The 2026-27 school year is upon us! Are you ready?
The advent of a new school year often brings with it a range of emotions from excitement to apprehension. This is all to be expected and usually begins to settle by the end of the first week of school. It is our hope, and our goal, to help each of our students feel a sense of belonging to school and the MSAD 51 community.
The past summer was productive and incredibly busy as the One Campus project continues to take shape. The campus has, in many ways, been transformed to the intended design for the foreseeable future. Here is the updated status of summer construction projects:
- Addition to MIW now completed with four new classrooms and small group spaces ready for students
- Carolyn F. Small School construction progress hit the 50% mark over the summer
- Campus Drive was reconfigured and paved between Main Street and the track
- New parking lots and bus loop areas added in front of CFS School
- Sidewalks added to Campus Drive and Tuttle Road
- Renovation of GHS science wing with new HVAC systems
- Complete roof replacement at Mabel I. Wilson School
- Substantial electrical upgrade/code compliance at Greely High School
- MIW internal renovations to multiple spaces, including a reconfigured STEM room, addition of new playground hallway /entrance, moving nurse’s station, additional office space, staff room upgrades, new restraint/seclusion room, toilet retrofits, and enclosure of central stairwell to conform to code
- Coming soon: Resurfacing the outdoor track and replacing the outdated GHS intercom system
- Past One Campus projects completed in summer 2025: Turf field and new Maintenance building
Campus Drive, which winds through the heart of MSAD 51, has been reconfigured to make way for the bus loop and entrance to the new Carolyn F. Small School, which will open in August 2027. As a result, parking spaces on the GCA side of GHS have been reduced and overall parking spaces at the high school have returned to previous levels before the 2025-26 year. Student parking has shifted back to the pool side of the high school where additional spaces were added a year ago in anticipation of the changes to Campus Drive this summer.
Much of the construction focus over the next ten months will be on successful completion of the Carolyn F. Small School. As was the case last year, we will be providing regular communications about construction progress and traffic/parking updates in the district newsletter.
Administrators and staff have worked hard to set the stage for a successful year as we get ready for students on day 1. For quick reference, here's a reminder about the schedule for the first week of school:
Monday, August 31 First day for Grades 1-9
Tuesday, September 1 First day for Grades 10-12
Wednesday, September 2 First day for Kindergarten
Thursday, September 3 First day for Pre-Kindergarten
Wishing you the very best as we wind down the summer and start the 2026-27 school year together.