Around the Academy

TIM SMITH ’87 STEPS AWAY FROM ATHLETIC DIRECTOR POST

After 17 years of overseeing athletics at Foxcroft Academy, Tim Smith has stepped away as the school’s athletic administrator. “It’s the right time to move on to another facet of my professional career, while still working at the Academy with other duties,” Tim said. “You know when the time is right to do something different, and I think the time is now while still serving the school that I love.” Upon graduation from FA, Tim attended the University of Maine at Presque Isle, graduating in 1991. Tim worked at the University of Southern Maine in various roles, including director of intramurals and as an assistant coach of the USM women’s basketball team. Smith returned to his alma mater in 2003 as the Athletic Director and Director of Student Affairs. “Mr. Smith has overseen Foxcroft Academy athletics for many years and has supported all of our athletic programs, championships, and coaches of the year,” said Arnold Shorey, Head of School. “There are few who can match Tim’s love for the Ponies, and I’m glad he will continue in his other roles serving the students of FA.”

Under Smith’s tenure, his athletic teams won 14 state championships and 25 regional titles and supported several programs winning conference championships. His coaches have also been the recipients of many coaches of the year awards.

“I will miss the competition and being around the coaches on a day to day basis, but I will still be there to support my kids and support the Ponies,” said Smith. “I can walk away knowing I did my best for this athletic department and the fine student-athletes we’ve produced.”

Replacing Tim will be our Athletic Trainer, Jaclyn Tourtelotte.

SIXTH YEAR OF FOXCROFT ACADEMY FRESHMAN ACADEMY CONSIDERED A SUCCESS

The 2020-2021 school year is underway. For a dozen incoming ninthgraders, the school year started three weeks early with the sixth year of Foxcroft Freshman Academy.

Freshman Academy is a summer school offering that was an idea of administrators from both Foxcroft Academy and RSU 68. The program’s goal is to help a number of incoming freshmen get a head start on the transition to high school, with classroom instruction, social interaction, community service, and more.

“We wanted to create a program that helped set these students up for future success in the classroom and beyond,” said Arnold Shorey. “Entering the sixth year of the program means that it is working for a majority of students, setting them on the path to succeed over the next four years.”

COVID-19 has changed the classroom’s logistics, with students separated six feet apart, masks required, and hand sanitizer available for use. It also changed a few activities this summer as plans for field trips to inside venues were altered. Instead, outdoor ventures were added.

“We visited Moxie Falls and for many of the kids, it was the first time they had ever been there,” said John Cornett, member of the Math Department and Freshman Academy teacher. “We picked up trash on the trails behind the school and had a chance to help with some projects around town. It’s a win-win situation for our incoming students.”

“It’s all about establishing a routine for the students and letting them know we are here to help,” said Morgan Rublee, English Department Chair and Freshman Academy teacher. “There has to be a school aspect to what we do, but they can learn in a fun way while being creative and active. If they put effort into what they do now, they will adapt pretty quickly in September.” “If these students have their required reading finished, as well as a journal of their accomplishments, and know where a few classrooms are, we have done our job,” said Rublee.

LOCAL WIFI ACCESS POINTS ADDED DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The phrase “learning from a distance” used to mean sitting in the back of a classroom. In these tumultuous times those words have taken on new meaning and presented new challenges in the educational realm, but they have turned into great opportunities for Foxcroft Academy. On Monday, March 16, Foxcroft Academy, along with many other schools in the state of Maine, closed their campuses to help contain the spread of COVID-19. The real challenge was to maintain a strong level of at-home learning, but not being able to use complete in-school resources, such as the Foxcroft internet servers, presented a problem. Several of our school families live in areas with little or no broadband coverage, so even though an iPad was available, many of the applications were not accessible. Enter the Foxcroft Academy Information Technology Department, headed by Mr. Rob Brown ’84. Rob and his team set up drive-up hot spots, utilizing idle IT equipment, which would allow students to drive to area hot spot locations with their iPad (or other devices), and log on to the FA network. “This whole idea was born out of the University of Maine system’s Study-From-Car initiative that had been put in place,” said Rob . “We had several WiFi access points in the school that were not being used because we didn’t have kids in the building, so I thought, why not bring the internet to them?” This program, while not the best solution, is one that helped solve the problem.

“With the amazing strides we made in on-line learning in just a short amount of time, there was a segment of our population that was having issues with learning resources. Where you live shouldn’t deter your learning potential, so while this isn’t right at their doorstep, these hot spots are in readily accessible areas to students and their families.” There has been a real need for this service for our students, so we had no choice but to react to the problem,” said Arnold Shorey.

Area hot spots are located at the Monson Historical Society, Charleston Church, Harmony Elementary School, Sebec Town Office, and Foxcroft Academy. Simply drive into the parking lots and school-issued iPads should automatically log on to the network. Each of these hot spots also has a public WiFi option as well, so you don’t need to be a Foxcroft Academy student to use it.

“This whole project truly helped our community in a great time of need,” said Brown. “Working with Paul Shaw from AOS #94 and Premium Choice Broadband, we have local areas covered with fast and reliable broadband communications.”

FACULTY MEMBER BRETT ALMASI NAMED HEAD OF SCHOOL FOR NEW FOXCROFT PARTNER SCHOOL IN CAMBODIA

Foxcroft Academy, in partnership with the American University of Phnom Penh in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, is pleased to announce Mr. Brett Almasi as its Head of School for the upcoming 2020-21 school year. Mr. Almasi began his tenure there in mid-September.

“It has been my goal to be the head administrator of a school for several years, ever since I went back to school to earn my leadership certificate,” said Almasi. “I believe my years of dedication to the classroom and moving students along on a strong path to success will help me in my ability to lead a school in the right direction.”

Almasi has been in the classroom of our History Department for thirteen years. He also coached cross country and track and was a dorm parent in our Residential Life Program.

“Everything I have done in my professional life brings me to where I am today,” said Almasi. According to Arnold Shorey, Mr. Almasi’s hiring for this position was a natural choice. “Brett is an excellent educator and knows the importance of hiring strong people around him,” said Shorey. “The new partner school will utilize Foxcroft Academy’s curriculum, something Mr. Almasi is well versed in, and he’s ready for the challenge.”

While this will be Almasi’s first opportunity to be a head of school, he feels the support he has from the FA administration will help him ease into the job. “I have had the backing of Mr. Shorey from day one in my desire to become an administrator,” said Almasi. “The chance to realize a dream comes with a little hesitation, but a whole lot of excitement. I’m ready to get going.”

An Old Tradition Socially Distanced: The Rose Award Ceremony Knowledge is Power

This past May, in following tradition, a special outdoor social-distancing Rose Award ceremony was held to honor the Class of 2020 outstanding scholars.

To receive a Rose Award, a student must accumulate a grade point average that places them in the top 15 percent of their class’s permanent students. A commemorative medallion is presented to each student along with the traditional rose. This time honored tradition didn’t let the pandemic prevent it from happening.

Trustee for 17 years Peter Culley retires from the Board

Peter was a member of the Class of 1961, and his early involvement as an alumnus started as a member of the original Development Committee in the early 90’s, which later morphed into the Alumni Advisory Board. He played an integral part in our Forestry Campaign in 1995 to build the Packard Center for Forestry Management.

In 1997, Peter was asked to join the Steering Committee for our Securing the Tradition capital campaign, which he accepted. In 2001, he was named the recipient of the Dr. Mary Chandler-Lowell Award by his alumni peers, for his excellence in his chosen profession. Upon graduating from the Boston University School of Law in 1968, Peter served as the Assistant Attorney General and later became Chief of the Criminal Division of the Department of the Attorney General for the State of Maine. In 1972, he formed his own law firm of Hewes, Culley & Beals. Then in 1985 he joined the firm of Pierce Atwood, Northern New England’s largest law firm at the time, where he continues to serve as Chair of the Litigation Department. In 2002 Peter was elected to the Board of Trustees and served as its President from 2008 - 2011. Two of his notable accomplishments include the building of our first dormitory, Herd Hall, and approving the decision to get 1 to 1 iPads for students. He remained on the Board until 2019, when he was named an Honorary Trustee. We offer our sincerest thanks for his 17 years of devoted service to FA.

FA KEY CLUB TAKES HOME SEVERAL DISTRICT AWARDS

It was another award-winning year for the Foxcroft Academy Key Club. While schools were forced to shut down in mid-March and the New England District Key Club convention in Massachusetts had to be canceled, awards were still sent out to participating schools and the FA Key Club fared very well.

This year’s awards included the following: first place honors for membership growth, annual achievement, and the club was named a Distinguished Club award winner. They took home second-place honors in the category of a single service project (D-F Community Dinner) and for the monthly report contest. They also won third place for their major emphasis project (teaming up with D-F Kiwanis Club for their holiday toy drive). As for individual awards, congratulations to junior Kelli Black, named one of three winners in the district of the Outstanding Lieutenant Governor Award. Kelli served as the international project chair for the district board as well as overseeing six Key Clubs in Division 2. She helped Central High School Key Club receive their charter to become the sixth Key Club in Division 2. Senior Ethan Curtis was named the district’s Outstanding Officer for his leadership and service to Key Club. Special thanks to Key Club Advisor, Mr. George Rolleston, for organizing and overseeing all of the projects and activities. The work doesn’t stop as the new Key Club projects for the year are underway.

FOOD SERVICE DIRECTOR RHONDA TYLER LEAVING AFTER 15 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE

Rhonda Tyler began at Foxcroft Academy as a temporary fill-in for the former Food Service Director in 2005 after she sold her restaurant in Milo, Angie’s, that she and her mother had owned for 13 years. Very soon she was named the permanent Food Service Director and the rest is history. She totally revamped the dining services, adding many new items to the menu, such as subs, salads, pizza, and burgers, along with the traditional hot lunch.

Rhonda is and has been a valued member of the administration doing the impossible job of overseeing dining services for over fifteen years. Her work ethic, compassion and ability to listen to the students’ suggestions will be hard to replace. She will be dearly missed, and we greatly appreciate her outstanding effort on behalf of the students of Foxcroft Academy. Arnold Shorey, Head of School With the COVID-19 pandemic, she has had to make lots of adjustments, one being that the students have to pre-order their lunches every morning on their iPads. She also mentioned that the price of gloves has risen from $25/case to $80/case! She was one of the first dorm parents in Herd Hall, a responsibility she took on for seven years. She developed many special bonds with the girls, such as Fia Phong Hoang Dang ’14 and Selina Guo ’14. She visited Vietnam with Fia for two weeks in the summer of 2014, and even attended Selina and Jeremiah McLeod’s ’13 wedding in North Carolina. Her meals were unmatched at all of our special events, including the Alumni Banquet, Athletic and Academic Hall of Fame dinners, cooking for Lobster Bowl practice camp, and cooking for all the wrestlers while they were here at camp. You could always count on her to get the job done, and done right.

She is sad to be leaving her Foxcroft Academy family of 15 years after this school year, but she is elated to be moving closer to her daughter Angie and grandchildren. Rest assured, she will be missed!