Kate Furbish Elementary School

Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association (MFCA) fishcake captivates young palates in the Brunswick School Department! Positive student feedback on MCFA’s new fishcake product signals seafood’s growing popularity among students. Maine Coast Fishermen's Association is working with @graffambroslobster to develop a viable product for school cafeterias, and getting direct feedback from Brunswick Junior High School students is the best way to refine a great recipe. Students are very honest critics! Last week, the kids at Brunswick Junior High School LOVED the fishcakes. They were begging for more - they lined up for samples (some got thirds!) and were more excited about these fishcakes than PIZZA. Several even asked if they could buy them and/or have them served for lunch on the regular menu. One teacher shared that they never hear the kids talking about lunch in the halls, but that day, they were all chattering with excitement about seafood. Thank you to the Maine Coast Fishermen's Association for bringing this wonderful opportunity to BJHS!

📸🎩 Huge thanks to The Emergency Action Network (TEAN) volunteers for all they do to support the Brunswick School Department! They've been working hard organizing all of the donations from the latest winter clothing drive. TEAN’s incredible team—and our very own Superintendent—are rocking new hats in this photo, celebrating the amazing work this 501(c)(3) non-profit organization does for our community. Founded by Brunswick residents, TEAN works tirelessly to ensure children and families have what they need to thrive. From providing cozy winter coats for recess to athletic gear for aspiring athletes, TEAN’s mission is simple yet powerful: small acts can make a big difference. We’re so grateful for their partnership in ensuring every child has the support they need to succeed. Thank you, TEAN volunteers, for helping us make a difference every day! 💙 #ThankYouTEAN #BrunswickStrong #CommunitySupport #teambrunswickme

🗳️ Today, our Junior High and HBS students had an exciting day participating in mock elections! 🗳️ Superintendent Potenziano and Special Education Director Joyce joined in the fun, assisting with voter check-ins as students took on the roles of informed, engaged citizens. This hands-on experience brought lessons about democracy and civic responsibility to life! 🇺🇸 #StudentVoices #MockElections #FutureVoters #CivicEducation #HandsOnLearning #teambrunswickme #maineschoolsuperintendent

🌱 Harriet's Haven Garden Update at Harriet Beecher Stowe🌱 This season, we've shared some wonderful moments: planting seeds, composting, harvesting potatoes, cleaning up, birdwatching, and witnessing the first frosts. Our garden is preparing for a winter rest, but there's still work to do! We’re in need of green material for our compost piles! If you have clippings from a chemical-free lawn, we'd love to put them to good use. Just bag them up and reach out to us—let's keep the garden thriving together! 📩 Contact: kbolshaw@brunswicksd.org #teambrunswickme #maineschoolsuperintendent #schoolgarden #mainegarden

The BHS Library was busy! 📚 🎃 What a treat! 55 students discovered their perfect reads at our "Book or Treat" event for Brunswick Reads! Each student took a "reading personality" quiz and walked away with 2 personalized book recommendations PLUS a bag of treats! Special thanks to @BCEF (Brunswick Community Education Foundation) for the grant that made this spooktacular literacy event possible! 📖✨ #BrunswickReads #LiteracyMatters #LibraryLife #StudentEngagement

🌟 Shoutout to Steve Cumbak and Other Members of our Incredible Facilities Team! 🌟 We want to give a HUGE thank you to Steve Cumbak, our head custodian, and his amazing team for their hard work in making our campus more accessible and inclusive! 🙌 In less than a week, Steve and the team took the initiative to order materials and build an ADA-compliant ramp, ensuring that our students have safe and easy access to our bridge. This is just one example of how safety-minded, student-centered, and nimble our facilities staff are. Dedicated staff like Steve and his team create a positive ripple effect throughout our entire organization. 💪💙 Thank you for going above and beyond for our students and staff. You truly make a difference! 👏 #AccessibilityMatters #InclusiveSchools #Teambrunswickme #FacilitiesHeroes #CommunityImpact #maineschoolsuperintendent

🎉👏 Huge Congrats to Michelle Russo and Andrew Kosak! 👏🎉 We’re so proud of our amazing teachers, who recently presented at the ACTEM (Association of Computer Technology Educators of Maine) Conference! 🌟 Their session, titled "Droning for Education – Using Drones in Geography Class," explored exciting ways to integrate drone technology into the classroom to bring geography lessons to life! 🌍🚁 Thank you, Michelle and Andrew, for representing us and inspiring educators with innovative teaching tools! #ACTEM #DroningForEducation #EdTech #STEM #Geography #InnovativeTeaching #ProudTeam #EducationTransformation #teambrunswickmaine #brunswickmaine #maineschoolsuperintendent

🎉 Happy School Custodian Appreciation Day! 🎉 Today, we celebrate and give a huge shoutout to our AMAZING school custodians who work tirelessly to keep our schools clean, safe, and welcoming for everyone. 🧹✨ From early mornings to late evenings, they go above and beyond to make sure our students and staff have a comfortable environment to learn, grow, and thrive. 🌟💼 Let’s take a moment to thank our custodians for all their hard work and dedication. You are truly the unsung heroes of our school community! 🙌👏💙 #teambrunswickme @maineschoolsuperintendent #CustodianAppreciationDay #ThankYouCustodians #SchoolHeroes #WeAppreciateYou

🌽🎉 Our Kindergarten students had a farm-to-table experience today, thanks to the corm purchased from Fairwinds Farm! 🐄🌾 The kids had a blast shucking fresh, local corn 🌽 right from the farm, learning about where our food comes from and the importance of supporting local producers. After all their hard work, they enjoyed the fruits (or rather, the veggies!) of their labor for lunch. 🍽️✨ A big thank you to Fairwinds Farm for helping us make learning so delicious! #FarmToTable #KindergartenAdventures #SupportLocal #CornShuckingFun #FairwindsFarm #teambrunswickme #maineschoolsuperintendent

Today, our Junior High counseling team executed our first annual "BeeBop Back-to-School Caravan." They received gift card donations from Bar Harbor Bank and Trust @bhbtsocial and fresh muffins from @wildoatsbakery. They made goodie bags for approximately 20 students who struggled with attendance last year and hit the road. They took a bus, played music, and dropped in on some kiddos (we told them we were coming through RMT). #teambrunswickme @countmeinmaine @brunswickme #mainelovespublicschools

We had a fantastic time at the Brunswick Job Fair today! 🎉 Thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth to learn more about career opportunities at Brunswick. We enjoyed meeting so many talented job seekers and sharing what makes our Brunswick School Department a great place to work. Missed us at the fair? No worries! Check out our current job openings at brunswicksd.org #BrunswickJobFair #NowHiring #CareerOpportunities #teambrunswickme

Congratulations are in order! Kent Spaulding, Brunswick School Bus Driver, placed 2nd in the state-wide driver's skills course and the written test at the Maine MAPT (Maine Association for Pupil Transportation) - 51st Annual School Transportation Safety Conference & Trade Show last week. We are proud of you, Kent. Way to go! #teambrunswickme #mainebusdriver #brunswickmaine

Welcome, Rich Osmer, our new IT Administrator! 🖥️👨‍💻 Rich joins our district tech department from Kate Furbish Elementary School. Rich brings enthusiasm for continuous learning and problem-solving. He says, "Working in the BSD IT Department means I'm always learning new things and facing new challenges. Something is always changing!" Rich looks forward to collaborating across the district, adding, "In this new role, I'll get to interact with staff district-wide, which means meeting and helping lots of great educators and support teams!" Please join us in welcoming Rich to our school community! #NewTeamMember #EdTech #SchoolIT #maine #teambrunswickme #superintendent

🎉 Introducing Becky McKarns, our new Assistant Director of Special Education! 🎓 Becky brings a passion for lifelong learning and a dedication to expanding her educational expertise to support our entire community. With a strong focus on Special Education, she's committed to: Ensuring equitable access to education for all students Supporting staff development and retention Collaborating with students, staff, parents/guardians, and community members Providing leadership to enhance our Special Education programs I'm thrilled to have Becky join our team as we work together to create an inclusive and supportive learning environment for every student in Brunswick School District. Welcome aboard, Becky! 🌟 #maine #teambrunswickme #mainesuperintendent #schoolsuperintendent #brunswickmaine

The Superintendent's Office is MOVING. We anticipate a building closure on July 18-19 to complete the move. We are moving the 20 Barrows Street - Coffin School. Stay tuned for more information. #teambrunswickme #brunswickmaine #mainesuperintendent

Join us on this powerful episode of the Brunswick Buzz link - 🔗🔗 in bio as we dive into the heart-wrenching issue of student homelessness. Phil sits down with Andrew Lardie, the Executive Director of Tedford Housing, and Shawn Lambert, Brunswick's Assistant Superintendent and Student Homeless Liaison. Brace yourself for an eye-opening discussion that sheds light on the harsh realities faced by our most vulnerable students and the tireless efforts of those working to provide them with a safe haven. Don't miss this gripping conversation that will leave you inspired and motivated to make a difference.

Good Afternoon. Due to the ongoing severe snowstorm and widespread power outages expected to continue to impact our area overnight, there will be no school tomorrow, Friday, April 5, 2024. All classes, activities, sports, and programs are canceled for the day. Our top priority is the safety of our students, families, and staff. The tentative last day of school is now June 13, 2024. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. We hope everyone can stay warm and safe during this storm. Sincerely, Superintendent Potenziano

Congratulations to Laurie Catanese, Principal at Brunswick Junior High School, on being named the Maine Art Education Association's Supervision/Administration Award for 2024! Way to go, Principal Catanese! #teambrunswickme

Congratulations to Christine Cotto and Bonnie Robins for presenting recently at the New England League of Middle Schools Conference in Springfield, MA, @therealnelms this week. The session was called Circling Up Restorative Practices. It's fantastic seeing our Dragon staff sharing the great work they are doing here in Brunswick! #teambrunswickme