The standout student receives high praise from her teacher and other community members By KAREN GARNETT | Biddeford School Department Biddeford High School (BHS) Senior Katarina De La Torre has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 Principal’s Award. The award, sponsored by the Maine Principals’ Association (MPA), is given annually to a senior … Continue reading De La Torre Recipient of MPA Principal’s Award for Biddeford High School
Tag: BIDDEFORD SCHOOLS
NEWS | City, school officials discuss and react to budget increase requests
Members of the Biddeford City Council and School Committee engaged in a sometimes-tense joint discussion about the proposed city and school budgets for FY'27 By RANDY SEAVER | Editor Members of the Biddeford City Council and the Biddeford School Committee participated Wednesday in a sometimes-tense joint discussion about their respective, proposed budgets. Discussion centered upon … Continue reading NEWS | City, school officials discuss and react to budget increase requests
OPINION | Working toward fair school funding
By REP. MARC MALON | Special to the Gazette Strong public schools are essential for strong communities. When we think about the pressures facing our school district and the accompanying pressure on local property taxpayers, an important factor is something called the Essential Programs and Services (EPS) formula, better known as the school-funding formula. The … Continue reading OPINION | Working toward fair school funding
BRCOT Students Earn Top Honors at SkillsUSA Challenge
[Contributed Story] By KAREN GARNETT | Biddeford School Department Six students from the Biddeford Regional Center of Technology (BRCOT) placed in the State SkillsUSA Competition on March 12 and 13, 2026, demonstrating exceptional technical skill, dedication, and career readiness across a range of high-demand fields. This year, twenty-eight BRCOT students competed against some of the most … Continue reading BRCOT Students Earn Top Honors at SkillsUSA Challenge
Biddeford author inspires young writers, artists at BIS
[CONTRIBUTED STORY] By KAREN GARNETT | Biddeford School Department BIDDEFORD, Maine – Biddeford Intermediate School (BIS) welcomed acclaimed author and illustrator Rebekah Lowell on the morning of March 19, 2026, where she led four engaging presentations for third and fourth grade students centered on storytelling, creativity, and art. Biddeford Intermediate School third grader Olivia Langill … Continue reading Biddeford author inspires young writers, artists at BIS
BHS Drama Club will present ‘Mean Girls’
By KAREN GARNETT | Biddeford School Department BIDDEFORD, Maine – The Biddeford High School (BHS) Drama Club is proud to announce its upcoming production of Mean Girls: High School Version, a bold, high-energy musical that brings humor, heart, and sharp social commentary to the stage. Show times are Thursday, March 19, 2026, at 7:30 p.m., Friday, … Continue reading BHS Drama Club will present ‘Mean Girls’
BRCOT Students Place in Statewide Culinary & Hospitality Competition
By KAREN GARNETT, Contributing Writer With the pressure of a Top Chef-style showdown—and none of the usual kitchen comforts—Biddeford Regional Center of Technology (BRCOT) Culinary and Hospitality students competed in the Maine ProStart State Invitational on February 24, 2026, placing second and third, respectively. Biddeford Regional Center of Technology’s Culinary Arts students place second in … Continue reading BRCOT Students Place in Statewide Culinary & Hospitality Competition
BHS art students earn statewide recognition
By KAREN GARNETT, Contributing Writer Two Biddeford High School students are being recognized for their award-winning artwork in the prestigious Scholastic Art and Writing Awards at the Maine College of Art & Design in Portland next month. Junior Brynn Wilkinson earned a Silver Key Award for her "Drawn by Light", an 8-by-10 acrylic still-life painting, and Sophomore … Continue reading BHS art students earn statewide recognition
Biddeford Adult-Ed program earns prestigious, national grant
By KAREN GARNETT, Contributing Writer Biddeford Adult Education’s First Teachers Family Literacy Program has been selected as one of only three programs in the entire nation to receive a $10,000 grant through the newly launched Barbara Bush Fund for Family Literacy, an initiative of the George & Barbara Bush Foundation aimed at addressing America’s growing … Continue reading Biddeford Adult-Ed program earns prestigious, national grant
Area students launch campaign to fight hunger
By KAREN GARNETT, Contributing Writer Beginning today (Oct. 29) students across the Biddeford, Saco, and Dayton school districts are joining forces to help fight hunger in their own backyards through a new initiative called “Spare Change Fills Plates.” The campaign comes at a critical time, as SNAP benefits end for many local families, impacting children … Continue reading Area students launch campaign to fight hunger
Meet the Biddeford School Committee Candidates
By RANDY SEAVER, Editor Ten candidates are hoping to win one of seven at-large seats on the Biddeford School Committee. This year’s race will feature some new faces, and a few current members – including Randy Forcier, John McCurry and Lisa Vadnais -- will not be seeking reelection. We asked each of the candidates what … Continue reading Meet the Biddeford School Committee Candidates
Biddeford Education Foundation raises more than $20K to help students
By KAREN GARNETT, Contributing Writer The Biddeford Education Foundation (BEF) held its Eighth Annual Pillars of Pride event to honor two remarkable community members: longtime educator Joyce Tarpy and local photographer Maureen Grandmaison. The celebration, hosted at The Lincoln Hotel in Biddeford, raised over $20,000 for the Foundation, which provides resources outside the school budget … Continue reading Biddeford Education Foundation raises more than $20K to help students
A bittersweet day at JFK
Tuesday was an emotional day for teachers and staff at Biddeford’s John F. Kennedy Memorial School. The original building was opened in 1965, but a long list of necessary and expensive repairs, upgrades and maintenance issues ultimately forced voters to approve a plan to close the school. What will happen next to the building and … Continue reading A bittersweet day at JFK
Biddeford voters will decide school budget
Biddeford voters will soon be asked whether they approve a $49.3 million budget for operation of Biddeford’s public schools during the next fiscal year. The $49,269,781 school budget was ratified by the city council on May 8 and represents what School Supt. Jeremy Ray describes as a “carefully managed” expenditure increase of slightly more than … Continue reading Biddeford voters will decide school budget
Joint budget workshop: ‘A Tough Pill to Swallow’
With a “challenging” budget hanging over their heads, members of the Biddeford City Council and the Biddeford School Committee participated in a joint workshop meeting Monday to examine the proposed budget. Monday’s joint meeting was a rare occurrence that has happened only once before over the past 10 years. “This is an unusual opportunity,” said … Continue reading Joint budget workshop: ‘A Tough Pill to Swallow’
BIDDEFORD GAZETTE 