Wiscasset Middle High School is ranked 13^th in the 2021 U.S. News & World Report high school rankings for Maine, Superintendent of Schools Terry Wood announced at the March 9 school committee meeting. Wood said she looked through the rankings for the past three years and that “13^th is good, but it would be great to be 12^th, 11^th, or 10^th and one of the goals I want to focus on is how we can move up higher.”

The rankings are based on factors including math and reading performance and proficiency, college-level curriculum and graduation rate. Morse High School in Bath ranked 17^th and Brunswick High School, 18^th.

Wood said Wiscasset schools reached their 100^th day of school Feb. 24. WMHS Principal Chuck Lomonte reported, all but 18 middle school students are back for in-person instruction four days a week, with those 18 choosing to stay fully remote. At the high school level, 145 attend four days a week, with 66 attending in the hybrid mode and 62 still fully remote.

Lomonte is working with the senior class to plan a graduation ceremony and an alternative to prom. He said the top three sites for graduation are last year’s site Wiscasset Speedway, Wiscasset Municipal Airport, or outside at WMHS.

“(Seniors) are aware of all the guidelines and I think they are coming up with some really great plans,” Lomonte said. As for a prom alternative, he said, “Whatever we do we want it to be within the walls of the guidelines.” The students have proposed several options and Lomonte said he was trying to give students as much autonomy as he can.

Nutrition Director Lorie Johnson reported Wiscasset won a drawing through one of its distributors and will receive cases of McCain food products and surprises for Wiscasset Elementary School students, including a visit from mascots Spuddy and Buddy.

Nurse Marilyn Sprague noted the vaccine program for school employees is ramping up with the priority change from Gov. Janet Mills. Sprague said the head of the program in Lincoln County told her he is confident all teachers in the county will be vaccinated by the end of the month.

Congratulations went to students chosen for the District 3 Honors Music Festival: Madison Westrich and Naomi Wood for chorus and Westrich, Emily Gilliam, Julia Truesdell, Linnea Andersson and John Hodson for band.

The committee’s next regular meeting is at 6 p.m. April 13 via Zoom.