Valley Unified School Nutrition Programs Achieve Gold Standard

Valley Unified Food Service Director, Melanie Lagasse, recently learned that all six Valley Unified elementary and middle/high schools earned Smarter Lunchroom gold awards for 2020 from Let's Go!

Let's Go! works with School Nutrition programs to:

• increase participation in school meals
• improve the perception of school meals
• improve the nutritional quality of school meals

Using Smarter Lunchroom cutting-edge strategies, School Nutrition programs partner with Let's Go! to improve the health of students and to help ensure they are ready and able to learn by providing them access to healthy, nutritious foods.

Congratulations to and thanks for all they do go out to the School Nutrition teams at:

• Dr. Levesque Elementary School
• Fort Kent Elementary School
• Madawaska Elementary School
• Madawaska Middle/High School
• Valley Rivers Middle School/Fort Kent Community High School
• Wisdom Middle/High School

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Valley Unified Think Tank to Occur on Wednesday, October 14

There will be a Valley Unified Think Tank meeting on Wednesday, October 14 beginning at 6:00pm. This is work group meeting where no quorums or decisions will be made; however, each School Administrative District representative will be discussing concerns that have been brought forth in an effort to resolve those concerns and move forward with the regional school project.  

Those looking to view the meeting simply need to go to https://bit.ly/MrSiroisYouTube

Check Out the New SJVTC Heavy Equipment Operation Program

The St. John Valley Technology Center (SJVTC) -- the Career and Technical Education (CTE) arm of the Valley Unified Education Center -- has a new Heavy Equipment Construction Operation (HECO) program this year.

 

Developed in response to a needs assessment conducted with local employers and the results of student interest surveys, the HECO program has eight students from the three Valley Unified sending high schools enrolled for 2020-2021.

Program instructor is Mike Berube, a Certified Logging Professional (CLP) with 20 years experience operating and maintaining heavy equipment.  Berube, who has also owned heavy equipment, commented that "we've needed this program for some time in this region, because skilled operators are in high demand."

In the HECO program, instruction and skills-based learning is based on the standards from the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER).  Students in the program use simulators and actual machinery to learn skid steer, excavator, loader, and dump truck operation and maintenance skills.

For more information on this program, go to page 11 of the SJVTC 2020-2021 Program of Studies at bit.ly/3jJX4VT or click on the image below.  Students and parents interested in the HECO program should contact their school Guidance Counselor.

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SJVTC has Added Electrical Construction to Program Menu

In response to a needs assessment conducted with local employers and the results of student interest surveys, the St. John Valley Technology Center (SJVTC), the Career and Technical Education (CTE) arm of the Valley Unified Education Service Center, has added Electrical Construction to its program menu this school year.

The program is housed in leased space a short distance from the SJVTC at the former LJB Plumbing and Heating site at 409 U.S. Route 1 in Frenchville.  A total of eight students from the three Valley Unified sending high schools are enrolled in the first year of the program.  

Program instructor is Jan Perreault, a Master Electrician with 15 years experience.  According to Perreault, "the electrical field has so many different career opportunities and the demand for skilled workers is high, so my job is to introduce and give students the chance to apply a broad set of skills."

During this first year, students are learning various residential wiring methods and techniques that meet or exceed National Electrical Code (NEC) standards.  In year two of the program, students will learn more advanced skills while earning experience hours that fulfill electrical journeyman licensing requirements. 

For more information about this new hands-on, application-based, career-focused learning opportunity, go to page 8 of the SJVTC 2020-2021 Program of Studies at bit.ly/34h6n8S or click on the image below.  Students and parents who are interested in this program should contact their high school Guidance Counselor.

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We Know You're Wondering

Based on the number of questions we've heard, either directly or through others, we know that many of you are wondering about the status of the Valley Unified Education Service Center, in general, and the proposed Valley Unified Regional Middle/High School, in particular.

In an effort to address your questions, Valley Unified Superintendent of Schools, Benjamin Sirois, has written a letter that provides a detailed summary of key information points for Valley Unified community members, parents, students, families, and staff.

To read Superintendent Sirois' letter, go to bit.ly/30BhpFr or click on the image below.  Thank you for your interest in the education of our region's young people.  We hope this status update answers your questions.

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Valley Unified School Reintegration Update for Students and Families: 9-28 to 10-4

To review the Valley Unified School Reintegration Update for the week beginning September 28 and ending October 4, go to bit.ly/3jx5vDM or click on the image below.

Valley Unified looks forward to welcoming Middle/High School students back to school from Harvest Recess tomorrow, October 6.

All Valley Unified families are reminded that today, October 5, is a Professional Development Day for staff and that students will not be attending school.

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Sports & Entertainment Marketing: Our Newest SELECTIVES Course

Through the Valley Unified SELECTIVES Initiative, learners at Madawaska High School, Community High School in Fort Kent, and Wisdom High School in St. Agatha, are engaged this fall in elective blended learning opportunities (a mix of anytime, anywhere learning and face-to-face instruction) in the following career-focused and/or special interest topics:

• Healthcare Career Preparation (earns articulated credit at Northern Maine Community College)
• Introduction to Criminology, Forensics & Criminal Justice (earns articulated credit at the University of Maine at Fort Kent)
• Modern Digital Multimedia & Game Development
• Principles of Business, Marketing & Finance
• Principles of Engineering & Technology
• Principles of Photography
• Sports & Entertainment Marketing

To review the syllabus/pacing guide for for our newest SELECTIVES learning opportunity, Sports & Entertainment Marketing, go to bit.ly/36pkaxo or click on the image below.

For information on our any of our 14 SELECTIVES courses, students and parents should contact their school Guidance Counselor.

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