Shortly before the 2024-25 school year began in the Wells-Ogunquit CSD, many District staff gathered in the Wells Elementary School’s cafeteria on August 29th for the traditional “Welcome Back Breakfast,” an event where newly hired staff members are introduced.

Those new hires are listed as follows: last name, first name, position, and what school they will be working in: Ashley Beauregard, Ed Tech II at WES; Elizabeth Bullard, Ed Tech III at WHS; Daysia Cornett, grade 5 teacher at WJHS; Riley Dempsey, Ed Tech III at WHS; Hannah Fishman, kindergarten teacher at WES; Molly Foran, grade 6 English Language Arts teacher at WJHS; Courtney Frink, Principal's Admin Secretary at WHS; Kevin Hill, grade 6 social studies teacher at WJHS; Patricia Hill, self-contained SPED teacher at WES; Kiersten Jones, grade 2 teacher at WES; Kera Kerr, a speech-language pathologist at WES; Sarah Martel, kindergarten teacher at WES, Megan McMinis, speech-language pathologist at WES; Sean McCormack-Kuhman, math teacher at WHS; Heidi Mitchell, Ed Tech II at WJHS; Jen Olin, Ed Tech II at WES; McKenzie Philbrick, art teacher at WHS, Mackenzie Piechota, Ed Tech II at WES; Hannah Wrigley, Ed Tech II at WES.

The Athletic Department at Wells High School is currently taking nominations for the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame. If you would like to nominate a former WHS athlete, coach, fan, or contributor to sports at the school, please request a nomination form available at all of the District’s three schools and in the entryway of the WOCSD Superintendent’s Office, located at 1460 Post Road, (Rte. 1) in Wells. Nomination forms may also be obtained by going online to:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1705PzSDQHAq57vVHWZ2waZNq1vIUoZZuVSG4_rDm1WA/edit

Those being nominated must have graduated from WHS on or before June 2014. On the form, those making the nomination should provide as much information as possible, including the nominee’s honors, recognitions, dates, records, newspaper clippings, and artifacts pertinent to the nomination.

The completed form may be returned to Wells High School either in person or by mail at: Wells High School, ATTN: Jodie Lawlor, Athletic Director, 200 Sanford Road, Wells, ME 04090. The deadline for submitting a nomination is November 15, 2024.

Wells High School will soon begin culling student records for the Class of 2023. If you would like to have your records there are three ways to request and obtain your cumulative folder. Either send your request in writing along with your name and mailing address to Erin Sanborn, Wells High School Guidance Office, 200 Sanford Road, Wells, ME 04090, or email her at  esanborn@wocsd.org .  You can also reach her by phone at 646-7011, extension 2204. Please note that to make a request for your folder, you will need to do so by October 15, 2024.

The Drama Department at Wells High School has announced that it has been granted one of the first licenses in the United States to present the high school edition of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.” This play is based on an original story by J. K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne and will appear on stage at the Olenn Performing Arts Center at WHS from November 20 to November 23, 2024. Producer for the Drama Department, Andrea Hernandez, indicated that more information about this event will be forthcoming.

“We are beyond excited to put on such a prestigious and well-known show,” commented WHS Director of Dramatics and director of this play Andrew Lopez. “The magic of this franchise will be a fun challenge to bring to life.”

The high school edition of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” transports audiences back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where old friendships are tested and new adventures unfold. Set nineteen years after the events of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," this thrilling tale follows the journey of Harry Potter's youngest son, Albus Severus Potter, as he grapples with the weight of his family legacy and embarks on a quest to confront the past.

“We have an amazing opportunity to put on a show that pushes our students and faculty to perform at the next level," explained producer Hernandez. "We are going to be making people's childhood fantasies a reality. Harry Potter is a larger-than-life name, and we feel honored to be the first school in Maine to put on this show."

With its timeless themes of friendship, courage, and the enduring power of love, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” offers a spellbinding theatrical experience for audiences of all ages. From dazzling spell-casting to heart-pounding adventures, this production will leave audiences on the edge of their seats.

In June, the Wells-Ogunquit Community School District (WOCSD) named Bill Washburn "Exemplary Volunteer of the Year" for the 2023-24 school year. This award was presented to him on June 6 at an annual luncheon that honors the work of school volunteers in the District.

Out of about 200 volunteers, this year's award went to Washburn for his years of dedication working with others to raise thousands of dollars for the Wells High School Music Program, first as a member and then as president of the WHS Band Boosters, an organization of parents of students that annually facilitates fundraising efforts including the annual community textile drive that raises funds for the Epilepsy Foundation of New England (EFNE) and the WHS band programs including the color guard.

"I was completely surprised and humbled to have received this," commented Washburn in an email. "I do what I do because I truly enjoy it. The staff and kids are a lot of fun to work with. Being a former band student at Wells High School (class of 98), I enjoy giving back to this program that had great importance to me".

Washburn explains that his motivation for volunteering his time and effort "…is to help each student in the programs we support to be successful and feel as confident as they can when performing. From buying new equipment to providing water and food at events, we are there to support all of the students."

District Community Resource Coordinator Maryanne Foley, WHS Band Director Chad Dickerson, WES Principal Kyle Burnell, and Superintendent James Daly all commented on Washburn’s dedicated volunteerism at the luncheon. "We are lucky in Wells because we have volunteers like you," said Daly to Washburn. "Because of people like you, we are able to do the things we do."  

Resource Coordinator Foley has managed the District's volunteer program since 1994.  According to her, school volunteers as a group contribute "thousands" of hours of time assisting teachers and students in the District's schools in various roles. Volunteers are retired teachers and other community members, including high school students and parents.  Anyone interested in volunteering is encouraged to contact Maryanne Foley in September at 646-5953, extension 4204.

Caption for the photo: At a luncheon honoring school volunteers are (left to right) Maryanne Foley, Volunteer of the Year Bill Washburn, Jamie Washburn, and Band Director Chad Dickerson. This volunteer luncheon had a baseball theme.

During a schoolwide assembly at Wells Elementary School on the morning of June 12th, first through fourth-grade teachers with members of Masonic Ocean Lodge 142 in the audience awarded 56 new bicycles, helmets, and t-shirts to their students who read the most books in this year’s Masonic Bikes for Books reading program sponsored by the Grand Lodge of Masons in Maine, the Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation plus donations from area businesses and individuals  This is the ninth year for this program at WES coordinated with Lodge 142 by Literacy Specialist Bonnie Esty. 

This contest begins in the spring when students select school-approved books they find interesting and want to read. For every book finished, a student earns one entry into a classroom drawing.

Bicycles given out this year were ordered through Wal-Mart for $8,000. As in past years, members of Ocean Lodge 142 assembled all of the bicycles.

Wayne Smith is a member of Lodge 142. “The support from all of our local business owners and individuals was wonderful,” commented Smith. We could not make this happen without their generosity and ongoing support.”  According to Smith, about 450 bikes have been awarded to WES students since June 2015.

According to a Bikes for Books brochure, the program is a statewide initiative “to foster literacy programs in schools and encourage healthy exercise.

Sitting in front of dozens of bikes to be awarded at a WES assembly in June are Masonic Ocean Lodge 142 members (l to r) Chris Nadeau with Susan Neadeau to his right, Wayne Smith, Ken Creed, Larry Hart, Alan Martin, John Howarth, Tim Yates and Master of Lodge 142 Clair Tucsh

At the end of the 2023-2024 school year the Wells-Ogunquit Community School District (WOCSD) lost several long-time staff members to retirement.  In the photo from left to right with their position and years of service in parenthesis are  Lil Connelly (Speech-Language Pathologist -41 years), Nancy Talbot (Grade 1 teacher -39 years), Bonnie Dill (Grade 6 Social Studies teacher -35 years), Janet Tessier (Food Service Manager -23 years) and Judi Dion (Ed Tech II -28 years).  Also retiring in June but not in the photo was Kathleen Duffy (Food Service Specialist -3 years).    Those who retired in November and December of 2023 were Celeste Beaulieu (K-4 Math Interventionist -23 years) and Clarissa Sweeney (Literacy Specialist -27 years).

In May the Barn Gallery in Ogunquit held its 46th annual season opening.  Just days before that the 44th Annual Student Art Show was exhibiting a variety of student artwork submitted by several area art teachers.  During a reception for the one-day show on May 10th, family members of the young artists, teachers, and others viewed exhibits from York schools, Wells-Ogunquit (WJHS only), and Berwick Academy.

According to Shannon Petrie, an art teacher at Wells Junior High School, students there contributed a wide variety of artwork this year including agamographs, “an art form that uses optical illusion to create an image.”

“In the art show…there were self-portrait projects, clay slab mugs, hollow vessel clay animals, pencil drawings, papier mache, Greek vases, and projects based on art history from prehistoric times to ancient (Greece),” listed Petrie.   There were 442 fifth through eighth-grade students in the WJHS Art program this school year.  “And I see all of them at some point during the year,” added Petrie. “I am very proud of my students for the work they did!”

Over the past forty-four years, thousands of southern York County students have exhibited drawings, paintings, photographs, mixed media, sculptures, and much more in this show at the Barn Gallery, the home of the 96-year-old Ogunquit Arts Association (OAA).  The stated mission of the OAA is “to educate and enlighten the seacoast community by nurturing, supporting, and presenting art by the OAA and other local fine artists.”

Deidre O’Flaherty is the president of the Ogunquit Arts Collaborative (OAC) which operates the Barn Gallery.  O’Flaherty believes this show can provide insight and inspiration to students who attend and experience the work of many other students there.  O’Flaherty has observed that this event often provides a first-time experience for many who have never been to an art gallery before. 

It was art teachers and artists O’Flaherty in York and Sandy Brennan formerly at Wells Elementary School who, along with their colleagues, planned and set up the first student art exhibit at the Barn Gallery in 1980.

Constructed in 1959, the Barn Gallery is located at the corner of Shore Road and Bourne Lane in Ogunquit.  It is operated by the volunteer members of the Ogunquit Arts Collaborative including manager and artist Hara Harding.   FMI call 207-646-8400.