Gorham High School — Principal’s Report
Prepared by: Brian Jandreau, Principal | Date: October 14, 2026
Student Updates and Events
Co-Curriculars & Service Initiatives:
The Cross Country team and Dream Factory student volunteers assisted at the Maine Marathon, the Key Club launched its annual Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF drive supporting the "Start Strong: Zambia" initiative, and the Swim & Dive team initiated a year-long sneaker recycling drive to support pool fees.
Active co-curricular programming is underway across the building, including the Civil Rights Team, Debate Team, Muslim Student Association, Math Team, Writing Club (preparing this year's RamJam literary magazine), Spanish Club, Interact Club, and Bee Club (which completed its fall honey harvest).
The National Honor Society announced its annual fall blood drive for October 30th, with student sign-ups occurring October 19–27 during lunches, aiming to collect 20 units of blood.
School Culture & Events:
An All-School Talent Show was held October 2nd in the MPAC, with proceeds directly supporting the GHS Choirs.
Student Council finalized plans for Homecoming Week (October 13–17) with the theme "A Night in Ibiza," featuring spirit days, a pep rally on October 16th, and the Homecoming Dance on October 17th.
We initiated a student "Flag Survey" to ensure all international student origins are represented in the GHS main lobby.
On September 11th, GHS held a moment of silence to honor GHS graduate Stephen Ward and reflect on unity and kindness within our community.
Post-Secondary Planning & College and Career Readiness:
The Guidance Department hosted a Financial Aid Night on September 23rd in the MPAC for senior families to navigate FAFSA and higher education funding.
Guidance also welcomed representatives from various colleges, with military visits scheduled (including USMC SSgt. Delagarza on October 7th). Open house opportunities were highlighted for SMCC, EMCC, Maine Maritime Academy, Colby College, and Thomas College.
ELO Coordinator Kelli Deveaux opened sign-ups for specialized career exploration tours, including a nuclear submarine tour on October 7th and MaineHealth virtual career programming.
Senior Class Milestones:
Seniors prepared for cap and gown ordering during the October 8th Jostens assembly. Advisory attendance policies were clarified to ensure all seniors receive essential post-secondary planning.
Staff Updates and Events
Administrative Leadership:
Welcomed Assistant Principal Christina Cifelli back from her medical leave, extending appreciation to Marc Sawyer for providing administrative coverage during the start of the school year.
Appointed Steve Chabot as our Advanced Placement (AP) Program Coordinator to manage College Board audits, exam ordering, and testing accommodations.
Principal Brian Jandreau attended the National Principal Academy (September 15–17), focusing on instructional leadership and administrative coaching strategies.
Professional Learning & Operations:
Conducted ALICE safety training for all new GHS staff members.
Hosted an on-site Staff Vaccine Clinic (Flu & COVID) on September 21st in the MPAC.
Held professional learning sessions on MagicSchool AI led by Rebecca Ambrose and Kelly Tibbetts to explore lesson design and student differentiation tools.
Re-established the expectation for monthly peer-to-peer classroom observations across all academic departments to foster collaborative instructional feedback.
Staff Recognition:
Launched "Gorham Shout-Outs" — a district initiative allowing staff, students, and families to publicly recognize staff members making a positive difference.
Formally recognized new physical education teacher Sam Lenson for being named the 2026 Middle School Physical Education Teacher of the Year by Maine AHPERD for his work establishing adaptive PE and Unified Basketball programs.
Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
Continuous Education Plan (CEP) 2026–2027:
The GHS Leadership Team affirmed the 2026–2027 Continuous Education Plan. Academic departments are utilizing weekly PLC meetings to analyze NWEA and course passing data, align course syllabi/grading expectations, and establish Tier 1 classroom interventions.
Vision of a Graduate (VoG) & Constructive Dialogue:
Introduced the Can We? Project during Advisory, establishing core norms around curiosity, care, courage, and civil dialogue across differences.
Guided students through Vision of a Graduate roadmap activities during Advisory to help them identify real-world applications of core competencies across their academic and co-curricular programs.
Technology Integration:
Began planning at the Leadership Team level regarding future programming options for the technology department (exploring CTE satellite models, STEM/STEAM integration, and trade pathways).
Vertical Teaming & Assessment:
Finalized plans for the October 9th Inservice Day, focusing on 6–12 vertical teaming with Gorham Middle School faculty at GMS to ensure alignment of academic standards, skills, and work habits across content areas.
Over 100 juniors registered for the upcoming PSAT/NMSQT exam scheduled for October 21st.
Shifted academic vocabulary to align with Maine DOE terminology, updating course descriptions from "Dual Enrollment" to "Concurrent Enrollment."
Celebrations
NEASC Continued Accreditation: Gorham High School was officially awarded continued Accreditation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). The Commission commended GHS for meeting all foundational standards and specifically highlighted achievements in student wellness, technology integration, and real-world learning opportunities.
Statewide Faculty Recognition: Physical Education teacher Sam Lenson was officially named the 2026 Middle School PE Teacher of the Year by Maine AHPERD.
Community & Character Wins:
Third Space Market praised members of the GHS football teams for their exemplary conduct, warmth, and respect toward local senior citizens in town.
Student-athletes and club members demonstrated Ram Pride through volunteer efforts with the Maine Marathon and local food pantry support.