Welcome to the Ice Harvest at Maranacook Community Middle School~ students at MCMS choose their curriculum, which is presented in an integrated way. Teachers use their professional skills to combine student interest, Maine Learning Results, and curricular elements to deliver student-centered content. We’re here because this event connects students to Maine’s culture, history, traditions, winter sports, and future through experiential learning and fun — as well as to the Maine Learning Results in Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, English/Language Arts, and Health & PE.
A mix of 65, sixth, seventh, and eighth-grade students and their team teachers are joined by volunteer Ken Lincoln, of The Thompson Ice Harvest House Museum located in South Bristol and his team, parents of our students, and community members. The Maranacook Alternative Program students and their teachers will stop by in the afternoon. We will also have a forest ranger, a game warden, a state biologist, and someone from USGS on site.
They participated in a “six-ring-circus” consisting of 1) Ice Harvest led by Ken Lincoln of the South Bristol based Thompson Ice Harvest House Museum, 2) Snowshoeing led by middle school parents Kathy Tarbuck and Vanessa Freeman, 3) Ice Fishing led by parents and community members Heather and Sean Keegan, AJ St. Laurent, and Ben Grover, 4) Academic Core Lessons presented by UMF practicum students Calli Leach, Jazmine Sy Murray, and Kathyrn Michal, 5) Ice Out Data and Climate presentations by Glen Hodgkin, USGS, and 6) Fish dissection and Q & A with Forester Julie Davenport, State Biologist Ryan Burton, and Game Warden Ethan Buck.
We were able to do this with the support of so many people, organizations, businesses, and community members who have brought this together, including:
- Ken Lincoln and the team from The Thompson Ice Harvest House Museum, South Briston, ME (leading our ice harvest)
- Bailey Memorial Library, Winthrop, ME (providing snowshoes for students)
- Cobbossee Bait Shop, Winthrop, ME (providing bait for ice fishing)
- Barker Construction, Livermore Falls, ME (providing tractor expertise and ice transportation)
- Zack Stewart, Central Maine Technology/Maine Guide Service
- Maine Forest Service, Maine Warden Service, and USGS
- The Weathervane Restaurant, Readfield, ME (providing cookies and cocoa)
- The Town of Readfield (providing a location at the lake)
- Parents Sean and Heather Keegan and community members AJ St. Laurent and Ben Groover (providing ice fishing expertise and equipment), Parents Vanessa Freeman and Kathy Tarbuck (snowshoeing expertise)
- Local Fire Department members Chief Lee Mank, Assistant Fire Chief, Jason Foster, Nate Foster, Cam Foster, and
- Parent Kate Saunders, RN (providing medical care as needed)
- Parents Craig and Betsy Stevens, Monique Lemieux, Stacy and Matt Tomossone, and Dion Olmstead (additional chaperones)
- Maranacook Middle School Principal, Kristen Levesque and Superintendent of Schools RSU 38 Jay Charette
- Acadia Team Teachers Kelli Corrigan, Dan Holman, and Jean Roesner