The last many of her 35 years working at Wiscasset High School turned Wiscasset Middle High School, Technology Coordinator/VHS Site Coordinator/Student Council Advisor Debra Pooler has led seniors through the paces of commencement, before commencement. And there she was Friday morning, May 31 in Stover Auditorium, directing marching practice again, the day before her last month on the job for Wiscasset schools.

The retiree-to-be had each graduate-to-be reach out an arm toward the classmate at their side. That is how far apart they should be in the march, the 1971 WHS graduate told them. Between that direction and schedule reminders, showing Class Marshals Emily Gilliam and Christopher Seiders how to hold, raise and lower their red and black decorated batons and everyone else how to respond to those cues by sitting or standing, Pooler told seniors she wants them to be proud of graduating from there, and what a good job they were doing at their first practice. 

WMHS’ students are why she has kept working there as long as she has, she told Wiscasset Newspaper on the school steps where signs of seniors’ pranks on that, their last school day, abounded: Cars parked every which way, “for sale” signs on the school and on the school sign on Gardiner Road, chalk-written messages on the steps, and the wolverine statue wrapped in bathroom tissue. 

As of mid-morning, some seniors had not gone to class yet. Gilliam, salutatorian, and Seiders, valedictorian – both Wiscasset students throughout their school careers – expected to in the afternoon; each had a presentation to make in Advanced Placement  (AP) biology. How were they feeling the last day of school? “Awesome,” Seiders said.

“I’m really glad we’re practicing (graduation),” Gilliam said, laughing. “I’m pretty excited. I know when the day comes, it’ll be sentimental and what not.”

Any surprises yet in the run-up to graduation? Seiders had not thought he would miss his school years. Now he thinks he will.

This is Sarah Hubert’s first graduation as WMHS principal. Friday, she was feeling proud of and excited for the class. So was Superintendent of Schools Kim Andersson, for her first graduation in that job and for daughter Linnea’s graduation. “I am awash with emotion,” Supt. Andersson said entering Stover Auditorium.