March 2025 eNews

Welcome, Kathy!

Community Programs is very excited to welcome a new Office Coordinator to our team, Kathy DeGrandpre. Kathy grew up in Freeport, then went on to attend Wheaton College in Massachusetts. After a few years away she eagerly returned to Maine. Kathy has spent most of her career working in operational roles in the insurance industry. She has also been involved with the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project and Freeport Community Services. In her free time, Kathy enjoys rock climbing, skiing, games, reading, and exploring New England with family and friends. She is excited to get to know more neighbors through our community programs. Please stop in and say hello next time you swing by the office!

Join us this coming Saturday for an exciting FREE clinic hosted by Maine Ultimate at Freeport High School. Ultimate Frisbee superstar, Rowan McDonnell, will be leading a clinic for adult coaches looking to learn, grow and improve on their craft of Coaching Ultimate*. Over the course of two hours Rowan will go over four foundational blocks that are applicable to coaches at all age and skill levels. Click the button above to register for free and learn more about the session.

*While this clinic is centered around the sport of ultimate, there will be key takeaways valuable to coaches of all sports. Even if you don't know or coach the sport of ultimate frisbee, this would be an excellent opportunity for any coach!

This coming Sunday we have an opportunity for you to practice your basketball skills in a fun and engaging clinic. Youth players in Grades 3-8 will have the chance to learn from and play games and drills alongside FHS boys and girls varsity players! All registration fees will be donated to the National Cytomegalovirus Foundation.

At Farm Camp, kids in Grades K-5 will engage in hands-on learning about regenerative agriculture and the environment. Campers take care of livestock, tend gardens, and make new friends while exploring 626 acres of farmland, forest, and coast. Wolfe's Neck Center is excited to offer a one day version of this program during Professional Learning & Development days at school.

Upcoming Spring Sports

This program is open to beginner players interested in competing in the 3rd-6th Grade Rec Lacrosse League (league participation not required). Come and learn the basic skills of the sport before signing up for the full season. Coaches will teach players throwing, catching, ground balls and more. More details, and registration can be found by clicking the button above.

We are excited to offer this program for the second year in a row to athletes in Grades K-8. Coaches from Portland Rugby Football Club will help players learn the basics of playing offense and defense, passing and receiving, teamwork, and sportsmanship -- all in a friendly flag-football-style setting. Click the button above to learn more about this program.

Join the Freeport Seawolves as they begin their second season of competitive high school rugby. No experience necessary! Players will learn solid foundational techniques over the course of the season, and compete against other schools in New England in games and tournaments. Check out more information on our webpage, and register using the button above.

Sign up for this new team and join the Freeport Ultimate Program! This season is designed to help new 6-8th Grade players learn the sport of Ultimate - rules, strategy, and basic skills like throwing and catching. The team will practice on Mondays and Wednesdays with the opportunity to play games against other schools!

Benefit from a fun and engaging youth workout that aims to build and improve cardio endurance, strength, coordination, and wellness through basic tumbling, gymnastics, and exercise activities in a small-group environment. Kids in Grades 4-6 are invited to learn and practice the proper techniques for handstands, cartwheels, series connection skills, and more, and partake in various beam and balance drills.

The Falcon Golf Clinics are specifically designed for students between the ages of 8 and 13. Skilled members of the Freeport High School golf team will be present to provide instruction and guidance to the participants. It presents an excellent opportunity for young golfers to learn from some of the finest high school golfers in the state. A small number of clubs may be available for those who do not have their own set.



Other Upcoming Programs

Kids in middle school and above can join us after school at Freeport Community Library for great programs all school year. Whether you're an artist, a gamer, a genius or a dreamer, we have something for you to Explore... for free! Join us for fantasy role playing with Dungeons & Dragons, or some real, live Lizards & Snakes with Mr. Drew. There are even more programs to Explore... every Wednesday and Thursday!

This 6-week workshop series for adults will cover the basic steps of writing a book: from brainstorming to publishing and everything in between. Each week we’ll explore a new topic related to the process of writing picture books, study mentor texts, put pen to paper as we develop our manuscripts, and build a repository of resources to fuel our practice. There will be an opportunity to share and receive feedback on your story if you choose! Click the link above to register today.

Come share your love for Pokémon, and bring that universe to life! Campers will become "trainers" and enter quests to catch creatures and challenge themselves in creative ways. Join us for themed physical activities, science experiments, card market exchanges and other creative sessions! Register using the button above.

This exciting new program gives residents a unique opportunity to learn about their local government and engage with the decision-makers for the Town of Freeport. Over six weeks, members from the Town Council, Town Planning, Public Safety, Public Works, and more will speak and give presentations about their mission in the community and how they interact with residents. Learn more and register by clicking on the Civics 101 logo above.

*Please note: this program begins on March 10 and is limited to 25 participants, who must be residents of Freeport. We hope to offer similar programs in the near future in Durham and Pownal.



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), 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.

Adult Education Updates

Volunteers Needed - ESOL Classes

Are you interested in learning about other cultures? Do you have a spare hour during the week? We are hoping to find volunteers tutors to help our adult ESOL students improve their language skills.

Interested? Let us know by emailing AdultEd@rsu5.org.



Laugh & Learn Updates