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August 11, 2026

Dear RSU 5 Families and Community Members,

Welcome to the 2026–2027 school year!

I hope you and your family have enjoyed a summer filled with rest, adventure, and time together. As another school year begins, our teachers, support staff, administrators, and school employees have been hard at work preparing to welcome students back into our classrooms. We are excited to begin another year of learning, growth, and opportunity.

As I begin my second year as Superintendent, I find myself even more grateful to be part of the RSU 5 community. Over the past year, I have come to know our schools and the people who make them special. I've seen students who are curious and resilient, educators who approach their work with remarkable skill and compassion, and families and community members who care deeply about the success of our schools. Those experiences have strengthened my belief that RSU 5 is an exceptional place for children to learn and grow.

Whenever I walk into one of our schools, I am reminded why this work matters so much. Schools are where children discover new interests, develop confidence, build lasting friendships, and begin to understand the world around them. They are places where curiosity is encouraged, challenges are embraced, and young people learn not only academic skills, but also how to contribute to something larger than themselves. None of this happens in isolation. Our schools are strongest when families, educators, and community members share a common purpose and work together on behalf of our children.

That spirit of partnership was evident throughout last year. Together, we adopted a new Strategic Plan that will help guide our work for years to come, welcomed outstanding new staff members, and continued navigating both opportunities and challenges with our focus firmly on providing every student with an exceptional education. While every school year brings its share of obstacles, I remain optimistic about what we can accomplish because of the people who make up this community.

This year also presents an important opportunity to think together about the future of our schools. Over the coming months, RSU 5 will undertake a comprehensive Systems and Sustainability Study to examine our facilities, enrollment, educational programs, finances, and long-term needs. The purpose of this work is not simply to produce another report. Rather, it is to provide our communities with clear information and thoughtful analysis that can support productive conversations about how we move forward together. Like many school districts across Maine, we face important questions about the future. My hope is that this process will help us engage those questions thoughtfully, respectfully, and with a shared commitment to providing outstanding educational opportunities for every child while ensuring our school system remains strong and sustainable for generations to come.

Community feedback will be an essential part of our Systems and Sustainability study. We have arranged three community forums, one in each town, to hear directly from folks who would like to engage in this conversation. The meetings will be offered as follows:

Monday, September 21– Pownal Elementary School, 6:00 - 7:30 pm

Tuesday, September 22– Durham Community School, 6:00 - 7:30 pm

Thursday, September 24– Freeport High School, 6:00 - 7:30 pm

These discussions are open to everyone, and I hope parents, community members, and students who are interested will take part.

We also had a busy summer welcoming several outstanding leaders to our district. Please join me in welcoming:

• Donna Casavant, Early Childhood Special Education Assistant Director
• Tim Grivois, Principal, Freeport High School (new role)
• Kate Hillman Harrison, Principal, Durham Community School (new role)
• Mandy Lewis, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
• Ben McDonough, Assistant Principal, Durham Community School
• Nick Weiss, Director of Transportation

As always, thank you for the trust you place in our schools. Educating children is one of the most important responsibilities a community shares, and we are honored to partner with you in that work. I look forward to seeing many of you at school events, performances, athletic contests, community forums, and celebrations throughout the year.

On behalf of everyone in RSU 5, welcome back, and best wishes for a wonderful 2026–2027 school year.

Warmly,

Tom Gray
Superintendent of Schools