Our Maine Street's Aroostook Issue 3 : Winter 2010 | Page 59

education in Limestone Limestone Community School Limestone Community School is a pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade public school that serves the educational needs of 275 students from the communities of Limestone and Caswell. Despite the financial constraints and adjustments made by LCS to meet these budgetary challenges during recent years, LCS has maintained a strong learning environment and continues to offer many extracurricular activities to the student body. The administration and faculty have been committed to professional development to improve the quality of classroom instruction offered at LCS. Recent work with internationally known literacy specialist and author, Dr. Janet Allen, and attending national teacher conferences in Rhode Island and Indiana are two highlights of these efforts. Limestone Community School was recognized by the U.S. News & World Report at the beginning of the 2008-09 school year as a bronze medal school in its annual list of America’s Best High Schools. Limestone Community School’s work with the least advantaged student was highlighted by this annual report. The Limestone Community School plant facilities offer additional opportunities to the community and our students. The junior Olympic size pool, three up-to-date computer labs, an auditorium that boasts a 600 plus capacity, and a well stocked library are a few examples that exist at LCS. Limestone Community School is committed to excellence and will continue to make improvements as we seek to effectively meet the needs of our students and prepare them to meet the challenges of the 21st Century. The Maine School of Science and Mathematics The Maine School of Science and Mathematics (MSSM) opened its doors in the fall of 1995 as one of a handful of innovative public residential magnet schools in the country. Since then, MSSM has met and exceeded the highest expectations of its founders. MSSM brings together academically oriented students in a specialized residential setting in order to focus and accelerate their learning. Already its graduates include Rhodes and Fulbright scholars, nuclear engineers, medical doctors, teachers, professors, and entrepreneurs. Its approximately 700 alumni are emerging as a new generation of Maine leaders in research, technology, business, medicine, philanthropy, and public service. Last year, U.S. News & World Report ranked MSSM as the 12th best public high school in the nation, a remarkable achievement for this ambitious, young Maine institution. MSSM enrolls highly motivated, intellectually curious and emotionally mature high school students from across Maine, the US and Internationally. For more information please visit www.mssm.org. Loring Job Corps Center The Center is located in beautiful Northeastern Maine in the largest county East of the Mississippi and within six miles of Canada. This is country living at its best as the Center is located within a short distance of several quiet agriculture communities on a 47 acre college like campus. With two college campus nearby, the Center provides students an opportunity to take advantage of a higher education opportunity in either technical or a liberal arts education. The Center provides not only a wide variety of Career Technical Training in the following five clusters for its 380 students, but provides many additional opportunities for students to have positive involvement in student leadership, local cultural events and community service. The Career Technical Training Clusters include: Automotive Cluster: Auto Technician with ASE/ NATEF certification & Commercial Drivers License (CDL) for both A and B levels; Computer Support Cluster: Networking, Cabling & CISCO’s Advanced Training; Construction Cluster: HBI Carpentry, Electrical & Painting as well the Cement Masons & Plasterers Union Cement Masonry Training Program; Culinary Arts Custer: