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We are now solidly into the second semester and gearing up for a great spring at George Stevens Academy. The energy across campus is strong, from athletic achievements and musical excellence to theater preparation, independent study projects, and important institutional work behind the scenes. Over the February break, our winter athletes finished their seasons strong and, more importantly, represented our school community wonderfully. We had an outstanding turnout for the girls’ basketball team’s two tournament games, and the team secured its first tournament win in Bangor in quite a few years, a great moment of pride for our players, coaches, and fans. We are especially proud to share that our own Billie L’Heureux was named the Northern Maine Class C Coach of the Year. In addition, the girls team earned the Northern Maine Sportsmanship Award, a recognition that speaks volumes about the character of our students and the leadership of our coaching staff. I routinely hear from other schools that our students are kind, hardworking, and embody good sportsmanship. This award is a powerful affirmation of those qualities. The Eagles Indoor Track Team also had a tremendous close to their season. The girls team earned the program’s first-ever Eastern Maine Indoor Track League Small School Championship. Both the boys and girls’ teams competed strongly at the State Meet, with GSA medal winners including Wyatt Richardson, Reece Renwick, Bailey Townsend, Logan Townsend, Cadence Pert, and Lola Stratton. Congratulations to all of our winter athletes for their dedication, perseverance, and representation of GSA! Our music program continues to thrive. GSA had three groups perform at the District VI Jazz Festival at Ellsworth High School on February 12th. As Director Phelan Gallagher shared: “GSA brought the heat to Jazz District VI Festival…Three groups brought dynamic sets that they have been preparing since November…” Pavlov’s Cats (under the direction of Chris Pirsos) impressed judges with Misty, Afro Blue, and a rousing arrangement of Mr. PC. Reptilicus Honors Combo performed Brubeck’s Take Five, featured Bailey Townsend on upright bass in Round Midnight, and closed with Spain. Both combos received silver ratings, qualifying them for the State Festival this month in March. The GSA Jazz Band rounded out the day with an energetic performance including Syeeda’s Song Flute and Mira, Mira, featuring standout solos from Eddie Crownover and Acadia Simmons. All three groups received feedback from an esteemed panel of judges including Dr. Dan Barrett (UMaine Orono) and Maine trumpet legend Brian Nedeau. Our musicians are now refining their performances in preparation for the State Festival at Hampden Academy on March 13–14. We are proud of the artistry, discipline, and collaborative spirit our students demonstrate through music. Later this spring, our Theater Department will present Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing on April 4th and 11th in the Black Box Theater. We hope to pack the house in support of our thespians and celebrate another season of strong performing arts at GSA. Last week marked the beginning of ISIP (Independent Study & Internship Program). As always, our juniors and seniors are engaging in extended and in-depth learning experiences throughout our communities and beyond. From internships with local businesses and nonprofits to independent research and creative projects, ISIP exemplifies experiential learning at its best. We will hold our ISIP Community Exhibition on March 18 from 5:00–7:00 p.m. We invite families, community members, and supporters to join us in celebrating the initiative, creativity, and growth of our students. As we move into the spring months, our sending communities will once again consider GSA’s annual supplemental tuition requests. This community support remains an important piece of how we sustain a strong, comprehensive high school on the Blue Hill Peninsula. Supplemental tuition is one of the ways we bridge the gap between tuition revenues and the actual cost to educate a student at George Stevens Academy. While we work diligently to manage expenses responsibly and maximize efficiencies, the true cost of delivering small class sizes, a broad academic program, athletics, arts, student supports, and facilities maintenance exceeds the state and local tuition allocation alone. We are deeply grateful for the longstanding partnership we have with our sending towns. We hope that, as in years past, community members will again support this critical funding piece so that GSA can continue serving students at a high level while remaining an accessible and local option for families. We have put the final touches on our NEASC Program Standards Self-Study. This is an important reflection process that examines every aspect of our school program. The visiting Committee will be on campus from April 12–15. This work is significant as it looks not just at our financial and operational prowess, but also as part of our broader commitment to continuous improvement, strong governance, and ensuring that GSA remains a school of excellence for generations to come. Thank you for your continued support of George Stevens Academy and for the partnership that makes this work possible. Sincerely,
Dan Welch
Head of School
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