Students and staff showcase LearningWorks after‑school program; board hears focus on STEAM and free enrollment for qualifying families

Wendy LeBlanc, principal at Fairfield School, introduced Sierra Dubey, director of LearningWorks in Saco, and students who shared a short video and readings about the program.

"LearningWorks Saco is a grant funded program supported by a 21st Century‑style after‑school grant and Saco Public Schools," Dubey said, describing the program as free of charge to qualifying families, enrollment based on academic need and teacher recommendation, and focused on STEAM learning with embedded literacy supports, hands‑on activities and interest‑based clubs. She said the program intentionally teaches transferable skills such as time management, organization and teamwork.

Students described classroom activities and community: Nora read about making "ice cones out of snow" and other projects; other students highlighted morning meeting routines, arts activities and science curriculum from a partner called Go To Science. Principal Jeff Mears later introduced Young School students who spoke about kindness and school events.

Board members asked about safety lessons and program evaluation. A board member asked what safety lessons were taught; Dubey listed winter snow/ice safety, fire safety, bike safety and household safety planning. On program evaluation, staff described past approaches including comparing spring and fall assessment data and running beginning‑and‑end program assessments while noting the difficulty of constructing a true control group.

The board commended the students for their presentations and thanked staff for the program update. No formal action or funding decision was taken during the presentation.

What happens next: Staff will continue to operate and evaluate partnership models with LearningWorks and consider program staffing and volunteer recruitment.