Thanks Great Northern Docks

Jordan-Small Middle School in Raymond would like to thank Steve Merriam and everyone at Great Northern Docks for the very generous donation of a new wooden bridge for our trail entrance located behind the school. The old bridge was deteriorating and the donation of a new bridge was very well received.

Tom Gumble, RSU 14 Grounds Assistant, would like to give a special thanks to the guys from Raymond Public Works for their assistance using a backhoe in removal of the old bridge and the installation of the new bridge.

JSMS Cross Country Coach John Keller said the addition of a new bridge will be awesome for his runners to use as well as the school’s physical education ski and snowshoe program, also classrooms who use the trails for science and nature activities.

Plant Patrol

Raymond Waterways Protective Association, with other regional lake associations, is sponsoring an Introductory Invasive Plant Patrol workshop to be presented by staff at Maine Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program, Monday, June 16, 2014, 2:30-8:30 p.m., at the Raymond Public Service Building, 1443 Roosevelt Trail, Raymond.

This class will train volunteers to identify invasive aquatic species that threaten Maine’s lakes. Many volunteers retake this class to refresh their learning. Trained volunteers will be able to help survey lakeshores to spot any invasive plants. Trained volunteers also help conduct courtesy boat inspections on some lakes.

Anyone interested in joining the effort to keep Maine’s lakes clean are welcome. Registration is required and can be done online at VLMP@MAINEVLMP.ORG.

Summer Dancing

Maia Tangen, a freshman at Windham High School, will be attending Ballet Chicago’s five-week summer intensive beginning June 24. Acceptance into the program requires an audition before a panel of professional dancers who choose limited attendees from all over the country. This physically demanding program offers a challenging and comprehensive training experience. The program concludes with a theatre performance demonstrating three disciplines of dance for all levels of students. Ballet Chicago’s Summer Course is open to dancers ages 11 and up. Both the Summer Course and the Advanced Intensive Programs have evening seminars in nutrition, injury prevention, the importance of body conditioning, anatomy, foot care and repertory study as part of the curriculum.

This is Maia’s fifth year of ballet. She’s attended summer intensives at Bossov Ballet in Pittsfield and Nutmeg Conservatory in Torrington, Conn. She was also accepted into Cincinnati Ballet’s summer intensive. She’s been in Portland Ballet’s Victorian Nutcracker, as well as Maine Dance Theater’s productions of Hansel and Gretel and Cinderella. During the year Maia trains 10-plus hours a week at CenterStage Performing Arts in ballet, contemporary and lyrical.

School News

Jordan-Small Middle School’s 8th grade completion ceremony will be held June 13 at 7 p.m. This will be followed by celebration activities at St. Joseph’s College in Standish. Parents are responsible for transportation of their children to and from this event. Students will have use of their climbing wall, gym, pool and lounge. The event will end at midnight.

Stamping Party

The Raymond Village Library will be hosting a Stampin’ Up! party on Thursday, June 19, at the library. Come and stamp a few projects using new stamps and accessories. Participants will make two of each item – one you will take home, and one will stay with the library to be sold to benefit the library. Any questions, call the library at 655-4283.

Children’s Story Times

The regular story times will end for the summer and resume in September for the Raymond Village Library. Special story times for the summer will be on most Mondays. For more information, call the library at 655-4283.

Annual Plant Sale

Saturday, June 7, is one day you will want to get up early in order to get the best choice of flowers and plants from the Raymond Village Library Plant Sale. It begins at 7 a.m. and continues until 11 a.m. As always, the choices are varied with perennials, groundcovers, bedding plants, annuals, vegetable and herb plants, all at unbelievably low prices. This event happens rain or shine.

CenterStage dancer Maia Tangen performs her lyrical solo “The Separation” choreographed by Katrina Smedal. A new bridge at the entrance of a trail system at Jordan-Small Middle School was recently donated by Great Northern Docks.