All about VCS

Throughout the town’s history, Vassalboro’s residents have taken pride in their efforts to provide quality education to all Vassalboro children. As village schools scattered throughout the town gave way to a single, centrally located school, the town’s recognition that the school is the hub of the community has continued. Vassalboro Community School, located at the corner of Webber Pond Road and Bog Road, is a special place that welcomes students, families and community members and recognizes the role of the community in the education of our children.

Facts and Figures

• 400+ students pre-K through grade 8

• 55 teachers, administrators and educational technicians

• 18 support staff, including bus drivers, food service, secretaries and custodians

Academic Programming

• Pre-kindergarten for students, as capacity allows

• Commitment to small class sizes, particularly in primary grades

• Instruction by subject specialists in grades 5-8

• Curriculum aligned to Maine state standards

• Media services

• Unified Arts opportunities for students, including physical education, art, music, technology, Spanish, robotics challenge lab, career exploration, and social emotional academic learning

• Optional additional performing arts opportunities in band, chorus and chamber group and drama

Network of Student Supports

• Schoolwide Title One programming to support literacy and math

• Special education services offering a spectrum of supports to identified students

• resource room programming

• life skills classrooms

• school-based day treatment services

• social work services

• speech/language therapy

• occupational therapy

• physical therapy

• School counselor oversees whole school to enhance social and emotional well-being career readiness

• Individual and small group counseling needed

• On-staff school nurse to support student and staff health

Technology

Availability of technology:

• Devices readily available for instruction at all grade levels, with 1-1 devices for every student

• Interactive TV's in every regular classroom

• Telepresence robots available for long-term remote participation

• Five 3D printers for student and staff use

Jobs for Maine Graduates Model Program

• Offers a variety of supports to students on their path from middle and high school level education to post-secondary education and on to career pathways

• Serves 44 students in grades 6 through 8

• Supports 12 ninth graders in follow-up support program

• Students serve the school community and the larger Vassalboro community through a variety of service projects

Pandemic Response

• Computers available to all students to support ongoing learning through full-time, remote, or hybrid schedule

• Changes to physical education classes to support safety guidelines, including more outdoor activities such as

• cross-country skiing

• Support for families in preventing spread of Covid-19, through a screening app, routine temperature checks and

• rapid testing for staff and students

• Additional supports for students and families through

• Family Academic Support time, offered several evenings a week

• Commitment to maintaining access to meals for students, from “Meals on Wheels” deliveries during shutdown last spring to free breakfast and lunch for all students throughout this school year

• Creative options for supporting students’ social and emotional needs, through online Fun Nights, Winter

• Carnival and selected sports activities

• Technology support for teachers, including additional devices and software to support instruction through streaming, along with a new technology specialist to assist staff

Transportation

• Transportation is provided to students attending VCS, Erskine Academy, Winslow High School and Waterville High School

• Buses transported more than 600 students last year

• 13 buses and 8 full-time drivers dedicated to meeting the transportation needs of the district, including delivering meals to families during the shutdown

Facilities

• 6 acres of property

• 77,000 square feet of building space, including 53 classrooms and a variety of other teaching spaces

• Full-size gymnasium

• Spacious library

• Stage and music room for music events and theater productions

• Two playgrounds, one for all ages with sun shelter and a second specially designed for pre-K featuring tiny trikes

Our Mission

The mission of Vassalboro Community School is to provide a caring learning community where all students can achieve success to their fullest potential. Vassalboro Community School strives to teach students to be respectful, responsible and kind in order to create a safe and effective school environment where they can experience academic and behavioral success.

Education Opportunities Beyond VCS

• Vassalboro offers school choice to families for students in grades 9-12

• Vassalboro pays for high school students to attend area public high schools or will pay up to the price of state average tuition for student attendance at non-religious private schools

• Many students attend area high schools, including Erskine Academy, Winslow High School, Waterville High School and Cony High School

• Many Vassalboro high school age students also attend a technical center affiliated with their high school of choice

Community Partnerships

• Active Parent-Teacher Organization

• Annual Grandparents Breakfast and musical accompaniment to Vassalboro Christmas tree lighting ceremony

• Cooperative relationships among School Board, Budget Committee, and Town Select Board