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 its surrounding playground and parking lot is still unknown.

Earlier this year, the city council created a committee to consider future uses for the property, which is located near the intersection of West and Hill streets.

Over the years, the school building has been expanded. The school once housed students from first to sixth grade, and then third, fourth and fifth grades. Today, the building serves kindergarten and Pre-K students only.

On Thursday, when the dismissal bell rings, the students walking out the door will board their buses and close the final chapter for a school that is fondly remembered by the community it served.

On Tuesday afternoon, current and former teachers and staff members gathered in the school’s gymnasium for an informal pot-luck dinner and an opportunity to share memories and experiences in the school.

“This school is filled with cherished memories for both staff and students,” said Meghan Schrader, JFK’s co-principal. “Although saying farewell is difficult, we are excited about what lies ahead for our students. The new space at BPS will allow for increased collaboration for teachers and create a community of Biddeford’s youngest learners.”

“This school is filled with cherished memories
for both staff and students,”

— Meghan Schrader, JFK’s co-principal.

School Supt. Jeremy Ray said that moving the city’s youngest students to BPS will give those children more stability and a less fractured learning experience.

“Going forward, students will be in the same building from Pre- K to second grade,” Ray said. “This way, the kids have four years in one building with lots of familiar faces.”

Schrader agreed with Ray, saying that the new arrangement will also give second grade students the opportunity to be role models and mentors for their younger peers.

Retired teacher Pat Gagne attended Tuesday’s informal goodbye ceremony.

Gagne started teaching in 1977 and spent 16 years teaching at JFK. “It’s a sad moment, but it’s also nice to see our family here,” she said. “We all have so many great stories about working here.”

According to school officials, all kindergarten students will attend Biddeford Primary School while Pre-K students will temporarily be housed at Biddeford Intermediate School until construction of a new wing at the Primary school is fully complete.

The expansion project, launched in a September 2024 groundbreaking ceremony, is designed to bring PreK–2 students under one roof in a modern, developmentally supportive environment.

According to school officials, a 2002 assessment of the building determined that renovating JFK would cost significantly more than constructing a new space.

Last year, Biddeford taxpayers approved a $9 million construction bond to expand BPS—an investment estimated to save up to $16 million over the cost of renovating the aging JFK building.

“Closing JFK School is a significant milestone, not just emotionally but in terms of progress,” said Ray. “We’re incredibly grateful to the staff who have made JFK such a special place to Biddeford’s youngest learners.”

Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He may be contacted by email: randy@randyseaver.com

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