A Message from Mrs. Hennessey

January 2026

Happy New Year! We are back in full swing here at Memorial School, and we are so pleased to be reunited with our students after the winter break. This month, we will take part in NWEA assessments and get back in the swing of our schedule. Next month, we will embark on our annual Kindness Challenge during the week of February 9th.

As always, thank you for partnering with us each day! We so appreciate your ongoing support. Please feel free to contact me directly at ahennessey@sad15.org or by phone at 926-4322.

Winter Carnival

We are hoping to hold our Winter Carnival on Wednesday, January 21st.(This is also an Early Release Day.) The Winter Carnival will be from 10-11 am for all grades on the 21st. This event is weather-dependent and is subject to change.

We would love to have parent volunteers to assist at this event. If you would like to volunteer, please sign up at our volunteer link: https://grasshoppersignup.com/s/lvfe4e All volunteers need to have an approved district background check on file. Miss Lisa (926-4322) can let you know if you’re all set!

Thank you! We are hoping for snow and pleasant winter weather on January 21st!

Kindness Challenge

During the week of February 9th, Memorial School will take part in our tenth annual Great Kindness Challenge! We are very excited to be one of many schools across the country taking part in these activities.

Activities will include:

  • An all-school kick-off in Guidance the week before the challenge.
  • Students are invited to wear mismatched socks or shoes on Monday, February 9th to kick off this event!
  • Distribution of a checklist with possible Kindness Challenges that students can perform during the two weeks.
  • Quotes about kindness on the morning announcements all week.
  • A school-wide Kindness Challenge, keeping track of our kind acts for the week.
  • A Spirit Day on Wednesday, February 11th: Dreaming of Kindness PJ Day!
  • A Spirit Day on Friday, February 13th: Wear Red!

We are thrilled to spread a little extra kindness at Memorial School!

Winter Gear 

Winter weather is here! Students are reminded to bring their boots, snow pants, hats, gloves, and warm jackets to school. Students will need snow pants and boots to fully enjoy the playground when there is snow on the ground. It is helpful if students’ initials/names are written on snow gear, as some items are similar and easily confused. Thank you for your assistance in keeping kids geared up for winter fun!

Valentine’s Day Considerations

Next month, Memorial School classrooms may be hosting opportunities where Valentines will be exchanged. A note about Valentines: We ask that families send in Valentine’s Day cards (only) or Valentine’s Day cards with trinkets (pencils, stickers, etc.) instead of candy/food treats. No homemade food items will be able to be distributed. Any store-bought food items that are attached to treats will be sent home with students to be enjoyed at home (and with their guardians’ permission). 

Participating in any Valentine Exchange is optional. Please let your child’s teacher know if you prefer for him/her not to bring in or collect Valentines. The classroom teachers will be in touch with details about classroom exchanges and activities and will provide a list of students if an exchange will be taking place.

2026–2027 Kindergarten Registration & Screening

On approximately January 15th, we will begin registering students for the kindergarten class of 2026-2027! Parents of students who will be five on or before October 15, 2026, please visit the Memorial School webpage and click the link to register your child for kindergarten (on the left). We can’t wait to welcome our incoming students into our Memorial community!

More information to come on the K Screening Process. If you have any questions about the registration or screening process, please contact Amanda Hennessey at 926-4322 or ahennessey@sad15.org. 

 iPad Care & Use

Student iPads may be sent home for remote instruction days. Please keep the following tips in mind if/when students are using iPads at home.

  • Please be sure to have students carry their iPads back and forth to school in their cases.
  • Students have hard-backed keyboard cases. Students should keep the keyboard attached to those cases at all times, when not in use, to protect the device screens. 
  • Please remind children to carefully set their backpacks down when getting on or off the bus or arriving at home/school. 
  • Please contact Mrs. Hennessey as soon as possible when damage is noticed so we can provide a loaner device and send the iPad off for repair. 

Thank you for your continued support and care with district-loaned devices. Please feel free to contact Mrs. Hennessey (926-4322 or ahennessey@sad15.org) with any questions.

Counselor’s Corner with Ms. Michelle

Happy 2026!! In Guidance classes, we will begin the new year with a lesson about things I should SAY vs. things I should THINK. We will read a book called, Taste Your Words by Bonnie Clark. We will then discuss “needs versus wants”. We will wrap up the month by learning how our attitude can affect everyone around us. Feel free to reach out to me if you ever have any questions at mgilbert@sad15.org or 926-4322.

Calling All Pet Photographs!

We are setting up a special bulletin board in the Memorial hallway with photos of our favorite pets! If your child would like us to post a photo of his/her pet(s), please email one to Miss Lisa at lhaughey@sad15.org. You can also send in a printed photograph. Students can drop printed photos in the office. (However, we suggest sending a copy of the photo as they are posted in a high-traffic area.) We can’t wait to see photos of New Gloucester’s most cute and cuddly pets!

 Patriot Parents PTO at Memorial School

Patriot Parents PTO is a nonprofit group of families working together to support our school community. We raise funds through events and activities, and those funds help pay for enrichment opportunities like field trips, author visits, and special classroom projects.

Join us Jan. 14 from 5-6pm
Our next meeting will take place on Wednesday, January 14, from 5–6 pm at Memorial. At this meeting we will share updates about school and districtwide fundraisers, plan for events like our Friendship Dance, and hear from Memorial staff about ways we can support them. Onsite childcare will be provided by the GNG High School Service Club.

Updates:

  • Thank you to everyone who helped with our Winter Craft Workshop! We had over 20 volunteers at the workshop and received donations to cover all the material costs. Students had a fun time creating a unique and giftable craft! 
  • We hosted a Staff Appreciation Breakfast on Dec. 17. Thank you to everyone who donated to make that possible, as it was quite the spread!
  • We also want to thank the volunteers who helped with the second grade classroom gingerbread house activity before break. Memorial PTO provided funds to help cover the cost of some materials. 
  • Volunteers are needed for Memorial’s Winter Carnival the morning of January 21 (snow date Feb. 11). This is a fun event where students participate in a variety of outdoor activities. And, we are looking for help with Memorial’s Friendship Dance the evening of Friday, February 6. Families are invited to join this free event with music, food, crafts, and more! Sign up to volunteer: https://grasshoppersignup.com/s/lvfe4e.

MSAD Inclement Weather Procedures

Please see this excerpt from Dr. Turner’s Superintendent Newsletter:

It may seem early, but winter weather will be here before you know it! MSAD 15 uses three different models for responding to inclement weather. 

They are: 

  • Two-Hour Delay, No Pre-K – we will call a two-hour delay when a little extra time will give the towns and the schools what they need to ensure safe attendance at school. On these days, bus pick-up times and school start times will be delayed by two hours. There will be no AM or PM Pre-K on days with a two-hour delay. Dismissal time and after-school activities will generally stay the same. 
  • Remote Day – we will call a remote day when weather or other events prevent safe in-person school, but there are no widespread power or internet outages. Most of the time, after school activities, practices, and games will also be cancelled. 
  • No School Day – we will call a traditional no school day when weather or other events prevent safe in-person school, AND there are widespread power or internet outages in the Gray-New Gloucester community. These days will be made up at the end of the school year. Most of the time, after school activities, practices, and games will also be cancelled. 

Decisions on weather procedures will be communicated as early as is practical, based on the timing of predicted weather and consistency of weather reports. Inclement weather decisions are communicated to staff, families, and community members who sign up for the community listserv by phone, text, and email. Decisions are also posted on the district website, social media, and with area news outlets.

Remote Learning Days

District administration will be watching the weather throughout the winter. When the forecast is worrisome, Memorial School may be sending home our district-issued iPads in anticipation of poor travel conditions and the potential of a remote school day. When devices are sent, we will communicate this to you through an email and/or Seesaw message. The iPads should stay in backpacks at home unless we actually have a remote school day. If there is no remote school day, please keep the iPad and sleeve in the backpack, ready to come right back to school that day. Should we implement a remote day, we would use the following schedule:

K-2 Remote Day Plan

9:00-9:45:

Live Zoom – Morning Meeting & Literacy (whole group)

9:45-10:00: 

Break

10:00-10:30: 

Live Zoom – Math (whole group)

10:30-12:00: 

Asynchronous work on Seesaw (including Specials) and/or small group/individual sessions with the classroom teacher, Response-To-Intervention staff, or Special Ed services

12:00 – 12:30: 

Lunch

12:30-2:00: 

As needed, small group/individual sessions with RTI or Special Education

Zoom links and assignments will be shared via Seesaw. You can also expect a specific communication from Mrs. Hennessey and your child’s classroom teacher should we need to implement remote learning for any reason.

MSAD 15 -Remote Meal Sign-Up

School meals will be offered when remote learning days are expected due to inclement weather. Shelf-stable meals that meet the USDA guidelines will be sent home with students the day prior to the potential remote day. In the event a remote learning day is not called, these meals are expected to be saved for the next potential remote day. Sign up is required. Please click this link to visit the form and to ensure your child receives these meals.

 

Updated January 7, 2026