yearbook was dedicated to: Mrs. Bacon, Nurse Champagne, and Mrs. Gooldrup. We will miss you at BCS!

The dedication reads:

Mrs. Bacon began her time at BCS in a position that was originally supposed to last for six weeks, but turned into ten years! Her passion and dedication to BCS has been the driving force behind many great things at BCS, some of which include a new playground, gazebo area, Carlson’s Corner, a schoolwide theme, monthly assemblies, curriculum development, educational opportunities, and so much more. Mrs. Bacon demonstrates her care of students daily through conversation, eating lunch, reading, or playing games and is always there to support the BCS staff. We wish Mrs. Bacon all the best in her much deserved retirement and want her to know that she will be greatly missed by everyone at Belgrade Central School.

Belgrade Central School students have been very lucky to have Mrs. Gooldrup as their music teacher over the past several decades. Her dedication and knowledge of music has been demonstrated throughout the years and she has passed her excitement of music on to many of our students. Mrs. Gooldrup has led MANY successful elementary concerts and holiday sing-alongs in her time at BCS. These concerts will always be remembered by students, parents, and staff alike for their creativity and bringing joy and laughter to the world of music. We are thankful to have had Mrs. Gooldrup here at BCS and she will be greatly missed. Enjoy your retirement and the many adventures that await!

Belgrade Central School has been blessed to have Mrs. Champagne as our school nurse for these last two years. Mrs. Champagne is kind, warm, and caring to our elementary students. She has built great relationships with students, staff, and families in the short time that she has been here and we are fortunate to have had this time with her. We hope that Mrs. Champagne enjoys spending time with her children and grandchildren in her retirement.

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