TO: RSU #74 Board of Directors
FROM: Jean Butler
DATE: October 27, 2026
PreK-5 ELEMENTARY REPORT
After a beautiful fall with many days of sunshine, warm temperatures, and beautiful foliage, we are entering the second half of the fall season, which we expect to be a little cooler and less colorful. But students have been looking forward to hunting season, Thanksgiving with their families, and the first signs of the upcoming holiday festivities on the horizon. This is a busy and exciting time of year!
Last week our grades 3-5 students finished taking the fall NWEA Through-Year Assessment, which is required by the Maine Department of Education as part of the Maine Educational Assessment. Students took tests in reading and math and will take these tests again in May. Fifth graders will also take a science assessment in May. We analyze this test data in our leadership teams and at our data meetings to help us determine the programming needs of our students.
It’s parent-teacher conference season, with the goal at my schools that teachers will meet with the parents of every one of their students to discuss strengths and needs and to set goals for the year. Teachers and parents become partners in developing a plan to ensure each child’s success. Rather than scheduling one or two afternoons or evenings for conferences at each school, the teachers schedule their own conference times to accommodate the schedules of parents and to be sure they can meet with every parent sometime during the months of October and November.
Both Garret Schenck and Solon Elementary Schools are sponsoring Thanksgiving Food Drives during the month of November. This is an annual activity that teaches students the spirit of giving and supports food cupboards in the towns of Anson and Solon during the holiday season.
The district’s social workers, school nurse, and staff representatives from the four schools met on October 21st to go through lists of students and families who could use some help at Christmas. Each school has a list of students for whom they will buy Christmas gifts and wrap them so parents can pick them up the week before Christmas. Staff members take tags from the Giving Tree in their school. The Solon Congregational Church and the Solon New Hope Church take some of the tags from Solon Elementary School. The CHS JMG students do a fundraiser to buy gifts for some of the students on the list. We are able to support a great many students and families through our Giving Tree project.
I want to express my thanks to the School Board members and Mr. Campbell for your faith in me to return on a temporary basis to cover the Garret Schenck and Solon Schools until a replacement can be found. It is good to be back with the students, staff, and families with whom I had worked for a number of years. I greatly appreciate the support of Mr. Campbell, Rachel Merrill, and Tammy Wyman to manage these schools in the three-week interim when there was no principal on board.
If you have questions about anything in my schools, please contact me.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your families!