January 2026 eNews

Community Programs Spotlight

Spring/Summer Catalog Release

Our catalog for the Spring/Summer 2026 seasons is now online! You can click the photo or link below to be taken directly to the catalog.

Link to Catalog

In addition, you can expect a paper copy of the booklet to be in your mailbox by mid-January. Make sure to browse all the programs within, or take a look below at some of our highlighted offerings.

Summer Camp Lottery & Registration Timeline

The first steps of the lottery will look very much like they did last year, and the timeline will be as follows:

Monday, January 5 – digital catalog covering January-August available for online viewing & online registration request period opens for Camp Seaside and Teen Treks

Monday, January 19 – online registration request period closes for Camp Seaside and Teen Treks

Friday, January 23 – families notified of the weeks available to them in Camp Seaside and Teen Treks

Tuesday, January 27 – online registration opens for all other summer camps

Friday, January 30 – deadline for families to confirm acceptance of their January 23 offer

You can click the links below to be taken directly to the registration pages of each age group. You must register for the waiting list prior to January 19th to be considered for a spot in a camp.

Camp Seaside - Puffins Lottery / Waiting List (Grades K-2)

Camp Seaside - Seals Lottery / Waiting List (Grades 3-5)

Teen Treks Lottery / Waiting List (Grades 6-12)

Late Winter / Early Spring Programs

Below is a list of select programs that we want to highlight, since they're starting soon. Click each program title to go directly to its registration page, or head over to our website for a full list of programs!

Youth Programs

Maine Nature Art @ FMS ("FMS Art Winter")

This program begins tomorrow, January 6th! Seasonal delights will inspire your budding artists during these sessions. Come join in and bring a snack, water bottle, and imagination inspired by all Maine has to offer outside!

SparkYou: Slime Masters

We have two sessions of Slime Masters beginning in January - one at MLS and one at DCS. Each week, kids will dive into the science of slime through hands-on experiments exploring the chemistry of matter. They'll create a new slime every class - building focus, confidence, and a love for science through sensory play. It's the science parents love to hate, but kids can't get enough of - because getting messy has actually been shown to be calming and therapeutic!

Mad Science: DCS & MSS Programs

These programs begin at MSS and DCS next week and need more registrants in order to continue as planned! Kids find out how science is at work in the world around them! They learn about the animal kingdom, both on land and under the sea. They make mixtures and explore the science of motion and energy. They also discover the technology that powers our modern world and keeps us connected.

Falcon Winter Baseball Clinics

Join the FHS Varsity Baseball coaching staff and players in these 90-minute sessions and work on specific skills needed to become quality baseball players. The skills and drills offered relate to proper pitching, hitting, and fielding mechanics.

Youth Basketball Open Gym

These open gym sessions will take place at DCS or FMS on Sundays, and they are open to any player from RSU5 towns in grades K-8. Activities will vary by session, and dependent on the number of players of each age group and their gender. Expect instructional drills, fun games and occasional scrimmages. All players must register below before attending - NO DROP INS ALLOWED.

Youth Indoor Soccer - Winter Session 1

Join us for this new program where players have the opportunity to learn and develop their soccer skills in the off season. Sessions will take place in the DCS gym, and so players should come ready with a water bottle, clothing appropriate for athletic movement, and a pair of indoor gym shoes. All players must register before attending a session. No drop ins!

Youth Ultimate Frisbee - Winter Indoor Sessions

These programs are separated by age group: 3rd-5th Grade, 6-8th Grade & High School sessions beginning in January. All sessions take place on Sunday mornings in the FHS Gym. Come learn the basics of this fun and inclusive sport!

Youth Volleyball - Winter/Spring Pickup Sessions

Join this fun and competitive co-ed volleyball program; coaches will be available to help players learn the basics as needed. Come play pickup volleyball and sweat away those winter blues! No drop-ins; must be pre-registered before attending. This program takes place Sunday evenings @ FHS from 5-6:30pm.

Adult Programs

Women & Girls in Sports & Coaching

Join us in this important program to engage in conversation about the place of women and girls in today's sporting landscape. Female role models in coaching positions are more important today than they've ever been, and this workshop will provide an opportunity to craft an individual action plan and to work with others toward a stronger and healthier future.

Maine Sandlot Baseball League

Early bird registration for the MSBL closes on March 31! Register before then to receive a $35 discount. The MSBL is a supremely player-friendly league for players who have completed their high school eligibility right up through their 20s. We've got a June-July regular season of approximately 15 games, followed by an early August championship tournament. It's excellent baseball, a ton of fun, and insanely affordable. Join us!

Civics 101: Freeport

Civics 101 will be returning to Freeport! More details, including a schedule, will be announced in the coming weeks. Sessions will likely take place in March and April. Check back on our website in the near future to learn more!

Local Events & Activities...

...with RSU5CP

Join us in attending the Maine Mariners game on Saturday March 21st against the Worcester Railers! Every ticket sold kicks back a small donation to RSU5CP, and the first 20 purchasers have the opportunity to high five all the Mariners players in the tunnel as they enter the ice! You can click this link to purchase tickets.

...with Freeport Community Library

Vermicomposting Workshop

Join us Wednesday, January 7th from 5:30-7:30 at Freeport Community Library for a workshop on Vermicomposting. Intended for beginners and returning attendees alike, Jock will provide detailed information and instruction and even free starter kits for attendees who want to begin their own worm bins at home!

Please reach out if you'd like more information!

From the Holocaust to Maine

Join us Tuesday, January 20 from 5:30-6:30 at Freeport Community Library for a heartfelt evening exploring and bearing witness to the stories of Jewish Mainers in Jack Montgomery’s remarkable new book, From the Holocaust to Maine: Testimonies of the Survivors.

Please reach out if you'd like more information!

...with Age Friendly in Freeport/Pownal



Our partners at Freeport Community Services offer community events taking place regularly at their location at 53 Depot Street in Freeport:

Art Van

Every 2nd & 4th Thursday of the Month, from 10:30am-12pm. Meet in the FCS courtyard to create art with your neighbors.

Tech Time with the Library

Every 1st Thursday of the month, from 1-3pm. Meet in the FCS lobby. Come with questions, curiosity, and any gadgets you may need help troubleshooting!

Free Lunch Friday

Every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month, from 12-1pm in the Bradley Room at FCS. Free meals for everyone in the community, prepared by local volunteers.

Adult Education

Join us for an open house to learn more about our Adult Ed and HiSET Programming! A virtual call will take place January 13th from 6:30-7:30pm, or you can join us in person at FCS on either: 9am on the 14th, or 4pm on the 15th.

For questions about our Adult Education programs, you may contact our Adult Ed Coordinator, Liza Gerber, at:

207-865-6171 x8322 or GerberM@rsu5.org

Laugh & Learn

Our Laugh & Learn programs in Durham, Freeport and Pownal have had a fun winter season so far, and spent lots of time playing outside, doing seasonal crafts and more! We enjoy having conversations with children about what the seasonal changes bring to each of them, and our community. We look forward to playing outside in the snow in the coming months! 

Our Laugh & Learn team works hard to prepare an inclusive, educational and fun environment for children throughout the school year; we hope to grow and become even more involved in our school and local communities. In December, our Preschoolers stamped their classroom passports and continued their journey of learning about different regions and cultures around the world- adding to their “travels” by visiting Mexico, Italy and Germany! While “visiting” Germany, children learned about the region’s people, animals, foods, and transportation. Preschoolers are working their way through the alphabet one letter at a time and are already on letter “I”. What better way to end the month and year than celebrating winter holidays, learning about the holidays’ histories and working together to host a feast? Thank you to our community members that joined in on the fun. Looking forward to what we have to explore through January!

Our Laugh & Learn team works hard to prepare an inclusive, educational and fun environment for children throughout the school year; we hope to grow and become even more involved in our school and local communities.



Registration for Laugh & Learn Preschool, Before and After Care is still open however spaces are limited for the 2025-2026 school year. Visit the Laugh & Learn page on our website for more details and to begin the registration process. Any questions? Reach out to: ChildhoodEd@rsu5.org

Registration for the 2026-2027 School Year: 

Preschool: Monday, February 2nd 2026

Before and After Care: Wednesday, April 1st 2026 

Laugh & Learn programs are growing so fast that we’re looking to add more teachers to our team! This fun and fulfilling position can be viewed and applied for by visiting this link. Questions? Please reach out to: ChildhoodEd@rsu5.org

Winter Gear Rentals

Are you interested in exploring the outdoors this winter? Do you need gear for yourself or a friend? Look no further! We offer rentals for XC Ski gear, Snowshoes and Fat Tire Mountain Bikes! Check out our inventory and make a reservation at this link.

Gift Cards

Are you looking for a quick and easy holiday gift? Community Programs sells gift cards of any value! Give us a call at 207-865-6171 for details and to purchase.

Reminder to Use Credits on Your Accounts!

Many credits have been issued over the past year, which means you could register for a program using money that has already been applied to your account. To see whether or not you have a credit, you can log into your profile at this link - after logging in, click "My Account" and any credits will be listed under the "Account" menu on the left (see example image below).

Information on Scholarships

One of our goals here at Community Programs is to make our programming accessible to everyone. To help us reach that goal, we offer scholarship funding to anyone who may need it - all you have to do is apply!

If you are interested in applying for a scholarship (full or partial), we ask you to please submit our application form BEFORE registering for the program. The earlier we are able to process these requests, the better, as it helps us budget and plan our programming each season. You may submit your application/request to our office by emailing the completed form to cp@rsu5.org. All information provided will be kept confidential.