August 27, 2025

Dear RSU 74 Board Members,

The start of the school year at Carrabec Community School has been filled with energy, preparation, and a strong sense of community. Staff have been trickling in and working hard throughout August to prepare their classrooms and ensure everything was ready to welcome students back, and their efforts paid off in a smooth and positive opening to the year.

Our Back to School Night was a highlight of the month. Despite the downpour that arrived right at the start of the event, families turned out in impressive numbers, with 147 students in attendance, 69% of our enrolled students. The evening was a wonderful opportunity for families to meet teachers, tour classrooms, and reconnect after the summer break.

The first day of school also went well, with students quickly settling into their routines. Looking ahead, our eighth graders are eager for their overnight trip to Moosehead Lake, where they will take a cruise tour of the lake and enjoy time hiking together. This is sure to be a memorable experience, and we thank Mrs. Pease for her time and effort in organizing the trip.

Beyond preparing classrooms, staff came together on our workshop days to review policies, procedures, and protocols, ensuring consistency and clarity for the year ahead. They also participated in district-facilitated professional development focused on supporting dysregulated students and those impacted by childhood trauma, training that will help staff continue to meet student needs with care and skill.

I am also pleased to share that thanks to the generosity of the Anson Academy Alumni Association, every student at CCS will receive a Carrabec Cobra t-shirt. These shirts will build unity and school spirit and will align with our new school wide positive behavior system, Cobra Dens, which we will officially launch in September, and I look forward to sharing more about in the next report.

Finally, I want to inform the Board that after receiving feedback from a couple of families regarding changes to the new CCS dress code, I reverted the policy to align more closely with last year’s expectations. We will revisit the policy later this year, inviting staff and parent input to guide any revisions so that the outcome reflects the voices of our school community.

Overall, August was a strong beginning to the year, and I am optimistic about the months ahead. With the support of our dedicated staff, engaged families, and community partners, CCS is well-positioned for a successful year of student growth and achievement.

Sincerely,

Geoffrey Case