The 2025-2026 voyage has begun. Teachers have been carefully building norms and routines with students, academic work has begun in earnest, and the repairs from this summer's pipe-leak flood are largely complete. We've had an all-school BBQ, our first all-school assembly, and a smooth fire drill. The eighth graders are showing up as leaders, and the new fifth graders already look like old pros. I've been really impressed so far: a student body that can be released outside en masse for a BBQ and automatically leave no litter behind, a staff that is genuinely excited to be back, and consistently high levels of academic conversation in classrooms. Not to mention a beautiful view of Mt. Battie from the front plaza. I'm feeling super lucky to be here.

Jake

All families and students are welcomed to CRMS the evening of Tuesday, September 23. Come on time, because the program begins with a presentation.

• 5th Grade starts in Bisbee Auditorium at 5:30pm and wraps up by 6:15.

• 6th Grade starts in the Cafeteria at 5:30pm and wraps up by 6:15.

• 7th Grade starts in Bisbee Auditorium at 6:30pm and wraps up by 7:15.

• 8th Grade starts in the Gymnasium at 6:30pm and wraps up by 7:15.

Also, thanks to the work of School Nurse, Gretchen Kuhn, we will have licensed community providers in the lobby providing flu shots to interested students and families. Consent paperwork will be available on site.

This school year, publicly-funded Maine students in grades 3 through 8 and 2nd year of high school will participate in the Maine Through Year Assessment in the fall and spring. The Maine Through Year Assessment focuses on important grade level expectations in reading and mathematics. Educators use student results from this assessment to inform instruction, establish supports for students, and to share information about academic achievement with families.

Schools select their local administration dates within the six-week administration windows:

• Fall 2025 (Required): September 15 through October 24

• Winter 2026 (Optional): January 5 through February 13

• Spring 2026 (Required): April 13 through May 29

Key features of the Maine Through Year Assessment include the following:

• The assessment is computer adaptive. After a correct answer, a student may see a more difficult question. After an incorrect answer, a student may see an easier question. As a result, the assessment adapts to the learner and is unique to every student.

• The assessment is designed to be untimed. Students should be provided as much time as they need to answer all assessment questions.

• The assessment provides the opportunity for teachers to access and use immediate, actionable data to plan instruction. Schools receive assessment data within 72 hours.

• The fall, winter (optional), and spring assessments can be used as one way to measure student growth over time. The spring assessment can be used as one way to measure student performance according to grade-level state standards. To create a more complete understanding of what your student knows and can do, results from the Maine Through Year Assessment should be used alongside additional sources, such as school assessments and classroom learning.

• A variety of student supports and accessibility features are available to students to ensure that the assessment experience is as consistent as possible with the student’s daily instruction. These accessibility features include, but are not limited to, supports and accommodations for students with support plans, Individual Language Acquisition Plans, 504 Plans, and IEPs.

For more information about the Maine Through Year Assessment, please contact your student’s teacher or school administrator.

Note: Spring MTYA score reports have recently been released by the State, and will be sent to families under separate cover this week.

Sail on!