December 2024 Dates:

• 4 National Honor Society Induction Ceremony

• 10 World Language International Funfest

• 11 Early Release Day

• 12 Concert for Chorus at 6:00pm

• 13 Progress Report

• 16-20 Spirit Week

• 16 Candy Cane Day (wear Red and White)

• 17 Cozy Flannel Day (Wear Flannel)

• 17 Concert for Band at 6:00pm

• 18 Ring in the New Year (Wear fancy clothes)

• 19 Comfy Pajama Day (Wear PJs)

• 20 Ugly Sweater Day

• 20 Early Release Day

Welcome to December!

With the inclement weather upon us, we want to remind you about snow days. A snow day is called by the Superintendent generally early in the morning. If there is a bad storm projected on the next day, we may do a remote school day. The Augusta School Board approved 5 Remote School days for our school calendar. The Superintendent will make the decision at 1:00pm on the day before and alert the schools if we are having a remote day. We will distribute FREE lunches to every student right after the announcement. Teachers will remind students where to find the remote day information for the next day. Each teacher has a remote day roadmap/lesson plan that is housed on their class google classroom account. Cony Middle and High School teachers will be available for questions on google meets or email from 8:00-11:00am. Although assignments are due the next day, students will have 3 days to submit completed work for attendance credit. We have scheduled three days to be sure that students have time to get the assignment done in case there is a loss of power. If you have any questions, contact your student's homeroom teacher.

Our Student Council is hosting a Spirit Week from Dec. 16-20th. Each day has a different theme. Also, they are sponsoring a Giving Tree where students take a gift tag and buy a gift for a family in need. We are very appreciative of their hard work on this.

We are conducting our Progress Reports differently this quarter and going forward. Every parent has access to our student information system, Web2School. If you don't have a login for this, please contact Lauri Chambers, Administrative Assistant. We will send an email burst out to families to remind them to check their student's web2school. Our progress report time is scheduled will be updated on Friday, Dec. 13th. We will not send home printed progress reports. We will continue to send home printed report cards.

The end of Quarter 2 is scheduled for January 24th. We are hosting final exams on January 23 and January 24th for the high school only. High School students will only need to be at Cony during their final exams.

Don't forget that we are hosting two concerts for our music program. The Chorus concert is scheduled for Thursday, December 12th at 6:00pm in the Viles auditorium. The Band Concert is scheduled for Tuesday, December 17th at 6:00pm in the Viles auditorium.

Our district is focusing on student attendance this year. Consistent school attendance is a cornerstone of academic success and personal development. Regular attendance ensures that students gain access to the full range of learning opportunities, helping them build essential skills, knowledge, and habits for future success. It fosters a sense of responsibility, discipline, and routine, which are valuable traits in all aspects of life. Additionally, attending school regularly allows students to engage with peers and educators, promoting social interaction and collaboration. Missing school frequently can lead to learning gaps, lower academic achievement, and reduced confidence, making it harder to catch up. By prioritizing attendance, students set themselves up for better educational outcomes and greater opportunities in their future endeavors. We are trying to reach an average daily attendance rate of 94%.

On behalf of our entire Cony staff, we wish your family a happy holiday season.

Thank you for all of your continued support,

Kim Liscomb, Principal

The winter sports season is kicking off this week. Good luck to all of our teams Below is a quick overview for each squad:

Girls Basketball (coach John Dennett) - the defending North A Champions, the team returns starters Abby Morrill, Morgan Fichthorne and Cassie LaCroix. With these returning players and a strong group of freshmen, the Rams will look to repeat and win the Gold Ball!

Boys Basketball (coach Isaiah Brathwaite) - the boys team will look to stretch their play-off appearance streak to an 11th year! Jordan Benedict and Parker Morin are returning starters looking to lead the way. A large group of newcomers and younger players will make an impact on the team. 

Swimming (coach Bob Johnston) - the swim team is hoping for another strong season from the girls team. Lillianna Choate, Emily Kennard, and Anabelle Orth are all state champion level swimmers. The boys team is slowly growing in numbers and they will be lead by captain Reid DeJongh. The team swims at the KVYMCA.

Co-Op Hockey (coach Doug Dieuveuil) - the Cony/Hall-Dale/Erskine/Maranacook/Monmouth/Richmond/Winthrop hockey team is one of the favorites to win the Class B North crown this season. Returning Cony players Zach Waddell, Cooper Clark, Alex Leet, and Conor Callahan are major parts on the teams’ best lines and freshman Jackson Wing will also contribute. You can catch the team play at the Ice Vault.

Wrestling (coach Shawn Totman) - the wrestling team continues to grow as the team boasts more than 30 members. The team will be led by returners Kaiden Veilleux, Steve Witham, Corbin LeBlanc, and Logan Childs. The team also boasts seven female wrestlers - one of the larger groups that any school has in Maine. The Cony Duals are on December 21st and will provide a great opportunity to see our team and some of the states best!

Indoor Track (coach Kevin Russell) - the indoor team is now a cooperative teaming with Gardiner and Hall-Dale. The group will compete in Class A and will have most of their meets at Bowdoin College. Loralie Grady (Distance) and Leah Barrett (LJ & TJ) will lead the girls while Jackson Veilleux (middle distances) and Alden Wilkinson (Shot) will lead the boys team.

Competitive Cheer (coach Jennifer Fortin) - a small team with mighty Cony spirit, the girls will be on the sidelines for basketball games and competing at events throughout the winter. The KVAC championships at the Civic Center on January 18 will be a highlight! 

Congratulations to our eSports team for moving on to the State finals on Saturday, December 7th at Husson College in the ROCKET LEAGUE competition.

We are running an academic study hall for athletes who need additional support in their classes. Please know we will assign students to this academic study as needed. Let us know if you have any questions.

Make a point to get out, go to a game, and cheer on the Rams!

Hello from the Guidance Office!

We have been busy meeting with students! As a reminder, if you would like to speak with your student’s counselor, here is the list of who to contact:

Middle School: Shawn Johnson sjohnson@augustaschools.org

High School:

Last Names A-F Heidi Mills heidi.mills@augustaschools.org

Last Names G-O Beth Russell bethany.russell@ausustaschools.org

Last Names P-Z Laura Richardson laura.richardson@augustaschool.org

In addition to School Counselors we have the following staff members who support our students

Social Workers

Tony Veit anthony.veit@augustaschools.org

Donna Kelly donna.kelly@augustaschools.org

Career Specialist Lisa Plourde lisa.plourde@augustaschools.org

Reintegration Specialist Carly Wiggin carly.wiggin@augustaschools.org

HIGH SCHOOL NEWS:

Seniors: 

• If you have NOT scheduled your Senior Meeting, or you need to reschedule, please do so ASAP! This can be a very overwhelming time for some of you; we are here to help! Please check in with us as you make your plans for after graduation!! 

• FAFSA: FAFSA Opened  December 1st! Please call guidance if you are interested in setting up a meeting with our Financial Aid Specialist to help you through the process. She is available to meet December 10th. 

Winter/Spring Early College Online Classes:

• There are free college classes are available to sign up for NOW! Set up a meeting with your guidance counselor to get registered. 

Sophomores

Sophomores have been participating in a Career unit with Mrs. Plourde during Fall Semester  English classes. If your student has English this semester, please check in with them regarding what they’ve been working on. As always, encourage your student to make an appointment with their School Counselor to discuss future planning.

We wish you all a very Happy, Healthy and Warm Holiday Season!

Hello Cony students and families!

The Health Suite is starting vision screening for both Grade 7 and 9. We will alert any families with any concerns. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact the Health Suite.

As a reminder, Cony has a school based health clinic available to our students and staff. This is a FREE service to our students and staff. We have nurse practitioners who help support our students. Because we have a grant, we are able to provide this without going through insurance companies. If you are interested in signing up, please contact the Health Suite.

Germ season is upon us and so are the holidays! Please be mindful when attending large gatherings and spending extended periods of time around those who are symptomatic. Ensure that your student has a water bottle that can be used at school and send snacks. Students who eat nutritiously and drink plenty of fluids will have a stronger immune system!

As a reminder: It is our expectation that a student will be FEVER FREE for 24 HOURS prior to returning to school (without the use of fever reducing medicine). We also ask that the student’s symptoms (runny nose, cough, sore throat, etc.) are improving. These guidelines apply to the common cold, influenza, COVID or any other contagion. Stay healthy!

Congratulations to the follow Students of the Month selected by the staff:

HIGH SCHOOL

• 12th Grade     Zeb Welton

• 11th Grade     Rhya Turner

• 10th Grade Kira Gregor   

• 9th Grade     Serena Cormier

MIDDLE SCHOOL

• Mackenzy Monroe Moosehead 

• Anna Nguyen Sebago

• Carson O’Neil Acadia

• Chloe Stevenson Rangeley